Friday, December 31, 2010

recap

Wow!
It's been awhile friends.
And so much has happened!
We have been living a lot of life lately.
And it's been great.
I have missed this little space of mine and am very happy to be back.
It's gonna be a long one, so sit back and relax.

Christmas Eve was just our little family and we had a lot planned.
A movie.
Driving around and looking at Christmas lights.
Milk and cookies for Santa.
Etc...
However, we spent the day huddled on the bed and couch with a sick Ellie.
She rallied around 7 and we were able to put out reindeer food and milk and cookies.
Ellie slept til 8, bless her little heart.
And I am very pleased to announce that Santa did not go overboard this year.
4 presents and a stocking.
E was pleased as punch with what she got.
 4.5 year olds like hoodies too.
 It was a wonderful Christmas morning.
Just my little family.
And our presents to each other.
And our traditions.
Joy.
Plus, I got an iPad. 
Score! 
 Didn't even know I wanted one, and now, don't know how I ever lived without it. 
My husband gives the best presents ever!

Then in the afternoon we went to Paiges and I brought him along.
Is he not the cutest thing you have ever seen.  I got it here.  And he tastes good too!
We spent the day with family just hanging out and relaxing.
Where Ellie got the cutest skirt EVER!
And we had a delicious dinner. 
Only time of the year I eat (or even contemplate) horseradish.  It's on the meat and delicious!
Isn't Paigey pretty!
Then Sunday found us packing up and heading to Indy so spend some time with Chris' family.
We stayed at a hotel with an indoor water park, which is right around the corner from Chris' sister.
How nice is that?
We left this as a surprise for Ellie and we all had a great time.
Except the water was frigid and we spent lots of time in the hot tub.
Chris' family spoiled her rotten and it was nice to spend some time with them.
Ellie got the Leapster Explorer from Nana.
Let the gaming begin.

Then the final leg of our journey found us in Parker to see everyone we hadn't seen yet.
We visited my mama.
Oh how I miss her.
Especially around Christmas.
And Ellie got a cuddle blanket from Tanner and Quincy to hug when she misses them. 
That thing hasn't left her side since.

So yeah.  We've been busy.
But now we are home.
The presents are put away.
The tree is down.
We are all starting to feel better.
And looking forward to the new year.

I have made resolutions this year.
Real ones.

More on that later.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Just a test

I got an iPad!

This is just a little test to see if I can post from it.

Huge Christmas recap coming soon.

Promise.

Did I mention my husband totally rocks?

He does.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, December 23, 2010

christmas eve eve

Today was one of those days I was planning to just "get through."
However, getting through turned out to be fun.  Mostly.
I had a lot of coffee.
Did a lot of laundry.
Checked a lot of the ol' to do list.
Then we played barbies.
I hate barbies.
We dressed them all up and had a little fashion show.
Let me introduce you.
From L to R...
Cinderella in her own lovely dress.
Belle also in her own lovely dress.
Skanky librarian barbie.
Swimsuit model barbie.
Pocohontas rocking the hot pink 50's gear.
Gianna looking extremely classy in the red dress. She totally won.
Hip Hop Holly.
Surfer Ken.
Slutty.  Skanky librarians sister.
Arial in some 1970's get up.
Aurora borrowed Gianna's dress.
The other Ken.
Some girl who got all the leftover clothes.
(Now, obviously, I did not use words like "Skanky" and "Slutty" around Ellie, but who comes up with these clothes??)

Then we played ponies.
Then we had lunch. 
And she ate every bite.
What is it about shaped sandwiches that makes kids so happy?
Then we went to the grocery.
But that is all I am going to say about that...
Cause is was a total freaking nightmare.
Then Daddy came home and I kicked his asteroid 6 times in Gin.
So he finally gave up and played GO FISH with Ellie.
I think she beat him too.
While we had a nice little fire.
My "get through" day turned into a wonderful, beautiful day.

But the best part was this little song Ellie made up.
I will leave you with this until after the holidays.
Won't be back for awhile.
Happy Christmas!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

a scary revelation

I'm just going to get right to it.
I think I am really an 80 year old woman.
Trapped in a 33 year old body.

Examples:

I have started to wear an apron.
I think most music is way too loud.
I love Christmas sweaters and vests and would totally wear one if I didn't think my friends would talk about me behind my back.
I love Barry Manilow and Barbara Striesand.
I am always cold.
I have the biggest crush on Atticus Finch.
I carry hankies.
I totally choose comfortable shoes over high heels.
I love dresses from the 1950's and totally wish we dressed like that today.
(with comfortable shoes of course.)
I feel most at peace at home in my kitchen.
I think little old men are the cutest things ever.

See?
I am at least 80.
I need to learn how to knit.
And play bridge.



