Rhye's blog

Sending this entry from Facebook

Show us a holiday memory.

The first picture is with my Parents and Grandparents in 1970.

The second picture is with my siblings in 1976.

What's your favorite thing to drink when it's cold outside?

Coffee!!!

What's on your holiday wishlist?

Nobody in my family has seen it but I do have a few items on there....

A Nintendo DS with the Brain Age Collection maybe Tetris and Mario Brothers too.

A new 2 burner size reversible griddle

A Leatherman Sports Tool the one that has at least pliers and a phillips screw driver on it.

and.... Socks! can't have enough socks!!!  =P

What is the best present you have ever given?
Submitted by quornflour.

 

My niece Nicole was getting married. She was so excited and thought her whole immediate family (Paternal) in Baltimore would come and meet her family (Maternal) here. She only found her "biological" father about 10 years earlier and met him and his whole family once. Since then he has only come out here to visit once, but she has kept in touch with her Father, Step Mom and sisters often.

Later that Summer of 2005 she learned that the whole family can't afford to make it and thought her Step Mom was at least going to able to come with her Father. She was disappointed to hear that they couldn't afford for her airfare. I was heartbroken when I heard this and even more heartbroken when I can hear the sadness in her voice when she told me.

I had a brainstorm and thought it was early enough to find a low cost ticket for her Step Mom to come out, but I wanted to surprise her. I asked if she knew her father's itinerary yet... and because she was so busy with wedding plans she didn't have time to call and ask him or had forgotten to ask him.

So, I tried to be sneaky and tried to look up his phone number online and through 411. I found it before when I helped locate him 10 years ago, so I didn't think it was difficult, but nothing panned out. So I pressed her and got some information and better yet his phone number. I had the dates and airline and found an affordable flight, she was coming to California!

Later that day after booking the flight and talking to her Dad and Step Mom, my younger Sister and I decided to tell her the suprise (yeah we couldn't help ourselves) and just hearing her voice, hearing how happy and suprised she was, truly made it worth while. Both her Father and Step Mom were suprised, happy and shocked... and felt blessed.

In October that year, I finally got to meet her Step Mom and see her Father again. My Sister and I felt it wasn't a huge deal, we only wanted to see her happy and make her Wedding as memorable as possible. My Sister and I don't and probably won't, have kids, but we kinda raised our niece and think of her as one of our children. We would do anything we can for our Nieces and Nephews, so we did and it was memorable!

Whew hit the big 4-0 today... been looking forward to it actually! It's about 7:30am and I don't feel any different or see the world ending, or sky falling, etc. It's a milestone and not the END.

It feels like any other day, so far... Today I will be celebrating with my Family, the first time since I was 18 years old. Unfortunately my siblings won't be coming, so my original reservation of 30 has dwindled down to about 13 (incl myself).

As in most families dynamics change in the family over the years and I do believe that is what happened and they can't make it. I am not despaired, the people who actually can make it are my favorites in the family, they are my nieces and nephews... and their children. I don't have kids of my own, and I grew up somewhat babysitting most of them and they are like my own kids, so I will have a happy celebration!

*cheers* to being 40!!

birthday cake

When do you start your holiday shopping?

I usually start around mid October.  I have done all my shopping online, doing comparison shopping. I prefer it, sometimes there is free shipping or flat rate and I don't mind. I am not fond of shopping and I may be limited but it's better than going store to store faced with long lines or looking for parking.

I can compare shopping in a few stores and get the best price and shop in pj's if I wanted to. I do start in October because the expectations of delays or out of stock items, but I do fill my list by the end of November!

What is your favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table?
Submitted by Kadeeae.  

Oooh... hard question! I love Thanksgiving Dinner. One without the others, well, it just isn't right! So I will say Turcranstufavy (Turkey, cranberry, stuffing and gravy)! Whew can't wait for Thanksgiving day!

Music-wise, what was the first 45, single or download you bought? 
Submitted by Paddy Melt Wagon.

The first song I bought was a 45, September by Earth Wind and Fire. I was in Junior High and it was one of my favorites!