Christmas In July- Christmas Memories

As I turn 25 in December (Wow… I’m getting quite old. Maybe.), times like these make me remember memories from Christmas pasts. Some good. Some not so good. However, I’ve always learned that Christmas is a time of sharing and giving. In fact, I love shopping for everyone else. As long as everyone is happy and enjoying their holiday, then my Christmas is complete!

I do have a few stories, or rather memories, that I would love to share. When my sister and I were very young, we would come home on Christmas Eve from my aunt’s house and turn on the television. We would turn it to a local channel on NORAD would have their “Where’s Santa?” program on. It showed you where Santa was. This was becoming a huge tradition in our family as we did it every year. As we got older, we kept forgetting about it. However, I still do believe in the magic of Christmas and Santa. I wish they would bring that back! I know you can view it online http://www.noradsanta.org/, but I don’t wanna! I want tradition back! Sorry, my inner child is coming out. I get giddy about Christmas! It makes me think of cold weather, Christmas lights, and family!

When my sister and I were, I believe, still in elementary, money was tight one Christmas. I just truly believed Santa wouldn’t come visit because we couldn’t leave out milk or cookies. On Christmas morning, we woke up to presents. We were truly baffled. A few years later, we found out that Mom, wanting to give her daughters presents to open, went to Toys for Tots. Ever since that Christmas year, my family and I collect toys to donate. This year, I have a box set up in my room just for that. Throughout the year, until December, I will be putting toys and I get into that box. If I can help children who are less fortunate have a good Christmas, then that makes me feel better inside. Having once been helped by them, it’s time to help others.

For more information on Toys for Tots, visit http://www.toysfortots.org/

Girls Night Out Recap

Last night we had a girls night out- as you probably already know. Boy did we have fun! At first we just drove around the city. The sun was setting and there wasn’t much to do at 8pm at the time. My sister, however, got some gorgeous pictures of the sun setting. So, before I get on with the story, I will post those pictures so you can see how well my sister knows her photography. Of course, she is the photography genius in the house.

Sunset Over Jack In The Box

Sunset over a field?

See how great she is at the camera? Way to go, Sis!

So, what did we do after wasting gas for about 30 minutes? Someone got hungry. Not only me, but camerawoman got hungry, too. Wait… I forgot something. We took a picture at the beginning of our night out of us together. Look how excited Elvira is…

Awww!

I wonder why she isn’t smiling. Most of the time, I don’t have my glasses on when I take pictures. This was a different situation. I use my glasses mostly for when I drive. This time we stopped in the HEB parking lot and took this picture. It was the closest one to us.

So back to being hungry. We could not decide what we wanted to eat. At that time, I was craving everything. Pizza, Chinese, Subway, hamburgers, Tex-Mex. What did we decide on? We decided on Subway. So, I pulled into the Subway parking lot (another parking lot not far from HEB!), and we chose who would go in and get it. Angela volunteered. We ended up getting a tuna with everything except jalapenos and onions. I felt sorry for sis. Apparently, their air conditioner in the store wasn’t working and so the store was hot hot hot. Next time, I go in. We shared a foot long sub. She got half, and I got half.

Nom nom nom.

Most of the time I don’t like pictures of me eating being taken, but hey, this was something we may not do for quite a while. By the way, the sub tasted great!!

Since we didn’t get any drink with our food, we decided after eating all of that, we were extremely thirsty. I didn’t want a soda because I was going to get one later. I started craving a milkshake really badly. Sugar rush to the rescue! We drove to Whataburger (I love their shakes!) and we both got a vanilla shake, but she got a small and I got a medium. Told you I was craving one!

So, after getting our drink, we drove around a little bit more so we could finish them. I’ve come to realize that most people don’t get out on Saturday night until really late- but I didn’t want to wait until 10pm to get out. I was bored. We needed something to do!

