Please, Just Don't. Thanks.

My sister and I are self-proclaimed Christmas decoration snobs. As we drive around at Christmas time, we give grades to the Christmas decorations on houses, and offer suggestions (to each other, not to the people who live in the houses...that would be taking it a bit too far) as to how they can bring up their grade.

For example..."That house is a B+, but they could bring it up to an A if they would get rid of the blinking lights that give us seizures/ get rid of the red lights in their windows/straighten out the lights on their tree." You know, practical stuff.

However, in my eyes, there is one decoration that gives you an automatic fail. Observe:

Those blasted inflatables! I don't know what it is, but they make me shudder!

Although...I DO like the lights on the house behind the loathsome inflatable. Add some pretty garland and some candles in the windows and we have a solid A- going on. I'll even look past the icicle lights on the dormers. It is Christmas, after all.

This one makes me want to cry. It MOVES. Ugh.

So there you have it. I love Christmas. I love Christmas decorations. And I appreciate all effort and the beauty of it all. But inflatables...INFLATABLES? Please. Just don't.

It's a...

self imposed snow day! I attempted to get to work this morning (thing #278 I miss about teaching: guilt free SNOW DAYS!!!!)

Gah- they just interrupted Ellen for a weather alert- that's how gross it is! And the weather lady just told me to stay in bed and eat pizza. Okay. Will do.

Anywho...after slipping and sliding through town, barely making up a hill and wishing with all that was in me that I lived in the south, I turned around and headed home. To this...

Yes, a stack of books just waiting to be read (and one that already has been read.) Recently I have remembered my love for reading and I'm milking it. And having a blast.

So I started my day with a little bit of this:

Figaro wanted to get in on the action, too.

So what am I reading? Hummmmm?

I just finished...

This book was great. I cried. Yup...it was challenging, motivating and heart-string pulling. Good read.

I am currently reading...

Sophie Kinsella makes me laugh. A lot. This book is really cute and fun.

I am looking forward to reading...

Don't laugh. These books are fun. I have read 4.5 of them. I read half of book 5, put it down and never picked it up again. I was reading them as they came out, and by the time book 5 came out, I had forgotten what had happened before and was lost. I do much better waiting for a series to be complete before I read it. I'm the same way with TV. TV on DVD? Yes, please!

It's been a rough year. I just need to read this.

I've heard great things about this book...and have a mentioned it's been a rough year? Yeah, I thought so.

So there you have it. I love reading. And I'm going to go do some more. Right. Now.

RUH ROH!

Yup...that's my cell phone. Note to self...don't shut your cell phone in your car door. It will break. I just got this phone 2 weeks ago, too. I was thisclose to cancelling my insurance in an attempt to save money because in the history of having cell phones I have never lost or broken one. Glad I didn't do that! Thanks to the magic of the internet and the Verizon fairies, I should have a new one tomorrow. Yea! It's driving me crazy, though because I can see I have a voicemail and a text message...but I have no way of getting them. Ugh!

AND

This video makes me laugh. A lot. It reminds me of college. And Laura. And it makes me miss her and the way we used to laugh like fools.

I volunteered to my future SIL to sing it at her wedding next month. She hasn't answered me yet. Hummmmm. Wonder why. :)

*And yes, Julie, if you read this...I stole the title from your facebook comment. Thanks! :)

Let's Rewind...Again

I really, really, REALLY need to be better about this. You know- posting on my blog and not having to always rewind. Ahem.

Anyway, about a week and a half ago I got together with my dear friend, Tiffany. Tiff and I have been best friends since third grade. We went to school together all through elementary and middle school, then went to different high schools.

During high school and the beginning of college we worked at Camp Good News together as well. After college Tiffany stayed in NH and I was in Ohio, but we have remained great friends and I have LOVED reconnecting since I moved back to NH.

Tiffany is married to Ryan and now has two adorable kiddos that she lets me play with, read stories to, and snuggle. I love being "Aunt Erin!"

So, Tiffany and I got together on a Saturday morning to go watch her husband, Ryan, go jump into Lake Winnipesaukee for the Turkey Plunge, a fund raiser for the Salvation Army (although we missed the jump...whoops.)

Afterward we went to a local restaurant for a yummy fund raising lunch of clam chowder and chili. Then it was back to Tiff and Ryans to hang out, talk, play with the kids, and catch up.

What a fun day!

On Sunday afternoon I met up with my friends Heather and Diana and their friend Ian to go see New Moon. Heather and I went to school together from sixth grade through high school. She lived right up the road from me and was like a part of our family. Diana is her best friend and roommate.

These are horrible pictures because I took them with my phone and it doesn't have a flash, but I insisted on taking pictures anyway.

Heather and me



Ian and Diana


So here was my brilliant statement of that evening. We were standing in line for the movie and Ian and Diana were talking about some movie, but I wasn't sure what. So I said,

"What are you talking about?"

and they responded,

"Buffy."

I had a thought, but didn't say it out loud, and then I burst out laughing. When they asked me what was so funny I told them that I had thought,

"Yeah, I'm just really not into vampires at all."

Ironic since we were in line for New Moon, huh? HA! The thing is, I'm really not. I just recently read the Twilight books because I wanted to know what all these kids and teens were reading so I can be informed and to form my own opinons about them. I enjoyed the books, but am I a Twi-hard fan? No. Were they entertaining? Yes.

It was a fun and friend filled weekend!