My Happy Holiday

My 2013 Holiday Card

My holiday joy was mildly interrupted by yesterday's call, but the joy definitely outlasted it all. It started on Christmas Eve. Chef and I had some massive dollars to spend in our FSA account, so we did something we'd done before and got eye exams. Very festive, right? While we were waiting on Chef's glasses, we went to lunch at PF Chang's. It was delicious, but also indulgent because I had a glass of wine at lunch, and then topped it off with a decadently awesome Vanilla Bean Bourbon Milkshake.  Heavenly.

We had a great Christmas, and a good meal at Ruth's Chris, which sadly left us a little ill for the rest of the day.

However, all in all, it was an awesome holiday. And two more days off to boot. Going back will be hard, as usual.

Hope everyone else's day was just as wonderful!

Eye Exam selfie--that's how close I had to be to see myself

Vanilla Bean Bourbon Milkshake

Mid-milkshake: Look at that smile.

The last of my Holiday Spirit Quest: One of two stockings stuffed

My First Flask

The beautiful green satchel my husband got me. Lucky me!

Shopping, Singing and Giving

A VERY large tree at the Citadel
Outlet Mall

 So I'm happy to say that I've conquered a few more items from my list a while back. There's 4) Listen to Christmas music for a week's worth of commutes (it's Friday, so check!), 5) actually go to a mall or shopping complex to buy a present, 10) have all my presents bought a week before Christmas, and 12) Give to a new charity. Nine tasks complete, three to go and 5 days until Christmas. Not to sound overconfident, but I think I got this.

The most trying of these were numbers 5 and 10. Last Saturday I got up early to be at the outlet mall at 10 a.m. when the stores opened. I got there at 10:05 and ALL the parking was already taken. I had to park on a side street a quarter-mile away. They were running shuttles from other parking

This was JUST the line to pay
at the Coach outlet store. It was a
30 minute wait to hand
over your money.

lots miles away to accommodate the shoppers. It was, sadly, the first of three malls that I went to last Saturday, but because of this marathon of shopping that took six hours instead of my estimated three, I was able to have everything bought AND shipped before the 16th--a full nine days before Christmas. And I also had my fill of Christmas shopping so next year it's all online!

Merry Xmas from Xtina

Lastly, I give to a lot of charities. Mostly because I was in non-profit for so long (American Heart Associations) so I give to that one, plus to the ones my previous co-workers now work at because people tend to stay in non-profit, PLUS the new ones like Ronald McDonald House of Southern California or UNICEF that are clients PLUS my tie with breast cancer causes will always be strong (shameless plugs for great causes). I decided to donate to one that personally moved me and WASN'T health 826 LA. It's the local branch of a national organization that encourages young kids to write and provides tutoring. I hope to volunteer there one day but until then, this will have to do. I hope you gave to your favorite this year too!
related. So I donated to

#11 Drink a Holiday Inspired Coffee Drink

I've had a couple in my quest because I prefer the gingerbread or egg nog or pumpkin spice lattes to regular ole coffee, but below is a picture of my favorite coffee for a couple of reasons. I was so hot that I had to get it iced. It was 71 degrees at almost 6 p.m. less than 2 weeks before Christmas.

Yup that seems to describe the holidays in LA in just one mundane snapshot.

It was an iced non-fat, no whip, no molasses Gingerbread latte, by the way. 

Cookies and Candles

Didn't turn out TOO bad

So I decided that I didn't really want to make shaped sugar cookies, but really just wanted the frosted sugar cookie taste. So I found a recipe for sugar cookie bars and VOILA! However, the cookie part tasted a little too floury in the end, but the icing is delicious. And from scratch. Not as hard as I expected.

Homemade icing-delicious! Wish I had food coloring though.

One carby delicious cookie bar

And of course, I also put up my decorations a while ago. In fact, I have already bought another holiday-smelling candle because my old faithful had burned too long. It might not look too much like the holidays, but it certainly smells like Christmas.

Nothing says Christmas like my touch of tacky from 2011-- Snookie! 

And the stockings were hung.  . . to drive the cats crazy

For those of us who still believe in Santa. . .

A great stunt and a heart-warming video.

