Christmas Review

I've been super lazy about blogging this week after Christmas, but figured I better put my memories down now before they're forgotten...I'm not getting any younger, you know!

We went outside Christmas Eve (in the freezing weather) to put out our Reindeer food lest they forget which yard to wait for Santa in.

We let Reese sleep with us on Christmas Eve so we wouldn't miss her reaction when seeing what Santa brought
 (or because we were too lazy to carry her up to her room)
- you decide.

I was up early thinking about all the cooking in store for me that day and how much I had to do before I went to pick Grammy up at noon.  T got up shortly thereafter and Reese slept in till 9:00.  I guess she hasn't quite figured out the whole "get up at the crack of dawn" Christmas morning thing.  We were both in the kitchen when she sleepily walked in, so our whole "not missing her reaction to the Santa gift" idea could have been totally blown out of the water had she gone to the tree rather than look for us first.

I quickly got my camera while T grabbed the video camera.  I took her upstairs and made her walk down so we could get the whole staged thing on film.  She didn't think we were too crazy and played along.

Santa brings an itouch!!

She was so excited to see what Santa brought that she didn't even ask to start opening other presents.  I put our breakfast casserole in the oven, baked it and we ate all before I mentioned the other presents.

Then the fun really began. 

There were several outfit changes throughout the morning, but the one constant (and her favorite gift besides the one from Santa) was the one I bought on clearance for $6.00 last summer and put away for Christmas...

The Merliah wig (from Barbie in a Mermaid Tale)

We had an absolutely fantastic day!  I had forgotten (until Reese was born), just how much fun opening gifts on Christmas morning could be.  Hope your family had just as much fun as ours did.



Wordless Wednesday

Christmas Morning!



Merry Christmas!



O (Little) Christmas Tree



I bought Reese her own Christmas tree last year.  It only stands 3 feet tall, but she loves that she can call it her own. 

I let her help decorate the big tree, but she can do whatever she wants to this one and can go back and mess with it as much as she wants.  I bought miniature bulbs and T bought a bunch of Princess ornaments.  She takes great pride in the decorating and is very careful. 

This tree was up DAYS before the big one on account of my laziness because I've been so darn busy.  But we're all decorated now and ready for the big celebration.  Ready that is, as soon as the elves finish the baking and clean the house!

Wordless Wednesday

On our way to see the Nutcracker!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas



I started a new tradition last year with Reese (well, actually I stole it from my sister, but pretend I was genius enough to think of it myself).  We go to the Dollar store and she picks out gifts for each family member: 

Daddy, Grammy, Uncle, Aunt and cousins.

It was really exciting this year because she had a list in her head of what she was wanted to buy for each person before we got to the store.  For J, I'm getting a headband, for T I'm getting markers, etc.  I thought it was cool that she was actually thinking of things that were useful and relevant to their lives.  In reality, every kid her age may do that and she may not actually be ahead of the curve, but in my mind, I considered her miles ahead of anyone else...like all us Mom's do I'm sure.

Anyway, she picked out her gifts and even convinced me that we had to have the princess paper to wrap them in lest our Christmas be incomplete.  The 5,673 other papers we already have just wouldn't do...so princess paper made the cut.

We took the gifts home and got ready for all the fun

I let her do it all...including the cutting!

Never have packages been taped so securely :)

She needed a little help with spelling, but got all names on their respective packages

No gift wrapping experience would be complete without the obligatory "silly face" picture



So what fun traditions do you have that I can steal, I mean totally think up on my own?

Out of the Mouths of Babes

We are not a very political family, so I have no strong feelings one way or another regarding Obama's presidency.

So, I found what happened at our house last night/this morning very interesting.  Reese wanted to watch a Christmas show (How the Grinch Stole Christmas to be exact), but I couldn't find anything on except coverage of the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.  So, that's what we settled in to watch.  I thought there would be lots of Christmas carrolls for us to enjoy...and who knows, maybe even a celebrity or two singing them.  It began with a song I'd never heard before and then people got up and started making speeches.  At this point, Reese informed me that she didn't really like this "Christmas show" and would like to watch something else.  I assured her that it would get better and then, I promptly fell asleep.  Did it get better or not?  Fast forward to our ride to the babysitter this morning where this conversation ensued:

Me:  "Hey Reese, did you watch the rest of that Christmas show last night?"
Reese:  "Yes, but I didn't like the bald guy."
Me:  "What bald guy?"
Reese:  "I'm talking about the guy who had a dark face and black hair"
Me:  "Are you talking about the one they introduced like this:  Now, ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States?"
Reese:  "Yes"
Me:  "Why didn't you like him?"
Reese: "I think he's sneaky."

