Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas! I know holidays are tough, especially this year. I hope everyone is with someone that cares for them, no matter their situation. <3

My yearly Christmas tree photo. Themes are a thing of the past, we stick with multi colored now.

Reasons Why You Should Never Christmas Shop Last Minute

1) Because it's a stupid idea and literally every other person on the planet has the same idea.

2) Everything you're looking for will be out of stock.

3) Traffic and road rage is crazier than usual.

4) People are assholes.

5) You just shouldn't do it... period.

As I'm sure you can tell some last minute shopping took place yesterday. Man... it was insane. From cars nearly crashing on the highway, losing mustard not once, but twice to frantically searching for cream cheese. As one of my least favorite Instagram influencers says: It's been a doozy of a day, ya'll!

So I'll start by saying that the original plan was to go to Poplar Bluff yesterday afternoon to finish up our Christmas shopping. It was mainly because we couldn't find many gifts this year for my uncle, but we also literally had to get everything we needed for Christmas dinner as well. There was one other thing that we were specifically looking for, which I called Tuesday and asked and was told that there were some in stock. Guess what... when I called yesterday they were all magically gone!

Didn't find this out until we were 15 miles in the wrong direction, but we did see a Bald Eagle, which was a bonus. 

This is when the plan changed. We decided to go to Farmington instead and hit up Fredericktown Walmart along the way because said item was in stock there. So we had to drive all the way out 34 and hit 67. This added like 45 minutes to our travel time, which sucked. This is also when the car in the opposing lane lost control and slid all the way out in the median. It did a full 360 at about 70 mph and eventually made it back up on the highway. Surprisingly, there was a cop parked not 1/4 mile down the road who proceeded to turn his lights on and approach the car. We lost sight after that, so I'll never know the full story.

Made it to Fredericktown after that excitement and picked up the item with no issues and then headed to Farmington. Farmington was PACKED! Like every store was packed, which came as no surprise considering Christmas was only 4 days away. I think we got to Farmington around 5:30is. maybe a little later. I'm not going to go into detail as to what happened inside Walmart, but we didn't leave that store until after 9, which was insane.

One of the main items we needed for Christmas dinner was cream cheese. Needed that for the cheesecake, two different pies, pumpkin bar icing and dip. Naturally, they were all sold out - even sold out of the name brand! That's when moods changed and I started to panic. I called around to the nearest Walmart because all the local markets were closed. It said in the app that cream cheese was in stock in Desloge, but it said the same thing about Farmington, so I decided to call. Of course, no one could help, so we just had to pray that the app wasn't lying.

I would like to add that my foot was SO jacked last night and literally felt like glass grinding into my bones. I had to limp around for most of the night because I was in such pain.

After we left there I asked LaVaughn if she would run in Dollar Tree for me, which she did, then we made our was to Desloge Walmart where the shopping commenced. They had 9 out of 10 things that we needed, including cream cheese, thank God! It was a bitch to find, though. I ended up peeking through the cooler and asked some poor kid if they had any cream cheese back there, which he kindly agreed to look for. All they had was Philadelphia, but I wasn't complaining. This was after running around for 10 minutes trying to find it, mind you. When I turned around to find LaVaughn with the cart, another worker had showed her to the Great Value brand cream cheese, which we wanted because it's 10 times cheaper. We needed 8 blocks, which is around $12 for off brand. Paying for name brand would've cost almost $20.

We also planned on just getting bread and lunchmeat to eat on the way home. So at the first Walmart we got some coarse ground mustard. Well when we were trying to put all the food in the backseat of the car, it was nowhere to be found. Then we ended up having to buy more at the second Walmart, but it was just plain yellow mustard. We get out to the car and try to put it in the backseat as well... couldn't find it. Luckily when LaVaughn was making the sandwiches as I was going in the gas station she found both.

It was a little after midnight when we got home, which sucked. We were so tired and exhausted, but thank God we were able to finish shopping. I think I've rambled on enough, until next time!

I leave you with a picture of my delicious birthday cake that my aunt made me.

Winter Musings

 I feel like my blogging is taking the back burner again. I mean, the main reason is because of the holidays and the stress that accompanies it. This year has been chaos for shopping. It seems like everyone is so difficult to buy for and then when you do find something you think they'll like, you constantly second guess yourself. My sister and I buy for 5 different people and all but one are coupled up, so we have to try and get an even amount of gifts. 

