Dear Santa Slash Birthday Fairy + Taper MADNESS

Thanksgiving always signals the question.....So what do you want for Christmas and your birthday? (I'm a day after Christmas baby.)  And I always stumble around with a non-answer requesting money, because I'm lame like that.  Except that when I get money I end up putting it away in to my savings account, because I'm even MORE lame like that, and then when I end up using it way down the line for a race fee or clothes I no longer associate it with the giver.  Last year I decided to construct a Christmas Slash Birthday list for those folks that would be interested in it.... except...for the first time ever....  nobody asked.  What the heck??  (For the record:  I did end up buying myself a good chunk of the stuff on last year's list at some point in the year, so it probably evened out. :p)

It was so much fun compiling my wish list, I decided to do it again, even if it's only for the purpose of referencing on my birthday aka shopfest #27.  :)

I'm pretty much obsessed with this stocking hat.  I saw it online from Kohl's for crazy cheap a few months ago, but the shipping was more than the hat.  I just couldn't do it.  Then while Aaron and I were in the Cities for the Pack v. Vikes game I had MAJOR hat envy whenever I saw a chicky with it. :(

During the great HIMYM obsessfest of 2010, I purchased Seasons 3 and 4.  Random, I know.  I think they were crazy on sale?  Anyway, I'm missing 1, 2, and 5 from my collection.  Also Jason Segal is missing from life as my life partner.  So feel free to include him as well Jolly ol' Nick.

I've resigned to the fact that I will allow myself to get a Nook (per your guys' awesome suggestions and input on this post).  Granted, I've settled on the black and white version, but since this is a WISH list, I figured I could get away with the spendy colored version, no?

And why not get a case for the Nook that is almost as expensive as the actual Nook?  Why that's my thoughts exactly!  I have a special place in my heart for Kate Spade, and this quote is sooooooooooo Jerbear:  She kept her nose in a book, and her head in the clouds.  LOVE.

Last year I talked myself out of buying these G.D. Uggs convincing myself that I would be over them by this winter, thus making the price tag not worth it.  Well frugal Jeri, this one backfired on you.  I still covet these immensely.

As of right now this is the one race I am for sure doing in 2011.  And who wouldn't like to have a race fee scratched off their spreadsheet?  Wait...not everyone has a ridiculous race spreadsheet?  That's lame as well.  :)

I'm pretty much obsessed with everything that Nan Lawson creates.  At any moment in time I would be ecstatic with 20 different prints in her etsy shop.  Edited to add:  After creating this post, I ended up buying the two book nerdy prints.  Happy Christmas Slash Birthday to me. :)

I couldn't quite justify the Harry/Hermione/Ron set just yet.  But once I find a wall space they will work on, they are mine!  Oh, I mean... when Santa puts them in my stocking.... yup.  :)

And on to running.  When I was training for the Green Bay marathon I thought I was sooooooooo lucky.  I barely had any taper craziness going on.  My body felt great.  I wasn't that nervous about the race.  I wasn't losing my mind.  I thought I was a taper queen.  This time around, I feel like the taper has chewed me up and spit me out!  I spent week 1 of the taper sick and ran a whole 3-4 miles.  Last week ended with the crappiest of crappy 10 miles where my legs felt like lead.  I've had random knee pain in both knees, prompting me to ponder whether I should get a knee strap for the right (aka good) knee in addition to the one I wear on the left for Vegasssssssssss.  I have something horrendously out of place in my back that is making it difficult for me to breathe while I'm sitting on the couch let alone while I'm sucking wind running on the treadmill (rest assured I finally made a chiro appointment.  yay me!).  Oh and my legs just feel like garbage.

Today it all kind of hit me in the face.  Taper MADness fo sho.  I almost skipped my run this morning, because it seemed like more work to get to the gym to do three miles than it was worth.  Sweet attitude me.  When I got there my legs again felt like garbage.  Sigh.  (In case you are wondering, this is doing nothing for my race day confidence... gaaaaaaaaaaah!)  Luckily after about a minute or two of lead-legs, they got their pep back and the rest of the run was a-ok.  I did 3 miles in 28:28.  Just goes to show that you'll never regret going for a run.  ;)

And now I'm off to find my mind.  I'm sure it's around here somewhere!