Ten on Tuesday (56)

This week’s questions come from Jenny. Click her name to visit her blog!

1. Where are you from? Have you lived there your whole life?
I am from Houston. Actually I am from a suburb outside of Houston but nobody actually says that… we all just say Houston because it’s easier. Yes, I have lived here my whole life, minus a 4 year stint in Austin where I went to college.

2. How would you classify your clothing style?
Casual. Cheap. I am the Old Navy size 8 mannequin, only less plastic and creepy. And actually I’m currently NOT size 8 due to the leftover post-partum doughy belly that has yet to shrink.

3. What kind of car do you drive?
A Nissan Murano. I think we’ve had this question but I couldn’t remember.

4. What would your dream home look like if you could have it (or already do!)?
I’m not sure. It would be unique. I hate those cookie cutter houses. There would be a spot for everything and a giant kitchen with lots of counter space. There would be a play room in addition to the living room. There would be bedrooms for all the kids, plus an office and a craft room. Also, there would be a big laundry room with lots of hanging space and all of the bedrooms would have laundry shoots that dropped their clothes into a bin in the laundry room. Oh and I’d have a pantry like Pioneer Woman’s.

5. Do you have kids, and if so, how many and how old were you when you had them?
I have one baby boy. He’ll be three months on Thursday. I was 25 when I had him.

6. What is your favorite hobby?
Cooking. I love to cook in a clean kitchen with the radio on. I also love naps.

7. Are you going to have any New Year’s resolutions for 2011?
Yes. I’m going to get back into my journal. I have this awesome 10 year journal that I completed forgot about while I was pregnant. I forgot everything while I was pregnant. I’m going to start again on January 1. I know I’ll be mad when I look back and see that I missed so much but I’m going to just pick up and pretend that I never missed a day so I don’t stress myself out over it.

8. What is something, if anything, that you’d want to change about yourself?
I wish I was cleaner.

9. What is something that you love about yourself?
I am loyal.

10. Pick one of the following: Someone to cook for you, someone to do your laundry, or someone to do your dishes.
Lucky for me, my MIL does my dishes and laundry when she’s at my house on Tuesdays and Thursday. If I had to pick one, I’d want someone to do my dishes. Like immediately. Like I’d want them to follow me around and the second I dirty a dish, they wash it and put it away.

Your turn!

I Ruin The Ending

Hi. My name is Chelsea. I ruin endings.

I have always hated watching television shows or movies with someone who has already seen it and has stong opinions. They look over to see you laugh or say, “Oh! This is a good part. Watch!” I hate that. It’s a giveaway, and I hate spoilers.

DVR has changed television watching. You can no longer assume that everyone has seen something just because it aired last hour. Nope. Gone are the days you can talk to your friends about what happened between Ross and Rachel on Friday morning. Probably because kids these days don’t even know who Ross and Rachel are… but also because one or two of their friends might be waiting until Friday night to watch the new show.

I don’t have DVR so I often forget that most people do. Proof?

SIL: Oh my gosh! Guess what I saw that you’re going to be so excited about?!
Me: What??
SIL: Pioneer Woman is doing a Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
Me: Yeah I know. I saw it.
SIL: No, it’s a Thanksgiving one.
Me: Yeah. I know. It aired on my birthday. I watched it. She won.

And now she no longer needs to watch it…

More proof?

Lauren: Your Longhorns are looking good. That’s the first and last sports related text you’ll get from me.
Me: I hope you’re being sarcastic. My Longhorns played like crap.
Lauren: Oh. I must be watching DVR because they are ahead 7-0.
Me: Yeah that changes. They lose.
Lauren: Aww crap. Well now I know the end. Goodbye forever.

I’m such a good friend, it’s ridiculous.

Stephen and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year. His family came over and everyone brought part of the meal. I made the turkey, dressing, gravy, and mashed potatoes. It was touch and go with the gravy for a while but overall, I think I put out a pretty decent meal.

Because I’m a crazy lady, I also decided to make two pies. I’m of the mentality that there should be more pies than people at a Thanksgiving feast. I decided to make a chocolate pie because, well, why not?! And Pioneer Woman’s pumpkin cream pie because I’ve never tasted a bad PW recipe. I opted out of making pie crust because I’m not that far gone on the crazy train, and I’ve never had one complaint about Pillsbury’s pie crust. If it ain’t broke… am I right?!

