Rinsefirst

So I believe this *might* be the last round of Christmas gifts that were given out by me (and Amber to some degree) this year. Tonights party: Amber’s Mom’s Side Christmas bash.

Here’s what was given:

• Jill Radabaugh - I gave her the card game “Rage”. It was actually intended for the whole Radabaugh family because we are all card players. The game plays like another regular card game I call “Oh Hell”, but adds some twists to it (more colors, wild cards, etc). If your looking for a card game other than uno, skipbo, or phase 10… I recommend Rage. We also ran into John’s Kellie (as much as Kellie can be called “Johns”). She just happened to be on the phone with John too… Sounded like she was getting some games for a party, but we were in a rush so we kind of dashed out of there without talking to her.
• Mike Radabaugh - I had Mike’s name, and had already (with Amber) gotten him a Fishing Pole and Reel… I have no idea how to shop for fishing gear, so guessing at things like lure’s and lines I decided was a bad idea, so I resorted to the good ol’ $40 gift card. And with Amber’s help, a book.
• Jack (Amber’s Cousin) - A $10.00 Best Buy Gift Card
• Sierra (Amber’s Cousin) - We got her a fun little makeup kit.
• Katie (Amber’s Cousin) - A $10.00 American Eagle Gift Card
• Ed (Amber’s Grandpa) - a $25.00 Gift Card for Barnes and Noble
• Sharon (Amber’s Grandma) - Earings, tweezers, and a book.
• Ashley (Amber’s Sister) - $25.00 to Pac Sun and $40.00 cash.

On another note, I got word that Richard got his gift today, and because I haven’t posted about it: It was a book of his past comic strip “The Onus”. I haven’t seen it, but word is he thought it was pretty cool.

All and all, a rather great way to end the gift giving season for the year… Or am I done?

So tonight was the night of the great big Christmas bash at our house. The only family was in attendance, along with a few new comers (new boyfriends and girlfriends). All in all, another fantastic evening, and to top it all off, Jerry (My uncle who is normally easy money) won the poker tournament that we normally have. It made my night because no one saw it coming.

So what was given tonight?

• To My Cousin John -
  • $25.00 to Best Buy
  • $50.00 to Target
  • $40.00 Cash (He wants a ski pass that costs like $250)
•  To My Grandma -
  • 3 books (I would give titles but I have a bad memory)
• To My Grandpa -
  • $25.00  Gift Card to a Hobby shop

I don’t know if I forgot anyone. I think that was pretty much it.

Also, 2 nights ago, I attended one of my clients Christmas  parties. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to post pictures soon (along with pictures for all the other events). In any case, there I gave all the team members a hard cover copy of the book they sell. It went over very well, and we had a nice book signing afterwards.

In any case… There is one more Christmas party to be hand tonight with Amber’s family… then it’s time to recoup from the stress that is Christmas :-). As much as it is important to slow down this time of year, I’m just not feeling it as much as I have other years.  With everything that happened, I’ll probably be posting about Christmas until February.

Ok… so I really didn’t think I would post today… Ha!

Happy remembrance-of-the-day-that-is-now-an-Out-of-Time-Continuum-day to me
Happy remembrance-of-the-day-that-is-now-an-Out-of-Time-Continuum-day to me
Happy the day that is now an Out-of-Time-Continuum day dear me
Happy remembrance-of-the-day-that-is-now-an-Out-of-Time-Continuum-day to me

It’s only 4 hours later!

Relationships are hard.

Especially those of the long-term, wife/husband kind. Now, I’m 100% sure that I don’t understand the full brunt of it yet, but at the same time, I am already prepping myself as much as I can to understand what married life will be like.

One of the harder things to “simulate” is what it will actually be like to live together. It’s something I don’t think can be simulated without actually doing it, so I doubt I will know until Amber and I are married. However, I’d really like to think that road trips/family vacations give some small taste of it.  I’d love to think that… but I think I know better.

In fact, I believe that road trips can do wonders for relationships. I think the time together doing something out of the ordinary can help remind both parties just why they fell in love with the other person. I know the last 5 days with Amber in Nebraska did that for me. Was it all peachy keen? No… But when there were hiccups on the trip, we talked through them together, and overcame them together.  I’m very very happy she came with us for Christmas, and I can’t wait to spend every Christmas here on out as a married couple.

It was kind of like that movie we went to see tonight: National Treasure 2. All I will say about National Treasure is the following:

• It was the first movie I’ve seen in awhile that I actually wanted to go see. (I could have done without enchanted)
• It was good.
• I can’t wait for third movie :-).
• The previews have me salivating for more future movies, including Prince Caspian (yay) and  The Dark Knight (yay!)

On another note… Happy birthday to me (because I have to tell people it’s my birthday with it being outside the normal space-time continuum).

I am now 23.

I think.

I wonder if you can modify your birth certificate to have a new birthday…

What am I doing on my birthday? Hard to say… but on December 13th, 2007… if I had to guess, I bet I am working, or at least at work christmas party. What does that have to do with my birthday? Nothing, except I’m celebrating the only birthday that probably really matters (and even some would say, the birthday didn’t matter at all… it was the death that counted.)

I might post again on the day you see this post… But odds are, I won’t which is why I wrote this one on the 13th instead of on the 28th…. Because I wanted to make sure that this year, I took the time to tell myself happy birthday.

Here it is, the night of Christmas day. My apologies for no post last night… I managed to forget my laptop at my grandpa’s house… So yeah… In any case here’s the run down of some of the gifts that were given.

• To my cousin Darin, I gave “The Happiest Days of Our Lives” by Wil Weaton. It was signed and numbered, and was of the rare hardback breed. A very cool gift for a Star Trek fan.
• To my Uncle Bob -  I gave a 25$ gift card to target and a cd that he had on his list.
• To my cousin Alex - We (Amber and I) gave two drawing books.
• To my cousin Trevor - We gave him a pack of matchbox cars.
• And, To Nikki, we (Amber and I) gave her a copy of her blog in print. I’m hoping to see some pictures of it soon (just because I think it was cool making it). Hopefully she got it before I wrote this ;-).

Amber and me are having a great time together. I love spending the holidays with her. Spent a lot of time talking about the wedding tonight with the Nebraska side of the family. It never ceases to amazing me the level of advice people have to give about weddings.

Not too much in other news. More later.