Everytime a Bell Rings

I don't know about you, but when I revisited the Christmas classic, I fell deeper in love with it.

A Month of Crafts in 3.5 Hours

On Thanksgiving weekend I went to Michael's with coupons in hand, ready to buy some craft supplies. I emerged $20 liter with a bag full of projects for the little and I. For one reason or another, we never got to them. So, tonight we did my month's worth of ideas.

First we painted our figurines for our snow globes.

The two jars I managed to save were huge pickle jars. They were a bit oversized but still worked. The Little's figurine wound up not sticking to the bottom and hers just ended up floating around, which she was happy about.

Next up: snowmen made out of styrofoam balls we found at a thrift store. I got out my craft box and we foraged for whatever we could.

These were my favorite thing we made. We went downstairs and picked some branches off a poor innocent tree to make their arms and they turned out too cute.
And finally, we made the gingerbread house (I got it from Michael's for only $4!).

Never again will I make a gingerbread house. They're a pain, you can't eat them and they never stick together. When I asked the Little if she wanted to take it home she said, "umm, no."  I can't say I blame her.
She stayed for dinner with Sir Sunderland and I and we all had a great time. She went home with a sad giant snowglobe and a cool styrofoam snowman. We won't be able to meet until after Christmas so I gave her her Christmas present. She was more excited about the $1 socks I have her rather than the Miley Cyrus cd. You never know with her. Cracks me up.
Tonight marked one of the first times she's ever said thank you. It used to hurt my feelings, but then I had to think about her upbringing and maybe she doesn't know or she's uncomfortable saying it. Whatever the reason, I got over it quickly.
It was a fun night and we enjoyed eachothers company while listening to Christmas carols and giggling while we did our crafts.

Christmas!

We are on the ball this holiday season. The Christmas cards have been mailed (even sent my sister hers early so she'd get it before she left for the holidays). Every single person on our list has been checked off.

See the cute dog in the purse? It's for the Little and I know she'll love it! The girlfriend's all have their gifts, most of them are wrapped and I feel great. We finished off the roll of hideous Santa wrapping paper Sir Sunderland bought last year and made a dent in the yarn I have leftover from a couple projects a few years back. Now it's time to sit back, relax and enjoy the holiday!

Snow + Lauren = NOT GOOD

Saturday marked my first official "I hate the snow" day.  Allow me to tell you why:

• Sir Sunderland decides to go skiing today, thus needing my AWD Subaru. I drive to work at 5 am and safely park in the parking lot. Sir Sunderland comes at 9am and switches cars. I then take his Front wheel drive Honda Civic to the bank and post office then park on the street at work. This is where I get stuck. Go back to work, finish my day and head out, in a rush to pick up the Little. 20 minutes later (and late) with the help of a barista's boyfriend, I am off  pick up my Little. We somehow make it to and from her house to what's left of the party we were late to.
  
  

• Take Sophie out to the bathroom, slip and fall on my knee. 

• I go out to dinner and the Nutcracker with some girlfriends. After the show I went down the street to a girlfriend's house to check on her cat. I pet the cat, play with him and get in my car to leave. I then proceed to get stuck on her street. Phone call to Sir Sunderland, him and his brother show up to dig/push me out. 
• Sir Sunderland and I get home, with arms full of things I slip, hit the spoiler of my car and land on my butt where I lay on the ground proclaiming, almost in tears "this is the worst day ever."

Daily Musings of a Married Couple

Sir Sunderland: Why aren't you using the purse I bought you? -In reference to my orange, yellow and cream one I got for my birthday

Me: It's a Fall purse, it's winter now.

Sir Sunderland: What?! A Fall purse? If I had known it was for one season I wouldn't have gotten it for you.

Me: Why on earth would I use a candy corn-like purse in winter?

Men, I tell you.

Secret Santa

My boss at work is lazy, disorganized, doesn't care about her employees busy. I knew she wouldn't be doing anything within the store for the holidays so I offered to start up secret Santa. I made the sign up list, drew the names and made cute little decorated envelopes to let everyone know who got who.
Everyone knows who got who, now it'll be the test of who will actually participate. I like most of my coworkers but have to hand it to them, they don't do so well when thinking of others. Or how about I've had 3 girls tell me they already know who they got, one girl whined and my boss told me she thinks she got a person who didn't want to participate. WTF? Come on people. Just do it! Anyways, I totally rigged the drawing so I got a girl I wanted and can't wait to go buy her a Christmas cd! Isn't that what it's all about?

A Letter to the Idiot Drivers in Reno

Dear Fellow Drivers of Reno,
While 4wd does provide traction on those snowy roads it does not make you god. When it is 2 degrees outside with snow on the road, it does not entitle you to speed by, making your own lane at 60mph. In fact, I too have an all-wheel-drive car, but you don't see me speeding down the highway.  I save that for the empty road on the way home, where I
1.) won't die
2.) won't kill innocent safe-drivers exercising caution
3.) can giggle like a school girl
As for you 2wd drivers. It's below freezing, which means the roads are ICY.  In case you didn't know (which I don't think you do) ice is slippery. This means your car will not stop as you ride my ass and I brake at a safe distance from the car in front of me. As much as I would love to be rear ended by an idiot, it just doesn't fit into my schedule.
So, as the second round of snow storms comes to Reno, keep it together people. All you idiots in giant trucks who think you are invincible, slow down, exercise caution and get off my ass! 
Sincerely,
Lauren