Neither of these recipes were particularly difficult so there was really no reason to be concerned. However, as I was putting the finishing touches on my pumpkin cream (pumpkin cream) pie (read: pouring it into the crust) I realized I forgot to add the cream. I forgot the cream in my pumpkin cream pie. Which might lead you to believe that it was just a pumpkin pie… but it wasn’t. It was a pumpkin pie with all this other stuff added but not cream. It was okay, not great.

So I had high hopes for my chocolate pie since it didn’t appear that I’d left out any chocolate or anything. I got it out of the fridge and made the first cut. Ever seen Wolverine on X-Men where he gets cut and his skin immediately heals? Me neither but my husband says that’s the movie I’m thinking about. This pie was like Wolverine. I cut a slice and put it on my plate, the rest of the pie closed up and practically removed all evidence that I’d taken a slice. Normally I would say this is a cool party trick, but it totally wasn’t because then there was a big chocolate blob on my plate.

I made a beautiful turkey and some delicious mashed potatoes. But a pumpkin cream pie sans the cream? And a chocolate pie that just didn’t feel like setting. Apparently I’m good at ruining all sorts of endings.

(ToT is posted!)

The Obligatory Thanksgiving Post

I’m taking Thursday and Friday off this week so I can focus on pies and not screwing up the gravy. But a year without a Thanksgiving post is like a Thanksgiving without sweet potatoes, so without further adieu…

Twenty Five Things I Am Thankful For

1. My health
2. Flavored coffee drinks
3. Sales
4. Cozy beds
5. Stephen’s goofiness
6. Jesus
7. Email
8. Clothes that cover my doughy pooch
9. Free childcare until May
10. Online shopping
11. You
12. Baby smiles
13. Cherry Chapstick
14. My family
15. Cooking
16. My Kindle
17. Rookie
18. Financial planning
19. Baby jeans and khakis
20. Funny sitcoms
21. My niece, Avery
22. My sanity
23. Stephen’s smile
24. Cupcakes
25. This little guy

Ten on Tuesday (55)

First, a bit of housekeeping. As always, thanks for your question submissions, they are appreciated. You can always email me your questions (chelsea (at) rootsandrings (dot) com) or leave a question or two in the comments. I save them and compile them into lists as needed.

It’s fun to see a bunch of new participants. You are welcome to use my Ten on Tuesday button as a graphic on your blog. I know many of you like to make your own graphics, and that’s fine too, but know that it’s there for you to use if you want it. Just save the jpg and link back.

My only request is that if you participate, you put a link to my blog on your post. Not because I want the hits (who even clicks the links anyways?!) but because I made this up. And it feels sort of like you’re stealing my blog content when I stumble on a blog that uses my questions but fails to mention me at all. Maybe that doesn’t make sense to many of you, but it sort of feels like I planned a party that I wasn’t invited to. (And I’m not trying to call anyone out, I honestly can’t think of a blogger that does this off the top of my head. I just know I see them around.)

With that said, I’m shocked that ToT is still going strong. It’s been 55 weeks of random questions! Thanks for participating, friends!

**Oops. I forgot to mention that these questions are from Autumn. (<- link!)

1. What are your plans for the holidays? Do you travel at Thanksgiving? If you celebrate Christmas, do you travel then, too?
This Thanksgiving is at our house with Stephen’s parents and siblings (and their other halves). We travel when the family travels but thankfully, this Thanksgiving is at Hurst Castle which makes things so much easier with Jansen.

2. How do you make the plans for the holiday? If you have a significant other, how do you decide which family to visit?
We switch. One holiday with my family, one with Stephen’s. Unfortunately my family also switches- one holiday with my mom’s side and one with my dad’s. So if you figure it all out, we’d be missing holidays with one side of my family 100% of the time. We’ve been able to switch things up here and there to make sure we see everyone. Sometimes it sucks and you feel like you’re missing out and also pissing off family, but it’s part of life. This year Stephen and I decided that since we have Jansen, we are our own family and we will make the decisions necessary for us.

3. Do you have your Thanksgiving meal at lunch or later in the day?
We normally have it around 2:00. This year it’ll be around 6:00.

4. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
Eating is my favorite Thanksgiving tradition.

5. After a big meal do you lounge around or get up and take a walk?
I lounge and moan and sleep and read newspaper ads.

6. Do you shop on “Black Friday” or do you avoid it?
I don’t shop on Black Friday unless we spend Thanksgiving in Austin, then all the women go to Salado, Texas on Friday. But I don’t consider that Black Friday shopping. My dad has done his fair share of BF shopping and has gotten some pretty great deals because of it.

