Now... MORE PICTURES... I know... sorry, I am too tired for words, but I believe most of these pictures speak for themselves...

I was so blessed at Christmas this year.  Unlike years past, I didn't have to work on Christmas and I was able to spend a long weekend at "home" with my family.  Here are some pictures of our Family Christmas 2007:

I feel like I should hurry up and post before my blog yet again becomes this thing that I think about doing on a regular basis but don't really do.

I don't have time to put up pictures, but I will soon - of Christmas and of the fabulous Girls Weekend I just wrapped up.

Highlights were: My brother as "Peppermint man," my mother rocking an air guitar, Cold Stone Creamery adventures and fun at the National Zoo.

There you go.  There's your tease. Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Oh, and guess what else? I got my blackberry back.  Well, not my old stinky blackberry, but a newer, sleeker, swankier blackberry.  And as soon as I become efficient with the little scroll wheel - watch out world! Dana Brown is back!

Merry Christmas!

For unto us a Child is born,
      Unto us a Son is given;
      And the government will be upon His shoulder.
      And His name will be called
      Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Hi.  So, I'm trying to make blogging a part of my daily life.  Some of my friends, like Andrew, are really great at this.

I am not, really.  I feel like the more I write - the less what I write really means.  I mean - seriously, who really cares that I was up past my bedtime today buying golf balls at Target?  Other than my stepdad, who I'm sure's world would stop turning if he didn't get them from me for Christmas. (mom - shhh.)

I'm a bit overwhelmed with "Christmas" this week.  Which stinks because I thought I set out this year to not get overwhelmed.  I don't have a lot of money for "gifts" so I feel like what I'm giving in some cases is just kind of lame.

So, I'm thinking about baking - but the thing is, I'm really not all that good at baking anything that doesn't come out of a tube.  And is that really thoughtful?  I mean, if you're going to give cookies as a gift, shouldn't they at least have some kind of cute design on them?

Isn't this ridiculous?  Isn't this really kind of anti-Christmas, after all?  This weekend I listened to a podcast (thank you Michael) and a message at church that was about giving. Real giving.  Not fruitcakes or pajama bottoms or gift cards... which, yes, are all wonderful things, and I'm not knocking them - I'm just saying...

Dictionary.com defines "gift" as the following:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

gift     /gɪft/

–noun

1.	something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.

2.	the act of giving.

3.

something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned. I wish I was really ready to commit to this.  But the truth is, I'm stuck somewhere between the "traditional Christmas" I grew up with and this ideal.  I wish I was ready to really give.  But I guess I'm not.  Maybe next year.  I'm thinking it really would be a lot less stressful and a lot more rewarding.  To be someone else's miracle.  To give my time or my prayers or my money.  To give where something is really needed. How freeing! Now, don't get me wrong - I'm very much looking forward to exchanging gifts with my family, it's always a sweet time, and I love these people very much.  But at the end of the day, it really is the time that we spend together (and the awesome food) that makes it.  Not the cushy socks.

So... it's back to work after a pretty relaxing weekend.  I still have some Christmas shopping to do, but hopefully I will wrap that up tomorrow.  My Christmas cards are done, so standby for yours - I was really behind getting those out this year, so sue me.

My hair feels really short.  You know the feeling when you're in the shower, washing your hair and you reach back there and think - wait - that's it? I have way too much conditioner!

All Kenny Chesney wants for Christmas is a real good tan... and come to think of it, I wouldn't mind that either...

I want to thank those of you who have been praying that I would find a church to call home here in the DC area.  I really enjoyed the church I visited this morning and will definitely go back.  So, thank you for all of your prayers - I just can't wait to get "plugged in" - oh, what is it with those "church" phrases? 

Brokaw is acting like a mad man tonight - messing up the pillows on my bed. Why?????

Happy Saturday!  I am getting my "hair did" and working on my Christmas cards - and bracing for bad winter weather!  FINALLY - here are some pictures I took at work yesterday...

Jessi modeling her desk.

Jessi modeling our fancy new control room.

Joe mastering the phones.  I'm embarassed to say -- I think these phones are smarter than me.

Nikole modeling the set.

I wanted to give my boss, Wendy, a shout-out since she designed our awesome new digs, but she wasn't having her picture taken...

So here is her office.

