December Blog Challenge - My Favorite Christmas Movies

So yesterday was music, today is movies...

Doing this post, I realized that I have never seen some of the "classic" christmas movies... Something that I will (eventually) remedy. but for now, here are some of my favorites...

Home Alone



Christmas Vacation



The Santa Clause



How The Grinch Stole Christmas



Mickey's Christmas Carol



The Holiday



Scrooged



Gremlins



What are your favorite christmas movie, I am making a list (and checking... not really).

December Blog Challenge - My Favorite Christmas Carols

I missed a few days, it has been busy and time has flown, plus I have a new OBSESSION that has taken me away from the blog...

As I mentioned in my 100 Things I Love post, I love Christmas Music. I could listen to it all year long. I don't, but I could!! While I love all Christmas Music, I do have my favorites. This is the list of those favorites. I have included links to some YouTube videos of the songs sung by some of my favorite artists... (you will also learn that I am SLIGHTLY fixated on Pentatonix)

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What Child Is This



Silent Night



 Mary, Did You Know?



The Little Drummer Boy


Do You Hear What I Hear?



Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas


O Holy Night


Carol Of The Bells


My Favorite Things


God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman


I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas


That's Christmas To Me


Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy (this has no words, yet Pentatonix does a video, go figure!!!)

What are some of your favorite Christmas/Holiday Songs?

December Blog Challenges - SNOW!!! Yes or No!!!

SNOW... Yes or No

Photo by Nathan Walker (Unsplash)

Anybody who knows me knows that I currently live in Las Vegas because I lived in Northern Nevada for 8 years and had enough of the snow. I couldn't stand living in it anymore. Even now, when I think about moving back there, my knuckles turn white and a family of butterflies invade my tummy. But, if I don't have to live in it... I love it...

What do I mean by that. If I don't have to actually function (go to work, drive, etc). It is amazing. I love to snuggle on the couch in the middle of a snow storm with the fireplace burning and a cup of coffee and just watch the snow. It gets so quiet and peaceful.

However, driving or having to function, nope, no way...

Maybe later, when I don't actually have to leave my house 😉

Do you enjoy the snow?

December Blog Challenge - 20 Christmasy Things To Do

Sometimes we forget some of the fun "Christmas-y" things to do during the season. So, since there are 20 days left until Christmas, here are 20 ideas...

Drive around the neighborhood and look at the lights

Build a snowman, if you live where it snows!!

Watch a holiday movie (some of my favorites will be in a future post, stayed tuned!)

Drink hot chocolate

Listen to Christmas Music (yup, they are coming up!)

Build a gingerbread house

Attend a Christmas Tree Lighting

Volunteer

Write a letter to Santa

Decorate the tree

Find an "ugly sweater"

Send a care package or card to a soldier

Make a wreath for the front door

Take a ride on a Santa Train

Make Christmas Cookies

Watch or participate in a Christmas Parade

Go skiing/sledding/ice-skating

See The Nutcracker

Donate to an Angel Tree

Visit with Santa, even if you don't have kids!

Can you think of anything else...let me know!

December Blog Challenge - Sending Christmas Cards

SENDING CHRISTMAS CARDS

I never send Christmas Cards, like, NEVER... I always say I am going to, buy the cards, but then never send them. This year is different. My hubby mentioned that he wants to send cards out. So we are going to do it. 

I hate the cards that i have at home, they were bought a couple of years ago as they were really cheap for my people at work 😀 but they were never used. So I went to Walmart today and bought new ones, now we just have to sit down and prepare them... 

Wish me luck!

Do you send Christmas or Holiday Cards? Let me know why or why not in the comments. 

December Blog Challenge - Day 3 - OOPS!

Only day 3, and I already missed one, damn it! But we got our Christmas Tree last night and all the stuff to go with it! I will take pictures when it is done!!

December Blog Challenge - Favorite things to do on a cold day

MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO ON A COLD DAY...

STAY WARM!!!

Having said that, there are some things that are great for a cold day.

When I lived in an area where it snowed (and I didn't have to leave the house) I loved to sit in the warm house with a blanket, snuggled up on the couch and watch the snow come down. It was so peaceful, the snow would insulate everything and it would get so quiet.

