It's Go time 2013

So I know in the past (ahem 2011 and 2012) I would look back at how bad I felt the year was and how the next year *better* be better.  Not this year...I'm changing my attitude.  I'm going to remember all the greatness that was 2012 and I ask 2013 to be just as good if not better!

So 2012.  I loved the calm that I felt throughout much of the year.  I felt confidant enough to request a promotion at work and got one - yeah me!  I hated it the first month and wondered if I had made a mistake - but I told myself "Give it three months, then decide" because traditionally in my previous jobs I've always hated the first few months because I hate feeling like I don't know what I'm doing.  Well, now I enjoy it much more than what I was doing before.  So glad I had confidence in myself and learned from my past to not react too quickly.

And I felt calm knowing we had to take another long break.  I knew from 2011 that the time would eventually pass...and a lot quicker than I thought it would.  I took that knowledge from 2011 and applied it to 2012.  And so this year's break has gone by much better.  And I spent personal time to come closer to terms with the idea of living child free.  And then took the next step of admitting out loud to people that 2013 will be our last year of trying (even enough so that I put it in our Christmas letter!).  Brave? Maybe.  But I like that I put it out there so that it will lessen questions.  AND remind myself I can do this if need be.

I took full reigns of the 5 and 10K run for Founders.  And while there were some bumps everyone said it went off well.  And I learned things to improve on for next year.  I'm happy to become more involved in this volunteer event that is so much a part of Jeff and my life.

I'm fucking thrilled that Jeff and I got to take a vacation!  And not just one - but we took a day-cation in spring, and few afternoon getaway day-dates in the summer and fall.  I think it's made us more relaxed in general and closer.  Must be sure to repeat this step for 2013.

Which reminds me - trying new things!   We tried golfing together as one of our day dates.  We made a few new recipes, and we made drunk gummie bears.  And every single time we enjoyed the results.  We do not have to just always do the same old same old.  You CAN teach these old dogs some new tricks!

So 2013 - it's go time!  I want to enjoy life as much as I did this year. And more!  More new things, more time together, more confidence, more thinking positively!   I can't wait to see what you have in store for the Juice-ski's this year.

Holiday Traditions Quiz

Since last year I gave you all a tour of me through my Christmas tree I thought this year warrants a holiday post of some kind.  Missie at Growing up Geeky has her "Toddle along Tuesday" topics each week with a blog hop for moms.  Since I am not a mom, I don't participate but several times her topic brings thoughts to mind of either my child hood, or what I'll do when I'm a mother.  One of the people linked up in her blog hop had this list and I thought it pertains to anyone so without further ado....a little on my thoughts on holiday traditions through a quiz (because really, who doesn't like silly quizzes?)

