2008, it's been fun!

This has been a great year and I am so so so thankful to have had it...I'm so thankful to have spent it with my best friend, favorite person in the world, and love of my life, David, and I'm so thankful for our families and all of our friends. I'm excited and looking forward to the coming year and the many plans God has for us. I hope each of you has a wonderful New Year's and I'll see you guys next year...har har.  

Happy New Year's from David, Ruth, Seumas and Blue!

This is our best attempt at getting the whole "family" together. I wanted to take another one, but yeah, the "kids" weren't going to let that happen. Blue kind of looks like a cobra, doesn't she?

Monsters

As I'm sitting here watching Project Runway reruns (say that three times fast) waiting for Hugs to come home, a commercial comes on with Noah Wyle (do y'all remember him from ER...Dr. Carter, was it? aww...such a cutie) and a chattie chat about saving the polar bears...yeah, the polar bears...I thought it was weird, too. I don't know what's up with the bears, cuz I wasn't really watching the commercial...I was too busy giggling every time he gave the camera a super serious glare as he said "You, too, can help save the polar bears." And hear me out, I think it's great to do what we can to help endangered species, but I mean, you had to see it. Go youtube it. It was just SO. SERIOUS. And I didn't know polar bears were in trouble. ANYWAY. The white polar bears reminded me of this preview I saw for this movie when I was yahooing stuff earlier (yes, I have done absolutely nothing productive all day today. I have been sitting on this couch since about 10:03 am and I've gotten up twice to potty and once to feed myself...oh, and once to let the dog out...oh, and once to help the dog because the cat cornered him in the office and wouldn't let him out...so, it's not been entirely unproductive. I have spent the past three days completely organizing and cleaning my house. It's been better than a month-long vacation. If you know me, cleaning and organizing are like cocaine-cleaning and cocaine-organizing to me...I love to do both. Not drugs...just cleaning and organizing. I talk about drugs a lot, don't I? Moving on. So, I wanted to take today and wrap it up and slap a big bow on it and give it to myself as a present...so, back to me sitting on the couch all day.) 

What was my reason for writing this post???......oh yeah!! Monsters. Okay, so the polar bear commercial came on and it reminded me of this preview for a movie I saw...for the life of me, I can't remember the name of the movie, but it comes out in January...hang on, let me google it...Unborn! That's the name of it. It's about these twins...one wasn't born...monsters...a creepy white dog thing with its head upside down...people walking around weird...yeah, sounds like a good movie. Don't go watch the preview if you get scared easily like me. I'll have nightmares for about three days just cuz of the preview. The dog thing really creeped me out, but I couldn't stop watching it. I don't do horror movies...at all. The last horror movie I saw was Amittyville Horror, I think. I don't even like realistic crime/murder movies...those are the worst cuz it's stuff that can actually happen. I don't pay $9/person to be scared and have crazy dreams for days. I want to see the stereotypical chick flick where the guy and the girl hate each other, then love each other and then something happens and she won't forgive him, but then at the very end, they get together, of course. I want to laugh and go "awwww" and maybe shed a tiny tear or two. 

I've been afraid of monsters my entire life. I'm 26 years old and yes, I take a leaping jump to get into the bed, so the octopus monster that's always been under there can't grab me with his sucker-riddled tentacle arms. After I turn my lamp off and give sweet David a hug and kiss goodnight, I pull the covers over my head and refuse to open my eyes because I know that the ambient light coming off the alarm clock will show that the ghost girl from the Grudge is actually in my ceiling...her long, black hair snaking its way through through the crown-molded corners of our bedroom. Even if it's 1,206 degrees inside, I always always always have to have a sheet and comforter protecting my body from the sharp claws of the red-cladded Village monster...fake or not, that thing was SCARY. A simple sheet won't protect me, but the addition of the feather-stuffed comforter makes all the difference in the world. I pull the sheets closest to the open side of the bed tight tight tight to my body so nothing can come by stealth up that way. 

I credit my irrational fear of things that don't exist to my sister...yes you, Sara. Thanks, ole buddy. When I was a little girl, she would tell me stories of It the Clown (who's not afraid of that guy) and Mike, the Unconnected Hand (yes, his name was Mike). I swear I could hear the pitter patter of fingertips on my bedroom floor at night. For about three years, I slept in the incandescent bask of every single light in my room turned on, sitting straight up, propped up by pillows...just in case I needed to react to something quickly. I had/still have an escape route for any situation. I've heard every single ghost story ever created and I believed all of them...I also believed all of the ghosts or monsters in the stories hid in various places in my room. For years I thought the distance dong ching ding was an old witch playing our piano at night...tapping one key at a time...slowly...monotonously...with one, shriveled finger...until I realized it was the medals from horse shows, Bible drills, and piano recitals clanking together against my wall as the breeze from the fan disturbed their slumber. Of course, I never told my parents because Sara said that ghosts "don't like tattle tails." Eventually, I did tell my parents, risking the wrath of the banshees...Sara got into loads of trouble...and I grew out of my ridiculously imaginative childhood ways...and this was all last month. My family does still give me a hard time about the Unconnected Hand...as shown by a Christmas gift a few years ago...a green glass ring holder...a single hand reaching skyward...ghostly fingers outstretched...awaiting precious metals and stones...and your souls...wah ha haaaa...ack...cough cough...anyways. 

