Great Dec. Weekend!

The weekend started with Breakfast with Santa at D's school. We got there early and beat the crowd and got right in for pics with Santa for only $2. Can't beat that! At first the boys were scared but then D walked right up to Santa and sat on his lap. I had to carry B up there but once he got there they both started right away telling Santa what toys they wanted! I think the pic will come home today with D from school. I'll be sure to post it when I get it. Santa looked great!!

After breakfast D went shoppin in Santa's store. He gots gifts for B, Papa, and Aunt Jen. He had already bought for mommy, daddy and granny. He was very picky about what he chose! What a good shopper!!

The cookie party was FANTASTIC!!! It was so much fun that I can't even describe and I will definetly be having it again next year!! I made several appetizers and had drinks for everyone. People started arriving and picked their Christmas name tag to wear. SOme of the names were Reindeer names and others were like snowball, holly, cookie, ms. Claus. The names would be used later for the games. After everyone mingled for awhile we did some voting on guessing the number of m-n-m's in the jar, and best cookie display. We then put on a fashion show with a catwalk style runway so that we could model our PJ's to try to win best Christmas PJ's title! The runway was hysterical!! I only took pics but now wish I would of video'd the walk. Everyone was so creative with their walks and it was sooooo much fun! Each person added a pose at the end and it was great!!

Next we started with some games. I had everyone divide into three teams. It was already decided what team they were on by a small number on their name tag. The idea of the game was to blow up balloons and stuff them into the legs of panthose to create Reindeer antlers. Once your team was done the captain of each team had to put the pantyhose on their head to win. Everyone had a great time and played right along!! This game was so, so, so much fun!! Each team member won a candy cane with a scratch off ticket attached.

Next was the "plunger relay". You may have seen this on you tube. I changed the plungers to candy canes. The big ones with life savers gummies inside. The guests split into two teams. One team made up of people with a reindeer name and the other team not reindeer. Each person had to walk from one end of the room with candy cane between their legs and not touch it with their hands. There was a person at the other end with a roll of toilet paper between their legs and you had to stick the candy cane in the toilet paper! It was absolutely hysterical. I only video'd this event so I'll have to get it from my video camera and try to post it one day! I can't begin to describe how funny it was.

We also did a sock swap and played the left/right passing game. Everyone got to take home a new pair of Christmas socks.

Everyone then boxed up cookies of all kinds and took them home with them to eat and enjoy at home. I'm not sure if I'm leaving anything out at the moment but it was a blast!! People are already planning what cookies they want to bring next year and trying to think of new ideas for the party!!

This crescent rolls veggie appetizer dish was very easy too!

The olive penguins were a hit!! Very easy to make too! Just get a can of jumbo olives, a can of small olives, onion and chive cream cheese, frilly top toothpicks and carrots. Just slice the large olives down one side. Put the cream cheese in ziploc bag and pipe into body. Then use toothpick to attach the small olive for head and a slice of carrot for the feet. You can also cut a small triangle piece of carrot for the beak! Too easy and very cute, and edible too of course!!

I made a corn dip, spinach dip, cheese and meat tray, quiches and sandwich spirals from Sam's. A friend also brought a cheese ball. For drinks I served a pina colada punch, hot chocolate and bottled water and sodas. For desserts ( the cookies were to take home and not eat at the party) I made pretzel treats, a cupcake tree and rum bars. They were supposed to be rum balls but wouldn't stick together for some reason. So I decided to just press them in a pan. They tasted great anyway!!

The party was almost over and mom came out with a cake to suprise me and had everyone at the party sing Happy Birthday to me! It was very sweet! She could of left the numbers off the cake though..........:o)

The boys were intrigued by the Reindeer antlers when they got home and wanted to try them on. So adorable!

To see alot more pics from the party you can go HERE!

I also had a wonderful birthday and I got alot of great gifts!! I'll post more about my birthday later, but I do want to say a huge THANK YOU to my wonderful husband and most precious wonderful boys in the whole world!!

