Seriously WTF

I was just checking up on you fellow bloggers misdeeds for the past week, I stumbled upon Jen's fun times at My heritage celebrity profile.

I thought,I should do it and actually went to do it--which goes completely against my slacker nature (see previous post)

And here is what I came up with:

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

I can see my likeness in several of them, but STEVE BUSCEMI!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?
He is the quintessential crazy ugly guy!?!
Oh man, there goes my self esteem for the day

There is an excuse, I swear

So my departure from the blogosphere last week was swift and seemingly unintentional. But it was...intentional...a little bit.

I am probably the laziest and most procrastinating procrastinator known to mankind.

I could detail all of this, but then I would be humiliated and have to go into hiding again.

I thought if I could keep myself away from the blogosphere to get my "chores" done then I would have an incentive (and reward) to get it done. Yeah, not so much. What was supposed to be an extended weekend hiatus turned into a week! I am sorry, doogs, come back!

One of my chores was to start packing up my apartment.

Yes, that is right...the Roaming Southerner is roaming again...at some point in the nearer future. Kdubs finishes law school in May, we are not sure where he will be working after he takes the bar in Georgia (probably not Georgia), and I am not sure when I am leaving my job.

I initially thought I would just leave with him, but if I stay longer, I MAY get a good severance package out of it. Which in these economic times, is nothing to sneeze at.

I am choosing not to get worried about the where and when we will end up. It always works out, right? RIGHT?....no....not worrying : breathe : breathe :

:::Deep Breath:::

okay, I'm back.

So, we packed up about half of our apartment, loaded it in a van, and moved it into my mom's basement. This way our BIG move will not be as eventful (here is hoping). Really it means, if we are making a GIGANTIC move like overseas or across the country, then we would have our essentials here to move and the extras would be safe at home...or something like that.

Now that we are packed up, I have the tornado of CRAP that I have left as a trail. Our apartment is littered...literally littered with bits and pieces of junk that we didn't want to save but don't want to throw away. So this week is major cleaning and decluttering at Chez Roaming Southerner.

What are your big weekend plans, friends?

Fun times with KW

K-dubs is what people call "that quiet guy." He doesn't say a lot in groups of people. He typically allows other people to talk and asks very good questions (which is totally why everyone loves him--and makes my crazy antics look crazier). But when we are just hanging out by ourselves, he says some of the most ridiculous things EVER.
Case in point #1: When we were first dating, I was not feeling very well after one of our dates. While walking up the escalator from the Metro station, we had this conversation:

TRS: Oh I'm not feeling very well
KW: Oh, no...is it a stomach ache? head ache?
TRS: No...just feeling off...
KW: Do you have a fever?
TRS: No, I don't think so
KW: Because if you do, the only cure is more cowbell

deadpanned...kept walking up the escalator...
and all I could do was sit on the escalator steps and bust out laughing.

Case in point #2: While driving to school last week, KW was talking to me about his plans for the day. He looked down the road and saw that a crow was nibbling away on something and not moving as we got closer. We got closer and closer, and the crow was not moving. Finally the crow flew away at the last second and KW said, "Woh Bird..." (and in an accent) "Say hello to your mother for me."



The guy kills me every time.

No Lucite Stripper Shoes Here

Okay, I will admit it...I have never been to a strip club. Shocking, right?

And after this video, I can honestly say I don't see the appeal.



Even if this was a hot girl in lucite heels...I would be worried about her hurting herself. I mean, I am betting that the managers of a strip club don't allow gym mats on the bottom of the pole, just in case.

And no, I have no idea why this guy made this video or is attempting to perfect his pole dancing skills. Maybe it is because his wife won't let him have dinner until he gets his pole-dancing skillz correct. It is like my mom with math homework...geez, mom.

Magical Non-Microwave Meatloaf

After many demands for the meatloaf recipe, I had to share:

The reason I call this magical meatloaf is that I can bribe KW with it anytime, and he would do anything to get it!!! Go to social functions that drive him batty, chores that make him nuts, and family obligations that he could do with out.

It is that good.

It is very different than traditional meatloaf for many different reasons. The first being that this recipe came from my mom's 1972 Baking With Your Microwave Cookbook.

