Christmas Cheers and Movie Tears

Well, here's finding that everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  With the hustle and bustle of the holidays it's hard to be able to make the time to spend just enjoying your festively decorated home or sitting quietly listening to a 'silent night'.   I love the quiet nights where I sit with just the Christmas lights on and maybe a couple of candles lit, with holiday songs playing in the background and a cup of good cheer in my hands.   Bliss!
My DH & DD got me the Keurig that I asked for and a whole lot more!  Besides our normal family meals, my DD and I also went to Cincinnati, Ohio to visit relatives and enjoy some of the city.  We played nutsy (card game), ate, checked out the Newport Aquarium in Newport, KY, ate and did some site seeing from above the Ohio River, and oh yeah, ATE!

Watched a couple of good movies too.

The Fifth Quarter
Starring: Andie MacDowell and Aidan Quinn

My brother-in-law, who is a football nut and now has a son that plays little league football told me about this movie and suggested I watch it.  He failed to tell me that I would probably CRY during the whole thing! It is based on a true story about Jon Abbate who helps lead the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to the most successful season in school history after losing his younger brother, Luke in a fatal car accident.  Jon wears Luke's #5 jersey in his honor.  Keep the tissues handy.

The Last Godfather
Starring: Harvey Keitel and Hyung-rae Sim

Okay there isn't a whole lot to write home about this one, but I thought it was hilarious!  It was like watching some of the good old Abbot and Costello acts.  You just might need to keep the tissues handy on this one too, and maybe even a pantyliner

Making Light of a Dark Situation

It seems every year I put up less and less outdoor Christmas lights.  My husband is a scrooge when it comes to decorating so I have to do it myself, which is why there is less.  For the first time ever, I got them up BEFORE Thanksgiving while the weather was decent.  On December 1st I flipped the switch, pretending I was Clark Griswold, and they all worked fine.  Within one week, I had one set of snowflake lights that only worked half the time. When I took them down and laid them on the porch they lit up, picked them up to hang again, they quit.  Did that 3 times! Finally threw them out and replaced with a new string of lights.  On one side of my house I have 2 deer with white lights and animated heads.  On the 2nd week of December my true love gave to me:  one lightless deer's hind-end.  Maybe some hunter shot at it or something.  I have yet to go out and fix that, I've already had to go out and adjust the deer many times because of all the rain we have been getting, the ground isn't hard enough to hold the stakes in.  Can't wait to see what the 3rd week has in store for me!

Facebookin'

Hello, my name is Chrystal and a I am a Facebook addict. My routine in the morning is to get on and check the birthday list and the newsfeed and send out a greeting or two. Now and then I put some smart alec status on and play my turn on the Words With Friends games going at the time (it's like Scrabble). My two favorite games are Bejeweled and Zuma Blitz. It is such a challenge to try to be top scorer of my friends each week. Every night before I go to bed, I play my daily credits on Bingo Blitz.
Now in between I have played Farmville, Frontierville, Island Paradise, Cafe World, Gardens of Time and Treasure Isle. But there have been so many glitches and they take forever to load that I've been abandoning my properties and I'm sure squatters have made claims on all of it by now.

Everyone talks about how much of a time-waster facebook is, but all in all it has been wonderful to reconnect with friends from the past and about 90% of my graduating class. It made planning our 30th class reunion so much easier!

It certainly isn't good for the ego though when someone ignores your friend request. But to cheer myself up I just blame it on another one of those glitches. Yeah, that's what it is...... :(

For Giving and Forgetting

Well, the holiday season is upon us.  My office has officially become wrap central.  Bags of items laying around the floor with gifts ready to be wrapped, wrapping paper and bows.  Christmas card boxes, address labels and address book cover the top of my desk.  Thought I was going to be able to get rid of one bag of presents this weekend when family was up from the south.  But guess who forgot to make sure they packed it before they left?  I really think they want us to come down for a visit over Christmas. 
I try not to go overboard for Christmas, I keep a little tablet in my purse of what I have bought for whom, and ideas of what I want to buy.  That way I can also keep an eye on whether I'm keeping everything equal (kids notice those things, you know).  I have been known to forget something I already bought earlier in the summer and hid away in a closet.  Those items later became birthday presents :) 
I am one of those people that have to make lists.  If you want me to remember something, it better be down on paper!  But I also like to make a list of "to do" things, like I'm going to forget to clean the toilet or something.  I like that sense of getting it done, being able to cross another chore off the list. 
Catching up on this blog was on the list.....since last week.  But dang, I get to cross it off now!

Feed a Cold, Watch a Movie

I don't know about you, but when I have a cold it will take me over a week to get back up to par.  I always know when it's near the end because I start to crave chocolate covered peanuts, something about being able to finally smell and taste again.  Good comfort food too.   Since I don't have the gumption to get up and clean the house, I either spend a lot of time playing on the computer, reading or watching movies.  This holiday season is going to be great, I just requested through my local library about 16 Christmas movies!  Can't wait to be snowed in! 

Movie Review:

"That's What I Am"
I highly recommend this movie.  It is one of those feel good flicks that leave you thinking about your own disposition and whether it's a positive one or a negative one.  The movie takes place back in the early 1960's centered around a 12 yr. old boy and deals with bullies and one amazing teacher, played by Ed Harris.


"Revenge of the Bridesmaids"
This was an ABC Family original movie, but I always seem to miss the good ones when they are on TV, so I, of course request them from the library.  Raven Symone, who played Olivia on The Cosby Show, stars in this hilarious friendship romp to sabotage a wedding of a former very spoiled playmate.   This movie guaranteed to make you laugh.

