prepping for the New Year...

ha!! My mom is..it is the Japanese tradition to have EVERYthing cleaned before New Year's Day...so NYD can be a day of rest. I think the mindset is that 'whatever you are doing on NYD...you'll be doing all year'. That's why I like to go shopping!! ha!!

This year, I hope to be scrapbooking. Seriously, my sis, Linda arrived and she brought some pictures...so, hopefully we can set up a crop area soon..and be scrappin'!! (her first time)(hopefully, I can get her to join the addiction) (teehee)

I am working today...just a quick 'stop' at the shop to prep a few things for the close.

Okay, off for the day...if I'm not back before...Happy New Year's Ya'll!!!!

fun!! but, is it over??

ha! What a great week. Having C and Chris home, all the get-togethers..yes, all the food. Christmas for us was extended, as we opened stockings and Adriana opened her gifts yesterday morning (so her Dad could be there)



Tomorrow, I pick up my sister and her son. So, at our house, the 'holidays' are continuing. But, I've GOT to get back to my 'lifestyle change' and stop eating the goodies. I may actually throw some stuff away, ya know. AND return to my daily exercise..I DO NOT EVEN want to get on that scale!

Wish us luck, this is the 'estranged' sister...we are hoping with this visit a 'bridge' can be built. We'll see!!

last night,

was our mini-Christmas. Ds works the next 3 days, he's a police officer, and dd and dsil arrived last night at 8:40 pm...sooooooooo, around 11 at night, when they arrived from the airport, we had our mini-Christmas gift exchange with the kids. (Adriana was asleep, so she will have hers sometime when her daddy is home with her)(luckily she is young enough that it doesn't matter to her what day it is).

It was fun...I got a cushy exercise mat (I've been putting a pillow under my knees for my sit ups), an ornament I can put photos in, a "Bella" scrapbooking set and 2 packages of pet-a-loo flowers. My kids know me so well!!

I had a li'l fun with dsil...one of his gifts was a gift card to Game Stop. So, I put it in a dvd holder for a movie called "These Old Broads"...you should have SEEEEN the look on his face. He said, "I got These Old Broads..????", I told him "look inside"...teehee. He told us he was thinking... that he 'wasn't sure HOW to react', "is it an initiation?", "how do I say thank you?"..teehheee

Our little tradition is for the final gift..I give the kids clues and they have to hunt for it. (we've been doing it since they were little kids) Since this was dd's and dsil's first time at ds's and ddil's house, I set up the clues so it was a group effort. I think they had fun, dh and I did, watching them.

Anyways, the gift for each of the guys were more gift cards...so I put them in a shoebox with something heavy...ds had a hammer head in his, dsil had a 'salt lick' in his. They both open their boxes...ds starts laughing..dsil has this 'what?' look on his face. Teehee. Dh tells him, "I want my salt lick back"..

The girls got GPS systems...dd has a habit of calling me from Texas, "look at google maps, I took a wrong turn" and ddil...well, ddil is a blond, she can get lost even if you are in the car with her!!

very terrific evening, even if it was midnight before we got home!

this morning is the prep for the big family get together...gotta finish my mil's gift and cook for the pot luck.


here's a li'l pic...
we can be excused...it was after midnight..and for the Texans it was after 2 am!!

Sunday Night..

was awesome! Michael and I joined the church's board for an evening out. Okay, he's a board member..I'm a 'tagalong'

We drove to Sacramento and ate at Fat's Dim Sum...oh my, chinese food. But I just ate small amounts and hopefully did not go over my calorie count by TOO much.

Then we went to Bayside Church...and what a service. Their worship and the songs and performance were amazing..the kids reading the Christmas story, adorable. And the sermon made you both laugh and cry. Then the candlelighting was just BEAUTIFUL!!


