the side we are blind to...

Last night my husband and I went to see "The Blind Side" with several friends after a birthday dinner.  I told everyone moments before walking in that I was sure I would end up crying at one point during the movie.  Never did I imagine that I would be wiping tears periodically throughout the entire movie.

I won't go into details and spoil anything for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but I was in awe.....in awe of how much I take for granted and how fortunate I am.  I was in disbelief....in disbelief that there are those who don't always have friends to sit with at school, who don't have clothes that smell just like dryer sheets when you put them on, and those who don't even a bed to crawl into each night.  I was heartbroken...heartbroken that there are situations in which children are torn from their parents because their parents endanger them and those endangerments continue without the blink of an eye.

I cannot really explain how this movie moved me.  My heart would ache, but would turn around and almost burst with happiness.  I haven't stopped talking about it since the credits rolled.  It has made me want to make a difference somehow....I don't exactly know how, but there has been a strong tug at a heartstring and it cannot be ignored.

Love is....

Don't go through the holidays without it!

Ornaments = Overjoyed!

I love to get a text saying, "there's a package that came for you today".  I got this text yesterday and knew immediately that it was my ornament from the ornament swap with Tale of a GRITS!  Unfortunately, I had several stops to make after work and knew it would be awhile before I was able to open my surprise.  When I finally got home, I was so eager to see what this fellow blogging gal had in store for me.  She exceeded my expectations for sure!

With not one....

Not two....

But THREE ornaments!

And she also added these goodies in too!

Magic reindeer food!  How cute is that?!

Needless to say I am very appreciative and excited about the new additions!  Tale of a GRITS...thank you so much and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy your ornaments too!  They should be there tomorrow :)

Bonjour December!

I have to admit that I am thrilled that December has crept up on me!  I adore going home and turning the Christmas tree lights on, turning the overhead lights off, curling up with my Snuggie (yes, I said Snuggie), sipping on coffee with Baileys or a cup of hot cider, and just taking in all the Christmas vibe that surrounds me and letting go of all of the stress of the day.  My tree has been up for 2 weeks and I think I have decided I will never wait until the day after Thanksgiving again!  I signed up for an ornament exchange and this fabulous blogger and I were paired as partners to exchange!  She shipped mine yesterday and hers is going out today....I can't wait to see mine and hear her reaction to hers!  Just reason 39305789 why I love Christmas time!

Thanksgiving was truly wonderful.  I thoroughly enjoyed my first Thanksgiving as a wife!  We had a wonderful dinner at my Uncle's house, went shopping on Black Friday, went to Tunica for a little slot machine time, ate amazing ribs at the famous Rendezvous, saw The Rockettes and their Christmas Spectacular, and went out to Beale Street!  We had a blast.  My cousin Megan and I are so close so I always enjoy time I get to spend with her, especially since we are about 5 hours away from each other.

Megan and I in downtown Memphis.

Our Black Friday purchase at home in our bedroom.

Me with my Mom and Grandmother @ Rendezvous.

Right before stuffing ourselves at Thanksgiving dinner.

Well, I am going back to looking at my overwhelming Christmas list of gifts for others.  I am SO behind.  My calendar continually fills up and I wonder when I will ever get this shopping done?!  Have a great first day of December!

tisk, tisk

I have been a horrible excuse of a blogger lately!  It's as though right at the moment when I sit down to make a post, the phone rings, or I see something I should have tended to, or just about anything can distract me at times.  Yesterday I helped host a baby shower for Happily Ever After and it was a fabulous afternoon.  Her post depicts the day perfectly....from gifts, to girls, to us not being able to stay away from the food!  Be sure and check it out!  I am so happy for her and ready for her little boy to introduce himself into this world.

I am more than ready for Thanksgiving....there's always those times when you just know the warmth and happenings that come with your own Thanksgiving.  We all know it includes overeating, reminiscing and someone just "having" to eat that last piece of pie.  Aunt Wanda will tell me and my cousins that she "just can't get over how grown up we are"...and I'm sure someone will pull out an embarrassing story of mine for Male Hale to hear.  Sure, there will be an eye-roll or two, but with that there will also come hugs and i-love-yous.  Mom and I will go straight for the day-after Thanksgiving ads and find some reason why a certain deal is just too good to pass up.  Family members will plant themselves on the couch and swear they're not moving, but a board game will make its way out and everyone will mosey to a chair around the table.  But that's MY Thanksgiving...and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Is there any certain tradition or event that you just always know will be in store for you and yours?

I glanced at the month of December on my calendar and noticed it's booking up just as fast as November has.  Mom's retirement party, various Christmas parties, dinners for gift exchanges, and boom, Christmas will be here!  I need to work on shopping, that's for sure, because if there's one thing I hate it's the awful, overwhelming traffic and crowds in the mall area.  And then New Year's Eve will creep up on me.  I want to do something different and out of the ordinary this year!  I want to get dressed up with the hubby and ring in 2010 like we never have before.  These are my intentions....but we'll see if I carry through with them ;)

I ordered the invitations today for our 3rd annual Tacky Christmas party!  Here's a few shots from the past two years...

Always, always, a good time!!

Bubbly for Bublé

Well it's official.  I have become obsessed with Michael Bublé.  His voice just melts me like butter!  I have always liked this song, but when I saw that he covered it, I could hardly stand it!  Be sure and check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiMAh2cLczY

Listening to him makes me want to be in a little dimly lit jazz club sipping on a martini while I tap my high heels and watch my little cocktail dress sparkle.  I think I just might have to see him in concert now...

Rantin' & Ravin'!

I see criminals on a daily basis.  I see felons, I see thieves, I see abusers, and I see murders.  But when it hits home, I take on an entirely different perspective.  Everyone loves their grandparents and thinks they're diamonds in the rough.  I always hear about door-to-door salesmen taking advantage of people or even telemarketers....but when these criminals are supposed to be HELPFUL and be someone's AT HOME NURSE, that's even worse. And when I come to find out they've cleaned out my Granny's entire jewelry box, that's when anger and fury run through my veins.  This evil, vile person is my Granny's nurse for TWO days when something just doesn't feel right.  She calls the nursing agency and says she just doesn't feel comfortable with this particular nurse and she doesn't seem to be meeting the criteria.  This evil, heinous person comes back to my Granny's house AFTER she has been fired and wants to come in (with her child at her side) and sit with her and tell her how sorry she is that everything didn't work out and she wanted to check on her.  Well in her 45 minute visit, this monster goes to the restroom four times.  Turns out during these four instances, she's swiping as much as she can out of my Granny's bedroom.  Took her wedding rings, all her bracelets, all her necklaces, and even silver dollars that her husband collected before he passed away.  When I sit back and this that my Granny honestly thought this woman wanted to come visit her and apologize and spend a few minutes with her, it breaks my heart. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??  Do they not have a conscience??  Much less a heart??  Taking advantage of the elderly is one of the most cowardly, low-down, & appalling wrong-doings on the face of this earth.  The only thing I could ever take from this sweet little face is the love that she so freely gives me....