Tis the Season.

Oh what a busy time of year this has been. Nonstop fun since the week before Thanksgiving for the Gramberbies!

Between special birthday parties for yours truly, making most of our christmas gifts for loved ones, having a house guest in the form of Grants cousin John, and lots of other side job/personal improvement thingies, it's safe to say we have burnt several candles from both ends. And are ready to look into the advantages of cave dwelling. However despite all that our little family has gone through, the biggest victim of the holiday season has got to be our dear Christmas Tree.

Due to either laziness, carelessness, bussiness (yes its a word) or extreme kindness, I was allowed to do my white trash Christmas tree again this year. Allowed, but not supported. At least not by fate. Grant put up the tree and strung the lights and popped the popcorn. I made Bountifuls longest popcorn string, and the most delicious gingerbread cookies ever, and put it all together!

Awe, isn't it cute?

Sugar and Spice and everything nice.

I got bored with the stereotypical gingerbread man, but even that doesn't explain Mr. Missionaryman, still you gotta admit, he's pretty cute.

This time last year we had the Gingerbread Massacre, and I thought that was traumatizing . This year we take it a step further. Introducing Mass Gingerbread suicide /slash/Murder!

This is what we awoke too. It is, of course, what we expected. What with our culinary curious puppies. But what we didn't expect was this:

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!!

So apparently gooey, chewy, soft and yummy cookies tallied with a hole through the head and then hung on a tree does not a ornemant make. They were too soft and the ribbons did their damage. It started only a few hours after they were put up, I got to wittness the first swan dive. And Dagger, please her pointed little head, was there to pick it up in seconds. It was actually quiet funny, I was sitting on the couch watching 'He's just not that into you' and making stuff and I hear this russtle, i look over and theres a gingerbread man tummbling down the tree.


Anyway, I had pretty much had it with December already and my tree has been one catastrophe after another so I went to Micheals 60% off sale and bought a whole new look, at a very good price (very good, I've framed the reciepts).

TA DA!! Sparkly, glittery, pink and Perfect!! Grant actually likes it, says it's very beautiful. Yes we let the survining gingerbread men live out the rest of their lives on the tree. And the popcorn strand actually looks awesome!! Which is a pain because those are stupid stressfull to make.

Merry belated Christmas!!

Golden Oldy

I wanted to post my birthday pictures, but felt guilty because I still have Anime Con pictures I haven't shared yet. It would be a real shame not to share those with you. (psst! That's your cue to nod)

Hopefully this will work out better than my desk blog (ie: commentary will align) and better than my email fail, which doubled as a blog fail (ie: you can see the pictures)

I'm not sure how many of you know that I went to an Anime Convention a few months ago with my wonderful little cousin Rachel. Doesn't matter anyway, you haven't seen the pictures.

If you are wondernig what a Anime Convention is or AnimeCon for short, it is a convention where Anime lovers go to be nerds together and show off their fine sewing skills by copying character outfits and competing to find out who knows the most about fake people, places, and things.

There are all sorts of panels and things you can go sit for, or games to play or contest to win.. er.. join. Also there are shops featuring real actual vendors who have business licenses and fans who just want to show off how cool they are by recreating vendor stuff :D Ok kidding, there really are very talented people in the world who make great knock offs, sometimes unique stuff too.

Anywho, Rachy and I had a blast, I proved I belonged there, and Rachel was introduced to a japanese soda pop aka Ramune and candy aka Hi-chew (both I advise trying once in your life)
On with the pictures!!

For Rachey and I, it all started with a line.. and caution tape.

America, Canada, and Russia: Hetalia (can you guess who is who?)

Have nooooo clue, but they look kinda cool.

Lolitas :D My to-be halloween costume when I have time.

She was so cute bouncing around trying to get people to the "restuarant" but she wasn't so please about the picture taking.

V.

Bult head: No idea
Maes Hughes : Full Metal Alchemist

Sailor Marz: Sailor Moon

Chi: Chobits

Someone from Naurto

Rem is a Shinigami (god of death): Death Note

Star Trek Chica, Jesse Team Rocket: Pokemon, Steam Punk girl, Fang: Final Fantasy the newest

Have no clue, but isn't she the cutest?

