Christmas In Lights

Jamie and I decided to have a "date" night last night and do something other than the traditional dinner and a movie. We decided to drive down to Mason and watch the famous "Christmas in Lights" display created by Carson Williams. Since this display caused so much commotion in his neighborhood, it has now been moved to Heritage Oak Park in Mason, OH.

First of all, I have to say that watching this display on the internet did not do it justice. I was amazing how the timing was absolutely perfect. The display is a bit longer than the internet clips most have seen. They did 4 songs total; 2 from Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Christmas Eve in Sarajevo & Wizards in Winter) and songs from the movie "Polar Express".

They have set up the display in the park like a Drive-In Movie Theater. Everyone pulls in and lines their cars up single file. You drive up to one of two displays that are exact replicas of his home and turn off your headlights. You are told (by signs everywhere) to tune to an FM radio station and the show begins. Very cool way to set it up. I really wish we had driven down to see his actual home like this, but we probably would have been stuck in traffic for hours!

Carson Williams has created a company from all of this hype designing light displays. You can see all the media exposure this has had and some of his other projects at his website: //www.consarlights.com/

Happy Thanksgiving?

Why are the holidays so stressful? I always wonder because it is supposed to be a time of love and family. For most, it is a time of stress, depression and turmoil.

I am hosting Thanksgiving at my house for the first time ever this year... you may be thinking "That's great!", but I am wondering "What was I thinking?" First of all, I cannot look at, touch, stuff, carve or even smell a turkey. How am I gonna have Thanksgiving with an aversion to poultry you ask? First, I would like to thank the good people at Krogers for making my Thanksgiving dinner, next I would like to nominate my husband to carve the turkey and my brother to clean it up. That's how you get around that!

My biggest issue here is that fact that I haven't had thanksgiving with my family in 7 years. Yes, you read that right. I am really nervous of how this will all work. The kids will be there so that will help (a lot), but I am just not sure how to deal... My brother and sister-in-law mean well, I know, but hanging out with them just stresses me out. My mom is really excited about actually sitting down and eating as a family, but I am just counting down the hours until it is O-V-E-R! Who knows, maybe it will actually be fun... keep your fingers crossed!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!

I drove to Cincinnati twice (sometimes more) a week for months, studied for weeks, and drove my husband crazy of ranting that I might not do very well - BUT...

I passed my Real Estate Licensing Exam yesterday!!!

I am officially an active Real Estate agent as of Monday. I am still in shock. It's not real yet... I have been waiting for this day for almost 6 years and it is finally here - now what??!!?? Just kidding! I am gonna work my a** off and make some money for myself since I always seem to make lots of money for other people. Just to blow your mind (for those of you who knew me in high school) I got an 87% on the National portion of the exam and a 95% on the State portion. A lot can change in 10 years!

Jamie was so great. He took me to The Melting Pot last night (somewhere in Japan Nikki is begging for fondue). We had a great night and dinner was fabulous! It always is though.

Now I just have to get my office all set up and we are set... I had a Pottery Barn attack over the last few weeks and have made Jamie's life hell. Needless to say, we had to paint (Pottery Barn/Benjamin Moore HC-159), install my new Pottery Barn Daily System (so cute... and its on sale right now!) and set up my new Desk and Ladder Bookshelf. Poor Jamie... he comes home from the road and I put him right back to work! He came home from New Jersey for my birthday and has been home ever since. He actually got a 5-day weekend. He really needed it! Jamie is being really good about all this because my home office will be my main office to work from. It has to be cute, right???

Anyway, as soon as I get the pictures I will write my post about my 30th Birthday Party. Pretty fun (funny)!

The Devil Wears Prada

Well... I got my birthday present a week early. Needless to say I am impressed!

Jamie got up yesterday morning and told me that he had to run "Errands" and that he wanted to take my car. I know that he needs to drive on the highway when he asks to take my car (his truck needs new tires). So, I knew there was only one place he could be going... Saks Fifth Avenue! I'll admit it, I was excited. Who wouldn't be excited at the thought of purses and shoes that cost more than their mortgage! (I know I have a problem - the first step is admitting it!)

So off he goes in search of the "perfect present". I also knew that he was going there because of the way he dressed. He put on "work" clothes on a Sunday to run "errands". Every time Jamie goes to Saks, he dresses very grungy to see if anyone will wait on him. The first time he went there, he had just gotten off work and went to buy my Prada wallet for Valentine's Day (I'm lucky, I know). The lady behind the glass case looked at him as if he were nuts. She gave him some grief, but eventually sold him the wallet. Ever since that trip, he does it every time. I think he secretly wants them to give him a hard time so he has a story to tell...

