2014 A Year in Review

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At the end of every year I like to think about how the year went for me. This year I went through some changes and heart ache which made me a better person.

Let’s go through what went down in 2014.

  • I lost 30 pounds
  • My doctor says I am healthy
  • I cut some people out of my life but still working on how I feel about that
  • Told someone how I felt and it didn’t go well
  • Went to an awesome concert
  • Met Jeremy Spencer from 5FDP
  • Met 5FDP
  • Went on two awesome vacations
  • Started to learn American Sign Language (having fun as well)
  • Worked heavily on my creative imagination-meaning I created some really good stories this year and I will continue. In fact I have a story that I love writing now. Thinking of publishing that one in the future.
  • Played some awesome video games like GTA 5, Resident Evil Revelations and Little Big Planet 3 which I got for Christmas.
  • I didn’t have any real major problems with my teeth this year. That is accomplishment.
  • Halloween was fun
  • Thanksgiving really sucked
  • Christmas was just okay
  • Added new bands to my listening pleasure
  • Our Escape got a bunch upgrades (That means can keep it for longer)
  • My Little brother moved to Oregon. Our relationship got better

I will have to say that 2014 was big but I want 2015 to be bigger.

Christmas

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“It’s that time again!”

It’s Christmas time again. This year feels different for me. First, I didn’t put up my Christmas tree till the thirteenth which is late because we usually put it up after Thanksgiving. I am just not feeling the Christmas spirit.

When I really think about I only like the traditions that Jeff and I have. Listen to Christmas music while putting up the tree. We watch the movie White Christmas before Christmas and then Elf on Christmas day. It’s the little things that I like.

When I was kid Christmas was fun. We celebrated Christmas Eve. We would go to church with my parents then come home and eat pizza. After pizza we would hide in a bed room and Santa would come. Then after that we would all sit down and everyone would take turns opening presents. It was fun!

As an adult it was not too bad till about three years ago. When everyone was getting married and then my sister had her first kid. The adult kids would exchange presents. I thought it was fun. We would put a name in a bowl and then pick one out. This way we didn’t have to buy a present for everyone. I thought it was cool until, my older siblings started to have more kids. Then that stopped. They all decided that Christmas was for the kids not adults. How lame! Christmas can be for adults as well. Can’t adults be kids at heart? I know that I am and besides I like giving presents as much as I like receiving them.

Now my parents and my father in law give us money which I am fine with. We just buy the kid’s presents which they open in like two seconds and that is it. There is no magic in Christmas. This year we are going to my sister’s house instead of my parent’s house which we are fine with, it’s closer. Here is how Christmas is going to go: Get to my sister’s house, my parent’s will be late because they always are. It’s just my family, parent’s and my sister’s family. My brothers will not be there for Christmas because my younger brother can’t afford to come to Wisconsin this year and my older brother only celebrates Christmas with us every other year. He and his family go to Texas because that is where his wife is from. Then we eat dinner, open presents, talk and then leave. Not much to it.

Jeff and I do not exchange presents either. We are really bad at this. Every year that we have been married we cannot make it to Christmas to give each other a present we picked out for each other. So this year Jeff just told me what he got me. I got some expansion packs for my Sim 3 and since he cannot remember which ones I have it’s better to ask. I got him 1 Million Dollars cologne. It smells wonderful on him.

I am glad Christmas is here though, so it can pass. Bring on the New Year, I am ready!

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Christmas Music

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“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”.

I have been listening to Christmas music since November and wondering how many times I could hear the same song, sang in different ways. The answer is a lot!

I love Christmas music that I heard when I was a child and I am also particular on who sings which songs as well. I think Bing Crosby only can sing White Christmas no other band or artist can sing it as well as he can, Elvis Presley can only sing Blue Christmas and Burl Ives can only sing Silver and Gold. I remember when the movie Home Alone came out. It was so popular! The song Rocking around the Christmas tree by Brenda Lee was in that movie and ever since then I love that song. Add that one to the list.

Before I knew who Gene Autry was, I remember him singing Upon The Housetop (Ho Ho Ho) and Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer. As an adult Gene Autry is one of my favorite artists of all time. I have seen all his movies.

Also can’t forget the greats: Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Burl Ives and Frank Sinatra singing Christmas music, wouldn’t be Christmas music without them. Especially Frank Sinatra, he is also one of my favorite artists of all time. I could listen to him forever, it wouldn’t matter what he was singing. I love his voice.

Let’s go to untraditional Christmas music which is fun and funny to listen to.

