Ten on Tuesday (Vol. 43)

1. What are 3 things that are on your Christmas wishlist?

I posted about my Christmas wish list last week but one item I desperately want to receive this year (that I forgot to list!) is a new comforter set. I have my eyes on this set from Target. I currently have one from IKEA but the comforter is way too big for my full-size bed. Also, my dog isn’t a fan of the comforter. I’m not even kidding. He has protested the change until I finally brought my old comforter up on our bed for him to sleep in. No, he’s not spoiled at all.

Talk about going off on a tangent! OK. Three things on my wish list: a new comforter set, a new cover for my Kindle, and new workout clothes from Target.

2. What’s your favorite Christmas song?

I’m torn between “Little Drummer Boy” by Jars of Clay and “Go Tell It On the Mountain” by Needtobreathe. Two of my favorite bands with beautiful renditions to both songs.

3. Do you have a favorite band or singer that sings it especially awesome?

Whoops. See above.

4. Have you heard about the website Goodreads?

Yes, I most definitely have! It’s one of my favorite sites. I use it constantly to look for new books to read, rate and review books I’m reading, and keep up with #twookclub! We use a Goodreads group to suggest books to read, vote on the next book to read, and just chat about general things. I’m debating whether or not to put up a discussion about the book pick of the month for others to discuss the book in further detail (especially for those who can’t make the monthly chat!). But yes, know of and love Goodreads. If you consider yourself a bookworm, you need to be using this site!

5. What are 3 books you want to read?

• Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff, because I’m obsessed with his blog
• The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel, because the tagline reads “Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist” which is basically the way I’ve been living my faith over the past year
• Divergent by Veronica Roth, because of the rave reviews it is getting from everyone

6. Do you hunt deer?

No, I don’t.

7. Have you started Christmas shopping? Are you completely finished?

I have started. I am finished shopping for my brother and my boss. I’m still drawing a blank as to what to get my sister-in-law. I’ve bought my nephew a shirt, but have a few other items to purchase for him. And I haven’t even started on my mom which is always a big process for me. (I like to spoil her since she never was spoiled when she was married to my dad - nor in the years that followed, as a single mom to teenagers.) But I love Christmas shopping so, so much that it doesn’t bother me at all. Not the rush, not the lines, not the busyness. I love it all.

8. Did you shop on Black Friday? What was the best deal you got?

I have never shopped on Black Friday but I think I will one year. Just for the experience. And only for something silly, like a Belgian waffle maker. Because who doesn’t need one of those?!

9. What’s one holiday tradition that your family has?

I think our biggest tradition is waiting until Christmas Day to open presents and stockings. I couldn’t imagine opening presents on Christmas Eve and it’s such a fun, special memory. (Especially staying up late with my brother when we were younger. We always tried so hard to stay awake!) We were finally allowed to get up at 6am, open our stockings, and then wake our parents up to open the present haul. Now, with my brother out of the house, it’s a little more calm. I’m able to sleep through the night (although it’s still a little hard! I’m a five-year-old on Christmas Eve, still!) and my mom and I wake around 7:30-8:00 to open our stockings/presents before waiting for my brother and his family to come over.

10. How many blogs do you read? Do you subscribe/unsubscribe often or do you purge every once in a while?

I follow 84 blogs in Google Reader, but they are all in their own folders so I make sure I read the blogs that I love the most first. I use the “mark all as read” button more than I would like but it’s impossible to keep up with them all. About once a month, I’ll add a few new blogs to my Reader, as well as purging blogs I’m either skimming or not reading at all.

Tell me: What is one holiday tradition your family has?

*Questions found here