THE SIMS!! Hands down my favorite.

I have more pictures, but I don't know some of them and some are just bad. AND this blog is long enough as is. By-E

*EDIT*

It has been requested that I answer a few more questions as well as up load a few more pictures. You've already seen one new pict, it's of Rachey at the very top. Mine, is down below, I was photog so I didn't get many of myself. There honestly is only one more of me, and ya... Questions:

How long was the convention? - 3 Days. All day. We only went Saturday.

Did you win any of the contests? - No, I wasn't aware they had any.

Did you buy any of the items sold? - Yes! Ramune, and Hi-chew, and the cutest felt cookies on earth!!

Will you go again next year? - I believe I will. Grant wanted to go too but had a ice fishing trip planned instead.

Do you think you'd sell items next year? - Heavens NO! I would have to make TONS of stuff, and at that point it wouldn't be fun anymore. And I think it would be a big hit for my selfesteem/pride to find out that only my close friends and family think my clay figures are cute.

Email Fail

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME AND SISSY!! WoW 25.. that's old :P





I will have more to say about my birthday but not right now.. I'm on borrowed time but I have to share this with SOMEONE!!

Long story short I'm trying to get a replacement phone for one of my crew guys. It's taken 2 weeks of broken promises and miscommunications to find out that the approval form for the new phone has been sent to the wrong email address. So thats why I never got it.

Here's the funny part, I have not once called these people, our entire correspondence has been over email.

I, I just don't get it. I really don't. How am I supposed to respond? Is it professional to laugh? I was already a mite sharp because it's taken 2 weeks as opposed to the 2 days he told me when I first talked to him.

*facepalm*

"Hope"

When I get bored at work I do a variety of self entertaining stuff. No judging, I've been to the Work Fails blog, I know what goes on.

I do however have my pursuits of choice: Body Art



creating holiday moral in my Service Managers office:




And maiming Hope:


That is not blood, but "florsecent red" for my postage machine. We had an accident. Honest when this first happened the drop looked like blood, and I laughed. Unfortunately my wrist moved from the time I spilled the ink to getting the camera. My whole hand looks like this:


And it wont wash OFF!! So hopefully, since its not just hope with a blood splot, I wont get too many awkward questions. For further proof of the mishap I have some on my right hand too.

Happy Halloween

It's that time again, I'm slowly adding to my Halloween decor, and these are my newest recruits. We made these cute little buggers in my craft class last night, I'm afraid other than viewing them here, the public will not see them. They may not be real pumpkins, but they will still make a cool noise when smashed in the middle of the street.

A Desk is worth a thousand Stories.

(WARNING!!!!!! I TRIED (but i was tired too) MY HARDEST BUT THE STUPID BLOG WONT COOPERATE SO THINGS ARE OFF ON THE PICTURES, BUT TO FIX I"D HAVE TO START IT ALL OVER AGAIN AND I GIVES ME A HEAD ACHE TO EVEN THINK ABOUT. PLEASE FORGIVE THE MESS.)

Work is like a second home to those of us with full time jobs. We stay in our office, cubicle, truck, what have you, for at the least 8 hours a day. Some people stay longer (you poor poor people). So it goes without saying that we tend to make our "area" more comfortable, and home like. Different people do different things, some decorate, some put mini fridges in their office, some get small golfing greens, some fill their office with dead and stuffed birds..and other people in movies get elliptical machines! (I spelled that wrong I know but get over it)

This is what I do.

I'm very much like Ariel the little Mermaid, as this is my collection of utterly random objects. The only thing they share in common is that they were given to me. Some are actual gifts, most of them are however from my famously wonderful Pirate Captain Leader Susan Young, but I have a few from insanely unfair Cabo sales meetings, and trips out of state. Some were given without the intent to actually give and others are things my guys at work have found on roofs and brought back to show me. I brought a few on my own, and even smaller few followed me here on their own.

I've meant to do this for a while, but I'm lazy, and my collection is by no means finished. It grows by one at least every month. My rule is: if I am given something, doesn't matter how useless or pointless or stupid it is, or if I wasn't actually even given it, I will find it a home some place. I have to balance that out with cute of course, and that is where Susan comes in. She supplies me with so much cute I will never lack for a happy place to be.

