Thursday, December 31, 2009

Just in time for the New Year....

The announcement of January's theme!!

January is going to be my Month of Randomness!!!

Look for lots of fun and exciting things as I try out new things and make From Barbies to Words a better place for me and you.

Some of the things I would like to do in January:
- Interviews
- Guest bloggers
- Pictures
- Ramblings
- Reviews
- Continuation of the Song of the Day feature (complete with playlist)
- Much, much more!

If there's something you'd like to see in the blog, let me know in the comments!

Or, if you would like to volunteer to be interviewed or to be a guest blogger, then please let me know in the comments section.

Month of Holidays: Day 31

Happy New Year's Eve!!!

2010 is fast approaching. How are you celebrating?

I've got two last Top 5 lists for you.

Top 5 Games Enjoyed this Decade
1. Monopoly
2. Life
3. Scene It
4. Battleship
5. MASH

Top 5 Video Games Played this Decade
1. Donkey Kong for N64
2. Super Mario Bros (Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Wii)
3. Prince Caspian for Playstation 2
4. Top Shop for Playstation
5. Monopoly for Nintendo

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!

Song of the Day: "Auld Lang Syne" by Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis

*Please excuse my mess. I'm updating my blog for the new year.*

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 30

Tomorrow's New Year's Eve! And with New Year's Eve comes the announcement of my January theme, so keep an eye out for that.

For now, I'm going to try to give you three more Top 5 lists. The first one of these was hard to do. I like so many songs and had a hard time picking 5.

Top 5 Songs of the Decade
1. "When the Day Met the Night" by Panic at the Disco
2. "Kangaroo Cry" by Blue October (close tie with "My Never" by Blue October)
3. "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's
4. "Human" by The Killers (this is my wake-up song)
5. "Carry You Home" by James Blunt

Most of these songs were chosen because I enjoy writing to them.

Top 5 Foods of the Decade (essentially my favorite foods from the decade)
1. Macaroni & Cheese
2. Breadsticks
3. Homemade Pizza
4. Spaghetti-Os
5. Tacos

Top 5 Toys of the Decade
1. TY Beanie Babies (was a big collector!)
2. Barbies (always a classic!)
3. My Little Ponies (they came back!)
4. Stuffed Animals (always a classic)
5. My Littlest Petshop (now with bobbleheads!)

Looks like I made it to three lists. What are your favorite songs, foods, and toys of the decade?

Check back tomorrow for next month's theme and the last of our top 5 lists!

Song of the Day: "I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack

Don't forget to check out the contest at Two to Write. Click link below!
http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 29

Our top 5 lists of the decade continue! Remember, these are all in my opinion and I welcome your own lists!

Top 5 Blockbuster* Movies of the Decade
1. Pirates of the Carribean
2. Troy
3. Lord of the Rings
4. Prince Caspian
5. 10,000 BC

Top 5 Lesser Known* Movies of the Decade
1. Elizabethtown
2. Undiscovered
3. Tristan and Isolde
4. Stardust
5. Casanova

Top 5 Bands of the Decade
1. The Killers
2. Shinedown
3. 3 Doors Down
4. Blue October
5. The Fray

*Blockbuster movies are ones that were well known when they came out. Lesser known movies refers to those movies that I've enjoyed that people give me that confused look when I mention the title of it. You may or may not have heard of these.

Also, I recommend heading over to http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html for a cool contest.

Song of the Day: "The Dance" by Garth Brooks (since we're remembering the decade...)

Please Support a Good Cause!

In February, my lovely sister will be participating in a charity event that helps out the Children's Miracle Network, which does a lot to help children who are sick. If anyone is to suffer in this world, I would rather it not be children. They have so much life ahead of them and it should not be wasted in a hospital or short-lived.

This being said, I am asking for your help. She has pledged to raise $150 through the Dance Marathon program hosted by our local children's hospital. All of the proceeds go to the Children's Miracle Network and the hospitals they support.

