I Said A Naughty Word...

So, my friend invited me to a book club party the other week. I'm a big fan of reading and I thought it would be a great way to get to know some women my age. I was also told to bring a Christmas tree ornament....easy sneezy, right? Well, I picked one out (shh...from my very own tree)....that I absolutely LOVED. I would stare at it when it was hanging from the needles and revel over its beauty. Since Joel and I are trying to save money and because the ornament did not have any sentimental value, I decided to bring it in all of its glory. I would have been thrilled to receive this Christmas tree ornament, and frankly, I was very sad to give it up...but since I'd rather be able to go on vacation again (preferably before I'm 90) and also pay off my school loans...I've taken to cutting a few corners. This happened to be the corner I chose that day. (Usually, I just say no to Diet Coke or bring a bagged lunch to work). Anyway, fast forward to the book party. It was a great gathering of ladies. Lots and lots of ladies...we talked about the book we all read and then moved onto playing the white elephant Christmas tree ornament game. Things were going well....until I noticed that all the women would ooh and ah over all the ornaments and then enquire "Where did you get that from?" Answers such as "Pier One, the Christmas Store...the_____ kept being tossed around the room. I began to panic! What was I going to say? I couldn't very well tell them that I found it on my tree. I also could not tell them that a friend bought it for me, because someone who previously lived in our house had bought it and left it behind. I briefly thought about lying...but I can't lie about anything and the guilt would have plagued me to my death. Then it happened...and I told the truth which happens to be the "naughty" word I said. That's right...the R word. I know you've all thought it and many have even used it. REGIFT. That's right. I regifted. After I let the whole group of women know my terrible deed, I was HUMILIATED! Way to make a first impression on 20 women that just so happen to go to my church! Yikes...I'm turning red as I write this. Anyway, I learned my lesson...because I really miss my gorgeous ornament and the pride I gave away with that r word!

Boys Don't Defer

Boys don't defer. This is a very simple fact that has taken me years to comprehend. You see, I've been living in a girls world all my life. I grew up with three sisters and my high school class was 80% female. Naturally, I articulate "girl language" quite well. Thus,boy language often seems quite foreign to me. You see, girls have these known rules that we ALL follow...and if these rules are broken...it makes girls upset. Here are some different unspoken rules we girls usually follow.

1. Girls must defer to one another at least 3 times.

2. If you have both deferred at least 3 times...then the girl with greatest need wins....no matter how vehement her deference is. (For example, if one girl has only eaten a skinny cow all day and there is only one piece of lasagna left for supper..they would both defer until the girl who only ate the skinny was eating the piece of lasagna).

3. The girl who wins the deference ALWAYS thanks the girl who deferred.

You are probably wondering where this "boys don't defer" post came from. Yesterday our fridge did not have a lick of food in it. We just got back from vacation and had not had time to restock. My husband gets up earlier than I do and packed his lunch with the last two pieces of bread. I was therefore left with some fruit, a hot red pepper and a skinny cow (and no car since we share one). I chose to eat the skinny cow. We did have one large piece of lasagna left for supper. I was expecting my husband would defer to ME since he had had a sandwich for lunch. And he did...2 times..and then ate it. I was shocked! Obviously I was the one in greatest need! He had a sandwich for lunch and I had a measly skinny cow! (This is a reduced fat/calorie dessert for those of you who do not know). I was the one in greatest need! He did not even follow the last girl deference rule and thank me as he was eating it. He believed me when I said it was okay if he ate it. Naturally, I was quite upset! How RUDE! After stewing about how hungry I was and how inconsiderate he was, I remembered a side comment my mother-in-law made this past weekend "boys do not defer." I then realized that I was speaking in my silly girl language...and of course my husband did not understand these silly girl rules I follow! I then forgave him for eating the last piece of lasagna, and decided my girl deference rules are rather silly!