Holiday Traditions: My Barbie Tree

This week I have begun decorating the house for Christmas. I have a wide collection of ornaments. However my pride possessions are my Hallmark Barbie ornaments. For over 15 years I have been collecting various Hallmark series of Barbie Christmas ornaments. Each year I designate a tree just for all of my Barbie ornaments. Part of the tradition includes my husband listening to a detailed history of each ornament as it goes on the tree. He looks forward to this every year :)

Holiday Traditions: Lefse

Thanskgiving equals lefse! Every year for Thanksgiving while the turkey is baking in the oven, my mom and dad take out their 40 year old lefse grill and fulfill their yearly quota.

For those of you who don't know lefse, it's a potato base Norwegian tortilla. Northerners who originate from Scandinavia countries like myself like to fill their lefsa with butter and sugar.

As a good daughter, I do claim that my mother makes the best lefse I have ever tasted.

Holiday Traditions: After Thanksgiving Shopping

In good "after Thanksgiving" fashion, my family headed to the "8th Floor Dayton's Display" in downtown Minneapolis. Now I realize that the infamous department store hasn't been Dayton's for 6 years, however, it seems wrong to proclaim we saw the "8th Floor Macy's display!" Yet we are simply grateful Macy's is continuing the tradition of opening the 8th floor to imagination and story for all to enjoy.

Our morning begins with 3 families coming together to enjoy the day. My mom and dad from Eau Claire, my sister, brother-in-law, and niece from Brooklyn Park, and Didrik and I from Inver Grove. We meet in the Women's shoe department on the first floor of Macy's. We then venture to the elevator headed to the 8th floor. The line appears to be long weaving all the way back towards the escalator, however we enjoy each other's company and soon find ourselves at the start of the display. This year the story is Mary Poppin's. The detail and charm is delightful. My 2 year old niece Allison enjoys every animation and surprise. At the end my mom, sister, and I shop for unique treasures while my dad waits in line for gingerbreak cookies.

From the 8th floor display we travel upwards to the 12th floor in order to wait for a table at the Oak Grill. I am able to predict who will order each entree as my family member's deliberate over the intricate menu. They pretend to be interested in something new, however they crave their yearly favorites. Our lunch begins with the perfect appetizer, the Oak Grill popover.

The serious shopping begins after lunch while we visit Macy's trim-the-home and housewares (the basement), Crate and Barrel, William Sonoma, and Target. My feet are tired by the end of the afternoon but my appetite for the holiday season is just beginning.

My 2006 Christmas List

Elizabeth’s 2006 Christmas/Wish List
(thank you for your consideration)

ACCESSORIES

Ticket/Passport Holder
L.L Bean (llbean.com)

Toiletry Bag
L.L Bean (llbean.com)
Size: Large Color: Plum

CLOTHING ITEMS

Cashmere long-sleeve tee
JCrew (jcrew.com) item 71205
Size: L Color: Heather Peppermint


IPEX Body by Victoria Bra
Victoria Secret (victoriasecret.com)
Size: 38D Color: Buff

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

Paris Theme Duvet
Garnet Hill (garnethill.com)
Size: king


Noritake Colorwaves Dishes
Macy’s (macys.com)
Noritake (noritakechina.com)

Serving pieces in blue, purple, or graphite
(Round Platter, Pasta Serving bowl, Round Vegetable Bowl)

Holiday accent plates: 4 of each color (blue, purple, graphite)

Crate and Barrel (crateandbarrel.com)
Orian Collection

Cheese Tray Rectangular Platter Chip and Dip

Dublin Barware Glasses (6 tall and 6 short)


BOOKS/CD/DVD/MEDIA
Rick Steve’s Travel Books
(amazon.com or Barnes and Noble or Border’s)

Victory!

It's days like today that make living in Minnesota worth every minute!
Didn't see the game? Well click here for everything you need to know :)

The Clinic

I just spent over 3 hours at the clinic being poked and prodded from head to toe all because of the stomach flu. So I haven't been feeling well the last couple of days. Sure I've vomited, had a fever, and some aches and pains. And maybe I muttered aloud a couple of times, "I'm dying, I'm dying." But I didn't think that my ailment deserved 3 hours at a clinic. I wouldn't have ever gone except that I finally succumbed to the wishes of my husband to, "go to the doctor."

Going to the doctor is fine, but usually when you have the stomach flu the doctor listens to your symptoms, says its a virus there is nothing I can do, and prescribes drinking plenty of liquids. Well today I ate my words. (or drank them) Instead of a quick look and confirmation of a virus, I had Multiple tests (including x-rays) to insure I didn't have some disease that I can't even pronounce. Now after feeling tired and a bit violated, I am actually feeling a little better. (even before I started taking the horse sized pills I was proscribed) Maybe the best way to get rid of the stomach flu is through hours of procedures at the doctor's office - who would have know!

Listen Up!

So I have this theory: Everywhere you look people are drowning themselves in technology. What do I mean? Stand for five minutes in a skyway, on a street, or in a mall. Watch people walking past. Sure there are the groups of people talking and walking together, however there are of course people walking alone. But are they truly alone?

When is the last time that you rode in your car WITHOUT the radio, talking on the phone, or listening to your favorite CD? Why can't we walk on the street, in the skyway, or ride a bus without our favorite piece of technology attached to our hands or ears.

When I'm at home I find myself on my computer in front of the TV while talking on the phone. Am I trying to distract myself from something? This is where my theory comes to fruition: I believe we are trying to drown our emotions in technology. If we were to actually spend the day ALONE with only our thoughts, what would we tell ourselves? I think the results are too depressing for the experiment.

I was in counseling for a time after my divorce. My therapist challenged me to spend some time with myself. For someone suffering from lack of self worth and doubt, this was a scary assignment. Why couldn't she has asked me to confess all of my sins or confront my ex-husband with all of my wrong-doings? That would have been A LOT easier than actually listening to myself!

If we take time to listen to ourselves what will we hear? "You're worthless. Why can't you get a better job? You have failed in almost everything that you have done. You're alone. No one truly loves you. You're too fat, too ugly, too skinny, too plain." Naturally our existential self wants to deprive ourselves from happiness and optimism. Who wants to hear these voices? And so we pollute the voices with the outside world. If I'm talking to someone on my phone then I don't have to listen to myself.

There is a problem. Eventually we will have to deal with our issues. They may come out in a failed relationship or in a conflict with a family member. Or even worse, we try to lose ourselves in chemicals that will help us forget our reality. (sound familiar?) The skeletons in the closet will come out. But I don't want to think about that, I'm going to go send some text messages to 100 of my closest friends.