Thanksgiving & Black Friday

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is almost here.  Where did this year go??  It seems like not that long ago we were celebrating Christmas.  And now Christmas is almost here again.  

Anyway, I'm really excited for Thanksgiving.  Our friend Richard is coming to visit us again this year.  I'm cooking a huge feast for the three of us (it will be my first time eating turkey in several years!).  Philip always says that my turkey is the best he's ever tasted.  Let's hope it lives up to the hype.  ;)   

Anyway, after we eat, we'll probably nap for a little bit and then head out to do our Black Friday shopping.  I love Black Friday... because I love good deals!  We will start at Walmart, then go to Target, Best Buy, and Kohls.  And hopefully by the end of the morning, we will have most of our Christmas shopping done.  :)  We already have several people almost done!  I'm highly impressed with our planning this year!

When we finish shopping, we will likely come home and crash for a few hours.  Then we have plans to pick up our Christmas tree to decorate.  I found a pick and cut your own tree farm and I'm hoping that it's good.  

Saturday is still up in the air.  I don't know what we'll be doing.  Probably recuperating from the exhausting Thursday and Friday!  :)  And then Sunday morning, Richard heads back and Philip and I will relax and get ready for our work week.  Fun stuff!

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 25-30

November 25: I am thankful that our friend Richard was able to travel to see us for Thanksgiving. He spent a week with us and it was great to have a visitor and great to see an old friend.

November 26: I am thankful for sales! Black Friday was successful. After much hassle, we were able to get a foosball table for free from Sears. We had to use a few hours of precious Black Friday time, but it was definitely worth it!

November 27: I am thankful for REAL Christmas trees. They get me in the holiday spirit so much. They make the whole house smell like pine. It is wonderful. :) (Even if we did have to spend a bunch of money on a tree that we didn't get to cut down ourselves or have shaken or baled-- damn misleading websites! Next year we will find a farm to cut our own down! For now, this tree is wonderful! A beautiful Frasier Fir).

November 28: I am thankful for love. I know that is generic, but it's true. I am thankful that there are still good people in the world. I am thankful that I am lucky enough to count a few of those good people as my family and friends. I am thankful to have love to get me through any hard times I face. I have been slightly depressed with the state of the world lately and the love of my family and friends has helped tremendously.

November 29: I am thankful for Amazon.com. Yeah, it sounds silly. However, they make everything much simpler for me. Philip and I are unable to travel to our families' homes this year. So, it makes things much easier that Amazon has free shipping. We can just ship gifts directly to our families' homes! So simple. :)

November 30: I am thankful for contests and hockey! I won 2 club level tickets to the Avs game. They lost in overtime, but we had a fantastic time. So, maybe I should just be thankful for good luck? ;)

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 13-24

So... I got a bit behind. I'm catching up now though!

November 13: I am thankful for good friends. I may have moved over a thousand miles away, but I know I still have good friends who will be there for me (most of them, at least).

November 14: I am thankful for new friends. I've had some difficulty making new friends since moving to Colorado. We live in a tiny town so, we have limited options for friendships; especially since all of our neighbors have families (less time and energy). However, I have been able to make a few new friends, and they are all cool people. :)

November 15: I am thankful for my freedom... even if the government is trying to take it away.

November 16: I am thankful that I do not have to fly this holiday season. I am so thankful that I do not have to be exposed to potentially harmful porno scanners or sexual assaults sanctioned by our government.

November 17: I am thankful that the entire nation is not completely composed of sheep. I am thankful that there are at least some people left in the United States who are not completely under the mind control of the government.

November 18: I am thankful for delicious food. I have been baking for weeks now (one of the reasons I have not been blogging much) and the food is fantastic. I am thankful that I have a kitchen in which to cook, money to buy the ingredients, and the deliciousness of the final results. :)

November 19: I am thankful for my family. Some of them are a bit crazy at times, but they are good people. They all might not be what people would call "classy" but they are always there for me. They have supported me through everything and I wouldn't trade them for the world.

