I'm high.

Off of a deal.

I just went to Target (where I spend many a lunch hour.) I just purchsed some Christmas Decorations, 2 rubbermaid ornament boxes, and enough gift bags and boxes and tissure paper for probably 2 years. All of this... for $49. OH, and I also got a fabulous decorative table cloth.

I love a deal.

I love that I have planned ahead. That is a lot of money that I will be saving over the next few years. I basically just saved like $100 over a 2 year process. That is an approximation, of course.

What I am saying is go to your unpopulated Target. You know, the one you go to because you KNOW that they'll have whatever item you're looking for and stock up!! Now. Don't delay.

It will change your world.

You know you live in Austin when...

a lingerie store advertises itself as the only "green" lingerie store in Austin.

Yes, people, we are THAT concerned with the environment.

We're a good city who is environmentally conscious. Just visit tabu lingerie in it's new location just beside American Apparel or by Chili's.

I'm not dying.

I'm quite well. I just have ALLLLLL of my yearly appointments all right together. And, I bring them up because of the stupidity that happens at doctors offices.

So there. healthy. Happy.

Gearing up for the holidays. I would like to say I'm excited because I honestly am. I'm just not excited about the mass amount of travel that it takes. We will drive up sometime tomorrow evening. Have Christmas eve with Ben's family, Christmas day with my family, go back to Ben's house on Saturday because his parents are having an "open house"?, and then back to my parents house so we can go to church with them on Sunday and then drive back to Austin. Fun? No. Our parents live an hour apart. This is a lot of packing and unpacking and repacking and then sitting in the car. I love our families, do not get me wrong, but one day maybe they could move further apart and we would only see one of them? Or, maybe SOMEDAY we'll have a holiday at our house and they will come to us and I don't have to get in a car one time (except when I have to leave the crazy.)

Dr. appointment alert--I'm going to the dentist today. I had a cavity filled a month or 2 or 3 ago (not sure?) a while ago... and it's been kind of sensitive and when I floss it feels like it could come out and I can't chew very well on it. They can get me in today and today only. Though my dentist is very nice and I really like his assistant I would still rather go to my "yearly exam" than go to the dentist.Yes, I probably just broke some sort of female code, but it's true. Get over it.

Speaking of... apparently there is a PSA on right now and it is suggesting that for Christmas you should get your wife/significant other an appointment for a pap smear... because Santa doesn't bring that. Um...
1. Do not make my appointments.
2. How unromantic.
3. That means that we are going to put your feet up on the little holiday inspired socks and probe you.
4. WTF? What do you get to unwrap with that one? a really long qtip?

I should end that because it's just darn weird.

And this my friends... is where I find myself today. Wondering when I'm going to make my refried beans, mexican rice, dinner for tonight, cookies, clean my house, finish laundry... oh yah, and actually buy the groceries to do all of those things.

Cookies

Someone brought these cookies to work today and they are FABULOUS and EASY to make. I plan on making them for the holidays!

Engaged!

Have you ever had someone get engaged and you were SUPER excited about it? Like, you feel as if YOU got engaged? Ok, maybe it's not that serious (and lets be honest, most of the time when ANY of my close friends get engaged I get silly about it.) However, this one is HUGE. One of my BFF's got engaged yesterday, December 17. Which is also the same day I got engaged 6 years ago... and the same day that Ben's bff got engaged 3 years ago. Pretty popular date. It must mean that the stars aligned or other some sort of shenanigans.

So, I went to the doc and then checked my phone and had 2 missed calls from said friend but no messages. I then check my email and have an email with nothing in the body, but the subject is "Answer your phone, bitch." This tipped me off a bit. Though, I will not lie, my first thought was that everything moved in like 24 hours and she bought a house (offer has already been accepted.) Then... I thought some more and figured she'd leave a message for that. So, I call her back. No answer. Call her back. No answer. (This is where, should it be my parents, I begin alternating different phone lines and stalker calling. mom cell-house line--mom cell--dad cell--house line--sister "have you heard from our parentals?) But as we are a younger generation I only have one option. She calls me back. We're talking and then I get called back for a lab. DAMN IT. I have to let her go and then immediately tell the lab person ALL about how my friend got engaged, and I thought it was the house, and so excited bla bla bla.

Luckily, lab person was a little on the nutty end so all was well and she seemed excitable, too. Or at least, just crazy enough to not put "crazy" on my file. Which is always what I'm going for.

SO YAY!!!! Is it wrong that I immediately start imagining a fall wedding. Michigan. apples everywhere. brown bridesmaid dresses. Her hair perfectly in a low pony tail with a flower in it vs. veil (could be because I watched The Hangover last night and the girls hair was like this... beautiful wedding--HILARIOUS movie.) It will be perfect. Classic.

I want to get married again and do it all differently. Or... I want to go to Greece in 2011. Ok, that's already on the books and I'll choose that over getting married again. I will take a right hand ring as a substitute.

Have you ever?

Have you ever gotten dressed for work, knowing that you aren't looking your best, but you still think you look kind of cute? Then, you go to work and sit at your desk looking into a window where you can see your reflection and you realize... no, cute wasn't the word for what I look like. No, more tragic and tired.

And this my friends... is where I find myself today.

