Web-shy.

That is what I have become over the past few months. I think it's a good thing, no longer being so obsessive over web-happenings. But I'm gonna try to blog more, 'cause I still love blogging.

I have a lot to share with you guys!! And it won't be in order, ha ha... Christmas was a quiet and lazy affair. Just Fiance and I, exchanging gifts.

Fiance recieved:

• 80 GB Playstation 3
• Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3 game)
  
• Ninja Gaiden (PS3 game)
  
• Terminator: Salvation (movie)
  
• A beer-making kit
• a mold for making shotglasses out of ice
• a mini keyboard for his XBox controller
• four shirts
• a DVD-playing boombox with a small screen from his mom
  

I recieved:

• eight books off of my Amazon wishlist
• Up (movie)
• The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Season 1
• The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Season 2
• The New Super Mario Bros for Wii
  
• a necklace with a diamond-studded charm that looks like a Celtic knot
• a black onyx ring carved in the shape of a rose
• a crockpot from his mom
• a purple plaid jacket with 3/4 sleeves from parents
• a shirt from parents
• toe socks from parents
• Asus Eee PC from parents (woot!!)
• bath set from Victoria's Secret from Becky
• The New Super Mario Bros for Wii from Dee (ha ha, she's gonna take it back)

The Sister has promised to send me my presents from Europe. She's backpacking right now with her ex-boyfriend (they made plans to do so before the break-up, but it looks like they're having fun so far). They started out in Prague, Czech Republic (he's in the country doing a semester there). From there they went to Vienna, Austria; then Budapest, Hungary; and now they're in Istanbul, Turkey. I'm so fucking jealous.

For New Year's, we went to the Hyatt in STL for some drinks and live music courtesy of the local rock station. It was SO FUCKING COLD. But we looked hawt. I wore what I refer to as my Marilyn Monroe dress, and I wasn't the only one who saw it as such; I noticed people pointing at me and commenting as I walked by. Quite the ego boost, thank you. Check us out!!

All I needed was a well-placed vent to stand over...

If I look miserable in the last one, it's 'cause the gin-and-tonic was not sitting well in my stomach.

We recently took in a temporary room mate. Jon was Fiance's boss in Afghanistan, and he got himself a job in the area. He's crashing with us till he finds a place for himself and his family.

A week-and-a-half before Christmas, we lost Fiance's grandmother to terminal ovarian and colon cancer. It was a shock, since she'd only been diagnosed the previous month and had been told that, even without chemo, she had a year. We got the call the 15th of December that she probably wouldn't make it till Christmas, so we quickly made plans to make the 12-hour drive out there. The following morning, his sister woke to find that she had died in her sleep. I wish with all my heart that we could have made it there in time for Fiance to say good-bye. He was a favorite of hers, and they were very close when he was growing up. Rest in peace, Georgianna Cline.

I've been cooking like a madwoman since we got home from New York. Fiance's uncle came running over to me during one of the viewings to share that Fiance was telling his family what a bad cook I was. I snapped and said to him, "If you don't like it, you can cook for yourself from now on!!" He sits around playing video games all day when I'm at work, and the first thing I hear when I get home is, "WHATSFORDINNERWHATFORDINNERWHATSFORDINNER." Then he has the nerve to complain about what I make!! I grilled up some porterhouse steaks on Christmas Eve (Simi the Spazmatic Kitty helped himself to Fiance's leftovers), and make a whole chicken for Christmas Day. Since then I've also been on a mild Puerto Rican kick. I made beef stew for that butthead in my new crockpot one night, but I've also made pollo guisado with white rice and pinto beans; white rice, pinto beans, churrasco (grilled skirt steak), and tostones (twice-fried plantains). In the non-Puerto Rican arena, I had my girlfriends over for lunch on Saturday and made out of one of my Weight Watchers cook books some cheese-stuffed chicken burgers and spicy chicken tortilla soup. They were AWESOME. Last night I cheated and made some quick spaghetti with meat sauce 'cause I had a massage appointment (DIVINE), and tonight I'm completely taking the night off because there are a stack of frozen pizzas in the fridge that need to be eaten. But I will continue to impress in the kitchen, as I've been doing since Christmas, and continue to allow Jon's and Fiance's compliments to boost my ego. I will post the fabulous recipes a little later.

Happy New Year to you all.