If you can find it in your heart, I would greatly appreciate it if you donated to the cause. No amount is too small and it will be well appreciated.

If you are interested in donating or would like to learn more, then please click the following link and follow the simple directions online: http://www.helpmakemiracles.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=523&participantID=2415

Thanks so much!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 28

We're counting down to the New Year with lists of our Top 5 of the Decade. On today's menu: concerts, food establishments, and characters.

Top 5 Concerts of the Decade
1. Shinedown (with Adelita's Way and Sick Puppies)
2. Blue October with Switchfoot
3. 3 Doors Down (with Breaking Benjamin and Staind)
4. 3 Doors Down (the second time)
5. Sugarland

Top 5 Food Establishments of the Decade
1. Moe's
2. Mellow Mushroom
3. Subway
4. Wendy's
5. Fazoli's

Top 5 Characters of the Decade (from my own stories - first names in most cases)
1. Aiden
2. Jeremy
3. Ryland
4. Ivy Carter
5. Raine

What are your favorite concerts, food establishments, and characters of the decade?

Song of the Day: "Happy New Year" by ABBA

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 27

Let's get started with those lists then, shall we? Starting today, I'm going to give you my top 5's of the decade in three different categories. These are solely my top fives! I would love to see comments with your top fives in the categories mentioned. Remember, these are for the whole decade!

Top 5 Books Read in the Past Decade
1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
2. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
3. Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
4. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
5. Old Magic by Marianne Curley


Top 5 Television Series of the Decade
1. Supernatural
2. Gilmore Girls
3. Charmed
4. Vampire Diaries
5. The OC
There's a few others that could probably make this list.


Top 5 Stores of the Decade
1. Build A Bear
2. Target
3. Dollar Tree
4. Barnes and Noble
5. A.C. Moore

These lists are in no particular order. I have provided links for your convenience.

What are your favorite books, TV series, and stores of the decade?

Song of the Day: "The New Year" by Death Cab for Cutie

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 26

I'm going to share some of my Christmas gifts, but later.

For now, this is going to be brief because I've been spending time with the family.

Look out for New Year's posts to be starting tomorrow, complete with my favorites of the decade! Yep that's right - a decade is coming to an end. As my sister put it, after the New Year, I will have lived in four different decades - and I'm only 23. That's crazy to think about.

Well, until then...

Song of the Day: "Silent Night"

Friday, December 25, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 25


Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you are having a great day.

I want to take a moment today to share my favorite Christmas memories of 2009. (in no particular order)

1. Shouting at a projector screen with my entire family as we play Super Mario Bros on the Wii. Laughing with the ones you love is a cherished thing.

2. We were all sitting around upstairs discussing when to open our presents, when suddenly we heard something being unwrapped downstairs. Kandy, our dog, had decided she couldn't wait any longer. She was tearing into a gift - her gift! Smart dog.

3. Smiling over a text message sent with Jilly while shopping in Dollar Tree. We were telling each other how much we enjoyed the gifts we'd given one another. I couldn't help but smile.

4. Watching my family members unwrap their gifts. That is always a classic.

5. One of our students followed us around the room on the last day of Christmas, begging us to open our presents.

What are a few of your favorite memories? Keep them short so that you can get back to making new memories!!

Happy Holidays everyone.

Songs of the Day:
"Happy Birthday, Jesus" by Alabama
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" (Disney version)

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 24

Christmas Eve.

I have my Rudolph pajamas on, have opened my presents (tradition), and am enjoying time with my family. We've been playing video games together. All in all, the day has gone well. This is what the holidays are all about - spending time with the ones you love.

And that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to keep this post short, say Merry Christmas to all, and return to a fun-filled evening with my family.

No song today, but I'll give you two tomorrow.

Snuggle up with the ones you love, read The Night Before Christmas and enjoy your Christmas Eve.

I will talk to you all (briefly) tomorrow.

Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 23

It's the last day of our countdown! Our song is finally coming to an end. :(

There will be more fun to come following the countdown, I promise. We'll be reviewing our favorite items of the decade.

Until then, though...

"On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
twelve drummers drumming,
eleven pipers piping,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"



Our list for today is the funnest one yet! I want you to share your top twelve toys of all time!

My list:
1. Barbies (of course)
2. Littlest Pet Shop (the originals)
3. Polly Pocket (the originals)
4. P.J. Sparkles
5. Board Games
6. Cabbage Patch Dolls
7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
8. Power Ranger dolls
9. Stuffed Animals!
10. Disney toys (When I was young, there used to be figures and playsets to go with all sorts of animated Disney movies.)
11. Bikes
12. Rollerblades

What are your top toys? Some of mine are very general, but I wanted to get a lot on the list! (Notice video games are not on there anywhere. I was not really big into playing them as a kid.)

Song of the Day: "Deck the Halls"

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 22

Onward with the countdown song and lists!

"On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
eleven pipers piping,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"



Today's list is one of colors. Yes, that's right - colors. What are your eleven favorite colors? Need some help? Visit the Crayola website for a complete listing of current crayon colors: http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/history/current_120_colors.cfm

My list of favorite crayon colors:
1. cerulean
2. carnation pink
3. fuchsia
4. razzmatazz
5. tickle me pink
6. antique brass
7. electric lime
8. jungle green
9. timberwolf
10. wild watermelon
11. violet

And to make this even more fun, click on the colors of that website to get the history of each!

And, a colorful song:

Song of the Day: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry

Monday, December 21, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 21

This post is not going to be made of win for two reasons - I've got a cold (just in time for break) and there's some family drama taking place tonight. However, I was determined to keep with my daily record for the month. I have not missed a day of our holiday posts and I'm not about to start now.

So, onward with the countdown song!

"On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
ten lords-a-leaping,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree."



Today's list was going to be ten things that make you leap for joy (or make you happy). I'm going to try my best to give you mine, but no promises.

My list:
1. writing
2. spending time with my family
3. teaching
4. pets
5. making new friends
6. shopping
7. reading a good book
8. watching a good movie
9. dragging out the old Barbie dolls and creating stories with them
10. getting comments from wonderful readers!

What are ten things that make you leap?

Song of the Day: "Jingle Bells" by Bing Crosby

Official Kissing Day

Writing is an important part of my life. That being said, I am going to have to interrupt our holiday posts for a minute to post about "Official Kissing Day." I read about this over at Elana's blog and just could not resist.

Basically, you are supposed to post a kissing scene from something you wrote. It only took me a minute to figure out what scene I wanted to post (and, coincidentally, it's completely appropriate for this time of year).

Lucky you, this is the first time I'm posting something I wrote on this blog.

For you, on Official Kissing Day:

One girl among the crowd is smart. She’s dressed for the New York weather and not for the guys. She’s wearing a sweater of some sort over tight jeans. Boots that reach her knees complete the look. She looks amazing and yet she could still walk outside and not demand the jacket off a guy’s back to stay warm. She’s standing all alone near the balcony. She looks completely happy to be alone. I ventured in her direction, drawn to her in a way I can’t describe.

I catch her eye as I cross the room. She blinks once before heading out onto the balcony as the DJ announces a one minute warning. I step out onto the balcony behind the girl. She turns around with her brows knitted. I’m guessing that she didn’t expect me to follow her. The countdown begins inside. 10…9…8… I inch closer to her. 7…6…5… She doesn’t shy away. 4…3…2… I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her towards me. 1… A chorus of “Happy New Year” rings out from inside and my lips touch hers. I melt into her embrace, allowing passion to overtake my body.