Original Recipe-TRS EDITION in BOLD:
1-1/2 Ground Beef (I use ground turkey or half and half for a fatty meal)
1 c. crustless bread cubed (I shred the bread very fine)
1 onion diced(I dice the onion very fine)
1 egg
salt & pepper (I also add 2 tsp. of garlic powder)
1/2 c. of ketchup
***mix with hands--it is necessary***

sauce:
2 TBS worchetershire
2 TBS mustard (liquid)
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 c. ketchup
3 TBS. Brown Sugar
(I add 2 TBS of Tabasco-use less if you like a milder taste)
***mix in separate bowl***

I form my meatloaf into mini loaves (usually six loaves per batch) so every bite is an end piece.
Spoon sauce 1/2 mixture onto meat loaves
Place the loaves on tin foil for easy clean up.
Preheat and Bake at 350 degrees
Check after 25 minutes for temp and spoon over extra sauce
Bake until meat registers at 160-165.
Let rest. if you go till 170, it can get a bit dry

If you want to double the sauce recipe and cook the extra in a saucepan (kill those germs), no one will complain for the extra sauce. K-dubs never does!

So this is my magical meatloaf recipe. I wish I had pictures but my hands are always meaty and germy...no place for my precious camera.

Grace in Small Things

Cruising by Jimaie.marie

and noticed her call to participate in the Grace In Small Things challenge. Schmutzie says:
Every day for 365 days, I will post a list of five things that have graced my life, either on that day or at any time in my life. Feel free to join me.

I love the fact that Schmutzie or Scmutz (who has amazing headers, go check em out!) as I am calling her in my head verbalized some of the things that I automatically thought about doing this:
I don't want to be a Pollyanna
I don't want to not be sarcastic
but I also want to battle my natural tendency towards bitterness.

My mom has always made me counteract my negative comments with something positive. So after my Words I Hate post, here are 5 things that I feel have graced my life recently.

1.) Looking forward to a fun weekend, hanging out with 2 girls that remind me of my family (which I will post about later).
2.) People understanding my work situation a little bit more. Makes me feel less like a whiner or crazy.
3.) Looking at my husband and thinking, "My God, he is so stinking cute....and he's MINE!"
4.) Learning and sharing more with friends. Why does it feel so good to bond with someone? I just love it.
5.) Sharing my meatloaf with a new person and converting them to the best meatloaf recipe IN. THE. WORLD.

writing these things down, really does capture my mood and what is going on with me. I may have to keep up with this.

Words I Hate

We all have words we dislike to hear, right?
Words we don't use, words we avoid using because they sound bad, have bad connotations, or just feel weird coming out of your mouth.

Like some people hate Moist! Now, I don't have a problem with that but boy do I have a few words that just send me over the edge. Typically, when I tell people these words, they start to use them (unconsciously or obnoxiously) ALL. THE. TIME.

But I am going to suck it up and tell you these words and the reason I hate them, because it is good to let you know that I have quirks. However, I was/am hesitant to share these words because you might like them or know some one who likes them. Please know that I come by my neurosis honestly (ahem, mom) and do not expect you to share in them. I completely understand if you feel the need to hate me after this post, sorry.

THE WORDS I HATE:
Panty (ugh, I hated just typing it): I hate this word because it sounds skeezy to me. I always thought it sounded pedophilic. My family always used Unders or Undies (it is good for addressing the underwear of both girls and boys). My mom did not do this intentionally for her hatred of the word, she just was being economical with her vocab. So, I cringe at any Victoria Secret ad. I hate the Semi-Annual Bra and P--ty sale. I groan at Lingerie showers, just like the one I had to throw last week. I am not kidding when every single person there said the P-word 8 times in 3 minutes. I almost said something...I really did. But Ms. Manners, aka. my mom, in my head pulled me through.

Lessee:You hear this word at the end of any car commercial and I absolutely hate it. IT IS NOT A REAL WORD! We can argue till the cows come home, but I know I am right about this one. You can employ someone, and they are your employee. But you can not less someone to make them your LESSEE!!!

Classy:Now this is going to cause me to lose some friends here, but I really hate the word Classy. And I have a case for it, I swear.

