merry christmas!

wherever in the world you are,

merry christmas and happy holidays

to you and your loved ones!

i hope that this holiday season

keeps you in high spirits and

brings you blessings of love, health and happiness!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

something in the air...

family 2008

family 2008-n-family now- we changed quite a bit!

nothing changes but everything changes :)

no- i'm not wearing makeup. you noticed correctly.

there is something about
getting ready for the holidays
that can't be beat.

we don't feel the same way about christmas morning
the way we used to as little children
waiting for santa to magically leave you
a giftie under the tree...
or in your stocking.

now, for most of the people i've grown up with
a lot of us have our own children,
or dote on our nieces and nephews...
we live for watching their eyes light up,
and watching them squeal with delight
at a new toy that they really, really wanted...

of course, as we get older--
us without the children
have to endure hours of 'why me?' conversations
and arguments of ' why aren't you putting more on your plate?'

but in the midst of all that-
through the drama, and the card writing,
friends we love, and others we'll never see again...

through the sights of Christmas movies,
songs,
memories...

we'll always remember family.

merry christmas eve <3
do good.

christmas ha-ha

"hey.
i think someone's snapping a picture of us."

"eh?"

seriousness
going on
during christmas
2008.

lol...
i love my boys!

christmas V

ooooh christmas tree

oh christmas tree

how evergreen your...

treats??

what treats??

are YOU ready for christmas yet?!

christmas past IV

christmas 2008

leaves my heart hoppin' around...

it was the last christmas

my Grandma was home with us

before she moved to a rehabilitation center...

but she was an amazing woman.

loved:

cartoons

wrestling

beer

family

breakfast

stuffed animals

soap operas

the price is right

jeopardy

wheel of fortune

doing the laundry

and so much more...

so cool.

so, christmas 2008

was one of the coolest ones

ever.

christmas past III

our first 'married' christmas tree

in our first home

and our happiest memory surrounding it

was our new puppy, my total inspiration,

who enjoyed eating the tinsel

while decorating.

so out of our new home

and new lives...

we, of course,

trek to greece

for our honeymoon.

where EVERYTHING

was beautiful...

and happy...

and though it was not our first time in greece seperately-

it was our first time there together...

we felt as if we were on top of the world.

and i was only 24.

us being babies,
never detered us
from our hopes and dreams
and what we had to go through
to reach them.

5+ years later and
all the better for it--
our present selves
would love to tell our past selves
to hang in there...

because our lives
are
amazing.

we're so blessed.

christmas past II

we didn't know it then-

but christmas 2004 was a huge deal!

we were about to move out

in a few months-

and i was about to be married

in less than one week!

we knew life was going to be changing...

and quickly, at that...

so we tried to keep up as best we could.

this was the predecessor

to a very busy year.

this was also the year

i received my nephew as a gift...

but his mama wanted him back.

gosh darn it.

christmas past I

2003.

our family was growing with almost

each passing year.

this was my youngest nephews

and now-best friend

first christmas with us.

note what a happy baby he was...

he loved it when LML would pick him up

and "fly" him through the air.

note how much we've all changed!

geez!!

i think that's the best part

of what christmas photos show us-

growth, love, and happiness.

when you know better, you do better

materialism.
it's our culture, probably everywhere.
and it's pretty sad.

thinking back,
i had what i thought was a few very good friends;
and the thing that they both had in common was
shopping.

one had detailed lists...
photos...
of what she had,
what she was going to buy,
how much it cost,
and how long she'd have to work to get it...

well, that part i understand. you have to work to get where you are-
physically, mentally and emotionally.

for a while, i wasn't any better and as a teenager...
especially once i got my first run at credit cards. holy crap!
then of course, i fell in love and my life fell into place.

that one friend was ultra competitve with me
(i don't know why- hate to be competitive)
and would say things to me like,
"well i have that now" and "well i can do that, too"

this lasted up until a few years ago--
and though we were never close after the competitive game
i hope that she has found what she's looking for
because STUFF is just stuff.

which brings me to this point...
it's the holidays. time for families,
experiences,
laughter,
and love.

