Leaving

We're leaving tomorrow to go to Alabama for about a month and then to officially move to Georgia. I will try to blog every once and awhile but we don't have internet at our house so it won't be much. I just wanted you all to know that that is why I won't be around posting or commenting on your blogs as much! Wish us luck!

Jackson eats wrapping paper

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve

www.someecards.com

art

Photofunia

My Secret Santa

I participated in a bloggy Secret Santa gift exchange and I got my present today. AND I LOVE IT.

She was my Secret Santa and she made me a mini photo book with a bunch of the pics that I've posted of Jackson on here! It was so sweet and thoughtful and I just love stuff like that! I'm going to let you go visit her post about it because she already posted a bunch of pictures of it, but I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Cheryl.

More Christmas spirit-y stuff

I got this from The Miss Elaine-ous Life and I thought it would be fun. You should "play" along too! Let me know if you do!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Mostly bags. I really suck at wrapping gifts.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually Thanksgiving weekend. This year, still none.

4. When do you take the tree down? a few days after New Years

5. Do you like eggnog? No actually I think it's disgusting.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? as a child, probably all the Winnie the Pooh giant stuffed animals I got one year.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My father in law.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My uncle Ernie. He just wants golf balls every year.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No. We haven't really accumulated a lot of Christmas decorations yet. Maybe that should be next on my list.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? probably ugly clothes. I have forbidden my grandmother from ever picking out clothes for me again.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Family Stone

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually around Nov. I'd do it earlier but since half the fam has bdays in Oct-Dec there isn't really any time.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I plead the 5th…

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? CAKE.

16. Lights on the tree? All white

17. Favorite Christmas song? All I want for Christmas is You/Angels Among Us/Hard Candy Christmas

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? travel

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?yup

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? both

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? crowds. and Christmas music on every radio station. and the COLD.

23. What theme or color are you using? blue, white, silver

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?turkey

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? a baby that sleeps through the night. no not a new one, this one.

26. Do you have a favorite ornament, what? Probably the "Just Married" one

27. Gifts from Santa? Wrapped or Unwrapped? wrapped.

Smile

I got this award from Stephanie. Thanks girl!!

The qualifications to receive the award are:

A. Display a cheerful attitude.
B. Love one another.
C. Make mistakes.
D. Learn from others.
E. Be a positive contributor to the blog world.
F. Love life.
G. Love kids.

The Rules:

1. Must link it back to the creator
2. Post the rules
3. Choose 5 people to give it to
4. Recipients must fit the characteristics above
5. Create a post to share this
6. You must thank the winner

I pass this one onto:

Jenni at Jiggity Jigg

Kat at Seeking Sanity

Pink Green & Southern

Lori at Teacher Turned Mommy

Cynthiaa at Confessions of a Yummy Mummy

Our Weekend in D.C.

a sign at the zoo

he'd rather sleep than be part of Mt Rushmore haha

gingerbread replica of Mt Vernon

Getting into the holiday spirit

I stole this from Kat.


Does Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree? wraps them

Colored lights or white lights on the tree? white

When do you put your decorations up? uhhh I'm lazy. we still don't have any up.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Jason's mom's cheese ball

Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I really don't have any that stick out. How sad is that??

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? On the bus in 1st grade. Thanks a lot ghetto children.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? usually a couple. When I was little we opened almost all of them on Christmas Eve.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? In all blue, white, & silver, except for personalized ornaments

Snow! Love it or Dread it? I usually don't have to worry about it.

Can you ice skate? NOPE.

Do you remember your favorite gift? digital camera.

What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? seeing family.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? chocolate layer cake

What is your favorite tradition? swapping personalized ornaments

Which do you prefer, Giving or Receiving? receiving. ha. No, I really like when I find something that I know someone else will enjoy.

What is your favorite Christmas Song? Angels Among Us by Alabama

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? YUM

Ever recycled a Christmas present? haha yes, but only ones I haven't used

Quotes of the Week

Me: I bought this mesh thing that we can put frozen fruit in and it will help Jackson's teething.