Now, I live in the desert so it gets cold, but we have not had snow (at least not yet). I snuggle up in my fuzzy pajamas and slippers, with my fuzzy blanket and the fireplace going. A cup of hot cocoa or maybe some soup or chili. A good book or a favorite movie on the tv. Or I just stay in bed and cuddle with my hubby or my dog.

I do actually leave the house, but I hate being cold. Sometimes I like going out for a walk in the cold, but I have to be very bundled up. When the air is brisk and clean and your nose gets red!

What are somethings that you do when the weather turns chilly?

December Blog Challenge - Thoughts on the last month of 2016

Wow, its December 1st. It feels like it was just March. Although, alot has happened.

• We moved in to a new house (rented not bought). 
• We had to get up in the middle of the night to drive across the country to help out a friend (21 hours in the car, it was fun😒)
• Hubby's mom (in Southern California) was sick and he had to drive down there at the spur of the moment, then she had to have surgery, a couple of times
• We lost one of our dogs

Like I said, lots of stuff.

I have hopes that the month of December and the new year will bring with it some better times, not that it was all bad. I am still clear with my health. I have not had any other issues (thank goodness). I love my job and work with a great group of people.

All in all, I am pretty lucky!

December Blog Challenge

I am going to do another blog challenge in December to get back into the habit of writing every day, at least MOST days...

My focus will be on the upcoming holiday and winter. Topics could include some or all of the following:

• Thoughts on the last month of 2016 ✔
• Favorite things to do on a cold day ✔
• The meaning of cozy… 🚫
• Sending Christmas Cards… ✔
• Favorite drinks and food for when I am feeling down 🚫
• “Christmasy” things to do! ✔
• What my Christmas would look like if money/time was no object… 
• SNOW…yes or no! ✔
• Holiday Traditions, new and old.
• Christmas Decorations at Work!!
• Hopes for Future Christmases
• Who I am Missing this Christmas
• Christmas Pinterest Roundup
• Christmas Decorations
• Smells of Christmas
• Christmas Food
• Favorite Christmas Movies
• Favorite Christmas Music 
• Grown up letter to Santa
• The Christmas Tag
• Winter Solstice
• Christmas is not always Happy…
• Gifts : Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning 
• Christmas Eve
• Merry Christmas!!
• Holiday Hangover
• Major events in the last year
• Favorite movies of 2016
• Approaching the coming new year, feelings/thoughts/fears
• Anthem for the new year
• New Years Eve, what are my resolutions

I love the Christmas holiday season. I do not feel that I have done the holiday justice for several years, so, maybe this year! I also mostly love winter, except for snow, at least to drive in...

How many days?...

freeimages.com / yalcin Eren

How many days can I do 100% Nutrisystem?

I really need to lose some serious weight... I am so sick of seeing the same numbers that I saw 6 months ago...

So I am doing another Blog Challenge!

For the month of May, I am going to see how many days I can do 100% Nutrisystem. I am hoping to go the whole month. Hubby and I will be seeing what Nutrisystem can really do if we are serious and put our minds (back) to it. Haven't really been 100% since we started again. So we made this deal. Starting Sunday, May 1st, we will be eating 100% Nutrisystem program. No extras, no snacking, no Sushi Cheat days...

One of the things that we are looking at is if we actually want to continue with Nutrisystem or if we want to do it on our own and start a Clean Eating Lifestyle. You know, nothing processed and as close to natural as possible. I think that is the way we are leaning at this time. But we will see...

We are also going back to the gym, I felt so much better when we were going, even though I bitched about it! So, this is the mission, and I choose to accept it!

Blog Challenge - Day 28 - Last one!!

What I would do if I won the lottery...


Wow, what a dream this would be. To not have to worry about money. To quit my job. Be able to buy what I want, go where I want, do what I want.

Well, its not quite that simple...

If I won the lottery, I would buy a large piece of property, somewhere that is green and your neighbors are not on top of you. Probably somewhere like Tennessee, Kentucky or even Washington or Oregon...

I would build my dream home. Not necessarily a mansion. But one with enough space for my family. I would also have little cabins all over for family and friends to stay in when they came to visit. I may have to hire someone to come cook healthy meals for me, and a personal trainer to help me finally get healthy, and every once in a while, I would have to have someone to follow me around and slap me when I want to eat all that unhealthy stuff :)

The other thing that this property would have on it is a rescued animal sanctuary. Someplace to take all those abandoned or neglected dogs, cats, whatever... There would be a house just for them and people there 24/7 so they didn't get lonely or afraid. They would have acres to run and roam...

