My Favorite Christmas Movies!

    Hey everyone!  I'm just going to stop apologizing for missing posts because it seems like I do this every week now...  Thursday was a bit hectic for me because I had to run a ton of errands and then work late, so I really just wanted to sleep when I got home.  That being said, this is a fun, (pointless), post about Christmas, so it's not like you were missing out on anything.  Tomorrow is also my birthday, so I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the weekend off.  I plan on watching a lot of Christmas movies, since I haven't watched any yet this season because I've been so busy.  Here are my go-to Christmas films!

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    Rankin Bass Classics: These movies fall under their own category because EVERYONE watches them at Christmastime.  The four core films are The Little Drummer Boy, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Clause is Coming to Town.  I usually don't watch The Little Drummer Boy because I was forced to watch it a lot as a child because I was raised Catholic and I never really liked Frosty, so I usually stick to Rudolph and Santa Clause is Coming to Town.  These classics are a staple in our home and frequent the ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas.  If you haven't watched these yet or never heard of them, there's something wrong with you.

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    The Year Without a Santa Clause:  Obviously there are more Rankin Bass films than just the four listed above, but it would take me forever to name them all.  There's Rudolph's Shiny New Year, Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, and then this gem: The Year Without a Santa Clause.  This is probably one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time.  The main reason my sister and I love this movie so much is because of Heat Miser and Snow Miser, who control the weather in each hemisphere.  They do not get along and constantly try to outdo each other to impress their mother, Mother Nature.  Their song in this movie is the one that will get stuck in your head FOR DAYS, so tread lightly.  I'm more of a Snow Miser person while my sister is all Heat Miser, so pick your side and enjoy this lovely film!

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    Elf:  Will Ferrell at his best.  Most people either love or hate this movie, but I fall within the former.  There's nothing about this movie that I don't like.  It's hilarious and full of forever quotes.  I may start my Christmas marathon with this one.  I mean come on...

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How could you not love that?  This is my favorite line in the movie, by the way.  Yes, out of all of them.

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    Home Alone 2: Lost in New York:  This is my favorite of all the Home Alone movies.  The setting is perfect for Christmas, the shenanigans are on point and the cast is great.  Tim Curry is amazing, as always.  Who wouldn't want to be stranded in NYC around Christmastime with a wallet full of credit cards?  I loved the toy store in this one too.  It reminded me of an older FAO Schwartz, back in the day.  It's a really well-done film.  Very underrated!

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    The Santa Clause:  This is an oldie, but goodie in my book.  Tim Allen is great in this movie!  If you don't know the premise already, when Santa comes to Tim Allen's home, he accidentally falls off the roof, leaving his coat behind with a small card of instructions.  Scott Calvin, (Tim Allen), dons the suit and becomes the new Santa Clause, unbeknownst to him.  He spend almost the entire movie fighting the change and refusing to believe in himself, at the expense of his young son Charlie.  The movie also deals with the concept of divorce in a heartbreaking way, so get your tissue ready when you sit down to watch this one.  Despite the emotions, this one is a great pick!

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    The Muppet Christmas Carol:  Last but not least, this classic movie with a Muppet twist.  Out of all the remakes and variations of this Christmas story, this one is by far my favorite and, if I may be so bold, the best.  You have the talented Michael Caine as Mr. Scrooge, Gonzo and Rizzo are narrating, (there's actually a lot of adult humor in this, which I didn't realize until I became an adult), and the old guys from the balcony as Marley and Marley.  It's creepy at times, (because puppets), the songs are amazing, (they will also get stuck in your head), and the cast of Muppets stay true to themselves while also staying in character.  IT'S SO GOOD!  If you haven't experienced this adaptation, please do so immediately.

    Those are all my best Christmas movies!  This post got me super excited to watch them all, so I may have to start after dinner tonight.  Let me know in the comments below if you love some, (or all), of these as well or which Christmas movies your family watches every year, (my husband's family watches A Wish for Wings That Work).  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Harumph.

    I apologize for being MIA for the last week or so, but it's become increasingly difficult for me to meet my Thursday post goal.  I have a lot going on right now with the holidays fast approaching and my education on the line, so unfortunately blogging hasn't been my top priority.  I haven't really been in the best mood and a lot has been getting me down lately.  I'm also very VERY behind in TV, (I've only been keeping up with Once Upon a Time at this point since it's the only one I can watch when it airs on Sundays).  I'll explain...
    As you know, I've been doing a year-long internship through my university at a local high school in the English department.  So far it's been an upward struggle, with my health declining and issues with overall teaching performance.  At this point, I've been given my class back and have been teaching mostly on my own for the last few weeks.  Unfortunately I have not been as successful as I would like to be at this point.  I'm still having noticeable issues with classroom management and the delivery of lessons.  I always think that I'm doing better than I actually am, which has hindered my progress.  Because of my substituting background, I've noticed that I tend to deliver lessons directly and methodically with little to no real explanation or real-world connection.  I need to work harder at humanizing the lessons for my students and making sure that we're using discussion adequately in class instead of just going through the motions.  I also need to start pulling the trigger with discipline.  I have a bunch of kids who talk over me during class and I need to take care of that as soon as possible before I lose them.  I wasn't expecting to have as much difficulty with this as I have been, but the reality is that my future is on the line at this point.  I'm not getting credit for this first semester until I prove myself worthy, so I really have to step it up and make these next few weeks count.  Luckily I still have some time, but I've been feeling really discouraged lately and uninspired.  My lack of progress and apparent noncompliance with the regulations set down by the program have made me doubt my abilities and it's really stressing me out, to be blunt.  Hopefully I can get my shit together soon or I'll be looking at repeating the internship next year and adding another year of school to my already mounting college debt.  I understand what's at stake and that's not making me any less anxious and stressed, but maybe that's what I need.  I don't want to panic, but I might be by the end of Christmas vacation, which is not what I want.  Keep your fingers crossed for me that I make it out of this alive and worth certifying, or I'm going to be looking for a new career path when it's too late...

    Besides the obvious problems I'm having with teaching, I really don't have a lot going on.  We recently moved, (another reason I haven't been on top of the blog lately), and have been unpacking for the last few weeks as we get settled in.  So far it's been really nice and comfortable and I really appreciate where we live now.  I don't come home to an empty, cold apartment and I have access to a great kitchen stocked with food, so I really can't complain.  Having animals again has been nice too!  Money has also been less of an issues, at least on my end, and I've been working on saving as much as I can already and reorganizing my finances so they fit my new needs.  My project for this weekend is finishing reorganizing my filing crate so I can fit all my bills, paperwork and other things in one accessible spot.  It's also been nice to have some extra help and expertise with these types of things because most of the time, when it comes to budgets and other adult things, I have NO idea what I'm doing yet.  Still trying to figure out a new routine for our new space, but so far I think we're settling in nicely and everything will eventually feel more natural.

    I'm looking forward to the holiday break mostly.  Next week is my birthday week, so I have that to look forward to.  I'm turning 25, which for some people is a big deal, but I feel like it'll just be another birthday for me.  I don't really know what age I actually feel like; sometimes I feel like I'm still 18 and other times I feel like I'm 30, so 25 should be interesting.  The following week there's a day and a half of school before break starts Wednesday.  After that, we don't come back until January 5th.  It will be nice to spend more time with my family and hopefully put the worries I have about my teaching future out of my mind for a few weeks.  My little sister is flying home from Texas on Saturday and I can't wait to see her!  Spending the holidays with family is greater than any gift I could receive.  It took me a long time to realize what Christmas should be about and I'm glad that we get to see everyone from both sides and spend a little time with each family.  It's worth it to me and that's all I really need.  That and lots of great food:)

    Once Upon a Time was really emotional last weekend!  I wasn't expecting what happened, and I love when shows do that because it keeps you on your toes.  With the last few episodes being very straightforward and predictable, it was nice to see a change.  I was getting pretty sick of the crazy family-hungry snow queen thing and it was heartbreaking to find out her sister really regretted her actions form the past.  The last time we saw that bottle was the very beginning of the season, so I had been curious to see what she had written in the letter, but I hadn't expected that.  I also wasn't expecting the flashbacks to Emma's past and the fact that Ingrid was very close to adopting her.  I can understand why Ingrid took Emma's memories upon her arrival to Storybrooke.  Now that the curse has been lifted due to Ingrid sacrificing herself, everything seems to be back to normal.  But wait!  Rumple is STILL a conniving bastard!  For next week's mid-season finale, I'm predicting Rumple attempting to take over the world one more time and get that dagger off his back, someone finding out about him lying to everyone, spreading that around and it getting back to Emma, who will have to stop him with the help of everyone else in town.  Elsa and Anna will probably help too before they go back to Arendelle to return those memories.  I'm hoping we at least see the Sorcerer or something because we've kind of taken a back-seat to the whole "author of the book" mystery, so that's the only other curiosity I had.  We'll see what happens, but I anticipate a lot of Rumple hatred next week.
    That's all I have for you this week.  I had to take some time and write this during school so I don't leave you guys hanging again.  I'm not sure if there will be continuous posts from me every week, but I will try to post at least one more time before Christmas break starts.  Hopefully I'll have some good updates for you.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Looking Forward to November