Our weekend

s

Cookie eve

It's the cookie party eve and I'm soooo excited!

BUT, I have other great news!! I think I broke my losing plateau!!! 3 more lbs gone!! For a total to date of 29!!!!!!!!!!! I am estactic and have been doing the happy dance all afternoon!!! One week till work weigh in. I have lost so far a total of 12 for this weigh in. I hope I can hang in there for one more week at least! Just one more week, just one more week and I might have a good little extra money for Christmas! I might have to freeze all my cookies from the party and splurge out on the 15th!!!!!!!!!

Here are a few more pics from our wonderful Thanksgiving day. My father in law is the official Turkey carver!

D enjoyed playing dominoes with MIMI!

Dad made a "to die for" cake called Tres Leches!! It was so great I ate the whole pan!! Just kidding but I sure wanted to!!!!!!!!!!

Here are a few pics on cookie eve. I have started to decorate the tables. I'm not going to do too much though to take away from the cookies.
These are one of the cookies that I made. They are called cherry coconut drops! They are delish!

I also made these truly adorable penguins to help as decoration. They are edible too! Just olives and chive n onion cream cheese with carrots for beak and feet!!

Well better get off to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow!! COOKIES COOKIES EVERYWHERE!

Almost cookie time

Only 2 days till my cookie swap party! I am so excited. I baked my last set of cookies last night. I also attempted to make rum balls but they wouldn't stick together, so I decided just to press the mixture into a pan and make rum bars....we'll see. Anyway it's going to be so much fun, a bunch of girls in Christmas pj's, drinks, snacks and lots and lots of cookies! I can't give away too much info just yet, but I'll be sure to post pics afterwards!
I am going to try to get a few more pics from Turkey day on here tonight!
Saturday we are taking the boys to Breakfast with Santa at D's school. D was so excited when I told him. He had lots of questions.....how will he get here.....he can't fly without the reindeer.....how long will he be here......It was so cute! He is very inquisitive and very smart, so I have to be careful what I say to him. I told him Santa would be coming on a special sleigh and that's when he told me that Santa can't fly without the reindeer. Then he wanted to know how the reindeer fly...... :)
Here's a sneak peek at some cookies I made. They taste wonderul!!!

Orange Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
2/3 cup orange juice
4 ½ teaspoons grated orange peel
3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
ICING:
4 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp orange extract
1/3 to ½ cups orange juice

1. In mixing bowl cream shortening and sugar. Add the buttermilk, eggs, orange juice and peel.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in separate bowl; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Remove to wire racks to cool.
5. For icing, combine confectioners sugar, orange extract and enough orange juice to achieve desired consistency. Spread over cooled cookies.
6. Makes about 12 dozen.

Just a quickie

My little pilgrim at his Thanksgiving feast.

Me and Mindy were putting 50 candles on Pat's cake! What a smoke stack when she blew them out!!!!!!!

This is the Cave at the winery we visited on the way home. They had barrels of wine stored in there.

The boys enjoyed making turkeys with apples and other fun stuff. B wanted to eat more than he put on the apple.

A quick photo of the cousins!!

This is just a quickie post with some pics. I have been very busy with Thanksgiving. We had a great time with all the family and I'll post more pics later. Now I'm planning for my cookie swap party this Saturday. I am getting very excited and I think it is going to be sooooo much fun!!

Thought of the day

"May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravyHave nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!"
~Author Unknown

100 things about me...

Stole this from my girl, Susan. This is a premade list and I have done the things in red.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band-(ROCK BAND OF COURSE!!)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland(Disneyworld)
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Climbed a mountain...like on a hiking trail...
10. Sang a solo...
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris-(in Las VEgas:o)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty-seen it in person, though
18. Grown your own vegetables-do chili peppers count?
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community-
36. Taught yourself a new language-
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing--Rock wall in Cozumel!
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke...
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa...
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance-8th grade ski trip!
47. Had your portrait painted
48.Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie...
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades...
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating-
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day-does Dora count?