7. When do you usually finish your Christmas shopping?
I usually have one or two items I still need to get the week before Christmas, but I usually finish the bulk of it in early December. I’m on top of things this year. I only have about 4 or 5 more people to shop as of today.

8. Do you and your significant other exchange gifts? Is there a budget?
Yes we do. Our budget is “we are poor so don’t go overboard.”

9. When do you decorate for the holidays?
After Thanksgiving. I’m hoping that’s on the agenda for this 4-day weekend.

10. Do you go “all out” with the decor or do you keep it simple?
In the middle. We usually have two trees, lights on the house, and random decor around the house. Stephen has decided that since he now has a child, he should no longer get on a ladder… ever again. So our house won’t be as pretty but he’s agreed to put lights in the lamp post and bushes, and porch.

Link up!

Riddle Me This

Two things for you to ponder:

*I went to Babies R Us the other day. It was just a quick trip to replace some bottle nipples that I had destroyed by accidentally cleaning them with a brush that wasn’t intended to clean nipples. As I was standing in line my eye caught the Thanksgiving markdowns so I wandered out of line to see if there were any fantastic deals. (There were, by the way. I got an “I’m Thankful For Mommy And Daddy” onesie for $3.30!) They had a rack of onesies that said, “My First Thanksgiving.” They were cute but nothing too spectacular. Anyways, here is the issue. They had these onesies in sizes up to 24 month. My First Thanksgiving. Twenty four month.

*So I did it. I battled the pre-Thanksgiving grocery store mob. This year I am making a turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and two pies. I loaded my cart with all the ingredients… bread, heavy cream, butter, a giant bird, etc. (Calories don’t count on Thanksgiving.) I took my goods to the front to check out and gave the cashier my Kroger card and coupons. I always love the end up my shopping trip so I can see how much I saved and so I can get the new coupons that the register spits out. Yesterday I saved about $25! But my question is this: You know how the register gives you coupons that match your spending habits? Often I’ll get Smart Ones coupons when I buy Lean Cuisines. Or Gain coupons when I buy Tide. The competitors are trying to encourage me to switch. Well yesterday I got a Slim Fast coupon.

Seven Quick Takes

Happy Friday, y’all. I wish we could have a do-over on this week because it was most definitely not my favorite. Let’s see if we can make Friday good enough to make up for the rest of the week.

1.
We watched two episodes of Rugrats on Netflix last night. Man I loved that showed. In fact, I was Lil for Halloween one year with a bunch of my friends. It’s kind of funny to watch it now and see how awful the graphics are. I still love Chucky.

2.
I made my Christmas card last night and, boy howdy, it’s a cute one!! I’ll show you once I send them out.

3.
Yesterday I ate half a bowl of soup, a cupcake, and half a baked potato. I know it doesn’t sound like much but it’s a vast improvement from my appetite before that. I never thought I could ever be the type of person who just wasn’t hungry. That’s not me, that’s famous people and grandmas. I’m always hungry. ALWAYS. So it’s kind of weird to try to make myself eat.

4.
I bought the Gap Groupon a while back and it expires today. So being SO INCREDIBLY ON TOP OF THINGS, I went shopping last night. I bought this dress:

Cute, huh? I like how the waist is fitted but its a bit higher so it hides my post-baby pooch. Anyways, I need to get the armholes taken in a bit because it offers a bit of a peep show as it is.

5.
I’m I only on number 5?

6.
I just realized this weekend is the weekend before Thanksgiving. Wow, that snuck up on me! Which means I need to make my grocery list, buy my turkey and other fixins, and start thinking about drying out some bread for my stuffing. I need to make a pie. Not because our family has asked me to, but because I feel it deep in my soul. I NEED to make a pie. What kind should I make?

7.
Netflix is doing awful things in my household. I’ve watched way too many movies in the past week: Confessions of a Shopaholic, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, 500 Days of Summer, When Harry Met Sally, and The Proposal. I have very mixed feelings about this. Stephen loves movies so I’m glad he gets to see them but, sheesh, what a waste of time. I have enjoyed them, for the most part, but I don’t like staying up so late sitting in front of the tv. Maybe the novelty will wear off soon.

Thug Love

Picture message from my sister yesterday:

“Pants on the ground. Pants on the ground. Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground.”