    Hey guys, sorry to post on a Friday, but I was desperately in need of a break this week.  The first three days were awful and long, so it felt nice to just sit and relax for a night without having to do anything.  I've also spent little to no time with my husband since he's been working so much, so it was great to get that alone time with him.  Needless to say I'm beyond ready for a weekend and a chance to sleep in tomorrow!
    Health-wise I've been feeling great.  Still no obvious side effects from the drugs and no pain in my joints or anywhere else.  The only thing I've been noticing lately has been cramping in my hands and feet.  I don't think it's supposed to be as frequent as it has been and that is a bit concerning, seeing as it can get quite painful.  Hopefully it's not a side effect but a lack of water consumption on my part, which I've been trying to improve on.  You wouldn't think it would be that difficult to down about 6-8 bottles of water a day, but it's definitely a struggle for someone like me who's always doing something.

    We are also still in the process of moving.  It's full-force now so we're packing up everything we can as quickly as we can in order to get everything out within the next two weeks.  We have been house-sitting for my parents this week, so neither of us have been at the apartment, but I'm going over there today after school to work on packing up the living room and our bedroom.  My short term goals are to have the living room and bedroom done by next weekend so we can start on packing up the kitchen, which will probably take us the longest time because of all our large and breakable items.  There is also a serious lack of newspaper and other packing supplies, so hopefully we are able to wrap everything properly.  Next week will be a bit crazy, but I feel confident that we can have everything out of our apartment by the 22nd.  We'll see how that goes, but right now we seem to be right on track!  It'll be nice not to have to worry about too much anymore after Thanksgiving break.  Then I can finally start planning to save up for the things I need!  I can't wait!
    As far as teaching goes, I had a meeting yesterday with my cooperating teacher and my professor about starting the transition back into a leadership role in the classroom for the start of Trimester 2, which starts in two weeks.  I believe I'm more ready and confident now than I was at the beginning of the year and that's partially due to the way my health has improved over the last month or so.  I'm feeling better, so I feel more focused on what's going on in my class rather than what's going on outside of school.  I've been giving myself little pep talks and trying to remember everything I've learned and observed so far from my observations, so hopefully that will help me discover what kind of teacher I will become as I try taking control again.  We'll be starting our "Poetry Out Loud" unit after exams, which I will be following with my cooperating teacher.  After that, I will be creating my own lessons and running a unit on my own, so I'll be prepping for that in the coming weeks.  I'm actually excited about planning again because I feel like I have some good ideas and I have easy access to other teacher's ideas as well, so I'm looking forward to teaching my own stuff soon.  I have a colloquium planning day next Thursday, which is a mandatory workshop for interns in the teaching program where you learn more about educational law, practice and your subject area.  I plan on taking full advantage of the day so I can better prepare myself for what's to come.  One of my previous professors is running the English seminar, so I'm excited to see and learn from her again.

    TV was sparse again this week, partially because I have to wait for my husband to watch most of our shows, but also because half of them didn't air this week.  I have Once Upon a Time and Arrow for this week, which were both pretty intense.  We finally find out that Elsa's mother had not one, but TWO sisters, Ingrid and Helga, at least one of which had the same ice powers as Elsa.  We also find out what Ingrid, (the Snow Queen), has been trying to plan this whole time- a chance to have her perfect family.  She wants to use the evil mirror to turn everyone in Storybrooke against each other, except for Elsa and Emma, (whom Ingrid believes would be a perfect replacement for Helga, since she apparently doesn't have the time to try to look for her too).  Those scary movies where the creepy stalker is dead-set on constructing his or her perfect family out of people they pull off the street at random really makes my skin crawl.  Despite the Snow Queen's plot to destroy everyone in Storybrooke being revealed, this episode was mainly focused on Belle and her relationship to Anna, as well as her role in her disappearance.  After Belle's mother is killed in the Ogre Wars and Belle loses her memory of the attack, she goes on a mission to Arendelle to find a way to get her memories back from the Rock Trolls, which Anna helps her do.  Unfortunately, through a series of events, Belle ends up choosing her memories over saving Anna from falling to her doom, causing Anna to be taken by the Snow Queen.  Belle is wracked with guilt over causing her disappearance, so she seeks out the Snow Queen to see if she can redeem herself, with the help of her lying, deceiving husband.  I still think everyone in Storybrooke is lying to each other, which bugs me, but I guess that's the theme in this season, so we'll have to go with it.  We still haven't found Anna, (it might just take the whole season), but at least we might get to meet Helga this Sunday.  We'll see!

