Why you don’t get Christmas cards from us

Its Christmas and in an attempt to try present a normal functioning family to the world, I have been on a mission to take family photos for our Christmas card.  The said Christmas card has not materialised yet; you will see why when you look at the following photos.

Lets start with last years family photo...

Christmas 2009 - Me, Candy, John (Uncle), Rory, Reece and Mom.

Then there is family photo attempt number 2 at my mother's 50th - hmmm* 

And my final attempt, early family Christmas dinner - on account of Ian the headless and Candy going to the coast for Christmas.

The headless stranger.

Crazy people.

Doh, its blured.

Is kind of normal, pitty about the chocolate pudding on Reece’s chin.

Ah, closed eyes.

Crazy people again.

So when you are opening Christmas cards and you wonder "Why don't we ever get Christmas cards from Justine?"  You need to think back to this post, as shivers run down your spine and ask yourself "Do I really want those people starring at me from the top of my mantle piece."

And the lady in Microsoft's to the cloud thought she had a problem with her family photo - gosh*

In memory of a good friend - this world will be a darker place without your light.

Leanne and I were in a casino in Vegas trying to buy deep fried chocolate bananas.  We saw two guys sitting over at a table and they looked like they were checking us out.  One of them came over and started talking to us.  Derek opened with telling me 'You have the shortest nails I've ever seen on a girl' and possibly commenting that I have boy hands (this could be embellished, it was a long time ago).  Our friendship grew from there, Derek introduced Leanne and I to a side of Vegas we would never have seen - fun filled Karaoke nights, $7 steak and beer (it was really good) at shaddy old town Vegas casino's, a mad adventure to the Grand Canyon that rendered us in Utah and then driving around the ENTIRE canyon, to be met (with surprise) by a snow covered rim, Derek in his flip flops.

Derek passed away on Friday - it breaks my heart that someone so young, with so much potential, and such a good heart has left us.

Looking on death and the major loss of this boy's life to the world, I know he is in heaven, he is at peace, in paradise and in the safe loving arms of God.  It is selfish to want to keep someone here, when there is a big welcome home party waiting for each of us in heaven, I for myself am at peace with going home to God one day because I know it will be great.  But today my heart is sore for the loss of Derek, for the loss his family suffers at this time, for this Christmas they will spend without this amazing ray of light, I am sad for my (selfish) loss of a friend.

There are no words.

Christmas Creativity

YAY its Christmas, normally I don't feel Christmasy, thats probably because living in the southern hemisphere with summer, and Christmas songs are all about snow I cant relate my experience to the carols and snow songs.  Being blessed enough to spend the wind up to Christmas in the states I have a natural taste of the Christmas spirit.


Que the Christmas decorations...


Justin being le bachelor doesn't have any Christmas decorations, he has to work on the 25th and cant go home for Christmas.  Its bleek, as a parting gift I rustled up a garland, decorations, spent 2 days cutting out snowflakes and got busy on Friday (infact this time last week - sad nostalgic face) with decorating.


I fashioned the garland into a tree (it came with lights - so very much a 2 birds one stone), place it in a tin that had a snowman embossed on the front, strung my popcorn string (which lead to a series of pricked fingers) around it, and hung silver, clear and white ornaments on the tree.


I however had forgotten to buy an angel or a star, with no time to run out and purchase one I was left to improvise.  Justin, a dog lover at heart, and me equipped with a printed photo of Lando our basset hound.  When 1+1=2 Lando would be the perfect angel for the tree.  It was very makeshift, a toilet roll with a window cut in it and the white toilet paper as draping around the roll, a hair clip fashioned into a halo.  The angel, a unique Justine original was ready to be put on the top of the tree.

Looking at the tree there was something missing, it looked very stark and bare with the white wall behind it.  Looking around the room and seeing the box of wrapping paper with blue and silver bows - "perfect" I thought.  Equipped with tape which I stuck to the ceiling and proceeded to stick the bows on.  (It looks a little tacky in this picture but the effect in life is really awesome)


I also bought Justin a stocking and found a badge/pin/button with the letter J on it, there we go personalised Justin stocking.


