Holidays – Page 5 – Jocelyn Rau

December 22, 2011December 23, 2011

Karma

I must have done something to really tick her off, because man, am I having some bad juju over here. And just in time for the holidays, whee!

First off, I was just thinking the other day how happy I am that my skin is nice and clear right now, seeing as so much of it will be bared on the beach in just a few days. It may be pasty, but hopefully that will be remedied soon, and at least it’s blemish-free. Ha! Not so fast there, young lady. When what to my wondering eyes should appear yesterday morning? A nice big zit, right in the middle of my chest. Come on, gross! And just in time for bikini season, too. Fan-flippin-tastic.

Next up? This ridiculously terrible cold I caught a few days ago, which has allowed me only 1 workout this week. 1 week before I strut around in my new bikini, mind you. I started feeling a little lousy on Monday, and since then things have gone downhill at a rapid speed. I got some Sudafed yesterday, though, to try and get my head cleared before I have to endure the pain of changing cabin pressures on airplanes this weekend. Hopefully it will kick in in time to banish the worst of it.

I also took NyQuil last night so I could get some sleep. Ah, NyQuil, it’s been so long. I couldn’t take it while pregnant or nursing, and fortunately since then I haven’t needed it. See – right there. That’s where Karma got me. Just the other day I was thinking again (maybe that’s the problem – i should just stop thinking!) how it’s been a really long time since I’ve been truly sick, because R was going into the doctor for a physical and weird headaches he gets all the time. I was musing that he seems to get sick a lot more often than I do, then whaddya know? BAM! Who’s sick now, kid?

And just to top things off, my friendly monthly reminder of how magnificent it is to be female kicked in this morning. Yay!! Just what I always wanted – a Hawaiian vacation with my bestest pal. She really is such a treat and an absolute joy to be around. Especially when I’ll be wearing a bikini more often than not this coming week. Ah well, c’est la vie, non?

So, Karma, please let me know what I can do to get back on your good side. Because this right here? Not so nice. No matter what you throw at me, though, I’ll keep my chin up, because I have this to look forward to in 2 short days…

December 9, 2011December 19, 2012

Deck the… humbug?

As you might know, we’re not going to be at home for Christmas this year. We’ll be traveling. And although it will be a most radical trip, it’s just kind of thrown my whole holiday spirit out of whack this year.

I didn’t really feel like getting a Christmas tree, since I’ll probably want to have it taken down before we leave anyway. (we did end up getting one, just a tiny little guy this year. even so, i did manage to get almost all of my favorite ornaments crammed on there. but only 1 strand of lights)

I really haven’t gotten out any of our other interior decorations, save a winter scene nightlight in the hallway and our mistletoe ball in the kitchen. We have some great advent calendars that I love dearly, but even they remain in the decorations cabinet in the basement because I just didn’t feel like hanging them up this time. Oddly, I felt like the days that didn’t get put up before we left would be lonely. (i know, i’m weird. that’s nothing new) Plus D got 2 chocolate advent calendars from relatives this year, so those have sufficed and fueled her new-found sugar addiction.

I did wind our pre-lit garland around the front lamppost and string the real stuff from my grandparents along our porch rails, because I absolutely adore white Christmas lights outside. But the little tree lights to line the walk will have to wait for another year.

(please pardon the fake snow. i was just having a little picnik fun)

I’m not even really in the mood for presents this year either. I usually love passing out everyone’s gifts on Christmas morning and reveling in the holiday spirit, but just the thought of trying to come up with something for people is kind of grating on my nerves right now. I’m at a total loss for most everyone, and since we’re traveling I don’t really even know if we should do gifts at all. Ugh.

At least a lack of decorations means a little less clean up this year, right? I won’t have to traipse around come the start of the new year taking down all the festive flair and making each room seem a little less magical than when it wore its holiday best, which is always kind of depressing. And since the tree only has 1 strand of lights, I won’t have to mess with tangling and untangling all of those as I try to unwind them from said tree and get them back in storage without ending up with a giant National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation-sized knot.

I guess one other good thing about a pint-sized Christmas tree and minimal decorations is that most of my upkeep and cleaning this year simply consists of telling D, “We don’t touch the Christmas tree. Just wave hi to him.” And yes, that’s worked just fine so far to keep pine needles off the floor, believe it or not.

