Holiday Travel

Just wanting to wish safe travels to everyone out there this holiday season, by road, train, plane and... Well, that's it right? Anyway, I'm sitting here watching planes take off and land in the craziest of winds. I pray for everyone's safe arrival (including my own!) and a beautiful, fun,economically friendly, exciting and blessed 2009 ahead!! Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Cherish's Christmas Wishlist 2008

Dad, you need to buy more lottery tickets... you said I needed to send you my list if I expected to get anything for Christmas and well, I'd like to get everything on this list... ok, not EVERYthing... you can skip the Vernors since you already have some waiting for me at the house. You should be happy... this years list isn't nearly as bad as last year's list :-)

*click the photos for more info*

Alexander McQueen Hologram Belted Sweater dress

Christian Louboutin Tall Platform Boots

Currently on sale - DONNA KARAN Modern Aries bag Was $1,995  Now $997.50

The 32GB iPod touch (although I'm sure a 16GB would work just fine).... i just KNOW my iPod isn't going to survive 2009 so I'm planning ahead to have my backup ready...

The UGG Classic Tall in Gray (I can NEVER find a size 9 in gray, my favorite color)... because you can NEVER have enough UGGS

Joe's Jeans "Muse" fit - I absolutely LOVE Joe's jeans! "Muse" is my fav style.... but I also want a pair of the "Cigarette" pants too...

Core Neon Orange Pump by Ruthie Davis - also on sale!

Its about time to replace my digital camera and I want the same type, newer model - Canon Digital Elph

A shopping trip to Milan, Italy... all expenses paid (shopping included) would be nice!!!

A case of Vernors ginger ale... make that 10 cases... I asked yal to bring ONE thing to Thanksgiving dinner and you forget it in Detroit tsk, tsk...

A dozen Edith and Ethel Golden Raisin cookies.... my cousin makes the best cookies and now they are available online so I can click away and buy them for friends... I should have bought a box for myself too

 

Sephora Makeup Brush Belt Set... the ULTIMATE in make up brushes. I tried to win it in the Sephora contest... no word yet...

Surprise... that's all I could come up with. I think the economy has me thinking on a smaller scale these days (minus the trip to Milan)...  I really am just looking forward to a few days to spend with my family and friends, some good food, some time off work to relax and get my 2009 financial plan together, some good movies to watch, and a bit of mistletoe to hang in the doorway... Christmas morning I'll be up bright and early for church then its off to pack up Christmas meals to be delivered to the homebound elderly through Meals on Wheels... gotta use what God gives me to bless others in these difficult and trying times.

What are your Christmas wishes this holiday season???

I've been MIA

Ok, I always say I'm going to write more and then I end up writing less... today I'm staring out at the Dan Ryan Expressway at the cars driving along at about 10 mph because the snow managed to ruin everyone's commute. My 20 minute bus ride was nearly an hour! Not pretty in any way... So what's been going on with me lately???

Thanksgiving 2008 was held at my place in Chicago... never again. My family was great and it was fun but all the planning?? No! I always associated that with people who are married and have kids.  told my step-mom and she pointed out that I'm nowhere near being married so why should everyone else have to wait. Well, valid point, but still... no more big holiday dinners! LOL... here are some pics from the day...

Getting ready for a LOUD game of PIT

My three year old cousin teaching my dad to use an iPod

 

Gabbi found my "extra" pair of UGG Classic Tall boots that I was planning to return to Zappos, wrote a check and wore them back to Canada

 

I swear this is the most high tech 3-year-old on earth!!

For those who have been reading this blog for years, you may remember a holiday trend... I always buy my Christmas gift for myself from my Granny... I usually tell her in October/November what I want and by Christmas its been well used... and this year is no exception! I was all over the UGG Knightsbridge boot! Its sooo warm and fluffy. The zipper in the back can be a bit of an aggravation every once in a while, but otherwise, they've been a GREAT friend in this cold weather.

In honor of our new president-elect, Mr Barack Obama, I bought a new shirt to wear to show my support. While eating in Wishbone, some friends and I saw the shirts and inquired about them - turns out the guy wearing one had designed them himself. Not bad for $25... check out Angela and I modeling our shirts for the camera!

