Okay, okay. I know you’ve all been dying for an update J Lol. I have been busier than usual, plus I just haven’t had anything interesting to blog about.

Today, I made my acting debut in our company’s annual video. Each year, we have a huge conference for all of our customers and our managers like to shoot a funny video with the president, executives, etc. all acting foolish. The video shows during our conference, which this year is in DC, and the customers alway enjoy it a lot! Anyway, since Bridgestone is a Japanese company, we filmed today in a sushi restaurant. My bosses were all dancing (with the help of a choreographer)…it was hilarious! They made a music video, and I was a customer in the background. I was supposed to be sitting in their way eating sushi, and the plan was for them to pick my chair up and haul me out of the way…thankfully that part didn’t work out because of the lack of space! Anyway, there is a close up of my facial expression when they come and take the table out from under me so that the “tire mobsters” can make their way through the restaurant. It was fun. We put our own words to the Big & Rich song “Coming to Your City.” Priceless…we also did some Saturday Night Live thing but I didn’t really get it because I never watched that show. Something about cheeseburgers…

Well, I would say that’s the highlight of my day…but then again it doesn’t beat being woke up at midnight so Clint can give me my Valentine’s present J We weren’t supposed to celebrate V-Day until this weekend when we’ll actually see each other…so now I feel like a slacker because I don’t have a gift for him yet and he already gave me mine! In reference to Leah’s blog about the dating handbook…I think there should also be a married handbook that everyone gets when they apply for a marriage license. Then, I would have known that the phrase “We’ll celebrate this weekend” really meant that we were supposed to surprise each other with gifts today!

Wow…it’s been like a month since I updated! Frankly, I was waiting for some comments urging me to blog again. It’s just kinda nice to know someone actually reads it! Lol.

I know that lots has happened since last time, but still I’m struggling to find something to write about. I could say that the play-off game yesterday between the Colts and Steelers was great and that I’m ecstatic that Pittsburgh won, but I know none of my friends really care!! Lol.

Steve’s blog about growing up in “the manchester” has inspired me to write about growing up in Murfreesboro—Rushbrook to be more specific. (Sidenote: Why do they name subdivisions if they’re not going to put up a sign to let everyone know what that name is? Our subdivision was called Rushbrook but there was no sign anywhere that said that, so when I told someone I lived in Rushbrook no one knew what I was talking about!!) Anyway, we moved in when I was just starting high school, and it was a brand new development—no grass, no trees, and no paved roads. It took a long time for the roads to be paved, and my dad got so irritated when people drove too fast down the dirt/gravel road in front of our house. So, in an effort take matters into his own hands, he got a 4x8 piece of plywood and spray painted the words “Welcome to Dust-brook. Please slow down.” and proudly displayed this in our front yard!!! Actually, it was right in the middle of our yard and Tosha’s yard, so this was equally embarrassing for her! One time, someone didn’t obey the sign and my dad quickly pulled some tomatoes (I think from the tomato plants in the front yard) and threw them at a truck. Another time, when Tammy and Billy got married, we spray painted some more plywood and made a “Congratulations” sign to greet them when they got home. Talk about rednecks…lol. Somehow, despite all this weirdness, me and Tosha were still the cool kids in the neighborhood. Everyone always congregated at our houses. My parents would get irritated because everyday when they came home, the entire neighborhood was in their front yard. Oh  then there was the time my friends broke into a garage and stole a ladder to come get me from my window one night (I couldn’t go out the doors downstairs because my parents had an alarm system and I was trying to sneak past them!) How Rapunzel-like…but the sad thing is some poor guy never got his ladder back. And just to be clear, I did not condone their thievery!!! Then all I did once I snuck out was go eat pizza…exciting stuff huh?! I don’t know what’s happened to a lot of those people, but I really wish I could see them now so I could invite them to church with me and tell them how good God has been in my life! Maybe I’ll have that chance sometime…

Well, hopefully I’ve satisfied my reading audience now. Sorry there’s not anything more exciting to talk about. I’ll try not to wait another month to update again J

So…I’ve been tagged yet again. This time it came from Ruth AND Chris! I guess there's no getting out of this one. Here are 5 weird facts about me.

