TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.  (I’m only doing this because I want to enter the giveaway.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t even mention Christmas until after Thanksgiving or possibly even December 1.)

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year? Slanket, Fire by Kristin Cashore, iTunes gift cards, Borders gift cards, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on DVD
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received? My mom made me a flannel blanket.  This was a gift for me when I left for college, but I still loved it and used it until it was completely worn out.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle? Honestly, I can’t really think of anything.  I’ve already made gifts from the crafts I enjoy doing,  so I’d probably just stick with doing the things I love rather than tackle something new.
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child? One year, I received a Super Nintendo and some games.  Another year, I received a suede jacket.  Those are probably my most memorable Christmas gifts as a child/teen.
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year? Treats and toys
6. What is your favorite holiday food? Stuffing and egg nog
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays? Actually, this year everyone’s gift will be handmade because we don’t have the money to buy presents.
8. What is your favorite holiday movie? The Small One, Mixed Nuts, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Elf, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
9. Favorite holiday song? “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella,” “Greensleeves,” “O Holy Night,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “Somewhere in My Memory”
10. Favorite holiday pastime? This is more of a winter pastime, but I love to build snowmen, drink hot chocolate, go ice skating, and go sledding.

I tag anyone who wants to enter this giveaway.  To enter to win cool prizes, answer the questions in this meme, post links to TodaysMama and Provo Craft, tag your friends, and send an e-mail with a link to your post with the subject line “Wish List Meme.”

Because I love tags so much, I’ve decided to make up one of my own.  I got this idea from Facebook.  There’s an application on Facebook, Living Social, that lets you pick your top five things in any given category.  I think it’s quite fun because it makes you think and you get to know your friends through their likes and dislikes.  Anyway, I thought this would be a fun tag, so I’ve chosen my top five categories.  We’ll see how well it catches on.

5 Things I Don’t Leave the House Without

1. Cell phone
2. Keys
3. Purse
4. Clothes
5. Book

5 Cartoons I Watched When I was Younger

1. Inspector Gadget
2. Scooby-Doo
3. Voltron: Defender of the Universe
4. The Smurfs
5. Tiny Toon Adventures

5 Things that Terrify Me

1. Spiders
2. Norman Bates
3. The Grudge
4. Chucky
5. Being Alone

5 Things I Hate that Everyone Else Seems to Like

1. Seinfeld
2. Pizza
3. Cheesecake
4. Smutty Books
5. Watching Sports on TV

5 Things I Want to Do Before I Die

1. Go to Japan
2. Write a Book
3. Finish School
4. Visit all the LDS Temples
5. Meet Ewan McGregor

I’m going to tag five specific people.  However, if you want to do this tag and I didn’t tag you, please feel free to do so.   I tag Aymee, Christie, Debbie, Kayla, and LeAnn.

So, I was tagged last week by Leah, but I forgot to do it.  So, I’m repenting and doing it now!

The rules of this tag are as follows:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Share seven things about you that people may not know already.
3. Tag seven people to share seven things about themselves.

I love tags and I love sharing things about myself.  However, this one’s going to be difficult, even though it’s just seven things, because I’ve already shared so much on my blog.  I’ll try not to repeat.