November 20: I am thankful for good health. I managed to get food poisoning or something at the Avalanche game last Monday, but for the most part, I am a healthy individual. I haven't been truly sick (cold, flu, etc.) in years. It is definitely something to be thankful for.

November 21: I am thankful for good neighbors and an excellent neighborhood. We are just renting, but we love our house. The neighborhood is safe and most of the neighbors are friendly. I say most because we do have one neighbor who just is not very friendly.

November 22: I am thankful to have been able to travel to so many amazing places. The other day I was thinking about our honeymoon to Italy and how awesome it is going to be. Then I thought about how awesome Italy was last time. And about my trip to the Republic of Korea. Then I started going through pictures of all the places I've been... all over the U.S (including Alaska) and even a few places overseas. I am very fortunate. :)

November 23: I am thankful that I have not managed to screw up anything really big in my life. I managed to get a degree (even if I'm not really using my major). I managed to not get knocked up out of wedlock (or as a teen). I haven't been divorced. I have a stable job. I have healthy relationships. When I look at some of the people I knew in high school, I am very thankful that I have managed to avoid making those huge mistakes. I know that if I would have, I would have dealt with them and stayed positive, but I know my life is easier without having screwed up.

November 24: I am thankful that I am brave. Not brave in that I will fight a bear or something crazy like that. Brave in that I am willing to make big, scary changes; like moving to Colorado. Packing up everything I own and moving 1,700 miles away was terrifying (especially without job prospects), but I am SO glad that we did it. It has been amazing and I LOVE Colorado.

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 8-12

November 8: I am thankful for stability. I have a job. Philip has a job. We have a house (we rent, but it's still a house). We have more than enough money to pay our bills and live comfortably. We can both count on our steady paychecks. With the way the economy is right now, I know that this is really incredible. I am very thankful that I am able to be a part of the middle class.


November 9: I am thankful for health insurance. This month is the first time since high school that I have had health insurance. I don't get sick often (or really at all since I became a vegetarian), but you never know when you are going to need health insurance. My company gives me $270.00 of credit to use each month towards health insurance. I got my health insurance through Philip because it was cheaper and better than my company's insurance. However, I used the $270 credit for dental, accident, hospital, and disability insurance through AFLAC and I got a $150,000.00 life insurance policy for myself ($300,000.00 if it's an accidental death). I went about $20 over my $270.00 credit, so that comes out of my paycheck. So, I'm getting a ton of insurance for very cheap! I went from no insurance to super insured! :) I am very fortunate!


November 10: I am thankful for nice, relatively normal in-laws. My in-laws all (seem to) like me and approve of my relationship with Philip. They are all very friendly and supportive. It's nice to be a part of a big family (when they are pleasant). It's nice to have another set of parents (or in my case, another 2 sets -- Philip's mom and stepdad as well as his dad and stepmom) who care about your wellbeing. It's also nice to have grandparents again. My grandparents are all deceased. I miss them terribly, but at least I have grandparents-in-law who are wonderful. :)


November 11: I am thankful for all of the veterans who have served in all branches of the military. I may not support every aspect of the war in Iraq, but I do support our troops. They have to be separated from those they love for months (or even years) to make sure that our nation continues to be safe and free (and to help other less fortunate countries). I'm not sure that I could make the sacrifices that our service men and women make. I am very thankful that there are people who are willing to make those sacrifices for me and those I love.


