Stories from the dinner table

Family time at Christmas, including long car rides and all the stories that go along with this craziness make me want to start recording the stories I hear and the stories I tell.

I hope you heard a lot of good stories, and I hope you share them.

Gearing up to craft and cook!!

I am so ready for Thanksgiving Break!!!!  I keep pinning Thanksgiving and Christmas crafts and foods.  This picture makes me a little too happy ....

This is from the Pampered Chef site.  I want to make the melted snowmen (made with the scoop loop) and the brownie houses (uses 2 brownies from brownie pan) ...

I also want to make this Turkey Shirt from artsy-fartsy mama for Xman...

I am hoping to make Cranberry Pepper Jelly Dip from Life With the Crust Cut Off.  It's pepper jelly mixed with half a can of cranberry jelly, poured over cream cheese and served with crackers.  (My link isn't working at the moment - I will update the link as soon as I can get it working)

I also love these ornaments from By Stephanie Lynn

I would love to have this ribbon wreath from Dear Emmeline...

This is only a start to what I want to accomplish .. if only I had more than 3 days off!  I will take what I can get, and try to make the most of it ... maybe I could catch up on sleep also ... dare to dream ...

Christmas is over ...

What a day ... and it's only 4:00. Last night I started putting up my Christmas decorations. I left them up longer this year because I was being a good Catholic ... not because I was being lazy ...well not just because I was being lazy. I love my Christmas decorations and hate to put them up. Taking ornaments off the tree with an almost two year old helping is definitely an interesting experience and took about twice as long as it should have. But we got everything. Outback in containers and waiting in the garage for Robert to return to they can go back to their home in the attic.

Xman slept in this morning, which means we all slept in until 8am! So I was figuring we would be off schedule the rest of the day, but after Cars and helping with the Christmas decorations, he went down for a nap before 1pm. Since he slept in, I figured it it would be a short nap, but he slept a good three hours! Which means I got a shower (best part of everyday), folded clothes for about 1.5 hours and then did most of the dishes.

Not only that but while in the shower I came up with a beyond-amazing plan for my Anatomy & Physiology class.. Why do I think best in the shower or while I pee?

My crafty Christmas presents

I got both of these ideas from pinterest and both were a big hit. For my mom I had to improvise some. I saw pictures put behind glass tiles then magnets on the back so they could be put on the fridge - so cute! But I couldn't find glass tiles except for online - and I didn't have time for shipping. So I found wooden tiles at hobby lobby and I live them. I may need to do some more for me!

Then for my mother in law I found this idea for a Christmas plate. If course his foot was supposed to be centered and the border should have been even ... you know me!

Christmas presents/projects

We cleaned our garage! Robert cleaned out all the garage sale stuff from September, so he can get his car back in the garage. And I cleaned off my workbench - things had been piling up for a while. Ever time I walk out to the garage, or drive in or out of the garage it is so amazing to like what I see. Best Christmas project!

We also got a storage unit - it has 9 squares and you can put those canvas covered drawer-like things in it. Amazingness! We are using it as a toy chest for Xman. I still need to trade out the fabric drawers for a different color, then almost all the toys should be accessibly but out of sight when not in use! I can only dare to dream!!

I'll add pics during daylight hours.

Cooking marathon

I feel like I have been cooking for a week straight ... I am not complaining, I love it. Before school was out we had to take snacks so I made sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, snicker doodles and oatmeal-craisin-walnut cookies.

Then we had a party at Xman's daycare, do I made a ton of cakeballs. Dark chocolate brownie, dark chocolate, devils food cake,carrot cake, lemon, peanut butter and dark chocolate-orange. Each kiddo/mom got one of each, I sent some with Robert to the school he was working at and took the rest to the teachers lounge.

Then that night I had the girls over for an ornament exchange so I marquess, black beans, tea, and Robert bought us del taco tacos and burritos. Jill brought pizza rolls, Lisa brought a snack mix, Jamie brought sausage balls, Chonte' brought lemon brownies ... Oh, lemon brownies ... I had so much fun! So much!