Anyway, yesterday was definitely a story. He walks into the store and finds the perfect gift. A red leather Prada handbag that his wife will love him forever for. He was in the store for 45 minutes before anyone would let the bag out of its cage and locking system for Jamie to even look at it. He kept asking anyone who walked by to help him and they would completely ignore him. Finally, a woman stopped to help him, but wouldn't leave his side while he was looking at it. She stood there like an armed guard. What was he going to do, steal it while she was standing there? Once Jamie had the bag in hand, he made his way to the register to pay. The woman behind the counter looked at him as though he had sprouted another head or something. She says to him in a whisper "We haven't had anyone buy that bag yet... It's my favorite! Who is it for?" Jamie replied "My wife's birthday and graduation from college." The smile suddenly left her face and she said "Your wife huh... Well isn't she lucky"? Jamie replied, "Yes she is!" She probably saw that bag and wanted to marry him herself!

I know it is a little extreme, but who doesn't love a good purse. I thought I would share my excitement with you all and show you that I actually can treat myself sometimes, even if it is Jamie that makes me do it!

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS...

Jamie is out of town for 15 days in New Jersey working on a KFC there. He comes home for 3 days and leaves again for another 15 days. Guess when he leaves? October 23rd (the week of my birthday). So I am more than likely going to be alone on my "crisis" day. I understand that Jamie has to work, but I guess I am still a little upset.
After the party and the Harley he got for his 30th birthday, I guess I was expecting a little more than going to dinner with my family that night. I was fully expecting to be drunk with all (or most, for those of you in Japan) of my friends with a ridiculous Halloween costume on! Can you imagine???

OK... Why am I so freaked out about turning 30??? I know that I am in serious crisis mode because I am going out to the bars tonight with Breving and some people, which I NEVER do! Jamie thinks that I am out of my mind because I am doing this. His comment last night: "How come we never go out like that when I am in town?" My response... "You never want to either." I think he is worried that I will have too good of a time with a bunch of single guys... Are you kidding me! It's Breving!

So, I am right now (at work) looking for plane tickets with the hopes that I can get Jamie to Newark airport on Friday night and have him fly back to New Jersey on Sunday. Here's hoping...

Choices

I looked at the calendar today as I walked into work (as I do everyday) and it dawned on me... I turn 30 years old in about 1 month. Where did the time go? Have I done all the things that I said I wanted to do before I turned 30? ... the answer is no!

I can't help but laugh as I type this, because in reality I know that 30 isn't old - I have my whole life ahead of me, but I can't help but wonder if I made some choices that I would live to regret.

Choice 1: Waiting to have kids - I hope that I don't wake up one day and realize that I can't have kids at all because I waited too long.

Choice 2: Is my career THAT important? - I love money as much than the next person, but Jamie and I work so much that we don't get to spend any time together at all.

Choice 3: I haven't traveled to any of the places that I wanted to see - Las Vegas, Hawaii, California, Paris, Italy, London, Japan (to see Nikki of course)

Choice 4: Not finishing college and having a bachelors degree - this one really bothers me... I have made progress though because in 2 weeks I will have an Associates Degree (I just wish my dad was here to see it!) But, I still feel like I need to have that Bachelors.

Meanwhile, my mother turns 60 in two weeks... if I feel old with turning 30, I can't imagine how she must feel!

He Came, He Saw, He Never Called Again...

Friday night was one of the single most bizarre nights in recent history. We arrived at Marion's Pizza and there stood Jamie's father and his step-mother (who was crocked out of her mind on wine - by the way) waiting for us like Jamie was excited to see him or something... Jamie walked over and shook his hand. I think his dad was thinking that Jamie was going to hug him... but no such luck. Then Jamie's aunt, uncle and cousins walked over and greeted us like we had seen each other a million times over the years... (first time meeting everyone there except Jamie's dad who I met 4 years ago for 2 hours). It was all just SO bizarre.

To make a really long and convoluted story as short as possible - I'll cut right to the point. Jamie hardly spoke to his father, his father expected the kids to be excited that he drove "all the way here to see them", and the whole situation was awkward. Well, here comes the kicker: Jamie's dad says "we will get together for dinner before we leave on Tuesday morning." HE NEVER CALLED JAMIE OR JULIE SINCE FRIDAY! Now, if you say you drove here to see your kids; how come you didn't spend any time with them?

Everyone started taking pictures so I busted out my camera for this shot...




Time will tell if his dad bothers to call him again!