This might be what I want to do. For real.

Jodi nudged me in this direction and I had thought of it before, but had never fully considered how much I would probably LOVE IT.

I'm talking about Head Start. Becoming a Head Start teacher.

Here's the logic: It's with the age group I love, the population I am passionate about serving, and I really love to teach. One, two, three, just like that. I think it would be SO MUCH FUN.

Hm. Hmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmm. I like this possibility.

Oh Dear. Another Christmas Empire Catastrophe

Adam is dying.

He needs to make it til Christmas, but will he?

I am giving him the attention and care that I thought he needed, but will it be enough? WHY IS HE DYING SO QUICKLY?

Dang

I was sleeping peacefully last night and then semi-woke up because my face itched. When I went to scratch it, I didn't realize that my entire arm was asleep.

I hit myself in the face so hard I woke myself up completely. And there was a red mark on my cheek. Because I hit myself. In the face.

Redonk.

Creating the Christmas Empire Phase 5: Present Wrapping

I have many presents to wrap. Here is a sampling of the wrapping I have done:

Ricky thinks that it is his duty as my cat to help me wrap presents by trying to bite/claw at the wrapping paper and ribbon as I wrap. It is exceptionally annoying.

There are more funny stories about that but I can't blog about them because they are about presents and some of the present receivers are blog-readers. So you'll have to wait for those stories.

Phase 4B Window Update: I am avoiding the window.

Christmas Empire Issues

Okay, so Phase 4A really ruffled my feathers. I have had a hard time recovering from the Window Decorating Disaster. I kept trying to start Phase 4B, but I think I was so discouraged by the outcome of 4A that I was too depressed to try again.

So the window stands. It looks stupid.

And to make matters worse, my apartment neighbors on either side of me have BOTH put up their OWN Christmas windows. And of course, they are beautiful. Stupid beautiful window decorators.

I need to just move on to Phase 5. I have been stuck with this 4B problem for too long! It's time to overcome the obstacles! Spread my wings and fly!

Another option instead of trying to get a job

There was a poster outside for a lost dog and it was sad. But only for a second, because then I was like

MAYBE I could find that lost animal and get the reward! It was like for $250!

And WHAT if I just started finding lost animals and collecting rewards and lived off that? People are always losing their pets.

Good idea, Nicole, good idea.

New Career: Toy Shopper

I am very excited about the Community Toy Store.

I requested this year to be the official shopper when money donations came in. I was granted my request. I wish that I was a Toy Shopper ALL YEAR LONG.

Here are some toys I like:

• Cabbage Patch Dolls
• Fisher Price Little People
• Brio Trains
• Playmobil people
• My Little Pony
• All toys in the world

(except Bratz dolls)

If you've never clicked on anything on your life, CLICK ON THIS.

Creating the Christmas Empire Phase 4A: The Window

I decided to decorate our front window.

It was much harder than I had anticipated.

First of all, my window cling "Believe" is much smaller compared to my window than it looked in the store. So it couldn't go across the middle because the window pane is all thick and it would look chopped in half. So I had to put it on one side. But then it looks lopsided.

And if THAT wasn't stressful enough, when I put up the lights I made them droopy - thinking that it'd be Christmas Empire-y - and it just made it look DUMB-O.

I don't like it so far.

More work needs to be done on this window. That is why this is just Phase 4A.

I don't know why...

but I've been having super bizarre dreams lately.

For example, I dreamed the other day that I was a teenage mouse living in a WW2 internment camp. We were trying to steal food by switching nametags. I don't know how that worked, but it made sense in the dream.

And last night, I dreamed that I had accidentally brushed my teeth with Chuck Diesel's toothbrush and I was SO GROSSED OUT. I almost lost my mind.

Creating the Christmas Empire Phase 3: The Tree

Rachel and I decided to get our tree today. This is the first time I have purchased a live tree on my own. THE FIRST TIME!

It's like this tree is my first born. I'm going to name him Adam.

So we went to purchase Adam tonight at a special farm where it is rumored that they pass out full-size candy canes (instead of the puny ones that you normally get at tree farms.) But this special farm was closed.

