TGIF! Hot damn am I happy it is Friday!
I work 4 days next week, 2 days the week after that and then I am off until January 4th. I CAN’T WAIT. Down time at the end of the year is one of my favorite things! In the meantime, let’s chat. I have some Very Important (read: minimally important) questions for you.
*So I kind of wasn’t feeling any of the Radvent prompts, so I’m out on that. This is why I don’t do NaBloPoMo. I’m thinking in 2012 of experimenting with having a more formalized “Editorial Calendar” for the blog. Do you do this, or just wing it? How do you organize your ideas?
*My list of goals for next year is getting so freaking long but honestly the longer it gets the MORE EXCITED I GET. I think this is a sickness. 2012 is going to be a year full of documenting (since it will hopefully be the last year that our little family is just the two of us!) cooking, ass kicking, and some major steps towards some of my bigger LIFE DREAMS. EEEP! That makes me giddy. Are you making goals yet? Will you be posting them?
*All I want to do lately is cook crab. We’ve had it twice in the last week actually. Anyone have a recipe for a creative soup that involves crab? Does that even exist? I have 4 more “New Soups” to try and ALL I WANT TO EAT IS CRAB so I’m thinking there has to be a way to marry the two.
*I had to eat lunch at Olive Garden today and if there is a Hell on Earth for People Avoiding Gluten, I’m pretty sure that is it. I think they bread the lettuce over there. No question here, just had to get that editorial comment out there.
*I haven’t picked up a book in something like 3 days and I’m starting to feel withdrawals. Tragic. That said I’m *this close* to buying a Kindle as a little Christmas Present to myself. Do I go Basic or Fancy?
*Also, an iPhone. I KNOW. I need to join the 21st Century. Just the thought of having to figure out how to use it kind of freaks me out. My phone is practically circa 1996. I always go to Aussiebattery for cheap Uniden BT-446 battery. Tell me I will understand it?
*For the last 3 Christmases I have only had to buy one present. We don’t exchange on my mom’s side of the family (we just go all out on a festive dinner) and on my dad’s side we draw names and everyone just buys one gift. Garrett and I don’t exchange gifts — not as a rule, but just because neither of us are really gift people — so there is only one. One present! I realize this will probably change at some point when we have kids, but dude — I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It leaves more time for menu planning — because in my mind that is the true JOY OF CHRISTMAS! 🙂 If your partner is into the wild west, there is an online shop where you can find texas Themed Gifts which could be great birthday or Christmas presents.
What are you eating for Christmas Dinner? Do you do Turkey? Ham? Beef? Something different every year? Do you have an annual tradition or dish you can’t miss? Tell me. I love hearing about this stuff!
*What are you having for dinner on Christmas Eve? Christmas Day is handled around here but we are still tossing around Christmas Eve dinner ideas. Talk to me, creative folks…
*Also, have a damn good weekend! No question there.
I have a basic Kindle (that I LOVE) but I’m going to be flying to Europe over Christmas and am kind of considering getting the Fire. For myself. But I can’t decide. I’m sad that this year I won’t be cooking at all at Christmas, but I will be eating a German Christmas feast so I’m excited about that. Christmas Eve was always the big feast in my family, but my husband’s (Jewish, I know!) family does Christmas day. So usually, I just make us my old traditional meal (Chicken and dumplings with the only side being peas) and then do theirs the next day, but this year will be in flight on Christmas eve. (GOD, get over going to Europe already. Can I drop it in one more time? Did I mention I’m going to Germany?)
You will totally understand how to use the iPhone. They aren’t that hard to switch over to. If you know how to use a phone and a computer, you’re golden. Plus, there are tons of tutorials and such.
This will be the 2nd year we host Christmas Eve in our tiny apartment so sitting around a table isn’t an option due to size. We usually do a taco bar. Mmm! My family doesn’t have a traditional Christmas dinner. We’ve made all kinds of things from salmon to a roast.
I have the 24th to the 2nd off. I CANNOT WAIT!
