Tristan & Isolde

I've always had a fascination with the Arthurian Legends. So much so that I took a literature course in college all about it. I've got several books on my shelf that I have not touched in years. Now there is a movie coming out, Tristan & Isolde. It was probably one of my favorite legends when I studied it in school. Yes, I am a girl and yes, I am a hopeless romantic! Despite that, I'm not a huge chick flick kinda gal. I almost never seek them out in the movie theatres, but might catch them on HBO or occasionally pay-per-view. But this one I think I will go to the movies to see. Something to look forward to!

It's 3AM, Go Back to Bed--PLEASE!

We had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner with my parents yesterday. Even though we'll see them at my in-laws house later today, we exchanged gifts with them. Steven spent much of the afternoon as he did the first Christmas we were together, with his nose buried in a Calvin & Hobbes book, only this time, it's the full treasury box set. It weighs a ton and my dad was convinced he'd give himself a hernia carrying it into the house. Not something you'd want to drop on your foot or the cat for sure!

After working in the kitchen for most of the day, putting on a nice grilled beef tenderloins, Paula Deen's Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes and asparagus dinner (with Christmas cookies for dessert), and just generally getting the house ready for Christmas, I was totally exhausted last night. I was in bed by 8:30 PM. I read a mystery novel for a bit and then conked out by 9:00 PM!

Then I was awoken at 3:00 AM to the sounds of a certain small person, "Oh my goodness! Santa's been! Mummy! Daddy! Wake up! Santa's been here and you should see all the presents under the tree and our stockings have stuff in them!!!!" I love my boy, but not so much at 3:00 AM out of a dead sleep. We convinced him to go back to bed and get some more sleep. That lasted for 2 hours. At 5:00 AM he started in on his stocking and we again told him to go back to bed--PLEASE! There was no escaping his excitement at 7:00 AM.

So we've opened all of our presents, I have made Monkey Bread for our Christmas morning treat and now both Steven & J are assembling their Ferrari F1 Lego sets (yes, they each got one--gotta love boys!). I'm sitting here debating a third cup of tea. Being woken every couple of hours through the night is taking it's toll on me this morning. I'm also anxious to get my iPod from my in-laws, as Steven bought me the iPod camera attachment, so I'll be able to back up our vacation pictures when we go to Aruba. Wah-hoo!

We'll pop around to my in-laws house with cake, shrimp stuffed potatoes and cookies this afternoon. Can't wait to see our sweet little niece, who was kind enough to bring her mommy & daddy up from New Jersey with her this morning!

Merry Christmas friends!

PS: I should add that Steven went to the scrapbook store in Grafton and got me several things that I didn't have and are way cool. What a good boy he is.

Life Dreams

Last night I was watching the History Channel about Stonehenge. I am so glad that Steven & I went there in 1998. It got me thinking about Life Dreams. That was a dream fulfilled. I'm pretty impressed with that by 36 I have fulfilled a number of life dreams. I have

- Walked around the stones of Stonehenge
- Ridden in a hot air balloon (twice!)
- Climbed the pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico (easier said than done)
- Swam with dolphins (that dream is partially fulfilled, I want to do that one again)
- Seen Faberge Easter eggs

I still have a number of other life dreams to fulfill, among them are:

- See the pyramids of Giza
- Tour St. Petersburg, Russia
- Take a train ride across the U.S.
- Learn to speak Russian

Christmas Tagged!

Hot Chocolate or Egg Nog? Hot chocolate--Land O Lakes makes one called Chocolate Supreme. Good stuff!

Does Santa wrap the presents or just set them under the tree? Santa wraps his presents in paper with Santa Claus' on them. Non-Santa presents are wrapped in non-Santa wrap.

Colored or white lights on the tree/house? Colored, white is BORING!

Do you hang mistletoe? No, I always worry the cat will get it and eat it. She's not that bright after all.

When do you decorate? Normally Thanksgiving weekend, but this year I didn't get to it until last week.

What is your favorite holiday dish? Beef tenderloin with twice baked potatoes.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child? We almost always spent Christmas on the Cape with my Nana & Grandad. Sometimes my Aunt Val-Val and cousin Susie would be there. One year it was 72 degrees (highly unusual for Massachusetts in December), so my aunt & I walked down to the beach. We sang Christmas carols off key, collected shells and umm, "borrowed" an evergreen branch from one of Nana's neighbors. We put it in a pot of soil, hung the shells and put tinsel on it. Then I had it in my bedroom to decorate my room down the Cape.

How and when did you learn the truth about Santa? No clue.

Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve? Steve & I usually open one, a DVD and watch that together.

What kind of cookies do you set out for Santa on Christmas Eve? My spritz cookies.

Snow! Love it or hate it? I hate the mess it makes, but to look at it makes me happy.

Can you ice skate? I haven't in years, but I used to when I was a little kid.

Do you remember your favorite gift? My gold Celtic cross that my parents gave me the Christmas that I was pregnant w/ DS. Mummy designed it for both my dad and I.

What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? Spending time with our families.

What’s your favorite holiday dessert? My homemade cookies.

What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Spending time with our families.

What type of tree? Live of course!

Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Both honestly!

What is your favorite Christmas Carol? "Silent Night"

Candy Canes, YUCK or YUM? The first few licks, YUM. After that, YUCK.

Now I tag Stephanie and Karen.

Light a Candle for Meghan

It's been almost a year since Meghan Agnes Beck left our circle of friends that is like family to us. Next Sunday, December 11th, there will be a candle lighting ceremony to honor those children who have been called home to Heaven. Please join me from 7-8PM and light a candle for this little angel.

For more information on Meghan's story, please visit Meghan's Hope.

God bless you and yours this holiday season.

Bono Here I Come!!!!!!

OH-MA-GAWD! I'm going to U2 on Sunday. We had only one General Admission ticket for the show. Originally this year I was supposed to see them in May with Steven, but then I got really sick and couldn't go. So instead of 1 spare ticket, we had 2 for that show. He swapped them for our October tickets. Somehow he ended up with a single ticket for the upcoming show and he even offered to let me go on my own. My problem is I have panic attacks in crowds of people. If Steven is with me, then I can reach over for him or have him talk me down. The thought of a concert by myself is an impossibility right now. So I said, "No dear. You go. I'll stay home." Well gosh darn it all if our friend Paul didn't discover he had a spare general admission ticket for the same show! So about 72 hours from now I'll be standing on the floor of the Bank North Garden being showered with red and silver confetti as the first few notes of "City of Blinding Lights" whips the crowd into a frenzy. And this time, I'm bringing my camera!!!!!