So we went to another special farm called Haggen and we found Adam.

Then we decorated Adam and made him beautiful. Here he is beautiful:

To finish off the evening of Christmas Empire Enjoyment, we put Ricky in a Santa hat.

Creating the Christmas Empire Phase 2: Advent Calendars

Today, with a gift card I got from Baron and Cristina to Trader Joe's, I bought Rachel and I both 99 cent advent calendars.

Phase 2: Advent Calendars COMPLETE

We hung them on the wall on either sides of my grandmother's wall hanging. This is Rachel's first Advent Calendar.

Excellent.

Creating the Christmas Empire: Phase 1

So I got out my Christmas decorations bin last night to see what I had to work with in converting my home into a Christmas Empire.

I started with the piano. Threw on some fake piney rope things and put Santa Bird right in the middle. Lookin good. That piano is ready for me to play some Christmas tunes on it.

Next, I hung up several wall decorations. One is photoed below:

This is a quilted wall-hanging that my Grandma made for me. THANK YOU GRANDMA. It is the highest quality of all the Christmas decorations I own. I hung it right above our couch. It is currently the centerpiece of the Christmas Empire.

Rachel and I were going to go get a tree today, but it is rainy and windy and disgusting outside so we decided not to. Instead, we are sitting in our Snuggies in our budding Christmas Empire.

I think I will head to the Christmas piano and play some songs for Rachel.

I like Ricky well enough, but why couldn't I have gotten this kitten?

My New Purpose

Instead of looking for a job, I have decided to devote myself completely to the task of turning my and Rachel's home into a Christmas Empire.

I will need to gather decorations, do some deep cleaning, and maybe paint the walls green and red. And put up Christmas lights. Bake Christmas things. Watch Christmas movies. Sing Rachel Christmas songs every night before she goes to bed.

Ricky will have to be dressed up, obviously. Should he be an elf or a reindeer?

I should've taken some Christmas decorations from my mom's house, she has like 2 million. Dang, why did I just think of this now?

I guess I could get some of my own. Yes, that's what I will do. I will purchase some quality Christmas decorations. Not that I don't own any already. I do own some. We had a Tacky Christmas party 3 years ago and I have all the decorations from that. So those will go up on the walls.

But I'll need more...

Mickey Snow Globe

My mama and I are shopping. We are early birds today. We got up at 4.

We are like the only people at the mall with cheerful faces and no die-hard agenda. We just think it's fun to come every year. Oh, and sometimes they hand out free things to the earliest shoppers and today I got a free snow globe! So excited!

A little fireplace and some sleepy dogs

I am sitting by the fireplace with two dogs and a cat sleeping around me.

I am pretty happy.

Road Jail

So I missed my exit on the way home to Puyallup because I took I-5 all the way down instead of going my usual way. And also, because I was on the phone having a very intense conversation because I am a very intense person.

Anyway, I didn't realize I'd missed the exit until I was talking on the phone with my mom and she asked me where I was. She said, "You missed your exit, I think. Call your dad, he'll know."

Anyway, I called my dad but got a busy signal. Then I was panicking. I couldn't type in my destination to Carmen because I was driving. So, in my panic, I took the first exit I saw.

It just happened to be the Fort Lewis Exit. And that exit just happens to be like ROAD JAIL, aka the exit becomes a lane that takes you DIRECTLY to the place where they check you for your military ID. No pulling off to the side, no going to the other side of the street because it was like a fenced in road. I do not have a military ID and I don't want to go to Fort Lewis. But I had no choice.

So I pulled up to the station place.

"Um, hello. I do not want to come to Fort Lewis. I just wanted to turn around but I was trapped on the fenced road."

"Just a turn-around?"

"Um, yes please."

"TURN AROUND! JERRY WE GOT A TURN AROUND HERE!"

::5 different uniformed men run over to my car::

"Can we please have your license, ma'am?"

I get out my license. Are they arresting me? I feel like they are going to arrest me.

"Jerry'll have you turn around right up there. He will then return your license. Pull forward! Go! Jerry! Go!"

