Olé!

Holidays, Random

I realize I am probably the last person to get around to posting about New Years, but here it is anyway.

For New Years, ED and I decided to host a little get together with a few of our closest friends. It was thrown together at the last minute, but somehow we were able to pull off one of the best New Years parties I have ever been to.

My sister Staci recommended we make it a formal mascarade party, which meant not only did we invite our guests less than a week before the party, we also requested they come up with some sort of a mask too!

Are we the best hosts or what?

I feel incredibly lucky that so many of our friends were able to make it. Some ran into babysitter issues and some had already made plans, but I think it is safe to say that those who came had a great time.

Here is my mask. I originally got it on a trip to Austin, TX to visit my dear friend Ellen. I added feathers to the side for some "pazzaz"! Also, because Heidi was making her mask and I like to use hotguns.

Me, Karina the Russian and Staci.

Group picture of all the ladies at the party!

I should clarify that there were actually men present at this party. But none quite as dashing as my darling ED.

Hilarious, no?

Although he looks  like a superhero here, he didn’t come to my rescuing until later on. Before everyone started arriving to the party, ED decided to shine up the hard wood floors. He sprayed the floor with Pledge and mopped over it with a flat dusting mop. The floors looked beautiful, but were slicker than an ice rink! Even after we tried to clean the Pledge off the floor we had to tell all of our guests to walk carefully — especially the women in their high heels!

However, it was not until right after the stroke of midnight when we went outside to watch the fireworks, that I slid on the actual ice and landed right on my ass! Not to worry though, my masked hero came running to sweep me up.

Best New Years kiss ever!

Happy New Years everyone! Here’s to an amazing 2010!

Blogfully yours,

Summer

ED is not Emotionally Disturbed, Holidays, Out and About

Over the Christmas weekend ED and I went to stay with his family in the country and we brought along  my little sister Staci. She was looking for a distraction since it was her daughters fathers weekend to have her.

Staci and I grew up in the middle of Mormon suburbia. There was nothing country about our upbringing, unless you count listening to country music–which we totally did, although I don’t admit to it often (I blame my older sister for dating a cowboy when she was 15). Growing up we always went boating and camping, but if you ask ED, we never did REAL camping. Whatever! Houseboats and motorhomes totally count as real camping!

When we got there we had a laundry list of fun activities we wanted to do: eat,  drink, shoot guns, go sledding and ride horses. Not necessarily in that order. Only, there were a few problems. 1. Staci didn’t have winter/snow boots. 2. We didn’t have a sled and 3. It was freaking freezing!

We decided to seek out boots and a sled on our first day there. After six different stores in three different towns we finally ended up at Wal Mart where Staci found some snow boots.

Pink snow shoes! What could be more appropriate?*

Wal Mart didn’t have sleds, so we ended up going to a tire store and purchasing some large inter tubes. Unfortunately by this point we were racing the sun so we were only able to get one quick run down what we deemed a sledding hill off the side of the highway.

Here is a video of Staci and ED’s nephew braving the slope airplane style (video is courtesy of my new Christmas present from ED!).

The next day it was too cold to shoot guns, sled or ride horses. We did however, need to feed the horses out in the field. In order to do so we needed to dress appropriately for the weather. Fortunately there just so happened to be enough full body carhart suits to go around.

After Staci and I suited up, we went to show ED’s father our work digs. Staci made sure to point out her new shiny pink boots to which ED’s father responded, “Now Staci, I want you to be careful not to lift up your pant leg while you are out there.” To which she asked, “Why?”. His response, “I don’t want you scaring the  horses.”

Of course he was teasing her. That’s one of the things I love about ED’s family, it’s filled with a bunch of smart asses!

Just a couple of your average country girls standing by a tractor of some sorts.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

For more pictures, check out my Fickr account by clicking here.

* I realize the picture is sideways, but have no idea why. Meh, it works.

Holidays, Story Time

For Christmas this year my sisters and I all went in on a Wii Fit for my parents. I swear to you I am trying to do anything and everything in my power to get my parents to do activities to improve their health and therefore their quality  of life.

Last Christmas I bought them Xagave natural sweetener because it is better for you than real sugar and you can bake with it. They used it, liked it, but never re-ordered it again.