It's Not Really Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

As my family gets pounded by snow today, I am searching for the Christmas spirit. I think I'm still relishing the post-Thanksgiving of it all. That week between Thanksgiving and December was non-existent this year so I haven't had time to physically or mentally adjust. Although for its part, LA is trying to get me in the mood. I've been to two hotels this week that were both decorated to the nines for the holiday and the weather was LA cold this morning (a brisk 42 when I woke up and only hit a high of 59).

So, to continue my tradition, I will embark on my third annual Holiday Spirit Quest. The list will be shorter this year because of the lack of time. I will keep it to a dirty dozen items--the twelve days of my Christmas, so to speak.

The guidelines are the same. To do things that have traditionally made me think of Christmas. I can repeat items from previous years' list but I have to add new things too.

Here goes:

1. Make a Christmas list for Santa (or Chef...or both).
2. Give a gift to someone who isn't expecting it.
3. Make homemade sugar cookies.
4. Listen to Christmas music for a week of commutes.
5. Actually go to the mall or shopping complex to buy a gift. 
6. Put up my Christmas decorations, sparse that they may be. 
7. Have the cats sporting their holiday ties at least once during the season. 
8. Watch at least one NEW cheesy holiday made-for-TV movie. 
9. Stuff a stocking (or two).
10. Have all my presents bought a week before Christmas. 
11. Drink a holiday-inspired coffee drink. 
12. Give to a new charity. 

What would you add?

Second Christmas

I am waiting again for Santa. But this time in the form of a UPS driver. Christmas was great, as I thought it would be. Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, your calls, cards and emails, and your thoughtful gifts. I spent a lazy day enjoying them all with Chef in tow. We ate well, slept well, and were the laziest versions of ourselves. It was great.

But today is SECOND Christmas. The day when we receive the items we bought on Christmas with our newly acquired gift cards. I am waiting for UPS Claus to bring me a fitbit. It's basically a fancy pedometer, but it also monitors your sleep. I'm curious to see how well I sleep. I mean, I'm so narcissistic and odd that I want to know what's happening with me while I'm sleeping. I'm also an analytics nerd so the ability to put data somewhere also intrigues me. Hopefully this will all be enough to keep better track of my health and strive to do more. And what's more is that it syncs up with the app I already like using, myfitnesspal.

I guess we'll see. . .

Holiday Spirit Quest Complete

I don't want to blog too much on Christmas Eve so I'm just going to say that I completed my spirit quest and then show you the pictures.

#1-gingbread latte WITH whipped cream, #18- Chef took pics with his camera of me skating, but none on my phone, #4 touching man-made snow at The Grove, #25- lames lights of Rodeo Drive

 

 

 

#13 my mom's zucchini bread- take 2, #20- my holiday nails, #5 and #15-- that's me in sparkles on a Friday with fancy lipstick, #8- I have an actual gift, but here's some baking I gave with it to Chef's friend that is a stranger to me.

#3- all the cats in holiday attire

#11- crafted a necklace scarf thing from an old t-shirt; Genghis chased it like crazy

#2- Santa Monica beach this weekend

This is the snow coming down at The Grove shopping center--wasn't the same, but still nice.

I don't have pictures for donating to charity--but you'll have to trust that I did-- several in fact. The stockings come tomorrow, but we're covered. 

So all in all. . . 

Mission Accomplished.

Merry Christmas! 

See you all again next year!

Dear Santa 2.0

I have no real reason to write to you. Not that I don't believe, but because there really isn't anything that I truly need. And while I can't say that I was entirely naughty this year, I can't claim that I was entirely nice either. I'm sure that cancels out somewhere in your listing-making capabilities, but I've never really understood how your system worked. I mean I knew some bitches who were spoiled by Santa so I found your methods a little flawed. I hate to criticize, but I'm also fairly certain that you grade on a curve so I'm not that scared any more. Maybe that's why you've given all those Elves on the Shelf their power. You need an enforcer to intimidate the children into good behavior. That's just not your strong suit, but it is a good use of management skills.

In any case, there really isn't anything that I need. We have our health, our home, full bellies, and no real worries. If there's such a thing as bequeathing my list fulfillment to someone else, please do so. If not, here's my ridiculous list for 2012 (also known as Holiday Spirit Quest item #24).

