I have to admit that I'm still like a kid around Christmas. I did know what I was getting this year from my MIL, sort of, but last night I think she almost strangled my husband when he blew it right in front of me. We were making dinner and she asked him what he wanted, and if he wanted the same thing she is getting me. He was like, oh I wouldn't enjoy feeding the giraffes nearly as much as her. I couldn't turn around and look at her because I was trying to hide the world's biggest smile, but I imagine she didn't look particularly happy. I may be a month away from being 35 but it was all I could do not to squeal like a little girl and bounce up and down.
Yes, the zoo here sells giraffe encounters where you can feed them. And, it is entirely possible that I may actually come into physical contact with a real, living, breathing, giraffe. I get so excited thinking about it that I actually hold my breath accidentally. The coolest part is that they only do this two days a week, and my birthday is right after Christmas and falls on one of the days they do it. Which means we are scheduling to go then. I guess I'm getting a two-fer.
So who else is planning the best gifts ever this year? Maybe for someone else or maybe you know you're getting something super awesome. I wish that I could get my husband something to make him as happy as I know I'll be but alas, there is nothing that will make him squeal with joy like a little girl.
You have never met a giraffe? The tongues are very rough and they like large marshmallows and graham crackers. The large marshmallows are funny. You put them on their tongue and they chew away. They probably won't let you give them marshmallows anymore. .
"I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade... And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party" - Ron White
""I like the cover," he said. "Don't Panic. It's the first helpful or intelligible thing anybody's said to me all day." ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
We get to feed ours at the Wild Animal Park - pellets that look like baby carrots -- smart ass that I am asked why can't we feed them baby carrots? Hey my dog likes carrots as treats.
Very cool tongues -- so glad you get to get up close and personal on your special day
I think the best gift anyone ever gets me is a Precious Moments figurine, there is something about them that is so relaxing about them. It is the one thing that I look forward to getting from my husband, although I won't be getting one this year
As for giving gifts to people I usually like to do something personalized, but the favorite gift that I was able to get for my parents and sister was sending them to see Grease on Broadway. It was the first time they had ever been and my grandmother rented a limo for them to go and they seemed to really love it.
I definitely get more fun out of finding that exact right thing for someone else.
A friend of mine is also obsessed with giraffes, and I found a beautiful figurine
at a consignment shop once that matched and elephant next to it, and said friend's
mother ADORES elephants. So they got perfect matching favorite animals. I
made her cry. Score....
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If you're going through hell, keep going. ~Winston Churchill
I am a very, very spoiled girl. Methinks perhaps I'll keep him.
I am sure the spoiling is mutual.
That is super exciting! I'm so happy for you. That doesn't even come close to a little win, that falls into the major freaking victory category. That sounds like an awesome tradition to have back.
Thank, honey---I am very excited to be able to give this gift to him--he has been a rock for me all this time. You should see me in the audience---5,000 kids ...and me--whooping it up and crying and yes, squealing like a little girl. SANTA!! I wanted to be a Rockette, but this is the closest I have come hahaha
I'd keep him too! I have to say I'm spoiled myself. I have something like 4 dozen stuffed giraffes at this point and they just keep coming. Usually for no apparent reason. I even have one I use to prop my arm up when my shoulder is bothering me and he doesn't complain about giraffes in the bed. We're some lucky girls having such men to spoil us. Books every day? Yeah, I could sign up for that.
One time, I started to count the bunnies in this house--stuffed, porcelain, glass,, whatever--and I stopped after the kitchen and the family room because I had 43 and I still had 5 rooms to go....it got a little nutty for while with people "gifting" me bunnies. Either that, or they multiplied on their own....
I'm a total sap -- my absolute favorite thing is surprising someone with their perfect gift. It is pure magic when it happens.
Me too. I prefer to give than receive. The planning, the plotting, the execution, and the look on their faces when they see it...priceless!. Those were awesome gifts you gave, Ski!
I definitely get more fun out of finding that exact right thing for someone else. So they got perfect matching favorite animals. I made her cry. Score....
Yes, making the tears of joy flow...a score indeed!
I hope you can all see I have mastered the multi quote--so thanks for the gift of explaining it to me.
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"Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way we cope with it makes the difference." Virginia Satir
"It isn't for the moment you are struck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity, faith and security." Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." Lao Tzu
"The strongest of all warriors are these two - time and patience." Leo Tolstoy
Misdiagnosed for 25+ years; finally DXed on 11/01/10. I figured it out myself. Double DQ2 genes. This thing tried to kill me. I view Celiac as a fire breathing dragon --and I have run my sword right through his throat.
omygosh....I just remembered this ...and I had not thought about it in years. It is not a sad story, honest. It's one of those pure magic ones.
I had suffered my first miscarriage (on Christmas Eve of all days ) and was I very blue and trying hard to" rally" for the ex ...and I was so distraught and sad.
I lived far away from my family and friends in Boston and my best friend lives 1500 miles away in Florida.
A few days after, I was home from the hospital and it was snowing and cold and I was feeling about as lonely and poor me-ish as it gets and I heard the doorbell ring...I slugged down the stairs and thought, it's just the electric meter reader.
No...... It was my best friend--she had flown up in a snow storm to be with me while I recovered.
Sometimes the best gifts don't come in a box..
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"Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way we cope with it makes the difference." Virginia Satir
"It isn't for the moment you are struck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity, faith and security." Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." Lao Tzu
"The strongest of all warriors are these two - time and patience." Leo Tolstoy
Misdiagnosed for 25+ years; finally DXed on 11/01/10. I figured it out myself. Double DQ2 genes. This thing tried to kill me. I view Celiac as a fire breathing dragon --and I have run my sword right through his throat.