As soon as the kiss started, it ended. She broke away within seconds and headed back inside. She didn’t seem angry, just surprised. I attempt to follow her inside but lose sight of her in the crowd. I head for the door, fully prepared to leave. My sister and her friends intercept me though. They talk me into staying a while and enjoying the night club. As far as night clubs go, it was ordinary. The music was loud, the colors were bright in the dark room, and many of the legal people were drunk. I agreed to an hour and finished out the night at High Rise.


It's just an excerpt from a much longer novel co-written by my sister and me. But, it's a kissing scene and that's what was asked for.

Do you have a favorite kissing scene? If you do, join in on the fun. Let me know if you post one somewhere and I'll take a swing over and read it.

Happy Kissing Day! I'm back to a day of cleaning and organizing now. Your regularly scheduled holiday post will make an appearance later.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 20

It's Sunday, my room is a mess, and I'm putting things in their proper place. It must be Christmas.

Every December, I have to completely reorganize my room to fit in the new stuff I get. Oh well, I guess it cleans me up for the new year.

Let's continue with our countdown...

"On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
nine ladies dancing,
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"



Dancing. That requires music, correct? Well then...

Today's list is going to be my top 9 Christmas songs. (In order)
1. "Thistlehair" by Alabama
2. "Winter Wonderland"
3. "Little Drummer Boy"
4. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
5. "Frosty the Snowman"
6. "Jingle Bell Rock"
7. "Jingle Bells"
8. "The Christmas Song"
9. "12 Days of Christmas"

What are your favorite songs? I've been sharing mine all month long. Now it's your turn!

Song of the Day: "A Great Big Sled" by The Killers

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 19

Christmas is drawing nearer! I'm excited, are you?

I finished (at least I think I did) my Christmas shopping today. I must say that I have found some exciting deals and gifts for people. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside.

We're continuing our countdown with a song. We're on day 8, so here goes...

"On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
eight maids-a-milking,
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four birds calling,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"



I spent the day shopping, so today's list is eight stores I shopped at for Christmas.

1. Wal-Mart
2. Target
3. K-Mart
4. Kohls
5. Harbor Freight Tools
6. Toys R Us
7. Big Lots
8. Barnes and Noble

This is by no means an all inclusive list. But, it is a few of my favorite stores (minus the tool store - that is a yearly visit for dad).

Where do you shop?

Song of the Day: "Let It Snow" by Dean Martin

Friday, December 18, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 18

The countdown continues and so does our song. Plus, I have some exciting videos for you of my dog unwrapping a few of her Christmas gifts! My break has officially begun and I'm excited to just relax and probably write.

First up, the countdown song...

"On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
seven swans-a-swimming,
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!



Today's list is of my top seven non-animated Christmas movies.

Here goes:
1. Borrowed Hearts
2. The Holiday
3. Love Actually
4. Holiday in Handcuffs
5. The Santa Clause (all three!)
6. Jack Frost
7. The Christmas List

What are a few of your favorites?
View a list of Christmas Movies here: http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/christmas_movie.html
From what I can tell, it is not a complete list.

And the fun videos:







Song of the Day: "Christmas Pipes" by Enya

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 17

It's me again! With our Christmas countdown!

So, let's get to the lyrics for today. I have another surprise for you after them!

"On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
six geese-a-laying,
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"



Today's list - what are your six favorite animated Christmas shows?

Mine are:
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Frosty the Snowman
3. Disney's Christmas Sing-a-long
4. Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Christmas
5. Balto (Not really Christmas, but definitely winter)
6. Charlie Brown's Christmas

What are yours?

And...now...for...the...SURPRISE!!!

To: All of You
From: Me

The card below was made especially for all of my wonderful friends, family, and followers.



Song of the Day: "Jingle Bell Rock" by Neil Diamond

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 5

The countdown continues! As does the lyrics to our song...

"On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
five gold rings,
four calling birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree!"



Five days into our countdown. That means there are seven days left until our countdown ends. Seven days until Christmas Eve. Seven days until the festivities begin!