Jason: Why don't we just dip his regular teethers in a jar of Smuckers?

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Me: I tried to take the baby to bed with me since he woke up so early, but he didn't want to sleep. All he wanted to do was chew on your alarm clock. I think he was amazed by the glow.

Jason: Well then keep him away from any Uranium.
Only a person who works with nuclear materials would ever think of that particular response.


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While watching Blue's Clues

Me: I wonder what the transition from Steve to Joe was like. I mean, did they explain it or did they just let the kids wonder why a new guy is living in Steve's house, playing with his toys and taking care of his pets?

Jason: Maybe it's a message to kids: Be good or someone will take your place.
Jason to Jackson: You hear that little man? You'd better be good or someone else will be in your crib, wearing your monkey pajamas.

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Late at night when I couldn't sleep

Me: I just don't know what to do. I'm hungry but I'm not supposed to eat this late. I'm tired but I can't sleep. I want to have sex with you, but nooooo, you're too busy eating a sandwich.

Jason: Well aren't you just conflicted.

100 Things I've Done

I got this from Cynthiaa.

RULES: There are 100 statements and you bold the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars--if camping when I was a kid counts.
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis--no way! those things freak me out!
10. Sang a solo-I had to for Drama Club try-outs in HS. I was so embarrassed!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty--visited, but didn't go to the top.
18. Grown your own vegetables--only helping my Nanny
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept in an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice--this is one of my biggest regrets. We were only there for a day and it was raining so they weren't running!
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language- I sort of taught myself French, since my professor never taught us a damn thing.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke---karaoke+Journey+alcohol=best.times.ever.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris--once again, saw it but didn't go to the top, there were too many other things to see!
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling-snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason--oh there's always a reason
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten cavier.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chicken pox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous--the guys from Diamond Rio, Sugar Ray, Nickel Creek, & maybe a few other smaller bands
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Moving Dilemma

Amanda asked about our upcoming move.

Getting ready for this move has been incredibly confusing. We are supposed to be moving down to Georgia soon. We already have a house reserved on base for January 15th. Jason's boat isn't moving until mid-February though. And then, in the middle of all of our planning, Jason's chief made an announcement that the families might not be able to move until May. I don't really know what he means by that. We already have a house and supposedly we can arrange the movers to come anytime we want, so why would the Navy care when Jackson and I move? It doesn't make sense. So until they give us a reason or specifically tell us we can't go, we're planning on moving mid-January. Which is still a pain in the butt because Jason doesn't get time off for Christmas until Dec. 30th. So we'll be in Alabama for a week after that. Jackson and I will probably end up staying in AL until February, when Jason gets to GA, and Jason will have to deal with the movers, getting the power turned off, etc. here in VA by himself. That still leaves a lot of packing and planning and filling out forms between now and the end of the month.

I really hate moving.

WW: Santa

He wasn't looking at the camera, but at least he didn't cry!!


I was trying to think of Christmas traditions that I had as a child. We always opened our presents on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning we got our stockings and our gifts from Santa. My husband's family gives each other personalized ornaments each year.

I was hoping to start some new traditions with Jackson. What does your family do?

Some of your questions answered

Mandy asked:

What number is your Sleep Number Bed on? Mine is on 85.
Mine is on 80. I slept with it on 100 the first night and that was too firm. Jason's side is something ridiculously low like 20, so I feel like I'm falling if I get too far on his side of the bed!
Pink Green & Southern says she has the same issue with her and her husband having such different numbers.

What's under your couch cushions?
Crumbs, and a pacifier. There would probably be more crap but we mostly sit on our futon :)

Erin asked:

How often do you vacuum?
I vacuum when we have company over and that's about it. Seriously. Vacuuming is one of those things that I just hate hate HATE to do. But we do have a Roomba that roams around about once a week and I am going to have to start doing it a lot more soon. For now I just refuse to let Jackson in the floor unless he is on his tummy time mat. We do more tummy stuff on our bed.

