Caribbean Christmas

 A few silly photos from this year's Caribbean Christmas, according to my iPhone:

 Goof balls in Santa hats:)

Our sweet little Christmas tree!

Presents!

Oh Christmas tree...

Festive ferry dock

The car got in on the Santa hat action!

My sexy Santa

Surfing on Christmas Day

The waves weren't very big, but they were fun!

Pretty palm trees

 Cruz Bay Christmas tree

Friday Mind Musings

* I feel like December just started, and already it's 2 DAYS until Christmas!!!!! How did that happen?! I swear my life is flying by right before my eyes! But I've finished my shopping and all my Christmas cards went out, everything is wrapped, and we've been baking like crazy so I'm feeling pretty accomplished as far as Christmas spirit goes!

* My laptop is broken, AGAIN. I hate Gateway with a passion, and I will never, never, never, EVER buy an Acer product again. This makes 7 repairs on a laptop that's under 2 years old. So very frustrated...

* Sky got me a new engagement ring! To make a long story short we found out through a jeweler that blue topaz (the stone in my first e-ring) isn't suitable for everyday wear. So when we found that out I was a little sad and disappointed, but then Sky pointed out that it means I can have more than one ring, since they suggested I rotate it with another ring! And now I love the idea of having more than one ring! The second ring is a white topaz solitaire, and I love it! Yay for sparkly things:)

* The island seems to be so cold lately! And I should clarify that it seems cold to those of us with island blood now! It got down to the low 70s the other night and people on island were walking around in sweats and jeans and jackets and long sleeves (including me!). It was hilarious! And if you think I'm joking that people were calling it "cold" you can ask anyone who lives here how the weather has been lately and see what words they use to describe it!

* I'm currently reading The Radleys by Matt Haig. It's about vampires, although I didn't know that when I picked it up. But so far (about 100 pages in) it's funny and dark and takes a slightly different view of vampires than the norm. Very interesting!

* Not having access to my bank down here has got to be one of the most frustrating things about living here. It takes way too much time and effort to do business with Wells Fargo from St John. But the alternative is banking locally, which for many reasons I just won't do.

* Christmas and Hanukkah music has been playing non-stop in our home, much to Sky's chagrin. But we only listen to it once a year for 3 weeks, so really I'm going to keep playing holiday music until Christmas is here, and maybe even until New Year's! I just can't get enough!

* I am one slacker of a bride. Less than 9 months until the wedding and Save the Dates are still not out! Ahhhh! I need a kick in the pants, or maybe just some inspiration. It seems like every time I decide on a detail of the wedding, I change my mind! The joys of indecision!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day! Happy Friday, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

Thursday Mind Musings

* Christmas is only 17 days away!!!!! I'm so excited I can barely stand it! How am I going to get all my shopping and decorating and baking done before Christmas?! Ahhh!!!

* The weather is definitely cooling down here on St John! The days remain a balmy 80 to 85 degrees, but the nights have been bringing cooler air in, which is awesome since like a majority of the island, we don't have AC!

* I've been listening to Christmas music non-stop! My playlist of favorite Christmas and holiday tunes grows by the year:

Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo 12/24 by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The Holly & The Ivy by Annie Lennox

All I Want for Christmas is a Real Good Tan by Kenny Chesney

Ave Maria by Celtic Women

Carol of the Bells by Mannheim Steamroller

Last Christmas by Wham!

Christmastime is Here by Charlie Brown Holiday Hits

Silent Night by The Temptations

All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams

Happy Xmas by John Lennon

* To sum life up these days: work, beach, bar, home, love, friends, happiness & laughter: Life is good, and I am very thankful:)

* Oh and I've decided to rename these entries from "Mind Dump" to "Mind Musings" for two reasons: first, I love alliteration! And second the word "dump" was making me uncomfortable!

Hope everyone has a beautiful day!

Christmas Wish List

I think part of my love for making Christmas lists (other than to be helpful to friends and family who request it) is browsing through catalogs and scouring Amazon.com and window shopping to my heart's content! I love making lists of shiny, pretty, new things that I'd like to have! That's not to say I expect these things, but it's fun to imagine! I've always done this, even when I was a child. I've just gotten started this year, but here are a few things on my Christmas Wish List so far...

A Mac!

VS Gift Card (helloooo bikinis!)

I've wanted this watch for a year now! Maybe Santa will bring it!

I'm obsessed with Pottery Barn. And having things monogrammed.

And of course the usual can't-go-wrong gifts: pedicures, massages, or anything pink or sparkly. Oh I can't wait to open presents this year!

A Not So Merry Christmas

This is so much harder than I thought it was going to be!! I am devastated today. I'm sad and lonely and heartbroken all over again.

And I know this is stupid but I am wondering if I should just go back to what is comfortable and what I know, even if it isn't right for me. Is it better to be sad and alone or sad and with someone?

My heart is full of hurt and sadness and loneliness today. Not a good day at all. And I don't want to hear the words Merry Christmas. I know that's bitter, but it's the truth. I don't know what to do.

The Holidays

I plan on being alone for the holidays this year, which I'm not happy about but I am okay with. I'll be spending Christmas and New Year's alone partly because I'm house-sitting, and partly because I have found myself to be so grumpy and unhappy and very not in the Christmas spirit these days. And while I'm grumpy and unhappy less and less as time passes, I still have really, really low moments. And I know that no one wants to deal with that during what's supposed to be the most joyful time of the year. I'm also still in full on grief mode, especially now. I thought I would be spending these holidays happy and pregnant and full of joy for life ahead of me. And even though I was full of DELUSIONS to think that things would be that way, it doesn't change the fact that I'm mourning my baby and the idea of a happy family and life.

So I've decided to keep my bitterness and grief and anger and sadness to myself. Christmas, New Year's and just about every day in between will find me in my pjs, with a glass of wine in hand, surrounded by books and blankets and movies that have nothing at all to do with love or family or children or the holidays. And no matter how sad and pitiful that sounds, I am going to be okay.

Here's to a happy holiday season to you, and here's to getting through it for me.

Free Christmas Music

If you want to get into the Christmas spirit for free Amazon.com is offering one free feature holiday song a day until Christmas!! Here's the list available so far:

12/6 Auld Lang Syne
12/5 Angels We Have Heard on High
12/4 O Come All Ye Faithful
12/3 Your Holiday Song
12/2 Winter Games
12/1 White Winter Hymnal

Plus they have several holiday samplers full of music for free: "Timeless Christmas", "The Bell Medley", "Acorn Music Free Holiday Sampler" and "Sugo Music Free Holiday Sampler" among others. So go ahead, and get into the holiday spirit already!! Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Cards!

Christmas cards totally skipped my mind until I saw someone post on Facebook about finishing theirs. And then I got excited!!!!! It never occurred to me to send out personal Christmas cards before, but this year we can!! I'm trying to decide which website has the best designs and deals. So far I've heard good things about Walgreens and Shutterfly. I'm thinking this should be super easy since Sky and I have already picked out the picture we want to use. So excited!!