Dill Pickle recently posted a great blog about what to get me for Christmas. It was definitely one of the sweetest posts he’s written about me. What was cool was that he knew what I wanted, and that was before I sent him a list.  Some other things that I want that aren’t something you can buy in stores :

1. To lose about 10 pounds in the next two months would be amazing. So what I’m wishing for is the will power to stick to a workout routine. It’s going to be rough with the holidays too-all the food is so tasty. So I think I’ll just have to work out extra hard whenever I eat anything less than healthy. Fudge? Drop and give me 20!
2. For sure knowing where we are going to live come January. Right now we have a great opportunity, but nothing is for sure. I hate the unknown and it will be so nice to have that all figured out.
3. For Dylan to be done with his fire academy-something I will get right before Christmas. I just can’t wait to be able to spend our weekends together. Just the idea of sleeping in and then cooking breakfast sounds like the best present I could ask for.
4. For everything this Christmas to go smoothly with my ridiculously large and extended family. I want to share my Christmas with both my family and Dylan’s. My family can be less than understanding of that at times, and it annoys me. This year though, I can’t wait to have Dylan with me to share in all the activities!

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Technorati Tags: Christmas, diet, family, gift list, weight loss

52. My favorite season is fall. I love it when the leaves change color and it gets cold outside. I think it’s the prettiest time of the year, and the most comfortable weather and clothes wise.

53. I hate it when people I don’t know very well call me “Little Tess”. It bugs me a lot, and makes me feel like I’m a little kid. From my friends that I know and love I find it endearing but when my secretary does it I want to punch her in the face.

54. I’m a lil bit fiesty.

55. I used to have a really hard time falling asleep. I’d lay in bed and my mind would race, and then I’d toss and turn and get up ten times a night. Now I sleep like a log-I think it’s because I let go of a lot of stress in my life.

56. I lost a lot of friends when I stopped drinking for a year. It really showed me who my true friends were.

57. I can’t stand it when people say “What can I do you for?” It sounds dirty and it’s a dumb phrase.

58. I hate fake phone voices-like when people act super sugary sweet on the phone and it’s not their normal speaking voice. What is that?

59. I love Christmas. I decorate like crazy for it and I love everything from the songs, to the family time, to the food, to the specialty drinks (peppermint schnapps you are so good). Every year it looks like Christmas exploded in my house.

60. When I was a little kid I used to insist that we cut down our own Christmas tree instead of buying it. This would already result in super ugly Charlie Brown looking Christmas trees that I thought were beautiful.

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I stole this from my good friend, The Queen, first because I love these kind of things, and second because this is my 102nd post! I can’t believe that I’ve written over 100 posts-for those of you who do read my blog, thanks for tuning in!

So here are 102 random things about me, starting with the first 51

1. I waited to be born till after my dad came home from work, and I was apparently a very quick and easy labor. My mom said I’ve been trying to please people ever since.

2. My older brother was my best friend till he went into 1st grade and some kid told him it’s not cool to be friends with your sister. To this day I wish we had a closer relationship.

3. I grew up on a quasi farm-we had goats, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats, a hamster, at one point a ferret, and one sheep. Not a herd, just one.

4. My stepdad killed and ate the lamb-her name was Precious. He actually said, “Mhmm, Precious sure tastes good.” Mean. He was just playing around though.

5. My stepdad has been the best father to me I could have ever asked for.

6. My stepdad was my track coach in high school, and I couldn’t run a race without hugging him first and getting a pep talk.

7. I have a really strong connection with my mom. Sometimes I think we can read each other’s minds.

8. My mom is manic depressive, but she doesn’t let it rule her life. She is the strongest woman I know.

9. When I was a little girl I loved the color pink. I wanted a pink house, pink car, pink everything. When I got a little older I was a huge tomboy and hated pink. In college, I dyed my hair pink.

10. In 6th grade, I was part of the junior pep squad. We performed at half time for a high school football game and I thought I was really cool. I watched a video of it when I got older and it turns out I’m really uncoordinated.

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Technorati Tags: lists, things about me, tomboy, treadmills

It’s finally fall! I’ve been waiting for this season for a really long time. I love that the nights are chilly, where Dylan and I can burrow under the blankets and snuggle. I think it might be time to break out the electric blanket because it’s getting downright cold. I love it thought! I think that there is just something about the seasons and change that makes me happy. Plus the fall leaves are gorgeous!
It’s only a few days until Halloween, and I’m getting excited to flaunt our costumes. I’m dressing up as Alice in Wonderland, and Dill is going as the White Rabbit. I’ve never done the couple costume thing, so it should be a pretty fun time. Check back for more funny pictures this weekend. This picture was me trying on Dyl’s rabbit hood. I think it’s just a lil bit too big.