When I was a really small kid we had a record player and I remember listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks before they are what they are today. Alvin and the Chipmunks was a cartoon that would play every Saturday, also they weren’t 3D. I loved the song called The Chipmunk song (Christmas don’t be late) this song reminds me playing the record on the record player.

Also when I was younger I use to love listening to Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer by Elmo & Patsy in fact it was my favorite Christmas song for a long time. Now when I hear it, it brings back fun memories listening to it.

Now when I was teenager I liked Hanson, yes I liked MMMBop. I love their whole Christmas album Snowed In, in fact I still love listening to it as an adult.

Teenager Danielle also liked boy bands. I was a huge Backstreet and N*SYNC fan. I liked N*SYNC Christmas songs Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and O Holy Night-A Capella.

Time for adult Danielle.

Last year I heard this A Capella group called Straight No Chaser love their Christmas songs Christmas Melody, 12 Days of Christmas and Who Spiked the Eggnog? (I love Eggnog!)

Some other funny Christmas songs that I gotta to listen to are: Jeff Foxworthy 12 Redneck of Christmas, Bob Rivers What’s It To Ya?, Didn’t We Get Last Year, Mel Blanc Yah Das Ist Ein Christmas Tree (Sounds like his saying the f word), Porky pig (Mel Blanc) Blue Christmas. And my ultimate favorite is Da Yoopers Rusty Chevrolet. I know there are many others but we could be here forever.

Every year we like to watch two movies about Christmas. White Christmas (1954) which has Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen all great singers. Love that sound track. Then we watch Elf (2003) which has Zooey Deschanel who in my opinion has a beautiful voice. In that movie I like when she sings Baby It’s Cold Outside. Also she is in a band called She & Him and they have some awesome Christmas songs I can’t pick out just some because they are all good.

Of course there are some Christmas songs I can’t stand no matter who sings them. They are Little Drummer boy, Sleigh Ride, Santa Baby, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa and The Christmas Shoes.

But there are some that are so beautiful to listen to like Ava Maria and What child Is This.

Love the Christmas music throughout my life and remembering how it was fun being a kid during Christmas to at least having fun listening to new Christmas songs as an adult. I love Christmas music weather it’s traditional or silly.

Slang & Idioms

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My friend Helen made me think on how I talk. As an American, I use slang and idioms every day. I didn’t realize how many there were and I’m not the only one to use them; my friends, family, on TV, in magazines basically everywhere. I am going to count slang and idioms that I use just to see how many there are. Of course not all at once, first I have to pay attention, listen and write them down when I say, hear or see them. Also I will include other slang and idioms that I do not use or even what Wisconsinites say. I do know what they all mean even though I may not say them in everyday conversations. I will indicate which ones I do not use.

Idioms

1. Hit the nail on the head meaning you are correct.

You really hit the nail on the head when you said the Green Bay Packers would win the game.

I hit the nail on the head when I knew I would get that promotion.

2. Hold down the fort meaning to take care of a place while someone is gone like a store or a home.

So you hold down the fort (take care of my home) while I go on vacation.

I will hold down the fort till the boss gets back.

3. Lay it on me meaning tell me.

I have some crazy stories. Lay it on me!

This guy told me the stupidest excuse ever. Lay it on me.

Slang

1. Swamped meaning overloaded with work.

I am swamped at work.

I am swamped with homework.

2. Trashed meaning being really drunk.

I got totally trashed last New Year’s Eve party.

I think Kevin is trashed.

3. Bubbler meaning water fountain for drinking. Note: I do not say this but a lot of Wisconsinites say this.

I need a drink from the bubbler.

Let’s get a drink from the bubbler.

Laughing

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Did you ever hear that saying: Laughing is the best medicine. I find truth in that saying. I laugh every day, yes every day! Unless something really tragic happens then no one is laughing. But part from that I laugh every day. Sometimes a chuckle or a really big laugh where I am crying because it is so funny!

The reason why I laugh so much is because of Jeff, he is so funny and makes me laugh every day. He tells the funniest stories, when he says something wrong and it comes out really funny or he has many funny faces! I thought I was funny but no he is the funniest person, I have ever met. I believe everyone should find someone who makes them laugh without trying really hard at it.

We laugh about the funny things that happen to us either while we were dating or recently. We laugh about stuff that has happen to us when we were kids. We are always laughing about something! I think laughing makes life more fun. We both find the stupidest things funny too. It’s fun to have someone in my life who even finds those things funny.

I even laugh at myself. If you can’t laugh at yourself, you take life too seriously. There will always be time to be serious but not every day. And Jeff does know the difference between being funny and being serious.

