Day 22.

Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.



Dear Chocolate Pie,

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas you and I collide in a big way.  I eagerly wait for the day that I will be standing in the Jello isle of my local grocery store buying a box of chocolate pudding.  And oh that graham cracker crust...

I lovingly blend whole milk with that heavenly chocolate powder and try my hardest to make sure that each drop of pudding is poured into the crust.  Sadly, a spoonful or two will never make it, having been devoured by my impatient stomach.

I seal the lid on top of you and place you gently into the refridgerator.  And then I wait.

The holiday continues as planned... Family, friends, food.  I eat way too many rolls and more than my share of mashed potatos and gravy, but the whole time I have you in the back of my mind.  I cannot wait until everyone around me has had their share of dinner and I hate the waiting period where everyone looks like giant slugs tossed around the living room.  I cannot wait until I hear someone say, "Should we have some pie now?"

I hop from my comfy position on the couch and I am at the fridge in a flash!  I carefully pull you from your cold safe haven and pry the lid that protects you from my serving utensil.  I strategicly slice you, always giving myself a larger portion than everyone else, and add a dolop of whipped cream.

Heaven.  Chocolate pudding pie, you are my most hated love.  You taste perfect each and every bite.  So perfect that I need to have yet another helping.

It doesn't end there.  The next morning I sleepily saunter into the kitchen.  I know that I should have some cereal, maybe eggs.  However, the second I open the fridge, there you are.  Staring at me.  Pleading me to put you out of your half-eaten misery.  How could I say no to something that I care so deeply for?

Just like that dessert becomes breakfast.

Four days later I still have you on my mind.  And my waist.  For this, I hate you.  You have hurt me and my figure.  I wish I could say that I won't let you get the best of me again, but we both know that we cannot get enough of each other.

Missing you until Christmas,
Tonja

Day 21.

Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.

My energetic, ever-smiling baby girl!  She never fails at making me the happiest mama there could be!  I love you Tiny!

Day 20.

Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.


Joseph, Tonja, and Ayla. That's our family. This here blog chronicles things that we do together or separate... Pretty self explanitory. :)

Oh our header I just added the words:  "If you believe in love that will be more than enough."  From one of my favorite Christmas Songs, The Christmas Wish from the John Denver and The Muppets Christmas album.  :)

I don't know if you believe in Christmas

or if you have presents underneath a Christmas tree

but if you believe in love

that will be more than enough

for you to come and celebrate with me

for I have held the precious gift that love brings

even though I never saw a Christmas star

I know there is a light I have felt it burn inside

and I have seen it shining from afar

Christmas is the time to come together

a time to put all differences aside

and I reach out my hand to the family of man

to share the joy I feel at Christmas time

for the truth that binds us all together

I would like to say a simple prayer

that at this special time you will have true peace of mind

and love to last throughout the coming year

and if you believe in love

that will be more than enough

for peace to last throughout the coming year

and peace on earth will last throughout the year.

Day 19.

Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.

Girl's Night Out!  Playing in the snow. 11/20/2010 

Day 18.

Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.

Baked Brie Cheese with Cranberries and Crackers.




I often crave one of my very favorite party dish/appetizer:  Baked Brie Cheese smothered in Cranberries served with warm french bread or your favorite cracker.

It is so simple.  Bake a wheel of brie (found at any grocery store in the fine cheese section) at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Smother in your choice of cranberry sauce and slice open to enjoy gooey, fuity goodness!

I LOVE THIS.  I try to keep it for special occassions only so that I don't get sick of it or gain a million pounds.  Luckily, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and our family will be enjoying this treat.  :)
Try it, you won't regret it.

Day 17.

Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.

FAMILY.

This is a crappy cell phone photo, but I think it's a fun one that shows our personalities, doing what we all love to do so much... SHOP!

Day 16.

Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.

Ryan Gosling.

I fell in love with this guy back in 1997 when he was on Breaker High, I've been in love ever since.  Obsviously, his phenomenal performance in The Notebook solidified that love, seeing how impossibly romantic he is.  Not to mention he's great in everything else he's ever been in.

Love my Ryan Gosling.

Day 15.

Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.



I have 3.

1.

2.

3.

 
I think those are pretty self explanatory...  :)

Day 14.

Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.





The History Channel's PAWN STARS.

 I am so addicted to Pawn Stars as seen on The History Channel.  As Joseph said, it's like an awesome updated version of Antique's Roadshow.  Which I also love.
 
Watch it.  You'll love it.  Entertaining and informative.

Day 13.

Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?

Bright Eyes

My favorite band is Bright Eyes.

I was introduced to Bright Eyes some time in High School and it was a life changing experience for me.  Like millions of others, I am greatly influenced by music.  It speaks to me and allows me to express emotions in ways that I normally would not.  Believe it or not, I am extremely shy, to the point of always having awkward social encounters, and don't even get me started on trying to explain how I feel to someone.  Holy awkward.  Insert music here.

Why do I love Bright Eyes, you may ask?  The emotion.  The raw feeling.  The sheer lyrical genius.  The instruments!  The melodies.  The stories.  All of these things combined created something like I had never heard before.  Something that became a part of me. 

I have what I like to call a "Story Book Mind".  My inner dialogue is greatly affected by the things that I read and by the music I listen to.  I am constantly repeating lyrics in my head that describe or compliment the situation that I'm in.  For example, this morning I "checked in" at Stevens-Henager College, my place of work, on my facebook mobile app.  The words that I added?  "You've gotta earn this living somehow, you're good as dead without a bank account."  Those lyrics were running through my head over and over as I was transitioning from "Sleepy Tonja" to "Perky Receptionist Tonja."  Where do these words come from?  The song Light Polution by Bright Eyes, of course.

There are Bright Eyes songs that make me cry, songs that make me smile, songs that make me dance, songs that remind me of best friends, songs that I quote on my blog header, songs that are my current ringtone, songs that changed my life...  And each of the songs I just linked are on a different Bright Eyes album.  Every album has a different sound, a different feel, and a different way of speaking to me.  But they all speak to me.  Really, really speak to me.

Yes, Bright Eyes is my favorite band.