Now, I don't know anyone else's view on what's happening in this Presidential term, but I've heard lots of murmuring of things getting passed with something else hidden deep in the bill...sounds sneaky to me.  I don't agree with healthcare reform the way I've heard it discussed - lots of hidden agendas.  I read on the internet that 53% of voters disapprove of the president's performance.  We don't talk about any of this at our home, so I found it very interesting that Reese would have come to this conclusion on her own.  Insight or coincidence?  I think her statement has been echoed many times throughout our nation.  Out of the mouths of babes indeed.

Wordless Wednesday

Winter sunrise!

Christmas Cookies



Last weekend, Grammy had all the grandkids over to make Christmas cookies.  It's something she does every year, but this was Reese's first time to participate.

When we were on our way there, Reese told me that I could just drop her off and leave because she'd be fine without me.  *stab* straight to the heart...my little girl doesn't want me around already!  After thinking about it a few minutes, I decided that leaving would be ideal.  I'd have a couple hours to run errands and she could have fun without Mommy.

We walked in Grammy's and Reese immediately asked when I was leaving.  Grammy thwarted  her efforts though because she wanted me to help with the baking and organizing of cookies,  icing and kids.  She made a bunch of cookies ahead of time and then an additional batch of dough so the kids could cut some out too.  

She rolled, they cut, I baked. 

They had a great time even though Grammy was exhausted by the time we were done.  Reese said next time we go to Grammy's, I can't stay for sure!  Where oh where did my Mommy girl go?

Cooking Class 101

I made a new recipe last night.  It's been earmarked in one of my cookbooks for a long time (about 7 years, I think).  The ingredients were appealing, but I guess I let the name of the recipe put me offf.  It's called "Spicy Southwest Corn Cheese Soup".  Sounds yucky, right?  Well, I finally made it since hubby was out of town and it didn't call for any type of meat (he's a BIG meat guy).

I'm going to rename it "Cheesy Corn Soup" so it sounds a little more appetizing.  It was delicious!  Even approved by my 3 year old, so it must be good.  Have you ever wanted to lick the sides of the rotel bowl but stopped short because it wasn't "lady like?"  If so, you'll love this recipe - not only does it remind me of rotel dip, it also allows me to look super sophisticated 'cause I don't have to lick the bowl.  Here it is:

The players

First, put 10oz frozen corn (I used a 14.5 oz can instead of frozen), garlic and butter in large saucepan on medium-high heat until tender.  Reduce heat to medium (I began the second step just as soon as I had these 3 things in the sauce pan since my corn wasn't frozen). 

Second:  Stir in remaining ingredients;  cook until Velveeta is melted and soup is thorougly heated.  Top with crushed tortilla chips if desired.

I kept looking back at the recipe thinking I'd missed something, but it was truly as simple as I first believed it to be.  Beware, this recipe makes a super rich soup...I couldn't eat that much (score on my weight loss challenge), even though it was delicous!  Reese thought so too!!

Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen seet corn, thawed, drained
1 clove garlic
1 tablespooon margarine
3/4 pound (12 ounces) Velveeta cheese
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilis
3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup milk

Wordless Wednesday

Where are all the squirrels?

Lose 10 pounds by Christmas challenge

Last week I signed up for a "Lose 10 pounds by Christmas challenge" - then I ate a brownie...GO ME!

I wasn't super motivated, but did actually get on the treadmill once for a total distance of 1 mile and 100 calories.  So, I was super surprised to weigh in yesterday morning at a measly .8 pounds down.  I mean, come on, shouldn't that treadmill workout cancel out the brownie(s) and excess sugar cookies consumed at Grammy's on Saturday?

Then, yesterday afternoon it began.  The first Christmas gifts delivered to work.  It's a huge tin of popcorn...plain, cheese and caramel.  No telling what's next.

I did get on the treadmill again last night (1 mile, 130 calories) and the hubby is out of town all week (no cooking), so maybe I'll do a little better this week.  If not, I'll try to pass off my orange stained fingers as a new fashion trend.

Christmas Traditions

I bought this book the first year Reese was born.  I love starting family traditions and I thought this would be a good one.  So, I've faithfully taken it out from the depths of my closet, dusted it off and read it to her each Christmas season. 

