It's Over???

Well...sorry to have been quiet, but I don't generally get on the computer when my family is all home and things have been busy. We survived Christmas without killing any cats, although it's been close. I wanted to send them outside last night, but hubby kept them in. They had even pooped in our room yesterday...ARGH!

Christmas was wonderful, I loved Christmas eve with the snow! sigh. The day after Christmas we went to see National Treasure, Book of Secrets, and it was great fun. I would recommend it to anyone who has seen the first one -- however, I must say that it wasn't quite as good as the first one, some things were just a bit obvious. The characters were great though, and there was some good chase scenes.

Yesterday we ventured to the returning world, and found my hubbies, but not mine. sigh...so now we get to go back and figure out what I want to purchase.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas and look forward to a Great New Year!

You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch...

Okay, so I feel like a grinch when it comes to our cats. I know I've talked about them before, but today they've really got me ready to throw them out into the snow.

First, they used my tree skirt as a litter box last year, so even though it's been washed, I guess they can still smell it, so one of them -- when they were let in the house during the single digit temperatures -- used it AGAIN! So, that's why you don't see the skirt in the picture, because my hubby moved it last night because they were also playing with it! You see, I made this skirt several years ago, and it has little gold bows on it that they find fun to bite and play with. sigh.

Then, yesterday I finally get the tree decorated the way I like it (trust me, it's been the third time so far this year, and it's about average for me. I'll see something I like better and come home and change it. This is MY tree after all, the kids have their own. It's kind of hard to tell from the picture, but you get the idea.) and last night they pulled some of the ribbon off and at least one ornament and broke it. We found broken ornament all over the floor. ARGH.

Okay, so I'm telling myself it's only stuff...It's no big deal, but I'm really tired of CATS. So, they may find themselves without presents this year and definitely stuck in the garage for the duration of winter.

That being said...grin.

I have written a essay of sorts at the writersblogck today -- it's not posted at this moment as of 7 am...but it will be later. You might want to check it out. Have a great snowy day!

5 Days Left!

Only 5 days left till Christmas...are you ready? Well, if the world came to a stop between now and then, I would survive. I've gotten some shopping done. None of the fun stuff the kids want, but stuff. I've been slow getting this done today, and now we have a snow storm!! You should see my kids...they are more excited than a rat in a kitchen...let me tell you. It's great fun. We aren't driving ANYWHERE for the next 12 hours, that's for sure. ;)
Have a good one! We are going to have zucchini sausage soup and watch Christmas movies.

Candy Time!

Every year during the month of December, we make candy. It's a tradition my husband's family had, that we picked up after we were married. I was more than happy to go with it, I'd never really made candy before. I mean, my mom had made it, but it wasn't a big family thing. I think she enjoyed making it while we were at school so it was less chaos. I say this from experience.

Let me tell you what I mean. We have a small kitchen -- it's the bane of our lives, but we can't afford to do anything about it yet. It's the size of a hallway with the sink on one side and the stove on the other. Barely enough room for two people, and we usually get in each other's way. Picture three cooks in the kitchen (making toffee and peanut brittle) four at the table (which is right next to the hallway kitchen area) making dipped pretzels and two little ones running through everything wanting to help but driving everyone crazy, and one lone grandpa avoiding the whole thing by reading the newspaper in the other room. Add to that, Christmas music, everyone talking, (or shouting, if you have teenagers) and you get the general idea.



One of the cooks was my youngest daughter, the other two were hubby and his mom. While hubby was preparing stuff, grandma was teaching daughter how she does candy...but she hasn't done this by herself in a few years, so I'm not sure what she was telling her...grin. I'm safe in saying this, she doesn't read my blog!

The other teenagers and oldest daughters were helping do the pretzels, which was something my one daughters 'fiance's' aunt showed them how to make -- it was a good thing we didn't care what they looked like, I'm sure they had fun. There were some stressful times...they put one batch of pretzels to cool ontop of the other batch...grin, but it was regular chaos and fun to be had by all. I was ready to take a vacation, and my hubby reminded me that soon enough it was going to be real quiet in our house and we would miss this.

I'm thinking...not if we invite them over to make candy every year...

Anyway, fun times, fun traditions, and I can't believe Christmas is a week from today and I haven't really done ANY shopping! ARGH...

If you see a frantic woman running around this afternoon with two young women in tow shouting that they've still got four more stores to go, that will be me. Grin. Have a good one!

Come Vote for ME!

Well...yet another contest, and yet another Christmas...or should I say that the other way around? Anyway, the LDSpublisher is having a contest at his site, and I've entered in the unpublished section. Come one come all to read and vote!! The most votes wins the prize, and I want to win!

So the whole two or three of you who read my site, go cast your votes if you think you can spot my writing...grin.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Oh the weather outside is delightful! I know that's not the way the song goes, but that's the way I feel. Right now it's just these little flakes that don't really add up to anything, but are pretty to watch.

I had heard that this was supposed to be a dry winter. I figured that meant we wouldn't have snow for Christmas. Well, so far it's wet. I'm excited. My kids are too. grin.

I hope everyone has a chance to sit with a cup of hot cocoa and watch the snow. There's nothing like it. (and it's better than driving in it!!)

Baby it's Cold Outside!

Okay...when it gets cold enough that you can't let the animals stay outside for fear of them freezing to death, then it's cold enough to bring out the mugs of hot chocolate and cuddle up in front of the fireplace, forget the cost of the fire! BRRRRR

I couldn't believe it, it was a whole 13 degrees this morning, and the wind chill made it feel like 5. I was really glad my kids ride the bus so I didn't have to venture out until later to go to work. I was still cold, and I'm freezing now. I think I'm going to have to find the hot cocoa...I've been so good, perhaps I'll make it herbal tea instead. sigh. It's just not the same, but did you know how many carbohydrates cocoa has?? I've been trying to watch my carbs, and so I don't eat as much bread as I'd like, and I try to watch all the other stuff that has carbs too. That means herbal teas instead of cocoa.

sigh.

It's just not the same. I hope my taste buds adapt soon...

Music of the Season!

wow. Last night we went to a stake music performance that my hubby and daughter were singing in. Everyone did so well!! I was totally astounded at the talent and the degree of skill. It was great fun because they had a sing along with the Hallelujah chorus, and I was able to hit all the notes! sigh. Of course I didn't have a voice after...grin. That's why I'm not in the choir anymore.

But anyway, I can't believe it's the 10th already. Christmas is just around the corner, and I am not ready! I still don't have all the decorations up, although I'm not terribly worried about that. The trees are up and decorated, so that's the biggest thing. I love the snow, I love the music, and I'm loving the season this year. I hope everyone else is too!!

November is Over...Onto Christmas

Wow...it went by really fast. Possibly because I was so involved with the NaNo, but it went fast. Now we have Christmas, and I'm worried it's going to go as quickly as the rest of the months have gone. I want to enjoy and revel in the season, and I'm afraid I won't be able to. I'm even making sugar cookies today -- I love sugar cookies. They're just difficult to make right, so I don't usually make them.

We had dinner with my daughter and her boy friend yesterday, and it turned out okay. They have brand new furniture in their little townhouse...sigh. I told them, one of these days I'm going to have new furniture. My hubby assured me that we would...in six years when our youngest is 18 -- yeah. Then we'll have grandkids...

Anyway, I took a photo of our back yard with the snow, it was so gorgeous I thought I'd share. Hope you've all had a wonderful first weekend of Christmas!