Allergies, what?

So I've been back to the doctor for weird skin stuff going on. He said he thought it was allergic reaction to something and then sent me to an allergist. I had my allergy test today (both the prick test and needle testing). In a nutshell (not allergic to those) I am allergic to animals (especially mites, cats, and horses), mold, weeds, Birch trees, Johnson and Kentucky blue grass, sage, wheat pollen, and eggs.

My arms were red, swollen and itchy from all the testing. But it was worth it. I will be getting three different shots once a week. I'm going to give this all a few months and if I'm still getting the red spots on my legs I'm going to go back to the rheumologist. The allergy doctor even suggested that I go to one before she new that I'd been to one before! But at least all the allergies are ruled out. I like knowing something rather than nothing. I don't like the feeling of wondering what the hell is wrong with me. So I'm relieved in that sense.




Merry Christmas!!!

Tonight is my family Christmas and then we'll probably hang out tomorrow. Then on Friday I am heading up to South Dakota to visit the Steen side of the family - see my cousins and Aunts and Uncles. I'm going to stop through Council Bluffs, IA on the way home and hang out with the Lendts. I'm looking forward to the little trip.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and that santa is very nice to each on of you!

tryin' on something new

Thanks to April (I cheated off your blog layout) I'm trying on something new. It isn't quite as comfortable as what I had before - but I thought I'd try it out while I was looking for a new layout.

Tag, I'm it!!!!

Thank you for the tag, April! I'm happy to fill this out.


The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Fill out the questions below.
3. Tag 5-7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag. Have FUN!!

1.Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Both. I can have hot chocolate at anytime. I usually only have egg nog once a year - a little goes a long way!

2.Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa usually puts them in a bag, depending on what it is. And yes, Santa still comes to my house. I will always believe :)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
white on the tree - I'm not adverse to colored though.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but I did when I was in the practice of kissing someone regularly. It should probably be the other way around - I should have it up now so I get kisses, wanted or not.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
day after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
I have some Norwegian favorites that I only get on the holidays - lefse, krumkake etc. I also look forward to all the baked goods.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
I don't have a very good long term memory - but I can remember one Christmas when I was really little my Grandma and Grandpa Barnes were there and we were driving to church or something and my Grandparents and I were looking out the window trying to see Santa and his reindeer. I love any memory where I can remember being with family. I have good memories of going to South Dakota every Christmas too and playing with my cousins, and driving on the lake.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
That is when we always open our gifts. Since we usually went to South Dakota on Christmas day, we always had our family Christmas on Christmas Eve. We still do even if we don't go to South Dakota.

9. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lots of ornaments from whatever. It's just a compilation of ornaments I've gotten since I got my first Christmas tree in 2000. I have some from students, many from friends and then just others that I've bought as fillers.

10. Can you ice skate?
I don't know - I haven't been for a long time. But the times I have gone I've been able to. I think I'm going to try and get some friends together to do that this year - it would be a fun activity.

11. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I've received so many wonderful and amazing gifts it's hard to say which is my favorite. The top two are my tv and my heart necklace.

12. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
what isn't my favorite? I love, love, love, Natalie and her mom's bake-a-thon goodie bag!

13. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Christmas with my family on Christmas eve.

14. What tops your tree?
a poor looking angel, but she's always been on my tree.

15. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
hmmm..this year has been a hard one for the giving, so receiving. But I love giving too.

16. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
We three kings...All traditional Christmas songs.

17. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
okay - I don't like how they get stuck in my teeth - love them in hot drinks though

18. What do you want for Christmas?
I have no friggin' clue. (and then after thinking I came up with this list:) An external hard drive, more memory for my computer, $400 to pay for my ticket to Washington DC, a new outfit, shoes/boots, a Coach purse (like Celinda's)

19. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party?
yes, several. Most of them not so party - but more of an excuse to make lots of good food and eat as well as share our musical talents.

20. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs?
Wear PJ's or sweatshirt and jeans

21. Do you own a santa hat?
Two actually - never really wear them though

22. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
Myself, My family if we get together on the 25th.

I tag: Alicia and Sheila

NEWS!!

Thanks to my dear friend, Brian, I will be attending the Presidential Inauguration! A once in a lifetime event! I cannot believe I'm going and I cannot wait. There will be so many high profile people going. We won't have the tickets until we get to D.C. but we could possibly even have seats (although, I don't know how two midwesterners would get seats...). I'm totally stoked and now have to figure out what I am going to wear (under the layers of coat, scarf and hat. Maybe some new jeans are in order (the expensive ones...)?




Had to get my girl in there!

a load off

I have finally been able to pay for my bridesmaid dress for the March wedding and pay for my property taxes! Whew! It's a load off.

Holiday Traditions

Here's 11 of my favorite holiday traditions.