Technorati Tags: blanket, cold, Fall, fall leaves, seasons

I can’t believe it, but it’s only one more week until my half marathon! The Nike Women’s Half Marathon is next Sunday, and I am excited, nervous, but most of all relieved. I’ve been working my butt off, but I’ve been bored with it too. Just running those long distances gets old quick! I like changing up my workouts, so I started doing a lot of aerobic and ab routines that I watch on exercise TV. They’re a lot more fun than just running. Still, I know when I do that race I’ll be proud of myself, and happy that I stuck with it.
With me busy training, and with Dill Pickle in Fire Academy, there hasn’t been much time for the two of us to do anything besides watch a little tv and go to bed. We’ve been talking about all the fun things we’re going to do when he’s done with academy and finally has weekends again. We talked about going to a bed and breakfast, or maybe taking advantage of one of the many Disney cruises, or even a trip to Hawaii. All of those things cost money though so we’ll have to start saving. I think just being able to go out and stay up late for a night and then sleep in will be a huge treat. I can’t wait!

Technorati Tags: disney cruises, Fire Academy, Nike Women's Marathon, team in training

I know it’s early, but I am already thinking about my Christmas shopping. If you think about it, it’s only two months and change till the big day. I am trying to get things done now so that it will be a bit easier on my pocketbook. I love so many things about Christmas: getting together with family, holiday cheer, the food, all the love of family and friends. What I hate is the focus on material things and the stress of going broke really gets to me. I love giving heartfelt gifts, and I hate the idea of just buying someone a thing. I think that’s great for the kids, but for my parents and the other adults in my life, I try to make homemade gifts.

This year I’m working on a slideshow dvd with pictures and movie clips of all of my family members. I did one two years ago, so I hope people aren’t bored by the same thing, but I think they’re fun.
This year will also be exciting because we have so many babies in the family. Nothing makes Christmas better than watching kids open presents, especially babies. They get so obsessed with the wrapping paper, usually more than the present themselves. This year my nephew and niece are coming to stay with us and I can’t wait! I think it’d be cool to get my nephew AJ something cool like remote control helicopters or a mini power wheel. I think he’s still a little too young (he’ll be 2 1/2 in December). Shopping for AJ, and my other nephew Ayden, and baby Brailynn my lil niece, is going to be my favorite Christmas shopping this year.

For Dylan, I am completely stumped. It’s our first Christmas together, and I have no clue what to get him. All I know is it has to be great. Suggestions?

Normally every weekend I dedicate one day to doing all the deep cleaning in the apartment, but since I was at my business meeting, I couldn’t get to it. Dill was great, and vacuumed and tidied up even though he was busy with class, but he didn’t get a chance to get to the deep cleaning.

So my bathroom unfortunately smells like old lady moth traps and my kitchen floor needs a good scrubbing. I’m still so exhausted from the weekend that all I want to do is sleep! I missed Dylan so much too, so last night we snuggled and I didn’t bother unpacking, which is unheard of for me. Usually I unpack and clean the same day I get home, but I was beat! Looking forward to next weekend when I can recoop from last weekend.

I’m going to be an auntie AGAIN! I’m so excited for my little brother. While I don’t know how in the world he can afford to support one kid, let alone two, I know it will work out somehow. I am also hoping it’s a girl, as I’ve already been drooling over cute pink crib bedding. I already have a little niece, and it breaks my heart that she’s eight hours away from me, and I can’t watch her grow up. I have been lucky enough to see my lil nephew Ayden who lives just a few hours from me, and I manage to see him about once a month. Either way, boy or girl, I just hope this new little bundle is healthy and as happy as his/her big brother.

Dill Pickle started moving his things in over the weekend, and I couldn’t be happier. As I unpacked some of his things, I happened upon pig shaped salt and pepper shakers. They’re really cute, and they have a double meaning. See, Dyl’s last name is Ham, so of course we make a lot of pig jokes. If we ever got hitched, I think I’d make us join the bacon of the month club just for grins.
Seriously though, the moving thing is going great. We still have to move his bed, dresser, and a few other things. Just with his couches here, the apartment is already looking more like a home. I can’t wait to get the rest of it here and we are officially roomies!

Technorati Tags: couches, living together, roommates

Hip hip hooray for a three day weekend! I am so excited to have some time to relax. Monday Dill Pickle and I will get a full day off together because of the holiday. I’ve got a surprise date planned for Sunday night which will hopefully go over well.
It’s Friday and I’m having trouble focusing at work. I can’t wait to go to Dyl’s parent’s house where we’re going to bbq and swim. With this heat that’s all I want to do is cool off. It’s been in the high 90s, low 100’s every day this week I think. I just wish I had some sexy swimwear to wear for the backyard pool party. The one I have now is about 3 years old. Right now I’m still not feeling too confident in a bikini, but that’s why I have my workout goals. Swimming is an excellent workout, and it will help ease my guilt over eating hamburgers and sausages. I hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend!