The Story of a Tree...

WOO HOO!!! Thanksgiving is over and now we've officially entered into the Christmas season!! Not that I'm overlooking Turkey Day or anything... but I love Christmas and I love this time of the year. I love the Christmas music playing on the radio... I love buying gifts for my loved ones... I love decorating my house... I just LOVE it!!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I had the day off work. Steve had to work until about 4:30, so I spent the earlier part of the day setting up my Christmas tree, pulling out my snowman decorations, making Christmas cards, wrapping a few presents, etc. I didn't spend much time relaxing (you know... what you're supposed to do on your only day off), but it was a day away from work and I got a lot done. Besides... I really wanted to get my Christmas tree set up!

I thought about getting a bigger Christmas tree this year. I've seen so many pretty trees at Target and Michaels... and I have a bigger place now, so I thought it would be a good idea. I thought maybe this year I would take a step up in the tree department. But when I really started thinking about it, I just couldn't do it! This may sound crazy to some, but my little fake Christmas tree has a bit of sentimental value to it.

A few years ago, shortly before Thanksgiving, a friend of mine from work came to take me out to lunch. Marcel knew that I hadn't been feeling well, I was facing a major surgery, and I was just having a really rough time. He took me to Bob Evans for lunch where I had French toast (I know... not really a lunchy thing). I remember craving it!! After lunch, we decided to hit this flea market that we had heard horror stories about. It was in a grungy part of town and was a little creepy looking, but we decided to go for it anyways.

Marcel and I shopped for a little over an hour and found some of the strangest things in that flea market. I think Marcel found a jacket that he bought and a blanket for his daughter and I didn't find anything I couldn't live without. I was all set to leave empty handed when I looked over near the door and saw it.... A CHRISTMAS TREE!! I had wanted one for so long! The box said it was a 6 foot tree and it was only $10. It was the only one there and I decided it needed a home, so I bought it.

When I got the tree home and put it together, I was a little disappointed. It was a really sad looking little tree. However, I didn't have the money to buy a bigger one, so I had to make do with the one I'd purchased. I had a couple of strings of clear lights, and 2 boxes of ornaments that I picked up at the flea market for $1/box. So, I turned on some Christmas music and started decorating my new tree.

Every year when I pull out my tree and put it together, I still get that same sad little feeling. I think to myself, "Good grief, this tree looks sad!" But, every year, after I add the lights and hang the ornaments, I'm always pleasantly surprised at how pretty my little tree turns out.

Now I know that my little tree is nothing spectacular... and I know I'll never find it in the middle of Rockafeller Center. But this tree has been through a lot with me, and with a few decorations, I think it looks pretty darned good!!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving and I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the Christmas season as much as I am!

Baby Shower...

This past week, I flew to Arizona for my best friend Dustin's baby shower. I haven't seen Dustin in FOREVER, so it was really nice to be able spend a couple of days with her and catch up a bit. Technically, Dustin was on bed rest, so we kinda had to take things easy... However, we broke a few rules and snuck out of the house for a pedicure, lunch, a movie, and a couple of quick errands. After all this time, it was really nice to have a girls day out with my best friend!

The baby shower itself was a lot of fun too. The food was amazing, Dustin got a lot of great baby gifts, and I got to meet a lot of her friends and family members. A couple of good friends from high school were there, so we got to spend a few hours in the Arizona sunshine and catch up... It was great!!

GOOD LUCK DUST-A-ROONIE!!

I can't wait to see pictures of the little guy!

I've Been Tagged.....

I've been tagged by my best friend, Dustin!!

For those of you who don't know how this works, here are the rules...

1. Each player lists 6 facts / habits about themselves.

2. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names.

3. If you see your name posted, it's your turn to continue the game.

Here we go...

Fact #1: I am a fighter! From the day I was born, 2 months early, I've always been a strong-willed and determined person. I'm not one to give up on anything easily and if you tell me I can't do something, I'll do my best to prove you wrong! I believe this trait can be a curse or a blessing depending on the sutuation. It's made me stick to my guns when I've made some not-so-bright decisions in my life, but it's also gotten me through some very difficult times over the past few years. I believe I get this trait from my mom's side of the family. My Grandma Hornberger is as stubborn as an ox, and my mom and I are no different!

Fact #2: I am very independent. I moved across the country at the age of 23 to a state I'd never been to before, where I knew no one, for a job I had never done. It's probably one of the scariest things I've ever chosen to do, but also one of the best decisions I've ever made. I live alone and I enjoy doing things on my own. Just like Fact #1, this can be a curse and a blessing. It's a blessing because I've learned to take care of myself and deal with things on my own. However, it's also taught me that there are certain times when I have more on my plate than I can handle and I have to ask for help... Something I'm not very good at.