We did not come home till almost 11...and I got up this morning to babysit! Started @8 am...and though Adriana is now napping a li'l after 10...she has WORN me out! Constantly moving and getting into things. I know, I should take advantage of her li'l nap with one of my own..

esp since the puppy is napping also...he's a handful, also. aye yi yi

When the kids get back...maybe I'll go out and finish my last bit of shopping...then again..maybe not!!

almost done shopping!

a couple of gifts for the guys and stocking stuffers and I am done!

now, hopefully, it will all arrive in time.

I've taken next week off from work...hopefully I'll get to babysit one of the days so the kids can finish their shopping...hint, hint.

then C and Chris arrive on Weds..then big family get together on Thurs...then I'll babysit on Sat so the girls can go day after Christmas shopping...then Sunday the kids go back to Texas (boohoo)...then Tues, my sis and nephew arrive to spend a week.

so, busy and fun next couple of weeks.

Today, Michael and I are going shopping with his parents...and tomorrow is an all afternoon, evening event with the Church Board (Michael is a board member)...cool thing, lots of pic opportunities for the Shimelle JYC and P365.

I don't know when I can scrapbook! Got my Shimelle and ugly paper challenge..also joined the Scrap Your _____ challenge. (this month the challenge is to scrap your love using a pic of an inanimate object)

Speaking of P365; I have enjoyed it...but do I want to do it again for 2010?...
hmmmmmmmmmmm

well, pooh!

I took today off...had a couple of projects in mind.

Send my Christmas cards, but, uh oh...no address labels. And what? Need printer ink??? Okay, on to the next project

Make my 'pet ornaments'. I've been using colored cd cases and basic gray papers. Down to my last pet!! So, I go to print his picture and what? Ink cartridge error, replace cartridge. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?


so, I ended up wrapping gifts the rest of the morning. Had a li'l 'help', but finally had to put Winston in the bedroom so I can finish.


Then baked cookies for the exchange. I made Minnesota Munchers...ooooh whee..are they sweet. Yes, I had one to taste and then another that broke. After those 2, I'm done...the rest of the broken ones are waiting for Michael on a plate.

guess, I need to make a li'l dinner and head out to the exchange...

the weekend was busy and fun!

Friday, took mom out to do the running around...left here at 11 am...came home 6 pm..she said, she is 'never going to run errands with me again". But wait, its usually not this crazy. I came home, only to have Michael confiscate the credit card from me. He went online and saw how 'over budget' I am. teehee. Worked out well, cuz I was able to finish the majors...just have to get some stocking stuffers.

I handed it to him and told him "look, its still smokin'!!"...seriously, it did feel warm. HA! I love Christmas...and I LOVE shopping! and any chance to shop..is great by me!


Saturday, a much more mellow day..watched Julie and Julia...and I liked it. In fact, I now want that cookbook, so I can learn to make 'beef bourginan" sp? Anyways, I'm sure I'll get over THAT impulse. Me, want to learn to cook? HA!!!


Sunday, was our progressive dinner. Michael and I had the appetizer course...served spinach stuffed mushrooms, lime shrimp (both from the Sparkpeople website) and of course fresh veggies and ranch dressing (for the weight watchers like me).

We then went to Connie's house for the soup course, she had homemade cream of broccoli and cream of carrot soups...I had the carrot. It was yummy!! let's just say, Connie can cook!!! I did pass on the garlic bread...gotta minimize the calories, ya know. Oh, her home is simply gorgeous. It's an older home, and she has Victorian touches throughout and decorated for Christmas..it is stunning!

We then went to Lisa's...for salad. Here I could fill my plate without any worries.
lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes...yup, all on my 'good food' list. ha!
She does her home in Christmas Teddy Bears...so fun!!

Then came the main course at Kathy's house...she and Corrina hosted that one (Corrina lives out of town)...YUMMY..Chicken Enchiladas, a Santa Fe Chicken (think marinated in lime w/cheese and homemade salsa on top, beans and rice! I had half an enchilada and a small chicken breast...skipped the beans and rice. Kathy has the tallest Christmas tree all done up in gold and red...she also has 'fruit' decorations, apples and berries...sooooo fun!!

