Three Day Weekend

The one big drawback to a three day weekend is the feeling of sadness that infiltrates your Tuesday morning (or Monday morning if the third weekend day was a Friday) - I woke up this morning all bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed, for about five seconds, then I realized that my clock was telling the truth about it being 6:37 am and I had to get up shortly. That's when the disappointment slipped in.

Of course, I followed my usual routine and hit the various snooze buttons (I find that a total of three alarm clocks with separate alarm times and different snooze settings are what it takes to get me out of bed on time-ish), and got up a little after 7:00.  Around 7:30, I went out to start the car and discovered that it was bitterly cold out.  It was somewhere in the realm of four degrees (that's what weather.com said it was when I arrived at work at 8:00), which is cold on its own, but it was this icky damp chilly cold - the kind that makes any exposed skin start to ache the moment the ice-air hits it.  A positive about this horrid air-situation is that all of the tree branches I drive by on my way to work were sparkling like a four-year-old girl's art project.

Now, you know I'm the queen of the positive in this lovely 2011, and I'm not trying to be unpleasant and whiny - it's just that I REALLY wish I could be back in bed right now!  I need to remember that, since I made a delicious chicken stew for dinner last night, we have leftovers and I don't have to cook.  Did you know my stew is world famous?  Okay, maybe not world famous - but it's family famous, and honestly, they're about the only people whose opinions matter to me anyway.  My nephew Aaron won't eat anyone else's stew anymore (including his mother - my sister Conni's stew - which is a bit of a sore spot for her).  I didn't bake any bread, but I did make gingerbread for dessert.  Yum yum yum.  See - now I'm starting to looking forward to going home and eating food.

Aaron required blue icing and a theme that incorporated
rainbows, kittens, and slick rick.  I think Conni
did an absolutely AMAZING job.

Well, as you know - it's 2011 - and of course some good things have been happening since the 11th!  Here we go!

Today: I won a contest!  I won a Cream Perfume from http://www.withourbest.com/!!!! 

Monday, January 17th - I slept until noon and then spent the afternoon reading and making chicken stew. Azi and I watched "Once More with Feeling" - the musical Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, and that awesome daughter of mine brought me breakfast in bed! (not in that order)

Sunday, January 16th - Sunday was a completely and totally lazy day.  I stayed in bed roughly 90% of the time and read four novels. How can you beat that???

Saturday, January 15th - went to Heather's housewarming shindig - had a great time - ate some AWESOME spring rolls, and played Apples to Apples.  ALSO - Two $10 iTunes gift cards came in the mail from a contest I won!!!

Friday, January 14th - My awesome nephew's "not-so-sweet-sixteen" birthday party.  Most of the fam was there, with the lovely additions of Janice, Holly, and Matthew.  The best thing about that was the cake my sister made - I'm putting the picture up here - wish I could take credit - but it's all Conni!!

Thursday, January 13th - I won two contests!!!! I won Project Runway stationary & candle from http://confessionsofanover-workedmom.blogspot.com/, and a set of house pillows from http://becausecheaperisbetter.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, January 12th - say it with me - SNOW DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Tuesday, January 11th - I got to see Azi compete in the school-wide Geography bee.  I didn't realize how impressive this was until they explained that out of the entire school of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, only 30 kids qualified for it - and my sixth grader was one of them!!!  She did a great job - made it through the first round of cuts, but had a harder time on the second round - regardless of that - I'm SOOOOOOOO freaking proud of her!!!

2011: The Best Year Yet? Perhaps.

A few days into 2010, I realized that, for some unknown reason, the universe seemed to have it in for me.  I had an assortment of ailments, money problems, car problems, etc. etc. etc.. I am in no way claiming that 2010 was the worst year ever, but, for me, it came pretty darn close. I decided way back then that 2011 would be different.  My health would be great - my life would be great - every frigging thing would be great. And do you know what? So far it has been!!!

On January first, I had the luck to win a new Ipod touch!  Now, this isn't the most alarming thing in the world, as I spend a ridiculous amount of time these days entering contests - but still, that's a pretty darn sweet prize!  It was made even sweeter by the fact that I was starting to regain my voice (you see, 2010 tried to keep me down by striking me with laryngitis during its last week - note to years who think they can get the better of me:  you totally can't, and I'm talking up a storm again).

On January 2nd, I went out and played Scrabble, ate Pizza Skins, and had awesome conversation at Uno's.  What a treat! Not something I usually do, and even more fun than I expected!

On Monday, January 3rd, I admit I was starting to notice a trend - and then what happened? Season 2 of True Blood was delivered from Amazon a day early!! Good stuff!

On Tuesday, January 4th, I was driving home and talking to Faith on the phone about how I was concerned that nothing awesome had happened yet.  Thankfully, I stopped at IGA, and what to my wondering eyes did appear??? Not from concentrate half gallons of orange juice on sale for $0.48!!!!!  WHEW!!!!

The Misty Sunrise

Wednesday (January 5th) started off on shaky ground - on Mondays and Wednesdays, we have to get up extra early because Azi  as orchestra practice at the school at 7:15 (AM!!!!!!).  I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person - early to me is getting up at 9:30 on a weekend, you know?  So, I really do not look forward to super early days.  BUT - we were out of the house on time, and then, as I was driving to work I got to see the most incredible sight - there were clouds of mist rising off the river, just as the sun was coming up.  It was gorgeous!!!

Today's good thing?  Well, Azi sent me a message when she got home that there was a long trianglular package on the porch for me!  I will assuredly go on an on about it when I find out what's inside!!!

I'm hoping to keep this up - 2011 is the year, my friends - well, it's my year, at the very least - hopefully yours too!!