1. I used to have even less fashion sense than I do now, if that's possible. I had a large assortment of bicycle pants/shorts when I was in 6th grade. I also had MC Hammer pants, and my favorite shirt was a (VERY) oversized t-shirt with a monster truck flying through the air. I think it said something about Push, Pull, and Drag. It was so redneck, but I wore it with my pink bicycle pants nonetheless. If you can just imagine, my scrawny legs in bicycle pants, with an XL t-shirt hanging off me! I completed the ensemble with my light-up LA Gears and scrunch socks! 
2. Growing up, I was pretty girly in the sense that I didn’t like to get dirty, I liked to fix my hair and put on make-up, etc. But at the same time, I was into some very non-girly stuff. I was obsessed with WWF wrestling and never missed an episode. I have several collections of Marvel trading cards with all the heroes and villains, and I also have the comic books. I didn’t like to play house, but loved playing X-Men. I was a strange child...this is just the tip of the iceberg.
3. During Junior High and part of High School…well let’s just say I was a bit confused about who I was! I dressed in guy’s clothes…baggy jeans and polos, Starter jackets. I’ll never forget my pair of Scottie Pippen Nike’s! I listened to rap music all the time and my mom had to take some cassettes away from me because they had explicit lyrics. Lol. I know you remember, Tosha! She never did find my Tupac collection though…and for the record, no, I don’t still have it!!! That was all before I got saved. Now I hate rap music (the secular kind at least).
4. I love the smell of popcorn with lots of butter, but I really don’t like the taste or texture of it in my mouth. Sometimes I’ll pop some and eat it just because I want the smell.
5. I stopped eating pork, catfish, shrimp and shellfish two years ago when I read The Maker’s Diet.

What's scary is that I can think of several more weird things...the list could go on for a while! I'll stop here and spare myself anymore embarassment!

And now...Here’s the part you’ve all been waiting for…I have to tag someone else! I tag Amy, Tosha, and Jessica Cassidy. Later!

Great news…we survived Chicago’s frigid weather! We left Friday afternoon and came back late last night. Of course, what is a trip without a delayed flight? I hate airports! Aside from that part, we had an amazing time. I got to experience Chicago hot dogs and stuffed pizzas—yummy! We saw more snow in one weekend than we’ve seen in our entire lives. There was 10 inches when we arrived, and there were more heavy snow showers all weekend. That didn’t stop us from bundling up and walking all over the city though. We went downtown to see Marshall Field’s window displays, Christkindlmarket, the Sears Tower, Navy Pier and more! There were signs all over the sidewalks as we were walking beside these skyscrapers, saying “Caution: Falling Ice” so that was pretty scary. Speaking of scary, I have to admit that the subway after dark is a bit scary…I’ve never been quite so close to a cross-dresser before. Yikes!  I won’t dwell on that! So, the Blue Man Group was probably the highlight of our trip. They were awesome…I can’t really describe the show because words don’t do it justice. That’s all for now!

Currently Reading Skipping Christmas By John Grisham see related

Stinkin' Christmas Tag

I got tagged. Thanks a bunch, Chris. I’m going to tag Lauren, Steve, and Leah (sorry—you’re the only ones I thought might respond J). Now you have to answer these questions too!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, with caramel!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps! I would never let my mom (oops…I mean Santa) get away with not wrapping!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Definitely white, although Clint really pushed for the colored lights this year. I told him maybe next year…let’s hope he forgets!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the day, or at least the weekend, after Thanksgiving. 

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Dressing, but I’m very picky about it.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Watching Christmas cartoons by the Christmas tree! I loved ‘The Christmas Tree Train,’ although I’m probably the only one who even knows what that is.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?  When I was about 8, I opened a gift from Santa that had been rolling around my mom’s trunk for a couple of weeks!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, my brother and sister and I always exchange our gifts on Christmas Eve night.

10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? Cookies for Santa? If I go to the trouble of making cookies, I’m going to eat them myself!!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?  I love it, but only after it first falls because day-old snow is dirty and nasty looking.

12. Can you ice skate? No, but I have fun trying! Last time, I accidentally kicked Clint in the tailbone with the pick of my ice skate…that should tell you how graceful I am J It hurt him pretty bad!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?  My engagement ring, which was supposed to be a Christmas present, but Mr. Impatience ended up giving it to me a month early!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?  That warm, fuzzy feeling inside!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?  Pumpkin pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?  Swapping gifts with Brandee and Phillip on Christmas Eve. When we were younger, and before I moved out, we would all sleep in the same bedroom so that we could wake up together on Christmas morning (Always early, like at 5am!!)

17. What tops your tree?  A Precious Moments angel

18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving?  Giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol?  O Holy Night

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yuck.