Back to home life

We returned from our trip yesterday afternoon. We had a great time in STL. We had a wonderful lunch with Kelli when we got there. It was so good to see you Kelli and you looked wonderful!! I hope we get a chance to see the whole family soon! Then mom and I did a little shopping and headed to Mindy's house to get ready for the party. But we had to stop first and get lots and lots of Missouri winery wines to bring home.....and I mean lots!!! :o) The party was great and Pat was so suprised!! There were several of my old coworkers there too that I got to see. It was alot of fun. We tricked Pat into thinking she was still going to have a stripper like she originally thought and mom hid behind a door and popped out to suprise her. It was soooooo funny. She really thought a stipper was going to come out from behind the door and I'm sure was so relieved to see it was just mom and all of us playing a joke on her!! On the way home on Sunday mom and I stopped at a winery and did a little wine tasting and went into a cave they had at the winery. It was very interesting. The boys were very happy to see me when I got home and they loved the monster truck toys that I brought back to them. They had a good time with Daddy while I was gone! Thanks to my wonderful hubby for keeping the boys all weekend while I went to the party. It was a great time. I'll try to post pics soon.
I am working today and then off tomorrow and then work Wednesday. So I don't have too much time to prepare for Turkey day. I will go to the grocery store tomorrow and then D has a 1/2 day at school. I hope to post some pics before Turkey day but if not......HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE !!!

suprise suprise

Headed on my road trip to STL in the morning. I'm excited to be a part of the suprise birthday party and I know she'll be suprised to see me there too from out of town!!
The Thanksgiving feast went well today at D's school and I'll post pics sometime next week. It's going to be a little hectic since I have to work Monday for being off today. Then I work Wed too so only one day for Turkey preparations......oh well, I"m sure all will work out well. Have a great weekend to all!! I will surely miss all my boys!!!

Thrifty-ness

Spent Tuesday morning shopping at the local food thrift market with Dad. This place is great with cheap bargains and they update frequently. Sometimes you'll find things sometimes not. But who can turn down great bargains? The best part I was treated to lunch afterwards. Thanks Dad!!
Totally forgot about the luncheon for work today. oops! I didn't make anything, but I will take a peek at what everyone else brought and maybe make a small plate...:)
I won't forgot D's Thanksgiving party on Friday at school. I'm making a dessert and it sounds from his teacher that it will be alot of fun. It's a short week for me since I'm off on Friday for the party..yipee!! Then road trip to St. Louis for the weekend. I'm looking forward to it!!
I'm just hoping for all green lights and smiley faces from the boys school reports this week!
That's all for now....toodles.

Yipee!! Yipee! Yipee!

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!! I can't believe it!! I ran my birthday goal of 4 miles TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What????? Yes I did!!!!!!!! I am excited beyond belief. It started that I was just going to try for 3 1/4 then I got there and thought I can keep going a little more. Then at 3 1/2 I thought ....I can do this. Then at 3 3/4 I thought...there's no way I'm stopping now!!!!!! I am so excited!!! I did actually walk for 30 seconds during mile 3 and for 1 minute in mile 4, buy hey I ran 4 miles!! I can definetely feel it in my legs tonight. I'm not sure if I will run tomorrow or not, but the last two weeks of 5 and 6 days of cardio sure have paid off already! I can't believe it!! Just had to share my amazing news!!! I"ve been grinning all night!!!!! Yipee for me!!!!!!!! Toodles!!

Bizard in the box??????

The boys new favorite movie. But the title is really The Wizard of Oz. It was on tv the other night and I tivo'd it. They are mesmerized by it. Too funny! They are really growing up now knowing that they actually want to watch a movie, will watch it, understand it, and want to watch it again......
Also made GREAT cookies today. Unfortunately for the life of me I can't find the blog that I lurked and stole it off of...sorry.But it's so easy and they taste wonderful!! Only 3 ingredients too!!