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Koko

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In my cover photo the tan dog his name is Scotty. That is my father in law’s dog. The black dog is Koko. He’s our dog. We have had Koko for three years and he is a purebred black Labrador, he also eight years old.

First I am allergic to animals that have fur which is like a lot of them. Here how my symptoms go: itchy, watery eyes, hives then I can’t breathe because I have asthma as well. I hate it because I love animals.

Three years ago I told Jeff I really wanted a dog. So I suggested of getting a Shih Tzu because I had one when I was growing up and bonus not allergic to them because they have hair instead of fur. Jeff’s like no “I want a big dog” because while Jeff was growing up he has a lot dogs mostly German Shepherds and Saint Bernard’s which are both big dogs!

I was like “I don’t know” I really didn’t want a German Shepherd because the one they had when I met Jeff hated me. Really she hated me! So I didn’t really want one of those also HELLO I am allergic to both of those dogs.

We both thought about the pound because there are so many dogs at the pound for adoption and we both knew we really didn’t want a puppy. But the pound is also expensive. That is where my in laws got Scotty. Also I probably want them all!

So we looked on Craglist and that is where I saw him. I am like that’s it, I want him! Just something about his picture I had to see this dog. Jeff’s like “you will be allergic to him” and I was like “I don’t care we have to see this dog. “

So on the weekend we went to Green Bay and saw him. He was so hyper! But we just really cute! You know when you get that feeling that “this is right?” I had that feeling like this dog is right for us. I was like yes we will take him. Want to know how much we paid for him? Nothing! He was free! Not like that matters, I would have been gladly paid them for him. But it’s still cool!

And ever since then he has been the perfect dog for us! It was like he was meant to be part of our family. I am glad that my allergies aren’t really bad around him. But sometimes he does make me breakout but I give him a bath and we are good.

Also Koko is on the large size. They say some purebreds labs can be larger than the normal size and that is Koko. So in the end Jeff got what he wanted a large dog. (I like to point that out to him, lol!) Even people that come over just can’t believe how big he is. It’s funny to me because he doesn’t look all that big to me but I see him every day.

Also Koko is very mild dog. At first he was really hyper but that’s the breed. But when he turned seven he started to slow down. I love his personality, he doesn’t bark all that often, he loves children or people in general but he will be defend me if I get scared. Like when one of our landlords came over unannounced and started working in the yard scared me half to death because I wasn’t expecting anybody to be around Koko growled and barked at him.

I do call him my gentle giant because he really is, expect for his tail. That thing is lethal! When he gets excited that tail will whack anything! Have to be careful especially around children because he can knock them down or hurt them even though he doesn’t mean too, he just gets so excited. Also he has knocked down a lot of stuff in our house.

But all in all, he is makes me laugh. He’s does funny things and has many funny faces! He is also very clumsy. He trips over himself a lot! Which is kinda funny to see, but I also read that Labs are clumsy. It’s just funny!

Also Koko parent’s his mom was a yellow lab and his dad was a chocolate lab and he turned out black. It’s cool because in the sunlight you can see the brown show through but on his head you can see gold.

It’s nice because Koko loves Scotty they are best friends. They play together and hang out together. So it’s a good meld.

We love Koko very much and we are so happy he is part of our family!

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Things that irritate me

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Part One

There are many things that irritate me but I am going to talk about words or phrases that really get to me.

Now I understand if you come from a different country or state and speak American English there is going to be different slang or phrases but some are just ridiculous.

I was born and raised in Wisconsin and there is a phrase that Wisconsinites say, “Stop ‘n’ go lights” I hear this quite often and seriously just say “stop lights” or “traffic lights”. We all know a stop light, stop and go but we don’t need to say stop ‘n’ go lights. Example: Now just go down the street and take a right turn at the stop ‘n’ go lights.

The phrase “cash money.” I hate this phrase because it’s two words that mean the exact same thing. Just say either cash or money but not cash money. It sounds like you don’t know what you are saying and it’s not funny. I have even heard this phrase in TV shows, commercials and movies and it irritates me. Example: I won cash money!

I heard my older brother at Thanksgiving, and he kept saying “Awesome sauce”. Awesome Sauce is a stupid phrase, just say awesome. Why does awesome have to add sauce? I know it’s a figure of speech but seriously stop it. Example: I am awesome sauce!

A word that gets to me is “huge” some people just say “uge” like hello there is an “h” in front of the word so say the whole thing. It’s not Uge it’s Huge! Example: Wow this house is uge!

One more word “innit” my sister in law says this word and it makes her sound like she can’t speak well. Innit means isn’t it. Example: My car is cool innit?