Christmas!!!

I hope you all had a great Christmas! :)   I have to admit that I kind of get depressed at the end of the year.  It seems like every year goes by quicker than the last.  And I still haven't accomplished the one goal I have in life.   So as New Year's approaches, I get in a crabby little funk.  I despise New Year's more than any other holiday.  All these new resolutions and happiness just make me want to gag.

But enough of the depressing talk.  We celebrated one Christmas so far.  Normally on Christmas Eve we go to my Granny's house and celebrate with my Dad's side of the family.  Since my Granny passed away in Sept things were kind of unclear.  About a week ago my Aunt Jane decided to have it.  However, she had a death on her other side of the family (sort of - not quite family) on Sunday.  So it was postponed indefinitely.  And honestly, knowing that family, I wonder if they will get it in gear and actually choose another date.

So we had nothing to do on Christmas Eve.  Ok that's a lie.  Roger's sister had called us a week or so ago to see what we were doing.  They were doing a white elephant gift exchange.  But we thought we had plans.   And when we found out we didn't, I did *not* want to go out to get more gifts.  And honestly I'm about sick of gifts that I don't want/need/have space for/collect dust etc.  Plus since we were spending Christmas day with that side of the family I figured we could do Tuesday night ourselves.  So we did. I wanted to try something that I saw on Pinterest - upside down Gingerbread men make reindeer.  So much to my husband's dismay we made more cookies.  However I discovered he has a hidden decorating talent.  OMG.  He was rocking the gingerbread men.  We didn't make as many reindeer.  I did maybe one deer and 4 or 5 gingerbread men.  But I did all the candy canes and I loved them.  I will do them again next year!

Then we made a pizza that we had got (uncooked) from a local bar.  Best pizza around and it's better made at home on the pizza stone than it is there.   We watched a hallmark movie and opened one gift. 

Christmas morning came and we opened our gifts first thing.  The cats enjoyed the boxes!

Then I went for a 3 mile run.  My massage therapist found a really messed up spot above my knee on my inner thigh.  She says this is why my knee is hurting.  I had the massage on Monday.  I will say that my knee was better on this run than my previous 3 mile run, but still not perfect.  However, I'm going to roll that spot on the foam roller and massage it myself.  I did discover that I have to really contort myself to manage to roll that spot.  Geesh.   I'm employing positive thinking that this is going to help and I can sign up for the half.   

When I got home we ate hole in one eggs and started making the corn casserole that we were bringing to Roger's sister's house.  That was a bit of stressful thing, but we managed to get it done and it tasted pretty good.   

I have to admit that I find it stressful being an in-law.  I felt very welcome in Roger's family when we were dating.  His parents and my parents live less than 2 miles apart.  So our families knew each other.  But somewhere things changed and I think they like me less now.  That causes me to feel uncomfortable and to withdraw and not really socialize.   Roger's mom finally figured out that I like snowmen and got me this great rug: 

It's so funny to me but I really don't think his side of the family knows me that well.  I think I'm pretty easy to shop for, but Roger disagrees.  *shrug*

I do have the cutest great-nephew in the world!!  And the best part, unlike my nephews, I don't have to bribe him to pose with me for a photo.  I hope that never changes.

 I think the camera on my new phone sucks big time.  After we opened gifts we played Pokeno which is like bingo but with a deck of cards rather than numbers.  There is a table of gifts and we play each round till everyone gets "Pokeno!".  This year we all had to bring a gift for the game.  In previous years Roger's mom supplied all the gifts.  I thought that was unfair and I told Roger that from the very first year.  I said everyone should bring some gifts.   He never listened to me.  I'm not sure how it came about this year, but I think it was more fair.  Though the table wasn't as full and quite honestly I'm not sure everyone brought a gift.  Nonetheless it was fun.

After we got home, I snuggled with the kitties.  Roger got me a Cardinals blanket and I think Mr Blue is in love with it!  He never ever sits on my lap in the evenings.  He is always in Roger's lap.  But he seemed very attracted to my new blanket.

We watched Hunger Games last night.  It was that or Smurfs 2.  Not sure how Roger agreed to Hunger Games.  But it was good and we are thinking of going to see Catching Fire in the theater.  I haven't heard much about it though.  I thought the first movie was very good so I hope the 2nd is done just as well. 

The other day I got an email that the photos were up from my 15K.   Well the thing is that I wore my number on my shirt.  In the beginning of the race I had a jacket on.  By the end my number was crumpled.  I know a photographer got a photo of me just prior to the finish and at the finish.  Other than that I didn't really see any photographers.  But since they couldn't read my number I had to search the lost and found photos.  I did manage to find 5 of me.  The ones taken just prior to the end were disappointing.  I was looking at the photographer.  He told me he got me, but honestly they suck and he had plenty of time to get a good one.  I do like the one at the finish where you can see the clock.  Even though that time is wrong because I was in the 2nd start wave. 

I have a confession to make.  This stems from something I noticed when shopping.  Roger and I were at Cabela's recently and I tried on 2 jackets.  There weren't any mirrors other than the dressing rooms.  So I had him snap a photo of me so I could see.  The first jacket was a hot mess.  But the second one I liked (he ended up getting it for me for Christmas).   However, I hated the photo of me.  I swear my boobs are low.  Am I crazy?  I looked horrible in that photo.  I actually took the jacket to the dressing room and thought it looked ok.  My parents were with us and I tried it on for my mom.  She liked it. Then I showed her the photo and pointed out my low hanging boobs.  She agreed the photo wasn't flattering.  And so I see the SAME thing in this photo.  I have a sports bra on.  So of course I'm smashed from side to side. But gosh sometimes I feel like my boobs are closer to my belly button than my armpits!   I'm only 35 for crying out loud.  And they are tiny so the gravity excuse does NOT work. :(

We celebrate Christmas with my family on Sat so that my nephew can be there.  This weekend is my brother's weekend.  And even though this year was his turn to have him on Christmas, we just don't get together that day since everyone has so many other obligations.  It turns out my brother was so sick he didn't get Hayden.  So it works out well.  One more Christmas and one more day of stuffing my face. I think I'll be running on Sat morning too.  I feel better about doing something before I eat.  Even though I still eat more than I burned off! :)