An In-between Day...and contest winner!!

Happy Sunday, friends!  I've got a contest winner to announce today!!  *pauses to do a little jig*  :) 

But, first (don't hate me!)  I've got a post to get out there today and I hope you'll read through to the end, instead of scrolling quickly.  *waits to listen for mad mouse scrolling....none?  Phew!*

Today, as you all know, is Dec. 5th.  It's kind of a weird day for me.  It's between the birthdays of my husband and that elusive "one-that-got-away".  Ok, well - let me first preface the rest of this by saying that I love my husband.  In fact, I spoiled him to his heart's content with a fancy-schmancy dinner last night of prime rib, blue moons, and creme brulee at Rickenbackers.  AND Mr. What-if is in a different state and HAPPILY married to not me.  Still....

Do you have this elusive "one"?  Do you ever sometimes sit and wonder how vastly different your life could be if you'd ended up with one person over the other?  Or, even if you're not married, certainly there is a decision you've made in life that pointed you in one direction over another: jobs, education, friends, etc.

Even stranger for me, though.... my husband and this other guy went to the same high school.  They knew of each other, but weren't friends.  They were born the same year - two days apart.  This would make them both Sagittarius's.  But, honestly - they couldn't be more different.  (makes me wonder if I need to put stock in Zodiac signs AT ALL...)  See?

Mr. "IF" was unavailable, so Tom is sitting in....

*VERSUS*

You get my pondering, right?  :)  (couldn't resist...lol!)  And of course, there's no sure way to tell if one decision/one fate would have worked out better than another.  But...there's always "but".  Anywho!  That's what's on my mind today - and JUST today.  Every December 5th = me and "What if?"  (hey, that rhymes!)

DO YOU HAVE ANY INTERESTING "WHAT IF" SCENARIOS IN YOUR LIFE?

Well, thanks for ploughing through my thought of the day.  :)  Onto the thing you really want to know - winner, winNER, WINNER!!

Here's the hat with all of your entries:

Here's my daughter picking the winner:



And here's the lucky, no-rigged, bonafide WINNER extraordinaire!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, COLENE!!!!  *dances another jig!*  Please make sure you e-mail me your preference of Amazon or B&N and if you'd like the ornament or something else (holiday related).  And don't lose heart, losers the-rest-of-you-who-didn't-win.  :)  Random generosity is cool.  I'll totally do this again!
Hope you've all been having a FABULOUS weekend!  I'm off til Wednesday to read, read and read a little more....