    Arrow was pretty interesting this week, focusing on my favorite character, Felicity Smoak and her mysterious past as a "hacktivist" back in college.  Obviously Felicity's special skills were needed to solve this cyber terrorist attack on Starling City, but it wouldn't be that easy.  We got to see Felicity as a Gothic rebel with a fellow hacker boyfriend and awkward roommate.  This set up made me think of the Ted/Marshall/Lily dynamic from How I Met Your Mother.  Anyway, Felicity's sleazy mom stumbles into town unexpectedly, (which is all part of the plan, we later find out), Diggle gives her his baby to watch, (a complete stranger?!), and spends the whole episode basically in the dark while Felicity tries to help both her bosses tackle this cyber bully, who is using her own virus from five years ago to steal money from Starling.  Although this episode was great because we see a different side of Felicity and a reconciling between Ollie and his sister, (who now has a sweet new apartment), the REAL mind-blowing moment of this episode comes at the end, (figures), where we find out WHO killed Sara.  It was ROY!!  In a mirakuru-filled stupor he literally threw arrows into Sara's chest, which is weird because he should have it under control by now.  I don't think he's working with anyone in secret, but I do think he needs help, so who knows when everyone else will find out the awful truth and eventually turn on Roy.  Didn't see that coming!
    That's all for this week!  It's finally November, so that means I've slowly been turning into a holiday-crazed lunatic trying to find any excuse to buy Yankee Candles.  With moving into a more comfortable home, more school vacation days and Thanksgiving so close now, it's hard not to get excited about the holidays coming up.  It puts me in a great mood, so I'm not complaining!  I'm looking forward to everything I have coming up in the weeks to come, so hopefully that propels me forward to achieve everything I want to get done this month.  I'll be moving pretty much all weekend, both for myself and my uncle, who just bought a new house, so I'll be working my upper body strength this weekend.  What are you looking forward to this month, if anything?  Let me know in the comments below!  I also posted a new Book Review in my review tab, so check that out as well!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.
   

BLOGMAS Week 4: Christmas Eve Traditions

   

    It's Christmas Eve!  I hope everyone is off having a great time with family today and tonight:)  I've been baking, wrapping and watching Elf all afternoon so far.  Today I want to talk about traditions and how much they impact our lives and the lives of those around us.

    For as long as I can remember, my family has done a huge fish fry for Christmas Eve dinner.  Apparently in Italian-American tradition, the Festa dei sette pesci, or the Feast of Seven Fishes, is customary Christmas Eve dinner and includes the consumption of at least seven different types of seafood.  This tradition originated with the Roman Catholics, who refrained from eating meat or dairy for Lent and instead fried fish in oil.
    For my family, we usually have calamari, which is raw or fried squid, fried shrimp and haddock, shrimp scampi, something we call "pizza fish," and chicken nuggets with french fries...for the kids, (although I've been known to sneak a plate full...no judgment).  "Pizza fish" is simply a white fish with bread crumbs, tomato sauce and parmesan cheese placed on a baking sheet and cooked in the oven.  It is to die for!  I love everything about this meal and it's something I've looked forward to every year for Christmas since I was little.  Getting together with my Italian family makes my heart soar:)

    Since getting married, I have had to alter my traditions ever so slightly to accommodate my husband, who also has a family, (I know, right?).  This year is his year, so we will be going to his aunt and uncle's house for chop suey and a movie-themed Yankee Swap.  I had never done a Yankee Swap before I met my husband, so the concept is still a little new to me.  I guess usually the hosts of the party pick a theme, (Alphabet, color, etc.), and each guest has a price limit to spend on a gift for the swap.  Once the swap has started, each person draws a number and they pick presents at random in the number order.  Depending on where each person falls on the number line, whenever they pick up a gift they have the opportunity to swap with another person who has already gone.  The person who has picked the number one spot has his or her choice of any of the presents.

