I Hate New Year's Eve . . .

. . . I don't know why. I've never really been a fan of it. Maybe it's because I like to sleep so much (sleeping's my favorite!). Ironically, I am also a night owl - I just prefer to be up half the night in my own home wearing my pajamas instead of at a party somewhere. Watchnight parties were fun when I was a little kid, but the older I got, the more I wanted to just stay home and celebrate in my own way - usually, a long (very long) bath, a good book or a movie and a bottle of Welch's Sparkling White Grape Juice. I usually rebel further by going to bed around 11:00.

Or, perhaps it's just that I hate to see a measured passing of time. Christmas is such a wonderful time and New Year's Eve is the beginning of the long wait until the next Christmas. Oh, well. I'm probably headed to Mom and Dad's in a little while to celebrate the coming of the new year with the Wilson family. I'm sure it will be fun - it always is.

Well, Mom wanted a birthday blog, so here it is. I turned 31 today. I'm not generally one to be affected by birthdays, but each one becomes a bit more difficult. I have been incredibly blessed and have the best family in the world, a wonderful job, a beautiful house and a handful of great friends, but on days like this, I tend to be more aware of the few things that I don't have - namely, a husband and children. I know that God has his own timing and I am content to wait on Him - that doesn't make it any easier, though.

I don't usually talk about things like this - I have no problem discussing thoughts, ideas and opinions on thousands of topics (right, Shane?) but this is not something that I ever discuss. I minored in psychology, so I can think of dozens of reasons why I hide behind my "happy face" and deflect discussion about my hopes and fears - but understanding why you do something doesn't necessarily make you stop doing it.

Somehow, I don't quite think that this is what Mom had in mind when she asked for a birthday blog :-). Overall, it was a good day. I was off work, and my whole office (all 4 of them) called me at home to sing me happy birthday, and then Mom and I spent the afternoon shopping. After that, we met Dad, Shane and Candy at Abuelo's for supper and then headed to Mom and Dad's for cake, ice cream and presents! I received some much appreciated $$$, a singing mountain goat (so cool) and a book of weird and wonderful words (awesome). I came home and found my new blender/food processor on the back deck - it had been delivered this afternoon. Tomorrow, we have our final Christmas for 2006 and I am very much looking forward to it!

Jesus vs. Santa

Go Elf Yourself (really, do!)

This is, sadly, a lot like I actually dance in real life. You, too, can make like Buddy the Elf (who is NOT a cotton-headed-ninny-muggins, by the way - he's just SPECIAL) and elf yourself at elfyourself.com.

True story - I learned the correct way to do the Macarena in San Antonio, Texas, from a woman who danced with the Joffrey Ballet for several years. She currently works for the federal court in Connecticut. Small world. I learned the sloppy, incorrect way to do the Macarena in the sanctuary of our old church after an evening service. Not sure what was weirder - watching Bro. Steve do the Macarena or watching a ballet dancer do it. . .

Here are my answers to some Christmas questions - what are yours?

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?? Hot Chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps them
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on the tree, none on the house
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope
5. When do you put your decorations up? As early as possible; this year, the weekend before Thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Chicken and Noodles (without the chicken).
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: See #15
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The year I got my Cabbage Patch Doll (I think); I suspected that something was awry, so I stayed awake in bed and listened to Mom and Dad watching "The Bells of St. Marys" - my suspicions were confirmed.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We tried that one year. Now, Mom and Dad aren't even allowed to put the presents under the tree until after we go to bed on Christmas eve. Mom violated that rule this year and got into trouble.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Currently, its done in the rich pinks, golds and silvers of the Martha Stewart line from K-Mart. If the decorations hadn't been so expensive when I got them a few years ago, I probably would have switched to blue and silver this year. Who knows what next year will bring!
11. Snow, like it or dread it? Love the snow, but hate the cold that comes along with it.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I choose not to!
13. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with my family
14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? No-bake cookies, chocolate covered peanut clusters and candy strawberries (which are not related in any way to the actual fruit).
15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Family time on Christmas Eve, staying all night at Mom and Dad's and then waking in the wee morning hours of Christmas morning to open gifts (I stole most of this answer from Shane - when he says "wee morning hours" he means it. The child is 26 years old and has to be told every year that we will not, under any circumstances, get out of bed before 6:00 am. Of course, I'm usually already awake, too, when he sends Sugar down to wake me up at 6:00:01, so I shouldn't really throw stones).
16. What tops your tree? A handmade bow (Martha Stewart ribbon which corrdinates withthe rest of the decorations) with 7 foot ribbons running down both sides of the tree. I need to make a 2nd one because my tree rotates, so you can see the back of the current bow. Shane hates that.
17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving (and the shopping that leads to the giving)
18. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I own 125+ Christmas cds, I'll try to keep it brief :-)
Fun Songs: "Dominic the Donkey," "The Hippopotomus Song," "12 Pains of Christmas"

Traditional Carols: "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "The First Noel," Away in a Manger," "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "Of the Father's Love Begotten," "Ave Maria" (in Latin)

Contemporary songs: "The Christmas Waltz," "Tennessee Christmas," "Breath of Heaven" (the Amy Grant version), "Mary Did You Know" (the Mark Lowry or original Michael English versions), "Heirlooms," "River," "Strange Way to Save the World"

Favorites to Perform Myself: "Breath of Heaven," "O Holy Night," "Joy to the World"

19. Candy Canes! yuck or yummy? Yucky!
20. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf.(especially for giving us the classic lines "cotton-headed-ninny-muggins," "son of a nutcracker," "candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup!" "you sit on a throne of lies" and "I know him!!!"