What A Stupid Birthday

As I type this, it is 9:40 on November 16 and I just got done throwing up my chicken noodle soup, which happened to be the first bite of food I’ve had since Monday night.

I woke up in the middle of the night on Monday/Tuesday and spent some quality time with the toilet. I won’t go into details because, well, that’s just gross. Let’s just say that I was a prime candidate for a colonoscopy at that point.

This bug has been going around my family. I was told that the common reactions to this bug are a slight fever, nausea, diarrhea, and serious aches. I would say that they all apply to me, assuming you consider 102 a slight fever and throwing up chicken noodle soup nausea. (Which I don’t, for the record.)

Here’s what really sucks. I rarely get sick. Here’s what really sucks more. Wednesday, November 17 is my 26th birthday. Ugh. You can bet your healthy hiney that I won’t be celebrating with a nice birthday meal. Lame.

I had planned to write a post about how this time last year, I wasn’t even pregnant. Think about what has happened in the past year. While Jansen was totally planned for, there is still no way of anticipating where you’re life will actually be at a certain point in time. All the imagining in the world would never have come up with this beautiful baby.

But I do have this beautiful baby and he is better than anything I ever imagined, greater than anything I could dream up. And now I am having the birthday I never could imagined. A baby I can’t cuddle, a husband I can’t go to dinner with, a day spent with my bed and the toilet.

Bummer.

(Editors Note: Yesterday I forgot to mention that Stephen is also one of my favorite smells, probably THE best smell. I don’t know how I forgot that but I think I need to right my wrong.)

Ten on Tuesday (54)

Here you go!

1. What is your favorite breakfast pastry?
Cinnamon rolls, duh! Is that considered a pastry?

2. Were you ever in a Thanksgiving or Christmas play?
Not that I can remember but I’m sure I was. Once my sister wore a vest made out of a paper bag with a head-piece made out of construction paper. I don’t know if it was for a play or if it was just to have a rockin’ good time.

3. What is your favorite clothing accessory?
I love scarves. And while they may not be my favorite, I don’t think you look put together without a belt. I haven’t worn a belt in months… God bless the stretchy pants!

4. What is your favorite item of clothing?
Right now I hate everything except leggings and pajamas. Normally I love a good pair of jeans… but I feel like the Pillsbury Dough Boy in them right now. 

5. What is your favorite color and why?
Burnt orange. If you don’t know, you are dead to me.

6. What is your favorite type of Christmas cookie?
I forgot what the typical Christmas cookies are. I loooove the shortbread cookies that Stephen and I made last year. They were to die for. Tons of butter and then dipped in chocolate!

7. What is your favorite scent (food, perfume/lotion)
Here are some of my faves: Fresh coffee, homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, Jansen.

8. What is your favorite household cleaner?
Comet.

9. When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? And what did you actually grow up to be?
I wanted to be a mommy and a teacher. I am actually a mommy and a lady who does paperwork for a construction company. Not the same. 

10. What is the last song or album you bought?
I don’t buy songs or albums.

Your turn. Here’s Mr. Linky:

Texas Proud

It’s officially freezing here in Houston, Texas. Well, not technically freezing, but really freaking cold. It was in the 50s this weekend which pretty much means that we are in the dead of winter. In fact (confession) I actually put in my Chris Tomlin Christmas CD on Saturday. True story. It’s not even my birthday and I’m already anticipating Christmas. I can’t help it. For some reason I have major holiday anticipation this year and the only way to fill my Christmas cup this early is to listen to music and to drink holiday drinks. And I’m okay with it. Don’t judge.

As I was saying, we’re in the dead of winter here. So we’re traded in our flip flops for boots and our tank tops for sweaters. Some of you would welcome this weather with jeans and short sleeves but not us. We die. In fact, I saw a woman power walking in my neighborhood wearing a sweatshirt, sweatpants, a hat, and gloves. GLOVES. I was in shock when I saw her. But then again at least she was outside… unlike me who prefers to stay indoors in such extreme weather like this.

I can hear all of you letting out a heavy sigh. You think we’re crazy. You don’t understand Texans and our weird allergy to temperatures below 90 degrees. I can admit it, we’re a weird breed. But while we may be weird, we don’t think we’re wrong. We believe that you should sweat in the summer and be able to sit outside by a fire pit in the winter. We don’t think you should ever have to battle ice storms or shovel snow before you leave for work. We like it here, and we’re proud to admit it.

In fact, we’re proud in general.

(No that’s not Jansen’s stocking.)

(ToT is posted.)