Five gold rings. Gold is a color most associated with precious things in our lives. Gold has been held in high value for many years. It has deep historical roots. So, I thought we would celebrate this day by looking at what is precious in our lives. Specifically, who are precious in our lives.

So, here goes my list of five golden individuals:
1. Crystal, my sister and best friend
2. Brenda, my awesome mother
3. Dwight, my wonderful father
4. Kandy, my loveable dog
5. Sandy, my first dog who passed away in 2003

Who are five of your golden individuals?

Also, keep any eye out for an announcement about next month's theme!

And, remember to stop by Two to Write and check out the contest section! We're hosting our first contest and I'm really excited about it. I would love to see more participants.

Song of the Day: "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Jars of Clay

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 15

So, we're continuing with our countdown to Christmas. We're on day four of the twelve day countdown.



"On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
four callings birds,
three French hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree."

What are four things you dislike about the winter holidays?

My list:
1. Parking
2. Lack of cheer in shoppers
3. The up and down weather
4. You can fill this one in. I tend to like most things about this time of year.

My fall classes officially ended tonight. This made me look at the books on my shelf today and realize that I have at least three books I bought this year that I have not gotten a chance to read yet. Then, I thought about the many books I put on my Christmas list. I am sure there will be numerous books for me to read.

So, I debated which book to start reading on. And that's when I remembered I have a novel to read. It's the novel that my sister, Crystal, and I wrote this past summer. Our goal is to read and start rewriting and revising it over the break.

So, while others are reading the great published novels out there, I will be reading this:



All 400 some odd pages of it.

We were talking of snow at the dinner table tonight, so:

Song of the Month: "White Christmas" by Alan Jackson

One Lovely Blog Award



Thanks Kristi at Random Acts of Writing. It's great to receive the award. Almost as great as reading your entries.

According to the rules, I have to nominate 15 blogs for the award. I will try my best. It is close to bedtime though and many of the blogs I truly enjoy have probably already received this award.

1. Jenn at Books at Midnight
2. Cynde at Cynde's Got the Write Stuff
3. Taschima at Bloody Bookaholic
4. Carol(ine) at Bookluver Carol
5. Elana at Elana Johnson, Author
6. Alexa at Hooked on YA Books
7. Shelli at Market My Words
8. Natalie at Mindful Musings
9. Amy at Passages to the Past
10. Jennifer at Reading with Tequila
11. Suzette and Bethany at Shooting Stars
12. Kate at The Neverending Shelf
13. Cindy at Princess Bookie
14. Teddyree at The Eclectic Reader
15. Carla at The Crooked Shelf

I will notify these lovely blog owners tomorrow. Right now, it is time to bed. While I sleep, how about you take a browse around all 15 of these wonderful blogs. Some of them have won this award before, but I felt they were good enough to earn it again!! Thanks for the awesome blog entries!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 14

Today is an exciting day for many reasons.

1. If you're counting down to Christmas, then you have ten more days to make it through.
2. I'm counting down to the start of my winter break. I have four more days to go.
3. I made it through tonight's exam and only have one more "presentation" to go. I'm procrastinating on it right now!
4. I opened a gift from my sister last night and it was quite appropriate - a Barbie coin purse.
5. I received a blog award from Kristi at Random Acts of Writing. More on that in a bit.

Let's continue with our countdown.

"On the third day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
three french hens,
two turtle doves,
and a partridge in a pear tree."

So, in honor of today, I am going to name three of my favorite French things.

1. Le Tour d'Eiffel (The Eiffel Tower)
2. L'Arc de Triomphe (The Arc de Triumph)
3. Les baguettes (the bread)

What are three of your favorite French things? No need to put it in French!!

Song of the Day: "The First Noel" by Sarah McLachlan

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 13

A very kind friend pointed out to me that the twelve days of Christmas actually start on the 25th of December and run until Epiphany. This meant that I learned something new. To read more about the twelve days of Christmas, visit http://www.crivoice.org/cy12days.html.