Then I started experimenting. I made caramel corn - best thing ever. Then a moose munch knock off - not as impressive. Peanut butter Cheerio treats- not impressive. I also made guacamole salsa and added too much lime, but it was still good on the spicy dr pepper pulled pork I made that Monday.

I made an appetizer buffet for moms Christmas. As always, she made the menu and I put it together. I made spinach crostini (so yummy), cilantro- green chili pinwheels, salsa, 7-layer dip, queso, chicken tenders, pizza rolls, lil smokies in grape jelly and mustard (yes it sounds gross, but it tastes so good). We had a veggie tray and ranch dressing. Chelsea brought candy, lemon poppy seed cake and cinnamon raisin bread. And Stacy brought ham delights. There was so much food left over! But it was all tasty, and I fed it to my in-laws for lunch.

The next morning I made pumpkin pancakes and sausage for the in-laws. Then we had a day of shopping (complete with lunch out). Then I made meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, brussels sprouts and green beans.

We also made sugar cookies to decorate - but the decorating never happened. I also made baklava, which was a big hit. Then sausage balls. Then Loreli and I made strata for breakfast for Christmas morning. Mine had spinach, bacon and Swiss. Hers had cheddar and sausage. Next time I need to make it in a bowl and stir it often so that I like it better. The bottom was really eggy, but the top was good.

Then snacks and chicken salad for lunch.

Then the best dinner ever: bakes spaghetti, roasted veggies (broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini), and garlic knots. Even the little man had spaghetti that night and again for left overs.

Now I have a few days of nuking leftovers before I have to cook again ... but I have shrimp in the freezer ready for me to make scampi...

Midnight Mass

Midnight Mass is one of my favorite things during Christmas. Everyone else is home in bed and we are in church. Couple of problems ... several of my family members are big babies about the smell of the incense. I left my husband at home because he is the biggest baby about the smell. But I took Samantha who I didn't know was going to be competing with Robert to complain the most. Then we were both exhausted, and Samantha kept trying to lay on my shoulder and sleep.

Thank goodness that the homily caught my attention. At first it was the frequent use of the word flock by our Nigerian priest ... doesn't quite sound like flick when he says it. Then he told a great joke. (warning: most don't agree with me that it's a great joke).

A couple is headed home after a Christmas party and see the red and blue lights in the rear view. So the husband slouches down in his seat, and puts his seatbelt on as he is pulling over to the side of the road. So the cop comes to the window and says "do you know why I pulled you over?" the man says "no". The cop asks again "do you know why I pulled you over?". The man again answers no. The cop says "you didn't have your seatbelt in.". The man replies "I have it on now and you can't prove otherwise. You can even ask my wife, she will tell you I had it on.". The cop looks at the lady and says "was your husband wearing his seatbelt!". She looks at her husband and then the. Op and says "sir, there is one thing I have learned in the past twenty years of marriage. Don't argue with him when he's drunk."

Insert laughter - you are welcome!

Christmas movies ...

Each year from Thanksgiving to Christmas I usually make it through all my Christmas movies at least once ... This year Cars 1-2X/day is really Putting a crimp in my movie time. I am trying a plan an advent calendar/December bucket list for next year (and it to be a tradition for us to build upon. So I am sharing my rough draft with you so I can refer back to it next year!

Movies:
Christmas Vacation
The Santa Clause
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Elf
The Family Stone
Family Man
Deck the Halls
Christmas with the Cranks
The Holiday
(last holiday? Which I thought I has)
Die hard
You've Got Mail

12 movies ... I thought I had more.

Activities:
Put lights on the house
Put out nativity
Put out advent wreath
Put up & decorate tree
Take Christmas picture for cards
Make christmas cookies and goodies!
Decorate mantle & hang stockings
Go to midnight mass

I am sure there are many things I am missing, but I have a list started! Any suggestions are welcome!

Christmas decorations are complete!

I have finally finished the mantle! And I already have a project for next year .... homemade, washable tree skirt - and of course it has to be super colorful and cute!!!

More Christmas decorating

I have been working on the mantle and fireplace ... I have a picture frame and ornaments that I am loving and I have one stocking up and the other 2 to finish. Here are a few more photos.