The only monster that still gives me a little jump is the werewolf. I can't stand werewolves. Odd, because my dog looks just like one...  

and he's just as sweet and cuddly as can be...I think. He may transform during a full moon...I dunno. But, I can't do werewolf movies...vampires, no problem. Regular ghosts...piece of cake. Little girl ghosts...negative. Swamp things...maybe. 

So, I don't believe in ghosts or monsters anymore. But I mean, come on...who doesn't pick up a little speed when walking from the garage to the bedroom in the pitch blackness in the dead of night...just in case something creepy is watching you through the window...nobody? Just me? You're all liars. 

Anyways. My puddin bear just got home early! Woot! So, we're gonna make some supper and head to see a movie...Bedtime Stories...shouldn't be too scary. Adam Sandler is a little weird...but I think it'll be fine.

I Love Me Some Christmas!

For Christmas this year, we went the beach the weekend before Christmas like we always do with my mom's side of the family...we rent a house and two connecting condos and we just all pile in there. It's pretty much fantastic. We have several traditions...we play Bingo...the most competitive Bingo you will ever play...on cards that date back to the 1600's. We play Dirty Santa...we've just started that one...two years running now. I don't know if I like Dirty Santa, but it's pretty funny to watch people get all worked up about it. My grandmother, aunts, and mom make the best meals ever. And we give everybody a hard time about something. The more you whine about something, the more you get aggravated about it, so it's best to keep quiet. Here are some pictures from the beach: 

This is me and my siblings. 

This is me, my sister, and my brother's lady friend. 

These are my parental units.

This is cousin Abigail. I have a feeling she's scheming to take over the world one day...right now, she's just formulating a plan to claim all the green beans to herself...I tell ya...that girl is the Jolly Green Giant.

Who says you need to leave the continental US to see a beautiful sunset. 

These are my feets. I love feet pictures. I don't know why. I hate feet. I don't want to touch other people's and I don't want them touching mine. Ick. 

This is the cousins playing a game of volleyball. It turned into black-eye volleyball when it got too dark to see the ball anymore, but no one wanted to quit because it was "dangerous and cool." 

This is me and my sweet love. 

This is my uncle...he's diabetic. So, when he eats 4 pieces of fudge, 3 cowboy cookies and 5 pieces of red velvet cake...he dives into a sugar coma...sleeping like a baby.

This is my other uncle...this is what happened when someone asked, "Will you save the tissue paper so I can use it again?" Yeah, you see why I'm the way I am. 

This is my sister and Papaw...these aren't their normal faces. 

This is the boys rejoicing after their win in Battle of the Sexes...they totally got all of the easy questions. Dumb game.

These are just random pictures of us being silly...like always. 

Here are the ancient Bingo cards.

One of the aggravation issues I referred to earlier is my cousins' clothing...my mom and uncles think their shirts are too tight. Like, "what 10-year old did you steal that off of?"...so, here my mom and uncles are wearing shirts that obviously fit very well.  

We were also able to spend the day after Christmas with my dad's side of the family. We play Dirty Santa there, too. Agh, that game...it haunts me wherever I go. These are my grandparents and all of the grandkids. 

This is my family. Yes, I'm the shortest...I stopped growing in the 4th grade. It's hard for me to talk about it. 

This is my grandmother's sweet potato soufflé...oooh...they should make a movie about that stuff. It can cure any illness and make you burst into song spontaneously. I've written several poems about it. I swear she puts crack in it. 

This is my parents' tree. My mom keeps it up year-round...sans ornaments. 

These are all of us opening our gifts. Both sets of grandparents come over to celebrate Christmas morning with us.

Here are the parental units again. My dad doesn't normally look so...on drugs. Mom got him this little telescoping handle thing for his camera that makes it easier for you to take pictures of yourself or you and a friend when you don't have someone around to take one for you. You just attach it to your camera and hold it out so you can't see your arm or the contraption and you can get a more panoramic view. So, he was happy with his new toy and we made fun of him.

Here are me, my sister and my dad's mom (Mamaw). And Sara's ridiculously awesome earrings. They were actually my other Mamaw's and she gave them to me to wear to next year's tacky sweater party. I'm totally gonna wear them. Sara blessed us by wearing them all morning.

