Christmas

Christmas was really really nice despite our post-vacation depression :)

I got my husband a Slingbox Pro. It's this cool gadget that allows you to watch your cable TV on your laptop or mobile device. You can even access your TiVo'd shows as well. So when we go on vacation, it's like having our TV with us, including our shows. Total luxury. He also wanted an XBOX 360 but I could not bring myself to get him one. And now, as I type, he is playing with his new XBOX that he bought HIMSELF just about an hour ago. Sigh. I could be an XBOX widow for awhile. I have never been a fan or supporter of video games but I suppose that's more because I'm a female than my personality, right? When was the last time you heard of a woman who was super in to gaming? Not me.

I got a day at the spa. A few years ago this gift would have not interested me in the least. Now, I'm so looking forward to it. My other gift is laser hair removal. We'll see about that one though. I need to see how much it actually costs. I think in the long run it saves money over waxing and it's permanent so no more monthly waxing. I also got a gift certificate at one of my favorite clothing stores - Anthropologie. It's such and expensive store that I rarely shop there but they have such beautiful things. My dad got us a small digital camera and gave it to us before our trip to Mexico. Our small one got stolen from our suitcase awhile back and we didn't want to bring our big digital SLR. Nothing says "please rob me" like a telephoto lens.

Just before our trip, I got my hair cut from a new stylist. She is AWESOME. I have the most fine limp hair and struggle to give it life. This woman works magic. It may not seem like it, but the texture is so much better. I go to bed with it wet and wake up and it looks pretty darn good. I love this woman. I also got some very subtle highlights. She said I can get them as infrequently as every 5 months!! How cool is that? A good hairdresser is so hard to find - she's a keeper!

My daughter's favorite gift thus far is her trash truck. It's fully automated too. It raises the dumpster, dumps the trash, smashes it, honks the horn and does the back up beeps too. It's adorable to watch her operate it. I wonder if she has aspirations to work at the dump just like her mom did. She makes me so proud!

We had the grandparents over on Christmas morning to watch our daughter open her gifts. I decided to make an easy make ahead breakfast so I wouldn't be in the kitchen all morning. I found a hash-brown sausage casserole recipe online. I know, I know it doesn't get more white trash than that, but it was actually pretty good. I also made some cinnamon rolls as well. I'm going to have to work on lightening the casserole as I'm embarrassed to say it had 2lbs of sausage, one can of condensed cream of chicken soup, one cup of sour cream and 2lbs of hash browns in it. I think I gained a few pounds just making the recipe.

I'm now on day 5 of a 10 day dose of antibiotics. YUCK. I'm constipated. For some reason, I never really got better from whatever I had before our trip. I felt good in Mexico then it seemed to take a turn for the worse as we were heading home. I think it developed into a sinus infection but who knows. I'm so ready to feel normal again. And poop again. Sheesh.

Blogging from Paradise

Oh this place is too good for words. I didn't think I'd really get an opportunity to relax, but our daughter is napping like a champ. I had the chance to read on our deck and walk down to the beach, grab a lounge chair and plop myself down for an hour and read there too. As I was reading I noticed I put my bikini bottoms on inside out.
She's still napping and so is my husband in one of the other rooms. Our condo here is awesome and the main street (which is pedestrian only) has amazing shops and the most delicious restaurants! Us Americans make up only about 20% of the tourism here. It's mostly people from other parts of Mexico and Europeans. There are many topless women on the beach too. I think I'll join them in a couple days - don't want to burn my nipples during the first half of vacation now do I?

Daughter is LOVING all the ocean and pool time. We are even letting her drink fruit juice. Last night was the first time she ever had any and she held on so tight to the glass that she managed to pour half of it down her shirt in her eagerness to get it all in her mouth. We may have created a monster!

We are waking up at 5am tomorrow to make the almost 3 hour trek to Chichen Itza so that we can be the tour buses. I better get some more relaxing in before she wakes up! We have reservations for dinner tonight in a Thai'ish place and our table is located in a "magical tree-house". Should be cool, especially for the little one.

Sickies

I'm sicker than CRAP. We leave in less than two days for our trip so please send out the good health vibes that I am feeling better by then.

Things I'm not looking forward to:
Packing
Flying (if I'm still sick)
My white ass in a bathing suit
My slightly fatter ass in a bathing suit

Things I AM looking forward to:
Doing nothing (as much as I can with a toddler) on the beach
Not having to cook or clean
Flying with the new airplane harness and leaving the car seat behind
Great Mexican food
Seeing one of the Natural Wonders of the World
Tanning my white ass :)

At least the good out numbers the bad. Now all I have to do is feel better. And pack.

Patting myself on the back.......

I just found the COOLEST thing yesterday on the internet. If it works as well as I think, it will be one of the greatest inventions ever IMO. It just came out last year and I ordered it yesterday in preparation for our upcoming flight(s). At first, I thought we'd be bringing her car seat and just checking it with our luggage BUT........Our "driver" (makes us sound really rich, eh?) has a toddler seat so we don't even need to bring ours (pat on the back for me #2). This great on so many levels. 1. Obvious - no need to lug the 1000lb car seat through the narrow isles of the plane 2. Daughter won't be able to kick the seat in front of her (car seat allowed her to do this with ease) 3. We won't even have to worry about our car seat getting broken since we are not even bringing it and 4. Our car seat will be in our car waiting for us when we are exhausted after our trip - this always sucked to have to load the car with luggage when you are exhausted only to have to install the damn seat before you leave.

We are arriving a day before our actual condo reservation starts so we had reserved a hotel in town near the airport. Well, being the resourceful person I am, I politely inquired with the concierge at the condo if we could check in early. She said she'd contact the people staying there before us to see when they are leaving. GOOD NEWS!! No need for us to stay in a hotel for the first night. We can head directly to our condo!! Yay! (pat on the back for me #3)

I'm starting to get really excited for this trip. It is MUCH needed. Lately the hub has been so busy that I actually have to write down a list of stuff that I want to ask him/talk about in the evening because his work is NUTS. That's sad.

Okay, no one cares. I'm just excited and venting a little. It's my blog and I'll do it if I wanna.

Let's talk about Christmas. People are f'in crazy this time of year. Did you read about the shooting at a mall today somewhere in the midwest? Huh? C'mon people. Every year there are fights, stabbings, shootings, burglarys, car accidents and people getting trampled over a SALE for Christmas. I don't get it. Doesn't that completely defeat the purpose of Christmas? It's about being with your loved ones, slowing down a bit and enjoying each other's company right? I love a gift or surprise just as much as the next person but not at the expense of my loved one's health or safety. Sheesh.

Random Crap

Took the bumpers off daughter's crib on Friday. She did fine of course, I don't know why I even bother worrying anymore!

I'm considering buying this in lieu of lugging her HUGE, HEAVY car seat on the plane (I'd check it instead, since we'll need it for car rides). Isn't it cool? We are leaving for Mexico soon and then again for Hawaii in May and I think it's a grand idea!

We put the Christmas lights up on the outside of our house and in my humble opinion, ours is the best in the neighborhood ;) There is the one lady on the corner whom I think it's her main objective for her home to be seen from space. Seriously, her electric bill has got to be more than her mortgage this time of year. I shouldn't complain because it provides lots of entertainment for the kids with the music, lights, snow machine and mechanical animals dancing and singing. We bought and put up our Christmas tree on Sunday but have yet to light it and decorate it. It's HUGE - 12 feet and HEAVY. You should have seen us trying to get it into the house. I wasn't that much help but I tried.

More later, she's awake!