December 2009 Summary!

Wow, I'm powering through this.  Lots of stuff has happened in December: I quit smoking, I have gained weight (not a good thing) I got new boots, and I've had an opportunity to spend a lot of time with both families - The Ford's and the Alevizos's.  Molly's daughter Taylor got baptised, its the month of Jesus's birthday, I've given up factory farmed meat and I can't stop reading.  It's a pretty good month. Oh, AND I'm off work from December 23rd - Jan 4th. Sweetness.
So here's pics to sum it all up!

My very first aluminum Christmas Tree!  Badass!

Tom got a pretty cool award!

And Tom with his award.

The Healthy Lithuanian was closed.  They ran out of food :(

So we went to Chinatown. I'm not a fan of Chinese food, but I am a fan of their fancy drinks!

And Then.......

Taylor's baptism - here is Godmother Katie holding my precious little princess Ryann.  How cute is she???

Molly & Taylor - Taylor is a tiny little doll!  And she was so good!

Ok seriously - how cute is Ryann?  She was killing me with cuteness!

Our stocking are hung on the antique TV with care.......

And look at that killer Christmas Tree!  Merry Christmas to all!  Lets all hope 2010 is WAY better then 2009!!!

The Polar Express!

We took the boys on the Polar Express in Elgin - it was pretty sweet!  I was impressed with how nice it was - it was on an old, retired El car!

Craft Night!

Erica, Kristin, Christine and I were dying to have a craft night to make cool Christmas gifts and ornaments. Mine look like a 5 year old made them, but everyones turned out awesome! But mine!

My cowboy ornaments in the making!

Kristin and her turtle finger puppet!

The ladies!

Badass turtle!

Day 11

So its Day 11 - again, pretty impressed with myself. I wish I could stop eating so much though! I literally can't get enough food, and everything, including bras, are fitting too snug.
I really have to start working out - 5 days a week. So much easier said then done, but it will happen! It has to.
Maybe Bill will join me - that would be great because he has no issue waking up early, so he could be motivational for me.

This is getting very boring. It's not like anyone reads this anyway, but its bad when I'm bored by it!

Oh, and RIP Brittany Murphy - I can't stop reading about her death - very sad!

Bittersweet

I'm always a little sad when the semester comes to an end. In one way, I'll miss my good classes - the students that make teaching fun. In another way, its also an end to my paycheck.
As I watch the students flip the pages of the final, I miss being in their shoes. Grading is not very fun, but they have a blank canvas, they can do whatever they want with their lives. I've made my decisions and now I have to live with them.
They weren't all bad decisions, but career-wise they most certainly were. I'm hoping for another opportunity in which I only make good decisions.

Day 6.

So today is Day 6 of no nicotine.  I spent $100 on the patch and on nicotine lozenges, but thus far I have only had 2 lozenges.  They're pretty gross.  My witching hour is 5:00, so that's when I need it most.  And leaving and traveling to school.

I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with myself.  I've taken the hard road - I should have been more responsible with the Chantix, but Bill wasn't supportive of me taking it.  I wish he would quit too, it would be easier for me.

Regardless, you have to quit when you're ready, and I feel ready. Ironically, on "How I Met Your Mother" last night, it was an episode of friends quitting smoking.  Not that they have ever smoked on the show, but whatever.  It's hard to say "This is my last cigarette".  I'm sure I'll have one somewhere down the road, but if I can keep going, I will be very happy.

I'm already gaining weight, which sucks.  My "motivation email" of the day says that I shouldn't be so worried about gaining weight, but its hard.  I'm doing arm exercises at night, and starting this weekend hitting the gym again.
I'm glad I didn't wait until NYE to quit, though - it has never worked for me before, so why should it work this time?

More Things I'm Obsessed With

Everyone who knows me knows I LOVE TIGHTS!  Check out this website, and Daily Candy has a deal right now, too!!!
http://www.welovecolors.com/Default.aspx

Enter DAILYCANDY at the checkout!  So many colors, so little time!

Totally annoyed and frustrated.

Day 1.
No cigarettes.  I stopped taking Chantix - actually, I lost it.  So I stopped.  I wasn't even having side effects, but I literally lost it.
So I'm going clean.  Whew. It hurts.  I'm really trying here....I really want one, but I'm not having one.  I'm not doing it.  Sigh.

Palin Question Of The Day | The New Republic

Palin Question Of The Day | The New Republic

Chantix - Day 4

Again, I almost quit Chanitx today.  Over reading again, but I need to remind myself that I'm giving it until Thursday.  One week.  I'm so tired today.  I shouldn't be - I slept for long enough!
Oh well - I don't want to smoke today. I think it feels like its making me sick or something.  Probably a little psychosomatic.