1. For my wishes to be bequeathed to someone who really needs some Christmas cheer.If you won't do # 1, then here's my list:
2. For the cats to adjust their bodies to want food at a more reasonable hour in the morning, like 6 a.m. when I normally wake up instead of 4:30 a.m. They really know how to mess with my sleep pattern.
3. If you can't fulfill #2, how about giving me the ability to sleep like the dead so that when the little munchkins start their stirring around me, I am not affected. 
4. Adjacent to #3, I ask to have legs of ice so that when Attila curls up next to me to sleep with his thousand degree body, my legs don't suffer third degree burns.
5. A fitbit and the ability to be motivated by it as I have been less than motivated in the last week to do much more than power walk in the mornings and lazily count my calories. Neither of which has motivated me to change my ways.
6. Momentum-building upon my motivation to finish my novel. The first one has to get finished before I can start on the next one that's in my head. Plus I need to feel that sense of accomplishment at finishing something that seemed like it would never get done. 
7. More LA friends and the desire to want to leave the house to see them. I actually made some headway on this this year, but I still have to really really like someone to leave my husband to go hang out with them. I'm sure that says something wonderful about my marriage and something equally bad about my anti-social behavior.
8. For my hairdresser to continue at least doing my hair even though she's officially quitting hair to be a paralegal. I wish her well and luck and will happily support her education with hefty tips if she'll continue to keep my "auburn" locks a shade that seems plausible in nature.
9. For the Colts to win a playoff game. If that's too much to ask for this year, I then ask that the New England Patriots and Tom Brady do not get another Superbowl ring. Or that Peyton Manning wins another Superbowl. I'm really not that picky as long as it's some combination thereof. 
10. Since I'm talking sports, I would be remiss if I didn't thank you for last year's early present of Christian Watford's 3-point basket for the win over Kentucky last year. I will not use this space to ask for anything for my beloved Hoosiers as they're just really fun to watch this year and I don't want to taint it too much with lofty, near-impossible expectations. I just want to enjoy a successful season.
11. One more night of debauchery with my oldest friends. I know that this is probably not going to keep me off the naughty list for the coming year, but it would totally be worth it. Not that I really want to relive my youth, because it was nice while it lasted, but I'm okay with it being over. What I would like to do is get Brooke, Lara, Anne, Amanda and Schultz together at someone's house or with a hired driver or both for one epic expenses-paid all-nighter. This doesn't mean drunkenness, but more great food, good spirits, some karaoke, and a night of no worries--no kids, no husbands, no curfews. One of the bummers of not having a formal wedding (and there really wasn't a lot of down side) was that there was no big excuse to bring all the girls back together. 
12. For the perfect red lipstick that compliments my skin tone and makes my mouth pop while staying only on my lips and not outside the lines. I would prefer not to look like Ronald McDonald.
13. The ability to eat candy corn and sweet tarts by the handful without any caloric effect.
14. To finally be able to make a suitable roux to make homemade macaroni and cheese that turns out smooth and delicious instead of having a slightly floury after taste. 
15. To be motivated and willing to actually use the beach chairs we have stored in the closet a few times this year without feeling like it's too much of a hassle.
16. To only use Pinterest for good and not evil.
17. The ability to continue to squeal with delight when I have those moments where I can't believe someone so cute and funny and wonderful chose me. 
18. To have more moments when I remember why someone so cute and funny and wonderful chose me. (It's because I can be awesome. And awful. But more awesome. At least I'd like to think).
19. To do something fearless this year and feel good about it no matter the outcome. 
20. Is my list starting to look more like resolutions, Santa? Sorry about that. I resolve to be more on point. I mean, I would like for you to give me succinctness and the ability to digress less.

Happy Holidays, Santa. I have baked many cookies for your visit, but sadly have eaten most of them. There is, however, plenty of broccoli and salad for your reindeer. Haven't touched that stuff lately. And help yourself to Chef's Egg Nog. Unless that would put me on the naughty list, in which case I say hands off.

Safe Travels and Merry Christmas (and to everyone that's reading this too!),
Ashley

Holiday Parties Out the Yang

A poorly lit photo of me and
a co-worker at our holiday
party. 

