It's All the Same Love

Months back, there seemed to be some sort of trend with conservative bloggers coming out (see what I did there?) and admitting they were against gay marriage and the legalization of it, as if it takes some kind of bravery to admit that you're prejudice.  #SorryI'mNotSorry. 

 

I don't like to talk politics much, and certainly not on this blog, but today?  I'm telling you that I am for marriage.  And to me - that includes gay marriage, because you know gay people are just that...people.  So their marriage?  It's just marriage.

 

Yesterday, the Supreme Court (or the SCOTUS, as my law nerd husband likes to call it) started hearing arguments pertaining to gay marriage.  And I hope and pray to God (because newsflash: liberals can believe in Him, too) that they do the right thing (and I do mean morally, not on the political spectrum) and change the world as we know it by allowing everyone in love to get married as they wish, to whom they wish.  (What's funny is, being that I'm not gay, it wouldn't really change my world all that much - a fact that makes it all the more confusing to me why people care who other people marry.)

 

 

This song, and the meaning behind it, made me fall in love with Macklemore.  I hope it makes you feel something too.

Monthly Recap: Yes, I'm Still Doing Them

November and December flew by almost entirely un-recapped!  Tune in next week when I reminisce over the whole past year.

In November...

 

We hosted our Housewarming Party - it was so wonderful to see our friends and family come and celebrate our accomplishment in buying this home.  Our Journey to Homeownership really felt like a war, and it felt good to celebrate our victory.

 

Left: Dr. Groomsman, myself and Best Friend Dodger

Right, from top to bottom: Myself and Soccer Girlfriend (Groomsman Concussion's longtime girlfriend, to be exact), Cuties Cute Apartment and her boyfriend, and my girl Future Dr. Babies and me

 

We got together with Cousin Ronomon and Tutor Girl and their sweet son, Lil C to take some quick photos for our Christmas Card this year - check out the hilarious outtakes HERE.

 

My Best Cousin came for a visit, and we disgracefully did not take a single photo together!  However, it was so nice to catch up with her, and spend some time one-on-one with one of my very favorite people.

 

Election Day came and went, and Handsome Husband and I rejoiced in the our living room over the results.  I don't talk politics much on the blog, but my lady parts were scared there for a minute.

 

Mother-in-Law Red celebrated this big 5-0 and we had a lovely brunch with the fam at Grandma Beach Bum and Grandpa Golfer's place.  You can find the recipe for the Nutella Pastries I made HERE, and the fun gift we gave the MIL Red HERE. 

 

We kicked off the holiday season with another Tree Lighting hosted at an outlet center owned by Gardening Mom and Handsome Husbands' company (yep, they work at the same company!).

 

{Via}

 

Handsome Husband's wonderful boss and her kind husband took us to a LA Galaxy soccer game - a conference final game at that!  And luckily, they won!

 





I finally headed up to LA for a long overdue visit.  While there, I managed to squeeze in a dorm visit and dinner with Sister Swimmer, a night out with Best Friends Fashionista and Swagger, and a wonderful brunch!

 

Loyola Marymount University visit, night out at Laurel Hardware, and brunch at open air dining Faux Pas Bistro

 

Handsome Husband's family got together to celebrate another November birthday - sweet Tutor Girl's!  Chef extraordinaire and Tutor Girl husband, Cousin Ronomon, created the most wonderful Italian dinner we got to enjoy in celebration of TG's special day.

 

Cousin Ronomon and happily pregnant Tutor Girl posing at her birthday dinner

 

Thanksgiving brought a super yummy dinner prepared by Gardening Mom, followed by dessert at Grandma Beach Bum's table.  So much food, so little time.

 

As if I didn't gain enough weight on Thanksgiving, it was Girl's Baking Day the day after Thanksgiving, where we kept the tradition going another year by getting ourselves covered in flour and baking far more than necessary amounts of cookies.

 

The family weekend continued as we took family photos with HH's entire extended family.  The photos turned out beautifully, though the act of taking them wasn't exactly relaxing (strong winds, short dresses, small children and eight women in the family...you do the math).  We were able to let off some steam at the Family Poker Tournament later that night though - I got second place again.  Or First Place Loser, as I like to call myself.

 





 

In December...

Sister Swimmer and I got to attend Jingle Ball (all because of HH's amazing ability to win tickets to just about anything and everything), a local concert hosted by one of the biggest radio stations in our area.  The highlight?  Taylor Swift's amazing show.  The low?  Our terrible seats - get it together, KISS FM!

 

{Via}

 

I hosted my first Girls' Night In, when I had my favorite local ladies over to watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at our home.  Read more and see photos HERE.

 

Handsome Husband made it through his first semester of law school, and to celebrate he (and myself and Cousin Study Buddy) donned ugly Christmas sweaters and hit up the end of the semester/Christmas party hosted by a law school friend.  HH also celebrated the occasion by drinking a few too many beers, and following that up with a shot of hot sauce...straight out of the bottle.  He was in rare form.

 

Aunt Fancy Chef hosted another wonderful Ladies' Holiday Tea - read about it and see some pretty photos HERE.

 

Gardening Mom hosted a wonderful Hanukkah dinner full of latkes, brisket, and some pretty menorah lights.

 

I hosted my first Christmas Eve Dinner, a tradition I hope to continue for years to come.

 

HH and I had our first-ever Christmas morning alone (only took us 5 years), and it was so fun to spend the morning with my love in our quiet little home before we spent the rest of the day shuttling between houses.

 

And next week, we will spend our last night of 2012 singing and dancing the night away at the same place we did last year.  Isn't it funny (and comforting, in a way) how so much changes a year, but at the same time - so much stays the same?





Fill in the Blank Friday

{The Little Things We Do}

 

1. I like rhinestones on just about everything, my Husband, my home and The Voice.

 

2. A life goal of mine is to be someone who everyone misses when they aren't there, and to one day have my children (should I be so blessed) say I make the "best ever" something - you know, "Oh your Mom makes good chicken?  My Mom makes the best ever salsa chicken."

 

3. The last thing you would ever expect me to like (even though I secretly do) is shooting guns.  Granted, I'd like it just a leetle bit better if the gun was rhinestoned, but still.

4. Some wise words that I love are "I don't care about money, I just want to be wonderful" - Marilyn Monroe

 

5. Most mornings you will find me quite grumpy, until I've had plenty of good morning hugs and kisses from my best friend in the entire world, my Handsome Husband.

6. Right now I am super into politics...SYKE.  Right now I am super into everyone shutting the hell up about politics.  There was a good 24 hours of appropriate bitching, moaning and gloating time and that time, my friends, is ova. 

7. Right now I am super over Christina Aguilera's tatas.  Like, can I just watch one episode of The Voice without feeling like I'm at the Spearmint Rhino??

Dear America,

My lady parts thank you for making the right decision.

On another note, Twitter was a very ugly place last night.  If we can't respect people for their differing opinions, we are not a nation to be envied.  I think that the President deserves to be given respect, regardless of his political party (calling the President "evil" is sad and so clearly not true).  And more so, all of our fellow citizens deserve to be respected, regardless of their political views. If you can't respect me because of how I feel about politics, please feel free to not to follow this blog, follow me on twitter, or talk to me in person for that matter.  You certainly don't have to agree with me, but you sure as shoot have to give me respect.

Yours,

Stress Casey

PS.  This concludes the political chatter on this blog for the next four years or so.  Until next time (and you better believe I'm hoping for Clinton 2016!)