Allow me to vent my frustrations about my place of employment. Some of you will probably know that I have been working at Western Wats for... ever. Well, for almost the last 2 years, I have been working as an editor with the company, cleaning the open ended responses in the banking surveys we do. This has been a sweet setup since I had no set schedule and wasn't dialing. Granted, the hours were very variable, and some weeks there wasn't enough work, but I still liked it.

So my issue (one of many total, but about the only issue at the moment) is the fact that Tuesday before New Year's, Sam (our manager) pulls me aside to tell me they are moving banking up to corporate at the beginning of the year. The first thought that goes through my mind is - fine, I'll have to work there with Jan, I'll get over it. Then she says that they've been letting editors go up there, so I won't be able to edit anymore. She also says that she doesn't have any supervisory positions open since we assimilated people from Boutique when it closed. She kindly says that when she has something come available, she'll definitely use me, but right now, my only option is to dial.

Dialing hasn't been as bad as I would think, but it is NOT my favorite thing in the world. Unfortunately, with my school schedule and the fact that we probably won't be here through the end of the year, I don't have much choice but to suffer through for the time being. Sam was kind enough to say she'd keep my wage the same. That's nice, at least.

However, it was an annoyance that my first day back on the phones, they ask me to either stay until 4 or come back at 4 to do a client monitoring on a non-banking project. I'm not feeling very loyal to the company at the moment, booting me like that. This came on the tail of being the only one in the editing office who did get to remotely access in from home. So I'm not particularly in the mood to extend myself to be overly helpful. Yes, I'm an amazing dialer, and I try to do quality work, but I don't need to do more than necessary at the moment.

Sigh, if I could quit, or work somewhere else. Too bad Wats is still flexible and paying me the same wage. Maybe we'll get to move in like May.... (wishful thinking)

This year, I actually let Matt sleep in to a decent hour. (Last year, I think I was excited about our first Christmas, cuz we were up early...) However, we were awakened a few minutes before my alarm (set for 8am) by Matt's sister Jennifer, wanting to know if we could come down then (the plan was for 10am). I guess mom said they had to wait to exchange sibling gifts until everyone was there lol. So we got up and openned our presents. We actually got to Payson like 10:15 or so.

We had breakfast with the fam and went around and opened gifts. Then we hung out and played their new game, Curses. Laws that was funny. I recommend videotaping any session of that game. It's definitely worth putting on YouTube at least. During our game was our call with Matt's brother Curtis, on an LDS mission in Florida, spanish speaking. That was the most talkative I think I've ever seen (not litterally seen, obviously) him. We had a good little conversation. It was good to talk to him, since I haven't written him at all and Matt doesn't let me know what is going on with him anymore.

After that and we finished our game, we just hung out for awhile. Matt ended up taking a nap for a bit too. This is awful, but I don't really recall what happened after that. At some point, we got Devan to carry most our gifts to our car, in exchange for him coming over and playing Halo 3 with Matt for hours on end. He also stayed the night and got to play Halo in the morning too. (And this is how Devan was able to eat all our Christmas candy before I even saw it ;). )

And that was the extent of our festivities on Christmas day.

So initially, I wrote a HUGE Christmas blog. However, I lost internet connection not very far into it, so it was all lost. Then I got the brilliant idea to break it up. So this particular post is dedicated to what we got, so as to not distract from the posts about the festivities. I know, I know. I'm slow in finishing up Christmas. Deal.

Grandma and Granpa Covalt gave us a little basket with oranges and lollipops (they were nummy :)), along with a pic from the nativity we did last year. We did a white elephant this year, and I scored Hip Hop Abs! I was way excited. Now if only I used it... I don't remember what Matt got though.

From Grandma and Grandpa Erdmann, we got the usual Christmas letter and updated Pertinent Information sheet, along with universal gift cards (aka cash).

Grandma and Grandpa Christiansen gave us a tower box with truffels. Grandma also made beanies and pot holders - we picked two beanies :). At the same party, Randy and Janelle had us, and we got a HUGE bag full of edible goodies - and some adorable novelty chapsticks.

Grandma and Grandpa Wilson also opted for cash this year instead of gift cards. Steven gave us $15 worth of gift cards to Deseret Book. Even though David and Edna weren't there, they had dropped off their gifts, and Benjamin gave me a cute set of porceline dolls :) Megan had Matt and gave him a Wal-mart gift card.