The year before that I bought them detoxifying aural-spray which is supposed to boost immunity and rid you of environmental toxins. They used it until it was gone and again, never re-purchased.

For a combination mothers day and fathers day present my sister and I bought my parents a gym membership. They still have not even put on gym shoes and walked through monstrous athletic doors.

You’d think I would give up. But no. I am resilient! And selfish. I want my parents to be around for a very very long time, so I keep trying.

Sadly, this years gift backfired on me the same as all of the rest. On Christmas eve my parents convinced me to set up a profile and to try a few games. I had already watched several other people play and was convinced I could do better them them. Word to the wise, arrogance will get you no where.

I stepped onto the Wii board and prepared to karate chop in rhythm and, of course, right into first place. I started off strong, but I think it was the kick-chop-punch move that got me; only it also got my potty mouth and before I knew it I let out an exasperated “FUCK!”. To which my prudent mother promptly reprimanded me. I said I was sorry, oh so incredibly sorry, in between stifled giggles while continuing to kick-punch-punch the screen.

I got third place. Yet another failed Christmas gift.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Holidays, Loved One(s), Story Time

I took a week off from blogging to survive the holidays. I say survive, because right now I am breathing a great big sigh of relief they are over. Don’t get me wrong, I had a GREAT Christmas filled with friends and family, pies and turkeys and all of the items that are not on my approved diet.

Now that it is all over, I feel like I can try to get my life back in order and enjoy the remaining two weeks before I start back to school. But before I get too cosy and undo the top button to my jeans, here is a brief recap of my Christmas holiday starting with, of course, the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party thrown by my housemate Heidi and I! You know the ones, where everyone dresses in the worst possible, over the top tacky Christmas outfits.

Last years party was just the girls, but this year we opened it up to friends of both the x and y chromosomes.

Heidi, the tacky office secretary and me, the homemaking teacher

Karina, the confused Russian

Jason & Summer, a beautifully nerdy couple

The rule breakers!

ED and I cracking up over something absolutely HILARIOUS... I just can't remember what it was.

For more pictures, be sure to check out my Flickr feed.

***

My adorable aunt always sends out invitations to our family Christmas party. Last year she sent an invite addressed to “Summer and Karina” because Karina was my date. This year she sent the invitation to “Summer and ED”.

For those of you who do not know, ED is not actually my boyfriends real name. In fact he kind of hates that his “blogging name” is ED, which truthfully makes it that much more fun. I thought it was incredibly cute of my aunt to address it to ED, although he is now concerned none of my family will ever know him by his true name.

He can be such a whiner like that at times.

***

This was the first Christmas ED and I have spent together. We started dating (this time) in January 09 (coming up on our one year anniversary!). It was amazing, and yet strange, how oddly comfortable it felt to spend this overly hyped holiday with him. We bounced from party to party together, friends and family, flawlessly. We didn’t fight and after spending the weekend with his family in the country, I love him even more than before. This crazy man of mine — big whiner that he is and all — is a keeper.

How were your holidays? Are you as relieved as I am to have them over or do you feel like they flew by entirely too fast?

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Holidays

The other day I was driving in the car with my BFF, Karina the Russian. One of the trendy “top 40’s” radio station decided to play a re-mix of the old classic “Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer“. Now I have heard this song countless times, I am pretty sure we even sang it in Elementary school for a Christmas concert. It has always been just a silly, funny, harmless song. That is, until I saw it through Karina’s eyes.

Karina: “Are you listening to what this song is saying? This song is so messed up! Are they saying what I think they are saying? Listen!”

“and incriminatin’ Claus marks on her back. Oh! Grandma got run over by a reindeer, walking home from our house Christmas eve. You can say there’s no such thing as Santa, but as for me and Grandpa we believe.”

Luckily the remixed version of the song, with all it’s electronic drum beats, stopped there and mixed itself on to a different song. I’d hate to think of what Karina would have thought if she heard the rest of the song go on to talk about Grandpa watching football and drinking beer or the dilemma of opening Grandma’s gifts or sending them back. I’m sure that would have made her completely loose faith in Americans forever!

