Have been neglectful in my journaling....

[sbullockrulz]

• ..and I feel really bad about it too.  I love the whole feeling of Christmas, but I must say, I'm kind of glad it's over with.  I told the kids that we should celebrate Christmas on the 27th of the year, that way they get double the gifts cause everything is half the price.  I always save a little something to spend after Christmas to get stuff to add to my tree for next year since it is all 75% off.
  
  Husband let me down in the gift department again, but that is no real surprise, and I always make sure I get something for myself to make up for it, but it would be nice to just once have him put some thought into it.  I got some really great gifts from friends this year...with tons of thought.  I think I am really easy to shop for, but I was really surprised by some of the detail that went into some of the things I got.
  
  One item in particular, just by looking at it, any other person wouldn't know why I have it, but for me it has thought to it, and reminds me of the person who gave it to me, so creative and lovely among all the other lovely things that were with it.  I love getting a box of little surprises.
  
  I got a plastic tub that says popcorn on it filled with 2 DVD's, Little Miss Sunshine and Lady in the Water, popcorn, Goobers, Crunch N Munch, Dots, and Cherry flavored packs of Pop Tarts (My friend Kate goes across the street to get us all treats at the convenience store, and I always ask for cherry Pop Tarts for my breakfast in the late morning hours, and the fact that she lined this thing with packs of them was such a nice touch).
  
  Computer software called The Movies where I can be my own studio head and create a movie, run the studio, cast actors...sounds like fun, and again, these folks know I love movies.
  
  One of my supervisors gave me a nice size Tupperware container cause she knows I bring my own leftovers to work.  There was also a sample of Clorox wipes in there cause my leftovers generally tend to blow up in the microwave and it was her little inside joke to me...love it.
  
  Bath and Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom body wash and body spray...because my friend says she knows when I have arrived cause it permeates around the office, and she loves the smell.  I think she even bought some for herself.  I need to stock up on this scent, cause I know Bath and Body Works likes to have scents stick around for a little bit and then go away.  I bought Love Spell from Victoria's Secret because one of the Deputies wears it and it smells so good on her, but not so much on me...and since I bought 6 different types of washes/lotions (they were on sale) I increased her inventory of the scent.
  
  On the gift giving note, I made a SURVIVAL KIT of sorts for a co-worker who has been called up to got to Iraq.  I got one of those Rubbermaid totes with a handle and put the following inside...(helpful to go to Target because they have trial sizes of everything):
  
• Emergency roll of toilet paper (Charmin trial size, really cute)
• Toothbrush with toothpaste
• Hand sanitizer
• Deodorant
• Q-Tips
• Body Wash
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Disposable camera w/flash and a zip log bag over it to make sure sand doesn't get in it
• Hairspray and camo-scrunchi (cause you military gals wear your hair slicked back)
• Nail kit (cause your nails should still look good, and face it, there will be down time)
• Stationary (also for that down time)
• Ghiradeli chocolate (cause I'm sure they don't have this in Iraq, also good as a trade)
• ..and a little memory chip to fit in her MP3 player (have to find out which one they use) that holds about 100 songs.  I even added a whole comedy act in there by Jim Gaffigan and some Mitch Hedberg to make her laugh while she was out there.  She can put it in a computer to delete as she pleases).

Label the kit as "SOLDIERS SURVIVAL KIT".  She loved it and the thought I put into it...that is now 3 friends and one brother-in-law who have been subjected to this war...and I'm finding it quite depressing.

Pics and kids gifts in next entry...will try not to be so neglectful in the future..New Year's Resolution #1.