I would also help out my family and friends with college funds for their children (because college is really important).

I would also travel and go all of the places that I talked about on Day 9 of the challenge.

I would do good in the world, I would not be like all the rich people that you see that have to have the most expensive (fill in the blank). Or the people that spend millions of dollars on a party or on a car or anything else. I would not be selfish (okay, maybe a little). I would help those in need.

Okay, can I win the lottery now?...

Blog Challenge - Day 27

Favorite Color...


My favorite color fluctuates at times. Between green and purple. Sometimes purple is my favorite. Sometimes green... I am not sure which one I like better.

But then, at times, I like blue. And sometimes, I like red or pink.

I don't necessarily have a FAVORITE color. I have colors that I like better than others. I have colors that I prefer. But sometimes, I really like green...or purple...

I'm kinda indecisive that way!

Tomorrow is the last day of the Blog Challenge, it has been amazing and I love forcing myself to write for you guys to read. I hope I can keep it up!

My last challenge post will discuss what I would do if I won the lottery, stay tuned!

Blog Challenge - Day 26

Favorite Season or Holiday...


This one is easy!

My favorite season is FALL. When it is getting cooler after the heat of summer. When people start focusing more on family and home. Oh, did I mention, my birthday is in the fall!!! Which also leads to my favorite holiday (also in the fall), HALLOWEEN. I love that there is one day of the year that you can choose to be something else. You can be a witch, or a fairy or a barmaid, wench or anything else that you choose. And your excuse is its a costume. I also love the meaning behind Halloween. When the veil is thinnest and you can be close to loved ones that have left us.

I have always loved the fall for holidays. Living in Nevada, even more so. I love the fact that every two weeks I have time off work!!! You see, I don't work on my birthday. I have always taken it off. So in the middle of October, I have time off for my birthday. Then at the end of October, it is Nevada Day (the last Friday of October). Then in the middle of November, Veteran's Day...Then Thanksgiving and the family day after. Then I have to go a little longer to get to Christmas and New Years. Sometimes I take a day off in the middle between thanksgiving and Christmas, just to have a day off every 2 weeks.

Fall is the best, followed by Spring, then Summer and Winter are tied... I hate heat and extreme cold!

Blog Challenge - Day 25

Favorite Smell...


I think I have a tie for my favorite smell.

At first thought, I would say CHOCOLATE. (Do you see a theme in the blog!) I love the smell of chocolate. Going in to a bakery or an ice cream shop, or when chocolate brownies or cake is cooking. MMM...

But the more I think about it, I think my real favorite smell would be the scent of rain. Not something we get alot of here in the desert. But I remember growing up in South Florida, you knew that it was going to rain because you could just smell it. I still get so excited when I can smell the rain coming. I love to sit and watch it rain. I love to lay in my bed and hear the rain hitting the windows. Rain washes my soul...

I miss the rain!

Blog Challenge - Day 24

A Book I could Read Over and Over...


So this is not really going to be about one book. It is going to be about a couple of different "sets" of books.

First, my favorite author. We all have our favorite authors... mine is Nora Roberts. Anything she writes is wonderful and I get lost in the story. I could read her books over and over, and have on numerous occasions. I have one whole bookshelf that is just Nora Roberts and her alter ego, JD Robb. Her characters are relateable and her writing is just amazing. When I see that a new book has come out I have to run out and buy it (or, download it).

The second of the "sets" is the Harry Potter series. I have read all of these books several times. This is not just a children's book series. It is amazing whether you are 12 or 102.

I also have several other authors that I buy and keep around and re-read... they include Stephen King, Robyn Carr, John Saul, Nevada Barr and Dean Koontz.

So I guess this is not just a book post but a post about my favorite authors!

Blog Challenge - Day 23

My guilty pleasures...


Hmm... I think one of my guilty pleasures would be the same as most other women on the planet... CHOCOLATE!!! Good chocolate not just some crappy stuff you can by at the grocery store. I will get chocolate and only let myself have one piece at a time, and I savor it... I am always really sad when it is gone, but I DO NOT have another piece. That would be cheating.

Another guilty pleasure that I have would be reading. I can and will read for hours and hours and hours. I better not start a chapter (because you always have to end at the end of a chapter, don't you) if I don't have time to get lost in the book...which is always an issue when I try to read at lunch at work...

