Baking....and baking....and baking....

I spent yesterday baking, however, I don't know what happened to all of the pics I took. Methinks Santa needs to bring me a new camera....or perhaps I'll just wait for the after Christmas sales....

As you can see from the pics, I have made a good start. I have the gingerbread dough in the fridge right now, and tomorrow both girls want to make their "own" batch of cookies. Betsy has agreed to the chocolate Reeces pb chip cookies, and wee one wants to make thumbprints. Yes, leave it to my little culinary delight to want to make the most involved cookie of the year. Maybe once I remind her that those cookies have NUTS on them, she will decide to make something easier. Yeah, like that will deter her....

I have a really cool cookbook that has all sorts of interesting facts in it about food, and it had all of the different names that people call Russian Tea Cakes. There is; Mexican wedding cakes, butterballs, and my personal fav....moldy mice. Hmmmm, I can only imagine ringing the doorbell of a cherished friend, plate of holiday goodies in hand, saying "Merry Christmas! Our friendship means so much to me.....here are some freshly baked moldy mice for you!"

It's freeeeeezing outside right now. Of course, it's also 4 am. I woke up and London was on the bed once again (JOHN!!!!) and when she realized I was awake, she attacked me with puppy kisses. I decided before she got too excited, I'd take her out for a potty break....which was obviously needed! I was a bit warm anyway with all the covers and the heat register right above me, so the cool air felt mighty good.

I think I "tested" too many cookies yesterday. I'm thinking about finishing up my baking in a few hours and it's making me nauseous. What am I going to do with all those cookies? I can't help it....I start baking and then I want to see how many I can make. I love watching them pile up on the table. I think I'll take a plate over to my friend today. Her daughter has strep for the holidays....poor kid. And, I'll also take some to my uncle's house on Sunday. I suppose someone will eat them.

Last night at midnight, my mom said that she heard someone ringing her doorbell. She looked out the windows and didn't see anyone, so she said she wasn't going to answer it. She said that whomever it was rang the bell really fast, so she thought it was me (as I love to annoy her by ringing it at least 10 times in a row). Finally the phone rings and it's my sister from Indiana, telling her that her Christmas present is outside her door and would she open it....and there was my goofy sister, standing there with her luggage. She had decided to come spend the holidays with mom, being that it was her first without dad. So, they are making plans for things to do for the next two weeks. I can't believe I'm saying this but....this is one time my sister had a GOOD idea! LOLOL....(Love ya Jody! ;o)

Okay, undie boy just shuffled his way out of the bedroom to find out where I went. I guess that is my cue to go back to bed. Night all!

Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

Drinks, anyone?

Let me just start by saying that I am not, by nature, a drinker. I have wine at weddings, and maybe once a year a mixed drink....so having all of this liquor in the house is new to me! Whilst shopping at the World Market, I saw the mix for the Peppermintini and couldn't resist. I love anything peppermint and figured John and I could celebrate the season with a festive drink. Tonight I decided would be the night. I got all of my ingredients together, and caught it on film. I measured out the proportions, and as you can see shook it just right....and ended up with a drink that tasted like....cough syrup over ice. It was horrible! What a disappointment. So, it was on to the 7&7. I didn't hold out much hope for it....however, it is wonderful! So mild and smoooooooth. I'm feeling very, verrryyyyy relaxed right now.....and that is a good thing as I am just about to balance my checkbook after finishing up my Christmas shopping!

We went to the mall yet again today, so that wee one could get her gift for me, and Betsy could get her gift for John. Afterward we went in search of the one thing we wanted to get for my mom....and could not find it anywhere. So, we ended up getting her our second choice, as well as something to go along with it that I hadn't even thought of. Betsy found it and it will be perfect for her! I'm not going to say what it is, in case she reads this....but trust me, she will love it.

I spent an hour or so in my room wrapping things and re-hiding them. I got all of wee one's birthday gifts wrapped as well. I think I bought them MORE this year than any other year....and I was going to cut it down being that the puppy was supposed to be the big gift. However, it seems that the excitement has worn off and John and I are the ones with the new puppy and all of the responsibility. The girls will walk by, give her a pat on the head and run off.....leaving me to walk around all day, talking in baby talk to her, and feeding her Fruit Loops. All I have to do is say, "Does my Lon-Lon want her fruity loops?" and she runs to the pantry and sits so pretty for me. LOL....so much for keeping her on a strict diet! And last night John committed the cardinal sin....he let her sleep on the bed all night. I couldn't believe it when I woke up at 2 am and she was snoring on my legs. He is such a wimp when it comes to her. He calls her his girl, "Where's my girl???? Oh, there she isssss....isn't she a pretty girl?" WTH? Why am I not greeted like that when he comes in from work? Sheesh.