After an hour and a half or more of being out, we decided to stop by the Corner Store and head on home. It was a bad idea to go down a rough street with a lot of ice cream in your stomach. It felt like you were a rollercoaster and you were going to just toss your cookies. No tossing of the cookies happened. We went into the store and got a gallon of milk and sodas not only for us, but our parents, too.

Fast forward to us getting home. We drove up to the front of the house (we have no driveway), and took one last picture of us together. So, as soon as my sister got out of the car, the handle on the very cheap plastic bag broke that held the milk. Well, there went that gallon of milk. It’s a good thing we didn’t want any more dairy products!

So, although the night seemed to be a great one, it ended with spilled milk and full and yet, happy tummies!

"Eye" See You!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!

I would like to take the time to wish each and every one of you a Happy Fathers Day! So, sit back, relax, and enjoy your day!

Thanks Dad for teaching me how to fish.

Thanks Dad for not wanting to interrogate every boyfriend I’ve ever had.

Thanks Dad for taking the time to help me with my math homework- even though I wanted the answers.

Thanks Dad for giving me your sense of humor.

Thank you for everything! I love you, Dad!!

Girls Night Out

Tonight, myself and Texas Banter will be having a girls night out. Normally we don’t have these nights out because of the economy and to save gas, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Okay, they’re not really desperate times. We actually were supposed to go out last night, but one, we were very tired, and two, I ended up getting sick. So, I wake up this morning with no sickness. It’s a miracle. After a good nights sleep (I found a new way to actually sleep. Yay!!), and the sound of the dog barking, I feel like we could definitely have a night out- just us girls.

Where are we going? Well, we’re trying to save money and do things kind of cheap. The suggestions I have are… well, I don’t have any suggestions. With movies starting at nearly $8 a piece, that doesn’t seem plausible. Plus, we wouldn’t have any snack money, and you have to have snacks with movies- like popcorn. Next, we could go play some pool. Here’s the thing: I suck at pool. I can’t even get a decent shot. I’ve tried learning, but I don’t seem to have the hand-eye coordination needed. Plus, I really don’t want to explain to the owner why the 8-ball decided to jump from the table and hit a glass. It might get too embarrassing.

We could go out for drinks, but unfortunately, I’ll be the only one driving. That leaves that out. I am pretty sure we’ll think of something. And yes, there will even be pictures. Pictures speak a thousand words- even when twins are involved.

I would ask all of my readers to join us, but I don’t think everyone could fit in the car and it might be a little cramped. So, when we get home from the fun, I will upload the pictures (even if they are bad) and then tell you what we decided to do. Of course, our agenda is subject to change as soon as we get out of the house.

It’s been so long (year or so) since we have done this kind of thing together and I am getting excited. It will be nice to get out of the house and away from the chaos for just a few hours. What is our objective? Feel rejuvenated less stressed. So, girls night out, here I come!!

My Sister’s Keeper Book Review(May Contain Spoilers)

DISCLAIMER: THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. I’ll put (***) before the sentence to warn you of a spoiler if, in fact I do insert one.

Thanks to my fantastic Mom, who bought this book only 2 days ago, I had the chance to read it. It’s written by Jody Picoult. When I picked it up for the first time, I originally thought that it would just be a book about sisters, and that’s all. Well, for the most part, it is. Here’s the synopsis of the book:

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate — a life and a role that she has never challenged…until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister — and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

I had such a hard time putting this book down- although I finished it in 2 nights. I tend to read more at night because that’s when most people are asleep and I have more time to concentrate on it.

Picoult’s writing style is unique. In the book, the chapters aren’t number 1, 2, 20, 45, etc. Instead, you get a chance to read every character’s point of view. You not only get to hear from Anna, you also get to hear from the parents and other characters in the story. It was a really different way of reading. Like I said, I couldn’t put the book down.