It's that time of year, isn't it? The time when you have a zillion holiday parties at various times for various people and with which you carry various levels of enthusiasm for?

I had three holiday parties last week and one the week before. Three of the four were work-related, because I'm still working on my LA friends. The one that was just the office and no clients was at a nice restaurant in Pasadena and included a Dirty Santa or White Elephant or whatever else you want to call a random gift exchange with present swaps and stealing. (What other names are there?) I ended up with a belly full of red wine, chocolate souffle, hangar steak and french fries, and a purse full of a new Sephora eye shadow palette (SCORE!).

The next night I grabbed some reindeer antlers with bells, and toilet paper (the perfect hostess gift in my opinion) and headed to some friends' housewarming/ holiday extravaganza. Because I'm kind of getting anti-social with new people in my old age and I wasn't drinking, I stayed for about 4 hours and then headed home. The party when on for another 5 hours. So technically I left halfway through. But I still had fun. And learned how to phonetically get my team to guess the name of the prime minister of Britain during World War I  (Clement Atlee). It was my shining moment in party games.

So, now I'm a little holiday partied out for a few days. However, I did make Christmas cookies out the yang (yes, there's a lot of things coming out of my yang in this post) yesterday, as well as homemade wheat bread. And a lasagna the night before. And my Christmas shopping is done and shipped. So I think I'm in a good place.

How many Holiday Parties have you been to this year? What were the White Elephant or Dirty Santa gifts that you ended up leaving with?

A Cat in a Hat and All That

I had the penguin last year.
I might be the Santa stocking
this year. Who knows?
Oh yeah, Santa does.

I'm working on my holiday spirit quest. This list doesn't seem as daunting as last year. Maybe I know my limits or maybe I'm not ready to be moved by the spirit, so to speak, but I've only slowly started working on this year's Holiday Spirit Quest. So far I have done:

• Dress a cat in something holiday. I bought a Santa hat for the cats and then proceeded to make each one wear it until they looked appropriately humiliated. We might start using this as the cone of shame when they do something bad. I won't really count it until I get pictures of them wearing the hat. 
• Watch a Christmas movie that I haven't seen in a long time or ever before. I watched "Elf" the other day. I had only seem bits of it and never the whole thing. So I'm counting it.
• Put up Christmas decorations. It might be small, but it's all I've got (and want). The picture is our display, which still includes the "Snooki" ornament from my "something tacky" quest last year. I just couldn't part with it. Plus she's had a baby now, so that pre-baby body mold is a collector's item. 

I did buy the Gingerbread fixings and cookie cutter, but that is more of a weekend project. I'm working on the gift list and hope to get some knocked out this weekend. I think I'll wait one more weekend to go to ICE in Santa Monica. I actually went to a meeting at a resort at Huntington Beach yesterday. I could see the ocean, but since I didn't get to wiggle my sand in my toes, I'm not crossing it off the list. 

What have you done to get in the spirit so far?

2012 Holiday Spirit Quest Continues...

Okay, I didn't get much help this year, but I'm trying my best. Some of these are the same because I liked them or liked doing them or they just didn't pan out like I had hoped last year. Some are new. Some are variations. All are designed to get me humming "Deck the Halls" under my breath and wishing every one I meet a "Happy Holidays." I'm slightly in denial that it's that time of year, but that's just me. The quest continues. . .

1. Drink a holiday-flavored latte.
2. Visit the beach during the Christmas season.
3. Dress a cat in something holiday.
4. Touch snow.
5. Wear something that sparkles on a weekday for fun.
6. Sing a Christmas carol at the top of my lungs.
7. Donate to charity.
8. Give a gift to a stranger.
9. Have my Christmas shopping done before December 16th. 
10. Ship my gifts to arrive on time.
11. Craft something.
12. Make gingerbread men/ women from scratch.
13. Make my mom's famous zucchini bread.
14. Dress up in something fancy for fun.
15. Stuff Chef's stocking and have him stuff mine.
16. Listen to Christmas music for one week's worth of commutes.
17. Try a holiday libation.
18. Visit ICE at Santa Monica and skate. 
19. Watch a Christmas movie that I haven't seen in a long time or ever before.
20. Paint my nails with festive polish.
21. Put up Christmas Decorations.
22. Buy a new Christmas decoration. 
23. Wrap all my Christmas presents (no bags allowed!).
24. Write a ridiculous Christmas list.
25. Drive through Beverly Hills to look at the lights.