1. This is the first time I’ve ever been consistent about losing weight.  I’ve gone on “diets” before, but I always stopped doing them about a week after.  I’ve been living my healthy lifestyle for 9 weeks now and I’ve lost 13 pounds!
2. I’ve never read more than one book at a time.  I think it’s cool that people can read different books at a time, but I just can’t.  I like to concentrate on one story.
3. I went to three different elementary schools, two of them during the fifth grade.  I also went to three different middle schools.
4. I’ve been put out by anesthesia three times.  The first time was to have my wisdom teeth removed.  The second was for a medical D and C.  And, the third was for sinus surgery.
5. I’ve never listened to a book on tape/CD before.  I tried to listen to The Book of Mormon once, but my mind wanders a lot, so I have a hard time concentrating if I’m not doing the actual reading. (Heck, sometimes I have trouble when I’m reading too.)  However, I’m going to try to listen to the Harry Potter series and the Twilight Saga since I know them so well.
6. I used to listen to Garth Brooks, Blackhawk, and Tim McGraw.  Now, I can’t stand country and wonder what I ever “heard” in the music.  (Although, I’ll admit, I do still like one song by Blackhawk–”Goodbye Says It All,” probably because it’s more pop than country and it has good harmony.)
7. I like to draw, but I’m not very good at it.  I can look at cartoon-type drawings and copy them really well, but I’m not creative enough to come up with my own designs.  When I was about 14, I drew a picture of Belle from Beauty and the Beast from a picture of her on a kid’s cup.  I could never get her face right.  I still have the drawing and it’s still faceless.

I tag Amber, Ashley, Debbie, Christie, Jen, Kayla, and Meagan.

Happy birthday, Havilah!

Debbie sent this to me because she saw it on her friend’s blog and thought I’d like doing it.  It’s true.  I like tags and I love music, so this works great.  When she first sent it to me, I hadn’t read the rules yet and I thought I had to come up with the songs on my own!  So, I thought it was going to be pretty tough.  Lucky for me, it’s just an iPod Shuffle thing.

Rules

1. Put your iPod on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the Next button to get your answer.
3. Write down the name of the song, even if it sounds silly.  (I decided to skip soundtrack song titles because they don’t make any sense at all.)
4. If you want to make any comments about the song, put them in parentheses after the song name.
5. Tag 5 other people to do it too.

Playlist

1. If someone says, “Is this okay?,” you say: “Trust Me” by The Fray (Possibly.)
2. How would you describe yourself? “(Rock) Superstar” by Cypress Hill (Um, no.)
3. What do you like in a girl/guy? “Pardon Me” by Incubus
4. How do you feel today? “Be Like That” by 3 Doors Down
5. What is your life’s purpose? “Castaway” by Green Day (I feel like that a lot, actually.)
6. What is your motto? “Unintended” by Muse (Yeah, that’s pretty accurate because I’m always apologizing for coming off a particular way when it was completely unintentional.)
7. What do your friends think of you? “I’m Taking You With Me” by Relient K
8. What do you think of your parents? “Waste” by Smash Mouth (Not true.  There are just a few things we don’t agree on, that’s all.)
9. What do you think about often? “The Carpal Tunnel of Love” by Fall Out Boy (Ha ha!  That’s kind of accurate since my carpal tunnel acts up almost everyday at work.  It’s just not love!)
10. What is 2+2? “Brass Monkey” by Beastie Boys
11. What do you think of your best friend? “Ocean Avenue” by Yellowcard
12. What do you think of the person you like/your significant other? “Everything’s New” by Brett Raymond
13. What is your life story? “The Best Deceptions” by Dashboard Confessional (Interesting.)
14. What do you want to be when you grow up? “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” from Hooked on Christmas (Riiiiiight.)
15. What do you think of when you see the person you like/your significant other? “The Fragile” by Nine Inch Nails (Ha ha! Sorry, Honey.)
16. What will/did you dance to at your wedding? “My Funny Valentine” by Michael Buble
17. What will they play at your funeral? “Make Me Lose Control” by Eric Carmen
18. What is your hobby/interest? “Letting You” by Nine Inch Nails
19. What is your biggest fear? “The Acid Queen” by The Who
20. What is your biggest secret? “I Don’t Trust Myself (Without Loving You)” by John Mayer (This is fairly accurate without the love part.)
21. What do you think of your friends? “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel (This is awesome because it’s fairly accurate for a certain set of friends. You know who you are! )
22. What song would you have played during your first kiss? “I’m Your Angel” by Celine Dion
23. What should you title this post? “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day (Ha!)

