A Quiet New Year

Let me start by saying - Happy New Year to all!  I can not believe that 2010 is drawing to a close.  These years sure fly by faster each year!  I wonder if that means I am getting old?  I hope not!

Mr. Fixit and I are having a quiet New Year's Eve - at home.  He is a bit under the weather, and it makes me sad to see him not feeling his usual peppy self.  So we will not be heading out to any festivities this evening, which might not be such a bad thing, because the evening news said it was -11 out there tonight!  That does include the windchill, and simply is way too cold for any fun outside!

So, Mr. Fixit is resting and I am blogging and snacking on some of my Mom's delicious gingerbread cookies.  Yum!  The holiday season is simply complete with gingerbread cookies!  May your New Year be filled with blessed surprises, good health and fantastic memories!

The Bathen

Well, home improvement -- aka -- house construction is still continuing, but at a slightly slower pace! Some of the detail work is left, such as painting touch ups, trim, window treatments, wall decorating, etc.  One of the major, in process projects, is the master bathroom.

Mr. Fixit is converting the old kitchen, which happens to be right next to our bedroom -- into our master bathroom.  He is utilizing the old kitchen counter as the new bathroom vanity.  A toilet will be installed in the place of the old stove, and a shower will now be located where the old fridge was before.  So, a nice little transformation is in process!

I like to call the current room the "bathen," since the kitchen is being converted into a bathroom!  Here is a photo of the in process room.  This is the next project on the priority list, so it will soon be changing!

Nieces and Nephews

Christmas Day just seems to fly by way too quickly!  Mom hosted Christmas lunch, dinner aka the noon meal.  This created some confusion for one of my brother-in-laws as he thought dinner meant the evening meal!  Anyway, all were present for the delicious food.

Mr. Fixit and I drove in that morning.  I played bells for midnight Mass the night before, which gave us a bedtime of about 1:00 a.m.  So, I set the alarm for 7:30 a.m. and we hit the road about 8:45 a.m.  We made it to our destination at 11:30 on the nose.  Nearly all my sisters and their families were present.

I thought since the kids were clean, not yet cranky from a lack of naps, and not fighting over toys - yet - that it would be a great time to snap a photo!  Here is the crew - 4 nieces and 2 nephews.  They were ready for a day of fun with each other.  Hope yours was filled with family fun too!

Christmas Cookies

One of my favorite things to do is make sugar cookies!  Ok, so my favorite part of the whole process is really the decorating part.  It really is the most fun - except when you have to do like 900 cookies at one time!  Flashback memories of the wedding!

Anyway, I could not think of a better way to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas than to show a photo of one pan of decorated cookies.  How I really wish that I could deliver a taste of the cookies to you, but my internet technology is not yet there, so enjoy the photo - you must!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dentist

A friend of mine had a baby, so I thought I would take some gifts to her, the "big sisters" and of course the new little one.  When I arrived, I received the full recount of the day's happenings -- that is what I love about young kids -- they will also share a story =).

I was told by the oldest, that the sisters had morning dental appointments.  Then oldest shared that she got to pick something out of the treasure box - a beautiful blue "diamond" ring.  She then preceded to tell me that her younger sis did not get to pick anything out of the treasure box.

If fact, she said, "She would not even open her mouth one bit!"  "So, since she did not show her teeth to the dentist, she did not get to pick anything out of the treasure box, only I did!"

I couldn't resist inquiring of the younger sis why she did not want to share her teeth with the dentist.  To which she replied, "I just didn't want to!"  I said, "Well, maybe next time, right?"  I then thought, oh, the adventures of life when one is three!

Holiday Cards

One of my all time favorite things of Christmas is the cards!  I just love getting the mail in December.  The probability of Christmas cards is super fantastic on each day!  I love sending cards so much, that I scope out my cards after Christmas the year before.  This is usually my one and only day-after-Christmas purchase.  After all, I want to be prepared for the next year!

This year, I decided, it was time for a new Christmas card beginning.  A new beginning of the list, you see.  So, I went through our wedding list, and shaved it down to about 90 names.  Believe it or not, this was less than what I had sent year's prior, and this was after I added Mr. Fixit's family to the list!  So, hard as it was, I trimmed.  My goal was around 100.

Well, after we both checked the list, and made sure all our names were on it, the list continued to grow.  You see, each day brought a new round of cards in the mail, emails and requests for our address.  I thought, oh no!  They are going to send us a card, and I took them off of the list this year!  So, now I am sending out more Christmas cards each day.  Luckily, I have plenty waiting to be mailed.  I honestly can't tell you how many the list has on it now.

So, I stand by what I said at the beginning of this post.  I love sending Christmas greetings, and I hope that everyone loves to receive them just as much as I enjoy sending them!

Recovery Mode

I had three very awesome social opportunities for my Saturday:

1 - My very-long-time-good friend's holiday open house, in conjunction with the neighborhood luminaries.
2 - A past co-worker's wedding.
3 - Mr. Fixit's family Christmas!

The decision was to head to Mr. Fixit's family Christmas.  We were excited - and ready.  I had the cookies baked, and ready to decorate.  Yummy!  We had the pile of goodies started for the trek north.

Then Friday night, the plans all changed.  It appears that it is possible to get the stomach flu and a cold at the very same time.  Yikes, what a crazy time.  So, I stayed home and Mr. Fixit participated in all the family festivities.

So, my weekend was spent in recovery mode.  I, therefore, send well wishes your way, and here is to a healthy, happy holiday season to all of you!