Merry Christmas

and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! I will update you all when I return from San Diego with my Man and his lovely kids. They are so in for a spoiling!

She NEVER Ceases to Impress Me!

My mom is amazing. After eight years in school she recently passed her MFT exams and became a licensed therapist. She is brilliant. She fretted for weeks, but we ALL knew she would pass. She has never failed at anything. She is a wonderful mother and a fantastic grandma. When I think about my mother it makes my heart swell with love and pride. Anyone who meets her falls for her instantly. I can not say enough about this incredible women.

She has inspired me to be a better person with every day I know her. I don't think my mom even knows how much people respect and admire her. I try to remind her everyday (she is my roommate. You try living with your mom and see if you still feel like I do after 3 years!)

Growing up my mom was the one constant in my life. She sometimes feels like she could have been a better mother, but as my best friend reminds me, she made me who I am and that is someone who is special and knows she is loved, so really mom, what more could I have asked for?

I love you mom and thanks for making me.

Close Your Ears

D is loud. I know most of you are thinking "loud, he hardly ever talks", but that's not what I am referring to. I am referring to "the moment". The end of that long, hot and sweaty thing we like to do. It is unreal. It is like being with Chewbacca in the trash compactor in Star Wars Episode 4. The walls shake. I never have use of my hands (plus I think it would be plain rude) to cover my ears and it always seems that he buries his face in my neck just as he begins his death wail. He warned me, 4 or so years ago, but I still can not get over it. I am pretty sure I have permanent damage in my left ear.

Recently we had a date at my house. It was pretty late at night. My mom was already in her room asleep. In the morning my mom says to me, "You woke me last night." I gave her a sheepish grin and apologized. She said "Well I don't mind so much but it scares the crap out of the dogs, they all started running in circles, barking like crazy. It took me a moment to realize it wasn't an earthquake. Do me a favor kid and stuff a sock in his mouth next time."

Yep, that's my mom.

I Almost Cried

I don't think I have ever been happier with a job in my life. I love the people who work here and I am guessing they love me too...

This morning I arrived to a large envelope on my desk. Inside were 4 smaller envelopes. The first was a card signed by about 40 of my 65 employees. It was signed by all of the staff - director level and below - with the exception of the two founders and one VP (the one I was flirting with at the party). They were thanking me for all my hard work this past year. Then I opened the next envelope, a $25 gift card to Starbucks, then the next, a $25 gift card to Borders, then the last, a $150 gift card to Nordstroms! I almost fell over.

Turns out an email went out last week asking employees to chip in and make my holidays special. How sweet is that. Just shows that when you give of yourself people notice and appreciate. I do love this crew!

Sometimes You Just Cant' Compete

I hosted a holiday party for my company on Thursday night. Although I worked most of the party, I did get to enjoy myself as well. We had a private room at Kingfish, free-flowing beer and wine, a never-ending table of food and entertainment. I am in the habit of always trying to outdo my previous parties. Since I have experience coordinating weddings and other events, this was a simple task for me. I hired a palm reader, a tarot reader and a contortionist/go-go dancer. I had NO idea how hot the dancer was going to be. She blew all of us away. I am pretty sure that D did not leave her side all night. I was giggling at him as he threw his head back with rambunctious laughter every time she said anything remotely cute. He, along with just about every other person in the room, was completely smitten.

The party was an overall success. Some of the VP's opened tabs at the upstairs bar for additional drinks. I was on my usual Mojito kick, although I only had two that night. I did get to flirt wildly with one of the VP's I have a crush on and he flirted back, it was cute.

At around ten-thirty the main party was over but a group of us headed to the Cats Club for a night of 8o's dancing. We had such a great time. I actually lost my voice from singing so loud. I didn't get home until two AM and paid for it dearly on Friday morning when I had to meet an employee at the office at ten for an exit interview. It really is a good thing they pay me so well.

Barenaked Love

D and I exchanged our main X-mas gift last night, we took each other to see Barenaked Ladies! It was amazing. Truly one of the best shows I have ever been to. They were brilliant. And here is the best part:

Before the show the whole band was hanging around signing autographs. I was gushing and D was just staring. I think I was super goofy with them but D said I was just my usual cute self ;). Everything D and I do together we really enjoy but last night I think I might have fallen in love.

LSD, RN

Lena we are so proud and happy for you! There was no doubt in our minds that you would do this and do it well!

We love you girl and cannot wait to spend the holidays with you and the family.

A Nod

Congratulations to my friends in NV! Thanks for filling me in, it is always a pleasure chatting with you.

And in Today's News

Atheist group offers free porn in exchange for Bibles

Atheist Agenda, an atheist group at U Texas San Antonio, staged a "Porno for Bibles" event, where they gave free pornography to people who traded in religious scripture. Link (via Zombiebite).

Interesting...I wonder if they were giving away the new Devil in Miss Jones?

God this Feels Good

I am still in bed. It is one PM and I am in my PJ's, watching movies, blogging, posting pics, and drinking coffee. I am so happy. Yes, I am lazy today, but seeing as how I worked a 50 hour week and went to the dojo three days in a row I am feeling OK about being lazy.

D and I only practiced one day together this week. I love being in the dojo with him, but he was too tired on Thursday night to join me, and I so understand that feeling. He practiced yoga on Wednesday while I hit the dojo again. By Thursday we were both pretty wrecked, but I managed to drag myself to weapons class anyway. It is my favorite night to practice because I find it very satisfying to be able to disarm a person holding a tanto.

Since I am new to Aikido I move more carefully, but my Sensei says that I have a natural sense for Aikido, a wonderful compliment coming from him, and very inspiring since I am struggling so with my rolls. Rolling seems to be a common issue for new Aikidoka. We are all pretty awkward in the beginning. Some people don't roll for a year, others get it pretty quick, I think I will fall in somewhere in the middle. My backwards rolls are better than my forward ones, but I keep trying. I work on my falls whenever I can. Falling can be hard on your body, especially falling over, and over, and over, and over...which I do. As an uke it is your job to take the falls so your nage. Of course, when I am nage it is the black belts turn to fall, which I like better, but it is a good way to learn when you are the uke.

I think the hardest part in class are the throw-downs. This is when you are on your back, holding your classmates ankle, raising your legs up straight only to have your classmate try to slam them back down to the ground. On Tuesday we did 100, on Wednesday we did 60, and Sensei was kind to us on Thursday and we only did 50. I was sure I was going to die, really. The coolest thing is that because I kept at it, I am actually not sore today. My muscles feel solid but not sore, I feel great

I will be spending the rest of my day being domestic. I have a ton of presents to wrap, we have finished with D's family already, 90% of my family and have a few friends to finish up with. We spoiled the kids, as usual, and D and I already gave Sandy and Frank their gift (a new computer) and have equally splurged on my mom, but she has to wait until December for hers. She will be screaming.

I finally posted our Thanksgiving pics. D transferred them to my computer for me (cause he is like that) and now I can link you to all the cuteness that was our holiday weekend. You might be shocked to see that most of the pics are of Jen...heh. She is so photogenic. Her dad just can't stop, he reminds me of my dad, who will never put the camera down when I am around him. They are so cute!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, I know I will!