Let The Countdown Begin......(I'd Better Start Cleaning)

GiGi & the fam are loading up the wooden fammobile and driving up from Hillbilly Holler the beautiful Ozark Mountains to KC next week to see me and of course Cat (and get that pesky lasik surgery done). She's going to see so many Christmas lights she'll be BEGGING for it all to end. And mere hours after sugery, the fun commences! Even if she can't see. We'll describe it to her (we won't point and laugh at her, never). She's my superhero today (and so cuteeee).



GiGi, I'm so excited for you to be here I might clean the fridge out for you. It's only been a year, but I'll do it anyway!

Don't forget to throw your name into the hat at Deck The Blogs. It's officially in full swing and I intend to spend some hours over the next few days lurking at the lights and pictures--so grab a button for your sidebar, enter, then have a cup of eggnog and a sugar cookie with all the other Christmas decorating bloggers! I can do that--I promised Marie I would stay off the editor over there for awhile. Apparently I kept erasing the linky and she kept replacing it...finally figured out it was me. Ooops, sorry girlfriend!

Check Into Contest Hotel This Friday, Stay As Long As You Like!.....

Marie , one of my dear blog friends, and I are hosting over at Contest Hotel. We were so anxious to get it up and running that we didn't think about the big prize--what, who....how....where would we find the sponsor? Or worse...whose gonna pay for it? I told Marie she could, I wouldn't stand in her way. That would be rude, and I'm not rude! Most days.

But alas...before Marie could accept (you would have, right, Marie?!), along came my very dear friend Terence. Terence has been a good friend of mine for awhile, and he's simply one of the nicest bloggers around with a magnanimous personality that's hard to miss. He and his wife travel to China often, and this year before he left, he promised he'd be bringing back some amazing jewelry. He left, he was gone several weeks (we all missed you, Terence) and he came back with renewed excitement for his business, for his blogging, and for his friends.

It only made sense that Terence would want to show off the amazing finds at even more amazing prices, and he didn't hesitate when I asked him to donate the big prize. The contest opens on Friday (Black Friday) and in between dropping off packages, changing out fun strappies for a pair of cushioned running shoes, pulling sweat-drenched hair into a ponytail, ripping off the extra sweater that clearly hinders one's dashing, nudging (gently), elbowing, diversion pointing and hip-bouncing abilities, sign up at Contest Hotel.

Maybe when you're finished shopping, grab a cup of cocoa and a candy cane, sit down at the computer for awhile and visit the holiday blogs.

Do Caramel Apples Go With This Award?

My simply adorable friend Shana posted that there was some love for me on her blog. I run over there as fast as my fingers will click and commence reading, ready to snatch that blog award upp! I see the MOST adorable little award with little jack-o-lanterns and carmel apples and think 'ohhhhhhh that's so cute! Shana thinks I'm sweet!' (and I do kind of giggle at that, btw). Reading what it means, blah blah blah, scrolling down, giving it to someone I don't know..blah blah..keep scrolling....and there it ends and another award begins (she's pretty popular, I ride her coattails, sounds like cocktails!). Okay, no apples for me. What then?

I am an official five time recipient of the Totally Fabulous Award! Sounds very important, wouldn't you say? It blows me away, to be honest--I love that my good friends love to come over and hang out with me. And they bring the little tiny blue cocktails with them--how dang good does it get? Not much dang gooder!

I did tell Shana to come over, but bring some of the caramel apples too. We don't want to drink too quickly--they might be tiny, but trust me they pack a whallop! (Am I developing a blue cocktail-drinking reputation here? I don't mind, I just wonder, that's all!) Shana...I'm waiting...where are the apples? My little cocktail is long gone and I'm holding yours. Shana? Shana? Strike that...yours is history now too. Sorry. Would you EVEN believe it if I told you my church is a Baptist church too? Don't tell a soul at the church--they'd never believe it (that I'd accept drinks from people I haven't met in person). Okay, they would. They would believe it. In fact they probably they would expect it.

I'm totally giving this to Marie and I just checked and she beat me to the comments--so Marie, one can NEVAH have enough of these, you get another. I think you're adorable and totally fabulous! (I just hopped over there to grab her link and about fell out of my chair laughing. Want a different perspective on a sick family? She's got a good one!)

I just assumed Dawn woulda had this award because she's all famous and stuff so I didn't give it to her any of the times I've had it...and Dawn I'm sorry! Because like I told you, if ever I thought a someone would make a great blue drink drinking buddy, it'd be you my friend. You should have had this award weeks ago--thump me later, okay--people are watching now. (LOL yeah it is hard to type after all those little drinks but I'm dedicated to my blogging craft. You know that. I do it because I must.)

My Workspace Video & Got Some More Little Blue Drinks.....

Dawn showed a video of her workspace on her blog...it was reeeeal organized. And I thought it was cool enough to steal and put one on my blog. She thinks I'm techno-challenged and I am the girl who will jump over the bridge when dared--so I made the video. I hate my voice on videos quite a lot but it's fun to hear different accents. I've heard Jane's in Rhode Island and now Dawn's in New Hampshire--and they're too cute! I contend the midwest is the voice of the world--you don't hear accent here, we sound like the people on TV sound! So that's my criteria--my voice sounds most like the General Hospital crew. Gotta warn you, my voice is loud on this dumb thing, so turn your volume down (sorry!).

Memarie Lane (Marie) handed me about the cutest award out there! If you clicked on the video, you know who I gave it to. Thanks, my new blogfriend, Marie, you are a hoot, by the way! If you really wanna know what she thinks about in the movie theater, head over! Alright, I'm off to another dive meet. Then home. Then dinner. Then typing and HOPEfully I will get to watch Monk and Psych. No, scratch that--I WILL make time for that because it's been far too long! Marie, I think you might like those shows! Hope your weekend brings you happiness!