The Doll Sweet Journal.: Five Things for Friday

For my number one and two things today, I was going to 1) make a quick to-the-point list about why I'm opposed to Syrian refugees coming to America en masse, because I've talked about it with others and read many different opinions on both sides, and after much thought and discussion, I think my reasons are solid and good and I just wanted to get them out there, for whatever they're worth, because I haven't done that yet, and 2) I was going to talk about why Marco Rubio is becoming my favorite Republican candidate, which I did a bad job of explaining at Thanksgiving dinner with our friends the Woods. One of the reasons I have a blog is to make up for the inarticulateness I have in real life. I sound better and smarter when I write and can edit and delete and re-write rather than when I talk and botch things up so easily. The written word is definitely my preferred method of communication!

Anyway, I don't feel like writing about those things today. There are too many difficult things happening in the world and just this week, with the shootings in California, and too many other things, both new and ongoing, controversial and upsetting, and I just don't want to add to all that today, however brilliant my observations might be. ;-)

So instead, here's a fun and lighthearted, Christmasy list of five random things from my week.

1. We got our tree picked out, brought home, set up, and decorated. I love it! It's so pretty and it smells so nice. And it's a white lights year, which makes it even better. (We switch off between white and colored lights every other year as a compromise because I like white lights better and Peter likes colored.) I also bought a much-needed new tree skirt and I love that too.

The tree isn't all done yet. The star still needs to be put on top and some more lights needs to be strung up down on the bottom (see the bottom right part of the tree), but Peter is our resident lighting guru and he's been traveling this week. So you know what's going be at the top of his honey-do list this weekend. :-)

2. I found this new type of cookie dough when I was grocery shopping this week.

Nestle Toll House Hot Cocoa cookies! I'm excited to try these.

This is my favorite way to eat cookies. When you have to bake them, it's much easier to only eat one or two at a time, as opposed to binging on a bunch right out of the package (I'm looking at you, Double-Stuf Winter Oreos). Pre-made cookie dough is much safer, and the cookies are warmer and yummier (more yummy?).

3. My friend Jason is an architect who works and lives in New York City. He posted this picture on Facebook this week from Times Square.

The Church (of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) bought a lot of billboard space in the heart of Times Square for their Christmas "A Savior is Born" initiative. He said it's a whole lot bigger this year than it was last year. For good reason, given the way things are going in the world. Way to go, Church! That's awesome.

This is the video. It's only two minutes long and it's beautiful.

On a related note about Jason's picture, that's Toys R Us beneath the billboards--the best and biggest Toys R Us ever! I brought the kids there when we were in NYC last year and I also took my niece Hayley when she was a kid. I read yesterday that they're closing at the end of the month. I can't believe it! It's one of the best and most fun (and wholesome) things in all of Times Square. I don't know what's up with New York shutting down their most famous toy stores (FAO Schwarz and now this), but I think it stinks!

4. I wish I were back east so that I could go to Boston Ballet's Nutcracker. It's the best and I miss it.