Christmas Time (Part 5)

Christmas Day has finally arrived!!!!
Now that all the prep work is done, it's time to discuss the actual day of Christmas. Waking up early, eating breakfast (sometimes), opening gifts with family (after you've nicely woken them up), and spending the day sharing presents and time with the close ones you love. Christmas day can seem quite long, and usually a nap is necessary in order to make up some of the sleep from the night before. On Christmas Eve, you stay up late in anticipation of the following day, and Christmas morning you wake up early from all the excitement! After all the gifts are opened, and the naps have been had, it's time for the feast that is Christmas dinner. MMMMMMM!!! Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, gravy and much much more are all important pieces of Christmas dinner. Don't forget the baked goods and the pumpkin pie for dessert!!

Sometimes the end of Christmas day can be bitter sweet. However, I've learned that if you play games or watch a Christmas movie (some form of entertainment)late into the night with your friends and family, it really helps with the realization that it's all over. The following morning (Boxing Day) is filled with early shoppers rushing around to get that sweet deal, so don't forget to get a good night sleep on Christmas night.

The next thing to look forward to is New Year's! It's not as exciting as Christmas, however, my birthday is on New Year's Day, so I have a little more excitement built up towards that holiday.

I hope my Christmas spirit has been evident enough, and has rubbed off on some of you.

Wishing everyone a happy, holiday season,
Emily :)

Christmas Time (Part 4)

Today's Christmas topic deals with friends, family, and Christmas parties.

Christmas is a wonderful time when family travels from near and far to spend quality time with the ones they love. Christmas parties are happy occasions when friends and family are in the area, and they all decide to get together to enjoy each other's company. I love Christmas parties. It's the one time of year when everyone can catch up with what's going on in their friend's lives. I like the family reunions where everyone is relaxed because of the holidays. We stay up late playing games and talking, eating way too much food, especially baked goods, and drink till we're merry! The entire atmosphere is wonderful. The warm, holiday smells, the noise from the company of friends and families laughing and carrying on, and the sight of the ground and trees covered in snow. Oh, how I love Christmas time!I also enjoy taking brisk walks with my family, letting the crisp air beat away at my face.

These times shared with family and friends are just another joy resulting from the wonder of the Christmas season.

Tomorrow's posting will be a very, very important one. Don't miss it!!! :)

Christmas Time (Part 3)

One thing that is definitely a necessity of Christmas is the Christmas tree. When it comes to Christmas trees there is a wide selection from which to choose. Some people prefer the artificial trees, while others would rather a real tree. Some people enjoy cutting their own tree down, others would rather just buy it pre-cut. My opinion: I like having a tree that was searched out, cut down, and taken home. My childhood memories are filled with the trips to the tree farm, where we'd do just that. I love the smell of a real Christmas tree. The decorating aspect can be somewhat painful, due to the sharpness of the needles, but this can also vary depending on the type of tree chosen.

Now that I've described the type of tree I enjoy, I must clarify something. I like any and all trees. I guess you could say a "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree would satisfy my tree wants. I'm not against the artificial ones either. Last year, I was able to get my very first artificial tree. Of course I still got a real one, but I was able to decorate 2 trees. I think this way of doing it makes the most sense. Now, I have a smaller, artificial tree, which I can set up and decorate well in advance of Christmas day. I can also get a real tree, closer to the date, and pick it out and decorate it just as I did when I was a child. The other benefit of having 2 trees is that there is more than 1 room with a tree in it. Also, there is a place to put the wrapped presents that were done before the real tree was purchased.

I may have told you this before, but when I have my own house, I will definitely have a tree in my bedroom. I just think it makes the most sense. That way, when you're laying in bed at night, especially on Christmas Eve, you can be reminded of all the joys of Christmas. Decorating the tree is another important matter of discussion. The decorating can be done in a variety of different ways. Here are a few options:
All the ornaments can match.
All childhood ornaments can be used.
Colorful lights can be hung.
White lights can be used.
Flashing lights can be used.
And many more options, or a combination of some of the above options.