Case No. 23153
The Roaming Southerner v. The Word, Classy

excerpt from opening statement from TRS: Growing up, my mother would always encourage us to use a different word for classy saying, "If you have to use the word classy, it isn't." She would tell me to use sophisticated, elegant, classic, stylish to describe things. Classy, she argued, is misused to its own detriment. And I agree. Classy is used mostly for sarcastic humor and many times when people use classy to describe something it is a joke and that thing is epitome of unsophistication and inelegance. Or they have no taste and the thing they are describing would be considered trashy by 98% of the non-trailer park world.

Admit it, how many times have you heard someone in Lucite heels and a fanny pack exclaiming, "OH, that gold lame jumpsuit is KLAaSee!" Maybe it is just me, but I hear it all the time.

You can call me a snob or wrong or the devil's spawn for my hatred of the word classy...I understand. But it irks me to no end, because I always want to say:
Do you really think the white prom tux with tails is classy or are you being sarcastic? Because whichever way you go will determine our friendship.

What words do you hate...what words make your skin crawl? I'm I the only crazy out there?

I don't need no medication

One pill that I do not need

FDA Approves Depressant Drug For The Annoyingly Cheerful

Her Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard

When we saw this picture of K-dubs favorite German supermodel:

I said, "wow, can you believe she has had 3 kids." KW said, "yeah, well she is German...so that explains it all." *Kdubs is of strong German heritage.

KW then turns to our German derived Min Pin and said, "that is why you look so good after 6 litters, right Penny?"

He cracks me up when he says things like this to Penny, but Miss Penny has always made it her life mission to make me happy.

Erin has talked about what joy her dog brings her, and I have always wanted to write about how happy Penny makes me with her innate joy of life and how that affects me. (her unwillingness to let me capture her vivacity on camera precludes me to write about her charms--thesaurus that, Mirriam Webster)

Penny spends all of her days shaking her tail in a playful manner and running around to make sure I play with her all day long. Only worrying about food and pooping and scratching...

I have always laughed at how Penny makes me happy every morning because I cannot be sad or angry or curse the day of working when a creature wakes up so excited to greet the day. She is so happy to see you...so happy to be awake!!!

I just love how happy she is by nature. I need to be more like my dog...happy at the day, no dreading of pain-in-the-a$$ people at work, no worrying about bills or chores...

Maybe that is what separates us from dogs: opposable thumbs and chores.

I've Got a Fever

And the only cure is more cowbell.

well, I do have a fever but I doubt a cowbell will alleviate my flu.

I've been lucky enough to work from home today, but I feel like Captain Big Booty.

I am sorry that I have been an anemic blogger lately. I def. need to step up my game. Now I am trying to come up with some fun topics to write on. Unfortch, I just want to curl up with soup and Nyquil.

I will try and be a better blog buddy this week. I puffy heart all of you, really.

Too Busy Can't Type

.........S*&ER..............throwing a bachelorette party tonight...........*(#H@&.........work is crazy.............#Y*$#..........can't write a good post............This is my IOU.

I leave you with this:

Well, are yoo?

courtesy of Giggle Sugar.

Hello there, Superhero

Saturday morning I woke up to a call at 9:10am, and I am going to show my non-mom roots by saying that I was PISSED at the wake up call...not like you mom bloggers who have been up for 3 hours with 5 things knocked off of your to-do list.

So the phone call was from my friend Loretta* and it went something like this:
Loretta: Hello there, Superhero. This is Loretta from the Red Cross blood bank in Ann Arbor.
(she is so perky and happy I immediately throw away my urges to stab her with verbal daggers about the non-solicited wake up call)
TRS: Hi Loretta, has it been 72 days already?!?
Loretta: Yes, honey, it is. And I want to thank you for giving a pint of blood that saves up to three lives in Michigan alone.
(feeling like the superhero that I am, obviously, I ask Loretta about her day, tell her thanks for her service, and she is flabbergasted at being asked about herself and being thanked. This flabbergasted me!!! How can anyone be mean to Loretta?!? My sweet, cheerful superhero operator!?! She is better than the bat signal. Any way I schedule my appt. at the blood bank and go off feeling great about myself for the rest of the weekend.)

This is all to tell you that I am headed to the blood bank in 15 minutes to get my free juice and cookies. I also wanted to link up to my original post about me and giving blood...then you get the full story about me being an undercover superhero...better than the Incredibles, I tell you.

This is also to tell you to donate blood (if you can).