On Christmas, we did our presents and went to Matt's parents'. Matt got me David Archuleta's and Akon's cds. He also got me a Happy Bunny calendar with tickets to Rockapella New Year's Eve taped to it :) I also got myself Gilmore Girls season 7, a cute figurine thing that says, "Families are Forever," and new gloves.

I got Matt a new shaver (as per his request). He also got The Office (US version) seasons 1 and 2. In his stocking was a new water bottle (since he always drinks out of mine!), some microfiber cloths to clean his glasses with (once again, so he doesn't steal mine...), and a last minute Guitar Hero toy - courtesy of the cereal box. He enjoyed it, lol.

Bhuvan also had a stocking, in which was a new toy and a snack thing.

The "family" (yes, Matt and I do make a family, but it's still kinda weird to call them family gifts when there's only two of us) got V for Vendetta and House MD seasons 1, 2, and 3.

My parents also got us toilet paper and tissues (apparently this is some tradition - would anyone like to fill me in on it?), and HUGE bath sheets with our names embroidered on them.

This year at Matt's house, Jason and Camile had us. They got us Oreos (which I think I got like 5... Matt and Devan ate most of them... actually, probably mostly Devan...) and made us an ADORABLE shelf to hang Matt's llama rug from Peru on. Now if I could get Matt to put it up...

His parents got us The Princess Bride, Mind Errand from the Lord by Elder Packer, hot chocolate mix :D, a Chile's gift card, and a food storage starter kit. In his stocking was a box of chocolates. His aunt Lynell gave us a cute Christmas book along with an Olive Garden gift card. Matt also got a flying monkey... that's right, a flying monkey.

I think that is all. Sorry if I've forgotten anything. We also received various Christmas cards and letters, and treats in Heather's case (so I ate all those oreos myself :)). Thanks everyone for your thoughtfulness :)

So there was no Hadfield party - Grandpa post-poned on account of the weather. It was a good thing cuz it snowed all day! However, I was sad about no sleigh ride. I don't know if there will actually be a get together. I should probably just mail the remaining Christmas letters at this point....

In other news - no work tomorrow! I swear this is the first year Wats has had Christmas eve completely off. That's okay though - I'm going to make cookies, reclean my house, workout to my new Hip Hop Abs :D, wrap the last 2 presents, and email my notes for Strenthening Families. Then it will be off to Grandma Wilson's for another Christmas party. Probably my favorite too. We always have Christmas eve at Grandma's. It's long, but fun. I hope that even after we move away, that we will be able to come up for Christmas.

And for some depressing news - my computer stopped working. (I'm on Matt's at the moment.) I shut it down this morning and went to work. When I came home, it wouldn't turn on. So I unplugged it, and got it to turn on, but it had an issue. Now it thinks it needs a password. It has done this before, but we got to the problem a different way. Matt thinks it's the same thing, though, the bios password thinks it should exist when it really shouldn't. He read up what to do, but doesn't dare do it himself. It was pretty cheap the last time we got it fixed, but I am absolutely broke. That's been depressing. First, being broke, but then having no computer either.

Anyway, that's all that is noteworthy.

Well, now that Christmas is almost here - I finally have won the war with my photo editor to get my Christmas header up. However, my cute wedding pic screws it up, but this is one is from Thanksgiving weekend - so I guess updated is okay :)

So - it's not that I haven't had anything to say, just that life has been hectic! However, the semester is over. It has been nice to just hang out at home without having to worry about homework! The xbox has seen more use (at least by me, Matt has been playing quite a bit all along).

I almost didn't put a tree up this year. I found some of our decorations and put them up - I hate to not have a cute house when I have adorable decorations! However, with the semester being crazy at the end, I really thought it wouldn't happen. But I managed to get it up on Thursday. Then I started putting up the rest of the decorations. I'm so glad I did because it put me in a great mood!

We've already had 2 family parties - the Erdmann side and the Covalt side. Tomorrow is the Hadfield party - Grandpa is going to take us for a sleigh ride! I'm so excited! I always see the horse-drawn carriages in Salt Lake, but I never get to go. I have to remember to take my camera... Then on Christmas eve is the Wilson side - and the Biggs party is going to be AFTER Christmas (still weird to me) on the 27th. Christmas shopping is almost done. I can't wait! The sad thing is I still have to go back to school in a couple weeks. But - I'm almost done! Then I can live like this forever! Or until I go to grad school, if I do that.

Anyway, kind of a lame post, but it will have to do.