Great attempts...

I make lists. I'm a list maker. If I'm going out of town I make a list of items to pack and then slowly mark through them. I make a list of things to do on Monday of every week (and occasionally add thigns I've already done, but forgot to put on the list JUST so I can check them off.) This year I have made a file that has everyone whom we are purchasing for, what we are getting them, if it has been purchased and the general cost of said gift.

Why oh why in my love of organization except please do not look at my closet because it is absolutely NOT organized and barely walkable, do I not purchase gifts THROUGHOUT the year instead of all in one month. I mean, we go about our lives, living normally, payin our bills and then wham... I need to purchase gifts for 13 people. Um, that is an expense that is not typically planned for. Enter STRESS. Hello, financial stress, my old friend. Lovely to see you. I'd really like to stop meeting you this way.

Maybe this year I'll be on top of things. Maybe in 2010 I will buy one gift a month or some other sort of nonsense. Maybe this will be my new year's resolution.

It's hard to say....

SO last night I had a surprise date planned for one Ben Black. Back in 1998, when we first started dating, Sister Hazel was quite the big deal. Listening to that cd just takes me back to summertime romance and dancing in the car with my bff. Anyway, Ben and I have both attempted to see them many times--once I was actually ON MY WAY to the concert and then there was an accident and I didn't get to go. (This just triggers some resentment left from high school annoyances.)

Anywho, so I heard an add for the show, bought tickets, made sure there were going to be no accidents or explosions. Safe.

As probably stated previously--I enjoy a good nights rest. I like to wind down, get in bed, read, and pass out by about 10:30 or 11 most nights. However, because I'm an amazing wife and all about sacrifices, I went out... on a WEEK NIGHT. The concert said it started at 8:30.

Negative.

9:30 rolls around and the opening band (which was pretty superb,) starts their first song. I really enjoyed him. Then there was about a 30 minute break between the shows... which means the show wasn't over until MIDNIGHT. My bewitching hour! Luckily, I did not lose all sense of graces and run into people over and over (thank you purple purse lady), dance like I was on crack (you scare me older crazy woman), or wear a tiny side top hat and very small black dress (I hope you do hair for a living.)

It was a lovely (late) night. I enjoyed spending time with the hubs. I'm looking forward to an early evening tonight.

Cheeky (chee-kee)

SO, when I pass on or if you write a book about your life and feel the need to include me I would like the term "cheeky" to be used to describe me.

For some of you, you make think you would absolutely not want to be called that. Maybe it's my fascination with the British lingo, but I think it sounds endearing and full of personality.

You can also describe me as brilliant.

I'm sure I did awesome things this weekend...

But I can't seem to recall enough to blog about. I'm sure someone, somewhere, annoyed me and I consciously thought, "I'm totally going to make fun of you in a public sphere that you'll never know about." But I can't remember.

What I do know is that the holiday shirt continues. Today, red with a sparkly sequin encrusted snow flake.

Maybe I was mesmerized that the tragedy continues? Maybe my weekend was lame? One can never be sure.

Mrs. Claus

Oh the holiday sweater. Clearly these women are at a party in which they were to wear ugly holiday attire. (I can tell this by the fact that their eyes are glowing red which is a clear indicator of intoxication.)

(And the fact that the woman on the left could be wearing testicles as earrings.)

Granted, it is only December 4, but a woman in my office has worn a holiday shirt everyday of December so far. I'm wondering... does she have one for everyday? Will she double up? Is that an ugly sweater/shirt faux paux? Are these items that you collect over the years? Does that mean you started collecting them like 25 years ago? Did you, at one time, teach elementary school? The questions are endless really. Or, you could ask the one, all encompassing question of, "WHY?"

Today said shirt is a red button up. It resembles the shape of a men's dress shirt. It is also paired with some jeans that are too short, tapered, and now resemble an acid washed color, and clogs. I haven't checked out the socks. I'm wondering if they are also donned with a Santa or Christmas lights. TBD.

For a season that I love so much... I am perplexed by your attire.

What is this? December?

I have cold feet today--because it's COLD. Yes, somehow the Austin temp went from mid-70's to 50's over night. AND it is projected that it will SNOW on Friday!!! Ps. For those of you who are not from the south--you know, from places with seasons other than hot and cool--you do not want to drive in Texas when it is snowing/icing/raining. Basically, if there is precipitation falling from the sky we lose the ability to drive.

It's seriously not safe, ya'll.

Because we are aware of our inability to traverse in slush (because it doesn't REALLY snow) we often close down work/grocery stores/everything. Basically you must rely on canned goods because this could be the end of times. You know... like when it turned 2000 and you needed your generator, canned beans and a prayer. I'll probably just stick with prayers and a toasty house. Or a toasty house and a lot of day time tv. TBD.

In other news... at the docs office this morning I got asked about my "drug use." (which is none, ps.) I got asked if I used crack or cocaine. I didn't know that they were different things until I had a (presumed drug free) friend tell me crack is actually free based cocaine which makes it more potent in smaller amounts, but has a shorter high. GTK. So next time you're on the streets and looking to score (do you smoke that? inject it? My Law and Order knowledge is not helping me out here) you should ask which one they are offering?

That's dope...No?