It seems like the boys are getting more expensive gifts this year and IDK why!

We came home through Cape Monday and didn't get home until like 11 Monday night, which sucked cause we were exhausted. Then we went to Farmington yesterday because we needed to pick up my aunt and uncles main gift. Let me just say that was freaking horrible. I don't want to say way it is on the off chance my aunt sees this post, but it wouldn't fit in the truck. It was also raining, so I had to go back in Walmart to buy a tarp and bungee cords. Surprisingly those two things were super cheap, which I loved.

So yeah, it's been utter chaos trying to get gifts this year. Normally we have a plan or at least a shred of an idea as to what to get people, but not this year. I mean, there's underlying things that are contributing to the extra stress, but not horribly.

Next week we're coming straight home and the plan is to do our Christmas dinner shopping next Wednesday and finish up our Christmas gifts as well. That's the plan, we'll see.

I guess that's all for now. Here are some pics I took a little while ago while walking Max.

 These pics uploaded backwards, IDK why...

Leaf in a tree stump.

It was super windy, so this is the best leaf pic I got.

Love these little fuzzballs.

They didn't turn out how I wanted, but they're okay.

This was the first pic. *eye roll*

Let's Chat... {The Walking Dead, Thanksgiving & Christmas}

 Warning, potential long post ahead!

I don't have an insane amount to talk about or anything and it's nothing like super serious. I just want to ramble for a little while to whomever may or may not be reading this. It sometimes helps to let my emotions bleed into my blog every once in a while.

This is kind of random and something I haven't talked about on my blog in literally years, but I'd like to talk about The Walking Dead for a minute. As I'm sure almost everyone knows, TWD series finale was Sunday and it's just like really sad and depressing to me for some reason. I've been a HUGE Walking Dead fan for year. I remember seeing the preview for it back in 2010 and couldn't wait to watch it. I wrote the name and date down on a piece of paper and taped it to the back of the door. LaVaughn and I fell in love from day one and watched it religiously every single Sunday.

Until they killed Carl...

If you read the comics and love them as much or more than the TV show, then you had to have been pissed at the decision to kill him off - I know I was. Then Rick being written off the show half way through season 9 with the final nail in the coffin. After Carl died it didn't feel like the same show. When Rick left it wasn't the same show. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good zombie show, but it wasn't The Walking Dead anymore. LaVaughn and I stopped watched for over a year or maybe longer, then we finally decided to give it a go.

We watched all of season 9 and up to episode fifteen on season 10 and that was it.

I read so much stuff Sunday about the finale and saw peoples posts about how they've watched it since day one, yadda yadda yadda. Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people did, but I feel like they're probably the Daryl stans that are only in it for him. Someone who wasn't even in the comics to start, I might add. Idk, I think a lot of it has to do with making me feel nostalgic or something. It makes me think of old times and just depresses me. I miss the fall of 2010 so much, it was just an amazing time and the fact that it was 12 years ago sucks. It was just really depressing to me, which I know is probably so silly, but that how it makes me feel. I'll never forgot the first few seasons of TWD and how amazing they were and how much LaVaughn and I enjoyed watching them.

Now on to Thanksgiving... like how is it already almost the end of November?? I had to do a ridiculous amount of grocery shopping yesterday for all the stuff that LaVaughn and I are making. We're mainly making deserts this year, but I'm also making homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce, LaVaughn is doing the potatoes. Plus we're making this one type of dip that my aunt and uncle like, plus cheese ball dip. We also go some of the fancy frozen yeast rolls instead of making them homemade. My aunt and uncle are doing the turkey, ham and chicken and dumplings. She's also doing the stuffing that they like with all the nasty stuff in it.

 All of the prep and desert making is happening tomorrow... should be interesting.

Now on to Christmas. I'm always super festive around the holidays and I absolutely love Christmas shopping. Idk what's going on this year, but there's just something off. I feel like I'm the only person in my immediate family that is excited about it. LaVaughn and I always Christmas shop together for my aunt and uncle, my mom, Jeff and Jake. We've only gone one time and that was two weeks ago and we just got like 4 things. I know people Christmas shop by themselves all the time, but it's not something I'm used to, so it's kind of depressing to me. I feel like no one cares and it's getting to the point where I don't even care. 