6 Names I Go By:

1. Jennifer
2. Jenni
3. Cutie
4. Sweetheart
5. Aunt Jenni
6. Jennilucifer

3 Things I am Wearing Right Now:

1. Shirt
2. Slacks
3. Shoes

2 Thins I Want Very Badly at the Moment:

1. Slanket
2. The Hunger Games

3 of My Favorites Things I Did Last Night:

1. Played with Dax
2. Had Fun on Facebook
3. Read

4 Things I Ate Today:

1. Oatmeal
2. Soup
3. Jell-o
4. Apple Sauce

2 People I Last Talked to on the Phone:

1. Customer
2. Corey

6 Things I am Going to do Tomorrow:

1. Work
2. Read
3. Exercise
4. Go to a Scentsy Party
5. Spend Time with Corey
6. Sleep

3 Favorite Beverages:

1. Gatorade
2. Milk
3. Lemonade

5 Things I am Grateful for Today:

1. Corey
2. My Kitties
3. My Job
4. Prayer
5. Sleep

3 People Who Will Fill This Out (in other words, I tag you):

1. Amber
2. Debbie
3. Megan

Happy birthday, Mackenzie and Jen!

I was tagged by Jen.  I think this is a great tag because I’m supposed to list ten things I’m grateful for.  So, here it goes:

1. I’m grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I don’t know where I’d be without my faith in and knowledge of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know I can always count on Him to be there when I need Him the most.
2. I’m grateful for Corey. Our marriage has been rougher than most, but totally worth it.  I’m so glad I get to be with him for eternity.
3. I’m grateful for my kitties. They bring so much joy and happiness into my life.  I love their curiosity and watching them play and have fun.  I also love their instinctual nature about knowing when I’m having a bad day and trying to make me feel better by either loving me or spending time with me.
4. I’m grateful for my family. Even though it’s been rough the last few years, I still love them.  I’m also very grateful for my nieces and nephews.  I love that they’re my “friends” and that I can have so much fun with them.
5. I’m grateful for my friends. Without my friends, I’d be a nobody.  I love having fun with them.  I love sharing their sorrows.  I love just being a part of their lives.
6. I’m grateful for my job. It’s more often that I hate my job than like it.  However, I’m grateful I have a job, especially during this recession.
7. I’m grateful for books. It’s funny because I’d never have listed books as something I was grateful for two years ago.  It’s amazing to me how one changes as they grow or experience new things.
8. I’m grateful for technology. I love my Macbook because I can do some much with it.  I love my iPod because I can have all my music with me all the time.  (When I was younger, I’d always lug all my CDs with me on vacation.  It’d drive my parents nuts.)  I love the Internet because of the knowledge I have at my fingertips and, let’s be honest, the entertainment value.  I love all the advances we’ve made in medicine.
9. I’m grateful for the things I have. Even though I don’t feel like I have very much, I know I have a lot more than a lot of people.
10. I’m grateful for music. I love listening to music.  Music speaks to my soul.  It can lift my spirit or bring it down, depending on what I’m listening to.  Without music, I wouldn’t be here today.

I have so much to be grateful for, but now it’s time for someone else to share.  I tag Amber, Ali, Ashley, Christie, Debbie, Kayla, Leah, Meagan, Megan, and Rachel.

I always need a little help to get into the Christmas Spirit.  It’s hard to when you have a husband that hates Christmas.  So, I thought I’d do this tag I saw on Becky’s blog to help.

