I use to get my nails done every other week when I was in high school and a little when I was in college. I had to stop getting them done because money was becoming tight and also the only place I liked was an hour away in Paducah. It just wasn’t feasible anymore. Monday afternoon after work, while I was waiting to go to my night class, I decided to get them done again. Yay!

Also, I don’t know if I’ve ever posted a picture of my wedding rings. This is my second engagement ring, which we bought right before the wedding, and this is my third wedding band. I no longer have my first and my second one is my fancy one. I don’t wear it often because it can also be too tight on my finger at times.

[update: If you're reading this from your reader please click over to see the new design]

This is a long one, get ready!

My Christmas started on Friday, the 18th with my Girlie Christmas party. SO MUCH FUN! Everyone, including myself, was running behind but we still got to do everything planned AND MORE! We had dinner in our Trashy Christmas Sweaters, opened presents dirty santa style, ate dessert baked by yours truly, air band danced to Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Carol of the Bells (this is a tradition) which led to the silly dance party, and watched Love Actually before passing out (not drunk).

My church’s Christmas Cantata was the following Sunday. I sang a few solo parts and Emily and I sang together (oh together again!!) in one and we totally KICKED ASS! If I may say so myself. Emmy, WHERE is that video clip…eh? Emmy, her sister Jeannie, Neil and I celebrated after church by eating at Flamingo Row. YUM!

Tuesday the 22nd  my parents and younger brother visiting me at the lake house. Neil was in Murray working that night. The weekend before we had left Neil’s truck in Paducah and the plan was for him to take my car to Murray to work for the first part of the week. He worked Monday, Tuesday night, and Wednesday.

The family came Tuesday night just in time for dinner… they requested sloppy joes. We watched Step Brothers and dad and I searched the internet for the best loose diamond store. We settled on Adiamor and found the best emerald cut diamond for my mom’s Christmas present. She doesn’t like the one she has in her ring right now…

Wednesday afternoon I rode to Paducah with my family and mom and I got to cooking and baking. I made a kugel and a pumpkin roll for my mom’s side’s Christmas dinner and an apple pie for Neil’s immediate family’s Christmas get together. Neil came to Paducah from working in Murray around 7PM and he and I went out to the mall to finish up our Christmas shopping. It’s tough to get everything for everyone in a reasonable time frame when you live in a town that has two stores, neither one of them having much at all. *shrugs*

This is what we got for everyone:

• Dad – a reversible belt for his jeans.
• Mom – Reebok Easy Tone tennis shoes.
• Older brother, Brent – gift card to the movies.
• Sister in law, Amanda – gift card to TJ Maxx.
• Niece, Hannah – clothes for the American Girl doll my parents got her.
• Younger brother, John – 3 CDs he’s been asking for.
• Father in law, Jim – a really nice watch.
• Mother in law, Terri – a freakin’ awesome bathrobe and matching house shoes.

We draw names for the siblings in Neil’s family:

• Brother in law, Clint – gift card to Gander Mountain.
• Sister in law’s boyfriend, Tim – some stuff for his PS3

Neil and I usually don’t get each other presents and just focus on the family but this year was a little more profitable than others so we were able to. I got him 2 PS3 games to go with the PS3 my parents got him. He had no idea and it was so exciting to see him open them up and even more exciting to see his face when he finally opened up the PS3. I was covered in wrapping paper or I would have taken a picture. Man, I really wish I could have taken that picture!

Anyway…

Christmas Eve day my mom’s side of the family came over for dinner/lunch. SO much food and everything was all so good. Some people look forward to the Holidays for the presents, I look forward to the food!

Neil and I got the following from that family:

• Gift certificate to a local fancy seafood restaurant from my Uncle Sam, Aunt Lisa, and cousin Kayla. Lisa works there so everyone knows what they’re getting from them. Still, yummy YUM!
• Domino’s gift card from my Uncle Shane and Aunt Diane. Even though they make my fav delivery pizza, the closest Domino’s in 30 miles away from where Neil and I live so we sold it to my brother Brent.
• Money from my grand parents. Yesssss. Can never have too much of that!

Christmas Eve night Neil and I joined his family at their church for the Christmas Eve service. We go to it every year but this year’s was the best all because of the short film they showed on the overhead. It was a clip from The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John with LOST’s Henry Ian Cusic playing Jesus. SO GOOD! Made me want to rent the movie.

