Christmas Eve morning

I always get up with my hubby when he has to work days. I like going out and starting his truck for him so that it is all nice and warm for his drive. The temp outside this morning is a balmy 33 degrees!! We had a lot of wind yesterday with more snow so our driveway is drifted in.....again. But no big deal. Hubby bought a snow blower the other night so we can now plow ourselves out. After he left I made myself my morning brew and fired up the computer. I love having these early morning hours to myself. I look forward to the peace and quiet I have until approx. 11:30 a.m. That is when the TEENS decide to roll out of bed!! During the quiet time this morning I read this:

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

I give this book 5 stars out of 5 *****

This book belongs to my son Marc. He left this on the stairs and needless to say I picked it up and started reading it. Couldn't stop!! I loved Calvin and Hobbes when I was a teen. Marc has loved it since I can remember. No wonder....he is Calvin!!!! I laughed out loud so many times and that is because 20 years ago I read it and saw the world from Calvin's eyes. Now I'm reading it and sympathizing with Calvin's parents!!! Everyone needs a good dose of laughter. Read this, it won't disappoint!

My day will be a little busy. Here's what I have going on:

• finish my coffee-completed 9:53 a.m.
  
• watch the Today show for a little bit- completed 9:53 a.m.
  
• take a shower- completed
  
• wrap presents while teens are still sleeping-completed 9:53 am
  
• check woodstove- still working on it-decided that it is too hot in house right now!!
  
• read a few chapters of my latest book-now am on page75 4:13 p.m.
  
• make some Chai Latte
• do my onion/beef/cream cheese wraps-completed 1:32 p.m.
  
• cut up wedges of cheese for cheese/olive/pickle tray-completed 1:32
  
• read a few more chapters
• throw ingredients for party meatballs in crock pot-completed 3:10 p.m.
  
• shovel out the cat, she's locked in the barn...AGAIN-completed 9:53 am
  
• get the mail-made my oldest get it!! ha ha!!- 3:10 p.m.
  
• log on to computer...waste precious time that I could be reading-been doing this off/on all day
  
• get everything together to have our little Christmas Eve appetizer party
• clean up....probably by myself (will let you know later)
• settle in for the night

So, it looks like I'm going to be pretty busy for a while. I better post this and then get cracking!!

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

Saturday 9 and a fun day with Marc

Saturday 9: 'Tis the Season






1. Do you enjoy receiving or giving presents more?

I love giving presents, especially when I think I've picked out the "perfect" one!!

2. What is you favorite holiday film?

It's A Wonderful Life
I watch it every Christmas eve.

3. Have you started or finished your gift shopping?

I've been shopping for a couple of weeks and am almost done!!

4. What does this time of year mean to you?

I wish that it still meant what it use to. Celebrating Baby Jesus' birthday, but it is a big commercial holiday!! We need to take it back from the retailers, scale back on our amount of gifts, and get back to the basics. Make kids really look forward to something special not just a HUGE amount of junk. Volunteer somewhere, give to your local charities, homemade gifts..that kind of stuff.

5. What is your favorite holiday song?

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (it's the only one I remember from beginning to end!)

6. What do you love about the holiday season?

The lights, the excitement, the good-will, and of course all the great food!!

7. What do you hate about the holiday season?

I answered that above in #4 plus I hate the mob of people and how shopping during this time brings out the rudeness in even the nicest Grandma!!

8. Do religious ceremonies play a part in your holiday traditions? If yes, how?

Not really

9. Who will you spend the holidays with?

My family: Matt, Mitch, and Marc.



