About #9....

You didn't really think I would be back here to blog on Christmas day, did you?? LOL

How about a picture of the tree and roaring fireplace??


I was so excited to have a mantle this year, but we never did get around to hanging our stockings off it. The tree you see is my tiny little 4 1/2 footer that was a Blue Light Special at K-Mart a zillion years ago when I lived by myself. I find it works well with the dogs and also we decided not to spend money on Christmas decorations this year. It looked cute and worked well and it made us both happy.

Christmas morning, I made cinnamon rolls that were beyond fantastic. How was I able to control the present opening and giving urges long enough to make cinnamon rolls - well, we opened our presents Christmas Eve, of course!

I did not receive a sheep or a puppy, but Chris did get me the next best thing!!


Yeah, there was some screaming involved.

Actually, the box had the spinning wheel manufacturer's name all over it, so as soon as I tore off the first piece of paper, I knew. He is such a good present buyer, and has been getting me progressively deeper into the yarn-y arts since last Christmas. He got me a ball winder and a 16" size 7 knitting needle (Perfect for knitting hats, and even better because the reason he got it was because he remembered me looking for one a few weeks before Christmas last year). For Valentine's Day, he gifted me with a swift. I joked with him that now he has procured me all of these things and the spinning wheel, the only thing he can get me for the next holiday is a sheep. Although, after I said that, I realized there is still the option of a loom....hahahaha!

Not that it is all about me. Chris loved his presents too. I got Ursa DNA tested to find out what breed of dog she is. It was not an IQ test, so she passed, but we did find out that she is mostly Siberian Husky, with just a smidge of West Highland Terrier and Borzoi (scroll down on the end of the Borzoi page and then tell me if anything looks familiar to this picture). Surprisingly, no German Shepherd in the mix.

Ursa - your Borzoi is showing!

Hoping you had as lovely a holiday as we did. I'll be posting about all the crafty stuff I did for everyone over the next week. And thank you to those of you who have emailed me, especially the members of Chris' family. It is so nice knowing that you are reading the blog and keeping up with all the varried goings on in Boise, Idaho. We keep it pretty exciting over here, what with the knitting, spinning and dog wrangling ; ) Gotta keep the readership up, 'ya know??!!

Have a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve tomorrow everyone!

Hows About a List??

1. The new job is GREAT!! I love it in ways I can't even describe. Details to follow.

2. Christmas presents are all purchased, finished, wrapped and shipped (with the exception of one gift for Chris). I have even finished shopping for Chris' birthday. All of this makes me happy, and I love the way the tree looks with all the presents underneath it.

3. I can't wait to open my presents (and give Chris his) because apparently I am still a three year old. For some reason he doesn't want to believe that in my family we really do open our presents on Christmas Eve, sigh.....

4. Also, I am not getting a puppy or a sheep (I have been told these things but kinda refuse to believe them. Its Christmas man! Anything is possible. Keep hope alive.).

5. When it snows in Boise, everyone thinks they are going to die and drive similarly. Details to follow on this one also.

6. One Christmas party down, one to go.

7. I am making four types of cookies and chex mix tonight. I'll let you know how that all turns out tomorrow...

8. Wedding plans. On hold. Again. Hitting head against wall with nails sticking out of it. Don't want to talk about it. Don't ask about it.

9. I am out of ideas and need to get in the shower. Happy Monday and Merry Christmas if you don't get a chance to pop back before then. Full Christmas disclosure to be made on 12/25 in the afternoon for our friends and family, and really, anyone else who wants to read the blog. There might even be pictures!!!

Drum Roll Please

This Monday morning, unlike sooooo many before (for the last six months anyway), I am in a good mood.

"Why?" you may ask.

Well the answer my friends is because today, I start a new job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went for the interview last week, had the very comical drug test done Friday morning, and when I got back to the car after that thoroughly hilarious affair, I had a message form the hiring manager on my phone.

Basically, I will be working for the same company that I was at before we left NY, in the same department doing something a zillion times better and getting paid well to do it. I am pretty much going to now be in the same position financially I would be in if we never left New York, AND I will have set hours which means that I can finally start getting my massage practice going out here and it will hopefully help with me not feeling the smurfiest lately. My new boss told me I had to start Monday, and it was the most wonderful feeling calling my boss at my old job and telling her on Friday that it was my last day. Truthfully, I was hoping to get hired at my interview, but they do need to do a background and reference check and a drug test, so this really was the quickest that it could have happened. Whatever, I don't have to go back to that awful place I have called work for so long, so I just don't really care!!

Also on the bright side, Christmas is finished, baked, wrapped, stuffed into five boxes and going to the far reaches of NY and Florida. I think Chris is shipping it all UPS since we figured out last night that is way cheaper (who knew??!). So be on the lookout for Santa's Brown Truck and lots of pictures posted after the holiday of all the goodies that were made, I might even put some tutorials up about how I did some stuff, we'll see.

At any rate, have a delightful Monday, only one more left till Christmas! I am going to go start a new job and put on some makeup since I will need to get my ID badge picture taken. Details tomorrow about how fabulous it all is!!!!