He. Will. Pay.

Summer

*This post was originally posted last year, but it is one of my favorite holiday stories about Karina the Russian so it bares repeating.

Holidays, K to the R stories, Story Time

How Did It Get Here Already?

I have four Christmas parties this week. That’s one, two, three, FOUR social obligations to prepare for. Honestly, I don’t live under a rock, so I am not sure how exactly Christmas sneaked up on me this year. I knew it was approaching, but now it’s like BAM! I’m here bitches, ready or not! Where’s the egg nog?

And I am not. Ready that is. I am not ready for Christmas.

Oh sure, I did a little online holiday shopping in my bathrobe a few weeks ago. But that is simply not going to cut it! I have to bake cookies, put bows on presents and shop for the perfect gifts and… wait a second, who in the hell am I trying to kid? No one, and I mean NO ONE expects that sort of thing out of me. I even told ED I was going to make homemade Oreo cookies and you know what he told me? “What’s wrong with the ones you buy at the store?” and you know what? He is absolutely right.

Why mess with perfection? Why go against god’s will to have perfectly round cookies laying neatly in rows? Why upset the system?

This year, if I show up to your holiday party carrying a bag of Oreo cookies with a bow haphazardly slapped on it, please keep in mind that it’s the thought that counts. Also, that it is 100% ED’s fault that I am not baking this year.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

PS – the title makes me giggle. Shortcomings… E.D….he he he.

ED is not Emotionally Disturbed, Holidays

You know those movies about the holidays where an amazing family gets together for the holiday and everyone is a little quirky but completely fabulous and they all get along and have inside jokes and crazy stories about each other? That is pretty much ED’s family this Thanksgiving. They are absolutely amazing, genuine pepole and I love every last one of them.

That said, I missed my family like crazy. This was the first holiday I have ever spent away from them and I may have had a small break down at one point in the day. But after that small little break down I may or may not have had, I was good. Great actually! I was having so much fun down there that I completely forgot about my life back home.  I even forgot about Black Friday until my sister text me that I was probably saving a lot of money by being in the country, to which I replied saving money? and she said um, yeah! BLACK FRIDAY you retard! But honestly I was so busy doing fun things like…

sitting by the worlds greatest fireplace...

looking like a tool standing by some hay...

while watching ED chop wood...

or petting bunny rabbits...

after chasing the chickens...

and passing out on the couch...

because I ate too much pie...

glorious home made pies...

or shooting guns...

because I'm a bad ass.

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with great memories and laughter too!

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Holidays, Loved One(s)

Did you know Kevlar comes in pink?

I’m off to the country to spend Thanksgiving with ED’s family this year. This will be my first Thanksgiving away from my family. Ever. It will also be the first time in 10 plus years I have missed the crazy 5am madness that is “Black Friday” shopping.

I’m not sure which makes me more sad.

The other night, while planning the details of our little holiday trip, ED asked me if I would like to shoot guns while we are there. I told him hell yeah I want to shoot guns while we are there! but secretly, between you and me, I’m kinda scared shitless of guns. I’m not really sure why either. My dad took me shooting a few times when I was like 12, but I haven’t so much as seen, yet alone shot one, since then. But, I’m a bad ass and a great big liar and it’s kind of a big deal to him so I stuck with bring on the guns!

The next morning I woke from a dream where I had shot myself in the stomach and was bleeding to death on my family room floor. Awesome, right? I’m not feeling so much like a bad ass now. I’m feeling like my little secret of being irrationally scared shitless of guns should probably be shared with ED before I end up inadvertently shooting myself in the foot and, since the closest hospital is like a bazillion hours away, really do bleed to death!

I am probably the sissy-est country boy’s girlfriend in the history of country boy girlfriends. But it is not for lack of trying! I can’t help my dreams!

Luckily, “clairvoyant” is not on my list of talents/skills, so I am pretty sure I’ll be safe. But just in case, I want you all to know I love you and to have a very happy (and safe!) Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

ED is not Emotionally Disturbed, Holidays

Now I remember why I haven’t worn these shoes in almost a year.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! May your day be filled with the luck of the Irish and may your shoes not be 4 inch heels that are half a size too small.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Holidays