DIY: Homemade Natural Cleaners

I found a recipe for Homemade All-Natural Cleaners on Pinterest, and I thought I like doing crafts myself, so why not cleaners? I went to the container store to buy two spray bottles, though they could be found at the dollar store, as well as the grocery store for some other ingredients, though most of them are found in your cabinet! It was so simple, and though the smell isn't my favorite, you can personalize the smell with any scent! It's so simple, better for the environment, and probably ends up being less expensive than buying the known-brands.

I'd definitely make more again, but for now I want to use what we have. They work great too!



 

All-Natural Mandarin Mint Mirror & Window Cleaner

Ingredients:

– 12 oz spray bottle (Mine are from The Container Store.)
– 3/4 cup vinegar
– 3/4 cup water
– 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
– 1/2 tsp liquid dish detergent
– 3 drops of mandarin orange/tangerine/sweet orange essential oil (AuraCacia essential oils are also available at Whole Foods and other natural stores)
– 3 drops of peppermint essential oil

Directions: 

Mix well before each use to avoid streaks.
Add more or less (or different type of) essential oil depending on your scent preferences.

All-Natural Mandarin Mint Countertop Spray

Ingredients:

– 12 oz spray bottle (Mine are from The Container Store.)
– 3/4 cup vinegar
– 3/4 cup water
– 1/2 tsp liquid dish detergent
– 10 drops of mandarin orange/tangerine/sweet orange essential oil (AuraCacia essential oils available at Whole Foods and other natural stores)
– 10 drops of peppermint essential oil

Directions: 

Mix well before each use to avoid streaks.
Add more or less (or different type of) essential oil depending on your scent preferences.

[It works!]

Source: Hostess Blog

Sal's Holiday Party

I know what you're thinking... holiday party? in January? Yup, I thought the same thing too, but I guess the room is cheaper to book after the actual holidays, and it wouldn't interfere with any of the actual holiday parties with family and friends.

About a week before the party, Sal and I were searching for a dress for me to wear. We were unsuccessful, so I just decided to wear the same dress I wore to the wedding, though I think the curly hair at the wedding was better, than my straight hair that night. The peacock feather also fell off, so I was off to a great start of the night. Everyone arrived little by little, and before I knew it we were sitting down enjoying cocktails and beers, and the first course - salad. The food was buffet-style, but I have to admit it was delicious, though I only had 1 plate full, unlike Sal who went back for seconds, and maybe even thirds.

We danced when good songs came on, and sat down and chatted when the more slower, older songs came on, or songs we had never even heard of. Needless to say, the DJ wasn't exactly the best, okay he might've been one of the worst DJ's I had ever heard. It was alright though, because we made the night fun.

Though most of the guys were on their phones checking the scores of the football games that were on, because it was playoffs, I talked with one of my friends, that I had met through Sal and his coworkers, that I absolutely adore. Unfortunately she's moving to Georgia with her family, because her hubby has been called for work down there. Some good news though - We found out another friend of ours was pregnant! I couldn't be more happy for her and her husband!

Sal was up for an award, but unfortunately didn't receive one - not this year, but there's always next year! He did win surround sound, one of the raffle prizes though! So we didn't leave empty handed.

We certainly made it a night to remember - leaving to go to Cheeseburger in Paradise, after the DJ played his last song at the party. The party might've been over, but we still had tons of energy!

The night grew colder and darker, and we eventually said our goodbye's. It was more fun than I had expected and I'm glad we went.

DIY: Jars

The last project that my friend and I made were re-decorated jars for different things in the kitchen. I chose to make one for taco spices, flour, and sugar, but I hope to make more in the near future.

What You Need:

Old Jars [washed & rubbed with Goo Gone - takes the sticker right off]
Paint
Mod Podge
Letter Stickers or Cricut
Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze

What To Do:

1. Wash out the jar and take Goo Gone and rub some on the sticker to peel off and strip jar clean.

2. Paint the lid of the jar and wait till it dries. Then apply Mod Podge.

3. Once dry, spray with Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze.

4. Cut out words on the Cricut or apply letter stickers to the side of the jar.

5. Fill !

DIY: Mini Clipboard

The next DIY project that my friend and I worked on was a DIY clipboard. She had bought me a mini clipboard, along with the letter for my birthday... to re-do them. She had a few left at her house, so she decided to re-do one for herself as well. 