Pumpkin-chip cookies
1 box of "spice" cake mix
1 bag of chocolate chips
1 can of pumpkin

Mix all ingredients together and drop by spoonfuls on pan. (I couldn't refind the recipe to get the exact temp and time but this is what I used) 400 degree oven and I cooked them about 10-12 minutes. They won't melt down like other cookies, they stay lumped up like drop cookies. They taste wonderful!! You must try them!!

We got a few projects done this weekend on Sat. thanks to mom babysitting the boys. Sunday we just spent running a few errands and hanging out around the house and baking cookies:) Next weekend I'm heading to St. Louis for a friends suprise party! Mom is going with me and we are making a weekend of it while Mike hangs out at home with the boys for the weekend. I'm really looking forward to it and it will be so much fun. My friend is turning 50 and we are all supposed to wear black. I'm going to do a little shopping this week to find the perfect/creative gift, at least that's what I"m hoping!
D's Thanksgiving feast at school is on Friday and I'm bringing small mini pumpkin cakes. The recipe is from my friend Beth. They are easy too and taste great! I'll have to post that recipe later this week!
I'm also in the planning of my 1st annual cookie exchange party. I got the idea online and I'm so excited. The only drawback is I didn't really look at the calendar when I planned and sent out invites. It's the first Sat of Dec. Which means I have to get right to decorating as soon as we put the Turkey away!! I want to have all my Christmas decorations out for the party. I have games planned and I'm working on the menu. The theme is a Christmas PJ party so everyone is supposed to wear xmas PJ's. I really hope everyone plays along and it should be so much fun! I'll definetely post pics and even some recipes when we're through! Cookies, cookies, cookies...yipee!! Well off to get ready for Monday morning. Toodles.!!
By the way...both boys got good reports from school on Friday and we had a great weekend!!

In the air?

So I'm wondering is there is something in the air this week. D has come home with two yellow lights for behavior at school. He has only gotten green so far this year, so we were a little taken back. B has had a few sad faces also. This week has been filled with behavior discussions, room time outs and even one little boy missing out on a party because of a sad face. I am sure hoping both boys come home with good reports today to start off the weekend with a smile!
Turkey day is approaching and I'm starting to plan the menu. I think we are going to have a pretty good gathering this year and it should be alot of fun! I am looking forward to all the good food!
I think this weekend will be filled with much neglected projected being worked on and also maybe some baking with the kids.
Happy Friday to all!!

Craft time and fun time

I let D make me a turkey with the playdoh..........great job don't you think? ;o)

Sunday, we got the chance to babysit my niece. The boys loved hanging out with their cousin even though she's not mobile yet. D had it all planned out, that we were going to do a scavenger hunt with her. It didn't quite work that way, but he was so happy anyway to see her.

D was so sweet. He really took care of her. He made sure she had her blankie and he sat right next to her almost the whole time she was here.

Hey! I GOT A PIC OF HER TWO NEW TEETH!!!!!!!

D even read a Dora book to her too. D was such a good helper!

Today's run at the gym went much better than yesterday!! I have decided to set a new goal for myself. I would like to extend my 3 mile runs to 4 miles by my birthday. I don't have long, but I'm hoping with a motivational reason it will help me try to stay on track and stay in the gym as the weather gets colder. Mike also got me some really great insoles for my running shoes. You put them in the oven and then into your shoe. You step in the shoe while the insert is still warm and they conform to your feet. They worked really well today. My shoes felt like they had so much more cushioning. It was great! So I'm going to be optimistic about my new goal and see what happens.

Well time to head out the door to pick up D from school. Then we are heading to Sam's for a few grocery items for the week. Toodles.

Big note to self!

