It's beginning to look a lot like...

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

I was suddenly struck with the holiday spirit today. Good thing, because decorations are going up tonight & we're getting our tree on Saturday!

Five for Friday

1. Well, the word in the street in D.C. is that we're going to get some mega snow tonight and tomorrow. No, not the nice dusting that we got two weeks ago (see below), but some major 10-16 inches. Some people say up to two feet. I am personally skeptical, but am still planning on swinging by the grocery store so we have enough food to eat in tomorrow and Sunday. I think I'm also going to make some of my Dad's famous corn chowder (famous because I love it!), as it just seems the right thing to do in wintry conditions. We'll see what we end up with!


2. Last Saturday, I spent the morning chocolate-ing. This family tradition involves melting massive amounts of chocolate (milk, dark, white) and dipping whatever you can get your hands on in it. This year I made:

• Oreos dipped in milk chocolate, drizzled with white chocolate
• Oreos dipped in dark chocolate
• Oreos dipped in white chocolate
• Pretzel rods dipped in milk chocolate, drizzled with white chocolate
• Pretzel rods dipped in dark chocolate
• Mini milk and dark chocolate shapes in molds (which my husband apparently melted in the dishwasher... guess this year was the last one for those!)
• Dried apricots dipped in dark chocolate ("healthy")
• Peanut butter cups
• Cups filled with half white, half milk chocolate
• Cups filled with milk chocolate covered marshmallows

We gave away 90% of it as gifts to co-workers and family. The other 10% we have been noshing on, trying to make it last. Earlier in the month, I made two pans of my infamous nutmallow (bars with milk chocolate, cashews and marshmallows) - one to send my brother with his Christmas package, one to give away to people. Unfortunately, the later of the two batches became my breakfast almost every morning so... um, sorry to those who didn't get any this year! Here's a lousy picture from my phone of this year's haul:

3. Earlier this week, we booked flights to Tampa to visit Brad's grandparents over MLK Day weekend in January and to Barbados in February. A shot of warm weather is going to be really nice right around then (although it probably won't be too overly warm in Tampa!).

4. Just heard on the news that we might get *thundersnow* (literally a thunderstorm that produces snow instead of rain). I KNEW the end of the world was drawing near! And to think that I spent all that money on holiday gifts for people...

5. So Christmas is next week, but it's feeling distinctly un-Christmas-like here in D.C. I blame the Senate and their health care reform bill. There are too many people who are having to work too hard this close to the holidays because of it. I worked on the Hill a long time and have never seen it this hardcore, this stubborn, this broken. It's a little disheartening, really. Can't we all just get along?

Five for Friday

1. We gave this little bloggity-blog a shout out in our Christmas letter this year, so a big hello to anyone who has decided to follow our crazy lives because of that.

2. Speaking of Christmas letters and cards, we sent all ours out at the beginning of the week - about 80 in all. We have gotten two cards so far this year. That's it. Makes me sad actually, to check the mail on a daily basis and just get pizza coupons and credit card offers. Maybe it's the economy. "Or maybe it's people using the economy as an excuse because they're too lazy to send cards." <-- that last sentence is a direct quote an older woman at church told me last week. Hilarious.

3. Since I know you've been wondering, a squirrel update for you. They came and set traps on Tuesday morning. As of Thursday night, they had trapped one squirrel a day since Tuesday. What I don't understand is how they know the squirrel's they're trapping were the ones that were in the attic (no the traps aren't in the attic, they're on the roof by where the squirrel(s) are coming in and out). The good news is that we haven't heard any in the attic since Tuesday. The bad news is that it has been insanely cold this week and I'm now worried that the squirrels are getting trapped in the evening, drawn into the cage by the promise of food, and then they have to spend all night in a freezing cage when it is 23 degrees outside. Just doesn't seem right... not that it was right for them to be in the attic either though. Hopefully the whole thing will be over soon.

4. As you saw from previous posts, we did indeed get our tree last weekend and it is all up and decorated. It smells INSANELY good. It's also drinking up a storm, but that's okay. As long as it keeps smelling good.

5. As I mentioned earlier, winter has arrived in DC. We had a little snow last Saturday, which was lovely, largely because I didn't leave the house all day. It has been cold this week though. Wicked cold, as they would say up in Boston (when they're not complaining about the Patriots lousy play this year). I actually like winter, I really do. The clothing is so much more stylish and I absolutely hate sweating. But I would be lying if I didn't admit that I would actually much rather be in Barbados right now, with my toes in the sand and a frozen drink in my hand. Because the drink wouldn't be frozen due to the weather...

Five for Friday

1. Brad and I aren't really "movie people," but it looks like there are a ton of good ones coming out soon. The one with George Clooney (hubba, hubba!) "Up in the Air" looks great, and not just because I love to travel. The one with Robert DeNiro "Everybody's Fine"also looks great. In addition, I've heard that "On Education" (a more indie film) is also great. Luckily the weather is getting lousy, so movies are the perfect way to spend a Saturday!

2. Speaking of movies, I feel like it is only appropriate this time of year to queue up those holiday movies and get in the spirit. Brad and I have been watching DVR'd Christmas specials in the evenings when there is nothing else on TV, and I think we might bust out a Christmas movie or two this weekend. Two of my favorites are "Love Actually" and "White Christmas." What's your favorite holiday movie?

