Christmas Shopping, Part 1

I've gotten some shopping done, mostly online.  I have finished one group of gifts, and that was for the pets.  This was important.

The pets (Sandy, Jack and Magic) get a gift on Christmas morning.  This is how it has been since we first got Magic.  After Sandy came along, she got one also, of course.  She caught on pretty quickly after her first Christmas with us.  Jack still doesn't get it, but enjoys the excitement of the day.

Then we started having Christmas Eve at our house once we moved into a single-family home.  My parents come, Chris's parents come and so do my brother and his family.  Sometime Sarah will have a friend or two come.  So gifts are exchanged.

The year we started this new tradition, I didn't even think about Sandy.  She had her gift, of course, but it was in our closet.  This was when we didn't put gifts under the tree until after the girls had gone to bed because they still believed in Santa.  So the girls are getting gifts from grandparents, nieces and nephews from uncles and aunts, and so on.  

Then I notice Sandy.  She is desperately looking around, and I knew she was waiting on a gift.  Oh, god.  I didn't get a picture of her, but this is close enough:



Jack didn't care, but Sandy was absolutely crushed.  I had no idea a dog could actually be disappointed.  She got a treat, but it wasn't the same.

So now I make sure she has a gift to open on Christmas Eve.  Jack does, too, but he doesn't know the difference.  Never again will my little Sandy Girl have a sad Christmas Eve.

Thanksgiving 2010 + Some Cool News

Not that I expected differently, but Thanksgiving was very nice.  Usually we go first to my in-laws for a noon feast, then to my parents' for dinner.  We're all pretty roly-poly by the time the day is over.  Unfortunately, my mother-in-law isn't feeling well and wasn't up to making her yearly feast.  So we just went to my mom's for dinner.

While I missed my in-laws and my mom-in-law's incredible stuffing, my mom put out a delicious spread.  And I must say, my pumpkin pie was pretty yummy, as was the fudge I made.  So a nice day was had by all of us, even the dogs.  They were pretty excited about going bye-bye in the car and my mom even cooked the giblets for them, so they made out like bandits.

Pictures?  OK:

My girls:





Becca and me:





And, of course, Sandy and Jack hoping for turkey to drop (it did):





And now for some cool news - I had my first article published in our local newspaper today (The Brunswick Citizen)!!  I wasn't sure my article would be good enough, so I was so excited when I checked the paper today.  Here's hoping there will be more to come!




 

That Time I Fell Down

MamaKat gives weekly writing prompts, and while I haven't done one in a while, I decided to tackle one today.  Here are the writing prompts to choose from:

The Prompts:

It’s Thanksgiving time and the show will go on!

1.) Interview your kids…what do they think Thanksgiving is for? What are they thankful for? etc.
2.) Share a photo of what Thanksgiving looks like in your neck of the woods.
3.) Write a poem about the things you are thankful for.
4.) Describe a memorable Thanksgiving.
5.) Forget Thanksgiving, write about that time you fell down.

We established with my last post that I'm not a count-my-blessings-out-loud kinda girl.  So I chose prompt #5.

It was vacation time 2009 and we had rented a cabin in the Smokey Mountains.  But we spent a lot of time in Gatlinburg doing touristy stuff.  This included eating at great restaurants, which in turn included margaritas from time to time.

Before I took the fall I'm writing about, I first need to set the tone for how my whole vacation went for me.  We (my in-laws, Chris, Lauren and Becca) went to Bubba Gump Shrimp for dinner.  Of course, I had my margarita.  After my first drink and before my second, Becca needed to go to the ladies' room.  I took her up and we both took care of business.  I came out of the stall and saw Becca washing her hands.  I gave her a whack on the butt, and this woman turned around in complete shock.  I thought I was going to DIE.  Becca was on the other side of the bathroom, drying her hands and laughing like a loon.  

This kind of thing happens to me a lot.  My kids love to play the "remember when you did..." game and start laughing at me.

So after yet another dinner at Bubba Gump's (plus the aforementioned margaritas), my mom-in-law and I decided we needed to shop for souvenirs.  We tried one place in a strip mall that turned out to have just crap.  We left the store to go back to the van when apparently there was a small rip in space and time that dropped the street a little ways below where I thought it was.  This caused me to fall hard on my knees, scraping the hell out of one of them.  God, it was painful.  Chris jumped out of the van to help, but I could see my loving children trying not to laugh.

