the real work world

On the way to school my youngest was complaining about a teacher who said they were too old and too busy for holiday parties. I said, "That's not true - we take time to celebrate in the work world."

"I know," she said, "I watch The Office."

we might need a really big table....

I am so grateful to have my kids home for the long weekend. We did a Thanksgiving Day run together, watched the Macy's parade, and each of the kids helped with part of dinner. My sister and her family came for dinner (my other sister and her husband had to work, and we missed them). I'm already excited for just a few weeks from now when my family will be together again.

I am so grateful for all of the family I have: kids, step-kids, sons and daughter in-law, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces, the nephew, my dad, great-grandma, cousins, aunts and uncles, and all of my husband's family members.

Well, you don't want to mix up the treat bowls.

Earlier tonight the doorbell rang and we were greeted by a group of adults in costume, doing a scavenger hunt. They asked for a q-tip, and while we were getting that for them I said, "So, what else is on your list?"

"A penny from the 1990's," then lowering her voice a little awkwardly she added, "and a tampon."

"No problem," I replied. "You picked a house full of girls. We have that!"

As they were heading down the driveway, I hollered, "...and if the prize is booze, you better come back!"

Why don't I get invited to parties like that?

Easter bucket

For Easter I mailed our college daughter a bucket of peeps. No box, just the address on the lid and the postage on the side. It made it. 

Down time.

Christmas in our house usually includes books. If you are looking for a good read, we've got you covered!

New books and e-books in our house include:
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
May We Be Forgiven
In Sunlight and in Shadow
Don't Put Me In Coach
Tales of the Jazz Age
Water for Elephants
In the Garden of Beasts

Children's picture books:
Home for Christmas
The Carpenter's Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree

Would have been a gift spoiler

Over the years my side of the family has grown to to the point that exchanging gifts would mean buying for 11 other people, so last Christmas we decided to exchange names. This year I got my other sister.

A few years ago I chaperoned my daughter and her friends at the Warped Tour (actually I love alternative and wanted to go too, but all the parents think I took one for the team). My other sister agreed to go with. Turns out she likes the old school, political message alternative music. We bounced between stages all day.

When I saw "vinyl records" on her list, I was so happy. I went to several different music stores looking for the perfect album.

I settled on Barry Manilow Live - a two album set with all his best music - because who doesn't love the Copacabana? As a kid, I listened to that album over and over and over - and there was probably some hair brush microphone singing in there somewhere too. In my defense I was raised on Abba, the BeeGees, and Kenny Rogers.

Then I bought a whole bunch of real albums for her: Loverboy, The Police, Jefferson Starship, Genesis, Heart.... cuz I couldn't find Pennywise or Pearl Jam on vinyl.

If anyone else had drawn her name, she would have gotten lotion and candles. Now you see why I couldn't share this day's album page until after the gift giving was done.

December 25!

It's amazing how that big pile of boxes is reduced to the little stash of goodies under the tree!

Sparkle

I asked my middle daughter to take some pictures of the tree and gifts. She took this pic with my point and shoot Canon using color accent and the close up setting. Beautiful!

December 23 - Christkindlemarket

One of the things on our family list this year was to go to Christkindlmarket in Chicago. Years ago the oldest went there with her school, and has wanted to go back since. Now we all know why. Freshly roasted pecans, real potato pancakes, and the most beautiful European holiday gifts - most of them authentic, hand-made.

We'll just be over here....

I was scrolling through the photos from the weekend, and apparently not everyone was so interested in making the cookies.

December 16 - Cookies

I gave my middle daughter a list of cookie supplies to add anything else she wanted before I left for the store. She didn't add any food, just the artwork. :)

See all the days of December.

Yum! Yum!

This weekend was cookie weekend. The kids chose all their favorites from our recipe collection. We made a lot of peanut butter dough. We also made several others to use as gifts for friends and coworkers.

These are chocolate cherry nuggets. My BFF makes these for me every year (Janet - these are gifts for other people - if you made me some I will still eat them... all). Now I know why I love them - it's practically a frosting recipe with a little bit of flour.
 

December 15 - De-Hustle and Bustle

This is my kind of holiday shopping. A cup of caramel coffee and Amazon.

December 13 - Blessed

December 13 was my birthday. I am so grateful for all the people in my life who sent Facebook messages, texts or warm thoughts. I was still getting belated birthday wishes a day later. I posted this quote on my wall, and it could not be more true.

It is a good thing to be rich, and it is a good thing to be strong, but it is a better thing to be loved of many friends. ~Euripides

December Daily - Can I get a do-over?

I have been struggling with my December daily album from day one. I have spent way more time than I wanted trying to make it work, when really, I just should have started over a long time ago.

So today I gave in, and while I was at Target I bought a $2 album and $3 worth of stickers to start over. The cover is done, now on to the pages...

December, Day 10

Our December Daily album is coming along!

















I am a list maker - if I don't write things down I forget for sure. The kids have started mentioning things they want to do: drive around and see the Christmas lights, make potato pancakes, go out to dinner as a family. I started adding  them to our calendar to make sure we plan time to do them.

Makdoodle has cute printable Christmas Bucket List - filled in or just the blank border. I might put our list in a frame and use erasable marker to check them off as we go. What a cute idea to keep our ideas where we wont forget them!

No snow for you!

Snow for everywhere else but here. Even the little village in the window has more snow than we do. Bah.

Scrappy trees

While the oldest was home last weekend we made some easy scrappy Christmas cards to send with the pop top surprise gifts.

December Daily...a little late

Ali Edwards hosts a project called "December Daily" documenting the 25 days leading up to Christmas. It was so much fun to look back at my December Daily 2010 that I decided to do it again this year.

I collected this great assortment of fun paper, stickers and ribbons. I pictured this whimsical Dr. Suess, Grinch, Whoville album. I started the album and I wasn't feeling it. 

So I asked my middle daughter, the artist, for some help. She pulled out the markers and the kitchen became a flurry - blizzard - of design.

She took that boring album and added such style. This is not at all what I pictured, and I love it. 

It wasn't me, really.

This morning the youngest came downstairs to see what St. Nick left in her stocking. She looked at all three like she was sizing them up to choose the best one, and settled on the one on the left.

"How do you know that one is yours?" I asked.

"Because you always line things up oldest to youngest or youngest to oldest. I looked in the one on the right and it was empty except a few candies so I guessed that was the one St. Nick sent to my sister at college, which means the one on the left is mine."

Apparently St. Nick has the same OCD issues as me - who knew?