I hope you enjoy your time off! Totally jealous. I’m working throughout the holidays, but that’s by “choice”. I’m hoarding vacation days. When we decide to make our family of two into a family of three, I’ll have to take two weeks of my own vacation before I get an additional four weeks of partially paid leave. Not the best maternity leave, but much better than a lot of people get in this country!
I have a Kindle Fire. I like it in a lot of ways, but definitely prefer to read on the old Kindle with the e-Ink type screen. So, if you’re a big reader, you might like that better. BUT, you need a reading light at night for the older version (kind of annoying), while the Fire is backlit. I guess it’s just preference. I had an irrational desire for an iPad, which I had no business buying – I have a laptop and an iPhone. Come on! So, when the Fire came out, I finally caved. It was “kinda” like the iPad, yet much cheaper. Pretty happy with the purchase so far. I mostly use it for pulling up recipes off of Pinterest while I’m cooking – the iPhone screen works for this, but is a bit small.
You will love the iPhone, by the way. I didn’t want one until I had it and now I’m a fiend for it. Love. Love. It is awesome. You won’t regret it. You can also read kindle books on that, too. The small screen really isn’t an issue, at least for me.
SO many questions! A few responses, in no particular order:
You’ll totally get the iPhone. They are SO intuitive. No worries. My husband just got one and LOVES it. I’ve had one since 2008 and would go through serious withdrawal without it.
LOVE my Kindle, but I just have a basic one. I also have an iPad and strongly prefer reading on the Kindle. So it depends on what you want to do with it. I love everything on the iPad except for reading, so if you don’t have an iPad, might as well go for the Fire, IMHO.
Dude, I am monumentally jealous of the one present thing. I loathe buying Christmas gifts, and always have. I feel awful saying that, but it’s true. Both my family and my husband’s family insist that we send them LISTS of what we want, and they sometimes do the same for us, and so the whole thing is just basically a big cash exchange. I wish there were some way to change it, honestly.
I don’t have a crab soup recipe, but my absolute favorite crab soup is She Crab Soup (so called because it includes sherry). I’ve never made it at home, but LOVE it out in restaurants. It may not be Paleo-friendly, but it’s worth Googling.
I’m hoping for a Kindle or Nook for Christmas from my husband. I just finished the last book in a series and told him I’m antsy for my e-reader so I’m not reading anymore books until I get it. Kind of crazy, but I’m so excited! What makes you want a Kindle over a Nook? Just wondering! Still trying to figure out which I want because I know the hubby hasn’t bought it yet.
Also, you’ve said Garrett listens to audiobooks… do either of you have suggestions for good ones as my husband and I will be driving from Texas to Iowa and back for the holidays (1000 miles each way, ugh).
I am SO excited about Christmas. We don’t have a traditional dinner, but my Dad (who cooks on Christmas Eve :)) always comes up with an amazing four-course meal every year! Also, Christmas Eve is THE MAIN event in Germany (we have the 25th and 26th off as holidays to see family and friends, but the big deal happens on Christmas Eve, including the gift giving… which I am a HUGE fan of.) I had to buy quite some gifts and I always love it…
P.S. Get the iPhone. You’ll fall in love immediately. Promise.
Mike and I are drinking wine and CRACKING UP at the Friday picture. Yeah, we know how to rock a Friday night.
Thoughts:
1. I have never cooked crab. What.. what do you DO?
2. I have a basic Kindle. I like it quite a bit HOWEVER I find it hard to start books. Once I’m going, it’s FINE and I don’t care, but mentally it’s harder to dig in, if that makes sense. Which is NOT what you asked AT ALL, but I don’t have the Fancy Version so I have no idea how to compare them. But the basic Kindle is nice and cheap (“Cheap”) and seems like a nice gateway ebook reader
3. Holy creativeness on Christmas Eve! We’re … doing chili. Because there will be 8 people and everyone will be at mass until 6pm and fuck it they get premade chili.
GET THE IPHONE!!!!!
It will totally change your life.
Super easy to use….no worries 🙂