3. I think we're going to get our Christmas tree on Sunday. It's always such a process, the picking out, the standing back and judging, looking like you actually know what you're doing. Then wedging the thing into the car, carrying it up four flights of stairs, trying to get it straight in the stand and then not losing all the needles in the process of getting it into the house. THEN, of course, you have to let it fall and warm up for 24 hours before you can even decorate it. Yet, I love having a live tree. My most depressing Christmas's where the ones when I had a fake tree. Think we can top last year's? I do :)

4. It has been a very interesting week at work. Lots of changes going on... It's like they say, the only constant in life is change!

5. So squirrels. We have squirrel(s) living, or at least playing, in our attic. Wildlife Specialist Paul will be stopping by this afternoon to "evaluate the situation" and possibly lay traps. It's good times. I look forward to getting a full night sleep without hearing a squirrel digging into my bedroom ceiling.

Macy's celebrates Christmas and Thanksgiving at the same time!

Clearly, you'd be insane if you were in New York City and didn't visit the ginormous Macy's store there - in fact, the world's largest department store.

You'd be even more insane if you didn't visit during the holidays when their most fantastic decorations are up.

You've be even more insane if you were there on Thanksgiving and didn't go see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Yet, that last one almost didn't happen! Luckily, my Dad is pushy (like the native New Yorker he is), so we braved the crowds, found a spot two blocks from the actual parade route, watched the balloons float down Central Park West and had a fabulous time! Some people moved/I kind of nudged them out of the way and I stood on top of a security barrier, giving me an even better view of the parade.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't join in on the squeels of joy when Santa came down that street, officially kicking off the Christmas season!

inside the ginormous Macy's

the new location of the previously located big green square on Herald Square

(now relocated since the parade doesn't go down Broadway any more)
outside the ginormous Macy's

Parade time! Mickey floats down Central Park West

Snoopy

Buzz

the crowds at Columbus Circle

la la la la la la, la la la la la

Doughboy!

SANTAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

Some thoughts and random ramblings...

Two Friday's ago, I went to post a Five for Friday and just as I had the whole thing written, I lost my browser connection and it all went away. Then last Tuesday, I wrote an entire Ten for Tuesday (feeling bad that I had missed Friday) and I got to the end of that and my whole computer went ka-put. So here I am, trying again. No format this time, just some random thoughts from the past two weeks.

I would be remiss if I didn't start this by paying tribute to my dear great-grandmother, who passed away at the age of 100 on Saturday afternoon. Her passing is bittersweet and while we are all sad, we know she's partying in heaven with her husband and daughter. I'm extraordinarily thankful to have had her in my life for the past 27 years, something most people my age don't get the fortune of having, and will always be honored to carry on her name as my middle name (and probably the middle name of one of my far-off-in-the-future daughter). I'm also very thankful for having been able to celebrate her 100th birthday with her, just over a month ago. She always had wise advice and a witty story ready at any given time. My favorite piece of advice? Not long after I was married, she told me to "be sure and hug my husband goodbye every morning and kiss him goodnight every evening" - advice I always think of often when we head off to work in the morning! You'll be missed Grandma Frances, but we know you're looking down on us, probably with a pot meatballs and homemade tomato sauce bubbling along side :)

We spent Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, with some of my extended family. It was really fun to be in the city during the holidays and to see some family who I haven't seen in 10+ years. I promise a separate blog post full of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons, midnight pretzels and kabobs, Broadway show antics and some hanging around in Chelsea. (One of) the highlights of the trip? Not having to sit in traffic on I-95 or deal with the airport - we took the train! Again, I argue, the greatest form of transportation known to man (with maybe the exception of the blimp... or the Segway). Stress-free, relaxing, quiet and no strip security searches.

Can you believe Christmas is in four weeks? I mean, seriously? What happened to 2009? It really defies logic. However, I'm happy that I can now embrace the Christmas season, since Thanksgiving is over. I don't believe in this whole "start celebrating Christmas before Halloween thing." I even boycotted Starbucks for about a month, due to the early roll out of their holiday cups. But that boycott ended on Friday, I'm happy to report :)

Babies. Lots of them. Everywhere. A coworker of mine gave birth to twins on Friday. One of my cousins gave birth to her second on Sunday. Another cousin is 16 weeks pregnant. Another coworker is due in the spring with twins. Another coworker comes back Wednesday from her maternity leave. Every day, another friend pops up on Facebook announcing the bun in the oven. And yet the only internal clock I hear ticking is the one that tells me it's time to go on another trip :)

My ten year high school reunion has been officially scheduled for July 31, 2010. This makes me feel incredibly old. Who knows if I'll actually go. I think it largely depends on who else goes. So far those expressing excitement about the event in our Facebook group aren't exactly the core group I would drag my husband to Tampa to see. Yet, it might make me feel better about life to go. You know, since 90% of my class is living in a studio apartment, still in Tampa, still trying to get their undergrad degree... I'm just sayin'.

See? I told you it would be random ramblings! Happy last day of November everyone!