Then off to the Pedersen's for the dessert course. They are the pastor's family and was having an open house / dessert social. Tons of people and wow, what a spread of desserts!! I allowed myself one lemon bar, then popped a piece of gum in my mouth.


They have two young daughters so on their tree was a lot of homemade kid's ornaments...so cute!!


my first progressive dinner and it was fun!!
Loooved getting the chance to see all the decorated homes. You know I took pics for my Shimelle album!!


We are talking about a game night for New Year's....hopefully...

productive day

Got quite a few of the household things done...

But at age 48..going thru boxes and decorating the house takes a lot out of me!
AND I could not find my favorite nativity..it was from Christmas Around the World, I must have bought it 25 years ago..the colors were very rich and jewel toned. I used it last year, but this year, simply cannot find it. I have another one, but the colors are kinda dull.


Oh, and yesterday was my weigh-in...a li'l over a pound..making my total loss 9.4 lbs!! yay!! I've been trying to not post a lot about my 'lifestyle' change; as I maintain a blog on Sparkpeople for that. But, so far, steady as she goes.
AND hopefully, this will be last time on this weight-loss yo-yo.

Did work on my Shimelle Journal; this year I am using Stampin' Up's Holiday Lounge papers. I know, far cry from the baby's first Christmas style I was planning.

sooo, today is the run around day.
I have my exercise dvd, then church...then I have 6 or 7 stops...and its cold and rainy out there. But better to do it today, on a Friday, than try on Saturday, right?

Sunday is the progressive dinner for our Bible Study, We have the appetizer course...
I was thinking stuffed mushrooms and some fresh veggies and dip..

ya'll have to see Josh Turner's Why Don't We Just Dance video...soooo cool!!

soooo busy!

I feel like I'm just in a constant rush these days...so, I took today off from work, need a 'catch up' day.

I've started decorating but am doing it in 'spurts', so, hopefully today I can simply finish.

so, I'm making my lists and trying to get organized...

finish decorating, shopping, scrapbooking!

I joined the Shimelle Journal your Christmas and all I've done is look at the website! Now, I have an excuse, my printmaster program 'blewup'...luckily I was able to pick up a newer version (I had gold) for $30 at the 'W'.

here are a couple of the trees..

without lights..its my fruit tree this year


a close up...



with the lights on:


and the dining room, pink tree:


my kitchen tree...hopefully you can see the s'more's and cupcakes...

down 2 lbs..

that's the good news, despite Thanksgiving and subsequent leftovers, I lost 2 lbs this week! I also did not take the weekend off from the treadmill, like I usually do, so, I think that is what helped. but, yay!!

guess what I did at work...I crashed one of our computer programs. I tried to make some manual changes in Quickbooks and yikes! one of THOSE messages!! oh my, whatta dummy.

And last night, I tried step one of the Operation Christmas Tree. I figure, with our extra playful kitten, I would need a plan... so, last night, I put him in the bedroom, while I set up the tree. I figured if he is not playing with it WHILE I'm setting it up, he won't see it as a toy. That is also my plan with decorating. I think I was halfway successful...





He was curious, he did 'check it at' and bat at some branches...but he did not climb it or knock it down.

So, next step is lights...again he'll be in his room...I'll let it sit with just the lights over the weekend...and then try decorating. Wish me luck!!

its officially December...

I'm excited about Christmas...Adriana's first...C and Chris will be here (its been 2 years) the only not so good note, is that Jason works that day.

This weekend is going to be fun - Michele, do you have plans to 'exercise' me...taking a walk...walking a mall or something...wanna do an exercise dvd..it all works.


Got my new lifestyle goals for December. Hopefully, manageable...but I sure do need to do some studying about cholesterol. yikes.

well, time to go to work. Michael has a dr's appt this afternoon...so, mom and I are going Christmas shopping. should be good time to go, right? we'll see.