Ok, so I learned today that I shouldn't try to go running in 40-50 degree weather. I have been running again the past 2 weeks and even ran several times throughout the neighborhood. Although, never has the weather been as cold as today. So I decided instead of heading to the "Y" I would take my run through the neighborhood. Well, after the 1st mile I was feeling pretty winded. I normally don't feel winded so early in my run. I even felt like I had to stop and walk. I felt like I was breathing really heavy, but thought I would just start running again and push through what I thought was just a lazy day. I didn't run far and I had to stop again. What is going on? I had to inhale very deep and felt as though I couldn't catch my breath. I still didn't think too much into it and decided I would just walk the last 2 miles and not worry about running today. I kept walking and I kept having a hard time catching my breath. Anyway, after walking almost the next mile and still not able to catch my breath, it occured to me that the cold weather has probably gotten to my lungs. As far as I have walked I should not being breathing heavy at all let alone almost struggling for air. I gave in and called Mike, who luckily was at home and asked him to come pick me up. He must of known from my call what was wrong. He came speeding up the street and as soon as I got in the car he handed me his rescue asthma inhaler and told me to take a puff. It was amazing! Within seconds my breathing had normalized and I wasn't struggling for breath anymore. By the time we were home, just a minute or so, I felt like I hadn't even been out for a run at all. I guess the cold weather and my lungs didn't match without conditioning them to the cold. I have learned my lesson. I guess the rest of my runs this winter will be in the nice warm gym! I'm just glad he was home and not out of town!!

A little racing

A weekend or so ago I took the boys out to watch daddy race. He came in second place. Although, he won 1st place in his division for the season and will get a trophy in two weeks! Way to go baby!!

We have two bday parties to go to today. One for each boy to go. We also rented Kung Fu panda to watch and a video game to play. It's pretty chilly and very windy outside today so I think we'll spend the day inside.

A sweet suprise treat

D's school is having a Pilgrim theme this week and I came across these by chance while looking online for some cookie recipes. I love these little pilgrim hats and they were sooooo easy to make!

I know his class will be suprised.

PILGRIM HATS

1 bag semi-sweet morsels

1 bag large marshmallows

1 pkg striped cookies (upside down)

1 tube of gel icing yellow

Simply melt the chocolate and dip the marshmallows to coat ( i used a toothpick) then put on top of upside down cookie. Then I used icing gel to make the buckle! You have to chill the hats in the fridge to let chocolate harden before adding the buckle.

Good night

Too much candy

We took the boys to mom's house to trick or treat. We even convinced her to dress up even though daddy wouldn't! The boys did pretty good, but got tired quickly. I didn't mind since their pumpkins were already full of candy. I'm glad they are still too young to remember the next day how much candy was really in the pumpkin. I immediately went through it all and took out all the candy that I didn't want them to have. Some for me......and lots for work!!!! The weather was wonderful also. We even got back to the house with time for the boys to pass out candy to others, they enjoyed that too! Hope everyone had a safe Halloween. November already!! Can you believe it???

Happy Halloween

The boys loved their special halloween breakfast with a coloring book, two donuts and spooky monster teeth. They didn't eat too much of their cereal though, I guess they were too distracted by the teeth! On the way to Bry's school I stopped and took his picture next to this big spider. He told me he wasn't going to be scared, but of course he was! So I had to almost trick him into standing next to the "pole" and not the spider!

D's school party went really well. You can check out a few pics here. One of the moms made adorable spider web cupcakes. I made a game of pumpkin bowling out of two liter bottles and a pumpkin, the kids did a mummy wrap station with toilet paper and also a make a jack o lantern station. The kids really loved the donuts on a string too. It was too funny to watch them try to eat it with no hands. D's teacher even got in on the action!! It was a great party! I'm really looking forward to the trick or treating tonight, but not the gobs and oodles of candy that we will have! Happy trick or treating!!!!!!

Friendly bonfire

We had a wonderful time at the bonfire last Saturday night. The boys had many fun things to do. We took a hay ride, the boys played some golf, played football with granny, and D cooked his own hot dogs! The boys had a blast!! Thanks Beth for the wonderful bonfire and food! I told myself I wouldn't forget to take OUR picture together at the bonfire and yes I forgot!! Shame on me! Your two kids are wonderful and did a great job taking care of and playing with my boys, thanks so much to them also! I'm looking forward to next year already!!!
Now I have to go finish getting everything together for the kids parties tomorrow and then of course trick or treating. I'm also planning a special breakfast for them for the occasion...hee hee! Good night and happy trick or treating to all!!