Feeling Festive

This is without a doubt my favorite time of year

(minus the cold, sleet and bad drivers.)

I LOVE Christmas-time!

I'm am completely in the Christmas spirit. My roommates probably hate me already.

I spew Christmas cheer like Oprah gives shit away.

Here is a list of stuff I love about this time of year:

Snow - of the clean, white and snowball-capable variety

Christmas music - loud so I can sing-along

Baking cookies - It's the only time I like being in the kitchen

Hot cocoa - many flavors of chocolate-y goodness

Buying presents for all the people I love - this is the best part by far!

Eating lots and lots of yummy food

Christmas music

The hustle & bustle at the mall

Mistletoe - for lots of smooching!

Sledding, snow-angels and even the little droplets of snow that get stuck on your eyelashes and mittens

Wrapping presents in lots of pretty paper and bows

Spending countless hours with great family and awesome friends

Macy's - Seriously, at Christmas, that place is a work of art!

The Holidazzle Parade

Decorating my house with candles, wreaths, stockings and OF COURSE the Christmas tree

Have I mentioned I like Christmas music? 'Cause I really, really do!

Christmas movies - Home Alone, The Grinch, White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street

Making or sending Christmas cards

Watching people open their gifts, and LOVE them!

The smells - Snow, evergreen, and cinnamon

Eggnog - Sometimes with Bailey's, sometimes not

Packages and letters actually come in the mail

And finally...

Knowing that I will have my man next to me for the first Christmas in 3 years

I'm heading home to make some hot cocoa, put on some Christmas tunes, wrap some presents and start my Christmas cards. Definitely in a festive mood!

Family Ties

I spent this weekend with Al's family.

Well, one half of his family.

Mark one in the divorce column.

First, my in-laws (Al's dad and step-mom) are really great people. A few years ago, when I first met them, they opened their home and lives to met within 10 minutes. They have been supportive and loving from day one and I couldn't really ask for much better.

Problem is, there is some strain in the extended family. Obviously, in divorce there are some people who are forced to "pick sides" and that often hurts some of the familial relationships.

Out of respect for the family (mostly my future husband), I won't get into the details, but I have to get a little of the frustration out of my system.

I don't play games. I don't talk about people behind their back.

I don't bullshit or beat around the bush.

And I will not let other people's childish games ruin my holidays, family get-togethers or my wedding. I prefer to be surrounded by supportive people who act like grown-ups.

I fear that this will be unavoidable unless we make some difficult decisions. Like cutting people from the football roster, or firing someone in the workplace. It's never easy and always sucks, but usually totally necessary. Just like poor athletes and bad co-workers poison morale, negative and immature people bring down the mood of celebratory occasions.

So, we've got some decisions to make. We have to decide who we want involved in our holidays and, more importantly, in our big day. Because that day is about us, and anyone who doesn't like that can see themselves to the door.

Thanks

I'm thankful for my family and friends, both personal and Blogger style who helped make this Thanksgiving so wonderful despite, once again, being miles away from the man I love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Wordless Wednesday: Wedding Inspiration

A Prize and A Winner

OK. You've all been so patient with me while I ran this contest.

I promise it was worth the wait!

I have not finished the prize (if I'm being honest, I haven't started) because I'm in my last week of classes and simply haven't had the time. That will change this weekend.

But, I will show you what I have so far.

An ornament.

(Not actual one - photo found here.)

Which I will paint. And glitterize and Christmas-fy.

Are you excited?!?

On to that lucky winner.

Kaylee from Small Wonders!

I can't express how excited I am that Kaylee won! We've become great real-life friends in addition to being blog-friends and I want you all to go over to her blog and ogle her beautiful baby boy she had a couple weeks ago! Her family is beautiful and amazing. I am going to stop now so I don't embarrass her too much, but I am (biasedly) thrilled that Kaylee won this contest!

Of course, I will wait until you'd like me to send it, since you're going to be moving and I doubt you want one more thing to put in a box somewhere. Email me to confirm!