I searched through the scrapbook paper she had, and found the perfect one, in shades of green and blue, my favorite. When I added it to the clipboard, it looked like it was missing something. Thankfully she had her Cricut, and we were able to cut out a large K, the first letter of my name, to put on top! It looked great, and I couldn't wait to start using it. 

What You'll Need: 

Mini Clipboard [mine is from Michael's]

Mod Podge

Scrapbook paper [cut to fit]

optional - Cricut 

Directions:

Cut the scrapbook paper to fit the clipboard. Apply Mod Podge to the clipboard, and place scrapbook paper on to the clipboard. Smooth out and wait till it dries, about 15 minutes. Apply a coat of Mod Podge on top of the scrapbook paper, and let dry, again another 15 minutes. 

I then cut out the 'K' on the Cricut machine, and added that to the clipboard with Mod Podge. After waiting for it to dry, I added another layer of Mod Podge, to ensure that everything was going to stick.

DIY: Letter Craft

So over winter break, my friend and I decided to get together and craft all day. Seriously from 2:00pm to about 1:00am, we were crafting at her house. Over the next week I will be posting about each DIY project that you can do! First up, the letter craft.

You know those wooden or white letters from Michael's that cost less than $3.00, especially with a sale, well she bought me one in my basket for Christmas. I was excited to transform it into something I could use for my room, knowing full well my room is about to be re-done.

What You'll Need:


Wooden or White Letter
Paint
Scrapbook paper
Glitter
Scissors or Cricut
Mod Podge
Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze

Directions:

First I painted the letter a nice shade of silver, because my room would be painted grey, and I thought it would complement it quite nicely.

I then had some trouble deciding what to do next, but finally decided on putting glitter on it. So I put Mod Podge on the letter, sprinkled glitter on top, waited for it to dry, and applied another coat of Mod Podge. 

I then found a city on her Cricit and quickly printed one out that would be the perfect size for the bottom of my letter, but I knew there was something missing at the top. So I looked at all of the Cricut cartridges, and eventually found stars, and a circle that I figured could be cut in the shape of a moon. I Mod Podged those on and applied another coat of Mod Podge over each piece. I waited for it to dry and then sprayed it with Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze. It was finally perfect, and I couldn't wait to bring it home to incorporate in my room. 

Thrifty Goodness

On our way home from Massachusetts, as we drove through Connecticut, my friend and I decided to stop in a couple of thrift stores. The first was a goodwill store that was overly crowded with piles and piles of items! My friend picked up a Brookstone photo scanner, orginally about $60-70, for only $7! It was brand new, never opened, so she decided to wrap it up and give it to her mother for her birthday. I didn't buy anything at this store, so we were off to the next one.

We finally found another goodwill store and as we were searching I found several things! A dreamcatcher for $1 that I want to try and incorporate in my room some how, because I've always found them to be quite amazing. I mean catching bad dreams? Why would anyone not want to have one hanging over their bed?

Then we came across shelves and shelves of books [my favorite]! We flipped through the books, and of course I found a few that I knew I needed to pick up and read. I found four books, which would have totaled more than $50 at a regular bookstore, but I got them for $3.50 total! My entire purchase came out to be $4.77! Can you believe it? Four books and a dreamcatcher for under $5! I was in heaven.

My friend picked up a few books of her own, and also a brand new Wilton Tennis Racket for $3, and a cute board/key hanger to re-do, which I have to admit came out adorable once she actually did re-do it!

We made it home with a few great items, but I wasn't done yet. The next day, Sal and I went to our local goodwill store and looked around for a few. I ended up finding one more book and unopened, never used easter cookie cutters! I figured why not start collecting them! 

I spent a total of $3.19 this trip and couldn't believe I got everything at the goodwill stores for under $10 total. I have to admit I was afraid of going there at first, afraid I'd be looked at and people would think she doesn't look like she needs to be here, but I think everyone should go to goodwill if they need to, because you will not be judged and you can find some really great stuff there. 

Any good finds at a goodwill? Tell me about them; I'd love to hear!

A Trip to Cambridge, MA

For the past few months I've been trying to visit Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, for Grad School. I had planned on attending the open house back in October, but got a job and was unable to take off. So I finally found a friend who wanted to take the trip with me, and we planned on going on January 3rd. Though we stumbled over setbacks [her having to pick up prescriptions, pushing our time of leaving back], we made it there around 11:30 AM. It was a 4 hour drive, and aside from the pain in my foot, it didn't feel at all like 4 hours, because well we occupied our time with tons of conversations and great country music.

