A New Year

It's hard to believe that a new year is just 2 days away. Can you believe it? I'm still not sure where 2010 went! So many wonderful things have happened this year as well as many sad moments. So I just wanted to take a minute from my Christmas break (which has been so unbelievably great and needed) and remind everyone to give thanks for the good in our lives and to say a prayer for the things that haven't worked out or for loss that we've experienced. Also, I'll be saying prayers for the year ahead of you whatever it may bring and I ask that you say one for me. I know that my year is bringing graduation and grad school applications. It's going to be an exciting year and I for one can't wait for it to start. :)

Christmas Countdown: Traditions!!

We are now within one week of Christmas and I am so excited!! I'm a little late again on the countdown this week, but that's because my oldest brother and his family were in town and there wasn't a single break in the action for me to get to write it!! I prefer it that way though, we had a lot of fun. So for this last Christmas countdown post I'm actually just going to share my favorite Christmas traditions in no particular order.

First, is that my family always got up super early on Christmas morning to have some time for Santa and then head down to my grandparents' house for Christmas breakfast! Now there is nothing better than great breakfast food on Christmas morning, and you can't convince me otherwise.

Next is that when we got to my grandparents' we did pictures. And not just a normal group shot, they had a professional photographer there every year! It wasn't until years later that I realized how strange that was, but hey now we have great pictures of everyone from every year. Oh, and did I mention that each immediate family that made up our extended family wore matchey, cheesy outfits? Yeah, pretty great.

A new favorite is going to Fantasy In Lights with little ones. I only remember going once when I was little and it was pretty cool, but watching a small child go through the lights in awe is priceless! We went this past Friday with Davis and he LOVED it! He also got to see Santa after and followed around the characters at Callaway Gardens, mostly the penguin. He attacked that poor penguin at least 10 times to give it hugs. He even once ran in the middle of someone else's picture to hug the penguin, it was hilarious (and those taking the picture weren't mad, they thought it was funny.) The whole experience was just precious though and I can't wait to go again next year! :)

And last the best part about Christmas for me is getting together with family. I think that's high on everybody's list. It's always fun to get everyone together and just spend some time hangin out.

Hope everyone has a great week preparing for Christmas!! And good luck if you don't have your shopping done. :)

Christmas Countdown: Movie Edition!!

So I've been enjoying my end of the semester at home with my family and have neglected my blog, don't judge, you would too. I'm now catching up on my Christmas Countdown! As you may know, we are just 12 short days from Christmas Eve. This week I'm counting down my favorite Christmas movies! Also, the honorable mention category this week is actually Christmas movies I've heard are great, but have never seen. So here we go...

Honorable Mention

• Miracle on 34th Street
• White Christmas (which I plan to catch on TV this weekend)
• Holiday Inn
• Meet Me in St. Louis
• Scrooged

Top 20 Christmas Movies

• 20. Ernest Saves Christmas (yes, I'm a dork but I thought this was hilarious when I was little!)
• 19. I'll Be Home for Christmas (Jonathan Taylor Thomas in the 90's? Yes, please! ha ha)
• 18. 4 Christmases
• 17. Jack Frost
• 16. Borrowed Hearts (this is a made-for-TV movie and it's so cheesy, but very cute!)
• 15. Serendipity (who doesn't love movies about fate?)
• 14. Babes in Toyland (yes, it's a kid movie, but that's what Christmas is about, the magic of childhood!)
• 13. Elf (now I don't know anyone who doesn't like this movie)
• 12. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (so cute and so funny!)
• 11. The Muppets' A Christmas Carol (there are a lot of versions of this story, but the Muppets' has always been my favorite)
• 10. Wee Sing's The Best Christmas Ever (again a kid's movie, but I can't wait to watch it again when my niece and nephew get older)
• 9. The Family Stone (this movie always makes me cry, it's just so good!)
• 8. A Charlie Brown Christmas (clearly a classic)
• 7. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (makes anybody's family look better. ha ha)
• 6. The Santa Claus (I mean c'mon, Tim Allen accidentally becomes Santa? Definitely a childhood favorite)
• 5. The Polar Express (this movie is the epitome of the wonder childhood and Christmas)
• 3 & 4. Home Alone 1 & 2 (I couldn't pick which one of these is better if I tried because they are both so awesome!!)
• 2. A Christmas Story (yes, I watch the marathon every year and it only gets better with time!)
• 1. It's a Wonderful Life (the most heartwarming story ever! Thank you Katelyn for introducing me to this movie earlier this year)

I love these movies and I hope each of you do too!