Tomorrow is baking day. I will be baking up a storm all day. I can't wait to sink my teeth into some good, homemade cookies. Last night we went out to dinner and bought a candy cane pie. OMGoodness....it was so good! This restaurant has them every  Christmas and I buy one every year. So rich and creamy and mmmmmmmm good! I wish we had some left. Okay, I'm outta here for the night....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Movie day....

Once again I braved the mall today....this time to purchase dress pants for Betsy, as she had a Christmas party for work tonight. We found some really cute black pants with pinstripes at Gadzooks....along with two pairs of corduory's in chocolate brown and turquoise. I ended up buying them for her, as she didn't have enough money to cover it. She wanted to use what money she had to buy gifts for her sister, dad and me. Awwwww....what a kid. I love shopping for Betsy because she is so tiny. She fluctuates between a 3 and a 5....so I get to spend time amongst the "fashionable" clothes....lol. Of course, I often get the "shouldn't you be on the fat side of the store" look from the sales girls....but that's okay. One of these days I'm going to walk up to one of them with a size 3 and ask, "Don't you have anything smaller? I really love these but they are just too big." LOLOL....

After making the purchases, we walked around the mall so that Betsy could get wee one's present, and wee one could get Betsy's. She had planned on making her a stuffed dog at Build-A-Bear (Betsy had requested it), however the line was out the door. Being that we didn't have much time before the movie started, I told her she could return with her dad when they went shopping on Thursday. She was not happy with me....and begrudgingly followed me out of the store. We ended up at the Disney store where she found the PERFECT gift for her sister. It was on sale for $40, so I told her I would split the cost with her, since she didn't want to spend all of her money....she still wanted to buy something for her dad. Anyway....Betsy will LOVE the gift.

From there we went to the movies to meet up with my girlfriend and her kids. Her son is in the same grade as wee one, and was in the same class with her last year, which is how Kim and I met. I've been teasing wee one for two days saying, "Now, you are NOT to kiss 'M' when the lights go down at the movie," or "you can sit by him, but no holding hands!" LOL....she just turns red and yells MOM! at me.

We ended up seeing Chicken Little....which I thought was a disappointment. I didn't think it was as funny as Disney movies usually are, and not as entertaining. The kids liked it though....which is what mattered. John and I had taken the kids to see Narnia on Sunday and boyoh boy, that was an awesome movie! I highly recommend it....both of my girls loved it, and both of them cried. (I did too....but don't tell anyone!)

I am feeling a little more in the "spirit" of things....although it was hard today with the sun shining and the a/c on in the car! Of course, it was only in the high 50's, but the car was hot for some reason. We didn't have coats on either, just sweaters. I have to say, that the ONLY thing good about Christmas shopping in Florida is that you don't have to fight a coat, hat, mittens, etc., while fighting the crouds as well. I always hated that.

I only have one more person to buy for....but on the off chance that they are reading this, I am not going to say who. I got my mil's gift last night, and even sent a few cards. However, they were only to his side of the family. I am going to assume that my side knows I love them and that I hope they have a Merry Christmas....lol. I've gotten a total of five cards this year (if you count the one from Linen's-N-Things and the one from our realtor), so I don't feel obliged to send many! LOL.

Okay, it's late and I need to get to bed....I finished the ironing tonight (sans burns....yippee!), and I've got baking to start. Not to mention tomorrow is JB's last day of work until the New Year....thank goodness I stopped at the liquor store yesterday! J/K....kind of....

(Oh! I forgot to mention that Betsy got a new job! She will be working better hours and much closer to home. She is excited....she will be working at a grocery store so instead of discounts on crappy frozen yogurt (yuck!) we will get discounts on real food....woohoo!)

"Yes Melissa, there is a SPAM-a-Clause...." lol....

Melissa, you were right....there was spam in my last comment section! I suppose it was bound to happen since there is spam at the top of my journal too....thanks for nothing AOL!

I can't believe there are only 4 days until Christmas Eve. I still have some shopping to do! I also have to bake my cookies. Today I cleaned my room REALLY good....baseboards and all. I organized my closet and did laundry....yet I still have to finish my ironing. Dagnabbit.