When we got there we drove to the school to see where it was located, but then we drove back towards Harvard and found a park. We immediately knew we wanted to get out and explore, so we parked and began taking pictures. 

Afterwards, we continued to walk to Harvard's campus, taking pictures, and soaking in the scenery. Let me tell you, Harvard's campus is absolutely beautiful, especially on a cold winter day. Even though we were freezing, we kept walking, taking in all of our surroundings. The campus had incredibly big libraries, and not just one about three or four. Every building was just beautiful. We would've loved to go to grad school there, but unfortunately they do not have our major. 

Eventually we grew hungry and we decided to stop in Panera's because it was close to the school, and we didn't want to be late for our meeting. I know we should've tried a place that has seafood, but we were on a budget and didn't want to be late. It was pretty good, and the service there was awesome! The people were so nice and the manager was personally handing everyone their food.

We walked over to the school, a little early for our meeting. We eventually met with an advisor who was just as sweet as the employees at Panera. She gave us tons of information about the school, and the program that we would be in [Expressive Therapy]. Though the program was exactly what I was hoping it would be, having heard much about the school from my professor who attended there, the school itself did not meet my expectations. It's one building on the main street in Cambridge, and the bottom of it is filled with stores and shops. I was not a fan of walking up stairs to enter the actual school. 

After giving ourselves a tour of the school, we left with our hopes dampened. We decided to head into Boston to explore a bit, and it was well worth it, no matter how many times we got lost! I ended up finding Bunker Hill, without a GPS! We also found the North Church and tons of other buildings, including Fenway Park! I was an unofficial tour guide. Oh did I mention I actually hate driving? Surprisingly I didn't mind it that much while in Boston. 

Before we knew it it was getting dark and we were getting quite hungry. We wanted to stay outside of Boston, thinking it'd be cheaper. Little did we know, it was much harder to find a decent hotel outside of the city. After what seemed like hours of searching we finally found one. It was a Holiday Inn so we knew it was a good hotel. We ate at a small place right down the street, and had pizza. Why we ate pizza, I have no idea. I think we might've forgotten that we were in Massachusetts, and anywhere outside of Jersey & N.Y has horrible pizza. I'm sorry, but it's true. Try pizza in New Jersey, I promise you will love it! 

We settled in at the hotel soon after and then decided it was time for some research so we went into the 'Business Center' and typed away on the computers for the rest of the night. We found some other grad schools in various states, so hopefully one of them will satisfy our expectations! I am really excited to see what this year has in store, and hopefully it's grad school in a new state!

We went to bed quite early, at least for us, because we were extremely tired from running around and exploring the cities. The next morning we woke up, a little bit later than we had hoped, but early nonetheless. We made it just in time for breakfast, and then headed out. On our way home, in Connecticut, we stopped at several thrift stores, because who can skip over a great bargain! We finally made it home late in the afternoon.

The trip was pretty fun, but definitely tiring. I would explore any school with my friend again! It was a great experience to drive to a different state and explore the cities with no specific plan in mind.  

You Made Me Love You: Book Review

You Made Me Love You, by Joanna Goodman, has made it to my top 10 favorite books, at least for now. I started this book before I received a bunch of books for Christmas, so I figured I'd finish it up before I started reading any new ones. I'm so glad I did! I bought this book at the library when they were having a sale to get rid of older books and receive newer ones. I'm usually one to look at books and see if I know the author before I buy it, but this time, after reading what the book was about, I was sold! I didn't care if I had never heard of the author before, all I knew was that I needed to read the book.

Synopsis from Barnes & Noble:

The Zarr sisters have traveled far and wide to discover their dreams-and themselves. "Make it in Hollywood" was always Estelle's mantra. She's made it to Hollywood, but she's far from becoming a celebrated fi lm editor. Her sister Erica is in New York, where she's writing fiction, but not feeling quite at home in the literary salon. Meanwhile back in Toronto, Jessie's perfect life, set in stone at the age of twenty-one when she married a doctor and then had two children, has begun to crumble. Even their mother is having doubts about the life she chose, wondering if maybe she should never have put marriage ahead of her blossoming career in show biz...