But after seeing the damage to my knee, I got a lot of sympathy.  We had to stop at CVS and get some first aid stuff because it was pretty bad.  Check it out:

That area of my knee is now a weird pink color and will probably be that way the rest of my life.

So that's just one of my stories about a time I fell down.

Thursday Thirteen - Thanksgiving Edition

OK, so there are millions of blogs out there with lists of what they are thankful for.  I could go that route, but that's really not me.  I hated so much as a kid when we had Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt Joann's and we all had to stand in a circle and say something we were thankful for before we could eat.  It was the same every year!  We pretty much all said family, friends, etc. so we could dig in to my aunt's beautiful feast.

So my Thanksgiving Thursday Thirteen is going to be an anti-thankful post.



Thirteen Things I Am NOT Thankful For:

1.  Depression
2.  Anxiety
3.  Illness
4.  Winter
5.  Cold/Wind/Snow
6.  Seasonal Affective Disorder
7.  Mean people
8.  Writer's block
9.  Jack's farts waking me up at night
10. Household chores
11. Running out of Diet Coke
12. Dog hair tumbleweeds
13. Stress

Meet Me on Monday, 11/22/10

Becca and I didn't get to NYC; she woke up with her sinuses bothering her and wasn't up to going.  She felt better after a Sudafed and a shower, but by then it was too late to drive that far.  We'll try again in the spring.

Questions:

1.  How many pillows do you sleep with?

Just one and it's very comfortable.

 

2.  Where will you eat on Thanksgiving?

We eat at my in-laws around noon, then head to my mom's around five or six.  We are STUFFED by the end of the day!  But I love it.

 

3.  Would you rather go to a party or host a party?

Go to a party.  My social anxiety keeps me from having people over as I would like.

 

4.  How many purses (for the guys..wallets) do you own?

Just one.  I'm not a purse girl.  I get one and use it until it's worn out.  

 

5.  What is your favorite kind of seafood?

Crab legs from Joe's Crab Shack!  Or any shrimp dishes I prepare, like Shrimp Creole.

 

Sunday Stealing, 11/21/10

This is just a filler post for today since I haven't blogged in several days.  Busy week.  But Becca and I are heading to NYC tomorrow for the day, so I should have a fun post after that.

What was the last thing you put in your mouth?

Water.

How late did you stay up last night and why?

Stayed up until 1:00 because it was a Friday night, but fell asleep in my recliner and woke up about 2:00 to go up to bed.

If you could move somewhere else, would you?

Not right now because I wouldn't want to move the kids out of their schools and away from their friends.  But someday I'll live where it's warm all the time!

Have you ever been kissed under fireworks?

I can't remember!

Do you believe ex’s can be friends?

It really depends on the circumstances.

When was the last time you cried really hard?

When my cousin's little boy died.

What items could you not go without during the day?

Computer, Droid, water, Diet Coke, coffee.

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?

It must've been my grandmother; that was a long time ago.

How do you feel about your life right now?

I'm pretty happy, and I don't think it's just the anti-depressants talking!

If we were to look in your facebook inbox, what would we find?

A lot of messages about marching band transportation!

Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?

Yup.

Has anyone ever called you perfect before?

My husband says I'm perfect for him.

Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m.: who do you want it to be?

My bedroom is on the second floor; I don't want ANYBODY knocking!

Do you think too much or too little?

Too much.

Do you believe in fairy tales?

Not really.

Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work?

Who DOES that?

What’s the largest age difference between yourself and someone you’ve dated?

Four years.

Have you ever been on a blind date?

No.

Do you have any friends that you’ve known for 10 years or more?

Still friends with several of my high school friend, and one of my friends I've known since I was 12 (I'm 44).

Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?

Yes, fourth grade!

What song do you want played at your funeral?

"Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles; the Beatles Love version.

Would you tell your parents if you were gay?

Not when I was a teen, but I would now if I were.

What would your last meal be before getting executed?

Steak!

Do you walk around the house naked?

I can't even keep warm in my clothes.

What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?

Wash my hands and greet the dogs who are jumping on me.

Who is the person you can count on the most?

Chris.

What is your favorite Holiday?