As usual, progress reports to come!

What to do for my Christmas Spirit Quest? I Need Your Opinion

So last year I decided that living in Southern California is awesome (well, I clearly decided that before last year, but I digress) except for the fact that I have to try and conjure up the holiday spirit in 72 degree weather. The only thing that helps replicate the winter is that sun going down at 4 p.m.

It was fun. I came up with a list of 25 things and spent the month working through them all. I loved ice skating, adored my Gingerbread house, still have my tacky ornament and gained weight with all the goodies I made (although I read today in Real Simple that the average person only gains 0.8 lbs per holiday season--hooray!). The question is:

What should be on this year's Christmas Spirit Quest list?

Here's a review of last year's list: http://brilliantmediocrity.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-get-in-holiday-spirit.html

Some items can be repeated, but I an open to new ideas!! What makes you feel like it's really Christmas?

Holiday Spirit Quest Complete

16. Attend a Holiday Party
(Me at work party)

27 days ago, I wrote 25 things I wanted to do before Christmas to help get into the spirit. To be honest, I didn't think that I'd actually do all of them. The list seemed a little hokey and a little daunting (I couldn't possibly have time to celebrate the holidays. I was way too busy). But in the end, it was really fun and yesterday morning when Chef woke me up at 7 a.m. and said he was ready to open presents, it actually felt like Christmas. I know some of his enthusiasm (okay, most) was for my benefit, but that didn't matter. I had a blast getting into the spirit and while it wasn't like the old days (to be honest, I know it probably will never be and that's cool), it was great fun. I'll do another holiday spirit quest next year (perhaps with a few holiday cocktails on it).

Here's my spirit quest in pictures:

6. Resurrect one holiday tradition from my past. 
(We used to have Cinnamon Rolls every Christmas morning)

4. Go ice skating.

10. Bake Christmas cookies.

20. Go looking at Christmas lights and decorations

22. Make chocolate covered pretzels (and give most of them away too)

5. Make a Gingerbread house.

11. Send holiday cards.

8. Buy something tacky just because its seasonal.

21. Make puppy chow (and give most of it away).

23. Buy something that smells like Christmas. 

7. Put out at least one holiday decoration.

14. Stuff a stocking (or two).

I gave a gift to someone I didn't know (toy drive) and to someone without expecting one in return (you're gonna have to trust me on this one as I'm not doing a call out on the blog). I listened to Christmas music and appreciated the "12 days of Christmas" as well as the stamina of those who can sing this holiday version of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall."

I hope your holidays were just as spirited and fun as mine were.

Dear Santa. . .

P.S. It's nice to see that you're
an IU fan again. :)

I have to admit that you've always been pretty good to me. Even when I was just pretending to believe because my brother asked me to string the "Santa thing" along for another year. If I am being a completely honest (and therefore "nice") girl I have to say that I was eager to suspend disbelief until I got my loot.

To me, Santa, you are more than just someone who brought me stuff. You were my first link to magic. The first character that made me think that things that aren't supposed to happen actually could. Flying reindeer? Sure-so much more environmentally safe than jets. Visiting all children on one night? Perhaps you are the first cloned person and therefore can be in multiple places at once. All the cookies you can eat once a year? I totally get that.

To be honest, Santa, I could use a little "you" in my life. Who doesn't want to believe in magic? That good things can happen for no reason and no need for logic. Who doesn't want to be genuinely surprised? Or to go to bed dreaming of things that you know you'll touch in a few hours? When was the last time your biggest wishes got granted by sleeping? I think that's an adult's dream for sure or at least part of mine.

Even to create some magic seems fun enough. I remember trying to help my aunts and uncles convince my younger cousins that you existed just to be a part of the action. And now, I still want to help make your magic happen. I played "Santa" for some kids, donated to food drives and pet food drives. I even have small items ready to stuff some stockings (mine included) and surprise some cats. Yes, Santa. I so miss your presence that I'm willing to recreate it with pets that can't comprehend or appreciate it.