What about laundry?
I usually set aside one day a week for laundry. I usually just wait until it is piled so high that you can't fit anything else into the hamper and then go at it haha. Unless Jason needs a uniform clean or something.

And even though you've cut out bad for you foods (I have too!), what's your favorite?
This time of year I love love LOVE chocolate covered cherries. My all time favorite sweet foods would have to be 12 layer chocolate cake and chocolate cake batter ice cream from Cold Stone. My other favorite bad foods are fried chicken and loaded cheese fries.


Any more questions?

Anita Blake series

Shannon asked me about the Anita Blake series that I've been reading, so I thought I would share a little about it. She's the one that suggested the Sookie Stackhouse novels to me, which I loved, and these Anita Blake books are similar.




Anita Blake is bad ass. She's a vampire hunter and animator (she raises zombies). I love her character because she has no problem killing the monsters, and yet she is incredibly protective of people she cares about. She also ends up falling in lust/love with some of the "monsters." I just finished the 7th book, Burnt Offerings, and so far there have been vampires, werewolves, other shapeshifters, witches, voodoo priestesses, psychics, and a ton of other other worldly type people.

I love these books because there is so much going on. They are not predictable by any means and they really keep my attention. There are 16 books so far in the series. Supposedly they get really romantic around book 10, but so far there has been just enough. They are really more mystery/thrillers.

If you liked watching Buffy or reading Twilight or the Sookie Stackhouse novels, you will love these books. Let me know if you read them! I love talking books :)

Let's give me something to blog about...

We got a new Sleep Number bed. It is fabulous. Of course Jackson isn't sleeping through the night though, so I'm still not getting a very good night's sleep.

Jackson is teething. HALP! Seriously, give me your tips or something because I just don't know what to do with all of the crankiness. We've been using those drops but they seem to work for about 5 minutes, and all he does with his teething rings is throw them on the floor, which is ridiculous since he seems to want to put everything else in his mouth.

I'm on a serious diet. I've cut all sweets and bad-for-you foods and have been eating nothing but fruits, veggies, and lean meat. If you know me at all, you know what a huge sacrifice that is, but I've lost 5 pounds so far so I'm sticking with it.

I don't really feel like I'm in the Christmas spirit this year. I haven't decorated or put up a tree, mostly because this apartment is so small and there is so much baby stuff everywhere that there is no room for one. Also, I don't want to dig the stuff out of the storage shed. I've bought all of the Christmas presents but haven't wrapped them. I think part of me not being in the mood is that holidays are a time that I really love to bake, and with this diet I am definitely not doing that. Maybe my spirits will lift when I take Jackson to see Santa.

I haven't posted much lately because all I have been doing is dieting and exercising and reading. I'm on the Anita Blake books now and they are really good.

So how about you send me some questions and I'll answer them. You can ask absolutely anything. or tag me for a Meme or something. I need something to blog about.

sorry guys, no nudes here.

Why are people so weird? LOL. Here are some of the newest google searches that have brought people here.

• southern goddess nude (So sorry to disappoint)
  
  
• How can I clearly picture someone in my mind?
  
  
• Joe blue's clues
  
  
• Do southern people eat spicy food?
  
  
• I hate Blue's Clues (why would you google that??)
  
  
• cute monkeys playing poker
  
  
• my birthday at cheesecake factory
  
  
• steve blues clues bald (who would have thought so many people have issues with Blue's Clues LOL)
  
  
• what do you do if hamster has toomers (I'm assuming they got here because they spelled tumors like Toomer's Corner in Auburn.)
  
  
• a song that goes something like lalala give me mommy

So yeah. People are weird. And obsessed with Blue's Clues apparently.

Merry SITSmas!

Happy Holidays to all my SITSas and other bloggy buddies!! Consider this your Christmas card :)

Visit SITS for more Holiday cheer and to win some great prizes!