    We had a tough enough time last time we went thinking of a gift with a movie theme...so this year was just as difficult.  Luckily we found something perfect!  We have only been to his family's gathering a couple of times since being together, but it's always fun to see everyone and it's so warm and inviting.  I'm still getting used to not being with my family every year, but it's been a lot easier this year and I haven't cried yet!  So I'm keeping my spirits high and looking forward to eating and spending time with the Lapierre clan:)
    Another thing about tonight is that we have to bring a dessert or an appetizer.  I probably should have gone with an appetizer, because the brownies I made look less than satisfactory...  I tried a new recipe, without testing it first, and doubled the ingredients so it would feed everyone at least once.  Unfortunately I think my plan backfired because I definitely used too much of something, (I'm guessing brown sugar, since that's basically all it is at this point).  I'm hoping they still taste good, but I'll have to cut them up and taste test before packaging them up for tonight.

    That's all I have for today!  I have to get back to wrapping, but if you have a cool family tradition for Christmas Eve or for Christmas day, let me know in the comments!  I can't wait for tomorrow, I am so excited!!  All the joy and happiness makes me feel great and it's what Christmas should be about.  The real spirit of Christmas is alive and well inside of me, so I hope my good vibes rub off on you today!  Enjoy your family, enjoy the food and enjoy Christmas!  I'll be back Thursday for the woes of after-Christmas retail returns and tips to survive the after-holiday blues.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

BLOGMAS Week 3: Top 10 Christmas Movies

    

    Welcome to Blogmas Week 3!  This week, we will be counting down the best Christmas movies to watch during the holidays.  Unfortunately, I'm not well versed in the classics like Miracle on 34th Street or White Christmas and I get sick and tired of the A Christmas Story marathon, so these are just my personal favorites and don't reflect any sort of majority ruling over holiday movies, but I think they're pretty awesome!
 
    10. A Wish For Wings That Work- This one is hard to explain, but it has become an important part of my new family tradition.  My husband's family watches this movie every year on Christmas day, all huddled together around some cinnamon rolls.  It is hilarious and you should definitely give it a shot!

    9. The Polar Express- Everyone knows about The Polar Express, and if you don't I feel bad for you.  It's another book turned to film story about a boy taken on a joyous train ride to the North Pole.  Definitely a feel-good family movie for those of you who'd like to sit together for almost two hours listening to Tom Hanks speak.  My idea of a good time.

    8. The Nightmare Before Christmas- A definite classic, if you can't get over the fact that Halloween is over, but you still love Christmas, this movie is for you.  It's not one of my main picks, but it's on the list because when I am in the mood to watch it, nothing can stop me.  I enjoy it more during the Halloween season solely because it's one of the only "scary" movies I can handle, but still a great Christmas film with an awesome soundtrack to boot!

    7. A Charlie Brown Christmas- Always on TV anyway, Charlie Brown always meant Christmas to me.  Although he has amounted a plethora of escapades, some of which involving him with an unfortunately encounter with a football, Charlie Brown's Christmas special is still my all-time favorite and really sings through the meaning of the holiday season.  No one can forget the musical styling of Schroeder!

    6. How The Grinch Stole Christmas- Jim Carrey is a God among men for these miraculous acting skills.  He personifies the Grinch in every aspect of the word and commits to the character flawlessly.  I will always like the original Dr. Seuss cartoon, however, this live-action movie blew me away with it's wit, satire and moving performances all around.  Always a crowd favorite.  Cindy Lou Who is a gem!

    5. The Muppet Christmas Carol- I am not ashamed to say that I actually watched this today because I FINALLY found it online somewhere and I fell in love all over again!  This is the Charles Dickens's version, obviously with a twist.  The muppets brings the light-hearted hilarity in this classic story.  Michael Caine isn't too bad as Scrooge either.  If you've never seen it or even heard of it, GO FIND IT and watch it right now!  You'll be glad you did.  How could you say no to muppets?!

    4. The Santa Clause- This movie has always been one of my favorites.  The originals are usually the best, and this is no exception.  It's the kind of movie you'll wait around for until Christmas comes along.  The story between the father and son make this movie family-friendly, (and a bit tear-jerky...).  Tim Allen's not bad as Santa either, but you'll have to watch to find out!  Another great classic.

    3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York- Again, I couldn't help myself, so I watched this yesterday.  Another great family film, but different from the original in the sense that he ends up in New York, the best city in the world to be in at Christmas time.  Who wouldn't want to do what Kevin does?  Tim Curry and Rob Schneider give rousing performances as well.  This one will always be my favorite out of the three existing Home Alone movies.