The book is super cute and explains that the elf is in your house to watch the kids daily actions.  Each night he flies off to the North Pole to report whether they've been naughty or nice then (because of magic) is able to make it back to your house before they wake up the next morning.  He "hides" in a new place every day and the kids have to look for him when they get out of bed.  

It also encourages the kids to name their elf the first time they read the book.  Since we started reading it before Reese was 1, she didn't name him in 2007.  In 2008, she named our elf  "A boy" and last year she named him "Elf boy".  I've got nothing if not a creative genius daughter when it comes to namin' elves. 

If you're looking for a cute Christmas tradition, this one's great.  We've even used "Elf Boy" to stop a tantrum or two.

All I ask is that you refrain from stealing either of our elf names if you choose to get one of these books for yourselves!!!

Book Review

I just finished reading this book and couldn't let it go without talking about how incredible I thought it was.

I became a Portia fan when she joined Ally McBeal, but lost track of her after the show ended.  I remember being surprised to find out about her relationship with Ellen because I never new she was gay, which, come to find out, is exactly the way she wanted it. 

She wrote this book to chronicle her struggles with her sexual orientation and anorexia in hopes that it will help anyone who's ever struggled with self acceptance.  It's beautifully written and I could not put it down (I even had it cracked open on my desk at work so I could "peek" at it here and there). 

I don't know about anyone else, but I know I've never been 100% happy with my body regardless of what I weighed.  I look back at pictures and the first thing I notice is whether I was fat or thin at that time.  I weighed 105 pounds when I graduated from high school, but never considered myself "thin".  I can easily look back in time and say "now, back then, you were skinny," but that thought never enters my conscience in the present tense.  I'm always thinking, if I could just lose xxxx pounds, I'd be happy with how I look - it's a vicious cycle that never ends. 

Here are a few statements from Portia's book that I thought were worthy of mentioning:

• Restriction generates yearning.  You want what you can't have.
• I really hope that my self-exploration can help not only people who are suffering from anorexia and bulimia, but also the perpetual dieters.  You don't have to be emaciated or vomiting to be suffering.  All people who live their lives on a diet are suffering.
• If you can accept your natural body weight - the weight that is easy for you to maintain, or your "set point" - and not force it to be beneath your body's natural, healthy weight, then you can live your life free of dieting, of restriction, of feeling guilty every time you eat a slice of your kid's birthday cake.  But the key is to accept your body just as it is.

Wow!  What an eye opener for me!  If I don't deprive myself of a little goody here and there, maybe I won't cave in and eat 10 (or more) at one time.  I know what my natural body weight is!  I've been there many times, but it never seemed to be good enough.  I just have to readjust my habits (i.e. eating and exercising) to get back there.  I can't put into words exactly what I'm trying to say, so I'm going to end by simply saying,

If you're looking for an open and honest well written book, you won't be sorry reading this one.

Fat girl out :)

Mistake - my stake

I think I may have made a mistake.  I read a post at http://www.fatcyclist.com/ challenging readers to lose 10 pounds by December 23 and erroneously began to think that I could accomplish it.  I mean, hello, did I forget it's December and that December brings holiday parties and homemade goodies at work?  Or how about the fact that I haven't regulary exercised for MONTHS?  How in the world did I think I'd stand a shot at losing weight when all I've done lately is gain?

Fatty lured me in with his "no entry fee required"  and a chance to win some goodies.  Now, I'll admit that there are a few things he's giving away that I wouldn't mind having, but IF I reach my goal, I don't even get to choose what I'd get.  I must be losing my marbles...

But, on the other hand...I dread getting ready for work every morning because I'm sick and tired of changing my clothes 10 times when the pants I picked don't button or are cinched so tightly around my waist that I'm afraid to sit down.  This madness must end :)

So, I bit the bullet and am going to give it a try.  So what's my stake?  The chance to lose some extra poundage during the time of year that most people gain.  I read a stat the other day that said the average person gains 10-12 pounds during the holiday season - and let me tell you, I'm anything but average!!  So, even if my quest allows me to maintain my current weight, in essence I've lost 10 pounds, right?

We weigh in once a week - I'll let you know how it goes.  Think the brownies sitting on my stovetop will still be good December 24th? 

Me neither *sigh*

Dora DOES help me look a little better, but really?


Here's my "before" shot.  Disgusting that I actually went on a cruise in this condition!

