a wonderful surprise!

So for any of you out there who aren't aware, I am a Makers Mark Ambassador. Daniel signed me up years ago, and it has really been a lot of fun! Not only do I have a barrel with my name on it, but I have Ambassador business cards and notes to leave restaurants and bars that serve Makers Mark. And now, the latest and greatest gift from Makers Mark...Makers Mark themed wrapping paper, ribbon, and gift tags. This just cracks me up! I love it!

This was what was waiting at the front door for me.


And the latest goodies!


My barrel! Can't wait til it's ready and I can get my bottles from it!


On a side note...
I attended our company's 'Unofficial Christmas Party' last night and had two Blue Moons. Two Blue Moons is just enough to suppress any desires I might have had yesterday to go digging through my trash for recyclables. :)

P.S. Today is my last day of work until the 29th! WOOHOO!

Hold on tight

This is gonna be a doozy.

So, first of all, I read several blog posts today that totally clicked with me. I already directed you to Kent's blog for today, but I also recommend you check out this one. Go on, I'll be here when you get back.

Back yet? Ok good.

So the other night Corinne mentioned how freaked out she was by all the trash generated on Christmas Day across the United States. Just imagine all the families simultaneously opening present after present, stuffing garbage bag after garbage bag full of wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbon (ok, well not ribbon if you are over the age of 60), boxes, plastic ties keeping Bratz dolls locked in plastic packages! The list goes on and on and on. Then think about all the 'old' stuff you throw out to make room for the new stuff. If any of you have seen the movie Wall-E, you know where I'm going with this. So Corinne continues, asking something to the affect of, "do we eventually suffocate ourselves with all our trash? or maybe we shoot it all to another planet?". Is anyone else out there completely disgusted by these thoughts? (not Corinne's thoughts, but by all the trash we produce) I've never wanted to recycle so badly in my life. I'm seriously sitting here thinking about my bag of trash at home...I should sort that tonight. Just sit and think for a moment about a trip you make to Wal-Mart. How much trash does each little trip to Wal-Mart produce in your house? How much of that trash do you recycle? How much ends up in a landfill? I'll say I don't have any answers here and I certainly need to do better about it, but I just wanted to share these thoughts. Maybe they will affect you as strongly as they did me. Anyone have the ultimate answer (not 42) to how we completely change our consumer driven/trash producing lives? No? Ok, well I need to finish my Christmas shopping anyways. :)

I hate to only post a rant, so enjoy these loverly pics of my Sophie.

"I detest garbage! Unless it has a nice tuna can in it of course."


"Raise your hand if you're SURE!"

Read this

Please go read Kent's blog post for today.

I promise a proper post later today.

A little more Christmas cheer

Last night was 'the girls' annual Christmas party. This group typically consists of mostly FNC women with a few extra friends sprinkled in the mix. There was wonderful food which I had several helpings of (why do I even have a gym membership?), wonderful drinks, and wonderful friends. This little get together certainly helped improve my spirits. I think having grown up in a house with a mother and two sisters (my poor dad...always outnumbered), I have an addiction to female companionship. That may sound weird, but seriously...it's hard to go from constant access to women to hang out with and discuss all of life's quirks with, to living alone with a man. No offense Daniel :). So to all my girlfriends out there, I thank you for your friendship and sisterhood! Our time together visiting, laughing, venting, and drinking helps keep me on an even keel!

Sage, me, Lisa


Sage, Lisa, Corinne


Corinne, Nina, Lisa, Jenny, me (Jenny told me to stand like that. I didn't realize she wasn't going to. Oh well.)


me, Nina, Sage, Jenny, Corinne, Lisa (want to guess why this photo is shaped funkily?)


And on that note...check this out ladies.

Where are you Christmas?

Christmas has come on so fast this year, I find myself having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit. I've done my decorating, some holiday baking and my xm has been tuned to Holiday Pops since Thanksgiving, but I haven't FELT Christmas yet this year. I hope that once this week is over and I get a full 7 days next week with family that my emotions will have a chance to catch up. I gave it the ole college try this weekend for sure. Daniel and I spent from 7 am to 4 pm working at The Christmas Store. You can go here to find out more about this project (and feel free to donate if you feel so inclined :)). Daniel and I, along with many others, manned the wrapping station. Wrapping presents for 6 hours straight is exhausting! Especially while standing up, hunched over a table! I will say, it was very nice to hear the mothers' appreciation. Because we provided toys, books, and fruit to their children, they were going to be able to focus on needs like clothing. The Christmas Store provided toys, books, and fruit to over 1000 children in the Oxford area this year. I suppose that should inspire some measure of the Christmas spirit in me.

Sunday I spent the entire day baking and packaging goodies for our neighbors and a few friends. Baking is so much more fun with my Mom and sisters. Nuff said.

A few of the many dozen sugar cookies I baked and Daniel and I iced.


Goodie boxes: from top left clockwise: sugar cookies, white chocolate dipped apricots, sugar cookies, chocolate oatmeal cookies


Instant Spice Tea (Daniel did the bows...isn't he a great wrapper?)


Warning: Random rambling about to ensue.

Corinne and I were sitting around a fire Friday night and she mentioned the scripture passage, "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. " This was mentioned in regard to another topic we were discussing, but this struck a chord with me. Not sure I can say why exactly. Perhaps it's because of the endless inner dialogue I have with myself. Maybe I should try pondering in my heart rather than psychoanalyzing everything in my life. Ok, random rambling at an end :).

As I finish my shopping and begin wrapping my presents this week, and as I attend several Christmas parties, I shall endeavor to slow down and soak up the things I love about this time of year.

Another try

Well, this background is holiday themed, so it won't last long. I'm going to have to work on some new options for backgrounds. All the pre-made templates are way too girly for me. Hopefully over Christmas I can spend some time updating. As for a real post, I still don't have one for you. I'll be spending this weekend working The Christmas Store (Rotary project), trying to finish holiday shopping, and baking goodies for my friends and neighbors. I'm supposed to be picking the next book for the bookclub, but am feeling very uninspired. There is alot of pressure to pick a winner this time, but it's hard to know a winner by it's cover. I'm open to suggestions for an empowering or at least entertaining read. On a similar note, I've been giving thought to writing a book lately. It's an insane thought and one that I will no doubt quickly give up (again), but it's a thought none the less. Maybe putting the thought down in black and white for all 5 of you to read will push me into getting past the first chapter (usually as far as i get). Add that to my list of holiday to do's. Ha! Wasn't Bridges of Madison County written in like a week? That's what I'm going for. Oh and if it could be a huge hit and be made into a movie, all the better. Where is my magic wand?

What do you think?

I'm testing out some new layouts. This one seems a little too 'sweet' to me. I'm going to keep changing it, so let me know which you like best. Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been so busy with work and life, and now that I have a moment, I don't know where to pick up! I'll get the most recent photos downloaded from my camera and see if that inspires a true post.