Holiday Hell

Vent

I need to vent. So this post is going to be out of the ordinary for me, add no value or knowledge to your life... just simply be me venting.

Christmas. I love Christmas. I love the snow, I love the music, I love wrapping presents and getting together with family. This is the first year that I've wanted Christmas to not happen. My parents are in Texas, and this is the first year I haven't been able to share the holiday with them. While that makes me sad in itself, I had a moment and then was okay with it. I was okay with not spending Christmas with my family. This meant I was going to get to spend my Christmas with just Craig (my boyfriend). What a wonderful Christmas this was going to be.No rushing around.. no spending all day driving... ! Get done with a 60 hour work week at 4 on Friday, hang out with friends Friday night... wake up Saturday morning and head to Craig's Mom's house for the weekend to celebrate with his Mom and sister, work on Monday and then Tuesday... Christmas day... it would just be Craig and me and our five furry critters. What a great holiday. (Insert screeching sound here). Fat chance Lora Lynn!!! Out shopping for Craig's Mom's gift he calls her to see what would be a good gift for his sister. Phone call starts pleasant enough, Craig says were coming this weekend, Mom says no come Tuesday, Craig says okay no problem, sister yells in the background that we're too good to hang out with them for Christmas (even though there is no problem with going down there Tuesday) and then WHAM... Craig's screaming into the phone to his Mom to tell his sister to shut up. Of course his Mom hangs up. Craig calls back numerous times only to get the machine. Finally someone answers and his Mom yells into the phone "I dont want to talk to anyone"... click. What a great start to the holiday season. Okay, I can deal with this... we will just celebrate our Christmas, Christmas eve and then go down to his Mom's Christmas Day. Not what I had planned, but whatever we will make it work. (Insert screeching sound here) Fat chance AGAIN Lora Lynn!!!  Craig fights with his sister basically all weekend... only to find out 1. His Mom feels she needs to babysit us while we are down there...great.. I really want to go down there now.. 2. His Mom apparently is not okay with me sitting on the couch the whole time I come down to visit (I'm not sure why.. there isn't anything else to do or places to go... and we came to visit.. not do other things...?) 3. Apparently I'm a "christmas asshole". Wow! Okay, so at this point plans are still Christmas Eve with Craig and the fur critters, Christmas Day at his Moms. Ring ring... ring ring... "Yeah why don't you guys not come down on Christmas, we can pick a Wednesday and I'll come up and see the house and we can go out to dinner. I can't handle the stress". Whoa... you can't handle the stress? The stress of brother and sister fighting because sister thinks we are nasty people and you don't feel the need to speak up and stop it, Craig maybe.. its her brother... but me?! What the hell did I do?!  Wow.. what a great holiday season this has turned out to be. Long story short... we stayed home for Christmas, didn't get dressed, and appreciated the life we have together. What Christmas is all about. While my family isn't perfect I am thankful everyday for the family that I have. We have ups and downs but we're still a family and we're still there for each other. I can handle mine. I can't handle his. I don't even know how to fake nice to people who apparently don't like me for some reason I am unaware of. Maybe there is no reason.. maybe it's just because I'm with Craig. How can people not like you for no reason at all.... ? 

***Things change for the better when we take responsibility for our own thoughts, decisions and actions.***

***You are responsible for your life. You can't keep blaming somebody else for your dysfunction. Life is really about moving on.--- Oprah Winfrey*** 

***Holding onto negative people or things will make your life harder than it has to be.***

***Your life will change for the better when you learn to surround yourself with positive people and keep the negative ones away***

A New Year 2012

My really good friend Heather told me her New Years resolution was to read one new book a week. I really liked her idea so I'm attempting to read at least a few new books a month. So far for 2012 I have read:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

First Date by Krista McGree

Being as today is January 30th, I guess I accomplished Heathers goal of reading one new book a week. Granted I didn't start each new book and read it during the week...  I read War Horse yesterday and First Date today, but still. I read four books for the four months of January. Before I go to bed tonight I'm starting Suicide Blonde by Darcey Steinke. I've had this book for awhile and am finally getting the oportunity to read it. The first line of the book is, "Was it the Bourbon  or the dye fumes that made the pink walls quiver like vaginal lips?"  What book could suck that starts out with that first line! Needless to say I'm excited to get started. Maybe I'll wait until Wednesday so I can count this as one for February.....or maybe I'll start it tonight and then count it towards February. 

Butterfinger Cream Pie from Betty's Pie's

Well... I tried my photography skills at PIE'S... what do you think? Makes me hungry just looking at it....

Review: First Date by Krista McGee

First Date by Krista McGee

This book starts out with telling about a young girl (Addy) and how she is chosen to go on a reality dating show to win a prom date with the President's son. She doesn't want to do the show but goes anyway thinking that God must have a plan for her. She runs into all sorts of issues with the other girls, her feelings about being on the show, and one very cranky producer who seems to have it out for her from the very beginning. Addy ends up learning more about her self, her deceased parents, and her faith in God than she ever imagined she would. Not only does she make a friend for life out of the deal but she is able to channel God's love through her actions and really show other's what it means to be a true Christian.

I absolutely adored this book. I read all 320 pages in one sitting and to tell you honestly would start it over and read it again if I had the time. Addy was a shy person in the beginning not wanting to step out of her well scheduled box and I can relate to that. I know what it's like to not want to be in the spotlight and just fade into the back. It was an eye opener for me to read what she had gone through by just putting herself out there and trusting in God. This story is a loosely based around the Esther story... but with up to date additions... I recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through Booksneeze Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.