    2. Elf- Obviously this has become a cult classic Christmas movie among the holiday elite.  The strangers you meet every day out in public know this movie and can, (and probably will), quote it with you.  It has become almost everybody's favorite Christmas movie of all time and remains the top pick in my house for next week's Christmas movie marathon.  The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear...

    *1. Rankin Bass Trifecta (plus The Year Without A Santa Claus)-

 
    If some of you are confused, I lumped these movies together into one category for two reasons.  The first is that they usually come in a boxed set anyway, so listing them as separate movies just seemed wrong.  The second is that they are the epitome of Christmas classics and I couldn't choose just one.  If some of you are still confused, these movies are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy, and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.  I included The Year Without a Santa Claus because it's still a Rankin Bass production and it's one of my favorites, (plus nobody really watches The Little Drummer Boy anyway).  All the movies are filmed in stop-motion animation, which require a great deal of skill, time and effort.  These were TV specials, first introduced in the 1960s, have become some of the most recognizable characters of Christmas and have melted the hearts of many viewers.  You can find most of these films on YouTube, so if you're unfamiliar with them I suggest you make yourself familiar before Christmas.  These are what classics should be.

    So there you have it, my Top 10 favorite Christmas movies of all time.  I have already gotten through half of this list by now, so I plan on finishing strong within the next week.  If your favorite movie didn't make my own list, leave it in the comments!  Only 6 more days until Christmas!!  And it's my birthday today!!! (which is why I posted early).  Next Tuesday is Christmas Eve, so I'll be talking about family traditions and tips for Yankee Swap!  Until next time, I remain your faithful Christmas correspondent.

 

Partying Like It's My Birthday! (No, Really...)

    That's right, I'm officially DONE with my fall semester!  One more semester to go before my full-year internship next year.  It seems like I still have so much to do, but I also feel like I'm in the home stretch...it's a weird feeling I can't really explain.  It doesn't seem like much, but I know that when I'm really done, it'll be for good.  Until then, I'll be enjoying my winter vacation as best I can and looking forward to another great semester in January.

(Does this look plowed to you?)

    Apparently the weather is against us up here in New Hampshire.  Did I mention it's not supposed to get above 20 degrees today?!  We had a mild blizzard this past weekend where we got at least a foot of snow in some places and we're expected to get more snow this afternoon, so I might be snowed in again today.  I don't mind too much, I just hate clearing off my car...  My husband is one of those guys who feels obligated to shovel everyone out so that the other tenants can get to where they need to go.  Just based on that, I know I bagged myself a good one.  Thanks to the shoddy work the plowing company did on our driveway, (or didn't do).  I'm grateful that my own spot is clear, but as for the other two tenants, they have to shovel themselves out I guess.  You had one job plow guys.

    So far in our decorating endeavors we added a few things to our collection.  A nice door mount complete with white poinsettias and pine cones as well as some twinkly icicle lights to hang somewhere in our living room.  Unfortunately, we're in desperate need of more outlets and extension cords.  Luckily my father hooked us up with an extra power strip, so we might be able to plug our tree and the lights into that, but we'll see when it's all done.  I'll be sure to take more pictures!

    This week is special to me not only because finals are over, but because my birthday is on Thursday!  I will be 24 and I know that's not a huge deal or anything, but I definitely feel it this time.  Because my birthday is in December, I've always been bombarded with storms and winter weather, ruining any real plans.  This year it looks like I'll be free from the torment of Father Winter and finally be able to enjoy my birthday.  So far I have plans with my father for breakfast and his famous pancakes, finishing up my Christmas shopping, a lovely trip down to Boston for a nice dinner date with my husband and spending some quality time with my mother, whom I haven't actually seen on my birthday in about six years.  My birthday memories with her are my fondest; she used to call me out of school and we'd go wherever I wanted all day.  I'm really excited to get to spend time with her again.  It's been far too long.
    So that's my recap for the past few days.  I'm really looking forward to all the fun things I'll get to do this week and knowing Christmas is literally right around the corner makes it even sweeter!  I'm so excited this year and now I feel like I can finally enjoy the holidays!  Christmas cards have been sent, (major wife points right there), and presents have begun to be wrapped, so it's only a matter of time!  Our first Christmas as husband and wife has been so rewarding to me thus far, and it'll only get better:)  Check out Thursday's Blogmas post where I will list my Top 5 Christmas movies!  Until next time, I remain your faithful Christmas correspondent.

