Am I wretched if I write a ranting message to Gamestop… complaining about something that happened to me today… but also mentioning that it’s bad enough that they “practically rape their customers on trades” and other stuff about their “shady business practices”? I’m seriously fed up with them… maybe I shouldn’t have written all that other stuff. But I have to admit… I felt better afterwards. I’ve heard there’s another game store around… I’m going to check it out (I told them that, too!)

Edit: I also want to say that I am quick to point out excellent customer service - I wrote a note to the Texas DPS office about the wonderful lady that helped answer a bunch of questions for me (after I’d been brushed off by our closest office, but I didn’t mention that part. I just wanted them to know that this lady had gone above and beyond). I received a reply that the sergeant in charge of that office would be hearing about this outstanding employee.

I can let stuff go for awhile but I think today with Gamestop I just had hit the breaking point. My son found a couple of other stores we can try out. Yay!

My boys decided to go in together with their Target gift cards on a Wii. Problem is, no Target has them, pretty much no one has them. I spent a lot of time yesterday researching/searching/calling looking for one. Late in the night, I found a nifty “back door” to check Wal Mart in-store inventory online. I drove over to a store that showed in stock but they were out - the inventory is only updated once a day in the early hours of the morning, so that info was pretty old by then. This morning I looked at it again and a store about 30 minutes away showed in stock. I called. They said they had them. So 2 of the boys and I hopped in the car to try it. Amazingly enough, we got one. Now this means I had to buy some Target gift cards but I can be finished Wii-hunting. We also picked up an extra set of controllers and a game at Target.

I haven’t had a chance to play yet on this one. I might like to get Guitar Hero because I enjoyed it at my brother’s house at Thanksgiving. I read that Wii bowling is pretty popular at assisted-living centers and I think that is way cool! Wouldn’t it be fun to go to a nursing home and play Wii with some of the residents?

My 4 year old was FINALLY able to get a Nintendo DS lite today, too. The handheld games are really good while he’s wearing his eye patch for amblyopia. I would like to get the Brain Age game and borrow his DS to play it. lol.

I am looking forward to sleeping without dreaming of where to find a Wii tonight!

That’s all that’s left, I think. Big stuff is done, but there’s a lot of little things to wrap, plus we wrap all the stocking stuffers for extra fun. Our plan is to finish that today. But I think I’m done setting foot in stores until after Christmas. Whew!

We just got home from seeing the new National Treasure movie - really enjoyed the relatively clean action/adventure fun of these movies and look forward to the next one. We rarely go to the theater but we went to the early (10:10 am) showing and got us all in for $30. We love movies but usually wait for the DVD and use our ClearPlay DVD player to cut out any garbage. We’re pretty pleased with the filtering but I have to be careful about recommending a movie - I have to be sure to mention our ClearPlay cleaned it up, LOL! Before this we used a TV Guardian player - the ClearPlay is much better, IMO.

My mom is coming in tomorrow and my brother and his family will be here on Christmas Day. I’m hoping we can have a good visit without any drama!

I am typing this on my brand new laptop, Merry Christmas to me! I love it!

We did this fun thing, sorta like the Elf Yourself deal - Snowball Fight - my little boys LOVED watching themselves in the snowball fight.  It’s probably the closest they’ll get to the real deal!

Merry Christmas!

My 11yo and I especially like it. It’s called Let it Snow Baby… Let it Reindeer. They have a site to send an e-card and you can hear some of it playing while you create your card: http://www.letitsnowbaby.com/. I think it’s good so far. I used to try to get a new Christmas CD every year but had stopped. I did get a Trans-Siberian Orchestra CD last year, I think. If anyone is reading this, please feel free to make some suggestions… I need some MORE new Christmas tunes!

Brent posted this and suggested others do it, too. It was fun. Thanks, Brent!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot Chocolate, especially made with Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and warm milk. I can drink maybe one small cup of egg nog but that’s it. Too thick. Blech.

2. Does Santa wrap the presents or just set them under the tree?

Santa? We opted not to do Santa with our own children. When I was a child, I think there were some wrapped and some not. Usually a big/special present left unwrapped. I remember my Mrs. Beasley doll sitting in one of our kitchen chairs one Christmas morning.

3. Colored or white lights?

I prefer white - lots of them. We always had the big colored bulbs when I was a child. Now I think they’re really cool and retro. But white still is my fav.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

No.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Whenever I get around to it. This year the tree went up yesterday and the ornaments were finished today. That’s pretty much all the decorating we do, well, that and hanging the stockings. I like a fresh wreath for the front door but didn’t get one this year.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?