The most important thing to note when talking about the Christmas tree is to have one that you like, decorate it in a way that you will remember it, and always, always look at it. The memories from a simple tree will go along way into the future with you.

p.s. If you do choose a real tree, don't forget to water it regularly!!!!

Stay tuned for more Christmas discussion .....

Christmas Time (Part 2)

Good morning!!

So, I left you last night with my ideas of Christmas decorating! Today, we're going to look at Christmas shopping. Now, I understand that some people aren't interested in spending a lot of money on buying gifts for EVERYONE, however, I am not one of those people. People have reasons for not wanting to spend the money, either they don't have it, they want to keep it, or any other reason you can think of. Personally, I love buying gifts. If I don't have enough money to actually buy someone what I want to give them, I get really disappointed. Maybe I have a big heart, or maybe I just really like giving gifts. I love watching people open up gifts they didn't expect to get. Their faces are priceless!

Christmas isn't only about gifts, but for me, it's a huge part. I like to start my Christmas shopping well in advance. This way, I'm able to start getting ideas for what to give people, and then I'm not too stressed by the time Christmas comes around. I also enjoy saving a few purchases till the very end. I love being out in the busy shopping centers with everyone crowded, rushing around, and waiting in long line-ups. Most people find this somewhat annoying, but I enjoy it.

While Christmas shopping, I enjoy being in stores that play Christmas music, watching the snow falling on the streets, and getting the jolt of cold air that you receive when moving from store to store. One very important thing to remember while shopping: Even if you're too old to sit on his knee, always stop and take a look at Santa.Notice how happy the kids are while waiting in line for a chance to tell "the big guy" what they want for Christmas.

Once the bank account is drained and all the gifts are purchased, it's time to wrap! Wrapping includes drinking hot chocolate, eating baked goods and listening to Christmas carols. In order to wrap your gifts successfully, you need boxes, bags, wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbons, bows, tags, tape, scissors, and a pen. Once every gift has been wrapped to your satisfaction, the only thing left to do is put them under the tree!

Now, you're one step closer to being ready for Christmas!!!
Tomorrow: The Christmas Tree!

Christmas Time

So, I'm creating this blog, partly for school, but also because I really enjoy blogging and I haven't done it in quite some time. This entry is about Christmas! I love everything about Christmas. In this entry I will be discussing the decorating aspect of Christmas.

Most people I know decorate their house in some way around Christmas time. I believe they enjoy taking part in the festivities. Now, decorating can range from hanging a few lights to having every surface of your house displaying an ornament or decoration of some sort related to Christmas. I'm more likely to have every surface inside and outside of my house covered with lights, decorations, and Christmas ornaments. Decorating my house takes more than 1 full day. People may look at this as a waste of time, but I enjoy every minute of it. I don't care if it's freezing cold outside, and my fingers feel like they're about to fall off. I will hang as many lights as my dad will let me. Technically, the house is his. When I buy my own house, I'm determined to have a Christmas tree in my bedroom!! It's important to listen to Christmas music while decorating. This really helps encourage the Christmas mood!

I like to get a good head start on my decorating. This way, I'm able to enjoy the fruits of my labour for much longer than simply a few days right around Christmas day. Having the decorations up early helps spread out the length of the season. Once the house is ready for Christmas, the people inside the house generally become more excited and begin to anticipate the upcoming holidays. Christmas time brings so many fond memories back to mind about previous holidays. Each decoration holds a memory, and this is what makes decorating such an important part of Christmas.

I feel sorry for those who don't embrace the season, those who don't go all out in the decorations. I believe they're missing out on a great, fun-filled, entertaining experience. I don't doubt that their holidays will still be enjoyable, but I feel decorating can really enhance their Christmas celebrations!