*Loretta may or may not be her name. I wasn't sure if I was going to kill her when I first answered the phone and any normal person doesn't need to know the name of the person they are killing. But she sounds like a Loretta...Loretta the Lovely...who I will never have thoughts of killing again. Maybe I can ask her to be my new alarm clock?

Updated: this was actually reposted by the Red Cross at their blog. So weird. BTW. Loretta, if you are reading this...next time I will ask you your real name.

Casseroles

I need help interpeeps!
I need to make a few casseroles "that freeze beautifully" (name that movie!).
Anybody have a recipe or five that I can borrow.

A friend is going to need them after dealing with long distance bereavement.
I really appreciate it!

Super Bowl vs. Super Penny

I think we all know who wins this one

Random Thoughts, Musings, and Discoveries

Oh there are lots of things swirling up in my head today and not enough time or energy to properly write a post...so, here is a list of the swirls in my noggin:

-The economic hard times has hit the land of TRS. I bought Pepsi for the first time in my life because it was $2 cheaper. Do not have a heart attack...it was not for me. It was 2-liters for an event I was hosting. I would never subject myself to such things as the demon-soda. Please.

-If I ever complain about being unproductive or needing to clean, make me call my mother-in-law. I have discovered that my MIL is the bell in this Pavlov's Dog scenario. I will be on the phone with her and all sudden I am on my knee's scrubbing base boards. Now, she does not ask about my house or really imply that my house is dirty (at least not in a few years), but something in me yearns to clean and clean hard when I hear her voice. ***In all reality, it is probably because when we were first married I would talk to her almost every other morning when I was cleaning out our first apartment in DC.***

-During my cleaning streak, I realised I did not have anymore Comet to clean my gross, stained steel sink. Chemistry to the rescue!!!! I sprinkled some baking soda on the sink, lightly dashed some vinegar on it...and sizzle seconds later, I was able to scrap up the gunk faster (and better) than you can say Johnson's chemical cleaning products!

-I really want to cut my hair. It has gotten the point of no style. It just hangs there...lifelessly. I would love to go back to short and blond, but in this economic times, going back to my high maintenance hair is probably not a good idea.

-KW and I are still looking at moving in a few months. We are not sure when, where or how, but the first leg of our journey (for KW's bar prep and bar taking) will most likely end us up in Athens. However, it may end up just being him that moves...i would have to stay here with the job and the benefits for as long as possible. Kdubs is not happy about that, but we'll see how it will work out.

-Kdubs is also back on the making me have heart palpitations (and not in the good way). He is saying that he is looking for jobs in Bulgaria, China, Singapore, Sicily, Russia...it goes on and on. My fool-proof answer is now: "OK, if that is where God wants us to end up." In my head I add, "Then God and I will have a conversation and we will compromise back to Atlanta."

-I am personally very excited about all the good TV there is to be had tonight: oh, wait NO BONES, No new Office?!? well, at least I get to still watch America's Best Dance Crew and see Lil' Mama be hella crazy.

-For your watching enjoyment: Flight of the Concords...I don't get HBO, so I only get to enjoy what Youtube brings me.







You're welcome

5th Anniversary is the Fort Anniversary, Right?

People said we were "just kids" when we got married 5 years ago, but I thought I was so grown up and adult. Those people didn't know what they were talking about.

Look here, we are doing a very grown up, staged wedding kiss:


And that resulted in great big grown up smiles:


Okay, so half of our pictures I look like this:
I blame him for my ridiculous laughter--wait, blaming is childish--scratch that!

We were elegant while dancing:


But we kept looking at our feet to make sure we didn't step on the dress or trip or embarrass ourselves (yes, that is Buffalo Betty in the back there!):


We never sat down the whole night, we talked grown up talk, and were delightful host/ess...this would be the one time we sat down
and we did our secret handshake (which is very grown up--we don't spit or anything)

And okay, he dropped me during our final dance:
but I thought it was hilarious. However, KW hates this picture. See he is more grown up that my own very grown-up-ness.


In celebration of our 5th anniversary and our more grown up nature, we were thinking about going out to a lovely restaurant, dancing, staying in a hotel...but then it dawned on us that we don't want to be grown up yet:

So we built a fort on our anniversary, ordered pizza, and watched countless hours of old movies, which may or may not have included Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey:


Penny was happy because she got to stay in the fort with us all day (it is a family fort)


The construction of the fort was a big deal. We both had ideas of what was best. KW decided to use more of a lean-to construction so that we could see the TV.
At one point of "debating" the construction, KW said, "boys build forts, girls cook." To which I said, "Doody Head" "would you like to be married for another 5 years?"

