Caribbean Christmas Cruise!

For Christmas, my parents took my brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephew on a cruise to the Western Caribbean (you know, since the Mexico cruise was cancelled). We spent seven lovely days playing around, eating terrific food, and having as much fun together as is humanly possible.  Instead of an itemized travel log that would only be interesting to me, I thought I'd just share favorite photos and captions... enjoy the gorgeous Caribbean colors and my even more gorgeous family members!

 above: My brothers singing/rapping/yelling "Fight for your Right to PARTY!" by the Beastie Boys. They were awesome! I was so proud to claim them as my brothers!

above: David and Aaron didn't win anything in Bingo. Peter won $30 though!

below: A "sof drink" from Jamaica -- gotta love the local dialect!

 above: The boys and Lindsey playing tag while we waited for our taxi.

below: Aaron and Gunner skip rocks in the Caribbean sea on a nameless beach in Jamaica.

below: Dave zipping above the beautiful Jamaican foliage.

below: Seven Mile beach in Grand Cayman -- one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. 

 above: Sitting on a beach in Cozumel, drinking a virgin pina colada... what did YOU do on Christmas Eve?

 What do you get for parents who pay for their entire family to go on a cruise for Christmas, and insist on no additional gifts for themselves? My brother Adam had a brilliant idea. All of us kids submitted questions for a board game, and he and Lindsey put it together. My parents loved it! They opened it on Christmas Eve night and we played until quite late. It was fun to relive old memories, and learn some new things about each other!

below: The board, illustrated with family photo caricatures drawn by Adam. 

 Christmas Day!

above: My brother Aaron owns an Elf costume, which just increases his "awesome" factor. He walked around in it for quite awhile, refusing to be paparazzi'd. If you wanted a photo with Aaron the Elf, you had to be in it!

below: Christmas day on the ship. We were on our way back to Galveston and it was FREEEZING! By the time I convinced myself to brave the cold air and get out of this hot tub, I was beyond pruney!

I adore my family. I am so lucky to be related to them, and that we all get along so well. I'm glad we got to share these experiences together, and I look forward to the next family trip, whenever that may be!

Christmas t.v. quote of the day: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Dear Santa Claus, How have you been? Did you have a nice summer? How is your wife? I have been extra good this year, so I have a long list of presents that I want. Please note the size and color of each item, and send as many as possible. If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money. How about tens and twenties? All I want is what I... I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share. 

 - A Charlie Brown Christmas

As you read, I am sitting on the deck of a cruise ship, eating ice cream, and soaking in the sun with my family. But even though it's a nontraditional Christmas this year, I know what the reason for the holiday is, and I can celebrate Him anywhere:

Happy Christmas, my sweet friends! I love you!

Christmas movie quote of the day: The Muppet Christmas Carol #2

Rizzo the Rat: Rats don't understand these things.

          Gonzo: You were never a lonely child?

Rizzo the Rat: I had twelve hundred and seventy four brothers and sisters.

Gonzo: Boy! Rats don't understand these things!

- The Muppet Christmas Carol
 
I hope that where ever you are, you have someone to share Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with. Please be safe and enjoy the excuse to be together!
 
Happy Christmas Eve!

Christmas movie of the day: The Nativity Story

Melchior: How many days have you come with us on this journey? Gaspar: One hundred and four.
Melchior: And how many days have you complained about it?
Gaspar: One hundred and five ... I am counting tomorrow

I'm not a huge fan of the choices that Keisha Castle-Hughes made as Mary, but I ADORE Joseph. This movie has a wonderful feeling about it. It's a good interpretation of the Luke verses in the Bible relating to Christ's birth. Rent it. Love it. I did!

- The Nativity Story

Christmas movie quote of the day: Meet Me in St. Louis

Rose: Nice girls don't let men kiss them until after they're engaged. Men don't want the bloom rubbed off.

Esther: Personally, I think I have too much bloom. Maybe that's the trouble with me. 

- Meet Me in St. Louis

Christmas t.v. special quote: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

You're a three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!

- How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I like the Jim Carrey movie, too, but the television special is the classic!

Especially the song:

 

And I can't resist including the Glee version of the Who Song (Welcome Christmas):

Christmas movie quote of the day: Sleepless in Seattle

You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie.

- Sleepless in Seattle


Not technically a Christmas movie, but Christmas is what spurs Jonah to call Dr. Marsha in the first place. How could I not include it?

Christmas t.v. special quote: Phineas and Ferb

So long, Christmas! You're Feliz Navi-dead to me!

You all know how much I love Phineas and Ferb, and they pulled out all the stops for their Christmas episode. I was fortunate to watch some of the Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation the other night, and was reminded of how funny and clever it is! I wish the Disney channel would let everyone broadcast it; it deserves to become a classic.

Christmas movie quote of the day: The Muppet Christmas Carol

Fozziwig: My speech! Here's my Christmas speech. Ahem. "Thank you all, and Merry Christmas."

Jacob Marley: That was the speech?

Robert Marley: It was dumb!

Jacob Marley: It was obvious!

Robert Marley: It was pointless!