On an upside, I'm going with Mary-Frances to get our Christmas tree tonight!
It's our annual tradition - I can't even remember how many years we have been going together.  Pictures to come!

Chantix - Day 2

I'm the type of person to over analyze everything. If I'm worried about a pain in my stomach I will look up my symptoms online and decide I have an ulcer.  Well, I really want to quit smoking. I'm mad at myself for still smoking, and envious of people that don't smoke.  And its $10 a pack!
I have done the patch a few times, but this time I decided that as an adult I would take a drug to kick me out of my habit.

I'm been reading a lot about it today, and its pretty freaky.  Although, I know two people that quit successfully on the drug, and just had the crazy dream side effect.
I'm just at my wits end with smoking. Its the thing I hate about myself the most.  I hate spending as much as a nice lunch 4 times a week on something that is killing me.

I've decided that I will try Chantix for one week, and see if the side effects are tolerable.
I have a doctor appointment in two weeks to see my progress.  Here's hoping for the best.

If side effects are sleepiness, that I have that one already. And slight nausea when I first take the pill.  I had that with the patch though, too.  Ugh. I hope I can get through this....I really want to be successful at SOMETHING.

Does 30ish mean I'm not hip anymore?

Ok, sadness.  I had to officially utilized what I would consider "old people websites today".
I had to look up an acronym today: FML

http://www.lingo2word.com/translate.php

and

http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php

Sigh.

Whats next?  This?
http://mamasbloglife.com/10-useful-slang-phrases-i-learned-from-my-kids/

Things I am Currently Obsessed With!

The BEST in all products I have found to date:  Bubble and Bee.  My FAVORITE lip balm, deodorant and I'm about to sample their shower gel.  AND hands down the best customer service.
http://www.bubbleandbee.com/

Business cards and greeting cards - I ordered the mini:

www.moo.com

AHHHH! Neiman Marcus LAST CALL IN ILLINOIS!   The greatest store ever!  I can't believe it's here!  It's in Gurnee Mills though, still totally worth it!

http://www.nmlastcallstore.com/

I think I want to start stitching.  Maybe I'll be good at it. I'm not good at anything.  Seriously.

http://www.sublimestitching.com/

MOST IMPORTANT MOVIE OF 2009:

http://foodincmovie.com/

And this picture:

And Rachel's Blog:

Amazing:

http://foodworthy.wordpress.com/

Awesomeness. Because I hate chain restaurants.

http://eatingtheroad.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/where-to-eat-chain-restaurant3.jpg

Lots of Good Books!

Tis the season to READ!  Really, the only time I get to read is on the bus, or if I get off work early before making dinner.  Regardless, I love to read and I forget how great it always it.  Losing yourself in another world, etc etc.  Of course I have my favorites, but lately I have gone with some recommendations:
http://www.augusten.com

A memoir of the authors father.  Sad, twisted, yet amazing someone can remember their childhood with such detail!

http://maggiekast.com/

Wow and amazing.  Maggie is my friend Erica's mom, who I have known for 15 years.  In this remarkable memoir, Maggie talks about family, love, losing, and finding faith.  Really a beautiful book, and extremely touching, and the writing is incredible.

http://www.eatinganimals.com

So far so good!!!!  I'm through the first couple of chapters, and its really compelling......

Penis's are funny.

It's kinda like the whole fart thing. I don't get it, I don't think its funny, I don't know why a whole skit was dedicated to it, but really, this type of thing does indeed make me laugh.


http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicagosphere/2009/11/the-oak-park-penis-does-the-villages-new-logo-look-like-a-phallus.html



http://www.jonhs.net/naughtylogos/

November 3, already?

I'm exhausted.  Purely exhausted.  Coffee doesn't help, either.
I'm associating this with the fact I went out Friday and Saturday night.  Both nights super fun, but I should have recovered by now.
I think its a combo of grading midterms, writing business plans, searching restaurants for www.chicagoeatstv.com and trying to make commission.  I mean, something has got to give, right?  But haven't I been saying that for years?
Halloween was very very fun.  I wouldn't trade the weekend for anything.  I do wish I ate a meal on Saturday, though!

Just Julie's Julie's.

So one of the funniest things that came out of Rachel + James moving to LA, other then Rachel's obsession with finding the perfect bagel and her buying stock in the Coffee Bean is her Dollar Store.  They have wonderful rare finds, like the Steven Seagal Energy Drink. No joke, check it out here: http://www.lightningdrink.com/

Julie's.

Yes.  They make maxi-pads for that time of the month that are called Julie's.  Quite Fab if I do say so myself.