All you ever needed (or wanted) to know...

Well, the contest is over and I got a LOT of great questions. I didn't have to turn a single question away for lack of following the rules, so I have lots of fun info to share with ya'll.

Also, I encourage you to check out the answers all my lovely followers gave.

It was fun getting to know you through these questions.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the winner, and if you stay until the end of this post, I'll reveal another clue to what the prize is.

Bonnie asked... What is your least favorite body part?

My mouth, because I sometimes can't control what comes out of it.

Annoyed Army Wife asked...

What is your favorite Elton John album?

It's a tie: Don't shoot me, I'm only the Piano Player and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - both released in 1973. The array of amazing songs between them is fantastic.

What is your favorite Elton John song?

Easily Tiny Dancer. But the reason would have to be because of the movie My Girl.

Yep, I'm a total nerd.

I also love, Don't Go Breakin' my Heart with Kiki Dee and the soundtrack from the Lion King. Ok, so I really just LOVE Elton John!

Mrs. H. asked...

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes?

Umm, I'm pretty sure that's like asking if you have a favorite child. Ok, don't tell the others, but my favorite would have to be

Have you ever nicknamed your car?

Nope. I've driven the same car now since I was 20 and I love it, but she's never had a name. She is definitely a girl though!

Chambanachik asked...

Do you have a favorite book?

I really don't think I could narrow that down either. As a kid, I really loved The Westing Game and the Little House series. I also love Little Women. In my young adult years, I love The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I have so many others!

Any tattoos?

One. A rose on the right pelvic bone, just below the belt line. Under the rose says Auftreten das Schone which means "Emerging as Beauty" in German.

What is your biggest fear?

Failure. I'm afraid I won't accomplish everything in my life that I want to. I'm afraid to be mediocre or average.

Just a Girl asked...

What is your favorite board game?

Scrabble. Risk and Mancala are also awesome.

What is one of your quirks?

Hmmm...I would have to say my obsession with chapstick. I apply it hundreds of times per day. No lie. I guess it's more of an addiction then a quirk, but it still applies.

Mrs. K. asked...

Grape or Strawberry jelly? Do you even like jelly?

Strawberry. Or rhubarb. I like the bitter-sweet combination.

Mrs. S asked...

Do you name any inanimate objects in your life?

No. I guess I've never really thought to.

What is your favorite flavor of Jolly Rancher?

Cherry. I'm a red-colored candy kind of girl.

Who was your favorite member of N'Sync?

Ha ha. Definitely Justin. Who doesn't love JT?

Photina asked...

Who was your favorite band/singer growing up?

Oooh, too many to name. See here for my recent life "playlist" for some good ones.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

My Oma used to make a Portafina jello dessert made with Port wine. She used to make one batch for the family and another batch for me because I loved it so much. It's absolutely amazing! When I was 21, she gave me the recipe as a gift and it has been my responsibility to make it for holidays ever since.

What is your favorite thing about autum?

Wearing boots and sweaters. The colors. Football. The whole season is awesome-rific!

What is your favorite type of food?

Italian. Anything pasta.

Kaylee asked...

What is your favorite kind of M&M's?

Peanut.

What is your favorite holiday?

Definitely Christmas. There is just too much food, family and fun packed into one holiday.

Tia asked...

What is your favorite comfort food?

Mac n' Cheese or Spaghettios. I don't eat that stuff normally, but it always makes me feel good when I'm down. That, and ice cream.

Have you read the Army Wives book by Tanya Biank?

I haven't. When I get a chance this summer to read more for leisure, it is on my bookshelf.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

That I've been to already: San Diego, CA.

That I want to go to: Phuket, Thailand, Jamaica, Hawaii. So many to try!

What is the silliest thing you and your man have done together?

We coined the term "tummy soldiers" for the varying noises my stomach made one morning when we were laying in bed together.

If you could take part in a support group for military SO's, what would you expect from it?