With this sketch economy I've been limiting my personal shopping adventures and trying to focus on gift giving and saving... but in my search for a nice gift for "Bobby" I did come across these Palladium "Falkland" boots in DSW on the clearance rack... not bad

Its been a great year and I hope it manages to be even greater in the next couple of weeks! No item of the day.... I'm following up with my "Christmas Wishlist 2008" post... you find all the fun stuff in there!!

Journey to Baja (Mexico)

I just came back from the most relaxing vacation I have ever had in my life! I was given the opportunity to be the only girl to crash the "annual boy's trip" and I had no hesitation in accepting the offer. Flew into Cabo and drove an hour to the East Cape area, where we stayed at a friend's house on the beach. The sun rises were amazing, the sunsets were beautiful, the weather was hot but breezy (perfect) and the secluded location, with no phone or internet service, was just what I needed. There were few houses, lots of "roaming animals" and no city attractions for miles. The nearest restaurant was a good 15 minutes away, on dark dirt roads. I could go on and on.... but my words could do this area of Mexico no justice... so enjoy the pics!!!

The item of the day.... Obama t-shirts!!!! I found this one a few months ago and haven't seen one I like nearly as much (I added the blue tee underneath). Its subtle and yet, you get the point (cursive B O and a small '08). Tons of people have asked me to pick on up for them but the store never seems to have any in stock (Gourmet Clothing in Chicago).

Cafepress has some cool designs and I'm considering picking up another one.... check out their website for some nice shirts... I also liked this one made famous by Madonna a few months ago....

Baby Brother is Growing Up

As I approach 30 (SLOWLY, but surely) my constant reminder that I'm getting older is my brother... he gets older too. Every year, on his birthday I think to myself "Man, he's getting old...." Then I remember - I'm OLDER than him!!!

So this year he celebrated his birthday the way he celebrates every other Saturday... except bigger. I flew home for the weekend to party with him and amazingly enough - he got the whole family to come out and join the fun. My grandparents, determined to prove their youthfulness, hung out with us past 1 AM! My gift to my brother - a birthday cake in the shape of a guitar, with his company logo on it and painted to match his flyers.... WHAT??? (that was my reaction when he told me this at midnight a week before the party). Luckily, the people over at Lakes Cakes in Commerce Township, MI pulled through in the clutch and produced an AMAZING cake with sweat tasting buttercream frosting (not that hard sugary fondant stuff)!!!

It was a great night...  lots of family and friends there, I got to wear my "hussy shoes" (only a grandmother could name my shoes with such affection), the DJ was great and the location, Sweet Georgia Brown in Detroit, was classy as always.... check out the pics below...

Happy Birthday Baby bro!!!

That's all for now people.... I've been doing quite a bit of traveling and had a lot of visitors in Chicago, so I've got plenty to post... just no time to do it. Friday?? I'm off to CABO!!!!! So take that CHICAGO - with your COLD weather! UGH!!

Item of the day - a Lottery Ticket - got get one. Get me one too. I'm trying to win by any means necessary at this point.... I'll be back in the stores as soon as I win!!

August in Pictures... Part 2 of 2

Up next... PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO!!! April and I went for a wedding and managed to squeeze in lots of fun! Salsa lessons, outdoor adventures, shopping on the boardwalk, beach time and plenty of margaritas and free tequila shots!!!! Here are some pics of the city... the ocean was beautiful, the people were so friendly and the city was quite an experience in the way the homes were constructed on the hillsides and in the mountains - much different than what we're used to in the US...

The highlight of our trip was the Vallarta Adventures - Outdoor Adventure!!! This was one of the most exciting things I've ever done in my life! Check out my Spaces video module for a video summary of what we did over our 4 hour day - canopy runs, mountain hiking, donkey rides, waterfall repels.... you name it - we did it!! I would recommend this to anyone who can handle it - its very strenuous and definitely qualifies as a work out!

We stayed at the Dreams Resort... which was absolutely wonderful. The staff was GREAT, the all-inclusive activities (and drinks) were plentiful and the beach.... well, the pics speak for themselves...

Now, after the vacations and holiday have passed, its time to settle into real life..... and save up for the next trip!!!
  <-Me taking on the rough waves
**PS, I'm trying out this Google Chrome browser at work and at home... I was liking it just well enough until I pulled up my blog on and saw that a few things were missing... sigh... you almost had me Google!!!!!