The best presents ever

So Christmas is over. It was definitely a strange Christmas for me. No presents, no turkey, no giant noisy family. It was nothing like Christmas to me really.

But honestly? The love I felt snuggled on the couch with Joel was incredible. We haven’t spent that much one on one time with each other in ages. We watched a few of our favorite Christmas movies, napped and talked. It was very special.

There were a few sad moments. I talked to my mom on the phone and as soon as I hung up I ugly cried for a little while. I hated being left out of the festivities because we were home sick. The whole thing just seemed so unfair.

In order to cheer me up a little, Joel went out and searched high and low for some eggnog. I told him not to bother because it was Christmas day and A.) almost nowhere is even open and B.) even if they were open it was afternoon and if they carried eggnog at all they were probably sold out.

He freaking found me some eggnog. You’ll have to ask him how many places he called and looked. Apparently no less than 3 Walgreens told him they had it and he drove there only to find out they did not. I told him he should have sneezed on all of them and given them his plague.*

He did eventually find eggnog. And it was possibly the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.

Also? Made me cry. But a good cry. A wow-I-can’t-believe-how-incredibly-sweet-my-husband-is kind of cry.

He came back and collapsed on the couch. Obviously the outing exhausted him. It would have exhausted a healthy person, much less someone with the flu.

In return he received lots of love and snuggles and other married favors. Apparently even all feverish he finds me extremely attractive. Or maybe it was because he also had a fever. Can’t be sure.

Either way it was a strange but pleasant Christmas. Usually after Christmas I’ve been to so many different parties and stayed up late every night for so many nights that I’m exhausted. This year I felt relaxed the next day.

A nice bonus is that I’m feeling well again which means I kind of feel like a million dollars. It’s amazing how great normal feels when you’ve just come back from the brink of death. Joel is still a little under the weather but I think he’s pretty close to better as well. I think by tomorrow we’ll both be completely back in the land of the living.

So this year my presents weren’t those I could unwrap. I got a renewed love for my husband through quality time. I got relaxation and tons of rest. Plus I got some really yummy eggnog.

Best presents ever.

*he didn’t. And even if he did they’re probably already immune since they work at Walgreens. Jerks.

Where are you Christmas?

This year I just haven’t been into Christmas. I started out excited but I could never get into it. Now it’s a week away and I’m just… completely neutral about it. Not excited, not dreading, just kind of numb to the whole thing.

Actually that could kind of describe my outlook on life right now. Meh.

It’s kind of a bummer way to feel. I can’t figure out why either.

I need some suggestions on how to snap out of this funk, if you can still call it a funk. Otherwise I’m going to end up in the nut house. I can’t keep this up forever.

In an attempt to rev my Christmas spirit I’m going to list what I’m excited about.

1. Seeing my sister Liz and nephew Hunter. They moved to California a year ago and I miss them x billion. I haven’t seen them since I visited them last January. (btw click that link and watch the video. It’s still makes me laugh out loud.) They arrive next Wednesday night and I cannot wait to see them.

2. Christmas eve dinner with my grandparents and extended family. Always a good time. My family is amazing.

3. The food. Gosh I love holiday meals. I literally just finished eating a second ago and the thought of having a holiday meal is making me drool all over this keyboard. Mmmm

4. Christmas morning at my mom and dad’s. Again with my family being amazing.

5. Christmas night with Joel’s family. It’s going to be a little different since so far we’ve always spent all day Christmas with my family. But I got really lucky with my in-laws and so it will be fun to see them.

6. Christmas movies. I’ve watched some but I’m looking forward to watching my favorites: A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Grinch, Home Alone, all the claymation specials etc. I’m sure those will put me in more of a Christmas mood.

I actually feel better already. This year it’s not about presents, it’s about spending time with the people I love the most. That should be enough to get anyone out of a funk.

Crazy bells

Today was my step father in law’s wake. So sad. But I’ll talk more about him tomorrow.