I think my last guilty pleasure would be naps...I LOVE NAPS. I love to go in to the bedroom in the middle of the day and curl up (or stretch out) on my bed and sleep. I get better sleep during naps than I do at night...

What are your guilty pleasures?

Blog Challenge - Day 22

My view on religion…


Oh, what possessed me to make this a Blog Challenge topic…

I guess the short answer would be, everyone should be able to worship how they see fit.

A bit of background. I was raised Catholic. We went to church and everything. Was baptized when I was little. As I grew up though, we stopped going to church.

I knew that there were more religions than just Catholic. One of my friends was Jewish, and another was Mormon (I said Merry Christmas and she told me about it). But I only knew what I was raised. I was even homeschooled for a couple of years using a Christian based home school company.

When I was in college, I had a friend who was Wiccan. She had all these books and the conversations that we would have were eye opening and enlightening. I began to see that there was more out there than Christianity.

I do not necessarily know WHAT I am, I am more of a spiritual person, I believe in Higher Power. But to narrow it down to Catholic, Jewish or Wiccan… I don’t think I can do that…

Blog Challenge - Day 21

My earliest memory…


Okay, short post today.

This one is about my earliest memory. I am not sure why this stuck in my brain. I guess it would have been traumatizing. I was young, under four. I was sitting on the couch at my grandparents’ home and I was drinking a glass of something, not sure if it was water, juice or milk. I looked down into the glass and it was red (it was NOT supposed to be red). I was having my first nose bleed, ewww!!! I know, gross, but the question was first memory and that is one of the first, if not the first!

Other memories are more pleasant, spending time with my family, laying on the floor at my great grandmother’s house reading a book. Playing with friends. But, if you ask about first…eww!

Tomorrow is my views on religion…

Blog Challenge - Day 20

Concerts I have attended…


I love music, I just am not a huge fan of crowds…

When I was younger, I attended 2 HUGE concerts (at least for me). To give you an idea of how old I was, my mother went with me to the concerts. The first (my first concert ever!!) was New Kids on The Block. The second was Vanilla Ice. Then, when I was older, I attended concerts such as CHER, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett, Sting and Annie Lennox and Rascal Flatts. I have also been to a couple Music Festivals…

People I want to see in concert…

I would LOVE to see New Kids on The Block again. I live in Las Vegas, they are here a lot. However, that thing about crowds… Also, Justin Timberlake is a dream concert (again CROWDS). One of my music obsessions right now is Pentatonix, they will be here in August with Kelly Clarkson… I may have to think about that one…

Also, not concerts but big groups of people seeing one person on a stage, I have seen several comedians recently (I live in Las Vegas, they are very popular here). I saw Howie Mandel and Carlos Mencia while in Northern Nevada. I have also seen Pablo Francisco and Jeff Dunham while in Southern Nevada. I love comedy. I love to laugh. What is it they say, “Laughter is the best medicine!”

Blog Challenge - Day 19

What’s in my closet…


A lot less then there was a few weeks ago…

Last weekend, I went through my closet since I have now officially lost 50 pounds. A lot of my clothes had gotten too big, I had a large section in my closet which I could not wear. So, I downsized. I started filling a large garbage bag with shirts, then another with pants. Then I moved to my dresser. I made myself a deal that if it said 26+ or 3X on it, it was gone. All in all, I donated 80 pounds of clothing to a local charity. I left quite a bit of stuff in my closet and I still think that I need to go through it some more. The pants I am wearing today are too big, I have another bag started and every time I find something else that is too big, in the bag it goes. Pretty soon, I will run out of clothes all together! I have replaced with a few new items. I am obsessed with Maxi skirts right now. I have 6 of them, although 2 of them I have had for a while and are not my favorites. I will not be buying anything in the month of July, so I hope I don’t run out of clothing until after the end of the month…

Layout of the closet…

We have a walk in closet, in the shape of an L. My hubby has about 1/8 of the closet. I have the rest. Does that sound like average. Also in the closet is purses and shoes and my laundry basket. I have one of those baskets that’s actually 3-in-1. One section for darks, one for lights and another for underwear. I LOVE it since I HATE to do laundry. At least this takes away the sorting step…

We also use our closet for some storage (not as much as before, but, still…). There are things up on the shelves that we just don’t know what else to do with. This will be where we start for the July Downsizing project.