1. Do you like hot chocolate or eggnog? I actually like both.  I used to make my own eggnog, which was really good.  However, I do love me some hot chocolate, especially if it’s Stephen’s Chocolate Cinnamon.  Yum!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? When I was a kid, he did both.  Now, that I’m an adult, Santa doesn’t come to my house.  Even though it’s the most common Christmas tradition, Corey and I won’t do “Santa” when/if we have kids.  We want to focus more on the religious aspects of Christmas rather than the commercialism.
3. Colored or white lights on the tree/house? I like white lights on both the tree and house.  I think it looks more classy and less gaudy.  However, I don’t mind it when other people decorate with colored lights.
4. When do you put up your decorations? The only decorations we do, if we do any, are nativities.  A tree would be a disaster with our cats.  So, if I decide to decorate, I usually put up a couple of nativities around the first of December.  This year I would’ve loved to put the nativities up, but alas, we don’t have a place to put them and they’re packed in some box somewhere.
5. What is your favorite holiday dish? My family usually does a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas too.  So, my favorite dish is the stuffing and very recently, yams.
6. What is your favorite holiday memory from your childhood? I used to stay up all night on Christmas Eve without my parents knowing (or at least I thought they didn’t know).  Then, once “Santa” came, I would sneak into the room with the tree and get my stocking.  When I was a little kid and didn’t know who “Santa” was, I’d wake up my mom and show her what I got in my stocking.
7. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope.  Christmas Eve is Caryn’s birthday, so my parents tried to keep her birthday and Christmas separate.
8. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Well, I don’t decorate one right now.  But, when I was a kid, we’d put on yellow lights, glass balls, ornaments my mom painted, sometimes tinsel, and my bell (it was my first ornament).
9. Snow! Love it or dread it? I hate to drive in snow, but I love snow.  It’s so pretty outside right after it snows and it’s lots of fun to play in.
10. Do you remember your favorite gift? Well, I had lots of them.  One year, I received a Super Nintendo and some games.  Another year, I received a suede jacket.  Corey got me an iPod a couple of years ago, which I love.  And, we got a GameCube a few years ago, which has been used a lot.  It’s hard to pick just one.
11. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? It’s changed a lot in recent years.  When I was younger, getting the gift I wanted and spending time with family.  Now, that I’m older, spending time with Corey and extended family, if we go somewhere for Christmas.  And, getting time off work.
12. What is your favorite holiday dessert? It used to be pumpkin pie, but I don’t really have a favorite holiday dessert now.
13. What tops your tree? If we had a tree, it’d be a star to represent the birth of Christ.
14. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? When I was a kid, receiving obviously.  What kid doesn’t feel that way?  Now, I like to give to people and see how happy it makes them when I get them something they want.  I still like to receive too, but I’m trying to steer clear of the commercialism, so I’ve been training myself to not expect any presents and just focus on what I can do for others if I can afford to get or do something.
15. What is your favorite Christmas song? “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella,” “Greensleeves,” “O Holy Night,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “Somewhere in my Memory.”
16. Candy canes? Yes, I like candy canes because I like peppermint.  However, because candy canes are messy, I usually just eat peppermints.
17. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Yes.  When someone gets trampled or shot on Black Friday because they’re trying to get the perfect gift for their child at a reduced price, then the commercialism has gone too far.
18. What is your favorite Christmas movie? I don’t really like holiday movies because I think they’re sappy and stupid.  However, I’ll watch five Christmas movies: The Small One (a fictional story about a boy who sold his donkey to Joseph and Mary), Mixed Nuts, Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
19. Can you ice skate? Yes and I love to ice skate.  It’s one of my favorite things to do during the winter, even though I haven’t been for almost 10 years.
20. Are all your Christmas presents ready yet? No.  I haven’t even started shopping.  Since Corey and I are buying a townhome, that’ll be our Christmas present this year.  And, because we need to make sure we have enough money for the things we need, we probably won’t be able to afford presents for anyone else.  Money’s kind of tight around here with medical expenses and a soon-to-be mortgage payment.  Please just know that if I could afford to buy all of you something nice, I would.  For now, “Merry Christmas and I love you,” will have to do.

The six people I choose to tag are Ali, Amy, Christina, Jen, Meagan, and Vanessa.

PS–I’d also send out Christmas cards, but life is a little hectic and uncertain right now, especially the address part of things. I hope you understand.