Intellect & romance over brute force & cynicism.

It has been a while since my last post. I have been either sick or busy, or sick and busy.

I hate this time of year. We've been passing a cold between us now for the last 3 weeks and I'm ready for it to be gone.

Holidays are not my favorite time of year. Christmas Parties, Family Parties, Work Parties, Friend Parties, Church Parties, Social Events, Shopping, Stupid People, Angry People, Bad Drivers, Snow Days, No Snow Days, Gift Giving, Gift buying, Gift Wrapping, Bad Gifts, Good Gifts, Re-Gift Gifts...

It's like there is hardly time to breathe. Like I said, I hate this time of year.

But to pacify my husband we called in sick to work the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and pulled out the tree, decorated it, wrapped all the presents and put them under the tree, decorated the house (not much) and then we were ready for Christmas... but there were still 25 days left at that point.  

I’m just a Grinch I suppose. I truly can’t stand the holiday season. I love the MEANING of Christmas, I just hate everything else about it. This year has been especially hard for some reason. I don't know what it is really, but I have been particularly bitchy this year. I have no desire to do anything. I don’t really want to give presents to others even though we have already bought them. I don’t want to go out or be social, I just can’t tolerate all this fake “joy and gladness” that this season brings. You want me to appreciate Christmas. Why not try being nice to me the other 11 months of the year and don’t just try to buy my love in the 25 days in December that its “required” of you. I hate fake people.

Ugh!

 

In other news –

Thanksgiving was nice. John and I drove down to St. George (the day after a huge winter storm.) The drive down was very… hmmm. There’s not really a word for it. We waited until 11 am to leave home for the 6 hour drive, hoping that it would have warmed up a little and the roads would have cleared a bit. But no. I think the temperature was still below 20 when we left home, and since it was Thanksgiving travel day there were a ton of people on the roads and the roads were all icy and treacherous and it took us nearly 2 hours to get through a usually 45 minute drive. After that our windshield wiper fluid was frozen and wouldn’t squirt, causing us to pull over ever so often to throw snow on the windshield or pour some water on it. It finally thawed just outside of St. George… 6 hours later. Then there was a speeding ticket along the way.

Once we were actually IN St. George all was well. Most of the family was staying with John’s sister Kristin and her family. It is always nice to see them. I love being in St. George. Kristin is such a nurturer, it’s nice to just be taken care of once in a while.

For Thanksgiving dinner there was John’s Parents, his sister Rachel and her husband and baby, his brother Scot and his wife, Kristin’s mom and her husband, the sister missionaries, plus Kristin her husband and their two kids… it was a full house.

We drove down Wednesday and came home on Friday. It was just a short trip, but a short trip some times is better then no trip at all.

We came home early so that I could spend some time with my oldest sister who had brought her family down from Washington for the holiday. I love seeing them, I sometimes wish they could stay longer, but then I realize how loud her kids are and I think to myself, “if they just lived here I could see them more often, and send the kids home when the drive me crazy.” But that’s just not how it goes. So they all came and spent time with us while they were down and John and I hosted some “family time” in our little house, which I have declared “Not Big Enough” for the entire Pears family.

 

Well, lets see what has and is going to be happening this month…

 

December 2^nd was John’s work Christmas party and we had dinner at The Lion House. The food was okay. We had something called Chicken ala-BAM! That was rather mediocre, with cheese cake for dessert.

December 3^rd was the Page family Christmas party. It was in Woods Cross this year.

December 7^th was Lariann's birthday I weathered it pretty good this year, but John took the week to wallow in depression, but that’s okay.

December 9^th we went to the movie and saw Tangled. Loved It. Such a cute movie.

December 11^th the family went out to dinner to celebrate Lari’s birthday. Which was much better than last year when we were forced to go to the cemetery and sing happy birthday to her tomb stone. (That’s not something I’ll do again.) the Evans’ and the Bredthauer’s all went to Javier’s in Layton for some yummy Mexican food. After dinner John and I spent some time with our Friend’s Angie and John for game night.

December 13^th we went to the movie again to see the latest of the Narnian flicks. I Loved IT! I thoroughly recommend all three of those movies.

 

That bring us to today… What’s coming up?

 

December 17^th This day is my work Christmas party. We’re staying in this year and ordering from the Olive Garden. After work, John’s parents, Devin, John and myself are all going to see TRON: Legacy in 3D IMAX. We’re all expecting it to be great. Disney better not disappoint us.

December 18^th is the McDermott family Christmas party. I’m hoping it’s not a pathetic disaster like they usually are. This year they’ve discontinued several family traditions that will be missed, but like I told my mom not to long ago it seems like this party only continues every year to humor grandma, but once grandma passes away these parties will probably fall to the wayside. I doubt we’ll see much of anyone once grandma isn’t around anymore.

December 19^th we are having dinner with our super friend Holly. Not only is it her regular dinner for her friends, but it also covers her birthday which is on the 21^st and Christmas party. How nice of her to wrap it all into one night for us.

December 21^st our niece Kira turns two and Holly will me considerably older than that.

December 22^nd John’s sister Rachel is having her birthday and we promised to go out to dinner with them. It is also the day my best friend Loran’s daughter Ashley is getting married.

Then it’s on to Christmas:

December 24^th we’re having the Pears Christmas party at my brother’s house. Fun and enjoyment for all.

December 25^th is Christmas day and it is always full of running about and presents.

 

So far it looks like that will finish out the month for us. There are no plans for New Years, though I have heard a rumor that NKOTB will be hanging out with Dick Clark.