Halloween - love the atmosphere all the horror stuff on TV.

Would you ever get plastic surgery?

I'd consider a tummy tuck if I were guaranteed nothing would go wrong.

Have you ever caught a fish?

Yes, I went on a fishing trip when I was 17 and caught flounder.

What is the first thing you notice about people?

If they are well-groomed.

What is the farthest you’ve been from home?

Okinawa, Japan.

How did you meet your spouse or significant other (or most recent one)?

At a bar called Kangaroo Katies!

Where was the last place you drove (other than home/school/work)?

Picked up Becca from a slumber party today, then stopped at Wawa for a fountain soda and newspaper.

**********

I went to get my hair highlighted on Wednesday, and in the middle of my appointment, the salon dryer caught on fire!  They had to move everybody outside while the fire department made sure everything was OK.  After about 30 minutes, they just let in the beauticians who had clients with color or perms to rinse them out.  So I got rinsed, then sent home for free!  Weird day, but I made out pretty good.

Sunday Stealing, 11/14/10

1. Lots of pillows or just one? Describe your pre-sleeping rituals.

Just one.  My pre-sleeping ritual includes a Lunesta!

 
2. What kind of books do you read?

I'll read almost anything, but favorites include non-fiction, especially rock biographies, horror and memoirs.
 

3. What are your neighbors like?

We are lucky - we have wonderful neighbors all around us.

4. What's really creepy to you?

I write horror stories, so almost anything can be creepy if I use my imagination.

5. What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction?

I can't get enough of watching Hoarders and Intervention.

6. Do you prefer your junk food sweet, salty or savory?

The salty-sweet combo, like popcorn with M&Ms or chocolate-covered pretzels.

7. What was the last expensive thing you bought?

Chris recently bought a new car.  I'm hoping to get new furniture soon.

8. What is your greatest fear?

Something happening to one of my kids.

9. Do you get cravings? If so, what do you crave?

I get cravings for Toffee-Mocha frappucinos sometimes.

 
10. What do you do to change your mood?

Listen to The Beatles.

11. What was the last meal you ate that you loved?

A couple weeks ago, at the Japanese Steak House (hibachi grill).

12. Do you want to learn another language? If so, why?

Not really.

 
13. What's something that you'd like to say to someone right now?

Snap out of it and quit treating [them] like crap!

14. What are you looking forward to?

The Beatles Rain Tribute in March up in Hershey.

My Daughter, The Vegetarian

A few weeks ago, Becca and her best friend Damara made a pact to be vegetarians for a week.  I'm still not sure why, but they stuck to it.  A few nights after it was over, we had plans to go to Matsutake, a Japanese hibachi restaurant that Becca LOVES.  She decided for that night she would have her favorite chicken dish, then go back to vegetarianism.

She has really done well with it!  My only concern is getting protein into her; it's difficult because she doesn't like milk (except chocolate milk), isn't crazy about yogurt, and hasn't really tried other sources of protein like beans.  I need to start getting creative in helping increase her protein intake.

I have encouraged her to try "Flexitarianism", where she can occasionally eat meat.  She lives for my bacon-cheddar quiche and loves tacos, so I think we have a little leeway here.  But coming up with vegetarian lunches for her to take to school is a challenge.

Any suggestions on picky-kid-friendly vegetarian recipes would be greatly appreciated!

Story Time!

I mentioned a couple days ago that a story I wrote placed Honorable Mention in the Necon E-Books monthly flash fiction contest.  The editor mentioned in the acceptance letter that another one of the stories I entered was also close to being a winner, but "Reclaiming Halloween" edged it out.

I really liked the story that didn't make it, so I thought I'd post it here, and hopefully(!) it'll get read.  

The Last Halloween
By Sheri White
(c) 2010


“Do you really think it’s going to happen tonight?” Scott asked.  He and his friends sat on the beach around the bonfire, exchanging ghost stories, drinking beer and eating candy.

“I don’t know,” replied Andy.  “The comet’s all over the news.  This could be the one that hits us.”

“I’m scared, Scott.” Lori cuddled against him and held onto him tightly.  “I don’t want to die.”

Just then, the comet streaked overhead and landed in the ocean.  Scott kissed Lori gently on her lips, tasting chocolate.