Alrighty, I have gone through and numbered all my objects and given you a closer look at them. I will supply a short story to go along with it as well. If there is one :D

Code:

R= found on roof and given to me
S= given to me by Susan

1- This darling push-pin design was inspired by utter boredom. Nothing more.

2-Jealous of other CentiMark offices, I have jumped on the Halloween Decor bandwagon. I made them all on a lunch break.

3 - (s)Last year Christmas gift. Her name is Diddlina. (the pictures should be self explanatory, except that they are over 5 years old)

4- Dread Pirate Lip Gloss. (s)
5- Subordinate lip glosses

6- Christmas Card (s)
7- Bestest Lotion in the world
8- This was put on a envelope to my salesman, I intervened and defused the scandelous inter-vendor romance (jk)
9-Rubix cub stress ball (r)
10-Pirate for life pin (s)
11-Hello Kitty Drug..er.. mint holder (s)
12-Tinkerbell!(s)
13-Folder paper thing, made/given by my Service Sales Guy.
14-CentiMark Mint bucket

15-Mini Football (r)
16-Carrot candy holder (not really sure)
17-White Mokana, I made her :D
18-The bridal party pin from Allys wedding, sans head. (giggle)
19-Its a rose made from Kisses. Salesmans wife made a bunch to give to people for V-day and one stowed away in his brief case, he gave it to me so it wouldn't melt. I have it ever since
20- House Carabeaner (r)
21-Scratch and Win Transformer from BK. Service Sales won a Sausage Biscut.. no one wanted it so he gave it to me (I didn't want it either)
22- A rude fortune I got eating out for lunch

23- A sticker Sue put on a payroll check for me.
24-I get random dove chocolates from Chocolate Zorro.. I kept this one, it was cute.
25-Souvenir from Cabo. >.>
26- If I spun the ball around it would say CentiMark. I stole it from a golf Tourny :D Hey I earned it sitting at the table for 2 hours freezing da buns off.
A-Mokana, again I made him :D
B- Festive charm bracelet (r)
C- This was once much bigger. It was a Bird Pen. The foot was the stand and the Bird wore the hat. The bird kept tipping over and I hated him anyway so I ripped off his head, dispoused of the body and stuck his hat on his foot. I mean who wouldn't do that right?
D- Salesman was teasing me when he gave me his old Fresh Market key card. He should know better.
E- Is an E! (r)

27- Football (duh) (r)
28-Unwittingly I declared my love for Koalas. So I got one from a Corp friend :D (thanks Karen!)
Koalas are cute though. (yes he is balanced precariously on that ball)

29-Kitty made of Stone. (me!)
30-Marble (r)
31-Fuzzy Big Brother. I got him at a Mary Kay thing that my sister-in law Angie took me too.
32-Tinkerbell cell phone charm. (r)

33- Bouncy Ball (r)
34-Amber the Moose. It was brought back from Alaska for little 'ol me.
35-Lilly Livered Feather. Seriously people they got EVERYWHERE, this one followed me to work, last thing it ever did.
36-Fish tank marble (r)
37-Stick-on Sequin (r, how they found it I couldn't tell you)
38-Twist Tie love! (boredom flows through me like electricity to a craft power source)
39-My piece of 8. Or an earing that caught on my coat and dropped at the door of my office and was found by my Manager. :D
(s)




Not pictured: Kitty-Bunny Sticker(s). It's kinda all by itself on the left side of my monitor. You can however see it on the COVER ALL photo at the beginning (if you really really want to)

You probably noticed a bunch of colored labels/note things along the shelf. Those are reminders to myself to do things/how to do things/code things They are for work purposes and thus don't get to be show cased in this blog.

Just a reminder, I've been collecting these things since I started work here. Some are 5 years old, some (the E and the Koala) are only a few days old.

There are a few exceptions, but for the majority if you give it to me in a work enviroment, it will get displayed thusly.

Anyway, just alittle insight into my madness.

The Death of a Super Store.