BLOGMAS Week 2: Top 5 Christmas Albums

    

    We're celebrating week two of Blogmas with your favorite Christmas songs!  Here are my Top 5 favorite Christmas albums, counting down to number one, all for your listening pleasure:)

    5. Pentatonix Christmas- This album is brand new this year.  For those of you who don't know, (or who didn't read my last post), I am a HUGE fan of The Sing-Off, which Pentatonix won last season.  So, naturally, I had to research their Christmas album.  As I suspected, it's pure gold, with their A-Capella rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy" receiving a lot of publicity as of late.  A definite must-grab if you're in the mood for something different!

    4. Michael Buble Christmas- Obviously I had to put Michael Buble on here, solely because of his Sinatra-esq sound and undeniable charm.  His voice just makes you want to go ice skating, get hot cocoa and curl up on the couch in front of the fire.  It's just that good.  He can serenade me any day.

    3. N*Sync Christmas- Playing to the 90s kid inside of me, this is a no-brainer.  Everyone knows this album and hopes that they hear their favorite track play on the radio when the Christmas music takes over, (personally, mine is "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays," but who's isn't?).  This is the type of album you can jam out to in your car while you're alone...or with a friend...or with your husband staring at you blankly, waiting for an explanation that will never come...

    2. NOW That's What I Call Christmas, Vol. 1- The original is always the best, am I right?  This album is no exception.  They might be on NOW Vol. 87 by now for all I care, but their original Christmas album has ALL the classics you've been waiting to hear on one CD, including classic songs by Nat King Cole, Elvis, Dean Martin, Burl Ives, Brenda Lee, The Boss, Britney Spears and MUCH more.  You would be crazy not to own this album by the end of the week.

    *1. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album- The number one spot, for me, goes to the Beach Boys.  This will always and forever be my all-time favorite Christmas album.  My father owned the vinyl record and we listened to it EVERY year on Christmas day.  Now we have the CD and it's just as great to look back at the good ol' days and remember what it was like to be a kid.  It will always be a symbol of Christmas and family togetherness to me, and that's what makes it so special.  You can't help but smile and sing along when these songs come on, so get to it!

    So there you have it, my Top 5 Christmas albums of all time!  If you'd like to listen to any of the albums featured in this post, I highly suggest YouTube.  If you'd like to purchase any of these albums, however, I recommend Amazon.com.  If your favorite album didn't make my list, let me know in the comments!  Everyone has their own special Christmas albums that they listen to, so whether they're from your past or a part of your present, they will always get you in the spirit of the holidays!  Tune in next week for Blogmas Week 3 and another Top 5!!  Until then, I remain your faithful correspondent.
    *(only 13 more days until Christmas!)

BLOGMAS Week 1: Books, Events and Advent Calendars

    Happy first week of Blogmas!  So these posts I do for Blogmas will feature Christmas themes and ideas to make your holiday season happy and bright.  So to start, I will be talking about a few random Christmas-y things today:

Books:

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    Some families have certain books that they read to their kids every night before Christmas.  My family was not one of them, however I do like the idea and will hopefully be implementing it in my own future home.  That being said, here are my top three favorite classic Christmas books.

1. The Polar Express- by Chris Van Allsburg, a crowd favorite, especially combined with the movie of the same name.  Such a great choice for kids of all ages!

2. The Night Before Christmas- by Clement Moore, a traditional classic, short, sweet and to the point.  Everyone knows this story.

3. A Christmas Carol- by Charles Dickens, another great classic, with a bit of cruelty and creepiness to satisfy your inner horror geek, this is a true tale of goodwill towards man.  Another book with good movie options as well.

    If you'd like to check out any of these awesome reads, click on the title and it'll take you to each Barnes and Noble page respectively to learn more.

    This blogger also has a great list of Christmas books to read in her blog, if you want to check her out: 320 Sycamore  There are some awesome picks for every age group and every interest.  Also, if anyone has any suggestions for any adult Christmas-themed books, feel free to leave recommendations in the comments below!  I'll keep my eyes peeled in the mean time.

Events:

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    So each town around the world usually has it's own set of Christmas gatherings, parties and parades.  For instance, my town has a tree lighting ceremony as well as a tree auction, where people come to bid on pre-decorated Christmas trees for good causes.  These events are typically fun and include a heaping amount of Christmas cheer and holiday spirit.  Just grab some hot chocolate, your jacket and mittens and come on down!  The details for what's going on in my town can be found here.