Wish Me Luck

For reasons you can probably imagine if you think hard and read back through my most recent posts, I must go pee in a cup this morning before I get final confirmation to tell you all my **big** surprise. Wish me luck that I pass the test ; )

Again, I realize this post makes me sound all preggers and what not, but they are checking for drugs, not babies, in my system.

Looks like Santa is bringing me what I wanted most for Christmas (besides a spinning wheel and a new puppy, but I have given up hope on both for this year)! Also on the Christmas front, packages will be in the mail Monday courtesy of Christopher since he still does not have his Jeep up and running and we are still carpooling every day with him dropping me off and picking me back up. What a shame I wont be the one waiting in the line at the post office Monday, teeheehee. It almost makes the last month and a half of not really having my own car worth it. Also, ironic: we weren't carpooling when gas was $4.40 a gallon, but now that it is down to $1.43 here (yes, you read that right!) we are.

Have a delightful weekend, Mine will be filled with putting the finishing touches on presents, packing up some boxes and making cards. We also have Chris' work Christmas party tomorrow, and that is really going to cut into the crafty time, BUT it will be nice to get out of the house and be around fun people. The sacrifices we make, lol! See you soon....

How Does June 6th Sound For a Party??

Please mark your calenders with pencil (cough, ahem, throat clearing) not pen (seeing as the date has changed about eleventy billion times), because my handsome boy and I may have actually set a date. Details to follow. I have my future MIL (Mother in law - Hi Celia!!) looking at the location site sometime this week, and hopefully a final decision will be made later this week or over the weekend. Sigh...we've only been engaged since April, about time we had a date, don't ya think?? lol!

At any rate, we'll get it figured out and there will be minimal details posted to the blog about it, but as always full wedding disclosure is at the wedding website (email me if you don't have the link). We promise it will not be a fancy pants sort of affair, although pants are required (they just don't have to be super fancy), shirts and shoes will also be appreciated. It will be in the general location we were thinking of, although not at Chris' parent's house and we will be reserving blocks of rooms at least two different hotels for the weekend.

While I realize this is in deed exciting news, it is still not the news I was speaking of earlier this week. That news will have to remain secret for just a bit longer while we get some things figured out - again, I reiterate that I know this all makes it sound like I am "con bebe" but that is not the case - as soon as I hear, you will all be told, the mountains will be shouted to and all will be well in Boise. Until then, keep you eyes on the prize and have a great day.

Oh, and clear your calenders for 6-6-9, cause you might get to party with these cool kids!!

This picture was taken at Chris' brother's wedding in September, after a lot of Jim Beam and some impromptu moonwalking. Notice the plastic fedora and the manner in which he is absolutely rockin' it out, my boy has some style, I tell you what!

Probably Not What You Were Expecting...

...but I haven't found out about my big news surprise from yesterday yet, so it will be another few days. In the meantime, entertain your selves with this, and laugh at the irony!

I, apparently, am a Bran Muffin.....

Bran Muffine You Are a Bran Muffin

Some people have accused you of being all work and no play. And that does describe you most of the time. You are very career oriented. When you're not working making money, you're working to improve yourself. You have very little room in your life for fluff. You want to live as good of a life as possible. You are competitive and driven. You like to surround yourself with other motivated people. While you are a go-getter, you are by no means self centered. Quite the opposite. You are a caring, together, and stable friend. You are grounded enough to be there for people.

What Kind of Muffin Are You?

Sunday Quickie

Hey kiddies, I might not be able to post my usual-as-of-late Monday morning blog entry, so you are getting this a day early.

Super funny video from the Colbert Report, that yes, involves knitting. I'll have to remember to be careful the next time I cross the border at my parent's house! It is work place appropriate, just in case you were scared, lol.

Nailed 'Em - Radical Knitting

Also, it has been brought to my attention that my last post could be construed to mean I am "expecting" something in about nine months or so, and I promise you, that ain't it! I'll let you all know as soon as I know for sure what the big surprise is. Until then please keep your fingers crossed for me - I am so busy with the holiday knitting, I can't stop to cross mine for myself ; )

All is Well

Greetings from the not-so cold yet West!!

Sorry for the lack of blog posts, but there has been a plethora of crafting around here, a bit of carpal tunnel problems, and a recent development that may bring good news for Christopher, me and my sanity (details on that next week).

For now, just know that I am up to my elbows in yarn, wrapping paper and trying to not hurt people at my job that I love ever so much. I had my first Swedish massage client in Idaho last week, and I have my first abdominal client this weekend, and I am super excited about both of those things.

I am still finalizing details for the wedding, Little things like the date and the time, you know, just the small stuff. I plan to speak to the facility where we are hoping to have it this weekend to try and firm up a date and get some more information on them. They require permits and insurances from our vendors, and I am not sure that the vendors we were going to use will have that stuff. Look to the wedding website for details, and if you don't have the web address, please send me an email and I will forward you the link.

Hope you all have a delightful weekend, I have to go get myself to work for the ass-crack of dawn! Good times.......