"where are the light switches, and where are the liquor stores?"

that was anna's complaint about coming home for christmas this year. and it was funny. let me explain.

all the kids are out of the house and on our own, anna in texas particularly. and ever since i was old enough to drink, my parents just absolutely quit caring if my underage sisters drank. they also stopped censoring themselves as well. mom came home from italy carrying cases of wine, and that christmas, or maybe the one after it, i got 2 wine bottle openers, a wine carrying box with wine in it, and a cocktails recipe book. so when we come home from our various new towns to visit, alcohol invariably plays a part in the reunion. but we no longer remember how to easily get to a convenient liquor store. well, one without bars on it anyway.

speaking of "home," mom has a new one. really cute, close to downtown, but not completely familiar. we're still not sure where everything is, even if it's in plain sight, whereas we could cook a meal, shower, and retire to bed upstairs in the dark in our old house. this house also has an alarm system, thankfully. sort of. it's great for when people try to break into your mother's house in the wee morning hours, but not so great when you fail to remember the alarm code and have the police show up. twice. (it was twice, wasn't it, becca?) or on christmas morning at 7 am letting your dog out (or was it 6, anna?). like i said, a bit unfamiliar, hence the hunt for light switches in the middle of the night. because, according to anna, they are never in the right place. if you were a light switch, where would you be? right next to the door? well--light switch FAIL.

so, we're at dinner on the 23rd, and becca is leaving for a party and has to bring a bottle of wine. mom refuses to give her red and offers up white, which she refuses, saying she'll just go to the liquor store. and then the confusion ensues about where to go. so anna, at the height of the discussion (that didn't even involve her), announces, "that's what i hate about coming home now! i don't know where the liquor stores are! where are the light switches, and where are the liquor stores?!" and that's all about that.

home is a funny thing. we've only really lived in one house growing up. we all went to the same university, right down the road. that's where "home" really is for us girls. but now dad lives in that house, and it's just...different. and mom lives in another house, and even though it's less familiar, i feel more at home there now. weird.

birthday post--edited, because i've lost all track of time

today is my birthday! 23 with 4 years of experience, as i like to say. the law student gave me my birthday present last night. so now, a birthday present comparison post.

here's not-last year's present:roxy hart lang, affectionately known as
roxyface
foxy roxy
roxycontin
roxymoron
roxygirl
the rox

here's this year's present:

the humidifier

ok, so it's not the sexiest present ever. or the snuggliest (like the previous). but it's kind of awesome, in its own way. i did actually want one. it adds moisture to the air, which really helps with the law student's sinuses/allergies and our collective dry skin. it's programmable and can detect your room's humidity, and has a permanent filter (that necessitates washing, but it seems lately like that's all i ever do, so what's another?). and it makes that beautiful white noise. i also got an xm radio, but i got one for christmas from my dad (gonna have to start asking for different things from different people), so that's going back. all in all, the law student kind of rocks (rox! ha! sorry.) at birthdays.

so, happy birthday to me! and, in true fashion, it's not without its incident. i have managed to "follow" myself on my own blog. i have no idea how i did it or even how to undo it. and thank you, joeli, for becoming my 7th follower. it was a nice birthday present.

edited to add: the rox was not last year's present. i actually can't remember last year's birthday present (shhhhhh). but the comparison still stands.

new celebrity crush

the law student and i watch a bunch of crime drama. by "bunch," i mean specifically law & order: svu, law & order: ci and most recently, criminal minds. and while this guy is super hot,

shemar moore as derek morgan

this guy is my new celebrity crush:matthew gray gubler as dr. spencer reid

yes, he's skinny. his character is a bit awkward on the show. he has long hair (that i adore). and he really really reminds me of the law student when we first met. but total celebrity crush on this guy. almost, if not equally, as big as the one i have on jim halpert, not to be confused with john krasinski, although they look exactly alike.

i just feel like i know jim halpert a little better, you know?

christmas post #1--my christmas favorites

in no particular order, the things i love about the christmas season:

• 24 hours of a christmas story on tbs. my favorite!
  