November 12: I am thankful for snow. I know it sounds crazy, but we just had our first TWO snowfalls this week (one of the big reasons I moved to Colorado). They were beautiful. I love the snow. It covers everything and makes the world glow. It gives the world a wonderful glitter... It covers up all that is ugly with a perfect white -- the color of purity. It makes even our sometimes-crappy world seem perfect. Also, it's fun to play in. :D

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 5-7

November 5: I am thankful for my father. We have had some rough times in the past, but I know he will always be there for me. We don't talk as often as we probably should, but I know that he truly cares about me; just as I truly care about him. I know that he is proud of who I have become. I love him. :)


November 6: I am thankful for Colorado. :) I know, it's a whole state. I am just so thankful that Philip and I were able to move here. It is a fantastic place. I get to see the beautiful, snow-topped Rockies every day on my way to work. And, every day I think, "Wow. I am so lucky to see this." Colorado is filled with amazing people, amazing sights, and is just an amazing place to live. I love it here. :)


November 7: I am thankful for my sister. She and I have definitely had our "rough patches" but we are now at a great point in our relationship. I wish that I could see her more often (and finally meet this wonderful beau of hers), but at least I know that she and I will be able to pick up where we left off when we last saw/talked to each other. :) She is a wonderful person and is going to do great things. I am lucky to have her as my sister (and lucky that she forgives me for convincing her that she was adopted when we were little!). :D

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Days 1-4

So, I've been meaning to start this, but when I go to my blog, I blog about something else and then completely forget about it. Well, I remembered today, so here goes!

I want to participate in the 30 days of Thanksgiving. Obviously, I'm a few days behind. I'm just going to combine my posts for days one through four right here so that I can save time and space!

November 1: I am thankful for my wonderful fiancé. He truly is everything I had hoped for in a mate. He is caring and thoughtful. He loves our four wonderful pups (I came into the relationship with more than just emotional baggage). He took to them as if they had always been his. He's even gentle and understanding with our "special" pup, Jippy (he's not really the brightest dog, but he's definitely full of love and eager to please). He is content. It takes so little to please him. I simply have to be myself. That is a wonderful feeling. He's nerdy and cute. :) He's hardworking and supportive. He is perfect.

November 2: I am thankful for my four beautiful pups. I don't know what I would do without them. They bring joy to my life every day. They are hilarious and cute. They are also loving and attentive (if I cry, all four of them want to give me kisses until I can't help but laugh). They truly care about me. They know when I have a bad day and they are there to make it better. They are so easy to please. They just want attention. Hell, the best present for them is the empty toilet paper roll (seriously, they play with it until it's in shreds on the floor).

They are all different and unique, and I love them all for different reasons. Jack is my buddy. He wants to be everywhere that I am. He loves to cuddle, but he also loves to play. He's the most "human" of the four.

Cody is my protector (as well as the protector of the other three pups). He is the most attentive to my feelings. He will sit with me with his head on my lap and just stare up at me until my heart melts. He is incredibly eager to please. He wants nothing more than for me to be happy (well, and for me to be with him).

Jippy is my "special" child. He is not the smartest pup, but he really does try. He wants to please me, he just gets confused easily. It is absolutely adorable. He is so full of energy and life. He can run for hours, but he still wants my love and affection. He needs me (not every person can handle Jippy's needs; I know from experience -- which is why I am so happy that Philip loves and understands him!). He makes me laugh. :)

Daly is my little girl. She is the most needy of the four. She constantly wants attention. She will shove the other three out of the way to get to my hand. She is silly. She is really sweet though. She will always remind me that she loves me (she makes me feel special because she doesn't love just anyone; she's actually afraid of new people). And, when she's feeling playful, she is CUTE. She can get the other dogs to play so easily. She is my adorable little girl. :)

November 3: I am thankful for my wonderful mother. She is there for me through thick and thin. When I need to vent, she is there to listen to the very end (putting in appropriate sounds to show disgust, of course :)). She may be hundreds of miles away, but she's still there for me. She is always supportive and understanding. She is sensitive just like me so when either one of us is upset, we can cry together and support each other. She spoils my pups rotten and I know that she will be a fantastic grandmother when Philip and I have human children, too. :) And, she makes me laugh. She's one of my best friends in the whole world. I am incredibly lucky to have her as my mother. :)