This being said, we will simply use the themes in the song to countdown to Christmas on this blog. Thus...

"On the second day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
two turtle doves and
a partridge in a pear tree."



Turtle doves are birds and you can read about them here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_Dove

What are two of your favorite birds?

The first favorite bird I would like to share with you is the owl (which, coincidentally, are featured in Night's Final Hour as "the roosters of the night.") I was excited to find small owl ornaments at Target this year!

My second favorite bird would be the red bird. I absolutely adore the vibrance of their color!

Song of the Day: "Last Christmas" - Taylor Swift

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 12

Today brings a two part blog post. The first part will focus on Hanukkah, as it begins today, and the second part will focus on the first day of Christmas, which also begins today.

Up first: Hanukkah

Here are some sites of interest for learning more about Hanukkah:
The History of Hanukkah
Sixteen Ways to Spell Hanukkah
Hanukkah Decorations
Hanukkah Games

Song of the Day: "Hanukkah Blessings" by Barenaked Ladies

Up Next: The First Day of Christmas
"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree." It's the first day of Christmas and the countdown is truly beginning. There are five days left in school for the kids in my area. There are two days left of exams for the college. Many people are preparing for trips to see family. Lots of trees are up, featuring tiny lights and festive ornaments. The season is truly here, with the stores bustling and people wrapping.

What are you up to on this first day of Christmas?

I'm writing, shopping, and enjoying the day.

Song of the Day: "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters

Lucky you, you get two songs today!

Image from Microsoft Clipart.

1st Day of Christmas!!

My holiday entry will be forthcoming later and it will be a jam packed one.

However, for now, enjoy a holiday contest as it is the first day of Christmas!!

Head on over to The Neverending Shelf and enter!!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 11

I apologize for this post being so late. Day 11 was a rather busy day for various reasons that I am not going to mention here.

According to my calendar, tomorrow (today by now) is Hanukkah. So, I included "The Hanukkah Song" in the playlist.

And, finally, pictures:

The entire tree, without lights or presents. We decided to decorate it differently this year. Instead of using our festive, fun ornaments from over the years, we went with simple bulbs in purple, pink, and red. I feel it gives it a new feel.


The final touch to those bulbs was the red bird for a tree topper. I bought this adorable fellow at Target and I feel he really completes the tree.

And, a final (blurry) picture with the lights on:

Day 12's post will be a busy one!

Song of the Day: "The Hanukkah Song" by Adam Sandler

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 10

Ten days into the month! 14 days until Christmas Eve. The tree is up, the house is decorated. Presents are bought (they still need wrapped). The temperature outside is steadily dropping. I think the season has finally arrived!

I bought a red bird topper for our tree today. I did not get a chance to take a picture, but that is forthcoming!

Tomorrow night, my sister and I will be attending a large light display at a local county park. It's lots of fun with pretty lights, walking, and marshmallow roasting.

What are the fun holiday things in your town/city?

Song of the Day: "Happy Holidays" by Alabama

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 9

It was in the 70s today. 70s! Everyone on the internet seem to be talking about cold weather and snow. And what do we get here in South Carolina? 70 degree weather and a downpour. I love it here, but every now and then I do wish for snow.

On a happier note, we got our tree up tonight! I just need to buy a new topper for this year because we didn't like the way either of the old ones looked with this year's color scheme. Yay!! Pictures and my opinion on Christmas trees will be forthcoming soon!

Until then, I want to know what some things about you and your Christmas tree! Five questions - that won't take you too long to answer, will it?

1. What color is your Christmas tree? (I'm surprised by the variety available!)

2. What is your favorite ornament you own?

3. What is your least favorite ornament that you have ever seen on a tree? (Perhaps growing up?)

4. How many presents are under your tree right now?

5. What is the topper of your tree?

I can't wait to hear from you? My answers will be coming tomorrow!! Hopefully along with some pictures!!

