Brief recap of things you missed out on while Ryan was not writing on her blog:

• Anthony’s mom passed and we had a big party to celebrate her life in Charlotte, NC.
• My little sister turned another year older.
• My office celebrated Halloween by hosting a decorating contest. Us slimy contractors clearly won (I think it was the three-foot carnivorous spider eating the child in a fairy costume on a ten-foot spider web that put us over the top – or maybe the werewolf crawling out of my boss’s cubicle…), but the head of our office now cannot declare a winner because someone on the government side complained that contractors should not be allowed to win. We are now officially keeping up the decorations until Thanksgiving, we’ll give a week’s reprieve, and then we’ll start on our “Nightmare Before Christmas” themed holiday decorations. And they’ll like it, goddammit.
• I wrote three papers and delivered a presentation for grad school. 4.0 here I come!
• Anthony left for Vietnam and Estonia on November 4th – He returns on December 2nd, thereby missing both my birthday and Thanksgiving.
• I immediately got bored and drafted the "12 Days of Christmas Movies" list, which has me beginning to ring in the holiday on my mom's birthday, December 14th. You are SO invited.
• I told one of my professors to stop sucking up to me. You know, one of those times I said something I didn't really mean and will now be living the moment down forever (kind of like the "is steak beef, mom?" incident that my family LOVES to bring up).
• I went out with my fellow grad students and got a number (not to mention a bunch of free drinks). How do you like dem apples?! (Disclaimer: I was in no way attempting to get that number. It was given to me at the end of the night, as we were shutting down the bar. Scribbled on a napkin were this guy’s digits and a little note that said, “You are SO HOT!” Damn, I’m so good I don’t even have to try. (insert snickering here)).
• I lost my mind and made my mom cry while looking for a petsitter for the Thanksgiving holiday (am I the only person who didn’t know that USAirways does NOT allow pets in cargo anymore? – no matter what their website says (look under “Pets in Cargo Compartment”)).
• Ben and his family came to my rescue and volunteered to bring Grace home to Bethesda to share in their happy Thanksgiving gluttony.
• Morgan volunteered to feed and shower Pookie with affection over Thanksgiving (Ben's allergic to cats).
• I did the majority of my Christmas shopping and present wrapping.
• Jeff decided that I was hosting my own birthday potluck dinner this weekend, so if you’re in DC for whatever reason on Sunday, it’s my place at 6:30PM – be there or be square.