We were running late (because apparently it’s impossible for me to be ready on time. Plus traffic. Ugh) so I was a bit stressed out. It’s not that we were that late but people drive like idiots and it’s the holidays and blah blah blah.

Anyway, since we were running late I decided to put my make up on in the car (don’t worry Joel was driving). I was putting my eyeliner on when the tip broke off. It annoyed me but whatever… until I tried to roll it up and get more and realized that was it. I was out of eyeliner completely.

So there I am, half of one eye done, late to a funeral with no more eyeliner to complete my face. Freaking awesome.

I couldn’t go like that obviously. Luckily minutes down the road we found a Walgreens so I made a mad dash into the store. Outside the store there was a Salvation Army bell ringer. Now normally I’m a smiley pleasant person. I don’t often carry cash on me but if I do I’ll drop whatever I have in. I’m no Scrooge.

However, at that moment I wasn’t in the mood to be pleasant to anyone. I was a woman on a mission so I just walked as fast as my high heeled feet could take me directly into the store. As I approached the man called out

“Hey how you doin’?

I ignored him because, like I said, I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, much less be happy and charitable.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t Salvation Army bell ringers usually full of holiday cheer? Aren’t they just supposed to wish you merry Christmas and tell you to have a nice day whether you drop anything into their bucket or not? It’s not as if it’s a contest, right?

Or maybe it was for this dude because me not responding to him kind of pissed him off. It started with a “hey” and escalated to “HEY, HEEEY! Don’t be like that!”

All I could think was wow, dude needs to chill. I found my eyeliner as quickly as possible, all the while thinking of how off kilter my face must look with only half of one eye done.

When I left the store the dude must have been waiting because he was even louder this time

“Hey Lady, just smile. What’s your problem? Have a little holiday spirit. Seriously, what’s your problem?”

I wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up. I’m on my way to a funeral for goodness sake! Smiling? Not really in the mood.

Instead I just kept my eyes straight ahead and walked as fast as I could to the car. I was fairly sure that if I let loose even a little I may just emotionally explode all over the guy. I was thisclose to bursting into tears and if I let the dam open even a little I knew that guy would have gotten way more than he’d bargained for.

Although as rude as he was being he may have deserved it. So much for Christmas cheer.

Best Christmas Ever

As a flight attendant it’s very hard to get holidays off. This year was no exception and I was scheduled to be on call Christmas day. I actually got Christmas Eve off and then moved a few days around so that I worked a lot leading up to Christmas. I made up my mind that as long as I got Christmas morning off I would be content. When it came down to it, God smiled on me and somehow I wasn’t called all day long. It was the best Christmas present I could have gotten. I will let the pictures from the day tell my story for me.

We spent Christmas eve at my Grandpa’s house as is our tradition. Here is Hunter snuggling Grandpa while we were watching The Polar Express.

My grandma and the newest member of our family, Jordan.

Joel and I spent the night at my parents house and this is what we were greeted with Christmas morning. My family is so blessed.

It was baby Jordan’s first Christmas. Isn’t he adorable?

My dad, Anthony, Naomi and Bekah waiting to open presents.

What’s a dinosaur say? “Grrrrrr!”

Hunter was being a helpful cousin and feeding baby Jordan.

My mom was really surprised by her Christmas gift.

My littlest little sister Anna

Liz has a little trouble with directions sometimes so this will come in really handy.

Madison was such a good little puppy and slept right in the middle of all the presents.

My mom made her famous biscuits and gravy for Christmas brunch, yum!

That evening we went over to my brother’s house and had Christmas dinner with them.

I can’t imagine the day being any more perfect. I hope everyone’s Christmas was equally full of fun, laughter and magic. Merry Christmas!

You pay the same

for this little ornament as you do for a drink here at Starbucks. Yes, I’m a sucker for just about anything Starbucks. At least the ornament lasts forever.