My Review: 


This book is told in a couple different perspectives, from the three sisters, to their mother, and even their father. I loved how their perspectives were separated into different chapters. I found myself feeling bad for Lilly, the mother of the three sisters, because her husband has been, and is still in love with someone else. I identified with each sister, but especially with Erica, because at one point in the book, while she is with someone else, she falls in love with another man. This same situation happened to me, and while I picked the other man because I saw how much better he could and would treat me, Erica picked... well you'll just have to read to find that part out. She's also an aspiring writer, like me. 


Page after page, I found myself getting more and more attached to each character, crying when they cried, laughing when they laughed. You feel as if you're in the room with them, experiencing their situations. I didn't want to put the book down, and with that it only took me a few days to read, hours really if you count the time I was actually reading the book. It's amazing that the moral of the story is -'one always wants what one can't have.' I mean isn't it true? We're always looking at the next best thing our friend, neighbor, loved one has, and we want it; even in relationships; you have that one person ... but then when you break up you want them more than ever before. 


This book was definitely a must read, and I recommend it to all my readers, friends, and family. I never read book over again, but this might be one of those books that I will pick up later in the year and read. It was powerfully written, with such intense characters, who were all so different, but the same through and through.


Quotes that Stuck:


"You did more than lead me on. You made me love you. So either it was part of some perverse game, or else you have feelings for me too. Because I didn't dream this all up. I know I didn't" [pg 286; Erica].


"After awhile, she sneaks a sidelong glance at Josh and is overwhelmed with pity. All he's done is adore her! And she is so rotten and unlovable that she doesn't trust his love. He's probably the only man on earth who would put up with her shtick and all she can do in return is resent him"[pg 323; Estelle].


"And he was right. A path or a calling isn't decided by the approval you're going to get from it. It's just what comes naturally to you. It's whatever piques your interest" [pg 367; Erica].


"Mitchell is like wrapping herself up in something worn-in and familiar. And yet he is constantly surprising her" [pg 388; Erica]. 


My Rating: 5 Stars

Saying Goodbye... again

Almost two weeks ago, we said goodbye to Sal's friend. He was leaving for Florida again to head down to his Air-force base. We had to say goodbye in September, which really upset me because we had all gotten so close over the summer, between Lake George and all the country concerts. I wasn't as upset [I didn't cry this time] because I had come to terms with him being gone, and I was too busy worrying about other things going on in my life. However, he won't be home until next Christmas. That's a whole year! I couldn't believe it when he told me! Can you imagine not seeing one of your friends for a whole year?! I mean I understand this happens, because there are plenty of men and women protecting our country, but still... it's just unfair sometimes... to be taken away from your loved ones and friends. At least he's alive though, my heart goes out to all of those who have not made it. 

[Tried to recreate Lake George picture]

So on his last night here, we all gathered at Sal's friends house to enjoy some guitar playing & drinks, of course. There was plenty of singing and picture taking, but also talking about life. You wouldn't think we'd need to be talking about life, but we're getting older [ahh!]

I was grateful enough to be standing in front of two men from the armed forces. One a marine and one in the air-force. I say grateful, because I can say thank you to them whenever I see them, and know that I am being protected by two great guys. 

[Best friends.]

I hope everyone has the chance to thank someone for serving in our armed forces, because I know how much they appreciate it. They give up a lot to protect us, and I couldn't be more proud!

So thank you... for all that you do. We couldn't be more proud; we'll miss you, but we'll see you soon!

Living Downstream: Book Review

Now believe me, I probably would never have picked up this book if it wasn't for my Sociology of Health & Illness course I was taking. We needed to pick a book to read that had to do with health, so instead of doing the book Fast Food Nation, like every other person in the class [and because I had already read it before in high school], I decided to go with a book my professor mentioned in class, a book that made me look more deeply into cancer. Living Downstream: An Ecologist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment is not only filled with valuable information about the environment we live in today and how it affects our bodies, but it also has the personal story of the author, Sandra Steingraber. Hearing her story is what made me keep flipping the pages, that and I had to read it in order to get an A on the paper.

Synopsis from Barnes & Noble:

The first edition of Living Downstream—an exquisite blend of precise science and engaging narrative—set a new standard for scientific writing. Poet, biologist, and cancer survivor, Steingraber uses all three kinds of experience to investigate the links between cancer and environmental toxins.