1. Enjoying a Christmas Show
Brian and I started this tradition, hmmm...5? years ago, anyway we usually go see Magic of Christmas that the Kansas City Symphony puts on. The tickets are pricey and money is tight,so this year, we went to see the Boston Brass at the Leid Center at KU. It was absolutely fantastic and funny! I enjoyed every moment. It's one of my favorite traditions and I fully intend to keep it up every year. While I was looking for a pic of the Boston Brass, I came across this. Enjoy.



2. Putting up the Christmas decs the day after Thanksgiving
3. Going to a Christmas party.
This year, I was invited to go with Shannon and Andrew to an Ugly Christmas Sweater party. Since I went to one last year, I just recycled that and put more crap on it. Here's a pic of us that went. I don't like they way I look, so I'm also including a second pic of the ladies. (vain, I know)












4. Driving around looking at Christmas lights.
5. Christmas eve dinner with my family at IHOP or Denny's.
6. Candle light service at church.
Haven't done this for many years - but it still is one of my favorite moments of the year.
7. Traveling to South Dakota to see the Steen side of the family.
I haven't done this for a few years - but will be going this year.
8. Baking
I enjoy cooking and baking. I usually do a lot more baking during the holidays than cooking. This year so far, I made krumkake (kroom-ka-ka) for a work get together. My cousin, Maure (thank you Maure!), gave me a fancy krumkake maker a few years ago and I just used it for the first time. I've never made these by myself, only with my aunts at family reunions. It was really fun, and really impressive. They turned out to be very delicious. Here's a pic of my goodness:



9. Giving gifts
This year the gift giving is very limited. I haven't been able to get people what I want, if anything at all. I've even had a hard time giving of myself. I'm not without the Christmas spirit, just without the Christmas finances and the emotional stability. While this year may be a challenge, I think this still is one of my favorite traditions anytime of the year, not just at Christmas. The best Christmas for this was the first Christmas down at the loft (2000 or 2001) with Brian. We got each other an insane amount of gifts - it was awesome! That was back when we had nothing and so there was a lot of gifts to get and be useful. It's hard now that we have all the little stuff we need.

10. Getting gifts
Santa still comes to my house. My family has the best Christmases. My parents are so great about getting gifts that are outrageous for Eric and I and often leave us speechless. Last year - huge flat screen tv for me. I can remember when we got laptops one Christmas. It's always surprising and insane. But I love it - I can't lie. It'll be a sad day when either of us gets married and has kids - that when I see Santa coming to them and not to us...

11. Sending/Receiving Christmas Cards
I enjoy this ritual and try to do it on Thanksgiving break every year. I've started a little late this year, but I'll get them out. I also love receiving them and display them for everyone who enters my house to look at and admire.

Snow days - Hooray!

I became a teacher for a plethora of reasons. But today, the only reason that stands out is the snow day we got today! So exciting. I don't know what to do with my day - stay in or go out? I guess when I check my funds they will decide for me.

The Thanksgiving Report

**gonna be a long wordy one. read at your own risk.

Thanksgiving was a total success. I truly feel the tur-duck-hen is the only way to go. You take it out of a bag and put it in the oven. Nothing is better than not having to take the wire out of a frozen turkey! Plus the tur-duck-hen is very very tastey. The only thing I would do different is put my own stuffing in it. I wasn't too crazy about the stuffing. I am already scouting out people who prepare tur-duck-hen's here in KC so I can customize for next year. And even though my parents brought over a turkey to roast along with the tur-duck-hen because they were fearful, they ended up enjoying it a lot and took home their roasted turkey. This is by far the first thanksgiving in a long time that I didn't feel frustrated or upset about cooking and cleaning up (because, I do a majority of it all since it's at my house). Anyway - I call it a total success. I was very happy with all of it.

That night I got out and saw the plaza lights turn on with fireworks. I hadn't been for a few years and it was a special treat. It really made Christmas start for me.

So everything is going really well and then I was hit hard with severe depression for the rest of the weekend. I felt really lucky not to be depressed this fall (that is when it usually occurs). But like a mack truck, on it came. I am pretty sure the trigger was the holidays and the lonliness. I did decorate my house and my tree looks great - much prettier than the charlie brown tree it was last year, even though it's the same tree (I modified it). So, anyway, I spent all weekend trying to combat that crap. I did get online to check out the 24 hour fitness deals (I've been wanting my membership back, but couldn't afford it) and they had a great deal on friday. So I ended up getting a membership. I've already been a few times and feel really good about that decision. It was one of those things in life that just feels right. So that is a happy thing. And I am feeling much better today, maybe it was just the lonely holiday.

The 24 hour pass couldn't have come at a better time because work is disheartening and disappointing. I have hope for the future, but that is for later and another blog entirely. The working out really does help me so much. I wish I could be consistent about it all year round, some year soon.

I'm really looking forward to a trip to Clarinda for some wedding planning/helping for Shannon this weekend. All the bridesmaids will be there. I think it will be a really nice time.

I'm working on some things for my blog. Hopefully I can get them together and on here for more entertainment than my verbose blogging.