As you can see from the pics above, London is growing already! They sure don't stay puppies for long. To be honest though, I can't wait to see what she is going to look like as a big girl! John made me put those pics in here....he was so proud of himself because he finally took a picture of me that turned out! LOL....and now that the little sneak has a link to my journal, he will be checking to see if I put them in. He actually got on my butt today because I hadn't written an entry since Saturday. Gee, thanks hon....why don't you add a little more to my heaping pile of STRESS???? LOL. Just kidding. (At least until I get that matching wedding band! ;o)

Guess what? My Christmas cards are still sitting here....I won't say that I procrastinated too long to send them out....I'm going to say I'm extremely EARLY for next season. It's the Martha in me....actually, she would be very disappointed in me this year. I'm rather far behind. Although, my girls are bought for, and that is what is the most important.

Don't you hate it when you are on the last swipe of a really successful leg shave and you slice your leg? I didn't just nick it, I slid the razor sideways for a nice looooonnngggg cut. I may need a tourniquet.

Sheesh....wee one just came in here and said, "I thought you had ironing to do?" I tell ya....I can't catch a break!

Alrighty....I'm off to starch, steam and hang my way through Nanny 911 and probably several shows after that!

Sleepy Saturday....

It has been such a lazy day. I got up, let the pup out, then sat on my butt for a few hours, drinking coffee, watching wee one play with her millions of polly pockets, and singing Christmas carols with her. It has been a fun morning. I made a huge crock pot of cabbage soup and have the yeast rolls thawing. It just seemed like a perfect dinner for a cloudy, dreary day. I have to enjoy them when I can here in the sunshine state! It's in the mid 50's as well, which is a nice change.

I have my shopping 99.9% finished. It really wasn't so bad....I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Of course, my $30 worth of Christmas cards are sitting here on my desk, un-addressed, un-stamped and un-signed. Why do I do that? I put in a Christmas cd this morning and memories of my childhood came flooding back. It's amazing how a song or a smell can take you back to a time so long ago.

So, with that in mind, here is my list of things that remind me of Christmas as a child:

Any Christmas song by Bert Kampfert, Mitch Miller or Gene Autry....my dad would play these albums throughout the season and sing along to them. He would be decorating the tree with the "big" lights, and my favorite strand that was shaped like little packages.

The smell of cherry/almond pipe tobacco and crisp winter air....if I catch a wiff of this I immediatley think of my dad and his pipe. I used to love watching him light it, and the sound it would make as he puffed as it lit. Sometimes, if I begged hard enough, he would take a little puff and blow the smoke into my face....I just loved the smell!

The first bite of a russian teacake (or mexican wedding cake) cookie....these were always my favorite cookies. And it was inevitable that every year in my haste to wolf one down, I would inhale the powdered sugar and have a coughing fit that lasted 10 minutes.

Little candles shaped like snowmen/santa/trees....I can remember so vividly standing in the living room of our first house (I must have been 5 or so), and unpacking the decorations. We had this little set of candles that I just loved. They were so cute....and given to us by a family friend named "Buzz". (I don't know why I remember that!) There was a santa, snowman, tree and, I think, a reindeer. I loved those.

That certain "church dinner" smell....I can't quite explain this one, but ever so often I'll smell it and it reminds me of the Christmas dinners we would have in the basement of the Presbyterian church in Hessville. It is a very distinctive smell....like comfort, love, coffee, and roast beef. I just remember sitting as all the adults would drink their coffee and talk. The ladies would all have beautiful dresses on and sparkling jewlery, while the men were dressed in suits and ties. I would usually have a dress with the obligatory pair of "scratchy tights" that I hated with a passion.

A chocolate-iced cake donut and pint sized cardboard carton of milk....preferrably luke warm....this reminds me of the annual Christmas parties that my father's company would host. When you walked in you would first get in line to sit on Santa's lap or in my case, stand a safe distance away and cling to my father's hand. You were given a stocking that was made of plastic netting (remember those?) and would have smarties, various hard candies, and usually a paddle ball, candy cane, activity pad and those things you write on with the red plastic pencil (that you would always lose five minutes later). From there we would get into lines, according to age, and recieve a gift. You could choose between two different gifts (a music box and a radio-with FM!!!!). After that, you got in the long line and waited to get your donut and milk, and would sit at long tables with kids you didn't know, comparing gifts and trying to open the stockings. My sister's and I loved those parties. I think that the last one I went to was in 6th grade and I got a tennis racket.

I could go on forever, remembering....but right now I have to go stir the soup. Happy Saturday!

