O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! You're Up Before Thanksgiving!

Yes, that's right.
Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you.

We decked the halls yesterday.
Our Christmas tree is UP.
And it's only November 17.

Sue me.

OHMYGOD! You're combining the holidays! How will the turkey know that it is for Thanksgiving??? It's the end of days. The zombie apocalypse is near.

Give me a break. (Also, do you see how excited Emma is? Priceless.)

Yes, this is the earliest we have EVER put up our tree. Normally the tree goes up the day before Thanksgiving or ON Thanksgiving morning. And it comes down on December 26 or 27. Why? Because by that time I'm sick of looking at it.

Yeah, bah-humbug. Whatever. 

We have always put our tree up early. And by "we" I mean me and Kevin. We started doing it that way in 2003 when I was huge and pregnant and due on January 3, 2004 and I wanted nothing to do with taking a tree down in January. So....we figured if it was up by Thanksgiving we could take it down RIGHT after Christmas.

And so, our tree tradition was born.

As for yesterday, we were discussing decorating over our morning coffee and I said "ugh...I don't even want to think about it" and he said "let's do it today." And I said OK, sure.

And now it's November 17 and we have three Christmas trees up in the house (and decorated!) and the other snow globe and snowman displays are up too. The only thing we didn't do (for fear of looking TOTALLY INSANE) was decorate the outside of the house. THAT can wait.

Now, on the day before Thanksgiving we can take the kids to the movies and enjoy a relaxing day. And on Thanksgiving morning I can enjoy my coffee and the Black Friday ads without thinking about decorating.

And, I can take it all down on December 26 without even the smallest pang of guilt.

Monday musings

So it's Thanksgiving Week...and while I know I have work to do during the next few days, my brain is longing for the "vacation" that is Thursday and Friday.

As much as I love all things social media and the like, I really think I'm going to try and unplug (for the most part) on Thursday and Friday. Granted, my family's turkey day antics will undoubtedly result in a few tweets and/or Facebook posts, but lately I've felt permanently tethered to this damn laptop and...I. Need. A. Break.

In other news....

I might have mentioned here that I'm sort of a big huge Twilight fan. I'm #TeamEdward and I've read all the books (a few times). And yeah, I get it. It's not the best literature and Bella is annoyingly clingy and rather week (as female lit characters go, she's no Katniss Everdeen). But whatever. I don't really care. It's fiction people. Move on.

Last Thursday night my sister and I joined some friends for the Breaking Dawn 1 & 2 "double feature." Oh my Edward. It was so much fun. And (NO SPOILERS!) I'm just going to say, BD2 was the BEST film in the series. The end? Yeah. Left. Me. Breathless. And that's all I'm going to say about that. Except for this: I think it's quite possible that I'm now #TeamGarrett. (Twilighters will understand this).

And since it is Thanksgiving week, we decided to decorate the house for Christmas. Yeah, I get it. I'm as bad as the department stores, right? Why can't Thanksgiving have it's own week without all the holiday crap? I'll tell you why. Because for the last decade we've always put up the Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. And they come down a day or two after Christmas. It's how things are done around here. (And please, no lectures on the whole "must keep the Christmas tree up until after the new year for the whole 12 days of Christmas." It's just not gonna happen.).

And really, I noticed a lot of people getting their yards "holiday ready" this weekend...so I'm OK with the yard looking like Christmas is tomorrow. I also noticed some yards still "wearing" their Election Day decor - yard signs. Seriously people. It's time to take down the yard signs. The election is over. If your person didn't win, keeping the sign up isn't going to change the outcome. It's time to move on.

So with that....when do you decorate for the holidays? Before turkey day? And when do you "undecorate"?

Happy Thanksgiving ... and a Global Resort Homes giveaway!

As most of my faithful readers know, my vacation destination of choice is Orlando, Florida. On any given day you can find me on Twitter or Facebook lamenting the fact that I'd rather be at the Walt Disney World Resort or wishing I was moving to Orlando. What can I say? That city feels like "home" to me.

Now, in all the years I've been visiting Walt Disney World and staying overnight, I've always stayed "on property." My "home away from home" has always been at Walt Disney World.

This is going to change in February 2012.

For the first time ever, I'll be staying OFF property, in a Global Resort Homes vacation home!

To say I'm excited would be a bit of an understatement. I'll be sharing the space with two very dear friends Kristen, a.k.a. @DVCMom (The DVC Mom), and Jackie, a.k.a. @jjzmgailey (Jackie's Magical Moments)- and we're going to be running (a.k.a. WALKING) the Royal Family 5K during the Walt Disney World Princess Half-Marathon weekend!

Whew.
I'm tired just from writing that paragraph.

Back to Global Resort Homes. You really need to check out their website to see the amazing townhomes, condos, and vacation homes that could be your "home away from home" during a trip to Orlando.

