Happy New Year!

The only resolution I usually make is that I hope the new year is better than the old one. This year (2006) was much better than 2005 that is for sure, so things are looking bright and beautiful for 2007. Justin and I are working tonight so there will be no partying to ring in the new year, however we will get paid at 2 1/2 times our normal rate, which is pretty dandy.

As for a resolution just for myself... I'm going to try to lose 2 pounds. That's all I'm gonna hope for now and if it's more then that's great and if it doesn't happen by next December 31, well I'm sure I can do something just before stepping on the scale that will push me that 2 pounds. Heck, my jeans probably weigh that much right?? Here's to feeling good about yourself!

And, even though this picture was taken just before Christmas, I'm calling it our New Years Portrait because it's cute and I want to share. Sue me.

An Update.

Yay, the holidays (except New Year's, which involves way less pressure) are over and with them my pre-post holiday depression seems to have gone. I got lots of good stuff this year and my parents even pulled through this time with nothing random or weird and the inevitable craft from Sussan is actually a set of cool candle holders so all is well.

Justin got me a beautiful ring that looks like a flower and has some tiny little diamonds in it to make it shiny and a bookshelf which is the only thing that I really really wanted. We put it together yesterday and got all the stuff on it and it looks really really great. When I come into the room and see it I automatically smile which is great. My brother and sister got me a Magic Bullet blender which I've wanted for like 5 years. I need to cook something using it soon but I haven't been to the grocery store yet. I got Justin clothes and he bought an X-box but I'm counting it as a Christmas present since it was quite expensive and the money is "our" money anyway. Yes, I know, this is cheating.

Here's my ring:

On the way home from work on Tuesday morning we saw a little basset hound on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. She was wandering around sort of lost looking and I was terrified that she was going to get hit by a car so we turned around and she came to me and we brought her home. She was very soft and sweet and good in the car. She was wearing a collar with a tag, (Her name is Ellie) and I really wanted to just keep her because I kind of think that if you lose your dog on the highway you aren't taking great care of her to begin with. But Justin said that I should do the right thing so after we got home and I gave her a bath and got some food and water into her and let her play with Maybe for awhile, I called the number on her tag. They guy didn't seem all that thrilled that he was getting his dog back safe and sound so now I feel really cheated that we didn't just keep her. Even when he came to the house to get her he didn't ask where we found her or if she seemed like she was ok...he didn't even say thank you. I am not happy...but I guess you can't always choose the outcome when you do the "right thing." I just know how freaked out we would be if we lost Maybe and how happy we would be if someone brought her back to us...so I totally don't understand that guy's ambivilance.

We are leaving next Thursday to see my mom in Bryan. I'm excited about this trip because it will be the first time in a year that we have been anywhere besides our usual haunts of Levelland/Lubbock/Amarillo. I'm not sure exactly what we will do when we get there. My mom keeps asking what we want to do, it's important to her to have a plan apparently. I'll have to check online for some ideas. Really though, I just want to get away from here for awhile.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve

I've already de-frocked the tree. How depressing.

Oh well, here's a picture from before the (pre) post Holiday depression set in:

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Angry Mutterings

I have been having trouble sleeping. Add to that the fact that every time I actually do manage to fall asleep, the phone rings, the dog barks, the dog runs into my room when she's supposed to be in her crate, the cats start fighting, the car alarm goes off, someone comes into or goes out of the house or the dog barks some more. My sleeping pills aren't working. I have to go to work now, and I desperately want to go back to bed, but it wouldn't matter. It's not like I'm getting any sleeping done there. Auggh.

Ho Ho Ho

Last night my dad was Santa at Levelland's Festival of Trees. It was a pretty big deal and he even got to be on the news. Because I've got special connections, Santa also came to visit my house a little early!!

Here's my dad with the news guy and camera

And here with a child I don't know...I hope she doesn't mind

Then Santa came to my house. Maybe greeted him like an old friend.

Apparently my star wasn't up to par...

Me and Justin, a little Christmas Cheer!