Sunday, December 19, 2010

not a gingerbread house

The idea of a gingerbread house is wonderful.
So holiday happiness.
So idealistic.
So pretty on the package.

In reality, they totally suck.
They are messy.
And impossible.
And yucky.

So imagine my delight when I found a GIANT gingerbread man at Trader Joe's.
I fell in love.
I fell in love with his one piece and chocolate pieces and easy to use icing.
The sprinkles were a mess, but nobody is perfect.

Check it.
We were playing Gin as she decorated.
I dominated.
 And the best part?
He actually tastes good.
I really hope these guys are around next year.
Cause then, I would never have to do another gingerbread house again.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

benjamin

Benjamin's back.
I love this little guy.
If you recall, he is our version of Elf on a Shelf/Advent Calendar all rolled into one.
He hides somewhere new every morning and sometime brings presents!  
He brings holiday outfits and books.
This year we got:
Llama Llama Holiday Drama (LOVE this series!)
and
Fancy Nancy and the Splendiferous Christmas.

Every morning, she comes running into our room, either excited to find him or excited to tell us where he was.
Ellie is so enamored with him that I fear the day he gets packed away.

He has found some interesting spots to hide this year.

 Sometimes he is naughty.  Like the time he ate some cookies and left crumbs, or the time he buried himself in the clementines.  You can almost guarantee a present the day after he was naughty.
Thank you Benjamin.
Thank you for making Ellie's Christmas a little more fun.
Even if Mommy does wake up in a panic at 3 am due to forgetting to hide him...

Monday, December 13, 2010

things i know for sure - christmas edition

As I grow older, there are certain things that just become apparent during the holiday season.

Things like:

At least 40 trips to the attic will be needed to get everything needed to make a merry holiday.
Never ever buy tape from the dollar store.
Bumbles Bounce! is fun to say, no matter how many times you say it.
Enormous wreaths make a beautiful building even prettier.
Gingerbread just tastes better in December.
There are lots of good hiding spots for presents in this house.
Stocking stuffers are my favorite presents to buy.
Posing with strangers is not so weird during Christmas.
No matter when I think I am done shopping, I always find one more, must have present.
I will always send Christmas cards.  I love to do it.
The Toy Soldier show downtown still rocks.
I will leave at least 3 presents with that unwrapped strip down the back.  I tend to underestimate the amount of wrapping paper needed.
Eggnog is quickly becoming a favorite.
Getting a present you really want makes you happy.
Snow is only pretty when you have no where to go and you can sit inside and watch it.
Christmas carols never get old.  And Chris likes them, even though he refuses to admit it.
Movies and popcorn are better with friends.
Cookie baking is fun for the first hour or so, then gets tedious.
Bundling up to get outside takes a bloody eternity.
Night time snowy walks are still marvelous!  And it is a tradition I love to continue.
Max, from the Grinch is the best holiday character. Period. 
 Salt dough ornaments are cheap to make and a lot of fun!
However, the 3 hour bake time is like an eternity for a 4 year old.
Snow days to 4 year olds aren't what they are to 13 year olds.
I love to shovel.  If that makes me weird, so be it.
Mail time is my favorite time of day.  I love getting cards too!
 Holiday themed hats are cool.
So there you have it.
These things I know for sure.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

why you want to be my friend

To say we baked yesterday is like saying the sea is a pond.
or Outlander is just a book.
or Starbucks is just coffee.

I mean, we freaking baked people.

I even had a little "helper."
Who "helped" way longer than I thought she would.
She rolled nearly all 6 dozen of the snickerdoodles.
And rocked my mom's vintage apron in the process.
Here she is cracking her own self up with her version of the snickerdoodle.
Mama!  It's a snickernoodle!
She's funny, this one.
I was seriously in the kitchen from 9 in the am til 5 in the pm.
It's like I was working a full time job.
A full time, eat a cookie every 10 minutes and gain 5 pounds, full time job.

But it was worth it.
Look at the goodness.
I didn't even get pictures of the gingerbread. 
I was pretty over the whole thing by then.

But this is why you want to be my friend.
I have a whole box with no one to give them too.


Might as well be you!
You have until tomorrow night (Sunday!) at 8 to leave a comment.
Winner gets the cookies.


Friday, December 10, 2010

the big man

We saw the Big Man himself yesterday.  Still no lap sitting, but there was no slight tremble of fear either.
Baby steps people.

She asked for a:

Go Go Puppy
Bambi stuffed animal
A christmas tree doll??
A new ballet leotard
and world peace.

Ok, not world peace, but she totally would if she knew what it was.
She's cool like that.

I think she will be happy on Christmas morning.

Except for the Christmas tree doll.
What on Godsgreenearth is a Christmas tree doll?