Your choices range from two-bedroom upscale condos to seven-bedroom luxury homes! And, there are nine distinctive resort communities to choose from when you stay in a Global Resort Home - all conveniently located close to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and the Orlando Convention Center. Each home is maintained and managed by Global's staff - and there is on-site personnel in the communities, to assist you with any needs you might have while in your vacation home.

And, just to entice you a little more: "Unlike traditional hotel rooms and Orlando hotel properties that offer minimal accommodations and amenities, vacation homes in Orlando offer the added space and functionality that can make all the difference in the world. Numerous bathrooms, fully-furnished kitchens, spacious living areas complete with large screen TVs, game rooms and private screened-in pools and spas all promise to enhance your Orlando vacation." (from the Global Resort Homes website)

Now, here's the really, really exciting part of this blog post.

Kristen, Jackie, and I are thrilled to announce that we are hosting a contest over our three blogs for a 7 NIGHT STAY in a four bedroom or larger vacation home, with a pool!

Yes.
You did read that right.
You could win a seven night stay.
In a luxury vacation home.
In Orlando.

Are you excited yet?
(I know you are!)

There are a few rules you must read, before entering the contest:
1. Not available to anyone who has won a prize with Global in the past 6 months, active/inactive Global staff, or affiliated companies.
2. Prizes are not transferable.
3. Entrants MUST be 25 years of age or older.
4. Black out dates apply - March, April, June, July of 2012, and December 20, 2012-January 4, 2013.
5. Valid for stays completed by December 20, 2012.
6. Prize is valid for a 7 night stay in a Global Resort Home, 4 bedroom or larger, with a pool, based on availability.
7. Actual property will not be guaranteed until 2 weeks prior to travel; however, once dates are chosen, winners WILL be guaranteed a home.

And now for the RULES!

You must enter using the Rafflecopter form below. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. (Be sure to click "read more" below to find the Rafflecopter entry form!!!).

This contest runs from November 24 through December 24. Winner will be announced on December 25! What a great Christmas gift!

You can find Global Resort Homes on Twitter and Facebook.

Disclaimer: Global Resort Homes is sponsoring our stay in February. No other compensation was received for this post. All opinions are mine.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!

***and a little pixie dust*** and good wishes if you're
in charge of the turkey/tofurky/turducken

Happy Turkey Day!

It's that time of year again....

You know...time for family drama, overindulging, and tryptophan comas at 5 p.m.

It's Thanksgiving!!!

OK, yes.
I jest about the whole family drama thing....just a bit...but only because I know my mom is reading my blog right now (hi mom!).

In all seriousness though, I love Thanksgiving.
And it's not just because this curvy girl can overindulge and not feel the slightest bit of guilt over that second piece of pecan pie.

Nope, it's because it is the ONE holiday that is still (for the most part) about family.
Halloween is fun, but it's all candy and craziness.
Christmas is so commercialized ... I still enjoy it, but more so because my kids love it.

But Thanksgiving....it's all about family.
We cook too much food.
We eat too much food.
But we're together.
And that's what matters.

So, without getting too sappy I'll say this - I'm thankful that my family is in one place and we can gather together tomorrow and enjoy an amazing dinner. Together.

And with that, I'd like to wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

Once in a blue moon....

....is apparently as often as I'm going to actually write a blog post.

Yep.

Once in a blue moon.
Perhaps I should rename my blog?
the view from my fishbowl every blue moon

As it is, tonight IS a blue moon and so I figured 'what the heck....let's blog!'

I haven't had much to blog about lately, I suppose.

The girls were both sick - Emma had pneumonia and the Olivia had an upper respiratory virus thing (as did half the city, I think).

Work has been busy.
I think I'm finally finding my niche - and (drum roll please!) I get to start a blog.
At work!
So, on top of the whole social media thing, I also am going to get paid to blog.
Seriously awesome.

Oh and since it's November 21, we decorated the house for Christmas.
Yeah, the whole house.
Today. Before Thanksgiving. I must be crazy.
The tree is up and trimmed.
The outside lights are twinkling.
It's all so stinkin' festive I can't handle it.

No seriously.
I can't.

I'm just not quite "in" the holiday spirit yet.
Now, I'm not all 'bah HUMBUG' or anything like that.

It's just .... didn't we JUST DO CHRISTMAS?
Like last month?
(Admit it...it seems like we just slogged through this whole holiday thing**.)

I'm sure once I've over-indulged on Thursday, and heard some Christmas tunes on the radio, and enjoyed a few more gingerbread lattes at Starbucks, and actually STARTED Christmas shopping...then I might be "in" the holiday mood.

And then, within mere days (hours?) after Christmas, I will be ready to take down every single decoration.
You know, like on December 26.
I'll be ready then.

But I'll wait until the 28th.
Maybe.


**I'm not being a Scrooge...really. I actually do enjoy the holidays.

Be thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Wishing all of my friends, family and readers
a magical and happy Turkey Day!