But it is a good thing that we didn't go out, cause it looked like this:
ALL DAY LONG

10 hours snuggled in a fort, eating pizza, and being silly may not make us QUALIFIED ADULTS yet, but it sure makes us happy.



**I need to give a shout out to Sandra and Greg our wedding photographers. They saved the day when my mom decided to fire our wedding coordinator (don't ask!) and our getaway car blew up. Go over to their site and be prepared to be amazed!**

Inauguration Day

I have tried to stay very unpolitical in my blog for many reasons:
1.) I have lived and worked in politics since I was 18
2.) My blog was a place to be silly, record my life and not to work
3.) I usually blog to avoid KW's constant barrage of political commentary from FoxNews, CNN, and MSNBC--this helps to keep me from screaming at the TV (which KW finds less sexy than I would like to come off before we go to bed).
4.) Politics, by nature, is divisive...and I don't like to piss people off.

However, I am breaking my political silence on the blog today because today is an important day.

I was not happy about the election outcome but today is not a day of being divisive or being mean. Because it IS a momentous day to finally break the biggest racial barrier of our country. However, I do not think there are a lot of posts/ers out there saying what I feel because it is unpopular and uncool. Well, I have never been either of those things so why start now...

When K-dubs asked me what I felt about the inauguration, I said, "sad for President Bush." He found that weird, but for someone who worked hard for 2 elections for President Bush and worked in the White House as an intern (no Lewinsky jokes, please) I am sad that things did not work out better for him. I do not enjoy the "don't let the door hit your butt on the way out" jokes. I do not enjoy the snide and derision. That is why I don't give it back.

I am not an Obama mama. I did not change for Hope. But I do not wish ill will to Obama or his supporters. I am glad that we have successfully seen our nations 44th peaceful transfer of power (which does not happen easily around the world). And I pray for the safety of the people out today (my agoraphobic nature screams in pain at the sight of all those people).

I do hope that every one's hope is worth the hype. I hope that our nation continues to grow and prosper. But I am keeping my policy hat on and waiting to see what comes because that is what counts now: what he will do with the presidency now that he has it.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled silliness.

Petsugar to the Rescue

I have been having some issues with Penny recently. So I asked Petsugar of the Sugar network, what to do.

She put my question to the people. Please go and see what you think of the advice given...do you have any advice for me?

What I wrote--

Dear Petsugar:
Penny has taken to biting – well, trying to bite as thankfully pants and shoes get in the way – some people who come into my apartment. Usually it's people who have cats, but yesterday she attacked a friend who she has met before for no reason that I can think of. This time she actually bruised someone (no skin broken and we are not even really sure if it was the teeth that did it).

Since we rescued her from a puppy mill rescue league last fall, we are still learning new things about her. However, this seems like such a behavior change. Do you have any ideas why she might be doing this and how to help her not do it again?

Can you believe my little scaredy cat puppy is getting aggressive now? I was so embarrassed that she hurt a visitor but was a little proud that she has grown out of her fear of EVERYONE and EVERYTHING.

I could use any advice on this. Thanks!

What you look like blogging

McMommy and Elaine wondered "what do you look like when you blog?"

Usually, I look like this: PJs and a glass of wine

Sometimes I look like this: 80's punk from my friends birthday party.

Here are some more excerpts:
me and a birthday girl
KW (dressed as Carlton from the Fresh Prince) and me.
For the most part, I look like this:

What do you look like when you blog?

Super Penny!!! ***and elaboration

Able to leap large picnic baskets at a time!!!

*Ah the power of iphoto booth and higher reasoning skills to finally get a half decent shot of my dog after 1.5 years.
I bested you, Penelope Anne!!! and your fear of photography!!!

***contrary to popular belief, Krystyn and McMommy, Penny L-O-V-E Loves wearing things. The complete opposite of all my other dogs who just stand there when you put an outfit or costume on them...judging you and hating themselves a little bit, Penny eagerly puts her paws out for sweaters or coats, loves the clothes that my mom sends her (because KW flatly refuses to buy nonsense of all types for her--and I feel weird dressing her for the most part). So when I break down and put on things that people send her, she runs straight to our mirrored wall and looks at herself and prances around the apartment with pretty ears on and shaking her tail:

Georgia Game Day Shirt



Party Dress from Grandma-worn for her dog-friend's birthday party.