I haven't been involved in any since I don't live on or near a functioning post, but I've heard that they do a lot for providing "support" as far as "coping" and other aspects of being a military SO. I would love to see groups focus on empowering women and families to have their own interests and successes.

{Don't get me wrong, I think being a SAHM is a noble and wonderful thing, but I don't think the military culture does a very good job of encouraging women to have their own lives and goals. Groups that encourage education, jobs and other contributions would only fortify the relationships within military families.}

Do you have any tattoos? Of what?

(see above for my answer)

Does Al have any tats? Of what?

Two. One of a dragon on his forearm after his time in Korea and one on his shoulder of an eagle and flag to commemorate his time in boot camp.

Do you shop Black Friday?

Rarely. Usually I will head out in the afternoon when things have died down, if at all. If there is something amazing (TV or computer) I'm sure I can convince Al to do it so I don't have to.

What's your favorite beverage?

Diet Dr. Pepper and Milk.

What's your favorite alcoholic beverage?

Crown Royale and Diet Coke. Or Disaronno sour.

What's your favorite Christmas gift you've received?

I have received many wonderful gifts throughout my life, but I much prefer the giving part. It's so much fun to buy things you know someone will love and watch them open it!

I should have asked first: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Absolutely! Love Christmas!

If so, when do you put up your Christmas tree?

Close to Thanksgiving. I'll have to put mine up before Thursday this week because I am going out of town and then starting finals. I figure it's close enough so it's OK if I do it a little early.

What's your favorite holiday dish?

(see above for my answer)

Wild and Precious asked...

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Most definitely an extrovert. I wear my emotions and opinions on my sleeve and I will rarely hold back any of the above. With that also comes with confidence. I know who I am and what I want. Perhaps in some ways that's a weakness, but in most I consider it my strength.

Another Teaser

Did you remember to enter my contest for a hand-made, Christmas-themed prize?

Were you waiting to find out what the prize was to enter?

I'm not telling.

But I will give you another hint.

This time it's visual.

Oh, and you only have until midnight tonight (CST) to enter!

A Proud Moment

I had the absolute pleasure to meet with a judge today and learn more about the new program that Minnesota has implemented to address multiple DWI offenders. I can honestly say that I was thoroughly impressed with the program and I am proud to be a (future) part of the profession that designed it.

First, it's not THAT new. It started in 2007, but for a program like this, that's still in its infancy.

You see, the state of Minnesota, particularly the judge that created the program, has created a program that addresses DWI offenses by dealing with the real problem: Alcoholism.

Sure, some people just made a "mistake." Those people get punished, learn and don't do it again. That's not what this program does. This program is designed to take care of the people who get 3, 4, or more DWI's and the legal system (obviously) isn't cutting it.

Those people are alcoholics. Which means they have mental, emotional, and physical issues that need to be addressed beyond just throwing the book at them. Putting them in jail isn't going to fix the underlying issues they're going through. Getting them sober will.

So, instead of serving 1-year jail time for a 4th offense (Felony) DWI, you can apply for this program. The program combines medical treatment, rehabilitation and probation with a strict accountability in the courts.

Court-room accountability:

In most other situations, you see the judge, get sentenced and never see the judge again (unless you get in further trouble.) In this program, you see the same judge every week (which decreases in frequency as you get sober and progress in the program.) This forces a courtroom accountability and allows the judge to still implement jail time or other sanctions (such as fines) if the offender is not following-through on their required programs.

It also incorporates a reward system, which few legal proceedings do. For various months of sobriety and other milestone accomplishments within the program, the offenders are given minor rewards (such as $10 Starbucks gift cards) for their progress.

Further, the judge is 33 years sober himself (having done it with treatment and support from his family.) He really knows what these offenders are going through. He "gets it." And as the offenders get and STAY sober, he's with them to celebrate, support and guide.

Medical Treatment & Rehab:

The court works with particular rehab facilities to incorporate the medical aspects of the treatment. They are usually done on an out-patient basis so the offenders can still hold jobs and take care of their families. But the doctor and program directors not only sign off on their regular appointments, but also appear each week in court to speak to the rehab progress of the offender.