Jacob Marley: It was... short!

Jacob and Robert Marley: I loved it!

- The Muppet Christmas Carol
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Not just one of my favorite Christmas movies (it probably is my very favorite Christmas movie) but one of my favorite any kind of movies.

Do I share this clip every year? Oh well, Iif I do it's because it just feels like Christmas to me (no pun intended). I love Christmas time and Christmas lights and Christmas carols and Christmas traditions and spending so much time with family!

Christmas movie quote of the day: It's a Wonderful Life

Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

- It's a Wonderful Life



I must confess, I've only seen this movie once, and I hated it. For me, the 5 minutes of happy at the end didn't quite erase the 2 previous hours of anger, disappointment, self-pity, and abuse. I felt the same way about The Pursuit of Happyness. A very good film -- well-acted and ultimately conveyed a great message -- but at the end I was so depressed that I wanted to go home and cry (not in a good way).

BUT, I respect that it is acknowledged as a classic and many other people LOVE it... and I like this quote.

Christmas movie quote of the day: The Family Stone

You have a freak flag. You just don't fly it.

- The Family Stone

 
This is not really one of my favorite movies. I want to punch every character at some point. BUT, I think it's a very good representation of what it would be like to go to a stranger's house and try to figure out how to blend when they are all so close. I love the scenes with Meredith and Ben when he's trying to help her see that it's okay to be herself, and not the "perfect" girlfriend. Good times.

Christmas movie quote of the day: The Santa Clause

Neil: What about Santa's reindeer? Have you even seen a reindeer fly?


Charlie: Yes.

Neil: Well, I haven't.

Charlie: Have you ever seen a million dollars?

Neil: No.

Charlie: Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean is doesn't exist.

- The Santa Clause

This is probably one of my top 5 favorite Christmas movies. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Here is another of my favorite quotes from this particular movie:

Scott Calvin: What if don't buy any of this Santa Clause thing? What if I choose not to believe it?


[a dead silence falls upon the workshop]

Bernard: Then there would be millions of disappointed children around the world. You see, children hold the spirit of Christmas within their hearts. You don't wanna be responsible for killing the spirit of Christmas, now would you... Santa?

I love this movie. Here is a man who takes no responsibility for his actions, who complains and blames and feels sorry for himself. For his son's sake, he takes a chance on something totally contrary to anything else he's ever done, and discovers in the end that real happiness and fulfillment come in serving others. 
 
I think a lot of people nowadays need to learn this lesson better. Including me.
 
Wonder if I can get my hands on a copy of this movie this week...hmmm.

3 components of home improvement

My mom likes to say that whether you do a job yourself or you hire someone to do it for you, that job is made up of two of three different components:

• cheap (inexpensive)
• good (well done)
• fast (quick)

You can have two, but you can't have all three.

If the job is cheap and good, it won't be done quickly.
If it's good and quick, it won't be cheap.
And if the job is cheap and was done quickly, it won't be good.

When she told me about this philosophy, she was referring to home improvement projects.

I have pretty much found this to be true.

Christmas movie quote of the day: A Christmas Story

Christmas movie quote of the day:

"Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian!"


"Uh, I think that says FRAGILE, dear."

- A Christmas Story

On a related note, I think my nephew looks a lot like the kid who plays Ralphie in the movie, minus the glasses. Same bowl-cut blond hair, same big blue eyes and snub nose. Adorable!

Christmas movie quote of the day: While You Were Sleeping

He would get these far-off looks in his eyes and he would say 'Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan'. I just wish I'd realized at the time, he was talking about MY life.  - While You Were Sleeping

December Tybbling

• My daily meeting was bumped up 15 minutes for the foreseeable future. It's amazing how difficult it has been for me to get to work 15 minutes earlier. It's required a whole new change in thinking ("how much time do I have to sleep in?"), a different alarm clock time, and I have been completely exhausted all week. Today I managed to get to work a whole half hour early, and while I wanted to be excited about leaving a half hour early, too, I really wish I'd slept in the extra 20 minutes. I am SO TIRED!
• I love going out after the show with my cast. I keep thinking I should say no and good home instead, but I just can't will myself to do it, even on work nights. They are too funny and fun! Quick Wits, movies, chocolate milkshakes -- it's all so very, very good, and I'll only be young once! (Yes, this is prolly why I am so tired.) It kills me that I won't get to perform with them closing night, but there is no way I will give up my particular prior commitment. I want them to be fine without me... and yet I don't, too. No one likes to feel she is replaceable, including me! I'm just enjoying the time we have together while I can :)

• HALLELUJAH! I absolutely love and cry through this whole thing. There's just something brilliant about all of those "regular" people singing such a gorgeous, classic, difficult song in the middle of the food court! I would have joined in, too!