If you make your stuff your priority,
chances are you'll lose your family.

that's just not the right kind of chance to take.

family, friends and love come first.
love is all we take with us-
so the next time you find yourself
REALLY NEEDING that new ipad
or
OMG I need to get to the stores to get out of this house...

think about love...love yourself enough to give some time
during the holidays
and all year round
to your loved ones.

please :)

almost christmas!

there's going to be a lot of this going on soon- more videos to follow...

will he get to the present?

25 days until Christmas!

i love the holidays-

the sweaters and fluffy scarves.

the knit gloves and caps.

quishy boots and cashmere socks.

most of all,

i love spending time with our families...

glowing christmas trees, crackling fires, greek food...

ah.

heaven-

throw in 'A Christmas Story' and

'It's A Wonderful Life'

and I win :)

What are your Christmas traditions?

merry christmas!

hope you all had a wonderful christmas and that you've gotten everything you wished for!
we spent the day with my family and our tiniest little friend whom i shall post pictures of soon...
i sit here enjoying a hot cup of tea while LML sleeps off his cold :/ before going to my Grandfathers memorial service.
i hope i get fun and lovely messages about cute stories, christmas memories, and great presents y'all have received!
much love,
me!
the globetrotting gamine

what i want for christmas

• no full moons or total eclipses the week of. grr.
• snuggles and hugs from LML
• for small pup/ my assistant to wake up and be a little more active. he's not into this season much this year, either
• people to live and learn and grow up. GROW UP!! geez, already.
• on a happier note, more fun bloggie friends
• more fun days with my friends whom I and we have shared much with this year
• scan the pictures for my childrens book and then self publish
• go over large manuscript one more time and self publish. note: may have to go back to coffee or redbull for just one day. ew.

oh yeah, have i mentioned that i gave up coffee a few weeks ago? contrary to popular belief, it was quite easy for me to do. especially since at the time, there was not good coffee around to change my mind.
LML has stopped with the coffee, too, so far as i know.

moving on.

• just self publish.

that is all.

what do you want for christmas?

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

Have Yourself a Viaje Holiday Blend Christmas

By Jay Mirabile


In addition to being a cigar reviewer for this blog,


Jay is also the host of The DFK Show on MyWCWP.com & 88.1FM WCWP


a dance radio show featuring the best in Freshbeats, Dance Classics, Freestyle,


Heartbeats & Mixes Since 1999, Sunday’s 1-4p ET.



Are you like me and tired of getting Christmas Cards from relatives, neighbors and friends that try showing off how much better their lives are than yours? You know the types, the ones with pictures of husbands and wives gathered ‘round their trees with cheesy Christmas Sweaters on and eggnog in their hands? Or what about those cards with long notes filling you in on every little thing your relative, neighbor or friend did this year?

Like you care right?


A few days ago, I walked into Matador Cigars in Roslyn, NY (www.matadorcigars.com) and got my hand on the limited edition Viaje Holiday Blend (www.ViajeCigars.com). The second I lit up this little bad-boy, I realized I was in for something special this holiday season. The cigar was a full-bodied rocket with some great flavor and spice that was a joy to smoke from beginning to end. The Viaje Holiday Blend has given me, someone who hasn’t been a fan of the holidays since childhood, a reason to once again look forward to them. I think next year I’ll be mailing out a card with a picture of me wearing a Santa hat, sitting comfortably on one of the plush leather couches at Matador Cigars, smoking a Viaje Holiday Blend and show off a little myself!

Dear Bloggers:

Hi! How have your holidays been? I hope everything is going swimmingly and you're all excited about 2010...because I can't wait. Today is my 5 year city hall wedding anniversary, and I'm quite excited. Finally, after 5 years of working at it, we are exactly (almost) where we want to be and thought we would be when we first got married. Then you get your mess of things going on: contractors who don't do their job, the angel contractor who comes to the rescue, jobs, unemployment, a tenant who stops paying you for a year, lives for free and then tries to kill you when they leave...