I take this opportunity to say: I don't dress her up for no reason, nor would I throw a dog birthday party...but if someone is having a party for dogs and I have a dog party dress--why not.

Christmas with TRS...part 2

After the kick butt cookie competition

We headed to Greenville for Christmas eve and morning with the in-laws


Here is K-dubs and his two sisters Val and Bev opening presents in the morning...I believe those are nail finishing tools. Sidenote: My SILs are a lot of fun, very silly, and always crazy. It is why we get along.


Actually, that is why we all get along and are family. Yup, that is the entire K-dubs clan. When I told them to be silly this is what I got. Please notice the small one in the front. His definition of "be silly" is to stick his butt out at the camera.


And this is Kdubs and his brother/best friend doing a prom style portrait. I love watching them regress to 7 year old boys together.


This is just a pic of the 6 kids and yes, my husband is sure showing why he is HOT.

With all of the families coming in and the going back and forth, I think we "celebrated" Christmas 5 times, which is exhausting to say the least. But we did have a great time getting to see everyone.

Themed Thursdays

There are lots of blog theme days: Works-for-me-Wednesdays, Not Me Mondays, Wordless Wednesdays, etc.

I thought it was time to bring a little theme to my real life.

Really, I wanted to have a reason to be silly with my office friend.

So we came up with our first theme day very fortuitously:

Office Friend: So, my idea for our first theme day is a little out there.
TRS: Oh, so is mine...I'm a little afraid to say it.
OF: Fine, I'll say mine...Prom Wednesday...big hair and makeup with work appropriate clothes?
TRS: Oh my goodness...mine was Beauty Queen Wednesday...big hair, makeup and sashes over work appropriate clothes.
OF: This is why we are friends, what about Prom Queen Wednesday?!?

And this is the product:

My sash (that she made for me) says "Lil Miss Southern Belle" hers says "Lil Miss Academic Support (her department)

This is us both holding back our laughter

And No, I don't know why we are both doing that ridiculous face in all three pictures. For some reason it we both thought Beauty Queen with that face.

The best was one of her co-workers walks by her office and simply says, "Queen for a day, huh? good deal."

***Update to answer Krystyn's comment...for us, that is obnoxious hair and makeup...OF would say, "LOOK AT LIPS THAT IS CRAZY LIPSTICK." And we are both wearing VERY fancy earrings (which I never wear, ever!).

Christmas with TRS...part 1

So you put up your Christmas tree and took your Jingle Bells CD out of the player? Well put them back on, throw on an ugly Christmas sweater and sit down to hear about what Christmas looks like with a Roaming Southerner.

First and foremost it means heading back south.

Kdubs and I always take off as much time as possible for Christmas so we can split it with our families. They live just close enough (2 hours away) to visit on the same trip but just far enough (a state away) that it is obnoxious at times.

So after initial negotiations of whose family gets what day was put on hold while my mom went into the hospital (trust me, me and my brother both said, "Mom, if you wanted us to stay for Christmas Eve you didn't have to go to extreme measures."). Because K-Dubs' mother, Mrs. Dubs, claimed Christmas Eve, I had to move my traditional Christmas Eve plans with my family to the 23rd. And this is what we do:

My godmother, who is one of the best women I know, comes over with her family. They have done this since I was a baby to help me make cookies for Santa. 27 years later and only a few Christmases missed due to illness or an odd vacation on both sides parts. Now the festivities include my godmother (who we call She-that is a whole nother post), her son Ray,
her daughter Robin and Robin's husband, Tim and their two girls. Side note: if you want to know two of the most perfect girls on earth look no further to these two girls. I hope that my kids can be any where near as wonderful as them.
On to the festivities:

They include a cut throat cookie decorating competition:
This is Hope's cookie version of her, one of the Jonas brothers (I think the young one), and his body guard. Yeah, I'm not really sure why but she thinks it says Christmas because it is what she really wants: To hang out with Nick or whatever his name is.

I do my best work by cutting out cookie shapes and remaking them into something else. I made ballet shoes (for Emma, she is a ballet dancer) out of a deformed reindeer cutout.

