Christmas: A List (or lists)

Week Of:

• Saturday was Carol, 'Starcatching' with Randall @ PTC, and a birthday dinner in Ogden for Liz Smith.
• Sunday brought a lovely, quiet, holiday soiree at Lindsea & Brandon's house with delicious food, wonderful company, and "white elephant" gifts.
• Monday & Tuesday brought 4 performances of Christmas Carol in 24hrs. My cast closed the show Tuesday afternoon and that night was our full cast party. Emotional, to say the least. I loved this year. 
• Tuesday was also Girls Night Out with Shelby, Ally, and Katrina and her girls. We ate so much food at The Pie and spent the evening catching up and playing with Ingrid and Viv. So good for my soul to be around these girls. 

Christmas Eve:

• Work from 7:30-3. I use the word 'work' loosely, as I had one appointment, and about 5 actual conversations with students.
• Caroling around the office with other Enrollment Counselors
• Running home at 3 to start wrapping gifts, only to realize that I had no tape. Speeding to the 7-11 in search of scotch tape and only finding packing tape. That'll do.
• Boiling & Shredding potatoes, wrapping gifts, watching Muppets Christmas Carol, and mixing cheese sauce for the potatoes
• Throwing a bag (or 3) together to bundle Buster & I to Dad's house by 5:30
• Napping while watching 'The Grinch' and waiting for Nick to get there for dinner.
• Ham & Sausage Dip & Cheesy Potatoes
• Starry Christmas PJs and Polka-dot Slippers
• Turning off the TV & Playing games with everyone, and getting along for the most part.
• Finally watching 'Elf' for the first time. Overrated.

Christmas/Megmas:

• DVD haul and a new double shower-head from Daddy
• Coffee galore, a Supernatural Necklace AND a Little Mermaid mug from Missy Moo
• Nick LOVED his Supernatural Shot Glasses
• Dad LOVED the books I bought him
• Everyone getting a whole bunch of exactly what they wanted.
• Morning Naps 
• SNOW
• Driving to Mom's with Buster riding majestically between Dad & I with his paws on the armrests.
• New Miche shell for my purse, and a beautiful white Minky blanket from Momma.
• INTO THE WOODS for Megmas. Perfection.
• Buttered Rum Cheesecake for my birthday. Delish.
• A million texts and FB messages from the best people in the world for my birthday.
• Long, snowy drive back to SLC with dad, singing in harmony to the VoiceMale christmas CD.
• Drinking spiked hot cocoa and catching up on Supernatural before bed. 

Post-Christmas:

• Renewing my Drivers-license in less than 30 mins. Success
• Spending FAR too much money on myself, but securing several items of clothing that were needed for work.
• St. George weekend with Mom & the Kids. Napping in the car with PJ, Buster being just the sweetest road-trip dog & vacation buddy.
• More shopping, very successfully, for myself.
• Not having to go back to work until the 30th, and then getting the 1st off for New Years. 

It was a lovely, relaxing holiday week. I just need to survive New Years Eve, and then 2015 will be here and it'll be the best year yet. 

Things I do NOT miss

the holidays are an emotional mine field. these are all things i don't have to put up with anymore. and haven't had to put up with or deal with for months now, and i'm listing them so that i can remember that i'm better off in the long run.

• spending evenings sitting on uncomfortable couches watching other people play video games.
• sitting on the floor to watch movies on the hi-def/3D/surround sound system that cost more money than it was worth
• trying to fall asleep in an ice-box of a bedroom while curled up trying to stay warm
• visiting davis county more often than having visits made to SLC
• spending money on and drinking exorbitant amounts of shitty hard apple cider instead of real beer. 
• hanging out with only people who i know through someone else, and not with my own people.
• feeling badly that i want intimacy more frequently
• awkward family dinners trying be entertaining and friendly to obnoxious, spoiled, younger siblings who aren't mine
• keeping my emotional outbursts to myself because i dont want to remind anyone of their crazy ex
• swallowing my thoughts and emotions because fighting is the worst and i dont like fighting or want to potentially cause a fight

*sigh* I am strong. I am smart. I am important. I am better off.....