You know, stuff like that. I can honestly go on forever. We have experienced maybe a little too much in the last 5 years that we KNOW other people don't have to go through in their life. "And that has made all the difference"

I'm sure these are all stories I will divulge as time goes by blogging. I have missed blogging, even though it was a not so bad hiatus. Christmas week is always crazy busy for us-LML works, I clean, I cook (still and because I love the cooking), family, events, parties, wine, desserts...my Grandmother's Birthday. It was the first year she couldn't spend it with us at home, so we all trekked to the rehab center she is in. There was 12 of us there...so minus two. She remembers who must of us are, which baffles me about Alzheimer's. She yelled at my sister (again, haha), cooed when she saw LML, ate cake and listened to stories. My niece made the cakes, and my BFF was snapping pictures until we left. I literally feel as if I don't have to snap many photos when I am with her because then there would just be duplicates galore. Here is one that I took(or LML took) that day (forgive the way I look...no makeup!)

So this is minus one grandkid and two great grandkids...

I don't want to boggle you with so many of my words, I know you have so much to do! I'll leave you with this....

"Drink, to all that we have lost...mistakes we have made. Everything will change, but love remains the same"

-Gavin R., baby!

Love,

MG

Nostalgia

It must be the fact that I am sick, or that WHEN I am sick I clean. When I clean, I find really old momentos, notes, and photos of where we have been (mentally, not only physically).

So yesterday, after my weepy blog post I flopped on our california king bed to watch TV. I looked over to the left where my pseudo bookshelf is, and a book called out to me.

Book: Pick me up!
Me: Go away. Too sick.
Book: You have to finish me.
Me: No, I don't. I have another year. Shhh.
Book: Maybe you should check that out...
Me: I am NOT getting up.
Book: We both know you are.
Me: Ha. That's Funny- FUNNY.
Book: Fine, I'll wait.
Me: FINE!

The book was a Christmas Keepsake Book from Susan Branch. I ordered it in September of 2005, because I wanted to document our first 5 married Christmas' together. I ordered it because LML and I ALWAYS filled out keepsake books together. I ordered it so I could show it to our future kids and family members. But- I never finished it.

And guess what? This year is the last one that will be documented in that book. I panicked and hopped on over to Amazon to order another one. (I did)

I can't believe the things we have been through since Christmas 2005!

2005
Christmas spent in Kalamata!
New Years spent in Athens, having a huge party!

(our first family photo & first tree @ home)

(this was in our yard in Greece, Christmas morning, making food. Don't laugh at our PJs/Socks & Slippers combo! LOL)

2006
Christmas in NY
New Years @ a catering hall with friends!

2007
Christmas in NY
New Years (very eventful, fighting, at a catering hall in NY)

(this pic is NOT from that catering hall- we don't have many pics from holidays 07!)

2008
Christmas with friends and family in NY
New Years- freezing cold in NY, so bad that we went home early and frostbitten!

2009
NEW YORK BABY!

Our relationship, like any other, has had it's ups and downs. Those who say they haven't honestly disturb me. I am so happy that it's been 5 married years with LML. Who else would put up with me?

Happy Holidays, and more soon!

MG

Charlie Brown's Christmas Theory

I am so under the weather, so sick...that LML informs me yesterday that Christmas is a mere 10 days away. Update to another post- I feel very little Christmasy, and my friends helped me get to the very little point. Snow won't cut it either.

10 days away? I was off my ass when I was younger that Christmas was coming. Now (and probably thanks very much to Charlie Brown) I see how commercial it all is and how everyone forgets the true meaning of Christmas.

(photo courtesy of teenvogue.com)

Please note that LML and I are avid Peanuts fans. I will most likely drive you crazy with my Charlie Brown-isms as I have my entire family my entire life. If LML wasn't such a fan with me, I'm not sure I would have married him :)

Kidding. I would have. I would have made him a Charlie Brown fan.

Regardless :) The point is that Christ was born...on Christmas Day. The point is that it's a holiday celebrated for thousands of years regardless of what you believe in. All Holidays during this time of year mean something.

And the world ruined it with commercialism. Bah.

"I'm not going to let THIS commercial dog ruin MY Christmas!"

Eh. He could never ruin anything :) Except a basket, shoes and some books!

Love,

MG