The updated science in this exciting new edition strengthens the case for banning poisons now pervasive in our air, our food, and our bodies. Because synthetic chemicals linked to cancer come mostly from petroleum and coal, Steingraber shows that investing in green energy also helps prevent cancer. Saving the planet becomes a matter of saving ourselves and an issue of human rights. A documentary film based on the book will coincide with publication.

My Review:

“There was once a village along a river. The people who lived there were very kind. These residents, according to parable, began noticing increasing numbers of drowning people caught in the river’s swift current. And so they went to work devising ever more elaborate technologies to resuscitate them. So preoccupied were these heroic villagers with rescue and treatment that they never thought to look upstream to see who was pushing the victims in.”

– Steingraber, 1997

Instead of focusing on the prevention of the 80% of cancers due to environmental exposures, the society is too wrapped up in curing this disease to even bother what is causing the onset. These environmental toxins, such as herbicides, pesticides, petrochemicals, and radiation are linked to many types of cancer. It's a complex web of causation that causes cancer, including genes, life-style, and the environment. In 2009 alone, 1.48 million people in the U.S were told that had cancer - that's 4 thousand a day! As a future Child Life specialist, I will be working with children in hospitals helping to normalize their experience. Cancer happens to be the most common disease killer of American school children, as stated in Steingraber's book. Prenatal exposures to environmental carcinogens create the threat of cancer in children. The information about childhood cancer intrigued me, because I know cases such as these may come along, and I need to realize that cancer has many ways of appearing in a child's life.

I love that she included her personal voice in the book, because it really allowed me to connect with the author, as well as the causes behind cancer. On top of that, Steingraber has without a doubt done her research , and I don't think for a second that she held back any information. She even went as far as including the limitations and the relevance of the topic at hand.

I think that we can all read this book and begin to understand that the change starts with us, and in order to help others we must create a way to stop this web of causation from causing cancer.

My Rating: 5 Stars

NYE & the Resolutions of 2012

Last New Year's Eve, we invited some friends and family over to enjoy the countdown, but this year was quite different. My mother suddenly felt sick the morning of, so she spent a majority of the day in bed [after we bought snacks and food, of course]. My father, brother and I spent the day watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, until about 11:00 when we thought it would be a good time to change the channel and put on Dick Clark's Rockin New Year's Eve. We opened up a bottle of Champagne for the three of us, and poured it in little champagne glasses.

[I just noticed in the first picture from NYE last year, I have my thumbs up too!]

We counted down and that's when my mom appeared on the stairs. We counted down together, as a family, as one unit. No matter what the year brings us, I love to be able to say that I rang in the New Year with my family, because even though we've been through hell and back, we did it together.

Through the fights, the losses, and the financial worries, we made it through 2011. Here's to hoping that 2012 brings pure happiness and joy. My mom has quit smoking since that night. I couldn't be more proud of her. It's been 10 days since she has touched a cigarette. How amazing!? My brother and I have been pushing her to quit for years now, but I guess she needed to do it on her own.

As for me, I've decided to choose my resolutions quite differently than last year. In 2011, I wanted to exercise more, which aside from taking a Tennis class, I didn't do much of; blog more, which I started to do more towards the end of the year or when I didn't have to worry about classes; volunteer more, which I did in the hospital under the supervision of a Child Life specialist; begin writing my own book, which I started by getting ideas down on paper; travel, which I did here and here; bake more, which I did and can be seen here; and laugh and smile more often, which was probably my most successful resolution.

This year I want to set achievable goals for myself:

I want to always look at the small things in life and enjoy them...
I want to spend time with those I love, and only surround myself with positive people...
I want to always keep my mind open to learning new things...
I want to be healthier and happier....
I want to write more and keep track of every day that passes...
I want to love more than I've ever loved before...
and I want to live...

Happy New Year! What are your resolutions?

DIY: Coasters

I decided to try a little DIY project for Sal's parents Christmas gift. I found coasters that could be made from the tiles from Home Depot and just a few other inexpensive products. The idea was inspired by Pinterest, of course. I didn't start the project until Christmas day though, which I don't suggest doing... I'm just a procrastinator... or maybe it's because I was too busy trying to enjoy the holidays with my family... I didn't even wrap presents until Christmas Eve, and that's not like me at all.