I will warn you, you might need to read the book with a box of tissue next to you. ***There are some sad parts that just make you feel like you’re on a roller coaster of emotion. You feel helpless when Kate’s “boyfriend” dies. You want to hug the parents.***

So how much do I love this book? Immensely. While Twilight was numero uno (number 1 for the English speakers) on my favorites list, that has been bumped down to Number Two. My Sister’s Keeper now sits in the first slot. So, I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good sob story, a story of inspiration and desperation.

My Sister’s Keeper is a book that I’m sure you guys will love!

Thoughts on Motherly Advice

It has been a few years since I have checked out some Murphy’s Laws. Well gosh darnit, wouldn’t you know, those laws actually speak the truth! This particular one about Mothers has had me thinking, maybe that’s why my own mother and I are so close.

Maternal instinct is stronger than any force known except an IRS collection agent.

Actually, the maternal instinct is stronger than super glue! I know, bad analogy, but hey, super glue holds everything together. I say that my family is held together by Elmer’s glue and duct tape. Yes, duct tape. While it looks like a flimsy adhesive tool, it can take hair off your arm. That’s another story for another time. While the glue helps bond us, the duct tape keeps it together. You never know when that glue may accidentally peel apart and what’s left to help hold everything together? Dun dun dun! Duct tape to the rescue.

No, I’m not just going to be talking about duct tape. Although, I’m sure I can write a whole post on uses for it. That may be another time.

So anyways, back this Murphy’s Laws on motherhood. Now, everyone says that Mothers have a “How To” book. Well, where is this book and can I see it? I want to know how mothers seem to have eyes in the back of their heads. You can be making funny faces at her (I’ve done that once in my lifetime) and she’ll just nonchalantly say “Quit it. Don’t make me turn this car around.” How could she tell? You’re in the backseat and dumbfounded. I’ve always wondered that. You could be screaming your head off, and all she has to do is give you the “look” and the room goes silent. Even the pets stare in amazement. Mothers may not be able to end all wars, but they certainly can stop you, in mid sentence, from saying something that might get you into trouble.

They must have magic powers!

Another one from the website states: The motherly advice you ignore will always turn out to be the best advice she ever gave you.

See? This is why I may start writing down all of my mother’s advice in a notebook. If a test pops up and I didn’t study for it, but ignored her advice, then I can look back and think “Oh my god! She was right! How did I think I would just know the answers? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!”

Or when your mother advises you that whenever you feel like you don’t have the money to get what special shirt you want, write down your budget and see if you can save money for it. However, you decide that you’ll be fine without doing the budget and you come up short for the annual Girl’s Night Out. Well, you may have a pretty shirt to wear, but how are you going to pay for your food at the restaurant? Well, that’s probably when that motherly advice comes into play.

Hey moms, it may seem like we’re not listening, and maybe we’re not; but, when it comes time for that motherly advice to pop into our memories, it’s too late. We did listen though!

“Shopping” Online. Just Browsing.

Earlier today, my sister, mom, and myself needed to get some new pants. Well, capris, to be honest. It’s been quite a while since we have gotten any clothes for ourselves, so it was a nice treat. So, I got woken up at 10 (after waking up at 620am, and I didn’t need to get up until 9… then went back to sleep at 8am), and we got dressed. I was half asleep as I walked to the car. I’m surprised I didn’t drop the cell phone that was in my hand. I don’t have very good hand-eye coordination when I’m extremely sleepy. It’s something I abhor at times.

So, we all get into the car and whisk away to the store. By then, I am awake and ready to shop! So, as we walk into the store (I’m lagging behind!), my sister and I go to the nearest rack that has pants, capris, and shorts. Us girls had no idea how much we could spend because we didn’t have a price range. I told sis “Maybe she should send up smoke signals when we hit a price that’s worth it.” Well, maybe that’s illegal in a store. Anyways, we gawk at the rack and I find a pair of cute black with blue striped capris. BINGO! I found my pants. I go and try them on. They are very lightweight and would feel really good in this summer heat. I put the pants around my arm like a butler does a towel and walk out of the dressing rooms. I make sure to let my sister see the pair I got. Apparently, she picked up the same kind. We are definitely twins!