I'm glad that others still have you to hold on to. (Although I do hate seeing you shill for companies in your off time, but understand that all those toys and elf labor don't come for free). I hope you have the best Christmas, Santa. Thank you so much for all those years of magic and the many more you give others.

Your Elf,
Ashley

From Christmas Past: Oregon Street

For years when I lived in or around Evansville, I would make an annual pilgrimage to the best, tackiest, most over the top display of Christmas decorations that I have ever seen in person anywhere.

Growing up in Big Vin City of Sin (aka Vincennes, IN) I was accustomed to large Christmas displays. A local doctor had life-size moving exhibits of Santa in his workshop, checking his list, etc on his front lawn. The year I learned to read, I figured out that my brother's name (Matthew) was on Santa's list on one of the exhibits but mine wasn't. I cried. My dad called the guy and two nights later my name was on the list. The decorations are long gone, but the memory remains.

After that, I didn't think Christmas decorations could be topped. Until my friends Brooke and Lara introduced me to Oregon Street. This was YEARS before people really knew. We used to drive by late at night and a couple of times got to talk to the guy who did this every year. He started out with one home with a free lot and then the display grew so much he had to buy the house across the street to house the decorations. Of course, that also gave him another yard to decorate. He mentioned that people would just leave that year's latest decorations on his doorstep with notes of goodwill.

The girls and I loved this place. We even exchanged Christmas presents outside the display. In years when we were apart for Christmas, I would take the gifts they had sent to Oregon Street and open them there on my own. It just made my holiday brighter.

So in an effort to make your holiday brighter, and to give you a baseline of the type of Christmas extravagance I've come to expect out of life, here's a video done a few years ago and posted by the Evansville Courier & Press.

You're welcome.

A Little Holiday Magic

Santa's sleigh flying over the Christmas tree
at the Grove.

Earlier this week I tried to find a place around LA that had some good Christmas lights. This proved to be a  harder task than I had imagined. I'm guessing because most of the large, elaborate houses in LA having matching large elaborate fences that Christmas lights aren't the most visible from the street. There are a few neighborhoods that are called out, but none are that close to our place. Apparently there's a Christmas light display at Griffith Park each year that has been cancelled the last two years because of major construction. So, that's was a no go too.

I had to think differently about what I would allow myself to count as "Christmas lights and decorations." I found two shopping areas--both outdoors--that have elaborate displays that include time periods where it snows. They had me at "snow."

Casa di Santa at The Grove

So I chose The Grove, a very popular outdoor mall next to the Farmer's Market, where Mario Lopez films "Extra" each day. It also has a Anthropologie and good parking, so it was the winner. It was fun to hear all the different languages (it's a destination shopping area). Apparently "Santa" is "Santa" in many languages because as we neared his house, I heard many languages spewing words I didn't understand and "Santa" plugged in the middle. I did, however, understand "Casa di Santa."

Chef and I headed to the Farmer's Market after wondering around the Grove and had our favorite LA pizza--a white pizza from Deano's-- and a pitcher of beer. While Chef walked away, I spied a very tall blonde guy that was wearing a baseball hat and cool casual clothes. He looked dead up like Alexander Skarsgard from True Blood fame. I swear it was him, but I'm not going to count it as an official sighting. The guy was hauling ass through the Farmer's Market, so I couldn't confirm. But it was nice eye candy either way.

In front of the fountain and lights

Anyway, after dinner, we walked through the elaborately decorated Grove. It was pretty and enough of a twinkling light affair for me to cross that one off on my Holiday Spirit Quest. I also made chocolate covered pretzels yesterday and am making Christmas cookies today. Only a few more things to get done and I have to say that I do feel more in the holiday spirit this year than in recent memory. Ice skating this week! Chef said he was going to join me. I'll post pictures of my bruises. :)

Have you done anything to get into the spirit lately?

Where I'm at This Week

Harry and David delights

I got my first Christmas present about a week ago and am very thankful for it. My waistline is less thankful, but I have managed to not have eaten the entire thing  and still have quite a bit left. Hooray!