Fact #3: I love pictures!! I love taking pictures, I love looking at pictures... I just love pictures! Photography is more of a hobby for me, but if I could pick a different job right now, I'd probably be a photographer. I love the way pictures tell stories of where we come from and share the memories of where we've been and what we've done. To me, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Fact #4: I LOVE my dog!! I know a lot of people think I'm crazy, and that's fine. I love my dog as though she were my child! To me, she's like a little person with a speech impediment. My furry little Monster has been through so much with me, and even on the worst of days, she gives me a reason to smile. She knows when I'm upset, she knows when I'm happy, she knows when I don't feel well... She just knows. If I come home in a crappy mood after a bad day at work, all it takes is one look at her and it's all gone. I truly believe that animals are theraputic... And my little girl is no different!


Fact #5: I have an amazing boyfriend!! I met Steve almost two years ago, and he (along with Cookie) is the best thing that could've happened to me. He's a very driven person who goes after what he wants... and gets it! He's helped me find my way back to that fun person I used to be and he's given me back some of the confidence that I lost somewhere along the way. He treats me better than I've ever been treated, and the best part is that he treats Cookie the same way. I've always said that if a guy planned to stick around with me, he'd have to have the Monster's approval. In this case... She not only approves, I think she's competing for him!!

Fact #6: I love my job! At any point in my childhood, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the words "Aircraft Dispatcher" would never even have entered my mind... Much less, come out of my mouth. I have no idea how or why I ended up in the industry of aviation, but here I am. While I can't stand the office politics, and I often question my sanity, I love what I do! I love that every day is different, I love that every flight I plan is a challenge, and I love that I often know more about airplanes than a lot of the boys I work with do! :o) I work hard to do what I do and I work hard to be good at it! This industry has provided me with a lot of great opportunities and a lot of wonderful friends. I am lucky to be a part of it!

I TAG MOM (hopefully she'll start a blog), MELISSA JO, JEFF.... and that's it because I don't know anyone else with a blog!!

And the Winner Is....

Last night was our friend Chas's annual Halloween party... It was SOOO much fun!! There were a bunch of people there, tons of food, and a lot of really great costumes. Chas totally out did himself this year... as he does every year!

I spent a couple of days this week trying to find something that I could use to make Beth's "girls". I bought the biggest bra I could find and tried stuffing it, but that didn't look right. I got a couple of styrofoam balls at Michael's, but those things HURT!! I didn't know what to do. Steve and I went to Meijer the other night to look and we found exactly what I needed... 2 large foam Nerf balls! They were perfect!!

I got off work at 4:00 yesterday Steve was done at 5:00. We met up at my place to get everything ready before going to Chas's house. I think Steve had it pretty easy. All he had to do was throw on some clothes, a wig, and some sunglasses and he was pretty much good to go. I on the other hand had to put on a boatload of make-up, wiggle into a pair of fishnets, zip on the "hooker boots", glue on some fingernails (which Steve had to help with), and somehow attach a couple of Nerf balls to my chest. It really took some work!! After about an hour and a half... we were ready to go!

Like I said, Chas goes all out for Hallween each year. His basement looked like a morgue... body parts laying on the floor, disected people laying on tables, etc. It was completely disgusting and really cool all at the same time. He also had all kinds of food and drinks for everyone, games and movies set up, and prizes for the costume contest.

For the costume contest, everyone was asked to vote for Scariest, Funniest, Cutest, and Best costumes. The award for Scariest went to fellow dispatcher Robin Seib who was dressed as famous porn star Ron Jeremy. His costume was hilarious and revolting! Cutest costume went to another dispatcher friend of ours Matt Witherspoon and his wife Heather who came as Shaggy and Scooby Doo. Funniest costume went to my friend Ilene Onieal and her husband James who came as the comic strip characters Beaker and Bunson. And Best costume went to......... drumroll, please ......... "Dog" the Bounty Hunter and Beth! WE WON!!!

Steve and I won a $25 gift certificate to Damon's, so we'll probably be heading out for dinner sometime in the near future!

All-in-all, it was a great night. We had a really fun time at the party, the "girls" got all kinds of compliments and inappropriate squeezes, and everyone loved Steve's hair (except Steve). We had a great time and we're already looking forward to next year's party!!

"You're so Vain"...

Steve and I are going to a Halloween party this coming Saturday at our friend Chas's house. Chas is a fellow NetJets Dispatcher and he goes all out for Halloween. This year, he is turning his basement into a morgue and he and his roommate are hosting their annual costume party. It's a HUGE hit every year... We are really looking forward to it!!