So, as my sister and I walk out of the store (I felt like I was going to get sick right in the store. My stomach ached for some odd reason), we walked back to the car. I made sure to close the door as soon as I could and have sis turn on the air conditioner. It felt a lot better once my body temperature cooled.

So, as soon as everyone is back in their seats- Mom driving, Sis in the front changing CDs like she changes her sleeping patterns, and I in the back- we did a few more errands and we came back home. Immediately I decided to do some more online shopping… well, it’s more like browsing. I went to my favorite clothing websites to see what cute shirts or skirts they had. To be quite blunt, the online stores were extremely cheaper than the store we went to. I think I just found how I am going to buy my clothes from now on.

So which websites did I go to? Lane Bryant and Woman Within. I only wish I had a credit card with an unlimited amount on it so I could buy some clothes for not only me, but surprise my sis and mom! Ahh… I love being a woman sometimes!

It’s A Good Thing Summer Is Here

There is only one good thing that can come out of summer. What is that one thing? Well, let me set up the story for you. Actually, first I have to tell you the another story before I get to that story. I think I just confused myself. Anyways, here is the story.

A few years ago, my dad was working with someone who needed to get rid of a lot of great stuff. At the time, we didn’t have a working washer or dryer, and it just so happened that the lady was getting rid of her washer/dryer. We were all ecstatic. That meant that we didn’t need to haul the laundry to and from the laundry mat. We saved a lot of money that way. Thanks, Miss Dickey (which, I believe was her name). She was also getting rid of a 52 inch television. It worked for about a few years and then quit. It was an old TV to begin with. So, we got it into the house and put it in the garage where our connection was. Even I didn’t mind doing the laundry!

So, about a month ago, the old dryer decided to die on us. It was used almost every other day and was a good dryer- although a bit confusing with the buttons/knobs. My sister ended up showing me how to use that particular dryer. The washer still works very well! The only thing bad about the washer is that it is in a garge that is well… not very insulated. You feel every cold, hot, rainy days that come along. Nonetheless, we have a washer!

Why am I a tiny bit happy summer is here? The keyword here is “tiny.” To be quite honest, we can hang the clothes out to dry. We don’t need to scrounge up a few bucks in quarters just to take it to the laundry mat. All we have to do is hang up the line (which keeps coming off… I wonder why) and hang the clothes up. The clothes may be scorching hot and stiff when they come in, but hey, at least they get dry!

We have a few months until fall to worry about a new dryer. If need be, we’ll do one of those rent to own things. Until then, we’ll let Mother Nature do her thing.

I just wish Mother Nature would wait until July to bring us 102 degree weather. I’m not looking forward to this week!

Fathers Day Gift Ideas Part 2

Time to finish off the Fathers Day gift ideas list! You have until June 21st to get that special man that special gift! So, get some ideas then go shopping! What woman doesn’t love shopping- even if it’s for someone else? I love shopping! I do! I do! So before I lose my train of thought and forget why I started posting this, let’s get on with the ideas, shall we?

Now, I know some men who absolutely love fishing. In fact, when I was little, my father used to wake me and my sister up early early on the weekends so we’d go fishing. Boy those were great times!!

Fishing/Hunting Gear

BassPro.com: Strike King® 17-piece Redeye Spinnerbait Kit
Price: $27.99
Now because I haven’t gone fishing since I was maybe 8, I have no idea what Spinnerbait is really supposed to, but I’m sure those fishing experts do!

Overstock.com: BT Outdoor 9.5-inch Hunting Knife with Sheath
Price: $21.99
I have to be honest, this knife looks pretty darn cool!!

Cabelas.com: Brunton 10×25 Binoculars and Knife Combo
Price: $29.99
This would be perfect for your hunter!!

We’ve gone fishing and hunting. I am exhausted. How about you? How do we relax? Let’s grill something! This next list is for the grilling machine in your family!