Song of the Day: "Mary, Did You Know?" - Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 8

It's the eighth day of December! That means Christmas is just 17 days away. And Hanukkah is a mere 4 days away. Stores are bustling and people are shopping, searching for that perfect gift. Students are cramming for their finals and teachers are trying to keep children engaged in learning as their minds drift to the break ahead. People in the north are experiencing (or hoping to experience) a snow day, while those in the south are wishing they stood a chance at snow. All in all, there's a merriment in the air as houses light up and children pose for pictures with Santa Claus in a crowded mall.

Where do you fall on this eighth day of December? Are you super busy? Or just relaxing? Are you embracing the spirit of the holidays? Or are you the humbug in the corner?

I, personally, am trying my best to get in the spirit of Christmas. I have found each year that it gets more difficult to get in the spirit. I don't know why that is. Christmas is my favorite time of year - I don't want to lose the excitement of it to an unknown source.

Next week, is the faculty Christmas party at my school. I need your help on something. What should I buy/make for a white elephant gift exchange? (There is a $10 limit.) If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!!

Song of the Day: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" by Bing Crosby

Monday, December 7, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 7

So, tonight and tomorrow night will be spent putting the final touches on a children's book I'm writing for one of my classes. So, my head is filled with thoughts of children's books. Therefore, today's blog post is going to reflect that.

It's another Top 5 list!!

My Favorite Holiday Children's Books
1. The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore
2. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff
3. Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner
4. The Pokey Little Puppy's First Christmas by Justine Korman
5. Merry Christmas, Curious George! by H.A. Rey and Cathy Hapka

Song of the Day: "The Christmas Song"

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 6

I'm spending the entire day (pretty much) working on a final paper that is due tomorrow for one of my graduate courses. That basically means that you are lucky to be getting a blog post from me. But, as it is, I am half-way done with the massive paper and taking a break.

Given the nature of today, I decided to present you with some fun Christmas stuff. I searched around the web to find a few sites offering Christmas games. I have given you links to a few below. Playing these games made for a nice break from my paper!!

1. http://www.freechristmasgames.com
2. http://www.northpole.com/clubhouse/games/
3. http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/games/
4. http://www.thekidzpage.com/christmas/games.htm
5. http://www.merry-christmas.com/games/
6. http://holidays.kaboose.com/chanukah/chan.html (I didn't want them to all be Christmas games!)

Like I said, this was just a break from a paper. I'm sure there are lots more (and way cooler than some of these) sites out there with fun Christmas games. If you find any, why don't you share a few with us? Spread the fun for the hoiday season!

Note that these games are kids-safe. Must be the teacher in me.

Song of the Day: "Christmas Shoes" by Bob Carlisle (Such a pretty song)

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 5

Today was another busy day. I am quite happy with the many great finds I found for my sister though.

There's quite a bit of wonderful things that come with the holidays. Unfortunately, as a student, there are also a few stressful things that come with the holidays. It is the busiest time of the semester with final papers and exams.

So, how do I keep myself happy?

I surround myself with great things. I spend time with my sister. I write some in my free time. I try to get some reading time in. I take a moment out of each day to write a blog entry for all of you. And I remember the little things that matter - the moments that we remember in the future. So far this year, my strategy seems to be working.

What do you do to de-stress?

Song of the Day: "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee

Friday, December 4, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 4

I'm going to keep this short as I spent the evening shopping for the parents and tomorrow will be spent shopping for Crystal. Shopping for my sister is among my favorite activities.

To keep this short, I'm going to my top five favorite holiday snacks. What are yours?

1. Candy Canes
2. Hot Cocoa
3. Cheese Popcorn (the kind that comes in the big tins)
4. Sugar Cookies
5. Festive Colored Candy

Song of the Day: "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" - Shirley Temple

I am so out of it - I just had to retype this post three times because I was typing in the wrong blog.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 3

Some interesting and random facts:

The Google War
Google "Christmas" and get 78,500,000 hits.