So I pulled up a little ways and Jerry STOPPED TRAFFIC so I could cross over and make a U-turn. He then returned my driver's license.

I was very startled by the entire experience. Stupid road jail.

That was even better than I could have imagined

The show seriously only could have been better if I was part of the Top Ten myself. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun.

At one point, I was having so much fun, I burst into tears. There wasn't anything sad happening, I was just SO HAPPY.

The dancing was outrageous. OUTRAGEOUS. It made me miss dancing. I think part of my bursting into irrational tears was because I wanted to be dancing myself.

I might sign up for a dance class. Why not? They have adult classes. I'm an adult. Then maybe I will audition for SYTYCD and be in the Top Ten.

Also, at the show, Brandon was the silliest. It was the last show on the tour and Brandon kept crashing everybody's dances. He didn't do that normally, just tonight. It was the funniest. Like he ran in during the middle of the Romeo and Juliet dance and pushed Melissa aside and made Ade dance with him. And he was wearing bright pink pants. And we all laughed and laughed and laughed.

Also, every moment was my favorite moment. They were so good, they were so, so good. Better than they were during the season. Way better. And Caitlyn was there. Caitlyn! And Philip! They are #11 and #12! It was not just the top 10, it was the top 12! WHAT A SPECIAL TREAT. ::wild glowing-heart eyes::

Pictures to follow. Ashley took all the pictures. I'm glad I didn't bring my camera because I couldn't have taken any pictures because I was in a Happiness-Coma, but she took very nice ones.

It was the best day of my life.

I am having so much fun I can't believe it

It is intermission. There are 700 people in line for the bathroom. Maybe more. I am waiting in line.

THIS IS THE BEST SHOW IN THE WORLD.

I love my life.

OMGOMGOMG

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

I might die.

ONE HOUR. ONE HOUR.

In ONE hour I will see all my friends from Season 5. They will probably see me.

Excitement Level: 56

Why didn't I make a sign that says 'Dance by me Jason'? How will he know how much I love him?

1.5 HOURS TO GO

We are eating at Azteca Mexican Restaurant. Also, I realized that I'd been counting down to 7:00 not 7:30. The show starts at 7:30.

I had a cup of tortilla soup for dinner. Shoulda got a bowl. It was delicious.

I am excited to see these things tonight: Kayla and Kupono doing the addiction dance, Janine and Jason in the one Travis Wall choreographed, the boom boom pow group dance, brandon's solo, Brandon and Janette's disco and also their cha-cha. Oh, and Janine's solo. I hope they do all of those routines. Oh, and the Calle Ocho group routine.

Oh my gosh I'm so excited.

Excitement Level: 37

2 HOURS TO GO

We are still at the alderwood mall. I bought a Christmas present for Chuck Diesel. I acciedentally let my brain go into Christmas Mode and forgot about SYTYCD Mode. I need to get back in the right mindset.

Excitement Level: 14

3 HOURS TO GO

We are at Nordstroms. I bought a shirt. I love it. But not as much as I love SYTYCD.

Also, Nordstroms has too many mannequins.

Excitement level: 15

4 hours to go...

1.8 miles away from our first destination: alderwood mall. Excitement rising.

Five hours left

In the car! Leaving! SYTYCD!!! O MY G!! Excitement level: 11 (scale 1 - 10)

Six hours left

I took a shower and got shampoo in my eye. Had a coffee. Excitement level: 10 (scale 1 - 10)

Hour-by-hour updates

Today is the day. SYTYCD Day. It is a day I have been yearning for for years. And here it is.

To help all of you poor souls who do not get to see the Season 5 Show today, I will be providing hourly updates on th happenings via phone blogging.

Right now I am at Walgreens.

Nicole's Friday Activities

Here is what was on my calendar:

Friday, November 20th: [no entries]

Nothing. I had nothing planned. So, today, I have done a combination of lounging, Facebooking, relaxing, laughing at my cat, going to Starbucks, and looking at things online.

I also slept in. However, I don't really like sleeping in anymore because it gets dark SO EARLY and I feel like there is no daylight left when I sleep in.

Additionally: I AM GOING TO THE SYTYCD TOUR TOMORROW.