My decorations didn't stop there - I mentioned my marathon snowflake cut out sessions.  Here you have it on the sliding glass doors into the sun room aka bedroom.  And those little black balls hanging in front of the blinds, they were part of the Christmas ball pack, but I couldn't put black decorations on the Christmas tree, it just seemed to morbid.  But they work well here; the balls are matt, glossy, sequined and some have snowflakes printed on them.

Waiting for Justin to come home - hearing the key in the door, I yell "STOP you cant come in."  A dejavu moment from 4 days earlier when I was sitting on the floor with all the decorations and his gifts on the floor and he came home early and I yelled "STOP! STOP! STOP! DON'T COME IN! DON'T COME IN! WAIT OUTSIDE THE DOOR!"  as I hastily packed everything away, and then let him in, it was VERY VERY funny!


After a week of planning and plotting and being sneaky, Justin seemed pleasantly surprised, he know I was up to something but was not sure what it was.

It came together really nicely I was pleased with the outcome.

Sleep

Sleep generally the most look forward to task of my day.  The magic time when anything can happen, within the confines of my mind of course.  The questions of what will I dream about tonight?  Will I remember my dreams? What wonderful adventure will I go on?  What crime mystery might I solve?  Will I be me or perhaps don the part of some mythical hero?  With prospects like this how can anyone pass up the opportunity to embark on sleep.

I remember a time when I could sleep anywhere, anytime, through anything - sleep was my superpower.  Over the last 2 years I seem to have found my kryptonite.  Something that has drained me of my super sleep powers - but what could it be?

I recognise that change in sleep habits (especially now since returning from the USA on Monday) might be part of the problem.  A list of reasons why one might not be sleeping...

1) Jet lag
2) New environment (different bed, loss or addition of sleep partner, animals in room. snoring of partner/animals/roommate)
3) Too much light in the room
4) Mood disorder (depression, anxiety, stress)
5) Being on the computer late

Currently I'm pinning my lack of sleep on jet lag and the fact that I have been sleeping 13 hour days - eeek*

A few things that might help me sleep...

1)














Great idea, seeing as I lost my favourite pink eye mask on the airplan, however my room is pretty dark.


2)















or















Will the book put me to sleep because its boring or will it offer good tips on sleeping?

3)













a noise machine will that aid, maybe I need the sound of the ocean, or a heartbeat or the rain?


4)















Cuddly and plush, if it works for baby maybe it can work for me?

5)















and finally the magic pill, mine is a little blue one Advil PM, however having taken it an over 2 hours ago, it still has not helped lull me to sleep, sigh*

Hopefully I can get on a normal sleep routine, and kick the jet lag, I should probably get up by 8am tomorrow instead of sleeping in until noon.  If its any consolation it is 5am in DC when I wake up at noon.

Gettysburg

Following our breezy walk out to the Potomac falls Justin and I got back into the car and debated over what we should do next.  We decided whatever activity it was should be kept to spaces that are warm and sheltered from the cold weather.  Justin suggested we drive to Gettysburg to the battle fields, a great idea and an expedition that can be enjoyed from the comfort of our heated Toyota.

Driving up to Pennsylvania the sun breaking through the clouds at the battle fields was beautiful.  This is the best photo fuse Microsoft would award me, there is a 3rd picture but MS is adamant that the images cannot be aligned.

The Gettysburg battlefields are a 24 mile car tour marking 3 days of battle the Confederates and Union troops battled against each other in July 1863.  Thats pretty much all I can tell you even reading the information brochure from the battlefields has me thinking 'which side is that now?'  All I can tell you is that a lot of people died and (I might stand corrected) the Union soldiers pushed the Confederates back towards Virginia.

On top of Cemetery Ridge.

Devils Den, where Justin states, "the rocks make it possible for close hand to hand combat".

At devils den, behind me is Cemetry Ridge where the previous photos were taken.  Imagine if you will hundreds of soldiers rushing up that hill to get away from 'their enemies'; its relatively steep and leaves you open to be live target practice.  Its grim but I'm trying to paint a picture for you.