Okay... it's Thursday. You know what that means - workout day! I have been pretty faithful to the T-T-S plan. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.  Today, I totally slacked - but I went.  So, I get points!  I have been very lazy this week.  I overslept like 3 out of four days.  I STILL haven't done my massive pile of laundry, that I'm pretty sure at any point will just start opening the closet door from the inside on its own...

This morning, Jessi had these chocolate covered oreos and she shared. I had two. Oh. My. God. They are ridiculous.  Soooo good it almost makes me want to cry. Like Sarah McLachlan's voice or video of a cute little puppy. That good. Good enough to make me remember those stupid Yoplait commercials from a few years ago where the girls were like "30 minute massage good" and other ridiculous lines that compared yogurt to things like massages. Puh-lease! Well, chocolate covered oreos - that's a different story.

Yesterday I took Brokaw to the dog park and met a woman who I seriously think smoked about 8 cigarettes in half an hour and talked like she just got off the ferry from Long Island! It was so much fun. Now, I can see my breath outside and I'm wearing socks.  What a difference a day makes.

I made a ham yesterday... it is very good and I have been sharing it with my co-workers but I think I'll still be eating it well into the new year... I didn't realize it was so BIG.

One more thing.. see this is why blogging without pictures is so crazy for me - I can't stay on task.

"Goose" drew my attention to this series that Katie Couric is doing on the CBS Evening News.  She asks the presidential candidates all the same questions and shows their answers.  It's called Primary Questions.  It's such a simple idea, but the interviews are very well shot and the segments are very well produced and I think everyone should check it out.

Hello, friends.

Well, we did it. At work. We managed to tear down an entire newsroom and television studio on Friday and have it working by 5am Monday morning.  It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty close!  I'll have to take some pictures at work so you can see it.  There are flat screens and stainless steel and a background that really, really looks 3D but isn't.

It's very cool. And my little desk looks cute, too!

My giant to do list, however, suffered.  Weekends are when I get all of my stuff done.  My Target trips, my CLEAN cleaning, my laundry.  So, I did a little today, sorted the laundry, for example, but I will have to tackle it tomorrow.  Oh, and I vacuumed. And took out the trash.  So that's not so bad for a Monday.

I spent 3 digits at Target and I have nothing fun to show for it.  Boo hoo. Well, I got Christmas cards, that was fun.  Hopefully I'll have time to get those out this week! Note to self: get stamps.

I finally cleaned out my car.  There was stuff in there that I hadn't brought up to my apartment since Thanksgiving - like Brokaw's toys.  He was like, "oh, my long lost piggy!!"

I have to show you a couple of pictures from Saturday night. I went to Jessi's Gregory's apartment to participate in their "family Christmas."  It was grand. There were stockings and lights and Chipmunks singing Christmas carols (on the computer, not in person, that would have been a little freaky).  And eggnog and chicken chili and I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open, but it was so much fun.

Decorating. Laughing. And waiting for the "perfect song" to top the tree with the Santa tree topper.  Which was, by the way, was "Happy Christmas" by John Lennon.   It was fun to meet new people and be festive!

I think my favorite Christmas song is changing, by the way.  Maybe it's just changing for this year, I don't know... but my fave is usually "O Holy Night."  Well, this year, I'm especially feeling "Do You Hear What I Hear?"  I don't know. I just do. I like the progression. Hear. See. Know. It's all so climactic, you know? It builds up to the big moment, which is Christmas and well, I just think that's fitting.

Oh, one thing.  I did have time yesterday, to watch a bit of TV.  And I dvr'd a show based on Christin's recommendation: "Men in Trees"  and I heard something I thought was so, well, just perfect for right now that I actually wrote it down.  Yes, I'm the dork to rewinds the dvr to write down the words.  I love shows that are narrarated.

Okay, so this is the Men in Trees wisdom I just loved and that is so applicable in my life right now, I don't know about you:

"They say patience is a virtue.  And like many virtues, we never know if we posess it until it's been tested.  If we're lucky, we have someone to take that test with us.  And if we can wait long enough, we just might find that the reward is greater than we ever expected."

Okay, sorry for the random post today. I have something cooking in a skillet in my kitchen that came from a frozen bag.  It had a "flavor pouch." That can't be good. Flavor, in a pouch. Sounds like a sodium fest! Mmmmmmm.... good night.