Jingle

There is nothing that does not have a Christmas Ornament. Justin and I went and walked around Holland Gardens yesterday. During the regular year they just sell plants and gardening supplies, completely what you'd expect from a place named "Holland Gardens," but during the holidays they turn it into a huge Christmas tree showplace. There are TONS of trees, all with different themes, and I dare you to go in there looking for a specific kind of ornament and not find it. The also do custom Christmas lights, where you pick the color and shape of the bulb and how many you want and they string them up for you right there. It's really really amazing. Justin and I want to get an ornament together every year to commemorate what happened that year, and we're starting this year, since it's the first time we've both a) had the money for a special ornament and b) put up a tree together. Last year I had a tree, but only for 2 weeks as I got a late start and we were super broke. My dad gave us a little dog ornament that says "New Home 2005," because it was the first year we'd lived in a house instead of an apartment.

This year however, I went to Holland Gardens to break out the fancy stuff. I got a really beautiful sterling silver wedding cake ornament, which we will have engraved with 2006 on the bottom to celebrate our wedding this year, and I also got a little pewter bone ornament that says "woof," to honor the first year we had Maybe. And, not to commemorate anything, I got two bumble bee ornaments, one blue and yellow and one traditional gold and black because I like them, and Justin calls me "bumblebee." I'm going to keep those out all year and hang them from my dresser or something after the tree comes down.

Surprisingly, I'm practically done with my Christmas shopping. I have to grab one thing for my parents, one thing for Nikaia, and one more thing for Justin and that is *it* people. I'm so proud.
I thought my tail-bone was feeling better yesterday, but apparently the drugs were just working their magic, because I got overly excited last night and didn't take my pain pills before I went to bed, and now I feel once again like I'm going to die every time I sit down and stand up. As long as I can stay in one position for as long as possible I think I can make it...The chair I'm sitting in now kind of makes me sit really far forward off my butt, and is less painful than the couch, so I guess I'll camp out at the computer desk as much as I can...

Today is Justin's last day of school this semester. He's taking his final now. He has to make an 8 to have a 'B' or a 68 to have an 'A.' Impressive.

Let it Snow.

The scene:

So it started snowing Wednesday night, and just kept right on going into early Thursday afternoon. We couldn't see to drive to work on Wednesday, so we've had an extra long weekend, which would normally be quite nice, and it was, except that on Thursday morning when I took Maybe out, I decided that instead of staying on the porch like an intelligent human being, that I should try to get into the car for a box of Kleenex. I made it down the front steps with minimal drama, and all the way to the car. Just when I thought I was home free, both of my legs flew out in front of me and I crashed to the ground. I don't remember the actual fall, just the landing, (directly on my tail-bone, without benefit of even trying to catch myself). There was a terrible cracking sound, and my whole body was just...I don't even know the word...I felt like someone had dropped me off a roof. Because I couldn't move anything at first, I was terrified that my back was broken, it was 7am, dark, snowing, and really, really cold. I did not think I would be able to get into the house, and I was quite convinced that I would just have to freeze to death, and so be it.

I'm not sure how long I stayed on the ground, I'm sure it was only about 5 minutes or so, but it felt like hours. Justin was in the house sleeping, so in spite of the fact that I screamed for him, there was no way he could have heard me. I tried to dial 911 on my camera, surprisingly, it didn't work. Maybe, sensing that there was trouble and channeling Lassie, broke out of her terrified huddle in the snow (she'd never seen it before, and was quite scared), and managed, through nose prodding and whining, to convince me to get up off the ground. I didn't want to traumatize her any more than necessary, so I managed to stagger into the house. I think that if Maybe hadn't harassed me, I probably would have just stayed there, and happily became a pop-susan. She was a very brave dog and was rewarded with a wasabi-peanut.

I made it to Justin's room and got warmed up. I told him the story and since Justin is a fan of authority, he made me go to the emergency room for my broken tail-bone. However, the nurse there was like, "well, we can do an X-ray for you, but even if it's broken there's not a thing we can do about it." So after a short discussion we left. I don't need to pay for an emergency room visit if they're not even gonna fix me. (My HMO should send me a Christmas card.) Sooo, my tail-bone is probably broken, and it's very-very difficult to sit down, and to get back up again (getting up is worse). It's also hard to roll over in bed and riding in cars is just torture (although, probably not as bad as maybe riding on a train...or a horse. I haven't tried that yet). They tell me it will be like this for about 6 weeks. It's nice to have something to look forward to.

On the cheerful side, I did get a pretty good picture of Maybe in the snow: