Backing up to Christmas Eve photos..

The Girls...

The teenagers!!

Greg takes time out to model his looks;

I mean loot!

Kevin takes his time...

Kim ALWAYS has time to stop

and smile for the camera!

The boys wait with baited breath...

Potato Soup and Taco Soup!

The BOYS!!!!!!

As has been our family tradition for MANY years now {even before we moved} we invite friends and family over for Soup and Sneaky Santa.

Unfortunately our group was smaller than last years group... sickness, some traveling out of town/continental US... but we managed to have a really fun time!

Last year we made it a pj party... this year it was the same! I have LOVED my sock monkey pj's... McSweetie not so much. I guess I shall retire them until next year or the next really good cold snap!

Cannot decide when I want to take down the

Christmas Decorations...

How long do you leave your out?

I see on FB some of you have already packed it up...

What to do??!!......

Merry Christmas!!

We have had a great day... Hope you have as well.

We began our day around 7:30 but my phone rang a little before 7 b/c my aunt called to tell us she had a White Christmas!! Number 1 did a great job playing elf and handing out all the packages. Then it was all fair to OPEN PRESENTS!!

Really got Number 2 son on his. He wanted some Five Finger shoes. I told him that McSweetie just couldn't do that as a gift and that I had to return them. {Little did he know that I had given them to my MIL to give him for Christmas but I still had the box.} So he opens his gift and sees the shoe box and says, "I knew it!!" Yet upon opening the box he has the new Ipod 4!! 32gb.. yada yada yada... he is thrilled!!

Of course Number 1 son knew his gift, Canon T1i!! He was beside himself!!! He has taken a gazillion pictures today!! What a great gift!!

I own new everyday dishes from Ballards... I can have 20 of my closest friends and family over to eat thanks to my parents and my in-laws!!

McSweetie has Bose headset/speakers. He has been in his own little music world all day long!

Stocking are always our favorite tradition. There was some fun stuff in them this year!

This afternoon Gran and Pop came over and opened gifts with us. They unfortunately did not stay for our Traditional Steak dinner which was DELICIOUS!!!! And Hot Cherry Cobbler with Vanilla Bean ice cream for dessert.

We have watched The Christmas Story a gazillion times and now we are enjoying our new BluRay player and watching Inception. Well, I am blogging, they are watching!

Though the weather outside was frightful, our day has been delightful!! Hope yours has too!!

Christmas Part 1...

Went to McSweetie's brother's house

to exchange Christmas gifts

with his family...

My favorite Nephew...

My FAVORITE boys!

Cute little "mouse"

All the cousins enjoying

their specialty

brownies...

made to order!

My SIL gave me a recipe that my Grandmother

had given her for one of her wedding showers.

Very thoughtful...

I love it!

Now on to the Christmas Eve

Festivities....

Merry Christmas y'all!

Final Shopping List...

A trip to Wally World to buy ingredients for my Taco soup and Potato soup that we will eat on Christmas Eve. And I think we will eat steaks on Christmas day with a simple salad, roasted potatoes and some sort of dessert...{may be a baking marathon going on tomorrow!! ;o) }

Final gifts to be purchased... random stores but I think Pottery Barn is on the list as well as a trip to the local ABC store...maybe even Best Buy! And the pets have been good as well... PetSmart!

Stocking stuffers trip with the boys... one of our most favorite traditions!!

Local home improvement store for the final part of my in-laws gift.

That about sums it up. Hard to believe that the REASON for the Season is almost here then to be gone again for another 365 days. But is it really gone? I submit that it is not... all the pomp and circumstances are not around but the REASON is with us 24/7!

Merry Christmas!

More Holiday Happenings...

Giggling Girls after ....

some of these yummy concoctions!!

Our Elves have been spirited... RTR

and WDE!

Cruising up and down the roads!!

Holiday cheer at

The Nutcracker

put on by a local ballet co.

That had the cutest little mouse...

{sniped pic off of my SIL's blog!}

Do you spot her again on stage? She did not perform Saturday.

{a little stage fright}

But did go on for Sunday's performance.

So glad we were there to see it!

All the dancers and actors were just wonderful.

Great way to get into the Holiday spirit!

Holiday swim party...

the older kids getting too old

for 'ol mom to snap a picture!

Whatever!



Now off to finish cleaning the house so I can

finish the shopping so I can be

ready for company to arrive

on Friday!!

THE post with Pictures...

We started the Big B'day Celebration with

Gran and Pop..

Seriously, that's all that

was in the card!!

The Elves ALWAYS arrive on

Number 1's Birthday and usually make something

this year they made his favorite

Almond Skillet Coffee Cake!

Even wrote

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

with the almonds!!

Clever ;o)

After School Excitement!!

Permit in HAND!!

Our Swimming Family!

{Lens fogged up in the pool}

I am so PROUD of him!!

Elves decorating our MINI tree!

Band Friends!

Concert!

Birthday Celebrations!

Holly Ball!


SANTA!! I KNOW HIM!!!

Tomorrow a Post with Pictures...

Today a post just with words!

Tis the season that all y'all are busy, not just me! I've decided that if you can find a week that isn't let me know. I want in on that action.

