Round one of pruning our closets has been successfully completed. It is amazing how many tshirts I have accumulated during my 5 years at Vandy. My stack was more than twice the size of Bryan...oops. It is funny - I don't consider myself a super sentimental person, but when it comes to tshirts apparently I am! haha. Each tshirt has at least one vivid scene burned into my memory. I have a bright green Greek week tshirt that my good friend left on my floor when she went abroad junior year. She 'borrowed' the tshirt from another mutual friend who lived down the hall from me freshman year. Oh and that is just one of dozens of tshirts....if shirts could talk I'm sure my collection could fill a book. 

One of the best and worst things about pruning our closets is Rule #1 - 'The spouse has the power to veto'. This is great because I can veto Bryan's ski shirt from 1999 that has more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. The bad thing is Bryan can veto things like my favorite pair of sweatpants that I have 'altered' several times so they are finally at the perfect length...haha. 

Christmas time is awesome!!! After nearly 20 full days in the month of December - I think I have narrowed down the my favorite parts of the 2011 Christmas season thus far:
1.  Cookie Exchanges - What an awesome idea! Get all of your friends to make cookies, hang out, trade cookies, leave with soooo many different kinds of yummy cookies! It is so easy - I think that cookie exchanges should occur once a month as a way to restock the cookie jar :)  
2.  Work Gifts - It seems like everyday at work another client, subcontractor, or company is bringing gifts to the office. Most of the times these gifts come in the form of food! On Monday ham biscuits and donuts were dropped off as a morning snack :) We have a card table in the lobby at work that is overflowing with scrumptious sweets, cheeses, and crackers. It is this time of the year when I'm grateful that I do not work for the government!!! (It is unethical for them to accept gifts).
3.  Vacation - No school,  'nuf said.
4.  Christmas lights - they make me happy. I think a squirrel tampered with the ones we have on our roof because they no longer work...squirrel - 1 bryan and nicole - 0
5.   Tacky Christmas sweaters - Sadly, I do not own a tacky christmas sweater, but I have see a great many of them wandering around Nashville this season and I love it! Even though my wardrobe is missing this vital article of clothing, I have been seen cruising around Music City wearing red shoes, green pants, a red shirt, and a green spring-like santa hat. I know, not nearly as cool as a tacky christmas sweater but I gotta work with what I've got.

It has happened. Some thought this day would never come. I was skeptical as it happened, but today is the day that I voluntarily sought out a cup of coffee. Granted, it was a peppermint mocha - but hey a girl has to start somewhere :)  And let me tell you - it was fantastic! I loved every sip of it. Perhaps my taste buds are training for all of the coffee goodness that Ethiopia has to offer :)