• Sometimes I look into the lunch/snack bag that I pack for myself each morning, and think "That's odd: everything in this bag is orange." (Carrots, Lean Cuisine box, actual orange, Reese's Pieces, etc.) Actually, it happens a lot. At least I'm eating some fruits and vegetables in my monochromatic meal.
• This is the only weekend I have before Christmas where I'm not doing a play, and consequently it is frightfully busy. Somehow, I will use my Groupon for at Nordstrom, eat the rest of my leftovers from this past week, see a movie with my cast (we have the weekend off and we still want to hang out together!), bake some sort of dessert for my ward Christmas party tomorrow night, help set up and cook for said Christmas party (which I can't go to, by the way), wash my hair, celebrate Christmas with my cousins, attend church and tithing settlement, see my nephew perform in a childrens' choir (he takes after ME in at least one way!), and watch at least one Christmas movie I have recorded on my DVR (I'm thinking 12 Men of Christmas). Notice I didn't mention Christmas shopping... I'm hoping I have a chance to work on it next week, and that it will go quickly!
• I feel very grateful to have a cubicle with a window. The view isn't the best, but it is so fun to see the rain splatter on the window, or the snow floating lazily, or a pink and purple sunset, or a rare rainbow, or just a sunny, perfect sky. "And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!"
• My best friend and I are both totally swamped for the next couple of weeks, so to give ourselves and each other a break we've decided to exchange gifts in January. She has dubbed this "Besty Christmas" which just makes me smile every time I think of it!
• The reaction to my red hair has been pretty funny. Most people see that something is different -- I can see it in their expressions -- but don't say anything. If I bring it up, they say, "Okay, I thought it was different, but I wasn't sure if you've always had red hair or if that was new." When I confirm that I'm naturally and usually a blonde, they nod like, "Yeah, that's what I thought." SO FUNNY! And everyone says it flatters my skin. Aw! Say more nice things!
• Christmas music is my favorite, hands down. I especially like that I really only listen to/sing it for a few weeks in the year, that way, I don't get tired of it, and I always look forward to it! Thank goodness for online streaming, and a job that lets me sit quietly for most of the day!

Christmas movie quote of the day: Home Alone

This is *Christmas*. The season of perpetual hope. And I don't care if I have to get out on your runway and hitchhike. If it costs me everything I own, if I have to sell my soul to the devil himself, I am going to get home to my son. - Home Alone

Christmas movie quote of the day: The Holiday

"Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend." - The Holiday

Christmas t.v. special quote: Claymation Christmas Special

"Maybe wassail is an old word that means waffle. After all, what can be more Christmassy than a thick stack of syrup-drenched waffles?"
 - A Claymation Christmas Celebration

I can't believe this hasn't aired since the mid-nineties -- it's such a funny show! Thank goodness for old VHS tapes, new DVDs, and like-minded and sense-of-humored cousins who watch this with my family every Christmas Eve!

Christmas movie quotes

For the last couple of days, I've been doing a post on Facebook each day with a quote from a Christmas movie. I had hoped that I would have a chance to actually watch all of these movies, but that hasn't quite worked out. I have, however, been enjoying thinking about the films and the funny and inspiring lines. It's also been fun to see who knows where the quotes come from, since I'm not posting the movie titles!

I'm going to start posting the quotes here, too. Why not? I'm having fun!

December 3: "We need Kate and we need Leo and we need them now!" - Love Actually

December 4: "I guess I got carried away." "She carried me right with her - I don't weigh very much!" - White Christmas

December 5: "Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want ...an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void." - You've Got Mail (not technically a Christmas movie, but the musical and movie it's based on are and I love this quote)

December 6: "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup." - Elf

December 7: "All right, you go back and tell them that the New York State Supreme Court rules there's no Santa Claus. It's all over the papers. The kids read it and they don't hang up their stockings. Now what happens to all the toys that are supposed to be in those stockings? Nobody buys them. The toy manufacturers are going to like that; so they have to lay off a lot of their employees, union employees. Now you got the CIO and the AF of L against you and they're going to adore you for it and they're going to say it with votes. Oh, and the department stores are going to love you too and the Christmas card makers and the candy companies. Ho ho. Henry, you're going to be an awful popular fella. And what about the Salvation Army? Why, they got a Santa Claus on every corner, and they're taking a fortune. But you go ahead Henry, you do it your way. You go on back in there and tell them that you rule there is no Santy Claus." - Miracle on 34th Street


Christmas is coming! I even decorated my condo! I'm excited!

Today's horoscope

Put your foot down today, Virgo. Don't let others push you around. It could be that you're used to letting people have their way in order to keep the peace. The problem with this is that your dreams and goals may get lost in the shuffle. Don't lose sight of your true destination. There's much more to life than you might see on the surface. Dig deeper.

--Horoscope.com

I could have used this earlier today. Someday I will learn to relax and not try so hard and not worry about what people might think when I try too hard, but today was not that day.

Someday!

LOTR the Musical

I bet you didn't know there's a musical version of the Lord of the Rings, did you?  It was produced two years ago and played in Toronto and London. Sadly, it never made it to the States. Too bad. I love what music I've heard, and this Lothlorien scene is amazing!

Hobbits being hobbits:

This might be my favorite, though. I'm a sucker for Irish-influenced tunes:

It got terrible reviews, but I don't really care. I wish I'd known about this when it was actually playing! I would have gone to London SO FAST!