That's all for now. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post about Christmas

a week of information

So, today I came into school and realized that my class was cancelled, so instead of using this time to work on homework (like any good student), I decided to finally sit down and blog, yay!! So, here I am, sitting in a computer lab that I think has a class going on, but there's only like 4 students and they're just talking and having fun, and I'm just listening to my ipod and blogging. :)
So, some thoughts....
Caleb got a job at the bank, yay, but he just found out that Fridays are "Jean Fridays", this means that he has to wear jeans to work. If you don't know Caleb, he has never worn jeans since he was like 7 or 8 years old, and he doesn't even own a pair. People often wonder how this is possible, and what type of pants he wears. So, yesterday we went to the mall, and found 2 really nice pairs of jeans. When the guy asked Caleb what style he likes, we both laughed and Caleb said that he didn't know. I informed the sales person that Caleb doesn't own jeans and never wears them. The guy looked puzzled and walked around the counter to see what type of pants Caleb was wearing. I laughed!! I bought Caleb the jeans we found as a present for a) getting the job, and b) because I wanted to be the one to buy his first pair of jeans!!!!! I told him aloooooong time ago that jeans would look really good on him :) So now, I think he is going to expct a lot of compliments from me each time he wears them, which I think starts tonight! I'm just happy because I thought this day would never come!! :) :)
Sarah is coming home on Saturday. This is exciting because I like never talk to her, and don't see her alot because she's been away at school in Windsor, the University of Windsor, actually. Anyways, I talked to her a couple of nights ago and we are both excited to be reunited and do lots of sister stuff over the summer. She will be busy because she works alot and is going to FRANCE!!!! and has friends and stuff, but we are still going to hang out, ALOT. It's good that she is busy though, because I'm going to be busy with working and being in a wedding and going to weddings and showers, etc. etc.
This morning, my dad knocked on my door and woke me up and told me that we had a house showing in like 2 hours. It's good because we're trying to sell our house, and that would make my dad really happy, but I had to clean and stuff so I got really hot with all the cleaning and then when I left, 2 seconds before the people showed up, I went outside and it was SUPER hot outside. Then, I went to the mall and bought a really nice sweater that was on sale and then when I paid for it, it was even cheaper :) :) but I can't wear it right now, because it's way to hot outside for a sweater.
The other day I was thinking about really random things, and I realized that I really really really like juice boxes. They are like my favorite thing in the whole world, and I bring them everywhere with me, and last night I went to Wal-Mart with Caleb and I bought 3 packages of them. That's alot of juice boxes!!!! I also was thinking about how much I like my purple hair extensions, and I realized that I've had them for a long time, and they starting to get tangled at the top and growing out and stuff, so I might have to take them out :( I really really don't want to, but I might put more in after Raeh and Alex's wedding :) I also got a new retainer last week. It's a really small one, for my bottom teeth, because my 'permanent' one broke. So now I have a pink one for my bottom teeth, and a purple one with sparkles for my top teeth. And I keep them in a pink case, which was hard to pick out because they had a purple and a pink case, but I went with the pink case because it's brighter and I won't lose it as easily. But the retainer really hurt when I first got it, and the lady had to make it smaller because it was cutting my mouth and making my eyes water when I tried to take it out. Oh, and my brother David is going to get braces in like a year, so I won't be the only sibling in my family that had braces, which sucks for him, but I don't mind :)
Okay, so that was ALOT of randomness, but it's better to get it out than keep it bottled up inside. I feel much better. :) :)

..today I spilled tea on my pants :(

This morning in my International Culinary Appreciation class we had our midterm. When I was done I went to the cafeteria to buy food and tea :) - this makes me happy. Then as I was drinking my tea, it slipped out of my hands and spilled all over the crotch of my pants :( - this makes me sad. I spent 20 minutes in the bathroom, bent over under a hand-dryer. My pants are sticky and stinky... I was not impressed....

The story of the accident

So one morning I was just about to leave my house for my 8:00 class when it immediately started freezing rain. My dad asked if my classes would be cancelled. I briefly considered this possibility, but decided that they probably weren't because it was 7:30 when the rain started, and my classes started at 8:00. As I was putting on my boots I thought about how I just bought a car within the past week, and I didn't really feel comfortable driving this new car (manual shift) in the freezing rain, I was more comfortable driving the van. Just as these thoughts were going through my head, my dad suggested that I take the van. I readily agreed, saying that it wasn't worth anything and it wouldn't be as big of a deal if something were to happen. He agreed, and I told him that if it was really bad I'd turn around and come back. And so the journey began....