This snail, I made from a defunct angel...the hat made it a Christmas Snail, duh

This is Emma's creepy jack in the box (she was a little sugar high when she made this).

And this was one of my favorites: a penguin wearing a hat and scarf that KW got me for Christmas. She was made from a cut out Hope made to be herself...it turned into a blog that looked like...well a penguin, in my opinion.

And this is my piece-du-resistance (no idea if that is french or correct)....My holly and berries that have dimension and texture...Martha, eat your heart out.
However, the judge: aka my dad. Did not think so.

He picked Robin's "Christmas appropriate tree.

Here is the winner gloating.

Robin and I have been battling this out since I was 6. And they let me win when I was a kid, but now, they say I can't win...it would be impolite. Even though mine is clearly better!!!!

I did what any good hostess does...I stomped and screamed and cried about the injustice happening upon me on a celebration of the Lord's birth...it was just not right...

And then the Chinese food came and I was happy again.

Chinese food: righting the injustices of the world since The Christmas Story.

Christmas Pics-They're a comin'

So, I am finally back in Michigan (have been for 2 weeks)
Back at work (have been for a week)
Not slammed at work (for the next 5 minutes)
and have my camera and camera cord in the same place (okay maybe that is the key!)

But pictures and stories of a Roaming Southerner Christmas is coming people...hold on to your britches.

*So I put this on Move Bug a few hours ago...and didn't realize that I misposted it until now...Oops! Way to be on top of things, TRS!

Point of it all

The beginning of the year has brought me to many realizations about my blog:

1.) I enjoy looking back at my year of blogging consecutively-I have blogged for a few years now but I usually let weeks/months lag between posts.

2.) I am STILL struggling with what is the POINT of this blog.

I am not a mom blog. I am not an angsty teen blog (okay, I'm angsty at times, I admit it).
I don't have cool obsessions like Happy Hour Sue. I can't take pictures of my dog every day like Dooce (stinking rescue dog and her fear of all things camera). I don't have the fashion prowess to talk about all things stylish like the Preppy Princess. I don't have the following or cash for magnificent giveaways like the Pioneer Woman.

3.) I am as lazy with my blog redesign as I am in real life. Wish I was better. I am like the interior decorator that lives in boxes and out dated styles. I love redesigning and organizing others lives but I can't carve out enough time to do my own.

4.) I am not a great writer but I am really going to work on that this year. The blog has helped so much, but writing is not my forte. My ADD-dyslexic-Tom-Cruise-crazy (okay not that crazy) mind just can NOT formulate beautiful sentences.

Here are some realizations that I have about life outside of blog land:
1.) I am scared to DEATH of moving again in 4.5 months

2.) I am petrified to leave the friends I have made and the job that I once loved and now tolerate.

3.) I live in a constant state of desire to have kids and a house of my own coupled with fear of what they mean: Do I want to be a suburban soccer mom? I can't take care of a 3 room apartment...how am I going to take care of a HOUSE!?! Can I really have and take care of kids, really?!?

4.) My crazy rat dog still makes me smile and laugh daily.

5.) I am really glad that I have not gained any weight during the holidays but I need to get with the getting on losing the last 10 lbs.

6.) This has probably been the best month of my entire marriage. I hope that I can continue saying that each month from now on. And know that when/if I can't, that this month will always be something that I look back on as the "best of times" to aspire to during the hard times.

Can I ask for some honest answers to this question? (this is evidently something I say a lot, according to K-dubs):
Any suggestions on what I should continue doing with the blog? Something else I should do that I don't? Anything?

Any body else going through craziness? I am sure I am the only one.

Santa: He Knows ME!!!

In case you guys didn't know, I'm kinda a big deal.

You know how I know?

Santa reads my blog.

Cause guess how many pairs of convertible gloves I got?



Four!!!!

Which (as Martha says) is a good thing, cause I was wearing out my cotton Gap ones like Woh.

Still feeling under the weather, chugging theraflu, but my wonderful admin asst. brought donuts today and was totally worth the splurge.

Update

Mom out of the hospital in time for Christmas Eve.
She is fine.

Christmas was crazy. Will write more later.

Finally back home in Michigan and my amazing internet access.

Very sick now.
Stinking adorable toddler niece and nephew and their germs.