The First One In December

Happy first Monday in December!  I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend!  Today I'm linking up with Andrea for TBB Asks & Biana for a little Weekending.

1. Real or Fake Tree?
I grew up with both.  My mom is slightly allergic to real & so she can't really help decorate those.  So some years we would get real & some years we would get fake.  I have never had my own tree because I've never decorated any of the apartments/houses I've had as an adult since I always go back to Minnesota for 2 weeks at Christmas.  However, I think I'd want real.  I HATE the work of putting together & taking down a fake tree.  Plus, I love the smell of pine.

2. Favorite Christmas Cookie?
Snickerdoodle

3. Home on Christmas Morning or Travel?

Christmas morning was/is always spent at home.  Growing up Christmas Eve was with my dad's side, Christmas morning was for my immediate family, & Christmas day was with my mom's side.  Actually, that's still how it is.  Ask me again when I'm in a serious relationship how it changed ha.

4. Clear or Colored Lights?

On a tree: colored
On a house: Clear

5. Send Christmas Cards?

Yes!  I still need to get my butt in gear & order some.  Instead of just regular old cards this year people will be getting a photo card of Nash ha.  If you would like one send me your address & its all yours!

6. Favorite Christmas Present Received?

Oh goodness I don't know.  My parents always nail the gift giving.  One year I got a guitar, one year my brother & I got a keyboard, one year they gave me money towards going to see my boyfriend graduate from boot camp.

7. Favorite Christmas Present Given?

That's even harder!  I LOVE giving presents.  Sometimes I buy people things just because I'm reminded of them when I see it.  I think what I'm getting my friends this year is my favorite idea in recent history.  I'll share after Christmas.

8. Stockings or no stockings? 

Stockings!

9. Christmas PJ's?

No.  They're cute & all but year round I wear the same combo of things to bed.  Tshirt or tank top with shorts or sweats.
**Edit: as of Saturday afternoon I now have them...I bought a Christmas outfit for the fun run which is just snowflake leggings & an oversized reindeer shirt...**

10. Favorite Christmas carol?

I love the Mariah Carey album, the Nsync album, & the Bruce Springsteen version of Santa Claus is Coming To Town.  That's about all the Christmas music I can handle  Yeah yeah, bah humbug.

11. Favorite Holiday Tradition?

Christmas morning with my parents & brother.  I kid you not when I say that eventually when I get married & have my own family, that is what I am going to miss more than anything.

12. Early Shopper or Last Minute?

Both.  I buy presents between Black Friday & the week of Christmas.  I'd love to get them done sooner but I buy them as soon as people give me lists.  By people I mean my parents who are sometimes difficult to shop for.  By my parents I usually mean my dad...

13. Favorite Christmas Movie or Show?

Charlie Brown Christmas

14. Favorite Holiday Beverage? 

Coffee with Kahlua or Bailey's on Christmas morning

15. Cookies and Milk for Santa? 

Of course!

Friday

Friday was a loooong day.  For some reason I was up by about 4:20 in the morning.  Nash decided he needed to go potty so I broke down & took him.  I made him go back to bed with me until 5:15 but going back to bed just meant laying there.  I didn't actually fall asleep.  I'm sure he did because he's rude like that sometimes.

I ran softball practice & had the girls run a mile & 3 sets of bleachers.  They had known this since Wednesday.  Can someone tell me when high school students got so lazy & defiant?  A THIRD of them just flat out didn't change & another third put in close to 0 effort.  Little do they know they'll be doing it anyway on Tuesday.

That night I went to see 10 Years & Chevelle with Raeann and one of her friends from out of town.  It was a lot of fun but holy shit I was exhausted by the end.  That early morning wake up + no nap = a tired me.  

I got rear-ended on the way home.  I'm fine, car is fine, but I have no idea what in the world the person was doing to rear end me seeing as the car in front of me was probably two car lengths in front of me, the lanes to my left and right were clear, & I wasn't braking.  I also didn't stop to find out.  There was no close exits because of construction everywhere, & I wasn't about to pull over on the side of a road at 11:30 at night by myself.  Luckily, it all worked out with there being no damage.  At least to my car, I have no idea about theirs.  I know it couldn't have been major damage.

Saturday

Saturday morning I dropped Mr. Nash off at his pet hotel where he suddenly did not care about me at all upon arrival even though he tried to make me feel guilty all morning.  After dropping him off I drove down to Austin to meet up with my friend Abby & her friend.  We met up at Zilker Park so we could get our packets for the Trail of Lights Fun Run that night.  We got lunch near by at The Picnic which is a little area full of food trucks.  We all wound up eating at Dock & Roll.  I *really* wanted to get the lobster roll but a)it was $20 & b)I was really worried that even though it was $20 it wouldn't be that great since we are so far away from New England.  I want my first lobster roll experience to be a good one!  We then checked into our super cute AirBNB & just hung out for a little bit before changing & heading out again.

We stopped at Casino El Camino for supper.  The burger was really good!  I also got a bloody.  I walked up to the one other person I saw drinking one & asked her if it was good before I ordered mine.  Because I was all decked out for Christmas she let me try hers ha.  SO good!  Apparently they come on a scale of 1-10 for heat, hers was a 5 so that's what I also got.  I love spicy but even the 5 is definitely as hot as I'd ever go.  I am super curious to what a 10 is.  Maybe they just stick a flame in your mouth???  After supper it was back to Zilker Park for the fun run.  The fun run is not what any of us were expecting.  We thought it was pretty lights the whole time.  No.  The first half is through the otherwise completely dark park that was only light because they brought in generators & lights.  Think perfect spot for an opening scene of CSI, Law & Order, whatever your crime show poison is.  The second half though was really cool.  It was all lit up & there were different themed displays.  We headed back to Sixth Street for awhile afterwards where we each got 3 free shots from different bars for being in the holiday spirit.  By about 12:30 though we headed to Voodoo Donuts & then home.  We started watching Magic Mike but we each fell asleep pretty much right away.

Sunday

I had my alarm set for 9 but I woke up at 7... yay...  I just laid around until Abby woke up a little before 9.  When Kerry woke up we ate our donuts, watched more of Magic Mike, & then packed up to head home.  Before leaving Austin I stopped at my favorite BBQ place, Stiles & Switch, to get some brisket & potato salad to go.  They do have really good brisket but mostly I'm obsessed with their potato salad.  I should just start stopping in for a pint or quart of that ha.  I picked up Mr. Nash who decided he needed to ride up front on all of my stuff because the backseat is for babies.  We finished watching Parenthood, I cried like a baby, went to the grocery store, & passed out on the couch around 7:30 (which is why I'm writing this Monday morning.)  At 9 I moved us both to the bed where I then slept like crap.  I woke up probably once an hour until my alarm went off at 5.  We should have just stayed on the couch...