I pulled out of the garage and my windshield was immediately covered. As I drove down the road, wipers flying as quickly as possible, I found the roads to be relatively okay. I was approximately half way to school when it happened! The rain had stopped and I was following a school bus. My windshield washer fluid had just run out, so my distance behind the bus was quite great. All of the sudden my windshield cracked, a perfect line from one end to the other just above my wipers! The noise startled me, and when I realized what it was, I was a little spooked. I brushed it off, and prepared myself for the slight incline of the hill I was approaching. Just then the back end of the van began sliding, and I found myself in a sideways position, sliding across the road. I promptly removed my foot from the gas, and waited for the van to straighten out. Well, it didn't. I soon realized that I was now in the other lane, still sliding uphill, and quickly approaching a steep drop into the ditch. I remember bracing myself for the hit. I was now facing the opposite way from the original direction I was traveling in, and I was on my side in the ditch. I started panicking. I fidgeted with the key, turning the van off, and then began working on my seat belt. At first I tried to undo it gently, so that I could catch my fall. When the seat belt wouldn't budge I started working franticly to get out. It finally released, and I plummeted into the windshield. My knee smashed the glass, and my first thought was, "crap, I just made it worse." I stood up and began climbing up the seats, I tried the door, but it wouldn't open. I tried unlocking it and then opening it again. It opened a crack, and I realized the weight of lifting a door straight into the air. After a brief struggle, I made it out, using my arms and legs to rest the door on while I pulled my body out a little bit at a time. I jumped off the van, landing in a snow bank, and began shaking, partially from the cold and partially from the shock. At that moment I realized that I left everything in the van. I quickly checked my pockets and found my cell phone. I was so relieved. Then I waited....

Several cars and trucks stopped, they were mostly volunteer emergency workers. I waited in one guy’s car. He continued to talk to me, telling me to take deep breaths. I tried to keep the conversation going by saying that my travel mug of coffee probably spilled everywhere. He replied by saying, “I wouldn’t worry about that. You probably just wrote off your van.” Ha, he was very blunt. I didn’t think it was funny. I later found out that all my school books and notes were okay, that made me happy.:)

There was a small accident on the other side of the road as well. It was so slippery that some of the fire fighters were having trouble crossing the road in their boots! Fire trucks came to warn people coming over the hill of the condition of the road. Eventually my dad arrived, I gave my statement to the police officer (his daughter has the same birthday as me), my dad and I laughed when he asked what the condition of the road was when it happened, we both said, “slippery”, and then I watched the tow truck driver pull the van up and out of the ditch. The damage to the van was minimal, but considering its age and mileage, there is no point in fixing it.

The irony in the whole situation is that if I would have skipped my first class and just went for the rest of my classes, I would have been fine. The sander passed by half an hour after my accident.

Over 100 accidents were reported that morning in just 2 counties, and the freezing rain only lasted half an hour, the rest of the day was sunny and beautiful. My injuries were nothing to report, just a few scratches and some nasty bruises. I was blessed that no cars came over the hill, and that the van didn’t tip anymore while I was getting out of it, and of course that I didn’t smash my head, ha. Looking back, there’s nothing I would change…it was an experience, not necessarily a good one, but an experience nonetheless. I’m merely a statistic now…

Later that night I locked my keys in my car :( It was just one of those days!

Date: February 10, 2009

Hello to anyone and everyone ...

An introduction to the world of Emily St.Pierre .....
I've never been good at keeping a journal or a diary, unfortunately, but I feel like I always forget things that happen in my life. These things can include but are not restricted to major, life altering, future changing events, funny times where I laugh till my sides are killing me, times where I cry my guts out and I'm convinced it's impossible for me to cry anymore, etc. etc. etc. <- ha 'The King and I', ever seen it?? Anyways, I'm starting this blog as a way for me to keep track of the things happening in my life, a way for me to remember those times I hope never to forget. It's up to you whether or not you read it, but this is just something I want to do.
So for now ..... au revoir :)