So Marc and I decided to brave the crowds today and we ventured into town to do some shopping and to have lunch together. We ate first because I was starving! We decided on Red Lobster because for some weird reason Marc was wanting to eat there. We both had the shrimp scampi and lots of the cheese biscuits!! Yummy! We needed the fuel because the number of people out and about was mind-boggling. Now mind you, I was already in town early this morning doing some of the Christmas shopping for the kids. The crowds were not too terrible at that time. The only store that was packed was Bath & Body. I had a $10 coupon to use there but figured I would come back later to use it. So Marc and I put our body armor on and stormed the mall!! I dropped him off at Borders and I went to fight amongst the women for the sweet smelling lotions, bubble bath, and shower gels. Bath & Body was having a PHENOMENAL sale today and I'm all about the sales!! This was my Christmas present to myself and I walked away with a ton of goodies!! See below:

1 Warm Sugar Vanilla Bubble Bath $12.00
1 Warm Sugar Vanilla Body Lotion $10.50
1 Vanilla Noir Shower Gel FREE
1 Vanilla Noir Bubble Bath $12.00
1 Warm Amber Lotion FREE
1 Very soft, warm, and cozy Scarlett Robe 50% off I paid 19.75
1 Assorted gift pack of 5 lotions regular price 20.00 FREE

then of course I was able to apply my 10.00 off coupon to the total and I walked out of there paying only $46.91!!!!! The actual price for everything was $115.00!! I saved--$68.09 pretty impressive. I can't wait to show Matt what he got me for Christmas!!

I forgot that I finally bought myself a Twilight T-shirt!! I've got to be cool with the kids at school plus secretly, I really wanted one!! It says "Team Edward" on the back. I think I might buy the I run with Wolves one too because I can't make up my mind as to whose team I'm on!!
I ran into a couple of girls from school at Wal-mart and we're going to all wear our Twilight shirts on Friday. We're geeks and we like it that way!!

So from the mall we stopped at Hobby Lobby so I could get a snowman gift for my secret santa person. I just want everyone to know that I did not go anywhere near the scrapbooking stuff!! Aren't you proud of me? I am!! I've decided that a big purge is coming up in January!! I honestly can't wait to get rid of some of this "stuff." I haven't bought anything scrapbook related in months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ***loud applause inserted here**** After Hobby Lobby we made a quick run through Wal-Mart. When we went in the weather was just fine and when we came out we experience "Auntie Em!" wind and snow!!! Have I told you before how much I hate Michigan winters? Well I do!! They totally suck! All those old people that flock to Florida are smart and I want to be one of them. I could totally live it up down there right now. After Marc emptied the cart (he's a pretty considerate kid) we made our last and most important stop-----Barnes and Noble! We sat around, drank coffee (me only) and read for about 45 minutes then decided that we better head home.

Now I'm off to end this day with a hot, bubbly, wonderful smelling bubble bath, comfy p.j.'s and wrap up in my new soft robe that Matt, my wonderful husband, bought me for Christmas!!

Snowy Saturday and my LATE Friday Fill-in

So today I talked Matt and Marc into coming to town with me to get groceries!! First though we had to have lunch because everyone knows that going to the grocery store leads to JUNK in the cart and fat on the hips!! We're really trying to cut down on the crap that we just don't need. I've also found that if I make a menu and a list my grocery bill is pretty good. This week I spent 89.00 on groceries and 30.00 on non-essentials: shampoo, softner, paper towels, toothpaste...all of that good stuff. I've decided to keep a weekly log of how much $$$ I spend on groceries. With the economy like it is I want to do my best at spending money wisely. After we loaded up the truck with our goodies we decided to spend about an hour at Barnes and Nobles just reading magazines and browsing. It wasn't like any of the groceries were going to spoil seeing how the temperature is about 19 degrees!!! I hate winter! Everyone was ready to get home after 4 hours in town. It is too crazy for us at times and the roads were getting bad. Now Matt's watching television and Marc is at the neighbor's. I'm updating my blog and then I'm taking a long, hot, warm-vanilla sugar bubble bath!!

Here's my late late late Friday Fill-In




1. Snow _sucks____.

2. I'm looking forward to _summer____.

3. _Starbucks is the best _coffee_ ever!

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is _Little House on the Prairi____.

5. I'm done with __grocery shopping___.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is _seeing others happy____.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _a hot bath____, tomorrow my plans include _making lasagna____ and Sunday, I want to __relax___!