Merry Christmas!!!

This was our Christmas card picture!

(With a little formatting help from Christy! THANKS!!!)

Last night we went to midnight mass at one of the church’s downtown. It was a beautiful cathedral like church with a warm and inviting pink ceiling with gold accents. Chris said that they had recently refurbished all the artwork and statues, which were so pretty in soft pastel colors. I’ve never been to a midnight mass before, so I think I expected candles and other different sorts of things, but was surprised to find it almost exactly like a normal Sunday mass. Carols were added as the hymns, and the place was packed. It was nice, but I must admit, it was hard to stay awake in the warm and quiet room. By the time we got home it was well past 2 a.m., so we were both wiped out and ready for a good nights sleep.

In an effort to make the day feel more festive, I thought I’d start off by making gingerbread waffles, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. The waffles were delicious with some cinnamon whipped cream and maybe even a touch of chocolate syrup. After breakfast, we both opened our one present left (both were books) and started working on a puzzle while watching some movies. We really didn’t have much planned for the day, but made due with a movie (A Christmas Story, of course,) warm fire, puzzle, and each others company.

The Loot List (so far):
-A Knitting Journal from Gretchen & Kevin
-The Great Santa Search by Jeff Guinn, Target Gift Card from Galen
-Lovely placemats from Bridget & Brandon
-A print of Winnie the Pooh Fall Colors from Bonnie
-Pilates mat, box of chocolates, bike shorts and socks from Chris
-Sleeping bags from ourselves

We finished the puzzle around 4:30 p.m., and decided to start Christmas dinner. Since finding out we wouldn’t be going home, I was determined to bring some of our family favorites to us. We had ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls to compliment Aunt Karen’s Baked Beans and a delicious homemade pecan pie. Though it wasn’t the same as having dinner with our families, it was still nice to know they were eating some of the same exact things.

Just before going to sleep I’m going to give Chris the last present that I have hidden away for him. Several weeks ago, we went to Wilson’s leather to look at a jacket for him. Well, we found one that he really liked in his size, but decided to think about it over night. He forgot all about it, and when he called a couple weeks later found that they did not have his size anymore. In fact, the only store in Colorado that did was the Cherry Creak Mall store. After making a number of calls and trying to buy it online failed, he had just about given up. What he doesn’t know, though, is that I bought it the next day and have hidden it away. He continues, even today, to call around and see if other stores might have it. I can’t wait to see his eyes light up and wonder how I had managed it! So, I better get ready, Merry Christmas and I hope you have big plans for the New Year.

Home for the Holidays...NOT!

We are going NOWHERE for Christmas! GRRRRR!

Because of this wonderful blizzard that has lashed out on all of Colorado for the past couple days, we will not be making it to Oregon for the holidays. We were suppose to leave out of Denver at 12:55 pm today, but obviously we and many others are going nowhere. However, I must admit we are lucky in the sense that we did not get stuck at the airport, and we are safe and sound in our own home. And because our flight was scheduled on day 2 of this blizzard, they did not officially cancell our flight until about 9 am this morning. This made it difficult to convince any airline representative yesterday that our flight needed to be changed even though their computers said it would be "on time". So everyone from yesterday who had their flight cancelled was given a jump start on filling in all the extra slots on each plane once the airport did reopen. The earliest we would have been able to leave was late on the evening of the 26th, which was a total waste since we would still have to come back on the 28th for Chris to be at work. We discussed driving home, or even to Salt Lake City where they could get us a flight, but they were all not very practical ideas. In the end, it was a tough decision, but we finally just asked for our money back.

Though I understand it is not anyones fault per say, it still makes me angry and sad because I know it won't feel like Christmas here! We aren't with our family, we have nothing planned, and maybe worst of all, we have opened all our presents already. We opened them early because they were gifts we were not going to carry all the way to Oregon, open, and then lug back. Now, I'm not trying to be material, but you have to admit, if you have presents and they have already been opened, it kind of ruins the excitement for Christmas Day. I suppose, though, what I'm most worried about is that because we're not going away for Christmas, our "vacation" will feel like just a long weekend. We'll stay home and do practically nothing and then the vacation will come to the end and it won't have had any special holiday feel. I don't know, maybe I'll get over this, but right now its worrying and upsetting.

In an effort to combat the week long weekend blues, I think we may try to do some fun things around town, and maybe even try to go snowboarding one day! We'll see, that will take a little research as well. Happy Holidays to everyone out their, and when you say your Christmas dinner prayers, be thankful that your loved ones could join in your celebrations!

The World Beer Tour Finale!

(Left: Me drinking my 110th beer.) If you're not familiar with the restaraunt Old Chicago's, they have this program that you can sign up for called The World Beer Tour. Each beer on their menu (and there are over 150) has a number associated with it. When you drink a beer, that number is recorded on your WBT card. As you drink your way through 110 different beers, yes they must be different, you are given prizes. For example, after you have drunk 10 beers, you are given playing cards. After 25 a clip on watch with compass, 40 a bottle opener, 55 a t-shirt, 70 a travel mug, 85 a baseball cap, 100 a cooler, and finally when you've drunk 110 beers you get a sweatshirt and your name emblazoned on a plaque in the Hall of Foam! (Right: Me with all my swag that I won for completing the tour. Look that black shirt has a reinBeer on it. heheheh) It has taken me two and a half years, but I finally completed my tour of 110 beers. Now understand, I am not an alcoholic, nor do I really enjoy the majority of beers, so this was a test of will and I won. In fact, there were some very NOT GOOD beers that I ended up drinking since you can't really double up on the good ones. However, I have gained a greater appreciation for a number of other beers that really were "not too bad." And some day I can take my pals to my home Old Chicago's and show them my name eblazoned in this HALL OF FOAM!!!!!

SP GIFTY #1

It has FINALLY arrived Mel! I honestly didn't think it would take this long to get here, but it did. The poor postman knows me by heart now (I live in an apartment complex, so to know little old me is an accomplishment.) It arrived Saturday evening! I would have had this up earlier, but I had internet problems. It was so weird, my computer will only stay online for like 5 seconds at a time. Sooooo, I wrote up this entry in word to import while using another computer today! Anyway, I was so excited when I got it. I practically ran all the way from the mailbox to the house. My wonderful knit pal sent me some double point needles, pretty varigated blue yarn, homemade stitch markers, and instructions to make my very first socks!!! I can't wait to take it to knit group next week to show them all! Mel also put in some yummy sour patch kids, relaxing mint tea, and the yummiest smelling candle! Chocolate Hazelnut...I'll have to be careful not to eat it! Thank you so much Mel, it's all wonderful and I can't wait to make some sockies! I can't wait to see what else you send me!

Time Well Wasted