• Pages of fiction read: 66% of a 320 page book--34 percent more than last week (The Family Fang)That's 108 pages.
• Fiction read: Began The Family Fang this week (a Greg recommendation).Still quite awesome. 
• Fiction listened to via audiobook: Finished Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris.
• Five pages written: nope. I suck.
• Calorie tracking: Check. 
• Exercise: 110 minutes of exercise in the last week. 
• Current 5K best (on elliptical): 23 minutes, 32 seconds (broke previous best on 11/25)
• Friends and family: Yup. a few emails to miscellaneous people and a call with my brother/niece/nephew.
• Weight Loss: 0 lb.
• One revised section of novel per week: I edited a short section, but came upon a revelation that's making things better, but delaying my process. 

All I Want for Christmas Is. . .

My Christmas Display

Here's to ticking one off of my Holiday Spirit Quest and to giving anyone who is looking for ideas. Plus it's sometimes fun to write out your wishes, right?

• Massages once a month for a year
• Pedicures and manicures every other week for a year
• A bluetooth headset for my iPhone so I can stop having to plug in my headphones to talk to people on my commute home
• Gift certificates to solesociety.com
• an iPad 2
• My car's brakes fixed and dents out and detailed
• A year's worth of gas
• Gift cards from any or all of the following:
• Sephora or ULTA
• Amazon.com
• GAP
• Ruth's Chris
• Trader Joe's
• Nine West
• Marshall's or TJ Maxx
• Nordstrom
• Coach
• 20 pounds whisked off my body
• a new toaster (ours broke)
• a new hairdryer (broke the day after the toaster broke)
• Christian Louboutin shoes
• knee high black leather boots
• a Hermes Birkin bag
• new jeans
• my hair cut and colored for the year
• beachfront property
• a delicious, soft calorie-free bread
• Good pizza in LA
• Clip-on hair extensions to add 6 inches to my hair
• Ridiculously long hair extension that will allow me to live out my childhood fantasy of being Crystal Gale
• a literary agent
• a month without work or distractions to get my book done
• For the Hoosiers and the Colts to be obligated to play on the West Coast at least once a year and for tickets to those games
• Either the ability to teleport myself (and my luggage) anywhere or plane tickets wherever I want to go with upgraded frequent flier perks like early boarding and free bags
• To live in a more walkable neighborhood
• a personal trainer or workout classes to something that I'd do like boot camp or crossfit
• My body clock to not urge myself to go to sleep at 9 pm every night
• A tropical honeymoon with Chef
• A Cracker Barrel in Southern California
• A second bedroom
• Girl friends in LA
• The ability and will to find girl friends in LA
• The ability to do good British, Australian and French fake accents
• A big brown leather purse
• For Ralph's Diet Black Cherry Cola to be available in something larger than a 6-pack
• To kick my Sims addiction
• Fridays off for a year :)
• A trip to Disneyland

I Found My Tacky

I went to Walgreen's today during my lunch break to grab a few things and thought that it would be a good place to search for #8 on my Holiday Spirit Quest list:

Buy something tacky just because its seasonal.

I knew Walgreen's wouldn't let me down and boy, they didn't. There were a few things to choose from until I saw it. The one item that screamed to me "YOU MUST BUY ME!". The rejected items that I've seen that were almost, but not quite, tacky enough were:

• A Christmas carol singing Sock Monkey
• A dancing Christmas tree (felt a little 1992)
• The leg lamp from A Christmas Story (been done before--a lot)
• Mickey Mouse ears with a Santa Hat headband (didn't want to wear the tacky--just admire it from afar)
• Two coconut balls that were packaged together as "Frosty's balls" (tacky but it was edible and not something for display)

While all those did scream to me, the winner was this:

Yes, that is a Snooki Christmas ornament. I debated on whether to get Snooki or The Situation and settled on her because her ornament looks least like her actual self plus there's a giant butt on her that has "Made in China" imprinted on it. 

Look closely for the Made in China.

It made me chuckle. Clearly, I couldn't get a J-Wow or Pauli D ornament (which they also had) because we all know they won't have the longevity that the Snooki has. 

And to help spread the tacky Christmas cheer, I'm going to put the names of some of my closest friends in a hat and draw out one to send this lovely ornament to after the holidays. You're welcome in advance.

Can you out tacky me? I double dog DARE you!