This is my brother. He is half bat. And yes, that is a Canadian goose on the wall. We grew up in a log cabin...there are a lot of animal things around...including my brothers.

This is mom and her hot chocolate and one of her many jogging suits. 

This is me and Noah cleaning the front garden area for the parental units just cuz we're nice. It pretty much looked like an oak tree threw up all over the ferns and bushes. And, no, that's not my hat. I borrowed it from Noah.

We also visited David's family on Christmas day. I realize I didn't take my camera with me, but I'll get some pictures of them later. They're a pile of cutie patooties! 

Anyways. That was our Christmas. It was awesome and we had a blast seeing everybody. Yes, we're a bunch of rednecks, but our families are incredible and we love them so much. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from me, David, Seumas and Blue!

We hope you and your family have a blessed day and remember the true Reason for the season. 

I got you all a gift...it's....this post...Merry Christmas! 

Hugs and kisses!

By the way...

...a few people have asked me about it..I DO NOT dress up my animals because they're my "children." I dress them up because I get a good laugh out of it and they hate it so much and give me the death stare and it just tickles me to no end. All of the outfits they have were either $1 at Target or were given to us. Just wanted to clarify. I'm not one of those people. Not that I'm making fun of those people....well, I am...but I have no reason to dress them up except for my own personal amusement. Besides, it takes passing a bill of Congress to get them into an outfit, so I only do it on special occasions...or if I'm bored. And I mean...it's so stinking cute to see Seumas in a shirt that says "Noble Beast." I can't help myself. 

Christmas Decor

I don't do a whole lot of decorating for Christmas. I heart Christmas, but I'm also pretty lazy, so I'm just like whatevs. I do love looking at other people's decorations, though. Sometimes, much to the dismay of Hugsy Bear, we'll drive around and look at Christmas lights and I'm like "just one more street...pleaaaaaseee?????" and he's like "you said that twenty-five streets ago! waaaaahhhhhh!!!" And then I sucker punch him into going down one more street. 

We normally just put up some garland and white lights outside on the windows and I'll put random little Christmas knick knacks around the house. (Okay, does "knick knacks" make anybody else think of "knick knack patty whack, give the dog a bone" ? I mean, WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? Knick knack patty whack just sounds wrong.) By knick knacks I mean an assortment of nativity scenes, fuzzy snowmen thingies I hang from doorknobs, tin buckets filled with cinnamon sticks, Christmas bath and kitchen towels, Christmas smelly candles, and the like. The only part of the house I really "transform" is the fireplace. I also dress up Blue and Seumas. I consider them part of the Christmas decorations...they don't...but I keep them alive with dry food, water, and petting, so...they can live with it. 

My mom found this awesome lime green aluminum Christmas tree for me a few years ago. I absolutely adore it. I wish I had one for every room in the house. I love lime green as I'm sure you can tell from the pictures below. We have our childhood ornaments and some of our own we've hoarded throughout the years, but we decorate our tree with travel ornaments we've collected from our trips since we've been married. If we can find a good ornament on vacation, we'll do that. But more often than not, we'll use a keychain. Because sometimes, those dadburn ornaments are expensive. (i.e. $47 for an ornament in the South Pacific vs. $13 for a keychain) And a lot of times, the keychains have a wider variety of styles and whatnot. I'm like...it can hang from a tree and it's prettier (and cheaper) than the dumb ornament, so get the keychain. And if we've visited the same place more than once, I'll get another keychain and date them so we'll remember the years we've visited. We like our travel tree. I found our stockings at a Christmas expo about four years ago. They. Creep. Me. Out. But I love them. They remind me of little munchkin feet and I have this nightmare of the toes curling and uncurling and ringing the bells and oh gosh, please don't let that happen. Blue and Seumas' stockings are in the middle, although they don't seem to care about them. Ungrateful moochers. David sets up his little train around the tree and presents...which Blue is thrilled about. When I come home, at least two, if not all, of the train cars are thrown off the tracks as if mercilessly dealt a fuzzy Soft Paws encapsulated blow by an evil, soulless cat. That poor train. She hates it so much. I think that's one reason I love that David sets it up each year. Sometimes I'll let it run for hours while Blue paces around the living room, devising a plan to overthrow the Kingdom of the Christmas Tree...guarded by the Train of All Things Happy. 

As you can tell, they both love to dress up for Christmas. 

This is Seumas waiting in his elf outfit for David to come home. Santa's little helper.

This is what his ears do when you say "Who's at the door? Who's at the door?"

Cutie patootie star from World Market. I heart that place.
Our extra creepy stockings. Seumas' stocking has tucked itself behind Blue's somehow. 

Blue and the Train of All Things Happy. Do you see that evil in her eyes? She only wishes malice and hurt towards the Train.