Counseling:

The court also incorporates a counseling program, like support groups, AA and personal counselors, so that the offenders can address emotional issues that lead them to drink and prevent them from staying sober. These hours are also logged with the court in order to maintain accountability, but the information is kept confidential and not included in their public legal file.

Probation:

Finally, the probation officer in charge of the offender appears in court each week to update on the progress, discuss the logged hours for each required component and to support and congratulate the offenders as they accomplish their goals and make it through the program.The probation officers work collaboratively with the court and the offender to ensure the process continues to work.

Other matters:

There is a defense and prosecuting attorney present in court in case any adversarial matters come up. They ensure that we are still upholding the law (punishing when necessary and taking care of anyone who becomes victim to these offenses). If an issue in law comes up throughout the process they are their to present both sides and work through those issues.

The court also has the local, metro-area police forces involved in the program. They do "home-checks" of the people in the program, which hold the offenders accountable by randomly stopping by their homes, enforcing curfews and ensuring they are sober by giving PBT's or urine tests.

The offenders usually have "Interlock" on their car, which requires the driver to blow into a PBT to start and use their car.

All of these components work together to put people back out on the streets clean and sober and unlikely to drive drunk again. It doesn't help everyone and it costs a lot of money. But based on what I saw about the program, and the program's high success rate, I'd much rather put our tax-payer dollars towards this program then simple jail time. Think about it this way: alcoholics aren't just driving drunk, they're involved in domestic violence, assault, and other crimes and often aren't able to hold jobs or have healthy families. All of these things are addressed in this program and I'd much rather put my tax dollars towards getting these people sober and contributing to their community then throwing them in jail for a year only to re-offend.

Like I said, I was pretty damn proud of my state and my profession today!

Upside Down and Sideways

I am exhausted. I wish I had something interesting to say, but I have been running non-stop for four straight days, with little sleep and I am fried. I'm seriously considering going to bed now.

At 7:30 pm.

I'm too tired to be embarrassed by that.

Or by the fact that I had ice cream for dinner.

I'm too tired to study tonight.

I wont get anything done with the brain-power I have remaining.

So I wont even try.

Goodnight!

By the way, as I drift into deep slumber, I will dream sweet dreams of ya'll entering my contest. Please don't make it ONLY a figment of my creative mind. Make it happen!

Tease

So, I wanted to give ya'll a little teaser as to the prize for my giveaway.

By the way, have you entered? It's really easy.

Frankly, you're silly if you don't.

Do it here! Now!

Thank you.

I previously mentioned that the prize was Christmas-themed.

It will be hand-made. By me.

Now, I'm a hardcore right-brainer and not typically a Crafty McGee kind of gal, but Christmas is the one time I dust off my crafting cape and try out a few things. I found a niche in that regard quite a few years ago and have continued it since.

I know you're all DYING to know, but I'm not ready to tell yet.

You didn't really expect me to, did ya?

I'm a total tease.

See one, do one, teach one

My good friend said that quote to me yesterday.

She's sort of a smarty-pants who comes from a family of smarty-pants, so she knows a thing or two about a thing or two. (I can say this because she will read this later, recall our conversation and laugh.)

You see, I applied for a fellowship with school called the Marshall Brennan Program.

It places current law students into high-school classrooms to teach teens what their rights are within the Constitution and the law. I get school credit and I get to help high-schoolers get an education.

Or at least try. I'm not naive enough to think that they'll all walk into the classroom eager to learn (not all high-schoolers are like I was!) I will also be working in schools with a lot of diversity and a varying array of students. All of this poses an exciting challenge.

The one thing I know is that teaching is the best way to learn something. I'm no longer the only one affected by my preparation, so I better know my stuff. In the process, I can learn the topic better, and maybe learn myself a little better too.

Shoe Spectacular: The Big Ticket

Hey ladies, the following shoes are the creme de la creme of the shoe-world.

