Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe it's been a week since Christmas. Heck, it's hard to believe we're ready to ring in another New Year. Where do the days go?....

Thought I'd share a quick pic from Christmas of the kiddos. I've been informed (by the boys) that this is the last year they want to match. Oh, my breaking heart! Anyway, our first Christmas in our new home was just lovely. Our new church was very welcoming and it's finally beginning to feel like home to us again. We're not travelling this New Year's weekend, which is weird since it's the first time in many, many years we haven't headed back to Chicago. I'm not sad about not having to deal with all the work that goes in to getting there and all the catching up when we get back, but I am sad not to see our families. Plus the kids were really hoping to get North to see some snow.

And just to let the eight people that read my blog know, Molly received one of the things she wanted the most on her Christmas list.
And guess what America, it's really not as mess-free as they claim. In fact, I think it leaves a bigger mess than what's already in my sink, but hey, the kid was happy!

Tonight we're heading out for Mexican food with friends then returning back to their house to ring in the New Year. Although it's been a year chock-full of changes -- some good and some not so good -- we're thankful for our many, many blessings.

Hugs!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

When I found the two babes in the manger, one from our old nativity set and one from our new, I couldn't help but think of baby Jesus and his cousin John hanging out together. And please tell me my house isn't the only house with kids that seem to think the nativity is an action figure set.

Cause when I saw these guys in a huddle...

my mind went here...

Tied game, clock running down, starting quarterback throws ball to backup quarterback lurking along the sideline, who hits a receiver on a slant who then outruns defenders into the end zone. Winning play.

Two more days. :)

Short and sweet Christmas edition.

All the gifts are wrapped. Thanks to two elf friends that came over for an impromptu hot chocolate, cookie and wrapping party. Woo Hoo! This is a record. The earliest I've ever had ALL the wrapping done.

I'm working on our Christmas cards. I got a picture of the kiddos -- a half-way decent one of the kids after Mass on Sunday. It's been printed and I'm working through my cards at my pace. The pace of writing out one card, getting someone a drink, switching the laundry, making a Pb&j, calling the insurance guy -- you know.

Leo's been busy baking since before the weekend. Yes, he's the baker in the house. I'm the cookie eater. Hence, the beginning of my holiday ten. Just think, they'll be more of me to love! :)

Working a few shifts this week, spending Christmas Eve with friends, Mass Christmas morning in our new church.

How 'bout you? How are you all holding up?

Things that make you go hmmmm....

Do you think if I had tools that looked like this


or this


or even this



they would be less likely to "walk" away with two certain boys?


By the way Santa, I've been nice this year. And these tools are super cute.

Baby Sisters.

Last week my baby sister came to visit. She was actually our first visitor since our move to the South. It's hard to believe my baby sister and I are just shy of twenty years apart. She was two when Leo and I got married. It's just crazy to imagine that I've spent my adult life getting to know my sweet baby sister.

As a child she reminded me a lot of a certain four year old.


Having a baby sister is great for lots of reasons.

They know how to lovingly tell you the jeans you thought were "hip" really aren't and are still considered "mom" jeans.

They know how to give you make-overs without making you feel like your make-up has been stuck in the 80's.

They know how to buy you a scarf, then conveniently not mention how much they really spent until you've taken the price off and worn it -- knowing full well, certain big sister would have insisted on returning it.

Was it wrong as she was leaving that I was secretly wishing her flight would have been delayed so she could stay just one more night?....

Mary, I miss you and I love you twenty bucks a dollars.

Fa-la-la-la-la some bad Haiku.

Bad Haiku I do...
Counting syllables is swell.
Must join in the fun!

So pop over to to Laura's place and join in the 2009 Bad Haiku Festival.

Christmas in the South,
Really isn't quite the same.
White Christmas I doubt.

Puppy Adventures, Black Friday Recap and Advent Explained by a 4 year old.

With all the excitement over here I've managed to neglect my blog a bit over the last week or so. I'm scratching my head wondering how it got to be Friday again and how there are only two weeks until Christmas. Several of you have asked about my first Black Friday experience working "behind the counter" and many of you have wondered if I've fallen in to a hole. I guess you just call it life.

Two weeks ago we picked up our dear friends at the airport who had been away for an 8-day vacation to San Francisco. Upon returning to their home and unloading their luggage, we noticed a puppy in their back yard. Their back yard that is fully fenced in by a very tall, privacy fence. The neighbor confirmed the dog had been in their yard for at least 4 - 5 days. The poor little guy was hungry and thirsty, but very sweet and friendly. He was so skinny. It was almost hard to look at him. Poor guy.