Wordless Wednesday

Fall Camping

Gathering Wood

We go camping every Spring and every Fall.  We used to go to one particular place (Cedar Lake), but have changed our routine to include Robbers Cave (Jesse James supposedly hid out here back

in the day).  Since this was our Fall trip, we went to Cedar Lake.   It's a really small lake (90 acres) without a lot of traffic, so we didn't anticipate any problems getting our favorite spot.  T went before us because he took the whole day off and I didn't get off until 11:30.  Reese and I hit the road about 1:00.  The plan was for us to find T once we arrived, but we drove around and around and he was no where to be found.   

To be fair, there are 2 different camping areas on the lake and we were looking on the wrong side.  We finally found him in a spot we'd never camped before.  We arrived in time for Reese to help set up the tent and get all the food ready for dinner.  She really enjoys sweeping out the tent which is one chore I'm happy to relinquish. 

Silly String!

We spent a few days relaxing and enjoying the great weather before we had to head home.  Reese really loved the playgound, so we went every morning.  We also took her sidewalk chalk, so we had plenty of time for drawing and hopscotch.  It was another successful trip...can't wait till Spring!

Giving Thanks

Well, Thanksgiving is upon us and I've been thinking about what I'm thankful for.  I read several great posts on Thanksgiving that really made me stop and think.  I seem to get so concerned about what I need to take to the inlaws for dinner/snacks that I forget to stop and think about simply being able to be there.

My parents and inlaws are all in their 70's.  Who knows how much longer we'll have them around?  This year I'm trying to stop thinking about pie long enough to be thankful everyone I love is still around for me to tell them.

I have a beautiful daughter, a loving husband, a take-charge sister, great parents and the best inlaws anyone could ask for.  For that, I'm very thankful and today I'm going to let them all know.

Here's hoping everyone enjoys their family and takes a minute to let them know how much they mean to them.

Wordless Wednesday

Ready for Bedlam!!

Family Cavin

Every fall, we try to go to a cabin with all of T's family.  The original thought was to celebrate our niece's birthday, but it's now turned into a bithday/family getaway.  We try to find a cabin centrally located, but we ended up with a 3+ hour drive this time. 

Reese kept telling everyone that we were going to the family cavin - guess that's the way she heard it when we said cabin.  She also says we're going in Mommy's SUB.  If she's still saying cavin when she's 6, I'll make sure she knows what the real word is - for now, I'm just going to enjoy the cuteness of some of her mis-pronunciations.

Just to be clear, no one in our family owns a cabin, we just called it that since the whole family was going to be there.  But, getting everyone together is a feat in itself - the birthday girl didn't even arrive until late Saturday night.  She's involved in drumline and couldn't come until her Saturday performances were completed. 

We ended up having an awesome time with the little ones fishing for the first time (T pretended he didn't have anything on the line and got Reese over to reel in the fish).

Can you even SEE the fish?

We had salmon that night for dinner and Reese was led to believe we were eating the fish she caught at the pond - there's no way her couple of teeny fish could have fed that many people unless we were experiencing a miracle (loaves and fishes anyone?)

 The weekend went by way too quickly but everyone had a great time - I'm happy that Thanksgiving is right around the corner so we can spend more time with everyone!

Random Thoughts

When Reese and I walked out of daycare last night, she saw an airplane crossing the sky and said, "look, it's a shooting star".  Never one to pass up the opportunity for a free wish, I quickly agreed.  "Wish," she said.  I instantly thought of a wish and continued on with her to the car.

"I said you need to wish," she declared.  I tried to explain that we usually wish to ourselves, but she was having none of it so I voiced my wish aloud.  "I wish that Grammy will continue to feel good," I said as I looked down at her.  She looked up at me for a second before saying, "I wish we could go to Chik-fil-A."  Her wish came true...now let's hope mine does too.

I had a dream last night where someone close to me (I never saw them, just knew they were someone important in my life) had a new baby girl.  She chose to name the baby Faunley.  Why???  When the baby was born, was she fond of it?  Does she like baby deer?  I have no idea, but I did tell her that I was going to call the baby Finley because I thought Faunley was a stupid name.  Right then the alarm went off, so I have no idea whether or not I lost a friend last night.

My Mom starts her first of 10 radiation treatments today and I'm scared.

We're going to a Scentsy party tonight.  I've seen cars all over town with the Scentsy logo on them, but don't  have any of their stuff.  It should be fun because kiddos are invited - Reese and I are looking forward to going.  I'm sure I'll be suckered into spending more than I'd like to, but will justify it to myself by saying I'll give some of it away as gifts - sure you will K.

