Weekend Things

Whew!  Do you ever have a weekend where you end up feeling more tired than rested?  Because I just had one.  And I’m kind of excited that it’s Monday and I have to be sitting at my work desk.  Emphasis on sitting.  We did so much house work this weekend.  But first!  A fun Friday.

P.S. This is a food-heavy post.  You’ve been forewarned.

Guys, I got contacts on Friday morning!  I’ve had glasses with a minor prescription since college but I rarely wear them because I hate seeing the frames in my periph so I’ve just been squinting at the TV guide and missing turns because I can’t read the street sign until I’m passing it.  I finally got contacts and life is easier now.  I took my fully functioning eyes to a concert on Friday night to celebrate.  Or because I was already planning to go to that concert.

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To say I’ve been excited to see The Head and the Heart in concert would be a huge understatement.  I adore this band and I’ve been anxiously awaiting the day I got to see them live.  I’d like to pretend we got there early because we were that excited, but it was like 10% excitement and 90% wanting to get one of the few seats so I wouldn’t have to stand for 3 hours.  And that’s what we call adulthood.

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Anyways, they were every bit as good as I thought they would be.  No, wait, even better!  Call me a uninformed fan, but I had no idea they had two male singers.  Totally thought it was just one voice on their albums.  Oops!  I’m so glad we got to see them.  My heart was soaring when I got to hear “Shake” and “Rivers and Roads” in person.  Chills just thinking about it 🙂  Also, some guy got on stage and proposed to his girlfriend, didn’t invite her on stage, then proceeded to celebrate and hug all the band members while she just stood there in the crowd.  Dude, come on.

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Saturday involved lots of house work — we picked paint, got to work on the kitchen and the living room and hooked up our new range! — and take out.  We tried this pizza place down the street for the first time and despite not having stellar reviews, we actually thought it was really good.  I’m a fan of anywhere that offers a bunch of veggie-licious whole wheat dough options so this was a win for me.  Then the annual viewing of my favoritest Christmas movie.  You think I would be sick of it but no.  Not even in the slightest.

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Sunday started with this bad decision.

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Dear body, please have a more consistent reaction to caffeine.  Love, Lauren.

This was my attempt at having a super productive day and don’t get me wrong it was super productive.  It was also super jittery and anxious.  I will never learn.  After I had more than adequately caffeinated myself, we tackled more painting, a trip to Ikea, a trip to the grocery store, cooking in our so-close-to-being-back-in-one-piece kitchen, un-packing boxes of kitchen stuff and a shower where I’m fairly sure I forgot to rinse the conditioner out of my hair… Oh, and our Christmas lights are finally up.  Yay!

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Then my parents came over to see all the progress at the house and to take us to dinner for their anniversary.  If that sounds backwards to you, then that makes two of us.  I tried to encourage them to enjoy a night out on their own but my mom insisted and I’m not one to turn down dinner.  Plus I suggested they make reservations at a restaurant we had tried to go to on Wednesday night, only to find there was an hour and a half wait.  If that kind of traffic on a week night isn’t a sign of a good restaurant, I don’t know what is.

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I think the popularity might have something to do with these little margaritas.

Turns out it makes more sense to order the large margarita and share it, rather than all order a small or medium for ourselves.  Joey tried to convince both my sister and I to order a large and both share with him.  Yeah, nice try.  Mass consumption of chips, guac, enchiladas, rellenos, burritos and sopapillas ensued.  And by the end of dinner, a majority of the table felt sickeningly full.  Who ordered those sopapillas?!  Oh, right…

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A very Happy Anniversary to my parents! 🙂

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And a Happy Monday to the rest of you!

My Favorite Christmas Movies

Okay, so we’ve been back from Jamaica since Saturday at 2 AM and I swear I’m writing something up about our trip but there’s a lot to say and it’s snowy and I’m watching my all-time favorite Christmas movie and I’m feeling the sudden urge to write about all my other favorites, so Jamaica will have to wait.

My Favorite Christmas Movies

1. Love, Actually

1219-loveactually-inset-2If you haven’t seen or don’t like this movie, you really need to ask yourself “what is my life even about?!”

One time, years and years ago, when I was immature and dramatic, Joey and I bought this movie and I went ballistic when he told me he had watched it without me. Except, I think if that happened now, I would still probably throw a fit. Maybe I’m still immature and dramatic.

2. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

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How great is Jim Carrey in this movie?!

My family took a trip to California one year and did a tour of Universal Studios and they happened to be filming this movie so we got to see the Whoville set. I just remember seeing big whimsical snowy mountains. And that’s the thing about this movie, it captures the whimsy of a Dr. Suess book so perfectly. Plus it’s funny and touching at the same time. Win-win!

3. The Holiday

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I recently watched this one after realizing I hadn’t seen it in a couple years, gasp! Jude Law is gorgeous, Jack Black is endearing, Kate Winslet is perfect as usual and Cameron Diaz is…annoying. Or maybe I’m just jealous because Jude Law is in love with her and her hair always looks perfect. Either way, I LOVE this movie.

After watching it, Joey exclaimed that he wants to have a little English daughter like Jude Law. Which worries me because I am very very American.

4. A Muppet Christmas Carol

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Again, call me immature (see #1), but I’ve always loved this movie. Unfortunately for me, my family only owns it on VHS and apparently it’s socially unacceptable to watch (and sing along to) a movie starring a cast of puppets at the age of 23, so it’s been much too long since I’ve actually watched this one.

5. The Santa Clause

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Another movie I’ve loved since I was little. Tim Allen is so great in this one. I may have watched it a few weeks ago and then quoted line after line after line to my sister so we could giggle like small children. That basically sums up our relationship.

6. Scrooged

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FAVORITE and currently watching. I think this is a lesser-known and hugely overlooked Christmas movie, but seriously, it’s the best. I watch it every year and laugh at all the same lines, like I’ve never heard them before. Bill Murray is the king of all Scrooge characters.

Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go enjoy the rest if my movie.

P.S. Please don’t hate me for not having Home Alone or Christmas Vacation on the list.

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What are your favorite Christmas/holiday movies?

Which Christmas/holiday movies seem to be everyone’s favorite, except yours?