Grassroots Support of the Good Ole USA

This weekend the season of Holiday Open Houses was in full force in my small rural hometown.  A good friend and I met 3 days in a row just to attend these local artists and businesses to support them by buying locally for Christmas.  I'm sure you've read the tweets and facebook posts on the subject.  It really got me thinking about doing my part on getting this nation's economy back on the right track.  We, the citizens are the grassroots of the economy, it has trickled down to us.  We must 'Occupy' our own communities and start there and work our way back up to a strong economic country.
Our first open house was just a small vendor show featuring baked goods and party consultants (Avon, Premier Jewelry, etc.).  They had a raffle for some goodies which I obviously didn't win, but I did buy a package of some yummy chocolate Buckeyes.  Second on the list was a place called Glass Pieces, http://glasspieces.com/ a glass blowing studio where they make beautiful glass art objects.  I picked up 2 gorgeous ornaments, one for my tree and one for a gift.  The last open house was for our local florist Pete's Posey Patch  http://www.petesposeypatch.com/ where I purchased 2 more Christmas gifts and enjoyed some punch with a kick. 
Sure I'll still go shopping on Black Friday, but I go more for the ambiance and tradition, I just won't be spending as much money as I have in the past. 

Describe lazy........

The common cold has had me curled up in the lazy-boy for a couple of days. The bright side is I'm getting caught up on some reading and movie watching. Plus I don't feel guilty for sitting on my butt all day and not doing anything around the house (and that's different from other days, how? you ask).
I have never really been an over ambitious person.  Sure I have a lot of ideas and can picture myself doing them, it's just whether or not I actually finish them.  I don't think that I am lazy, although lately the only part of my body getting a workout are my fingers.  But hey, it takes a lot of effort to lift and stretch my pudgy fingers to reach all corners of the keyboard, not to mention the remote control shuffle and the constant page turning of the magazines and current book I am reading. In these days of social media, it is all finger clicking good!

Anything is 'Remotely' Possible

Although I am a huge Nascar fan, our household usually prefers to watch basketball on TV or live. Tonight is a good example of that as my DH has possession of the remote and has kept abreast of 3 separate college games AND a new episode of NCIS. As Ohioans, we had to watch the Buckeyes take on Florida State; Duke fans from the time the DD acquired a crush on Shane Battier, we watched Coach K earn his 903rd win, passing Bob Knights most wins in Division 1; and after DH's sister relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee our closets increasing in orange clothing, we had to keep an eye on the Lady Vols and their win over Miami. Plus, like I said, we caught a couple of Gibb's slaps. We go to many home school games and have been lucky enough to attend some college (Ohio State, Tennessee) and NBA (Cleveland Cavaliers) games. I remember watching the Ohio High School State Championship games on TV when LeBron James's team was playing, before he became a Cavalier. I don't see King James as much now that he's playing for Miami, but I can still have my eye on the King of the Remote.

Ducky Weather

  It is hard to believe that it is the middle of November.  The last couple of days have been in the 60's, and right now we have a severe storm warning AND a tornado watch in our area.  Yesterday we also had one of those "Winnie the Pooh" blustery days, sounding like winter had already arrived.  I absolutely do not like storms.  I get paranoid when it starts to get nasty out. I will get my candles lit, clip my scanner to my pants and walk from window to window (or around the house outside if it isn't raining) keeping a close eye on the sky.  I won't rest until the radar shows us in the clear.  In all my 40 some years, I have only had to go to the basement once and that was just this last summer. I was actually pretty calm that day too and I think that's because besides me there were also 6 kids and 2 dogs from the neighborhood in the basement with me.  Turned out that no damage was done, but just a couple miles into town there were trees down everywhere.  I also get paranoid about being on the computer during lightning, so....see ya!

A Little About Me

I live on the outskirts of a small rural town with my DH and one adult DD. I work part-time as a township fiscal officer and take care of our household and farm records. My DH is a full-time crop farmer and my DD is working on getting her medical assistant degree. My interests include reading, Nascar (favorite driver is Dale Jr.), watching movies and TV series on DVD (I hope you don't mind my reviews), and spending way too much time on the computer (facebook and twitter). Another interest that I'm working on is scrapbooking. I'm just getting started on this, I have a lot of supplies and ideas, now just trying to organize my office with a designated area to do it in during the long, cold winter.

I mentioned Twitter being one of my interests and I have really become addicted! I think I'm getting the knack of the twitter party scenes although sometimes the feed goes so fast it's hard to keep up. But so far I have won some fantastic prizes and I still can't believe that it is so easy and available. There are some wonderful people and companies out there! There is also a group called Social Media Girlfriends that will make you feel good about yourself and will give you much confidence.

Movie Review:

"Love and Other Drugs"

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway

Wow! This movie is all about sex! Now although Gyllenhaal is looking mighty fine, I can't believe that him or Hathaway agreed to do such a movie with so much nudity and foul language. But then again these days, movies don't seem to become a blockbuster unless they contain these things. Of course it's a love story with a happy ending, but for the most part I thought the movie was a bit of a sleeper.

Well, I'm not really sure what my blog will center around (besides me), but it is my intent to find out what I might have to offer to other readers out there. For the rest of this blistery Sunday though it is my intent to settle into the lazy-boy, catch up on some magazines, and watch the afternoon Nascar race.

Let's Try This Again

When I first signed up for a blog over 2 years ago, I thought I would have a lot to say. Well one post and a couple years of silence proved I didn't. I have joined the world of twitter and the Social Media Girlfriends and it seems that everyone has fantastic blogsites. I now have a goal to reach, to have one of those fantastic blogsites. I am not quite sure I have the wit or wisdom to do it, but I'm going to give it a try.