15QF

You see, it WOULD be a FIVE question Friday had I been able to keep up on this theme the last few weeks, but I haven't. So here it is, a big question and answer dump :)

From 12/2/2011

1. What is your favorite Christmas decoration in your house?

It is really hard to choose, but I have to say that the one that I hold dearest to my heart is one that my grandmother always used to display, It's not really that cute, but I remember loving it so much when I was a kid. It's a calendar with 24 slots and every day you move the little mouse one slot closer to Christmas. 

2. Do you finish your Christmas shopping early or are you a last minute type?

I like to try to wait, but do it far enough away that I don't have to pay for express shipping :)

3. When do you turn on your heat?

When it gets too cold to be in my house without a sweatshirt on.

4. Do you ever wish your blog was private?

Nope. If I wanted it private, I would just go ahead and make it so.

5. Do you put your deodorant on before of after you put on your shirt?

What an odd question. I put it on before, because when I've tried it after, I always end up getting it on the outside of my shirt, miraculously.

From 12/9/2011

1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

My grandmother's Danish Butter cookies! I hope to make them in the very near future. They're so incredible. I'm not much of a sweets person so it's big for me to actually love a sweet.

2. What's your favorite holiday movie & why?

As a favorite Christmas movie, I'd say Christmas Vacation. My family watched it every year. When I moved out, I bought it on Blu Ray and now Ben and I watch it every year.

3. Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you hadn't after they opened it?

Ask me this again in 20 years. 

4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment?

The spare room, by far. It's definitely the "catch all" room. Basically, Ben has all of his clothes in there, and we put things in there that we don't have a place for at the time being. It's one of our goals to get it organized in the very near future.

5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays?

Since my family is all in Fresno, I'd say it was a Sacramento / San Francisco trip a few years ago for Thanksgiving with Ben's grandma and cousin. 3 hours to Sacramento, and additional 1.5 to San Francisco. 

And finally, from TODAY :)

1. What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?

This is a tough one! Ben is such a thoughtful present buyer, and he even makes the wrapping special! I think presents were much more exciting when we were kids, though. I remember two presents in particular that I was extra excited about: a television and an aquarium all set up with fish and everything. I remember the TV like it was yesterday. Up until that point, my brother and I shared custody of a TV on a rolling TV stand. I HATED it! My TV was GLORIOUS, with a clicking turn knob for channel changing. 

2. Worst/Funniest White Elephant gift ever received?

A Chia Donkey. 

3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)?

Ben likes white lights, I like colored. He wins because he puts the outside lights up. We have white lights, a set of colored ornaments and a whole bunch of personal ornaments we've collected together and separately from our childhoods. I love the ones my grandma made :)

4. "How" do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board way, the shower, back in the dryer, etc.

With the greatest invention ever: the steamer! I love my steamer and use it literally every day.

5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your "must make" items? (I'm looking for recipes here, peeps...)

In addition the aforementioned Danish Butter Cookies,  I think I am going to try a Lemon Meringue Pie this year. I think I'm also going to do Chocolate Lava Cakes which I did for Ben's birthday and they came out great!

On a side note, holy crap it's nice to be done with the semester!!!! :)