SEC Weekend!!

Talk about amazing!! I know I continue speaking in awe of the Auburn football team this year, but it's because they continue to shock me! This weekend was nothing short of incredible. We now have our 7th SEC Championship title and are officially heading to Glendale, AZ for the National Championship!! As a dedicated Auburn fan of 22 years I can't tell you how awesome that is. We've had great teams in the past, especially in my lifetime, and haven't made it to the National Championship game. We've deserved it before, but it didn't happen and it feels great to finally be recognized as an outstanding football program.

Now let's talk about the weekend that led us to this point! I got to spend my Saturday with my brother in Atlanta. First we went to Marta, which is always an experience, and then headed to Fanfare. For those who aren't familiar, Fanfare is this huge event with games and shopping and all around general merriment for the fans before the game.

That's me and Andrew where they had all the scores of this season posted.

And I never tire of seeing a win over those two teams in the same year!

After Fanfare we got food and headed right to the dome! (Even though it was two hours before kick off) Anyway, I loved that in each Auburn seat there was a bag with a special edition Sports Illustrated and an all orange shaker! It really is the little things that impress me. But the big things do too. Like sitting on the 50 yard line...

and a giant hot dog that was gone in about 2 minutes, no fork necessary (Andrew agrees that the picture doesn't do it justice).

Anyway the most amazing thing about this day was, of course, the game! How about the second play of the game? The long pass that got us all the way down field? I think it was a 60-something yard play? That's the way to start a game! And let's not forget the most amazing Hail Mary I've ever seen! Cam answers the Gamecocks 1 minute touchdown run with a Hail Mary touchdown in the last 7 seconds of the half...amazing!! It's been on ESPN all weekend! I was also impressed with Trotter, the second string QB. Not to mention all the records that were broken! First, Cam became the second NCAA player in history to rush and pass for 20 touchdowns each in a single season (the first was Tim Tebow). Also 21 points is the most any team has scored in a single quarter of the SEC Championship game in history, and we did it in the first quarter. We also won by 39 points which is the largest margin ever in SEC Championship history. So I guess you could call it an overall success. :)

Here's a few pictures from the night...

Oh, by the way, who didn't love Cam's answer when the interviewer asked about all that's been going on with him?
"A wise man once told me, if God is with me, who can be against me?" - Cam
Now let's all get ready for the trophy presentations this week. First, the Lombardi Award is being presented on Wednesday, Dec. 8th, so fingers crossed for Nick Fairley. And the Heisman will be Saturday, Dec. 11th, at 8. Also , don't forget that Bo Jackson will be there commemorating the 25th anniversary of his Heisman win. Pretty cool how that worked out, don't you think?

After the amazing and unbelievable time we had at the game, we headed home to see the 'War Eagle' sign still lit in the front window. You see, any year we beat Bama my mom lights up the sign in the front window for one week. If we go on to the SEC title like this year it stays up and sits with the wreath.

Which brings me to my next point...the wreath is up, it's officially Christmastime!!

That's the wreath at night, and if you can't tell, it's HUGE!! It took 4 people to put it up this year!

And there's that sign up close. Love it!!

To top off an already great weekend, we built the first fire (to my knowledge) of winter! Which is a lot of fun with Davis. He layed on the coffee table for a while with all the stuffed animals (which he put down for a nap) and watched the fire roar. :)

This weekend was just so much fun! Sorry for the extra long post, I just get carried away sometimes. :)

Hope everyone has a great week. Lots to do here with finals and grad school applications! Please be praying for me!

 

Christmas Countdown: TV Episodes!!

Hello blog world! I know I've been out again this week but I'm here and ready for my Christmas countdown! By the way, this week marks only 3 weeks until Christmas Eve!! Excited much? :) So this week's countdown will consist of my favorite TV Christmas/holiday episodes from my favorite shows. Just like with the Thanksgiving countdown I suggest that even if you aren't a fan of these shows that you at least watch these episodes! So here we go... 

