When is too late to start Christmas shopping? 19 days left!

::insert macaulay culkin face NOW::


so ummm...I AM very much a Christmas person. VERY MUCH! I loooove this time of year. {..first of..}I absolutely despise being HOT! UGH! I love that people are in better moods, or wait MORE LIKELY to be in better moods! I love the smells...apples and cinnamon...fresh baked ANYTHING! Little cold/pink noses.... piles of leaves....mounds of snow....I LOVE IT ALL! Not just the presents and trees and all that hoopla. But hey come January at my house and it takes a small army to pack up all my decor. I have a TON!

This will be the first year that I have JUST done the tree ...oh and the fireplace. :o) I am just not with it yet and daddy just doesn't have it in him to climb up a latter and get down and up and down 15 gagillion times to go around the banisters and along sides the house. nah. we're passing this year. I hope Santa can still see the house.

GEEEZ "CUT THE FAT ELIZABETH AND GET TO THE POINT"

ok so....we haven't even STARTED.
yeah. NOTHING. :-/

>:puts head down in shame:< SInce I wrote a WHOLE POST explaining what we were gonna do different this year and what we WERE going to get the kids and what Santa was bringing (all of this before my internet crashed) but since its no longer here and I really need SLEEP...its gonna have to wait till 18 days before Christmas...oh wait THATS TODAY! whoops!

O~kay tomorrow...TIPS TO RECYCLING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!!

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I came across THIS TODAY....CLICK IT!... go ahead!

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1.. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.


2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare ... you cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. ;-)

It's Christmas! HELLOOOOO You won't be doing this ON INDEPENDENCE DAY PPL!


3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat process!!


4. As for those mashed potatoes.... always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission. Go next door to the rum ball house!! (I personally use lots and lots of butter or "COUNTRY CROCK" margarine & Dukes mayo in mine right along with that whole milk). :-P



5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it.

Hello!?!

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.



7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.



8. .....Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you donʼt like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three.

When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards. ;-) ahh ha! I got cha!



10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:


"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, martini in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Ya'll know I'm full of laughs...so don't take this too seriously but DO enjoy your EATING! Because I know I will!!!

Have a great holiday season

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*That picture was taken after the first picture was BLURRY and I screamed that my arms were gonna fall OFF!*

See how concerned my kids were?
NOTE that mommy has been pretty much house/bed ridden for 2 months and that I shouldn't be holding kids! (OR outside) SO YES today and yesterday my arms feel as if they're gonna FALL OFF!

BACK!

Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW Year to allllll!

I went on another blogging vacation! But NoW I'm baaacck!

How about a quick Christmas update with lots of pictures?

We had a Family Christmas party at the in-laws on Saturday the 22nd.....
It went well! The kids were definitely spoiled! :-) One of Masons gifts was this bos of musical toys. Ohh did that turn into fun...

Think about it, adults (with wine in them) and a 5YO wanting to "break in" his new musical instruments on Christmas. I think Clint and Doug ended up on the porch on purpose!

We did the white elephant gifts....

I got a (ORIGINALLY) box full of lotto tickets, which Clints uncle Kelly took off my hands. THEN Clints turn came around and he TOOK THEM BACK off Kellys hands. (I think we won $20! :-D) and I ended up with a Yankee Candle! YUMM I love em!

So HERE YA GO~~~>

I just made a total elf out of all of us!!

For those of you that I didn't send this to by way of email...

I wanna spread a little laughter!

My family has been elfed!

Click on over to check us out and then make your own then post so we all can LAUGH!

MY KIDS LOVE TO WATCH THIS OVER AND OVER AND O V E R!!!!!!!! AHHH