[concentrating EXTREMELY hard]

I was super excited though, but nervous because I need things to be perfect. I got the plain white tiles at Home Depot; I got 6 for about 16 cents each. I had scrapbook paper already, so I didn't buy any new scrapbook paper. My friend got me Mod Podge for Christmas, and Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze for my birthday, as well as other things! And I already had a paint brush to use for the Mod Podge so I was all set to go! Also, I found rubber pads to put on the bottom of the coasters.

Needed:

Tiles [4X4]

Scrapbook Paper

Mod Podge

Paint Brush

Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze

Rubber/Felt pads

How-To:

1. Make sure the tiles are clean; wipe with a moist paper towel. 

2. Cut scrapbook paper to fit the tile, or smaller to use the tile as a border.

3. Put Mod Podge on the tile, and place the scrapbook paper on top, let dry for about 5 minutes. Make sure to flatten the bubbles. 

4. Put Mod Podge on top of the scrapbook paper, and let dry again for another 5-10 minutes. 

5. Spray Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze in a well ventilated area. Let dry for 10 minutes and spray again. Let dry once again. 

6. Apply rubber or felt pads to the bottom, to ensure they don't slide on the table.

7. Wrap up nicely if giving as a present, with wax paper in between each one and tie with ribbon, or admire them nicely with a drink on top ;]

They absolutely loved them and even used them on NYE! I definitely would make these again because they're inexpensive, simple, and elegant. 

The Eve of Christmas & the Morning that Followed

This year on Christmas Eve, as usual, we had family at our house. However, this year I felt like we didn't have as many people there as years prior. Maybe people are celebrating with new family, mourning the loss of their loved ones, or have started new traditions; whatever it is, we didn't have as many individuals walk through our doors.

It was still a memorable holiday, maybe even more than in the past because we were allowed to talk and get a chance to catch up with everyone... floating from room to room, floor to floor, we enjoyed the company and had PLENTY of leftovers, maybe even too many [we ended up throwing way too much spoiled food out].

I made desserts once again, Snowman Cupcakes & PB Cups and the recipes are on my baking blog - Kay's Sweet Obsessions

I have to say they definitely tasted good, but not many people tried them - which made me a little upset - but there were more for us to go around when everyone left! I would definitely make the PB cups again, because they're so tiny and people can just grab one and pop it in their mouth! 

We decorated the house the week of Christmas Eve; my brother and I even picked out a tree for the family - to surprise my mom who had been working hard and hadn't had time to get a tree. The guy that cut our tree down thought we were getting our first tree... as a couple. We quickly turned that idea down saying, "don't we look alike!?"

While we helped decorate the rest of the house, my mom definitely did most of the work!

We did a shot of Sambuca for my poppy, because this was the first Christmas that we cannot call him in Florida and wish him a Merry Christmas. It was sad to think about, and we even skyped my Uncle, who lives in Florida, and we all ended up crying, but it was a nice to be able to cry in front of family, over the same thing. I felt that we had grown closer because of it, and had a bond - though we would much rather have our Poppy here with us, we know if he was there that night he would've been hitting us all and telling us to stop our crying! [he was a sarcastic old man, who couldn't express his love in words most of the time - but that's what made us love him more]. I miss my poppy and think about him almost every day. I hope he's up there looking down on us - watching over us - sending us love.

 The night passed rather quickly, and before we knew it we were saying goodbye, and snapping pictures by the tree before they left. 

[Cousins]

[Cousin]

[Sal & Mom]

There were many more pictures taken, and many more laughs had. We went to bed with smiles on our faces, and woke up to a tree that had several presents underneath. I received plenty of craft supplies, as well as books that will keep me busy for at least a couple of months. My parents loved their gifts from my brother and I, and my brother loved his gifts as well. 

I think my favorite part about Christmas day, aside from the pigging out on leftovers and visiting Sal's family, was receiving a personal gift from my dad. He always just tags his name along on the gifts that my mom gives us, but this year he actually picked out a gift for each of us, by himself. A necklace for my mom, an emblem for my brother's car, and a gift certificate to get 5 car washes for me! This is a joke between the family because I think in the 5 or 6 years that I have had my truck, I have washed it a total of maybe 5 times. Pathetic I know, but I don't see the point in paying someone to wash the truck, doesn't the rain do that? [haha]

Anyways, this year was memorable for all of us, and a tradition I hope the family will keep, even if it's moved to my own house eventually... in a few years that is.

Remember it's not about what's under the tree, rather who is surrounding the tree.