Top 15 Christmas TV Episodes

15. Boy Meets World
"Easy Street" (4.12)

• The best part of this episode is Eric, which is somewhat common on Boy Meets World, but definitely pay attention to him. He's hilarious!

14. Will & Grace
"A Little Christmas Queer" (8.9)

• Don't let the title throw you off, this show just really likes to be "punny" (get it? ha ha). Anyway, in this episode the gang helps Will's nephew put on a Christmas pageant, and it's pretty funny because that kid is super flamboyant!

13. Boy Meets World
"Santa's Little Helper" (1.10)

• This is an early episode, but still very funny. A little tid bit: Santa has a heart attack when Morgan, Cory's little sister, sits on his lap. Kind of scarring.

12. Friends
"The One With Christmas in Tulsa" (9.10)

• All I'm sayin about this episode is this quote: Chandler: Wait a minute...am I sexy in Tulsa?

11. Boy Meets World (yes, again. Learn to love it!)
"Santa's Little Helpers" (6.11) (different episode, similar title)

• This is one of the more serious Boy Meets World episodes with Shawn and Angela's romance, but also funny because of Eric...again. And yes it's heartwarming all at the same time! 

10. Frasier
"High Holidays" (11.11)

• When Frasier's son comes to stay with him on Christmas, Frasier finds that his son is in a rebellious stage of adolescence. Niles decides to finally be rebellious himself but it backfires on their former police officer father. So funny!!

9. Boy Meets World (last one, I promise)
"A Very Topanga Christmas" (5.11)

• When Topanga spends Christmas with Cory and his family, they find that their holiday traditions are very different. Cory goes into a frenzy (so typical of him) and gets to see how his life would be without Topanga. This is very inspired by 'A Christmas Carol'.

8. Frasier
"Perspectives on Christmas" (5.9)

• Frasier is almost always a show with simultaneous story lines that all come together at the end for hilarity. This episode is no exception and I don't have space on here to explain each character's storyline. But it involves Niles trapped in an elevator, Frasier outing Roz's pregnancy, and Marty in a Christmas pageant.

7. How I Met Your Mother
"How Lily Stole Christmas" (2.11)

• In this episode, Lily finds out that Ted called her a bad name when she broke Marshall's heart over the summer and even though everything is better now he won't apologize. This leads Ted to spend Christmas Eve with his overly religious cousin and her ever-growing family. Best quote: Ted: [speaking of his cousin's family] Her kids think Santa is how Satan spells his name when he's trying to trick us.

6. Friends
"The One With the Holiday Armadillo" (7.10)

• So Ross wants to teach his son, Ben, that Hanukkah is just as cool as Christmas so Ross gets the idea to dress up as Santa to tell Ben about it. The problem is that there are no Santa costumes left. So we get the Holiday Armadillo. P.S. The Holiday Armadillo in fact has a twitter account. Just sayin'.

5. Frasier
"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (6.10)

• Frasier and his family have to pretend to be Jewish to impress the mother of a woman he's dating. That's all I'm gonna say because it's hilarious!!

4. Will & Grace
"All About Christmas Eve" (5.11)

• Grace has two tickets to see 'The Nutcracker', Will's favorite, on Christmas Eve but can't decide between taking her husband or Will. Jack and Karen spend the evening in a fancy hotel doing their own version of caroling (which is the best part of the episode!)

3. Friends
"The One With the Routine" (6.10)

• Ross and Monica get the chance to appear on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, which they've always dreamed of. The dance they do says it all.

2. I Love Lucy
"The I Love Lucy Christmas Special" (6.11)

• Now anyone who knows me, knows that my very favorite show of all time is 'I Love Lucy'. This is the only Christmas episode they ever did and is often known as the lost episode. Each Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel try to be Santa for Little Ricky and wind up finding a real surprise. Classic Lucy episode so I love it!

1. Seinfeld
"The Strike" (9.10)

• You didn't think I forgot about Festivus did you? This episode created a whole new holiday that my family actually celebrates, just not as intensely. I can't even describe how hilarious this episode is, you really just have to see it. I mean really, it's a Festivus for the Rest of us! 

I hope you all get a chance to watch each of these, I promise they're worth it! 


Now I have to go get ready for the big game tomorrow! Yes the SEC title game is tomorrow and it's going to be awesome and I'm so excited! War Eagle!!