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?   Hot Chocolate.  I think because I was allergic to milk as a child I can't get behind the thickness of egg nog.  This year I tried an Egg Nog latte from Starbucks since Jeff is such a big fan but no dice - don't even like it in latte form.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?   When I was a kid, my mom would wrap Santa gifts in a totally different paper than the family gifts (because duh, the elves wrap them).  I remember the last year I believed in Santa it was ET paper and I thought it was cool.  Funny what stands out in your mind.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?   For some reason, I'm very partial...colored lights for the tree but I have white lights for outside (but currently our only outside lights are on two 3 foot trees on either side of our front door.  But if we add more to the collection I want to keep them white because I think it looks more classic sophisticated.
4. Do you hang mistletoe?  We don't have any mistletoe here, but my mother has had the same real mistle toe for over 35 years.  How it's not crumbled to pieces is beyond me.  I just read here the other day that druids (who Christianity has stolen the symbol of the tree and mistletoe from in trying to convert pagans) anyway, the druids viewed mistletoe as the cure for infertility and infused it into a drink to make barren animals (and humans) fertile.  Kind of makes this cray-cray infertile want to go find some mistletoe! LOL 
5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the day after thanksgiving.  But with retail work these past three years I do it whenever I have a day off after black Friday.  This year is was the Sunday and Monday after.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish?   The Christmas Morning Kringle!!  Being of some German genes this was something this diabetic let her self actually eat.  It is a big danish thing that we usually bought on the Wisconsin boarder because it was the easiest place to find it.  (My mom has much more trouble getting one now that they live in Oklahoma).  OMG I love it with sausage and *super* eggs (like a loaded omelette only in scrambled form which is my families tradition breakfast after opening gifts.)
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?  The first year my grandmother came to spend Christmas with us after grandpa died.  She opened a Pepperidge farm sausage from my uncle and she said "I told Tommy I was lonley, but I'm not *This* lonely!"  I was 12 or 13 and thought it was hilarious that my grandma made a dildo joke at Christmas....only my family!  Got love her RIP.   That or the year that my other grandma sent me a cookskin hat and I cried "They had to kill two animals to make this!!"  And she felt so bad because she was the one that sent me a subscription to Wildlife magazine for kids.  She's like "I should have known I had made her an animal lover."  I never ever wore it but it's been the butt of jokes for years!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?  I learned when I was five years old Christmas morning, because we had secretly found a bike for me hidden in the garage behind big sheet boards and kept quiet about it thinking it was for my birthday or Christmas from my parents.  But Christmas morning there was a tag on it saying it was from Santa.  And I was like "this isn't from Santa  it was in the garage two weeks ago!"  My parents tried to cover it up by saying Santa hid it there because there's only so much room on his sleigh but I knew the jig was up.  My mom felt very guilty for a few years that they didn't think of a better hiding spot or that they didn't keep it at a neighbors house or something.  
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open one gift on the eve (after church) and then the rest in the morning.  For some reason, my mother always insisted that the gift had to be from someone who wasn't there (the coonskin cap was one...it was squishy so I really thought it was going to be a stuffed animal.  I was so upset they let me open one more that year LOL.  Only year I was able to open two.)
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?   My mom gives us an ornament every year.  Jeff's family didn't do this,  So our tree is covered with all of my ornaments and the one's Jeff's gotten from my mom the last four years.  And we have three ornaments that are joint ornaments.  But most are my penguin collection (like 28 out of 50 or something).  
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Growing up in Chicago - I have a love/hate relationship.  I love the first snowfall over a few inches!  But then by mid January I'm like "I am so over this crap!"  But last year we didn't even get snow until mid January and so far this year - none.  It just doesn't feel like winter or Christmas yet.  Really hope we have at least a little bit of snow before the holiday hits.
12. Can you ice skate?  Yes, but not very well and I have not in years.  When I was a kid, since my birthday is a week before Christmas my mother made me do this for my birthday outing with friends for like four years in a row (I think because it was easier than having a house full of kids).  So I grew to hate having a winter birthday and limited choices.  If I ever have a winter baby I will make sure I come up with fun ideas and never push my child into something they don't like.  (((Rant over)))
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Honestly? No I don't.  I've had several gifts that toughed me or were creative.  But nothing stands out as "the best!"  
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Spending time with family.  I see mine only once a year and for Christmas it's only every other year so it's very special for me.  But even when it's Jeff's families year for Christmas I love seeing everyone together and picking out perfect gifts for everyone.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?  Since I can't have much sugar (but I can be a bad girl esp. during the holidays) I have to stick with the Kringle or my birthday cake (which I know is not a holiday dessert but for me it kinda is...)
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?   For my family, it's putting on the album "John Denver and the Muppets" Christmas CD while decorating the tree.  For Jeff's family - it's going to the tree farm to pick out his parents tree and getting the fresh cinnamon doughnuts.  
17. What tops your tree?   Our tree has a glass ornament that broke the year I got my first tree as an adult.  I didn't have a topper so I stuck it on top because then you don't realize the bottom is actually broke.  It's a totem pole of three penguins with Santa hats on.  And since my tree is so penguin-centric it really fits.  But I have a feeling once we have a little one, Jeff and I should get a star or angel to go on top to represent his religion better.  For now, he humors me.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?   Can't it be both??  I love picking out the perfect gift.  I spent hours scouring the internet (and sshhh!  I think I found Jeff something awesome!  His favorite book is the Dark Tower series from Stephan King but there is almost nothing on the internet except for the book...but after much searching I found t shirts by an artist on a site called redbubble.  He will LOVE it!  The rest of his gifts are just OK but this is so specific to HIM)  But I also love gifts for me when they're well thought out.  Most of what I get is stuff I've asked for, so when someone puts their own thoughts into it based on who I am really touches me.
19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?  Eh, I usually have one a year.  Not much of a fan but again it's because I really shouldn't have then and didn't as a watched over child.  
20. Favorite Christmas show? Movie?   Tie between National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and Bill Murray's Scrooged.
21. Saddest Christmas song?   I guess Elvis' "Blue Christmas"
22. What is your favorite Christmas song?   Brenda Lee's "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" and the Muppet's "Little Saint Nick" (with Dr. Teeth and Animal being the main characters singing the song LOL)