Make It Stop!

Another six inches of snow. I don’t know about you but it is so cold and dry in my house/car/office right now I’m about to lose my mind. It doesn’t matter how much body lotion I slather on; my skin is painfully raw.

All my clothes feel like they’re made of the scratchiest wool





spun by self-loathing puritans.








I wonder what The Saint will think when he returns from his business trip to find me covered in Vaseline and enveloped in Saran Wrap?

Things Precious Oldest did over Christmas Break

Hid the baby Jesus 72 times.

Decided all gift bows must be worn



Decided her mother must wear gift bows too



Made her mother read a Christmas bedtime story



Put out cookies and eggnog for Santa



Made fun of her mother's ass while she was digging gifts out from under the tree



Finished her t-shirt quilt

Yeah, all the rest of that stuff was just to show you how cute the quilt turned out!

This and That

• I have such great pictures from the holidays but I don’t think I’m getting them up over here any time soon. Which means it will probably NEVER happen because who wants to see Christmas pictures at Easter?
• Lord have mercy folks, work is kicking my ASS right now.
• We put up the last of the Christmas mishmash last night. The worst of it in my opinion; the Christmas dishes. So! Fun! To! Get! Out! So very tiresome to store away.
• Precious Youngest and my niece head back to school Sunday so we’re having various and sundry family and friends over for pizza tonight to get one more visit in with the college kids before they disappear.
• Precious Oldest is feeling like a big kid!

Happy Friday!

Sometimes....

Sometimes I think

Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

have a hidden camera in my house.

I'm just sayin'.

Link to "Zits"

Happy 2011

Sort of fell off the map there didn't I? Not to worry, all is well. I just got very immersed in family and well..there you have it.

For the first time since I started working I had a few vacation days saved up to use in and around the holidays. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed having a few extra days at home!

We had a lovely Christmas with our daughters and family.

We also had a birthday. Christmas was forever changed for us in 1988 with the arrival of Precious Oldest. She turned twenty two this Christmas. TWENTY TWO! We’ve ended up with a smart, funny, kind kid who embarks on her student teaching TOMORROW. How did this happen?

We traveled south to visit the Saint's folks the day after Christmas as his father was not up to the trip to come to us.

New Year’s Eve was terribly relaxing filled with friends, family and featured me staying in my PJs until 4:30!

New Year’s Day we went to see “The King’s Speech”. I can’t say enough about this movie – if you haven’t already done so GO SEE IT NOW!

I am off and running on my 2011 New Year’s Resolution.

What have you all been up to?

Where's Waldo? Christmas Edition

The most oft repeated phrase in my house since the Precious Daughters return from college?

"Where is Baby Jesus??!!



"I SAID, WHERE IS BABY JESUS??!!"











Answer: Anywhere but in the manger. Sheesh.

Holiday Home Tour

Once again, many thanks to Jen for organizing what has become an annual event. It gets me motivated to get my decorating done. While I think my home looks nice I don’t know that I possess the same home décor gene that others seem to have. I am not, at my core, a very creative person. So with THOSE low expectations let’s take a look around shall we?

Technically, for Catholics, Christmas doesn’t begin until December 24th. We are now in the season of Advent. We celebrate each evening around our kitchen table by lighting the Advent Wreath.



I have things hidden in several nooks and crannies in the kitchen.





The living room is one of my favorite rooms. It seems to accept Christmas so gracefully.







Our traditional Frasier Fir.



For years the mantle hosted the Santa Collection



But take a closer look...



intermingling of the species!



A selection of some of my favorite children's Christmas books.





I had a small dinner last night. I took these when I was getting set up.



I should get something up abut that soon.



The family room historically hosted the Snowmen



But yes!



Look at me and the co-mingling!



This guy is new, a gift last year from a co-worker.



Hell, even the bathrooms get dolled up.



The sunroom looks pretty even at night.



Now I'm off to explore all the other Holiday Home Tours! Merry Christmas!!!!