Anyone have a cup of holiday cheer I could borrow? Something bubbly and slightly alcoholic would do splendidly.

I’m sharing my holiday home decor (or lack thereof!) and cleaning tips for the chance to win prizes from The SITS Girls and Great Cleaners.

December 8, 2011December 8, 2011

Only 2 weeks late {pictures!!}

So here it is, FINALLY. My Thanksgiving recap post. In pictures. Exactly 2 weeks late. Ahem. It was awesome.

tg1 — The table all nicely set and ready for food

We had enough food for a family of 10 and proceeded to eat leftovers until this week. R said we should really have taken some to a shelter, to which I agreed, but unfortunately they have pretty strict rules about donated food and its preparation/handling. So we are still finishing up the pumpkin torte. It was a wonderful day at home, just the 3 of us – our little family. And yes, that is a mini Packers jersey D is wearing. R wouldn’t even let me put a cute little holiday outfit on her. Hmpf.

And since I made you wait so long for some pictures, here are a few bonus shots. Because no day is complete without an abundance of D.

tg11 — D helping Mommy put her ornament on 1st

tg12 — She's now ADDICTED to her chocolate advent calendars

November 29, 2011

It’s a start

So of course I wanted to do a whole Thanksgiving weekend recap post with lots of pictures and stuff, but, as usual, I haven’t had a chance to wrangle them all up yet. BUT, I was able to get our Christmas tree last night and begin decorating it, so I’ll just show you that for now instead. A little teaser of our holiday weekend, if you will.

Step 1: put the lights on, along with D’s little ornament from Auntie A.

It’s just a little tree this year, but with the Hawaii trip coming up and all I knew I’d want to take it down before we leave. And the fewer ornaments to mess with because of that, the better.

So that’s how the festivities of our holiday weekend ended last night. I promise to get the full pictorial post up soon, for we really did have a fantastic long weekend. I hope you all did too!

November 24, 2011November 22, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, wherever and however you may celebrate it. Eat, drink, be merry, relax, watch some football, and take time to really enjoy everything for which you have to be thankful. And then eat some more. For if you’re like me, the subsequent Thanksgiving meals are just as good as the original. Turkey and stuffing and probably more pie at 9pm? Why thanks!

There are far too many who will not be happy this Thanksgiving, so please let our thoughts be with them as well. If you are so inclined, maybe volunteer an hour or two at a local food pantry or donate to your city’s rescue mission or maybe even take some leftovers to a family you know who needs them. I’m sure they would be eternally grateful.

I’ll be taking a break to spend the long weekend with family and friends, so I’ll see you next week. Happy Thanksgiving!

p.s. You might want to check back sometime on Sunday, though. I may or may not have a special treat in store for you...

November 11, 2011December 18, 2011

11~11~11

First of all, Happy Veterans Day. Thank you so very much to all our servicemen and women for all you do, have done, and always continue to do.

But back to that date. Cool, eh? Especially if you’re one of those people who loves the superstition surrounding 11:11 and all that, today must be like Christmas!

Speaking of Christmas, how is it that it’s already basically the middle of November?? Who told the Holidays they had permission to sneak up like this? Yes, Holidays with a capital H, because they always barge right in and steamroll over everyone/thing like they own the whole end of the year. Eat this turkey! Wrap these presents! Drink this nog! Geez.

Don’t get me wrong – I love the Holidays. Especially Thanksgiving; it has surpassed Christmas as my favorite. You get to relax (hopefully) and spend time with family (unless you can’t stand your family, then i guess it wouldn’t really be one of your faves), eat a ton of delicious food, and not have to worry about the gift-giving that comes with Christmas. And then later that night and certainly the next day (or 5) comes the best part – leftovers! R has started a tradition in our house, too, that beginning on Thanksgiving we play the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack to kick off the Christmas music season. NOT BEFORE!

Then Christmas is great, because who doesn’t like getting presents (or if you’re like me you actually enjoy giving them more now)? Plus all the decorations are really beautiful, and I do still feel like there’s just something magical about Christmas. Especially if we get a white Christmas (the 1 time of year i actually will tolerate and kind of welcome a snowfall) – I always feel like I could go outside and find some secret reindeer hoof prints somewhere. And Christmas morning? Forget it. I always feel like a kid when my eyes first pop open that day – it’s Christmas!! Now having a kid of our own, it’s even better. It will really be fun once D gets the whole idea, and I hope we can keep the Christmas magic alive for her for years and years to come. And yes, I still put out cookies and milk for Santa. It’s tradition!

