Friday Things

1. Please remind me next year not to wait until the week before Christmas to start my shopping! I never do this, and I have no idea how the month totally got away from me, but I bought my first present on Monday (online) and didn’t step foot in a store until Tuesday. This is not a good strategy for someone who thrives on being organized. I keep feeling like I’m forgetting things. Back to the boring spreadsheet and lots of planning next year!

2. I may be way behind on this, but I just discovered a new-to-me iPhone app that I love and had to share in case you’re living under the same rock I am. The app is called Cuptakes – they have a huge variety of wallpapers and backgrounds for your phone, and they also sell iPhone cases on their website. I just decked out my phone with some lovely Christmas backgrounds. I love it! Definitely check it out!

3. I’ve mentioned a few times about how I’ve been learning to play hockey on Sunday nights. Well, last Sunday was the last session for this “season” and we had our first full-ice, 5-on-5 scrimmage. My mom and my Chief Culinary Consultant came to watch (yay for having a cheering section!), and my CCC snapped some great photos. As I’ve promised, below is a photo of me in all of my gear, on the ice:

4. In the blink of an eye, the world changed dramatically since I wrote my last Friday Things post a mere seven days ago. After such a heart-wrenching tragedy, it’s often difficult to find good in the news, but as the days passed after the shooting in CT, stories began to emerge of people doing extraordinary things to help. One mission that caught my attention and hit close to home (thanks to Einstein) was the Comfort Dog Ministry. The group is run by the Lutheran Church Charities, and they have 15 Golden Retrievers “on staff” that they bring to nursing homes, rehabilitation facilitates, schools, and many other places. They were asked to bring the dogs to Newtown, CT to spend time with the children there and be a soothing, calming presence. I am in no way affiliated with the group, but I do plan on supporting them and wanted to share them with you since this is a time of year that many people are looking to give back. I’ve seen first-hand, thanks to my grandma’s time with Einstein, how a loving, intuitive dog can bring a calming peace to an individual.

5. I got a huge kick out of this December 21st cartoon seeing as how today is December 21st:

6. If you’re looking for a last-minute gift idea, check out these two awesome (make-at-home) ideas I came across this week: Christmas Pop Bottle Gift Set and Ice Cream Care Package. Both are such fun ideas, and I’m going to keep them in mind for next year!

7. Einstein, my little reindeer! He got freshly groomed yesterday (which he was not in this photo), so he’s definitely ready for Santa!

8. This commercial is for a local restaurant chain in Pittsburgh; it ran all the time when I was a kid during the holidays and has always made my heart happy. I actually saw it for the first time in years last night while watching TV! It put a big smile on my face and gave me the warm fuzzies :)

9. The weather folks here are calling for a semi-significant snow fall between today and tomorrow. Which means we could end up with anywhere from an inch to a foot, given how forecasts go around these parts. Unfortunately, I still have some last-minute gifts to buy before our family Christmas celebrations begin on Sunday. I always want it to snow, but just this one time, I wish it were delayed by like two days. I guess if it means a white Christmas, I’ll make it work :)

10. TGIF! I hope you and your favorite furry buddy have a fabulous long holiday weekend! :)