Fun at the mall....

Tonight I had to return to the mall....after shopping all day. I bought wee one something for her birthday (Dec. 25th) and after I got it home I realized it was too small. Actually, when I was at the store I questioned weather or not it was the correct size....but the girl had gone to the back twice to exchange things for me and I didn't want to send her back again. After showing the item to Betsy, she said she thought it would be too small too, so I knew I'd have to go back. I have a party at school tomorrow, and I didn't want them to run out of the item, as she had told me that it was the last that they had in stock, so I knew I'd be returning this evening.

I had forgotten that Betsy was scheduled to work this afternoon, and wee one was going to church with her friend....so I kidnapped my husband and we went to the mall together. It was so nice just walking along, holding hands, and window shopping. We exchanged the item and then stopped to get one more thing for Betsy. After that, the smells from the food court reminded us that we hadn't eaten dinner yet....so we decided to grab some Chick-fil-A. I love that place! As we were sitting there , talking about the kids, work, etc., I had such a warm feeling inside....like the holidays were really here. We had so much fun just sitting there and talking. It wasn't a fancy restaurant, but we had what mattered most to both of us....each other.

After we ate we walked the rest of the upstairs, then went downstairs. The place was packed! It just amazes me how many people were out shopping for family and friends. We went past a jewelry store and he wanted to go in to look at rings for me. I told him no way....the salesmen were like sharks, circling the waters, just waiting for their next victim. I did, however, stop to look at the sign and the picture of the pretty diamond ring....and that is when we were attacked. I thought someone said something and I made the mistake of looking over...."Want to try it on? It's on sale!" I said "No" just as John said, "Yes". LOL. So I figured, what the heck.

Holy smokes....I have never tried on a diamond before. It was gorgeous! It was white gold, 1 karat ring. Then he says, "And it's on SALE!" Subtle, huh? So then he shows us the 1/2 karat ring which, of course, was rather small in comparison. I said to him, "Ahhhh, show us the big guns, then bring out the small one. Nice tactic!" He laughed and asked if I wanted to buy it. I said, "No...." and John said "Yes." I looked at him and said in a low voice, "No honey....I don't think so." And he looked at the guy and said, "She will take that one." I was just standing there thinking there is NO WAY I'm going to get this. He said to the guy, "We have been married 18 years and she deserves this....we will take it." I said, "No, I feel guilty...." and the guy says, "He is telling you to take it....DO IT!" So....I did it.

I still can't believe I got it. John was just thrilled. Oh, and it fit....I didn't have to have it sized or anything....so I guess it was meant to be. John said, "Well, I'm done shopping. All I have to get you now is the card!" LOL....what a nut. I honestly did NOT expect that he would do that for me. It was a total surprise. But such a sweet one. Sometimes the guy amazes me....I do love my sweetie!

Tired but can't sleep....

I have a confession to make....I just started my Christmas shopping....today! I know, I know....who would think that the self proclaimed queen of organization would wait this long to shop? Actually, I enjoy shopping late in the season. It just makes it seem more like Christmas. I love the "hustle and bustle". However, this year I found absolutely NOTHING at Toys-R-Us. Thank goodness for Target, which had both items I was looking for! Tomorrow when everyone is where they are supposed to be (i.e. school), I will take all of my purchases out and see where I stand. I'm hoping to only have to get stocking stuffers, and then perhaps a bit of online shopping to finish things.

Today was a bit nippy outside. It only got into the mid 50's, and this morning was downright cold. I was going to take a picture of my thermometer, but, well, I didn't. It was 40 at 8 am, which is pretty good for Florida. It was a very sunny day though....so I couldn't pretend it was going to snow. It will be cloudy again on Thursday, but in the low 70's. Oh well. Wee one actually wore gloves this morning whilst on patrol at school. It was strange getting out our little plastic grocery bag that holds our tiny collection of gloves and scarves. I used to have a closet full of them! 

Awwww, man. I just remembered....tomorrow I have to run to the mall to get a gift certificate for John. They have this stupid "secret Santa" thing at work, where they spend $25 on gifts for one another. They get to write down three things that they want, and the woman he got wants a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret. And I'm not worried at all that he will be giving another woman that kind of thing....as she is 65! You GO girl! LOL.

Well, it is getting late and I've got about 2 1/2 hours before I have to climb out of my warm and cozy bed to take my master....errr, I mean puppy....out for an early morning potty break. I should get my butt to bed. Night all!