Steve and I are going as the (semi) celebrity couple... "Dog" The Bounty Hunter and his wife Beth. Watching their show is one of our guilty pleasures, so we thought it would be a good costume idea for this year's party. For those of you who have not seen the show... Google them to get an idea. For those of you who have seen the show... You'll understand that it's quite a stretch (to say the least) for Steve and I to pull this off. Challenge #1... Steve is just about bald (which, by the way, I LOVE!). "Dog" has this long, wavy, rock-n-roll/surfer dude looking hair... Steve has none. Challenge #2... Beth has the biggest... um... "girls"... I've ever seen in my entire life!! While I'm not completely lacking in the "girls" department... this Beth lady has some HUGE cups to fill. It's really going to take some work!!

Steve and I have most of what we need for the party. We both got blond wigs, fake tattoos, black boots, black sunglasses, etc. The only thing I'm lacking right now is the enormous "girls"... but I have a few ideas. (If any of you have any ideas on how to make a pair of those... PLEASE let me know!!) So tonight, I pulled out all my goodies and tried putting everything together to see how it looked. I put on the wig, played in my make-up, and even tried out the fishnets and boots. I haven't played dress-up since I was a kid... It was really kinda fun!! At the same time, I was praying that none of my neighbors saw me... they'll think I'm a total fruit loop!

Anyways... I have one of those full length mirrors in my room that I use in the morning when getting ready for work. I pulled it out and set it up on the ottoman in my living room so that I could get a good idea of what the whole get-up is going to look like. Well just as I was putting on the final touches, Steve called. He was on his way to his house, so we talked for about 10 minutes or so and then hung up. I ran back into the bathroom to put in the last earring and then headed into the living room to catch a look at myself in the mirror. This is what I saw instead....

... Little Miss Cookie Monster was totally checking herself out in the mirror!! I immediately thought of the song "You're so Vain" by Carly Simon. The first verse is very fitting of my little Monster...

"You walked into the party

Like you were walking onto a yacht

Your hat strategically dipped below one eye

Your scarf it was apricot

You had one eye in the mirror

As you watched yourself gavotte"

I just thought it was hilarious and I had to share it. She's so much like a little person... It's almost scary! She's such a girly girl!! I think that's the reason she's such a perfect little companion for me... I'm a pretty girly girl myself. I think I'm going to have to stop telling her how gorgeous she is all the time... It's obviously starting to go to her head! I sure love her though... big head and all!!

P.S. I'll post pictures of us in our costumes next weekend after the party... It should be entertaining!

Pumpkin Carving...

Since moving to this part of the country, I've discovered that fall is by far my favorite time of the year! I love that the weather cools off, I love watching the leaves change, and I LOVE carving pumpkins!!!

Last year, Steve and I went to Circle S Farms and searched through the pumpkin patch to find our pumpkins. We were hoping to hit another pumpkin patch last Thursday since we both had the day off (which doesn't happen often), but Mother Nature had different plans for us. Steve had a meeting for work until about noon, and at noon the rain moved in. So instead of waiting to get our pumpkins, we decided to skip the pumpkin patch this year and pick our pumpkins at the grocery store a block away from my place. Yeah... we cheated...

I think we did pretty well. Steve and I each picked out a pumpkin, and we even picked out a little one for the Monster. After we got them home, we washed them off and got ready to carve. Steve had to leave for a couple of hours, so I thought I'd begin on my own. I thought it would be easiest to start with the Cookie's. It was small... No problem, right? WRONG!! I messed it up so bad I had to throw it away and head back to the grocery store for another one. My girl wasn't going without a pumpkin! While I was at the store the 2nd time, I decided to grab another little pumpkin for Tootse. She didn't need to be left out of the festivities either.

I got my pumpkin done first. I knew what I wanted to put on it so I pulled out the pattern and started in. Let me just say... I LOVE the pumpkin carving kits they have in grocery stores!! They always have neat patterns, they come with lights, and the tools are awesome! I can remember carving pumpkins as a kid and always being afraid that I was going to cut my fingers off. It's SOOO much easier now! I wasn't really sure about my pumpkin while I was carving it, but once I got it cleaned off and put the light in it, I liked it.

Shortly after I finished mine, Steve got back and decided that he wanted to start on his. The problem was that he couldn't decide what he wanted to put on it. He searched and searched on the computer and finally settled on a pattern. It was perfect!

While Steve was working on his, I grabbed my girls' pumpkins and got to work. Since I messed up the first one I had... I knew that whatever was going on them had to be small and it had to be simple. I found part of a pattern that had a cat and a moon on it, so I decided to use that for Cookie. Tootse's pumpkin was even smaller, so hers ended up with just a few bats carved into it. I did get a picture of Cookie in her Halloween costume with her pumpkin... She looks rather proud of it...

At the end of the day... even though I was a little bummed that we didn't get to go to the pumpkin patch to pick our pumpkins... we had a great, MESSY time! The best part of the night was at the end when we lit them all up. They always look so neat!!

I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!!