I hate it.

I don't know why, but it's super easy for me to get sad and depressed anymore. I'm a genuinely happy person, but damn... this is just getting to me. Even writing all this out is making me a little sad and depressed at the thought. I think I'm just going to stop mentioning anything to LaVaughn and let her approach me when she wants to go someplace. I'm just gonna start shopping online I guess, cause I'm too bummed out anymore.

First world problems, I know.

Anyways, I'm done crying and complaining about stupid stuff that I shouldn't be complaining about. Here are some pics that I've taken with my new camera over the last week or so. It's nothing special and they kinda suck because I'm still getting used to this camera.

Here are some pictures from my D750 with my 105mm 2.8 lens:

Here are some pictures from my D750 with my Tokina 11-20mm 2.8 lens:

Giant Christmas Village

Christmas 2021 {Recap}

I don't really have too much to tell about Christmas, I mainly just want to share photos of the decorations and tree because they're beautiful, lol. I love Christmas so much, so it's very obvious that Christmastime is my favorite time of year because it legit looks like a winter wonder land in the house. 

I already talked about 105mm lens that LaVaughn got me, but she also got me a Tokina 11-20mm 2.8 lens that I've wanted for EVER!! I love landscape photography, but I'm also a huge space fan, so I really, really wanted to venture into astrophotography. I attached a couple pictures that I took Christmas Eve night. They're not great, I literally just took some up at the lake behind the house. Since you have to do a very long shutter for these kinda pics, it got completely washed out by the neighbor's lights.

My aunt got me a really, really awesome Orion telescope - something I've wanted for years. I was so shocked and so thankful! It's completely new territory, so I had no idea how to do anything, lol. I'm finally (months later) starting to get the hang of it. I also just recently purchased a Barlow lens for it because Amazon had such an amazing deal.

One more thing and then I'm done. This is where I want to brag just a little bit, lol. It's not even bragging honestly, but kinda. It just something I'm super proud of and very, very thankful that we were able to do it. We got my aunt and uncle a 9th Gen iPad!! We saved up and thankfully made it happen. I think it's my aunts favorite thing ever, which I couldn't be happier about. She's on it more than her phone now, lol. I'm so so thankful we were able to do it. I think it's one of the best Christmas presents we've ever got anyone.

Okay, that's enough for now. I hope you enjoy all the pics!

Bare naked Christmas tree.

Christmas tree with lights. We did a multicolor theme last year.

Now the Christmas tree with ornaments.

Time for some macro Christmas tree ornament pictures, lol.

I love macro shots around Christmastime, especially with the 40mm lens.

I just love ornaments.

This one reminds me of retro Disney Christmas cartoons.

I love these little snowmen ornaments.

Time to hang the garland. We're all short, so a ladder is most definitely needed.

And there's our Christmas tree from last year.

I'm literally obsessed with Christmas tree lights at night.

One more Christmas tree shot with the light on.

One more nighttime Christmas tree shot.

I lied, one more Christmas tree pic at night.

This is the archway into the den/laundry room with Christmas lights and garland.

This is the archway into the living room, decked out with Christmas lights and garland.

We also put lights and garland ALL around the cabinets.

The Christmas lights and garland over the stove is some of my faves.

I don't know if I showed our Christmas Village from year before last or not, but here it is.

I'm in LOVE with our Christmas Village!

I obviously can't get enough of our Christmas tree, I apologize.

Here's a landscape picture of our Christmas tree with our lighted doorway into the garage. It's so whimsical!

This is the archway into the kitchen, decked out with garland that was decorated by my aunt. She did such a great job!

One more of the archway into the living room, all glowing with Christmas lights.

I took this picture with my phone, but I'm in love with how much this looks like a vintage or retro Christmas living room at night.

Gotta have the Christmas cookies!

These were sugar cookies from pre-packaged cookie dough.

And now for peanut butter Reese's cookies.

They were delish.

I think these were just candy sugar cookies.

Now for non-Christmas pics:

This is my Orion Starblast telescope. It's so gorgeous!

My first attempt at astrophotography with my Tokina 11-20mm 2.8 lens!

See how the neighbor's lights washed this astrophotography shot out?

Last astrophotography nighttime shot... for now!