The road trip home - unforunately I missed the prettiest part of the sunset.  But it really was a beautiful crisp day.

Suggested by the Gettysburg museum if your interested in the Civil War.

The Great Potomac Falls

A cold Saturday in Washington DC, being unaware as to how cold it actually was we decide to go out to the Potomac Great Falls (which I had never seen) and take in a hike down by the water.  Getting into the car we started off on our Fall adventure.

 The route to the falls (on the Maryland side) crosses over various tributaries that feed into the Potomac.

Justin and mines shadows on, not the original intent of the photo but nonetheless; i think its fun.

Another tributary pond overpass.

The Great Falls, the picture does not do justice to the falls.

By the time we got to the falls, the cold winds had started to cut through our clothes and chill our bones.  Well that was my experience of it; Justin doesn't feel the cold, me I turn purple.

 

Realising how bitterly cold it was we turned back to the car and abandoned the quest to go for a hike as we weren't properly attired, for me that means I wasn't wearing my long johns.

Odd gifts - perhaps for the person who has everything

Its that time of the year, when you need to buy presents for everyone who is close to you, family - mom, dad, sister, brother, maybe a spouse or your kids; your boy or girl friend; close friends and that one not so close friend who insists on buying you something every year even though you insist its not necessary.  So what do you get for these people, if you already know that your mom wants that calendar with photos of you from a recent overseas trip, dad would love a mug with your face on it to so he can drink his coffee and see his favourite daughter, your sister the snow globe with a figurine of you in it and your brother a action figure thats been modeled after you.  As awesome as these gift suggestions sound and I'm jealous of the person who already knows what they are getting these special people, I have recently come across an assortment of items that are unconventional, but might help you find that perfect gift for that person you don't have a clue what to get.

Here we have glasses holders, you might think this is limited to the person who wears spectacles, I want to stop you right there, this is perfect for the sun glass wearing as well.  For the fun loving individual there are the lovable characters that come in the Peepers® Eyeglass Holder, MOOSE, giraffe and safari couple.  For the more refined individual there is the sophisticated spectacle holder made of wood, if thats not exactly what your looking for in terms of holders there is the Plush Lined Eyeglass Holder Light Blue or in black,the sheep skin lining will also protect said glasses from getting scratched.  It is a practical and stylish gift.

 

Going away on a long business trip, or in that long distance relationship where you don't get to see the object of your affection or perhaps you have a girlfriend that is constantly complaining about being alone and single?

Well this half torso is the perfect gift for anyone in that situation, no more lonely nights in bed, no more snuggling with a pillow, now you can snuggle with the half man torso, all the comfort you want at night, to make it seem more personal perhaps you should go through the effort of naming the torso; Italian, Fabrizio; Greek, Christo; Spanish, Javier.  The choice is yours and the possibilities endless, I can assure you though that with this gift you'll never be alone at night again.

  

Since we are on the subject of torso's and bodies I feel the need to point out these wooden figurines, notice how they balance precariously on their arms and there is a hollow place where there stomach should be.  Perhaps they will promote the awarness of poverty and world hunger, purchase one for your home or a friend who is geared towards social outreach and be encouraged to give what you don't need to those who are in need.

This statue, is just awkward, I would not purchase it for myself or anyone else, but if you are gutsy and happen to know a person who would proudly display this in their home then please go ahead and add this to you 'get list'.

Finally the gift that screams 'I'm needy'.  This his and hers t-shirt (if thats where you are going just buy a towel set) raises the following concerns, never wear me in public, am I a pajama attire and where is an appropriate place to wear this?  None of these questions are answerable by me but any thoughts you might have on the issue please feel free to throw them in my direction.

Lastly the singal most appropriate gift this year, especially for that jet setter in your life is the X-ray Hide My Junk Underpants.  With the new x-ray machines that have come into use over the last month and the uproar surrounding them these x-ray protection underpants allow 'what I'd assume is a man' to walk through the x-ray machine, with his dignity in tact.  With the recent controversy over the probing x-rays and all the air time this topic has received I don't feel a need to embellish the subject anymore, let these underpants speak for themselves and do their job at concealing what you don't want other people to see.