Goodbye 2008...

I hope everyone has a fun night celebrating. We're keeping it low-key with three other neighbor couples and hanging out next door. I'm taking honey-pear sparklers to drink. Very easy: pear nectar mixed with honey in bottom of champagne flutes and topped off with champagne. Tasty. We're snacking and playing games and will be dressed comfortably. Ok, I'd rather dress up, but after the last couple of hectic weeks it will be nice to be close to home. What are you doing?

Football and more football

Are you tired of football yet? We were extremely happy about the San Diego Chargers' win last night. Phillip Rivers, their quarterback, was our star QB at NC State. As I type we are watching NC State play Rutgers in the PapaJohns.com bowl (at least we qualified for a bowl albeit an unheard of one). The score is 10-6 in favor of the Wolfpack, but it's still early.

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. We did. However, my mother-in-law had to go to the hospital last Tuesday. She had developed a blood clot so she was unable to be here for Christmas morning. We went to see her though and then headed to Charlotte (just kids and me) late Christmas morning to see my parents and brother. My mother-in-law is coming to our house sometime today. She is so weak and not eating again so I am nervous about handling all of this. We'll get through this and, hopefully, she'll be able to enjoy some time with her grandsons. We don't know how much longer it will be. The doctors are estimating 6 months, but we think that is best case scenario. This is all very sad. It's a huge, scary responsibilty for us and it's tough when young kids are around. Keep us all in your prayers.

*Update: The Wolfpack lost a tight game. 29-23. Oh well. Just a house full of sad faces right now.

Ok, time for a little honesty....

I hope this post finds you all sane, happy, and relaxed. But, if it does I'm no longer your friend because I feel a little insane. But I will be honest here and admit a few things to my blog friends.

1-

This man exists a little in all of us, me included. At Wal-mart yesterday, when the lady ahead of me had check issues (Wal-mart's machine, not her funds), Scrooge was trying to come out of me. After all I had just endured a less-than-ideal shopping experience with about 3000 other shoppers, 2 being the minis! However, I realized these unpleasant feelings and smiled instead realizing we would be out of there soon.
I have to be a good example for the minis even though I really wanted to leave them and my cart in the checkout line and flee to a secluded island.

2-

I'm 38 and I watch "The Hills". So what! I love it. Last night's finale was just what the doctor ordered on Dec. 22. I will also admit that I know when enough is enough. I had to tape the aftershow because, even I, Miss Reality Show Addition, couldn't stomach a straight hour and a half of these privileged girls saying "actually" every other word and staring blankly into space after a comment is made.

3- I made sausage balls on Sunday because I wanted them. Granted I used reduced fat sausage, reduced fat bisquik, and even reduced fat (2%) cheese. However, I don't think it really mattered because I went through most of them by myself in record time!

Ok, I'll stop with 3 because I still have so many things to do before MIL gets here today. So friends let's hear it. Go ahead. Use my blog to confess. You'll feel better and I won't judge a bit. My gift to you this Christmas!

Candy Cane Me me

WSU Laura has tagged me for a Candy Cane meme. The instructions are to copy, paste, answer, add a question, then tag the 3 bloggers with the most recent updates on your blog feed/roll.

1. What is/are your favorite Christmas Movie(s)?

Love Actually, A Christmas Carol, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone movies
2. Favorite Christmas Song?

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas- Diana Krall version

3. Favorite Holiday Memory?

When I was 5 months pregnant with mini#2 we let the grandmothers open up sealed envelopes (from mini#2) after Christmas dinner to reveal his sex. It was a surprise to all that day.

4. What is your favorite cookie/treat to make?

Sugar cookies with frosting, sprinkles, etc.

5. Have you ever made an igloo?

No, never. Rarely have enough snow for a snowball, let alone an igloo.

6. Do you love Starbucks?

Yes, in the fall and around the holidays. Tried egg nog latte the other day. So good. Love White Chocolate peppermint mocha, too.

7. What makes the perfect snowmen?

Snow! And we want some this year!

8. Not sure what happened to #8 so we'll move on...

9. Best gift you have ever received?

My baby Crissy doll in the 70's. Her hair would grow.

10. What is the snowman's name on Rudolph?

WSU Laura said it's Sam, so I'll stick with that!

11. Silver or Gold?

I like both, but gold more for Christmas.

12. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?

This ceramic Christmas tree I found one year that reminds me of the one my grandmother made and had at her house that I'd see every year. It has all those colored bulbs you put in the holes. Love it.

13. What's your Christmas decorating style?

It varies. I feel like it's more sophisticated in the dining room and kid friendly in the den.

14. Do you hang stockings?

Yes, but I can't put them or the hangers on the mantle until Christmas Eve because 2 rambunctious little boys would surely knock them and all the greenery off of the mantle.

15. How many days do you celebrate Christmas?

Usually the weekend before (also Mr. Pink's b-day) and Christmas day with parties and functions sprinkled throughout December.

16. What was your favorite ornament on the tree as a child?

A brass angel holding a bell with my name engraved on it.