November 4: I am thankful for my job. I know this post may not seem as meaningful as the first three, but it is important to me (and I wanted to break up the "I'm thankful for my family" posts so that it doesn't just get repetitive -- no worries, family! I will get to the rest of you as well!). I know that I am lucky. Not only do I have a job that more than pays for my bills; I have a job that I really enjoy. My boss is wonderful and funny. My coworkers are hardworking and friendly. My job is not really that difficult, but it is fulfilling. I am fortunate to be able to say (finally!) that I really do love my job. For once, I don't dread going into work every day. I do really look forward to my weekends, but it's because I can't wait to actually see Philip; not because I can't stand the work week! I know that this makes me one of the lucky few.

Christmas

You'd think that I'd update more, since I have loads of time on my hands... because I'm still unemployed... but, I don't. Probably because, I don't actually have a lot going on right now. But, for those of you who are interested, here's what actually IS going on in my life:

1. Thanksgiving was awesome. I made a delicious meal and I got to meet Philip's mom and stepdad. They're pretty cool people. :)

2. I went Black Friday shopping for the first time this year. I had a great time! We got a lot of really good deals and got a big chunk of our shopping done. :)

3. Shopping. Oh, shopping. I've done so much shopping recently. I have my family (mom, dad, sister, aunt, cousin, etc.), Philip's family (mom, stepdad, dad, stepmom, grandma, grandpa, nanny, pappy, aunt, uncle, cousins, etc.), friends, and Philip. Phew. It can be exhausting! Mostly because since I am unemployed, I have to really find the DEALS. haha... and boy have I! I get paid on Monday and I'm broke by Tuesday, but this Christmas is totally worth it. I'm pretty proud of what I've got to show for it. I'm really excited for my mom and dad's "big" present. I'm not going to say what it is on here, just in case my mom actually reads my blog... but, it's AWESOME! And, they're going to love it. :)

Philip actually gets three "big" presents because we are have 3 or 4 Christmas gatherings. One of them I ordered on eBay. I got an absolutely AMAZING deal on the gift, but it didn't arrive in time for him to open it at our first Christmas gathering in Pennsylvania tomorrow. I'm really upset about it. It was supposed to arrive before now. Oh, well. I'm just switching the presents for Indiana and Pennsylvania because the present should be here in time for actual Christmas in Indiana. :) Since I know Philip never actually reads this, I'll go ahead and say what it is. It's a Sopranos Complete Series Gift Set. He has wanted one for a while. It's normally REALLY effing expensive, but I got it for less than a quarter of what it would have cost at Best Buy. :)

I also got a great deal on his other present. I ordered it on Amazon when they had a Christmas deal going on... over 40% off, baby! :) I also have a free trial of Amazon Prime (I highly recommend this if you buy from Amazon frequently!), so I got it in 2 days with FREE upgrade to UPS 2nd Day Air. :) It's a D-Rex Interactive Dinosaur. If you haven't seen this, you definitely need see it. It's pretty cool. Philip really wants one. He mostly wants to scare Jack with it... you're really surprised about that, right? lol

And, finally, I am getting him a road trip. hahaha... we're taking a road trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana at the end of January. It's for a concert. Three of Philip's favorite bands are playing: Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, and Flyleaf. I'm also a fan of all three. Plus, we can stay at my parents for free while we're there and we can see my puppies for a while. :) I really miss them a lot.

I also got him some smaller presents as well. It's going to be an awesome Christmas. :)

4. As I said, tomorrow, we are headed to PA to visit his mom's side of the family. We were in PA visiting his dad's side of the family just over a month ago. It was nice. :) And then, we'll be in Indiana for actual Christmas. And, we're having 2 Christmas parties with friends. One will probably be before Christmas and one will be on January 2nd. Phew. I'm going to be Christmas-ed out! :)

5. I will be in Indiana this year for my parent's New Year's Eve partay. :D I'm pretty excited. I haven't been able to go since high school!


I think that about sums everything up for now. Any questions?