They are the ones that will break the bank, but titillate your shoe-loving soul.

You can thank me later.

Christian Louboutin Ambertina heels

(photo here, purchase at Barneys)

Rodarte Platform Patchwork sandal

(photo here, purchase at Barneys)

Emilio Pucci Rabbit-trim leather sandals

(photo here, purchase at net-a-porter.com)

Manolo Blahnik Satin Cage sandals

(photo and purchase at Bergdorf Goodman)

Phillip Lim Dee Dee Kilty cuff boot

(photo and purchase at Bergdorf Goodman)

120

I have 120 followers. And yet, I barely know any of you!

I would like to remedy that.

Therefore, I am opening my blog for the week to any questions you would like to ask me.

I will answer anything, but I have two rules:

1. Check the You Asked... link up top before you ask your question. I may have already answered it and if you ask a repeat, I will simply refer you to there anyway!

2. You must also answer the question yourself.

After all, I want to get to know YOU too!

Example:

What is your favorite color? Mine is blue.

I like horses. Is there an animal you like?

(Get the picture? ha ha!)

And here's the best part: I'm making this a giveaway.

You get one entry for every question you ask (as long as the follow the two rules above.)

No limit to how many you can ask (again, as long as they meet the criteria.)

I'll give you an extra 3 entries if you blog about this and link back to me.

I already know what the prize is, but I am going to keep you in suspense for a couple days while you mull over your provoking questions.

It is holiday themed, and it will be one of a kind.

I love all my followers and I hope to make you friends! Good luck!

Mixed Tapes

By now it's no surprise that I'm a country music fan.

I grew up on country and classic rock (Garth Brooks, Billy Joel, Clint Black and Elton John were commonly on the radio in my house.)

Over the years, I would like to think I've developed a pretty eclectic and well-rounded music collection. Linus and I used to make mixed tapes of songs we heard on the radio.

Then, when the revolution of CD's came around, we created books of playlists for every occasion and burned them onto CD's for easy in-car listening.

Now, with iPods and other MP3 devices, music is so readily available that people don't come up with creative playlists.

We've really lost the art of the mixed tape.

So just like John Cusack in High Fidelity I'm going to make a "mixed tape" playlist of songs that have a significant place in my little musical heart.

From my childhood:

1. Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine - Conga

We had this on vinyl, so when I was a kid we'd put it on the record player and I would dance around my living room. This is without a doubt one of my favorite childhood memories.

2. Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart

When I was a kid, I made up a line dance to this song to impress my mom. We'd be on a playground, mall, grocery store and she'd ask me to do "the achy breaky" and I would break it down. Plus, that mullet deserves a shout-out.

3. Newsboys - Love, Liberty, Disco

I listened to a lot of Christian Rock when I was really active in my church. The Newsboys were going to be at a local Christian book store filming their newest video so my dad took me down there. For people who were dressed in 70's gear, they were going to put us in the video. {Ladies, supposedly, I am IN this music video, but good luck finding me! I'm in the crowd at 1:50. Oh, and I DO NOT still remember the dance, I swear!}

Pre-Teen and Teenage Years:

4. Amy Grant - Pretty much ALL of her songs!

I have every CD and loved them (still do!) Here is Lucky One, one of my favorites.

That's What Love is For is another great one!

And one of her later ones that I loved, It Takes a Little Time.

5. Backstreet Boys

Yes, we have reached the "o-mi-god-they're-so-cute" screaming teenager part of my life.

To be honest, I could NOT narrow down just ONE of their videos. I watched about 12 of them, from their various CD's. Here are two of my faves: I Want it That Way, Everybody (Backstreet's Back) {I was cracking up at the beginning of this one, when they're yelling at the bus driver.} and a few years ago when they came back out on the scene and released another album (two, actually, I believe) they put out Incomplete.