Hmmmm. I don’t know. I like it when my sister-in-law brings Deviled Eggs!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?

Probably the anticipation of Christmas morning.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

I don’t remember. I don’t think I was devastated or anything, though.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

We used to do one gift for the boys on Christmas Eve, but the last few years we’ve done it all on Christmas Eve. Not sure what we’ll do this year.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

I am slightly… okay, very neurotic about some of my ornaments. I have a lot of Hallmark that I want the boxes to stay nice so *I* have to open them and give them to the boys to put on. Then there are some that I personally have to put on, either because they are very fragile or I’m extra sentimental about them. I love the ones they’ve made at Sunday School or other places, especially the ones that incorporate their little hand prints or photos. We also have a ton of kid-safe ones. Most of those are at little boy height and crammed into a very small area on the tree. I am trying very hard not to mess with them.

11. Snow: Love it or hate it?

Love it. When I’m at home and don’t have to go anywhere. I love there to be enough to play in, but that happens so rarely. I love that it causes school to close and people to go outside and play, or stay inside and light a fire and drink hot chocolate.

12. Can you ice skate?

Nope.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

Yes. And he turns 12 years old on the 25th.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?

Christmas - that Jesus came. The holidays in general - that family gathers.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

I just tried out a killer Pecan Praline Chocolate Chip Pie recipe made with Praline liqueur that I think is my new favorite.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

We’ve been going to our church’s Christmas Eve services for a few years and have really enjoyed it. That’s probably my personal favorite right now.

17. What is on top of your tree?

A star made with gold colored wire. It’s prettier than it sounds. Really.

18. Which do you like best giving or receiving?

Giving, especially when I think I’ve found a perfect gift for someone. Shopping, I don’t enjoy.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?

I was telling one of my boys yesterday that I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, but I did learn a lot of Christmas Carols and that they were all I knew of Christ. They are still special to me and I don’t think I can choose just one! I like O come, O Come Emmanuel. I like Rebecca St. James’ version of Sweet Little Jesus Boy. And The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole. I am on the hunt for some new Christmas music, though. I need some suggestions.

20. Do you like candy canes?

They’re okay on occasion. Chocolate is better.

21. What is your favorite Christmas movie?

It’s a Wonderful Life. Really helps me put stuff in perspective. I remember when the Charlie Brown specials being on TV was a BIG deal. Now, I own them all on DVD and can watch them in June if I want to. I still like them but don’t watch them on the night they’re on broadcast TV.

for Rio Star Ruby Red grapefruit being in season. Oh.My.Goodness! Yummy-licous!

You know how certain songs bring back specific memories? Here are a few of mine:

I can’t pick an individual song that reminds me of middle school because there’s a bunch of them. Instead of using bells to change classes, they played music. When the music started, class was over, when the music stopped, we had to be in the next class. It was kind of fun. Some I remember: Midnight Blue, Melissa Manchester; Jackie Blue, Ozark Mountain Daredevils; The Hustle, Van McCoy and The Soul City Symphony; Kung Fu Fighting, Carl Douglas; One Of These Nights, Eagles; Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry. There are tons more.

Crocodile Rock by Elton John – Roller skating. Every Friday night.

Rage in the Cage by J Geils Band. This is a B side of their popular song Centerfold – does that date me? B side? I only know it exists because of the jukebox at Pizza Hut in the town I finished high school in (do jukeboxes even exist anymore?) My friend Barbara and I would go to there in our senior year and one day we played that song and it FIT how we felt about high school. We were in a cage; we were raging to get out. Of course, I never have heard that song anywhere but that Pizza Hut but it’s the main song I think of when I think of high school.

“It don’t take a PhD
To know I’m goin’ nowhere fast
I’ve got to move - I’m on the move
It don’t take much to see
This town is livin’ in the past”

Graduation day was like being released from prison. I couldn’t understand all the girls crying about it being over. I was so incredibly happy that day…

True by Spandau Ballet. I was attending Kilgore College. The employees of the KFC were abducted and murdered. A couple of the victims were in classes with me. I remember Joey flirted a lot with my friend, Beth. This song brings back all those sad feelings…

I commuted to college and spent a ton of time in the car and remember lots of Pat Benatar, Cheap Trick, Van Halen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers…

The summer of 1985, when we got engaged I remember these two: Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves; Summer of ‘69 by Bryan Adams.

I don’t know that I do that as much now – associate songs with events or times in my life. Weird!