Monday~ Somebody turned 15!! Had a slight glitch in the permit department... but the gentleman was SOOOOOOOOOOOO kind to let me run home and get another document that we were able to get our permit on Monday!! So Number 1 drove to swim practice. {He DID NOT want to go but little did he know that I had a little plan up my sleeve...} After practice we brought in Pizza & Cupcakes for the kids to help him celebrate!!

Tuesday~ Number 2 son had his Winter Band concert. The kids sounded great! And I bagged the CUTEST thing at the auction. My friend, The Sign Lady made it and donated it and I won it!! Very cute on my front door! Enjoyed dinner at the local Mexican restaurant with some good friends. Also baked cookies for Number 1 son's IB luncheon, Gingersnaps, MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE!!

Wednesday~ Did a little crafting and baking. Then went to the movies with my friend Kim. We saw Burlesque... Y'all if I could come back and do ANYTHING that would be it!! I know, strange sounding... but that whole being sexy in a fun, seductive, slinky way... lots of inuendos... not any nudity... I'd do it!! I would, SERIOUSLY!! I know TOTALLY not me but if I could step out of my box... that would be it! And if I had the body of a 20 something and not 20x2!!!

Thursday~ {today} My last day of work until next year!! Boys are all finished with exams! I am off to see my school's Christmas program tonight. I hear it is wonderful and that I will need tissue. Of course I will!

Tomorrow~ so far on the agenda... going to the MS teacher luncheon to see if I want to head up this daunting task... checking out the boys after 11am. My staff luncheon and then GNO to celebrate my friend Marnie's bday. We are trying a new restaurant that just opened. The boys have their Holly Ball to attend tomorrow night. Wish I could be a fly on the wall for that! Hopefully somebody will be taking some pictures. I should volunteer!! Then.....

WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tis the SEASON y'all!! Hope it is a MERRY one for you!

Happy 15th Birthday..

to Number 1 son!!

He makes us proud every

single

day!!

We LOVE you!!

Yummy Dinner, Lots of Laughs...Best Friends!

So our girls dinner was a

Very Fun Night out!

Of course it started with Strawberry Margaritas at

Amy's house.

Then Kim arrived carrying Jackie's gift, unwrapped, and says

Here's your gift... I wasn't about to haul that

som'bitch into the restaurant!!

Always and entrance!!

Off we went to the restaurant!!

Where our waiter looked like

Jamie Kennedy!

Mike was a good sport about that!

Appetizers of crab claws!!

A fabulous filet for dinner

with green bean almondine

and a taste of

Lisa's brown Rice!!

Then it was gift time...

I had Kim and gave her a cute monogrammed bag

a topper for her

Happy Everything plate...

"it's a football goal.. wait... it's got a baby in it..

Oh, it's baby Jesus in the manger, I get it!!"

monogrammed Holiday stationary

and a mini chipboard album

with pics of the building of her house!!

She loved it all!!

{I'm so glad!}

Jackie had my gift...

{and I LOVE IT!!}

My slate cheese tray

with some very cute

spreaders

&

a monogrammed hand towel!!

PERFECT!!

Nobody splurged for dessert!

We were ALL FULL!!!

What a wonderful night of laughing and fellowship!

I am blessed by each and every woman that was there.

Girls Night out Christmas Party

All dressed up and ready to go!!

Our Girls Christmas Party is tonight!

Should be lots of fun!

Too bad I have to work tomorrow ;o)

To Good Friends and Good Times!

Cheers y'all!

Home Tour Tuesday, WELCOME!

First for the recipe portion of the post...

Peppermint Red Velvet Cake!

It can be found here...

Please won't you come in....

By Far, my most prized Christmas decoration

This came from Italy when my mom lived there

as a teenager. It was my MOST favorite

thing to do when I was little, to play and

rearrange all the figures all the time

The smell of the box is

the same as I remember

growing up!

It SCREAMS Christmas to me!

In the event of a hurricane, this and my

pics are the first to get packed up!




The THEME of my tree this year...

The magic of Christmas is so special...

so on my tree I have Santa, his elves,

snowmen... all the magic.

But the True meaning behind the

BELIEVE is this...

"Truly truly, I say to you, he who

BELIEVES

has eternal life" John 6:47

"He who BELIEVES in Him is not judged;

he who does not BELIEVE has been judged already,

because he has not BELIEVED in the name of the

only begotten Son of God" John 3:18

"And blessed is she who

BELIEVED that there would be a fulfillment

of what had been spoken to her

by the Lord." Luke 1:45

The first "together" gift

McSweetie and I received.

His mom gave it to us while we were dating

maybe even for our first Christmas together.

Most of the Santa pictures taken over the last 16 years!



The VERY FIRST Santa picture taken.

Number 1 son was just a week old and Santa paid him a

very special visit!







One of my new favorite ornaments.

Just came in the mail yesterday from my

Preppy Christmas Swap partner.

I love it! And I love my white

tree which is new this year!








Can you ever REALLY explain??!

The tree for Sneaky Santa.

Have already used it this year!

And I haven't found my picture for my frame.

Isn't it CUTE?!?!?


Santa get in on the act of breakfast as well...

Truly I could go on and on and on with more of my FAVORITE things.

But I must scoot and get on with my day.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

I leave you with this..

For a child will be born to

us, a son will be given

to us;

And the government will

rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of

Peace. Isaiah 9:6

"For God so loved the world,

that HE gave His only begotten

Son, that whoever

BELIEVES

in Him should not perish, but have

eternal life." John 3:16