Grilling

GourmetMikes.com: Bud Gourmet Sauces Gift Set
Price: $27.95
Bud= Budweiser. Yes, the beer. Yummy yummy!

This next one is near $50, but it is perfect, so I’m putting it on this list!

OmahaSteaks.com: The Dad Pack
Price: $49.99
Those look delicious! It comes with 4 (7 oz.) Top Sirloins, 6 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers,  6 (5.75 oz.) Stuffed Baked Potatoes. Told ya it was perfect!

BarnesAndNoble.com: Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint
Online Price: $24.95
It’s the perfect book for the griller!

Because I love giving my dad humorous gifts, lets end this on a light note and get laughing!

Humorous

WonderfullyWacky.com: Set of 4 Fish Head Can Coolers
Price: $19.95
I just thought these looked cool!

PrankPlace.com: Jumbo Universal Remote
Price: $19.89
We always seem to lose remotes. There’s no losing this one!

LighterSide.com: Animated Talking Musical Buck
Price: $34.98
Apparently, I can’t get away from the hunting/fishing list. Oh well. It sings “Sweet Home Alabama.” Sing along with me…. sweet home alabama….

BaronBob.com: Monty Python Toilet Paper
Price: $8.95 per roll
I have absolutely no comment for this one!

S0 there you go. A Fathers Day gift list that was just as fun to make as it was “browsing.” Happy Fathers Day!

Fathers Day Gift Ideas Part 1

Fathers Day is just around the corner. To be quite honest, I have no idea what I plan on getting him. He has every tool he could ever want and then some. He’s a lover of chocolate, but since summer is here, it will melt. I could put it in the refrigerator… but I might accidentally mistake it on a late night snack run as a free-for-all. Sorry Dad! I might have to employ my ever-trusting twin sister to pick his brain and report back to me. A little sneaky I can be!

I have compiled a list of gift ideas for dad that are very inexpensive. First we’ll start with tools, because almost every father that I have met loves his toys!

Tools

Sears.com: Craftsman 22 pc. General Purpose Tool Set
Price: $34.99
This would be perfect for the father who keeps losing his tape measure, screw driver (that’s MY dad!), or the hammer!

Amazon: Fuller Tool 997-8160 160-Piece Home Repair Kit
Price: $38.75
I think my dad already has something like this hidden somewhere in the car. It comes with:
Hammer, 12-foot tape measure, utility knife, four mini-screwdrivers, lineman’s pliers, needlenose pliers, ratchet wrench with 18 sockets, adjustable wrench, six combination wrenches, assorted hex-key wrenches, screwdriver with interchangeable tips, assorted fasteners, plastic folding storage case.

Rei.com: Gerber Vise Keychain Multi-Tool
Price: $16.95
Think of it as a Swiss army knife. It has mini pliers, a standard screwdriver, a  bottle opener, and a Phillips screwdriver. My dad would kill to have one of these. Not to mention, it can hang on your keychain!

Now I think it’s time to step away from the tools, and go on to chocolate or gift baskets. If your father loves chocolate or cookies, why not gift a unique gift for that chocolate lover?

Cookies/Chocolate/Food

PhillipsCandy.com: Chocolate Football
Price: $35.00
I know what you’re thinking. How can a football made out of chocolate cost so darn much? Well, according to the website, it is handmade into an official size football! That means 32oz of chocolate. Holy sugar rush!

FancyFortuneCookies.com: Personalized Giant Fortune Cookie
Price: $29.95
What father wouldn’t want a giant fortune cookie that has chocolate and his own personalized message in it? It’s over 1lb is cookie! It looks so delicious!

MrsFields.com: Mrs. Fields® Classic® Cookie Tins
Price: $19.99 to 39.99
Cookies galore!! I’m sure any father would love to have a set of chocolate chip cookies all to himself!

So now we have explored tools, chocolate, cookies, and other stuff to make that special man drool! Tomorrow we’ll explore even more gifts that are inexpensive and very special!