I had a dream (I've been doing ALOT of that lately) where I met a blogger face to face, but she said we couldn't be friends because we weren't the same religion - ouch!  Now my dreams may may have cost me 2 friends.

I never knew (until I started this blog), how sad it is to check in and see 0 comments.  I know I haven't done anything to promote my blog, but seeing that someone's been here makes me happy.

All of these thoughts have been rattling around in my brain, so I thought I'd just get rid of them.  Thanks for listening!

Wordless Wednesday

Meatballs never turn out the same if made without your lipstick!

An Embarassing Moment

I was in the grocery store and ran into an old high school acquaintance, but I didn't know it.  He recognized me...what a thrill - 25 years later and I still look enough like I did in High School for him to recognize me!  I was stoked!!  He had to tell me who he was, but I recognized the name immediately.  I don't want to say I got a big head, but  judging from the rest of the story, I guess I did.  Kelly* and I talked for a few minutes when he asked me if I saw anyone.  I instantly said, "oh, I'm married (while flashing my wedding ring in his direction).  He said, "I mean, do you see anyone from High School".  I was more than embarassed!  I can't even remember if I answered, but I know I slinked away with my tail between my legs!!

* name changed to protect the innocent - can I change MY name too?

Vacation Fun - Part 3.3. - Nassau, Bahamas

Disclaimer:  I can't give Nassau a fair shake because it rained the whole time we were there.

I had never been to the Bahamas before this trip so I was really looking forward to what it had to offer.  We arrived in port and I was very excited to see Atlantis from our balcony.  We were told it was the place to go while we were in port, so we exited the ship and made our way there via water taxi.  We had a great guide who told us all about the homes we passed along the way.

It was still raining when we reached Atlantis, but we still had high hopes, so we exited the taxi and walked the rest of the way to the resort.  Inside Atlantis was magnificent..you could tell they spent a LOT of money building this resort.  After 15 minutes of walking inside we got to the beach exit - still raining.  We walked outside and were told by some guests of the resort how to get to the beach.  They also warned us of all the peddlers lining the beach. We opted not to go to the beach because of the rain and because of the warning.  We caught a taxi/van back to the pier and got back on our ship...disappointing to say the least!

I got some great pictures, but can't say I loved Nassau - go away rain!  Our last port and the most uneventful!  Oh well, maybe next time...



Wordless Wednesday



Vacation Fun - Part 3.2 - St. Thomas

Well, I've been to St. Thomas before and always heard about it being a mecca for discount shopping.  I have to admit that I bought my first camcorder there and thought I got a good deal.

But...I remembered Magen's Bay (the most famous Bay on the island) a little differently than I found it this time.  First off, it cost us $30 (each way) to even get to the bay.  Then, when we arrived, it was WAY different than I remembered.  There was nothing special about it unless you count the over priced food at the one concession/bar area they offered.

We spent the afternoon there and had a great time, but it was because of the company, not the venue.  This beach was a little less pristine than the one in St. Maarten, so we were able to find some shells, but nothing of significance.  We had a good time burying Reese in the sand and T found a few treasures while snorkeling, but it didn't make up for the super expensive french fries, the $7 beer or the cost to get to the bay.

I don't want to sound like we didn't enjoy our time here, but it wasn't anything to write home about.  I got some sun, so that was good!  Next cruise, we may just skip St. Thomas if at all possible...or maybe we shop for our next camcorder :)

The Birds

I used to live in Oklahoma City.  I enjoyed my time there, but decided to move back home when my nephew was born.  I have many fond memories of  my time in "the City" and the birds are one of them.

In the Spring and Fall every year, certain areas of the city had an influx of birds.  I don't know where they spent the Summer and Winter, but they all seemed to congregate in a few select places every Spring and every Fall. 

I worked in "one of those areas", so you had to be really careful walking to your car in the evening.  Most people watch out for strangers waiting to accost them, but we watched out for birds dive bombing us on the way to the car.  With hundreds of birds in the 7 trees we had in our parking lot, it was inevitable that someone was going home with fresh white splashes of color on their clothes or in their hair...and I'm not talking about paint here people!

Well, I've been gone from OKC about 10 years now, but visited last weekend.  Much to my delight,  some things never change - the birds are still there - they're just leaving splashes of color on people besides me!