• mom's cinnamon rolls
  
• grandma ann's dream cookies (i have the recipe!)
• the annual christmas photo cards and making fun of that one braggy newsletter mom used to get from a college friend
• sending out christmas cards to friends
• getting to see my far-flung friends!
• christmas music--carol of the bells, oh holy night, baby it's cold outside, just to name a few.
• wrapping up gifts in brown paper and tying with yarn, just like the song says
• smell of christmas trees
• driving around looking at lights
• candles in windows
• watching old christmas movies from when i was a kid
  
• christmas day steaks
• waking up at 4 am because i still can't sleep through christmas eve
• downtown all lit up
• when we were little, watching the weatherman "track" santa's sleigh on tv
• finding that perfect present
• avoiding all malls by shopping online
  
• matching pajamas
• learning more about the advent season
  
• remembering christmas is not about gifts, or santa, or reindeer. it is a reminder about our Gift, Savior to the world, He who was sent to redeem. so often that story is lost in the story of santa and the worldy christmas of spending money on empty present promises. it is a reminder that there is a Hope and a Future, and for us to live accordingly.
  

honey do lists

the law student is great. case in point: i can send him honey-do lists from work and come home to find a clean house, washed dishes, halfway-made or prepped dinners, clean laundry, et cetera. you get the idea. i usually get a response and a crossed-off update email as well.

here, the latest. keep in mind law exams were over on friday and the weekend consisted of the law student sleeping til noon, passing out after only 1 sip of alcohol, and yelling at the tv when his games were on.

from kissey to law student

you knew it was coming, you sexy beast. (yes, i really called him that)

1. clean up dishes in sink. put away the ones on the left.
2. clean up counters (i.e., wipe down with spray, etc.)
3. lint roll couch and roxy (yes, i lint roll my dog. who are you to judge me?)
4. walk roxy.
5. start laundry--separate our clothes (i have 2 frilly thongs in my bag--white and striped)
6. clean up your desk (watch out for my charts)
7. clean your car.
8. there are clean purple and green towels on the dryer. please put up.
9. we have dirty towels in our hamper
10. wash roxy's bedding
11. i have not sent a check yet to tim and sara.
12. not sure what else. have fun. check back soon.

from law student to kissey:

1. Look at honey-do list with antipathy and wonder where was my wife when I said no honey do list til Tuesday.

because, apparently, 2 days of doing nothing really wore him out.

long overdue update

hello, laura. are you happy now?

so, update. here are a few photos of thanksgiving (also known as the christmas card outtakes):

sweet sisters

kissey, law student and the roxy

family at the egg bowl

thanksgiving successes: i brought wine and made a dish, so i felt grown up. my 5-year-old cousin jay is the cutest thing ever. my grandmother gave me her dream cookies recipe, so i will let you know how they turn out. msu won the egg bowl and i got to see tons of friends.
thanksgiving fails: dad being a jerk and the law student's cowbell was confiscated at the game. boo.

next up: nfp. we are successfully in month 2. no babies yet, thank you jesus. hopefully, this will get easier and more predictable, because right now i really miss birth control.

third: visiting friends. i got to do a lot of it this year! here are a few (more) photos of me most recently at jessica and chet's christmas sweater party, and a few others:

yay for pictures! now if i can just find my camera charger...

and lastly, christmas. can y'all believe it is already the middle of december? where did it go? and i still have so much to do. well, mostly just painting and wrapping gifts that come in the mail. yes, it is another amazon christmas for the langs. i love it--no shopping, no lines, no headaches (that i always get from shopping). just a click to ship and they are dropped off on my doorstep. i even have my tree up already--last week, in fact! this time last year, there was still 1 more week of law exams and the tree did not go up until the week of christmas. soon it will be flanked by brown paper packages tied up with string. i've probably spent too much again this year (more on that later), but am pretty satisfied. this week and next will be made up of parties, wrapping paper and packing, and best of all, JULES and MANDI!

haven't seen this girl in MONTHS

or this one.

we won't all be together this year for the first time EVER. so i'll finish this post (finally!) with a photo of what happens when we get together...


see y'all tomorrow. i'm just BURSTING with blog posts.