The home stretch -OR- Holiday traditions to look forward to -OR- I really should be writing my paper...

Hi there, "Queen of Procrastination" here. I also go by "Very Easily Distracted"...

I'm working on my FINAL paper that I'll present on Monday and that will finish my semester. It's a 20+ page monster and I'm in the final stretch of it. Knowing that I'm almost done doesn't help my procrastination and ability to get very easily distracted however. But can you blame me? With the holidays so close I just want to shut the computer down and decorate the house, make my Christmas cards, and shop for stocking stuffers.

When I was in college and the semester was getting tough, I'd doodle lists in the back of my notebook that were "countdowns" until events I was looking for. I'd list how many days until Thanksgiving, Christmas Break, New Years, parties with friends, etc. Although I'm not making those same countdowns this year, it's the thought of holiday parties and merriness that's keeping me going.

Now that we have a home and can entertain, we're starting to make some holiday traditions of our very own. We'll be hosting our second annual holiday party for our friends this year - everyone brings a dish to pass and an item to donate to charity (last year it was Toys for Tots, this year it's pet-related items for animal rescue agencies. Go figure!) and we'll be celebrating Roehm-Hill Family Christmas with our dear friends the Hill's.

To give me that final push to get through this paper, I thought I'd check out some holiday photos from last year, to remind me of all the good things ahead. Take a look at these posts from last year...

Decorating

Trip to NYC

Parties

What holiday get togethers are YOU looking forward to this year?? Do share!

Thankful...

This year, I'm thankful for the simple things in life...

1) My Statistics class being over. (Yes, seriously, this is number one on my list!!!)

2) My incredibly supportive and loving husband. 2009 has been challenging in a lot of ways - I am so very lucky to have him by my side through thick and thin.

3) My equally amazing family and friends. Words can't express how much I love you all - no matter how near or far you may be. I speak to some of you every day and some of you only a few times a year, but you are still important people in my life and I thank you for that.

4) All of the crazy animals in my life (or that have come in and out of my life). They bring me so much comfort and joy... (isn't that a Christmas song?!)

5) My home. We haven't accomplished even half of the home decor/improvement items I started out to in 2009 - but it's ours, and I love it just the same. No matter how messy I let it get!

What are YOU thankful for this Thanksgiving?

My very best wishes to you all this holiday!

Study Buddy...

Procrastination, Exhaustion, and Overwhelmed-ness-tion... : )

Woweeeeeeee!

Don't get me wrong - I'm not naive enough to not realize that this is a BUSY time of year, but man, I am SWAMPED!

I hopped on here to let you all know that I'll be mostly M.I.A. until mid-week next week... and then realized that by doing so I'm only procrastinating reading ANOTHER Performance Management case study this afternoon... : )

I am completely overwhelmed by the amount of school work that needs to get completed in the next six days. I haven't had a semester like this since undergrad and the panicked and rushed feelings of end-of-semester-finals-week madness are all creeping back!

Only problem is -- back then I could stay up most of the night and still make it through most of the week -- and I only had a dorm room or apartment to worry about keeping up -- and no husbands or pets to be concerned with caring for (for those of you know me well and have done since undergrad - insert bad jokes about failed all my college boyfriends and "relationship" drama here!) These days - if I don't get a good 7-8 hours of sleep I am TOAST! (reason number 489 why I don't have kids yet...!)

So... I'm plowing through it all - with my computer streaming the Christmas music radio station to keep my spirits up. Visions of sugar plums dancing in my head and all that...

I can do this... I can do this... I can do this...

See you on the flip side, folks! : )

R&R Weekend in South Haven

This weekend we escaped to South Haven... finally! The past few months have been... for lack of a better word... shitty. We've just been dealing with all kinds of issues - large and small - and there's been a lot of stress in the Roehm household. We were really excited to get away this weekend and spend some QT together.

Saturday was a BEAUTIFUL day - so there was lots of time spent outside walking and playing...




Paired with lots of time inside napping, reading, and relaxing...






I even picked up the BEST SLIPPERS EVER! Just $5.00 at Wal-Mart! I'm absolutely in love!


And of course lots of YUMMY food. Ultimate comfort!





It truly was a beautiful weekend on Lake Michigan. The weather was unseasonably warm - and it was a nice end to the fall season...








I feel rejuvenated and refreshed - and ready to tackle the holiday season! I hope that you had a wonderfully therapeutic weekend as well... and if not... why don't you come along and enjoy South Haven WITH us...