After that church service we went to our church’s Christmas Eve service. My parents met us there and we sat behind the Suhrheinrich’s per usual. There was singing, sermon listening, silly giggling, candle lighting, communion taking, me tripping and almost falling while walking back to my seat from communion taking (FUN TIMES!), more silly giggling, and more singing. Last year Neil and I partook in the Suhrheinrich’s get together after church service but didn’t get to this year. Trust me, not my idea.

From there we went to Neil’s parents’ house for their Christmas get together. We ordered pizza, ate apple pie, opened presents, and had good family time with good family conversation.

Neil just got a bunch (and I mean a bunch) of stuff to prepare him for teaching Health and PE. Clothes, a whistle, the like. I received the following from that get together:

• The fossil watched I’ve been eying for a while.
• iPhone connector for my car. I can finally listen to my iPod through my car speakers, Emily!
• Scarves and a really nice coat.
• Money!
• and a shit ton of candy. YUM!

Christmas Day finally came. Neil and I stayed the night at my parents’ house because I still have a bedroom there, unlike Neil at his parents’ house. Mom and I got up early to cook mashed potatoes, salad, fruit salad, and broccoli for my dad’s side of the family’s Christmas lunch/dinner. Yet again, ate too much food at my Aunt and Uncle’s house. Neil and I both got money from my grandparents. I will never complain about getting money as a gift. Presents are nice but right now in our life, money is what we need.

Around 4 yesterday afternoon my immediate family FINALLY had our Christmas together. We opened presents first and then ate left overs for all the previous Christmas dinners. It was the best christmas get together of all. We gave my mom her diamond and she about freaked. Neil got his Playstation 3 and freaked. Hannah got her American Girl doll and freaked. And I got the following and freaked

• Sperry’s from Neil. Yet another thing I’ve had my eye on for a while. Thank you baby!!!
• a Dooney & Bourke bag, which I’ve actually been carrying since Halloween but gave it back to my mom to wrap so I could open it
• a shopping spree with my mom <3
• Neil and I together got a DirecTV HD DVR box for the lake house. We had one at the apartment in Murray and my parents had DTV at the lake house already but didn’t have DVR. It’s a little confusing but we ended up having to buy a HD DVR box out right so that was one of our presents from my parents. YESSSSSSSSS!
• The Julia Child’s cookbook OH BOY!!!
• a miniature dachshund calendar from my younger brother. SQUEEEEE!
• a Victoria’s Secret gift card from my brother and sister in law. SWEET!
• and last but not least The Pioneer Woman’s cookbook! I had a hint about all of my other presents but literally had NO IDEA I was getting that cookbook. Best secret ever!

So yea, best Christmas in a looooooooooong time. For so many reasons. What a way to end 2009! I hope you all had a great Christmas!!

I’m sure you all have heard about reusable shopping bags – it’s the new trend in the green world.  A reusable shopping bag, sometimes called bag for life is a type of shopping bag which can be reused several or even many times: this is an alternative of single use paper or plastic bags. It is often made from fabric such as canvas, woven synthetic fibers, or a thick plastic that is more durable than disposable plastic bags, allowing multiple use. Reusable shopping bag is a kind of carrier bags, which is available for sale in supermarkets and apparel shops. Reusable shopping bag requires less waste of natural resources such as oil and less emission of carbon dioxide to produce than plastic bags.

I can’t remember exactly where I first saw this but after cruising the site I bought myself one. It took me forever to decide which one was for me…they have such a huge selection!

I keep going back to look at their products and someday soon I know I will buy myself another BUT FIRST I’m going to give one away to some special reader!

The Monochromatic – for understated yet tasteful flair that is not narrative, not thematic and not gender specific.  Envirosax has respected what black and white can still do _ something that stylish men and women intuitively know. The Monochromatic  - strong, uncomplicated, uncompromising and unmistakable.

Lightweight polyester, portable, and waterproof, with reinforced seams, this surprisingly large bag can hold a weight the equivalent of two supermarket plastic bags.

Bag dimensions (unrolled)      19.5” x 16.5”
Weight capacity      44 lbs
Bag dimensions (rolled-up)     4” x 1.5”
Bag weight     1.4 oz
Pouch size     9” x 6”

I am giving this away in honor of my new job from which I just received my first paycheck!! There are two ways to enter, the first one is mandatory:

1. In a comment answer this question: Would you even use this bag as a re-usable shopping bag? Why or why not?

2. Tweet about this giveaway, including this link to the giveaway: http://bit.ly/4ekXVY. (My twitter account: @rachieann) In a separate comment, link to your tweet.

Giveaway ends Monday, October 19, 2009 at Noon central time.