“It’ll be OK,” he assured her as the tidal wave bore down upon them.

[yellow tail] Reserve Your Night Contest

Enough about me for a minute!  A few months ago I was offered the opportunity to sample some [yellow tail] wine and blog about it.  The wine was DELICIOUS.

Now, [yellow tail] has asked me to let you know about a contest they are having, and it sounds pretty cool.


All you have to do is go to ReserveYourNight.com site and let them know, in 300 words or less, what or who you are most thankful for this holiday season and why.  Winners will receive a $25 gift card to a local BYOB restaurant and have their answer featured on ReserveYourNight.com.

That's all there is to it!  Good luck!



 

Meet Me on Monday, 11/8/10

First the Meet Me on Monday questions, the some cool stuff that's been happening!

1.  What is your favorite kind of pie?

Hard to choose between apple and pumpkin!

 

2.  Have you ever ran out of gas in the car you were driving?

No, I'm too nervous to let it happen.

 

3.  How many languages do you speak?

Just English.

4.  Do you take daily vitamins?

I HAVE them; taking them everyday doesn't happen.  Although I do make sure I take my B12 daily since I need the energy.

  

5.  What is your worst eating habit?

Probably not eating as much as I should every day - some days I just snack a little throughout the day and then maybe eat a little dinner.  So why can't I lose weight?!

*********

I found out today that my story, "Reclaiming Halloween," placed Honorable Mention in the Necon E-Books monthly flash fiction contest!  I'd love for you to go read it!

I have been asked by a friend who is a reporter for our local newspaper to cover a story at my girls' old elementary school next week.  I've never done that before!  I'm nervous, but hopefully up to the challenge.  Sounds like it will be fun.

I'm also going to be a guest blogger on someone else's blog in a couple weeks; I'll provide more details as I get them.  I'm looking forward to this.

Fun stuff coming up!

 

Sunday Stealing, 11/7/10

I haven't posted in way too long.  Been sick, been busy, been blah.  I hate the cold weather and right now it's colder than it's supposed to be.  Yay for SAD - it should start early for me this year.  Hopefully my meds will help keep it somewhat at bay.  Stay tuned for more updates; I'm sure I'll be complaining.

Lauren's marching band has made it to the BIG competition, the ACCs, so we'll be heading to Hersheypark tomorrow to watch.  There are some parents who can stay at these competitions from start to finish, but I'm just not one of them.  I enjoy watching Lauren and her friends, but other bands?  Not so much.  So once Lauren's band is done, I'll take Becca over to the chocolate factory where we will take the tour and buy chocolate we don't need.  Should be a good day.

To add a little bulk to this post, here are my answers to this week's Sunday Stealing.  Haven't done it since July, but it's an easy way to get back into blogging.

1. What do you consider your hometown to be?

Landover Hills, MD

2. What’s the hardest part of your average day?

Getting up and dressed.

3. The easiest? Why?

Hanging with my family.  Because I enjoy them.

4. What beverage do you reach for to quench your thirst?





Diet Coke - many times a day.

5. What is one not-so-secret goal you have for your life? I’ll let you keep your secret ones to yourself. 

To live somewhere warm and sunny when the kids are done with school.
 
6. What physical pain do you fear most? For example, I’m trying to decide how bad my jaw pain needs to get before I risk a potential needle from my dentist. So, for me, throbbing is preferable to jabbing.

Any kind of biopsy.  I've heard they're excrutiating.
 
7. Where do you find solace?

At the beach, specifically, Ocean City, Md.
 
8. What makes you the saddest when you read/see the news?

Any horrible things done to children or animals.

9. What do you eat for a favorite snack?


I've discovered a love for dates and figs.  Can't get enough of them.
 
10. What movie could you/would you watch more than two or three times and still enjoy just as much as the first time?


Many, but I'll pare it down to Wild Hogs and Galaxy Quest.
 
11. What boy/girl first made you cry?

The boy I dated on and off through high school caused many tears.
 
12. What brand of coffee/tea do you drink most often?




I have a Keurig, and my favorite K-Cup right now is Kahlua with chocolate creamer.
 
13. Dig in the dirt with or without garden gloves?


I'm not a digging in the dirt kind of girl.
 
14. James Taylor or Carly Simon?


Carly, definitely.