PS... Meg - I think you'd enjoy South Haven even more than Mackinac Island -- more to do! You should absolutely plan a trip out next summer so we can (gasp!) meet in person! : )

I've been awarded!

My dear friend Angie awarded me "The Fabulous Sugar Doll Blogger" award. Isn't she sweet?

So now I'm supposed to share 10 things about myself. Here goes...

1. I hated coffee and soda my entire life until 2005 (soda) and 2007 (coffee) and wouldn't have anything to do with either. Now I'm hooked on both and it's a horrible, horrible thing.


2. I was born in England. Okay, most of you know that already, but it still cracks me up when it comes up in conversation with someone I've known for a while and it turns out they had no idea. I'm not (yet) a US citizen. Rule Brittania!


3. My house is always a disaster. I am horrible at keeping the house clean and tidy. I wish I could do better!


4. I screen my calls. A lot. Thank goodness for caller ID.


5. I honestly believe I'm a little seasonally affective. I get really bummed out when the sun is not around.


6. Sometimes I wish life was a musical and that we could all break out in song and dance at any given time. Sometimes I do it anyway... : )


7. I don't like to be in new social situations with lots of people I don't know. I get shy and nervous.


8. There are times when I like animals more than humans!


9. My major in college was music - but I currently participate in zero musical activities.

10. I am way too dependent on my e-mail. I'm obsessed and check it a million times a day. I will be making a new year's resolution to tone it down. Gah!

And finally, I'm passing this award on to the LOVELY Abby over at Steinway Street. Go take a peek at her visually stunning blog!

The Weekend

(from left to right, top row to bottom row -- click to enlarge)

1. Bella in the backyard - it was 72 degrees! 2. Travis raking leaves 3. My cup o' joe at our favorite breakfast spot - I was excited about the design on my mug! 4. Mariah's 12th birthday 5. Travis and I at "Opera Untucked" -- a fundraiser I worked on for Opera Affiliates / Opera Grand Rapids. 6. "Untucked" food 7. "Untucked" centerpieces 8. Apple basket decor at "Untucked" 9. Birthday cupcakes for Mariah

HAPPY MONDAY!

Merry Christmas, Noah....

Those of you in Michigan or who have a Facebook account may very well have already heard about this little boy...

-----


Noah Biorkman is a 5 year old boy in South Lyon, MI who is in his last stages of a 2 1/2 year battle with Neuroblastoma cancer.

Noah was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in February 2007. He went into remission in August 2007. In September 2008, Noah relapsed with lesions in his right arm and right leg. After going through six different trials, the cancer continues to spread.

This year, his family is celebrating Christmas early, and Noah loves to receive cards.

Please take some time to send Noah a Christmas card. Please do it as soon as possible and invite all of your Facebook friends to this event so they can do the same.

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountain View Circle,
South Lyon, MI 48178 USA

He is precious:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/21525126/index.html

Please see Santa's early visit to Noah and Noah's mother's request that you simply put $1.00 in your card that will be used for Neuroblastoma research and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/21546169/index.html

Thanks

-----

Please, take a minute to watch the videos to realize the impact of this story and this Christmas card project.

I will be making a card today to send to Noah, and will be sure to put a dollar and maybe some other goodies inside. Won't you send a Christmas card to Noah as well? Let's give this boy an amazing Christmas.

Moments...

Travis' parents joined us for dinner at our house on Sunday night. It was the first time they had eaten at our place - EVER! We all enjoyed good conversation and delicious food (good job, Trav!)



Heather, Lily and I did some Christmas shopping today. Lily LOVES to pet the Old Navy dog. Too funny!


I got home from shopping with a couple of baskets to stash blankets and warm weather slippers and socks in in our living room, and no sooner had I taken my coat off when I found this... : )

Happy Wednesday from me and the gang!

Halloween Fun Part Two

It was so fun that Halloween fell on a Saturday this year!

Since our neighborhood doesn't get a lot of Trick or Treaters, and since I had MADE Mariah and Lily's costumes - we headed to the Hill's for an evening of ghoulish festivities.

Mariah and Lily were incredibly cute as cupcakes! I thought that the costumes turned out pretty well - especially since I'd been sick all the week before and didn't get the chance to make them until the morning of Halloween!




The kids Trick or Treated and we sipped on Sunday Coffee and took lots of pictures. Even Bella came along!







After we'd braved the elements (wind, rain, cold!) for long enough we headed back to the Hill's for pizza, festive snacks (jello hand and heart!), Halloween coloring, and general candy sorting.





And in what now is Halloween tradition - the girls posed in their matching, festive socks!



It was a really fun day - thanks Hill's, for having us!