{Now that I'm thoroughly done embarrassing myself, I'll also confess that I met Nick Carter when he put out his solo CD in 2002. I'll do the math for you, I was 18 and graduating highschool. Some might say I was much too old to wait in line for 6 hours at the Mall of America, but in response I say, pppppfffffffttttt!}

6. N'Sync - God Must Have Spent (a Little More Time on You)

Even though I loved the Backstreet Boys a LOT more then N'Sync, the JT crew still deserves a shout-out. But it is only worth it if I get a video from before JT knew he was hot, otherwise it's a total waste. Yes, Justin, we get it, you're hot. Let's move on now.

7. The girls

I mean the girls that fill out the other-half of the Mouseketeers: Christina Aguilera (What a Girl Wants), Britney (Not Yet a Woman - from Crossroads) and I'll throw in Mandy Moore (Cry - from A Walk to Remember) although I'm not sure if she was in the Mickey Mouse Club or just came on the scene at the same time. I'm less embarrassed to admit that I really love most of their modern stuff too (Aguilera in the new movie Burlesque looks SO cool!)

The Iconics:

8. Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel; Man in the Mirror

You all know his greatest songs, from Thriller to Billie Jean, but these two are my personal favorites. He may have had a difficult life and made a lot of bad decisions, but he knew music and left us with a lot of it to enjoy!

9. Mariah Carey - Always be my Baby

Does it get any better than this voice? I think not. She's amazing in every way and any girl that can sing 8 whole octaves can never be anything but an icon! Sing it, Mariah. Nick Cannon is a lucky man!

10. John Denver - Country Roads & Colorado Rocky Mountain High

You might be wondering why this made the list, but it's pretty simple. Obviously, I mentioned that we listened to a lot of this type and genre in my home, but John Denver was especially important. During our summer trips with Oma and Opa up to Duluth, Minnesota, we would put John Denver on the tape deck and listen to him the whole way. Grandma would tell me all about him and his life and we'd sing along with all the songs. Then, a few years later he died in that plane crash.

Honorable Mentions:

11. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

12. Aaliyah - I Miss You (Tribute Version)

13. Jewel - You Were Meant for Me

14. Michael W. Smith - My Place in This World

I really hope you enjoy this as much as I did in putting it together.

We had our first (actual) snowfall starting this morning and now I get to venture to campus for some class stuff. The warm-fuzzies I have from these songs will get me through!

Monthly Thought-Provoking Question: November

Once again, I am slow on the trigger in asking my monthly question.

Instead of asking a typical holiday-themed question, I actually have something else on my mind:

Tell me about a time where you learned something (not in school or related to an academic field) that surprised, impressed or challenged you. How did you learn it? How has it affected your life today?

My Answer:

My roommates both work in fields that are completely outside my typical comfort zone. One is a social worker who primarily works with GLBT and disenfranchised high-schoolers and the other is a Drug and Alcohol Rehab counselor. Both of them are awesome girls and good at their respective jobs, but every once in-awhile I am faced with learning something knew about them, their jobs and the world we live in.

I don't really have specific examples, but it's a constant learning process for me.

After all, how can one be strong in their beliefs without knowing the beliefs of other first?

I may not always agree, but I can always be grateful for the education I get from the experience.

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-in

1. Were you named after anyone?

Not that I know of. I think my first and middle names were simply names my mother and father liked.

2. What color, if any, are your toenails usually painted?

A variety of colors. In the summer I go for light, fun and bright colors. In the winter I like dark jewel tones like cranberries and Christmas red.

3. How do you flush a public toilet? Hands? Feet? Something else?

With my hand. I worry more about using a towel AFTER I've washed my hands then I do before.

4. When you were a little kid, which TV character did you have a crush on?

Definitely Jonathan Taylor Thomas or JTT

(Known best as Randy on Home Improvement and the voice of kid Simba on the Lion King)

5. Let's say you had to lose one of your five sense (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.) Which one would you choose? Why?

Smell. Between sinus infections and living in a state where the climate changes frequently and drastically, I rarely have a good sense of smell anyway.

5 Simple Words

{image courtesy of here}

I salute you. Thank you.