the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas is upon us ladies and gentlemen! It's less than 3 weeks away! So you know what that means... it's time to SHOP! I have been shopping for about two weeks now and I'm only about halfway done. It's hard for me though, because I know anything I buy here I have to lug home with me to Ohio and that is just hard to do.

So, this year I have been trying the ordering things online technique. the only problem is, I'm praying so hard that they get there on time. I already know one of my orders was backordered (after they specifically told me it was in stock!!!) so I had to cancel that order and found it (the very last one on a random shelf no where near where it was supposed to be) in a store all the way across the island. Thank goodness! But I still have so much to get for so many people!

When I get back to Ohio I'll have exactly 1.5 days to shop until Christmas since I'm working the week of Christmas and have dinners planned every night until after Christmas is over. When you're only home a few times each year, your time is in very high demand! Plus, I have to make time to spend with BF's family because I don't want them to think I'm snubbing them or something, that would be bad.

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year, but I guarantee, it will be the busiest and perhaps the most stressful two weeks of 2008 for me. For many people it's the most stressful time of the year. I personally think we all need to take a chill pill and realize that it's not WHAT you give people, but the THOUGHT that goes into the gift and the love that we all give and receive at the holidays. That's what Christmas should be about. Not material goods. And while I know this, I already know that I will spend those 1.5 days shopping and tearing my hair out trying to find everyone the perfect gift.

Oh well, Christmas time is here again. I'll calm down after New Year's ;)

Thanksgiving treats

Thanksgiving weekend. It's amazing. Great food, great wine, great friends... what more could you ask for?

Technically, on Thanksgiving we didn't see any of our friends since BF and I made our own turkey (a whole 18 lbs!!! That we have been eating once a day since... hehe) and spent the evening enjoying each other's company and watching football and movies. It was a really great day.

One of the things I do like about my job (of which, there aren't that many) is that my company is awesome enough to give us the day after Thanksgiving off as a holiday too (which is absolutely amazing since I don't have to worry about oversleeping with the food coma issue and all).

Anyway, Friday we met up with some friends and went kayaking in Kailua to some little uninhabited islands that have little private beaches and areas to explore. (I'm amazed no one got hurt! Even though I did fall down a sand dune... and when I say fell, I mean it was like rolling down the hill when i was a kid to get dizzy, except not on purpose... and that i got sand all over myself...)

It was one of the most fun days I have had here in HI. Even though my arms were KILLING ME (I was in a single kayak and it takes over an hour of rowing to get there, and about an hour back) and I was exhausted, it was great. After the adventure, we found a hole-in-the-wall pizza place, Bob's Pizzeria hehehe that was also amazing! One slice = 1/4 of the pie hahaha.

That night our friends came back to our place to grill out burgers and dogs for a good old fashioned Wii night (oxymoron? i guess the Wii can't be considered old fashioned, but you know what I mean). It was overall an awesome day.

The rest of the weekend was spent braving the shopping malls trying to get ideas for Xmas presents. I failed... I only succeeded in buying something for my neices, and one thing for BF, but the rest I bought for myself... I know, I know, I should have spent my time looking for others, but come on, I'm going to the complete opposite temperature extreme in 3 weeks and I only had 2 light sweaters to wear! I had to find something! (and sweatpants, and jeans, and a new year's outfit.....) It's not like I'm Becky Bloomwood! (If you don't know who that is... read "Confessions of a Shopoholic"... it's so fun)

Anyway, now its back to life as usual until Christmas. Boo life as usual.. I wish every week was a holiday 3 day work week ;) Can't wait to see everyone at Christmas though. And I want to make a very special shoutout to Amy and Jeff. Congrats you guys on the engagment! :)