17. Where will you be spending this Christmas?

Christmas Eve and morning at our house and then off to my parents Christmas afternoon for a few days.

18. When do you open presents?

One on Christmas eve and the rest on Christmas morning.

19. Real tree or artificial?

1 fake in dining room and the real one in the family room.

20. Is there any chance you'll have a white Christmas?

I guess there's a chance, but highly unlikely.

Okay, I'm tagging...

Belle in Bloom

The Preppy Engineer

Nautical by Nature

Wordless Wednesday

What not to wear...

A North Carolina Christmas

Do you like the decorations? Is the tree too big? NO, this is not my house, but it is the glorious Governor's mansion of North Carolina in downtown Raleigh. Mini#1 and I met my friend and her son downtown this morning after dropping mini#2 off at preschool. My mom called yesterday and had heard about the free holiday tours going on through Sunday and thought this would be a fun thing for me to do with mini#1 since we are on day 5 of track out. It was fun. Crowded (field trips), but nice to visit. I especially enjoyed hearing the extremely southern retired volunteer ladies speaking in each room. You could have sworn the mansion staff plucked them straight out of their Charleston veranda chairs and left the ice clinking in their sweet tea glasses. Here are a few more photos including a couple of homes I saw walking back to the car. Beautiful. I'd love to take the historic tour one day...without kids of course!


Mini#1 in the foyer.


Outside the mansion.


You can't really see the beautiful wreaths on this home's porch hanging on wreath stands. Click on it for a better view.


This home reminds me of the White House.

So I hope you enjoyed a taste of the south today. Enjoy your weekend. We are going on a sleigh ride tonight in our neighborhood. So much fun and then coffee and hot chocolate afterwards.

So what have you been up to?

Since I last posted here's an update of life at my house...

1- I dug into 15,000 boxes of Christmas decorations and worked my house into holiday festiveness that is now worthy to sell tickets to all for the chance to partake of its splendor. Not really, but it's decorated.

2- MIL had to be taken back to Duke (still there, some cancer showing in blood samples and has infection around her liver. Not very good outlook unfortunately) last Friday so I took 2 boys to a live nativity, Walk Through Bethlehem, by myself at #2's preschool while Mr. Pink was at the hospital. It was freezing, but the kids loved it. We actually walked along as they told the Christmas story. Real sheep and everything. Mini#2 enjoyed the knights (King Herod's guards) best. Oh well. We saw baby Jesus at the end and, even though he was plastic, he's the reason for the season.

3- I have survived the first 4 days with both kids home without having a breakdown because of the increased volume around here. Surely girls are quieter?

4- I went to the play group mom's only Christmas party Sunday night. Great time. Great fun (Crazy gift exchange thing). And functioned normally Monday morning. Always a plus!

5- I finally found junior sized jeans for this family my friends and I are adopting for Christmas. I chose to buy for the 14 yr old and she wears an 11/12. You go in a junior dept and your choice is either an 11 or 13. You go in a women's dept and it's 10 or 12. No 11/12! Why I worried so much about this I do not know, but she's getting a junior 13. I hope this is ok.

6- I made sugar cookies with the kids. I am insane. Something that would take me half the time to do alone, but I did it for the experience. I gritted my teeth and tried to keep smiling while batter flew everywhere.

7- I climbed Mount Everest and wished you all had been there to share the awesome experience. It beats skydiving any day. I know because I also did that yesterday.

So, as you can see, not a lot going on here. I am still a bit tired from the hike though. I need to rest. So what have you been up to?

Five on Friday

Things I'm liking these days....
1-
Love Diana Krall's voice and this CD!

2-
Ghirardelli Peppermint bark squares. These were at play group yesterday and book club last night. I cannot resist them.

3-
I love egg nog. Just give me the reduced fat version in a carton though. No need to make the real deal for me. I'm easy to please.

4-
Love, love, love this movie. May watch it tonight.

5-
Had one this morning. White chocolate peppermint mocha. Can you tell I like peppermint lately?

Have a great weekend!

Easy Recipe

Busy, busy this week. Book club is tonight (thankfully, I'm not hosting) and I just finished the book thirty minutes ago! School is out TOMORROW for mini#1 for 4 weeks. Year round school is still proving to be a big adjustment for us all. Today I thought I'd pass along an easy punch recipe. This time of year it's great for a drop-in party, a kid's play group or for relatives coming into town at Christmas. Best of all, it's super easy and super tasty! Enjoy!

PEPPERMINT PUNCH

Ingredients:
1 quart peppermint ice cream
1 cup cold milk
2 liters ginger ale; chilled

Instructions:
In a large punch bowl combine the ice cream and milk. Hint: Add the ice cream about 10 mins before the milk so it can soften.
Just before serving add the ginger ale. Stir until there is a frothy consistency.

What Christmas Movie Are You?

Trying to decorate the house today. Not a lot of time to blog. Try this. I love "A Christmas Carol". The George C. Scott version is my favorite, but I bought the kids the muppet version last year.

Your Christmas is Most Like: The Muppet Christmas Carol

You tend to reflect on Christmas past, present, and future... And you also do a little singing.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?