The holidays...

I'm the youngest of the three kids in my family. As a child, like most kids, I looked forward to Christmas (especially since in my family no torturous church outings were required!) probably more than any other day of the year. I spend far too much time contemplating Santa and how he did what he did. (For the record, my conclusion was that, "There is no way that Santa isn't real because there is no way that all of the adults in the world would lie to children like that." Boy was I wrong!) As I've gotten older, there were younger cousins below me, but unfortunately we didn't spend nearly as much time with them as in many families. Since all the kids are grown up now, we've had many a Christmas that seemed to lack that magic, that spark that I remember as a kid.

Somehow the exercise of making a Christmas list when I'm 25 years old seems a little bit selfish. Yes, I can tell you I would like a list of knitting gear, some Gocco inks, some kitchen gadgets, but I surely don't need any of it. In fact, more often than not I struggle with not just buying the things on my list as soon as I put them there (I'm not a very patient person!). I sometimes feel like the whole process is a bigger bother to many people in my life (my brothers, dad and boyfriend included!). I love making and buying gifts for people in my family. I love trying to figure out the perfect thing, the perfect wrapping and the perfect card. (In fact, each year I have had a wrapping "scheme" of sorts, one year it was tulling with snowflakes drawing on in paint, last year it was brown paper and bright ribbon, this year blue paper with red crepe paper puffs on top!) Yet, despite all my efforts, the holidays seem to hit a little sad note.

I am fairly certain the difference is children! With no children in the house, it just seems silly to all sit around and exchange gifts. We are all adults, we can all buy the things we want/need, so why bother doing it for each other? But kids, they are a different animal all together. They get toys and things they can't just go get for themselves. It is a glorious day of happiness and surprise for them.... and to me it is the kids that make Christmas great. One of my favorite new Christmas traditions is getting toys and clothes for a child for the salvation army. They give you an age, sizes and their little wish list and you go get things for them and turn them back in. I love going and picking out items for the kids... even though I don't get to see their reactions. I'm sure their reaction to the hats and gloves is less excited, but I'm sure the toys always get a great reception :)

This will be the first year my family has a "child" around again. I only say "child" because my niece Anna is only 9 months old. Although I had a blast picking out her hippo shape sorting toy, I don't know why kind of a reaction I'll get, and she is surely too young to understand Santa yet. I can't wait until Anna (and any brother or sister she may have by then) is talking and gets all excited for Christmas. I think having a kid around at the holidays will make everything a little more magical and special. I also can't wait until I have kids and can do all the same, but that is quite a ways away for me! For now, I have had to settle on getting my "kids" dog and cat toys, and I'm pretty sure they aren't really going to appreciate the meaning. Not to mention I can't exactly put them under the tree since I'm too scared to have a tree right now with the way these two play. :)

Happy Holidays Everyone!

A little quiz...

I have been being seriously lazy in my blog writing (seriously, where have the last few months gone!?). I have seen this fun little quiz on several blogs as of late and wanted to re post it. Hopefully it will give you some insight into me, and well, maybe it will get me motivated to write more. :)

Here's the rule: Bold the things you've done & post on your blog!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - Does in a tent count? I hate bugs :)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii - Zach, hint hint ;)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - Disney world, but I think that counts
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - No, and that is truly best for everyone.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris - Again, if anyone wants to take me, I'm game.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - I learned to knit with the minor assistance of a class, I learned minor web design, completely from scratch.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - Denny's eggs, if they look runny don't eat them!!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables - Zach and I have done so the last two summers, in fact I think we have created a semi-competition with our neighbors over it!
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked - No thank you.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - Not at my current job of course ;)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - That would really be a miracle
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise - Well, we will be leaving on our first one February 2nd!
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - If being in Germany counts, then yes. Did I got visit somewhere specific there? Well no.
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language - I sort of learned Spanish and German... I didn't use Rosetta Stone or anything, I took classes. Does that count?
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - Now, I think truly satisfied is a bit of a stretch for a silly quiz!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke - Our "friends" put us up to it, much to the Mister's chagrin. He left very angry... despite being a musician he DOES NOT like karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - At a friend's wedding a few years back.. it was on the beach and we danced into the night!
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - An ex-boyfriend from high school asked me out with a message on a movie screen before the movie we were going to see. Does that count?
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen - My mom and I did one Christmas... I know it was supposed to be life changing, but it was depressing and there were actually too many workers there. Evidently a lot of families do that at Christmas... so if you plan to do it and want to actually do some good, pick another time of year.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - My mother refused to allow me to be a girl scout.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason - Plenty of flowers, but generally a reason (birthday, new job, Sweetest Day etc.)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - I've saved a lot.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car - My beautiful "kiwi" green Ford Focus (Yes, I actually bough an American made car, don't blame me for the auto industry needing a bailout!). Otherwise referred to as "something that came out of a giant's nose" by the jerk at the Taco Bell drive-thru window.
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - Well, actually my family was in the newspaper, and I was in my mom's belly, only about 3 months into my fetus life.
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve - I don't kiss strangers.
86. Visited the White House - I saw the outside, and I saw the homeless man outside it who can get squirrels to climb on him for food. Post September 11th, that is about the best you can do.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox - I hear they have a vaccine for this now. That makes me sad. I think this is one right-of-passage all kids should have!
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

31 out of 99... I can't decide what the heck that means. Maybe I need to get out more :)

In case my lazy nature continues, happy holidays to all!!