Advent Calendars:

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    As I was raised Catholic, the Advent Calendar meant a lot more than just getting a piece of chocolate every day until Christmas, (or so I led my parents to believe...).  Nowadays I do still love opening my Advent calendar, but I remained blissfully unaware that there are other types of Advent calendars besides your basic chocolate variety.  This has recently come to my attention, so I thought I'd educate the rest of you who are also unaware that there are different prizes to be had.

-Religious: Advent calendars that hold true to history and feature no candy or toy, but a bible verse and pretty picture inside each compartment.  Especially made for all religious folk.

-Toys: Instead of chocolate, each compartment has a small toy inside related to Christmas or any other thing really, including, (but not limited to), pirates, princesses and ponies.  Oh my!

-Makeup: I'm not one of those girls who wear a lot of makeup, (actually I really don't wear any, except on special occasions, but that's besides the point), but if I did, these Advent calendars would be awesome!  To think, every day you open a compartment and a nail polish or lip gloss will be waiting for you!  Check out Benefit Cosmetics for their themed Advent calendar.

-Food: Yes, there are compartments filled with jam, nuts and other holiday treats, (other than chocolate) just waiting to get eaten.  I can't decide if that's a good or bad idea, but I'm going with it.

Also, if you're curious to see what other types of crafty Advent calendars there are out there, check out this blog for 25 different themed calendars.

    So if you've just started working on your Advent calendar or you needed a good Christmas book to curl up with, I hope these suggestions help your holiday spirit!  If you know of any Christmas book, special event or Advent calendar that's special to you or you just feel like sharing some Christmas stuff, comment below or tweet me about it!  I'm already excited for next week's Blogmas post!!  Only 20 more days till Christmas!!!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

"Winter is Coming": BLOGMAS!

    I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday and long weekend.  I know I thoroughly enjoyed mowing the delicious and glorious home-made lasagna my uncle made, (on top of the usual fixings mind you).  It has remained unmatched in my search for the best pasta dish.
    Speaking of holidays, they are finally upon us!  For me, it seems like Christmas actually started in October, because I work retail, but now since it is officially December, we can trade pumpkin for peppermint, listen to the continuous flow of Christmas music and decorate the crap out of our places of residence.  I, for one, love the holidays, so this is truly the most wonderful time of the year in my opinion.  As you can see, I take my Christmas tree very seriously and I never miss a year to go out with my dad to cut a fresh one down.  This one is Theodore and he is marvelous, don't you think?

    This year, for the month of December, I have decided to participate in "Blogmas," which is when bloggers post every day until Christmas.  Although I want to participate to the fullest extent, I honestly don't believe I'm capable of posting every day just yet, (lack of planning, plus finishing up my fall semester coupled with work and other things will make it virtually impossible).  So I compromised by setting a goal of twice a week.  Tuesdays will remain my random posting days, with a slightly more Christmas-y theme and Thursdays I will post about specific Christmas happenings and traditions, including books, movies, songs and more.  This way I can cover all the Christmas bases while still giving myself enough time to get all my mandatory work done and not overload.  I am really excited to dive head first into the Christmas spirit and can't wait to post more favorites about the holidays:)

    That being said, I would also like to inform everyone that I will hopefully be starting to live tweet certain shows on Sundays starting this weekend.  Live tweeting, for those who don't know, is when someone follows a show or movie whilst tweeting, simultaneously watching and tweeting at the same time.  I've always wanted to and since I don't have cable at my house, I will be participating while I'm at my dad's on Sunday night.  The shows I watch Sundays are The Amazing Race, (season finale this Sunday at 8pm), and Once Upon A Time.  Since they both air at the same time, I usually rely on the football schedule going over for me to catch both in one night.  Sometimes that doesn't happen, but I'll keep you posted via Twitter if I don't think I'll be able to do both.  I definitely want to catch the finale of Amazing Race, so Once may have to wait until Monday, but we shall see.
    Other than that, that's basically it for me.  I got to spend a lot of time with my families and enjoyed every minute of it!  I wish I had more time with them, but the point of the holidays is to bring families together, especially if you don't normally get to spend a lot of time with them.  Definitely looking forward to Christmas and seeing everyone again, giving people their presents, (I got some good ones already, I can't wait to see their faces!!), and eating more great food.  I've also decided to decorate my apartment this year, so I'm looking forward to going shopping this weekend again for more presents and decorations.  I'm certainly in the holiday cheer mode, so I hope you guys are too.  Check back on Thursday for my first Blogmas post!!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.