No...... It was my best friend--she had flown up in a snow storm to be with me while I recovered.
Sometimes the best gifts don't come in a box..
Very true -- I know this story ended happy, but you still made me cry -- this disease sucks.
So glad to hear you'll be kicking your heals up in the Big Apple -- do hold off on high kicking with the Rockettes for now...leave a little something for next year's fun
Jerky is edible -- only used half of the meat I bought for this purpose...so off to do some kitchen chemistry for the second batch -- after my morning walk
One time, I started to count the bunnies in this house--stuffed, porcelain, glass,, whatever--and I stopped after the kitchen and the family room because I had 43 and I still had 5 rooms to go....it got a little nutty for while with people "gifting" me bunnies. Either that, or they multiplied on their own....
I'm a fan of bunnies (not in the way I am a fan of giraffes or anything) but I stick with one lest she multiply. Of course, mine requires maintenance like feeding so it's a real possibility! If I can't have a pet giraffe, a bunny is the next best thing.
I totally forgot about this, but my oldest daughter is very much like me. (And with any luck she will never read this lest she kill me for saying so. ) One of her best qualities imo, is that she not only reads, but has an absolute passion for reading. We once spent... I don't even know how long talking about all the ways that books are better than people. Few things can compare to sharing with her the magic that can only be found in the pages of a book. To people who get it, it means everything and to people who don't it seems silly. That I was able to share my passion for reading, and can continue to share books with her means a lot to me.
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Gluten free January 2012.
Tyramine free June 2012 - slowly getting a few foods back at a time.... scratch that
Low Histamine April 2013 - I swear this better be the last time I have to restrict my diet because giving up chocolate is the final straw
Iodine free briefly fall 2012
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope, which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities. -- Theodor Geisel
Elephants are my favorite animals. When I lived in San Diego I always bought a year's pass to the zoo. I spent my lunch hour there at the children's zoo where all the baby animals were. There was a baby elephant that I got to know very well. When she saw me coming she would run to the gate to greet me. We would walk around while I talked to her and petted her. When it was time to go, she would walk me to the gate, wrap her trunk around me and give me a hug. I loved her SO much, and I know she loved me too.
As for Christmas presents, well, I don't have any family left, but I have memories of Christmas past. There was the time my Mom made a beautiful, very intricate afgan that each member of the family wanted to claim. It took her MONTHS to finish this thing and she gave it to my Dad so my sister and I wouldn't fight over it. But come Christmas, we each got our own.
One year I got a beautiful new Gibson guitar. Another year I got a beautiful Ovation guitar.
And one year I got my sister a beautiful Ovation guitar. That was fun. I wrapped a note in a box. The note said, "Go look in the refrigerator." In the frige was a note that said, "Go look under Mom's chair." Under Mom's chair was a note that said, "Go look in Daddy's cabinet." In Daddy's cabinet was a note that said, "Go look under the bed." Under the bed was a guitar case. When she said, "There's only a guitar under the bed" (the house was full of guitars), I told her, "Open the case. Maybe there's another note in it."
When she opened the case, and saw a left handed guitar with a note saying, "Merry Christmas", she knew it was for her.
Few things can compare to sharing with her the magic that can only be found in the pages of a book. To people who get it, it means everything and to people who don't it seems silly. That I was able to share my passion for reading, and can continue to share books with her means a lot to me.
I SO get this. I just got a note from my Godchild--who is having her first child soon--and I sent her what I have always sent all little ones in my life...A basket overflowing with books. Know what she told me? She still has the books I gave to her as a child....35 years later. Same with my niece and her wee ones. She saved them all too! Makes me so happy to see them all bookworms like me. My friend's daughter in Med School told me she still has the Wizard of Oz I gave her when she was 4...She's 30 now.
I confess, I still have my books from when I was little. They are my most treasured possessions. My Dad's hands held those books--and he read them to me over and over again.
A Book--and the love of reading--is the gift that keeps on giving!
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"Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way we cope with it makes the difference." Virginia Satir
"It isn't for the moment you are struck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity, faith and security." Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." Lao Tzu
"The strongest of all warriors are these two - time and patience." Leo Tolstoy
Misdiagnosed for 25+ years; finally DXed on 11/01/10. I figured it out myself. Double DQ2 genes. This thing tried to kill me. I view Celiac as a fire breathing dragon --and I have run my sword right through his throat.
Elephants are my favorite animals. When I lived in San Diego I always bought a year's pass to the zoo. I spent my lunch hour there at the children's zoo where all the baby animals were. There was a baby elephant that I got to know very well. When she saw me coming she would run to the gate to greet me. We would walk around while I talked to her and petted her. When it was time to go, she would walk me to the gate, wrap her trunk around me and give me a hug. I loved her SO much, and I know she loved me too.
Elephants are okay. Lots of people I know love them. I wish I lived close enough to the zoo for it to be worth it to get a pass. It is especially cool how elephants are very human emotionally. I'd be happy with one as a lunch buddy.
"There's only a guitar under the bed"
That is too funny!
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Gluten free January 2012.
Tyramine free June 2012 - slowly getting a few foods back at a time.... scratch that
Low Histamine April 2013 - I swear this better be the last time I have to restrict my diet because giving up chocolate is the final straw
Iodine free briefly fall 2012
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope, which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities. -- Theodor Geisel
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