Our friends made a few phone calls the next day only to find that all of the area shelters are in the same boat -- completely filled to capacity because of the holidays and operating on no money. The city shelter said they would take him but if he wasn't claimed in three days he would most likely be put down. At that point, they made the decision that they were going to keep the little guy, but because of his untimely arrival, they were both scheduled to be out of town for their jobs.

Being the animal suckers we are, we gladly took in the little guy and agreed to keep him for a few days until our friends were back in town. Since the little guy hadn't been vet checked, we had to keep him apart from our dog, so he spent his days in our garage and in the back yard. We set him up with some blankies, our old crate, got him some food, gave him two baths and provided him ample playtime with the kids in the yard.

I am happy to report he has settled in nicely to his new home. He received a clean bill of health from the vet and is already putting on some weight.

Getting back to my Black Friday -- all in all, it went well. Most of the customers were excited and friendly and willing to wait patiently. They were excited to tell me all about their bargain hunting escapades, those that scored sweet deals during the wee hours of the day. Then there were those that just were out to be out -- which to me is weird -- but hey, if that's your thing, more power to ya.

I did have one customer who laid down her items and someone went through her stuff and took one of the skirts she had in her pile. I did feel bad -- and of course, apologized, but on a day like Black Friday one would think it wasn't such a good idea to put down your items. The positive side of me would like to think the woman who took the skirt thought the pile was a pile of register "go-backs."

The thing I did find most delightful is that most of my customers wished me "Merry Christmas." May be it's a Southern thing, I don't know, but I like it. I'll give the South that -- they don't mind talking about Jesus! :) Oh, and in case you've missed me mentioning it before, they have this little thing called fried chicken that is sure to knock your socks off. Jesus and chicken. It's doesn't get any better than that.

Speaking of Jesus, at Mass the first week of Advent we were explaining to Molly the significance of the Advent wreath. Because her world is made up of all things pink and frilly, she can't wrap her brain around the fact that Jesus doesn't come on the pink candle Sunday. To her, of course baby Jesus' birthday should be celebrated on the pink candle, like all most excellent occasions. I've even overheard her explaining to her brothers that it's Christmas when we light the pink candle. Not sure how we're going to get around that one.

How about you? How's your Christmas prep going? What's filling your days during this Blessed Season?

Meeting Pioneer Woman.

After having realized I missed the Pioneer Woman's book signing in Little Rock back in November and being so bummed about it, I decided I had to see if I could make it to her signing in Nashville.

I phoned my dear friend Cynthia -- my dear, wonderful, lovely, amazingly talented, supportive bloggy friend that I had yet to meet "in real life." Knowing we both read Ree's blog, I asked her what she thought about meeting up and going to the signing together. She thought it was a great idea. She would drive over from Knoxville and I would drive up from Memphis.

And since daytime childcare is still scarce for me, I decided to bring Molly and make it a girls overnight.

Coincidentally, my baby sister Mary was here in Memphis visiting. She had actually gotten to see Ree back in Chicago a few weeks ago.

And Ree remembered her.

Ree spoke just a few minutes before the signing, and I'm sure panicked a bit when she saw the size of the crowd. Thank goodness I had purchased our books early which put us in Group 1 and 2 for the signing. We were out of there in an hour.

I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to say, but became completely flustered as it was my turn to approach the table and I looked down to see Molly pulling gum out of her mouth. It was all over her hands and of course, I had no tissue or napkin or anything to wipe her off. At this point all I'm thinking is please, please don't touch Ree's beautiful jacket.

I'm sure I came off sounding like a blabbering idiot -- and of course, Ree was very gracious and sweet. And her posture -- oh my word -- it's amazing! She really is just as gorgeous in real life as she is on her blog.

Ree's sister Betsy and Ree's friend, Hyacinth were also there. They were handing out t-shirts and I asked them to sign my books. They each have recipe pages in Ree's book, so they signed their respective pages. They were both just lovely. And Betsy told Mary that she looked like Taylor Swift, so that made Mary's night.

We handed Mary's camera off to the bookstore guy to take our picture and I was too busy blabbering that we never really posed for the camera. And Mary didn't bring her camera cord with her, so I'm posting without the few pics we got.

After the signing the four of us had a lovely dinner at PF Changs. It was wonderful to get to finally meet my friend Cynthia. It was the perfect way to end a great evening and I'm dying to curl up with my new book.

Thanks Ree. You rock!