And of course then comes New Year’s Eve, the granddaddy of all parties. What better excuse to have a bunch of bubbly and make out with your beloved at the stroke of midnight? (or all night long if you’ve imbibed in a little too much of said bubbly. *ahem*) Streamers and hats and confetti and noise makers and fancy outfits, because everyone needs a little bit of sparkle on New Year’s Eve. It’s fun. And last year we did even make it up past midnight with tiny barely-5-month-old D snuggled soundly in her crib.

This year will be a little different, however. Thanksgiving is golden – we’re spending the day itself at home, just the 3 of us, which will be awesome. Then D and I are heading down to my mom’s house for a couple days to see family, and R’s going up to his fam’s area to see them and attend his 15 year high school reunion that he’s organizing. But then for Christmas, we’re leaving on a jet plane to get our luau on in HAWAII! That’s right, don’t hate. We are so lucky to be getting to spend the entire holiday week on the sunny shores of Maui. Aloha Oe! We fly back overnight on NYE, spend a day with my sisters and brother-in-law in Denver, and get home in 2012. Crazy.

So you see, it’s kind of a non-traditional celebration for us this year. It’ll be awesome, no doubt, but it’s oddly kind of throwing my brain into a planning tizzy. Like should we get a Christmas tree since we won’t even be home over Christmas? And if we do, should I take it down and throw it out before we leave so I don’t have to mess with it when we get home, or would that be too much of a dead giveaway to potential robbers (always thinking, i am)? Are we doing gifts out there with everyone (we’re going with my mom, stepdad, 2 sisters, bro-in-law, and step-bro and -sis), because how are we going to pack presents without spending a mortgage payment on overweight bag fees or taking 24 suitcases? What in the hell are we going to do with a toddler on a what, 8 hour flight? Make that TWO 8 hour flights. Do I need to go shopping for anything before we go or do D and I have sufficient cuteness in our wardrobes for a Christmas week in the sun (R’s good. it’s so not fair how boys can pack for any extended amount of time in approximately 7 minutes)? Because let’s be honest – traveling to beachy places is all about looking good while soaking up rays (yes, wearing SPF. i’m sure i’ve done plenty of sun damage to my skin already for about 18 lifetimes). Oh, and enjoying my wonderful family’s company, of course.

So you see, my organization-loving mind is starting to spin a little. I am truly excited for this trip, because although I’ve been to Hawaii 5 times now, I’ve only been to Maui once, and that was our honeymoon. And it’s one of the few places I’ve ever been where I really would have been totally fine never coming home. It’s simply amazing. But my Holiday calendar is now a little gnarly. Throw in a trip to central IL the weekend after Thanksgiving to see my dad and his side of the family, and my free weekends between now and the end of the year are quickly running out. Maybe I’ll just look at this picture continually until then to wash some of the worries away and remember to just have fun and enjoy the Holiday season, no matter where we are…

October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

So yesterday was the assigned day for trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Does anyone else have this? Designated times and days for trick-or-treating? Personally, I think it’s dumb. I mean I know they do it for safety and stuff like that, but really? It kind of takes the fun out of the holiday. When we were younger you always went trick-or-treating on Halloween night, no matter what day of the week it was, after dinner, with your parent who waited on the sidewalk while you went up to every door you could manage before your feet got too tired or your pumpkin got too full of candy or that parent who was so patiently tagging along decided it was time to go home. Now for us it’s always the Sunday before Halloween, or if Halloween happens to be on a Sunday then I guess we luck out.

And what really stinks about having trick-or-treating this way is that you always get inundated with people who bring in carloads of kids from all different areas of the city to simply clean up on getting all the candy they can, every day they can. That’s not fair. You don’t live here, I’ve never seen you before, and you’re neither wearing a costume nor bothering to say “trick-or-treat”! That’s the part that really annoys me.

But anyway… Yesterday was D’s first time trick-or-treating, and it was so much fun! Last year she was still just a wee lass and sat on Daddy’s knee to help pass out candy as a little moo-cow. This year, however, she was big enough to walk around to a handful of our neighbors’ houses with Daddy and get her own candy in her little orange pumpkin. She was Little Red Riding Hood, and Daddy was her Big Bad Wolf. Love!!