Google "Hannukah" and get 1,460,000 hits.

Google "Kwanzaa" and get 602,000 hits.

Google "New Year's Day" and get 2,670,000,000 hits.

Looks like New Year's Day won the google war.

Rudolph
3,040,000 hits on Google.

My car is named this.

He has a shiny red nose.

Christmas Trees
You hang ornaments on them.

Pets should not eat their needles.

They are often illuminated.

I prefer fake trees to real ones. Perhaps I'll explain why in a future post.


That's the post for the day! Keeping this one simple.

Song of the Day: "The Little Drummer Boy"

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 2

This is the month of holidays. There's Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and so much more. But, what about the unusual holidays that not everyone celebrates? Did you know that there's a whole site dedicated to all the holidays of each month.

Let me introduce you to Holiday Insights (http://www.holidayinsights.com/). This site introduces you to some of the rarer holidays that people celebrate.

Here's a list of a few I enjoyed from December's list:
December 4: Santas' List Day - Use this day to write your Christmas list if you haven't already!
December 5: Bathtub Party Day - Treat yourself to a relaxing bath!
December 7: Letter Writing Day - Snail mail an old friend....or a new friend!
December 7: National Cotton Candy Day - An excuse to enjoy way too much sugar!
December 8: National Brownie Day - My favorite desert. Perhaps this is an excuse to bake brownies?
December 9: Christmas Card Day - Send a card to someone special!
December 12: National Ding-a-Ling Day - Just the name of this one was fun to read!
December 12: Poinsettia Day - Beautiful flowers. Did you know you should keep them away from your pets? Some varieties are poisonous for them if eaten.
December 13: Ice Cream Day - I'm not sure why this one falls right before winter...
December 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day - Chocolate!!
December 18: Bake Cookies Day - Last day of work for me. Perhaps I should devote it to baking?
December 19: Look for an Evergreen Day - Get a tree if you haven't already! (Ours is fake...so we just go to our attic to look for one.)
December 20: Go Caroling Day - Sing your favorite Christmas songs. (Or your new favorite ones from my playlist.)
December 21: Humbug Day - Even the humbugs get a day to celebrate. Sort of an oxymoron, don't you think?
December 21: National Flashlight Day - I love the random days!
December 21: Look on the Bright Side Day - This should be everyday.
December 24: National Chocolate Day - Chocolate is so important, it gets two days!
December 25: Christmas Day - Yay!
December 27: Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day - I used to love doing this in school.
December 31: Make Up Your Mind Day - That is a difficult thing to do.
December 31: New Year's Eve - Bring in the new year and a new month of holidays!

Find more December holidays (and there are more!) at http://www.holidayinsights.com

Song of the Day: Winter Wonderland (another favorite!)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Month of Holidays: Day 1

It's Day 1 of my holiday themed month!! You can find the first song of the growing playlist at the top of this page. It is "Thistlehair the Christmas Bear" by Alabama and has been a favorite Christmas song of mine for years. It is just fun to listen to for me.

Being day 1, I thought I would discuss (in a list) a few of the things I like about this time of year.

Here's my Top 10 list:
1. Family
2. Festive decorations
3. Presents
4. Holiday movies
5. Santa Claus!
6. The joy and belief in a child's eyes
7. Christmas music
8. Lights
9. Break
10. Watching my dog unwrap her presents

1st in a Series Challenge

Another reading challenge! Let's see if I can do it. This one is for the first books of series. It sounds fun. This challenge is also hosted by Royal Reviews.

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. There are four levels:
-- Curious– Read 3 novels that are first in a series.
-- Fascinated – Read 6 novels that are first in a series.
-- Addicted – Read 12 novels that are first in a series.
-- Obsessed – Read 20 novels that are first in a series.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

I'm starting small with this one too. Wish me luck!