Today we mourn. We mourn, for the loss of a great vault of entertainment. A vault so cherished by the likes of myself and many others, that we mourn it this day, and the next, and the next. We wear black, loose fitting socks in tribute to such a mighty fad. We wear our hair in gravity defying styles to commemorate it's amazing screen presence. We mourn.

We (also known as I) grow bored and find myself at a loss for words. So, to you, Treasure Trove, who have pleased and thrilled many an adoring fan over the years with discounted merchandise, we thank you. Though some may say it was an act of an enabler, closely resembling a drug dealer, we praise you for your compasion, and call them stupid-heads. Your work was mighty, and brave, going in directions only the amazingly absurd are willing to go. You have saved our souls, and our pocket books.

We fear the future that lays before us without you.

((But really, what did you think would happen if you provoked Kira? N can't save everyone, L would have, had he not been killed already himself. No one can escape the wrath of a Shinigami. No one.))

Escape from Witch Mountain.

It was a tough road, but we are finally back to normality (is that a word?). Kims married, Jakes married, everyone survived, I'd say that spells success. WOOT!

On ward and Up ward, and may a wedding not come within 5 miles of me until I say so..

So it's been 11 days since marital bliss has been locked up behind new apartment walls, and so far so good. Jake and Brooklyn are living happily in Ogden in probably the best place ever: The Junction. Honestly everything they don't need is within walking distance. Tasty restaurants, I-fly, a killer movie theater, a wave pool, and a rock wall!! *sigh* it's awesome. Kimmy and Brent just got back from their awesome Honeymoon and are actively searching for a place to call home. (if you know of anywhere, they are looking for somewhere in the Salt Lake Valley)

Allysen is back in beautiful Washington with her handsome hubby. Nick is really confused to the lack of family and X-box that now exist in his home, however he has appropriated himself a new bedroom fit for the handsome young man he is growing up to be.

Finally, Grant and I have locked ourselves in our basement and refuse to leave until we finish watching Death Note, and Bones. Or until I finish my third novel edit, and he completes Jake and Brooklyns photo album. Or until Grant triumphs at Secret of Mana and I take a four hour nap brought on by the Ice Forest. Or I finish my secret clay project, and Grant masters Internet code. Or.. or.. or..

Sooo, we are kinda busy, and we actually have ventured out into the sun. Except we were rewarded with being burned to crispy fries, so we ran back inside. I think we offended the sun, it hasn't been seen since.

This has been both good and bad for our darling pets. Cloud has been loving all the snuggle spots we create as we lounge around, as has Dagger. Gus doesn't so much cuddle as guard, so he's been liking that I've stayed in one place for long periods of time. What with him turning 13 this year, he doesn't like moving as much as he used too. It's very sad. On the opposite side, we haven't wanted to take the children out to play, so they have been as home bound as we have.

However Cloud did make a little excursion outside. It was totally contingent on him being able to see me though. I had the front door open and watched him investigate outside from the comfort of my couch and laptop. Every couple minutes I'd see him peek around the door frame to see if I was still there, and then scamper away again. It was the cutest thing, and only made better because Dagger was watching Cloud too, she would lick him every time he made his check-in before he left again.

Finally I got up for something so when he came back and found me gone, he began making his displeasure known, and once he found me wouldn't leave my side. Which made editing on my laptop really hard.

The Biesingers are back, and better than ever! Just don't expect us to do much. :D

I will however, let you look at some of Kimmys Wedding pictures. Grant wasn't the photog (ask "why" only if you own a bullet proof vest) -ever- so we have very little pictures because it was up to me to take them, and I was busy being goofy and riding on a train. We do have some, and those I will share. Lucky you.

The new Pack family. Awe...

The completely bored 10 year old. This is at the temple. Luckily after pictures.

The Kimball House... I think. It was very nice!

Table decor, you can thank yours truly, for this idea.

Grooms Mommy made the cakes, and they tasted SOOO good.

This looks great, but tastes ten times better.

I said "being goofy" didn't I?

The littles of my Isaac family loved this train more than anything! They rode it, all night. Granted, I did too...

Finally, our beautiful bouquets!! Aren't they stunning? Way to go flower people! Allysen, Brooklyn and I were Bride-martons, and so we had these :D