No Holiday Season Is Complete Without A Little Thomas Kinkade.

This Winter I want to...

1. Find out the sex of our baby

2. Give my husband something great for Christmas

3. Hit up the outlet malls!

4. Sleep in

5. Earn a little extra Christmas cash!

6. Stay bundled (as demonstrated by my husband and cat--note he looks like a Grandpa). That's what I'm aiming for. Still... what's the point with this weather?

7. Have a spiritually enriched holiday season

8. Buy my stretch mark cream

9. Watch some good Cardinals football.

10. Finish our epic Thomas Kinkade puzzle that's 90% snow... I wanted the kitty cat puzzle with lots of detail, but Elliott is really good at completing the solid parts so I can't complain too much. He's a puzzle hero.

Oh! And have a snow day spent sledding up North with Elliott!

BFF (Black Friday Forever)

I love Black Friday. Love it. I spent many a Black Friday's at Arrowhead Mall in Glendale running around looking for "Brad" the weather guy from Channel 3 with my friend, uh, Brad. I even made it on tv one year for a free hair and makeup makeover Rolf's Salon was offering. Friend-Brad said my eye was twitching on screen.

My favorite Black Fridays, however, have been spent with Elliott because there was an absolute desperate purpose in his shopping goals. I love competition if it has to do with shopping. I do consider myself somewhat of a savvy shopper. Why, today I was given the compliment, "You are the best online shopper I know!" (and I have proof it came from people other than the ones I make up in my head). It nearly brought a tear to my eye. One day I hope to translate that success into actual "in-person shopping."

Elliott's and mine's first Black Friday was two years ago, shortly after we started dating. Elliott wanted an entire speaker system-- as in everything. So, only hours after returning home from his house in Tempe, I dragged myself out of bed at 2 am and drove all the way back (I was pretty much obsessed with the guy and still am). 3:30-ish, we took our cocoa and single camping chair and parked ourselves behind the growing line of people outside of Best Buy. No matter how long a Black Friday line is, it moves quickly. Everyone crazy enough to line up that early is at least sane enough to know that you can't just "walk" into a store once it opens. We ran to the back... actually, I ran to the bathroom and he ran to the back to find the exact speakers, cords and receiver that he had seen in the ad's and planned to buy. It was a close call, but he nabbed the last ones. After that, we were able to leisurely shop for movies, cd's and Christmas presents at a few different stores and then finish it off with a round of Orange Rolls at his house (and a nap). I was officially hooked on the planning for, scouting out and lining-up that went into seizing the best deals possible at who knows how many stores.

Last year was also so much fun as we took things a little less dramatically but were still ever-determined when planning out our shopping. We got a fantastic Christmas tree deal at Home Depot and so many little gadgets at Wal Mart. Plus, we were able to set up for our very first Christmas in our very first home together.

This year? Babies R Us, DUH!

I'm not gonna wear a ladies' wetsuit I'm a man, I got hurt feelings, I got hurt feelings--get me a small man's wetsuit please.

I was crazy when I was on birth control (fortunately, Elliott had already asked me to marry him when I started). This past June we went off "The Pill" in preparation for the normally foolish, but in our case planned, act of unprotected sex. In August I was pregnant and a few weeks later, started to feel just like I did on birth control! The hormones have hit worse than any physical ailment and it's been a treat for anyone who's come into contact with this lil princess. This clip is a spot-on reminder at how ridiculously easy it has been for me to get carried away with things that in reality, are trivial and probably laughable. I usually only get "frustrated" or "in a mood" at situations--not people--and I can't think of anyone that has said anything to upset me (so please no: "I'm sorry if I..." or "I'll be extra sensitive"-- nah, no, yuck, none of that). It's more of an I'm sorry if I... and Thank you for being superb friends and family.

Now, I also don't need all these responses of: "Don't worry, it's natural," or "These things happen," or "It takes time but you'll get through it." My gorgeous, newly shaved husband patiently reminds me of all that every time I apologize for "being crabs."

PS: We find out the sex of our baby December 5th! My due date is April 27th--my sister Anna's birthday! Truth be told, I am hoping for a May baby (sorry Anna, I will be happy with an April baby but ONLY if it's on your birthday).