Where have I been?

WOW, I can't believe its been so long since I updated my blog.  No excuses other than life:-)

Had a wonderful Christmas!  Probably the best one in a long time.  Was lowkey with just my family, my brothers family and my mom.  NICE.

Some good news is I attended my WW weigh in today and lost 2 pounds over the holiday.  THAT was rewarding.  AND, I have lost 35 pounds for the year.  AND, I am at a weight I haven't seen in a LONG time.  Feeling motivated on that front.

Along with losing weight, one of my goals for the New Year is to do more things for ME.  One of those things is journaling, taking pictures....and sharing it all here.

I have a busy week ahead. Going for a year end "makeover" tomorrow.  Changing my hair color and style.  I am BEYOND excited for that.  Of course, I seen a few pics this weekend of myself that I really liked and I had a few seconds hesitation on going for a change.  BUT, I need it ...and I am worth it!   THEN, I am spending the rest of the week getting ready for vacation.  WOOT WOOT.  Friday we are heading to Santa Barbara to visit family, do some sightseeing and having some relaxing time.  David and I are going with my brother and his family.  Only one of my kids that is going is Kayleigh.  Will be interesting to spend New Years down there.

So now, I need to do a bit of research and figure out how to update my blog from "the road".  HA!  Not sure if I am taking my laptop or not?  So you can either expect updates....or you will have to wait till the following weekend when I return.

Happy New Year.  Here's to a GREAT year ahead!!

Happy New Year!!!

SADLY....Ben Affleck was NOT under my Christmas Tree.

BUT on the flip side....I received some wonderful presents:-) 

Now on to the New Year.  Diving in head first........

Pie Making....a year later...

Sooo, last year I shared my story regarding my yearly pie making tradition.

This year I set out to make pies, as usual. Only problem is my oven had "blown up" a few days earlier and we were waiting on the part to come in to repair it. So my sister in law offered her house and ovens to me. I thought that would work out since we were having a family dinner over there anyway with a few friends. Of course, as I arrived I was subjected to some teasing from everyone. Lots of jokes all evening long about my pie making history. This only fueled my desire to make the PERFECT PIE (kinda like the Perfect cheer?)

All was well. I only had one glass of wine.....I was on track....I was focused........my ingredients were assembled....I was ready to prove myself. I was feeling good about the experience.

THEN....I go to insert a knife into the pumpkin pie to see if its done. I decide to lick the knife. I immediently sense something is wrong. I take another taste.

CRIPES....I FORGOT TO ADD THE SUGAR!!!!!

Needless to say.....I am passing on pumpkin pie duty to someone else. I will stick to pecan and apple.

And the teasing continues...............

Happy Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for:
~~ All three kids will be under one roof to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family.
~~ My family that loves and supports me and lets ME....be ME.
~~ My friends who are always there for me through the laughter and the tears.
~~ my dogs that don't care what I look like in the morning, they will still snuggle with me.

Our 'big ass' Christmas Tree

We got our Christmas Tree today. Every since we have been married, we have always gone to local tree farm and cut our trees. One of the benefits of living in WA State...there a million tree farms! And at the tree farms, you pay AT LEAST $40. And that is just for the basic tree. I always like the nicer ones and end up paying way more. Well last year we went to the Ranger Station (about 11 miles from our house, up the Mountain Loop Highway). Got a permit for $10. And we spent the afternoon driving around the mountains, in the snow, looking for a tree. WE HAD A BLAST. All three kids went and they had so much fun. We stopped several times so the kids could take pictures of the awesome views. And we were WAY UP THERE. (Of course we took a few side roads to test Davids truck out on the trails. It was fun....bouncy....but fun:-)

THIS year, we headed out again. Unfortunantly all the kids had plans for the day, so it was just David and I. It wasn't quite the fun experience as last year....it was POURING rain..nothing like last year when we had tons of snow. But we took the dogs and didn't dwell too much that the kids weren't with us.

We are in the new house so we wanted a really tall tree to fit our vaulted ceilings. We finally spotted the perfect tree!

David proceeds to cut it down then we realize it is REALLY big. So David gets to work on trimming it up a bit.

Now its time to load it in the truck. HOLY SMOKES. It barely fits into the truck. OOPS....looks we did get a bit over zealous.

So it took a bit of finangling to get it into the house...and even more manuevering to make it STAY put! But its up...all decorated and SO BEAUTIFUL. And for TEN DOLLARS.

My nephew Easton said it looked like a monster, the first time he seen it! LOL

Happy Thanksgiving

For YEARS, I have this tradition of making pies the night before Thanksgiving. (I know I'm not the only one!) Even the years when someone else has offered to bring pies....I still make some. Its my little way of having a family tradition that I can count on....and maybe pass on to my girls. (neither who show much interest in cooking. LOL)

I usually make the basic pumpkin, pecan and apple pies. Once in a while I stray and add a new twist to the recipes, but always the same flavors of pie.

FLASHBACK to a few years ago. I had all my ingredients assembled early in the day and was just hanging out...waiting to start. I was watching Oprah and she had Racheal Ray on. They were making Pomegrante Martini's. I got a wild hair; looked up recipe online....and ran out the door to grocery store and liquor store.

Lets just jump ahead a bit and say that I got WASTED...and none of my pies turned out that year. And my family has not let me live that down.

So this year, I making 4 pies. One each of basic pumpkin and pecan. And my sister in law requested a Chocolate Pecan Pie AND a Pumpkin Cream Pie. So that makes four. (no apple this year.)

Its pretty pathetic when I open a bottle of wine and my girls see me and groan "oh no....moms drinking....no one eat the pies tomorrow!"

LOVELY!

BUT...I have managed to maintain a decent buzz while making pies and not get too drunk! I'm sure my pies will turn out!!!

What do you think?????



EDIT: So I typed this as the pies were cooling. Left to go next door....only to come home a few hours later and discovered that the pecan pie was MISSING! After looking around, I found the empty pie plate on the floor. And Jake, the dog, acting very shameful!!! OMG he ate a whole pecan pie! Needless to say, he's sleeping in the garage tonight. Apparently I jinxed myself. I mentioned to Kayleigh about how in our other house, every year the cats would get into the pies...or there would be kitty footprints across the pie. This year we thought we were in the clear with only one cat who spends most of her time outside. Guess Jake just felt it was his turn!

I'm also trying a new side dish recipe. Fresh Corn with Wildrice

I will let you know what the verdict is on my 'drunken recipes'. hehehehehe

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Give thanks...be grateful for what you have and not dwell on what you don't:-)

Love to all.

Happy 4th!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th! My family is enjoying a GREAT week away in a small resort town in Eastern WA. The weather has been WONDERFUL here. So sunny and warm. We are enjoying the sun and lots of time out on the boat.

Yesterdays boat ride was especially fun. I managed to drink a whole pitcher of margarita's all to myself. LOL Today will be more lowkey. BBQ and good friends!!!

Happy 4th of July!

Weeweechu

*Pedro & His Girl*


One beautiful December evening Pedro and his
girlfriend Rosita were sitting by the side of the ocean.


It was a romantic full moon, when Pedro said,


"Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu."


Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita.


Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu.
I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged.
"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita.


Please, corazoncito, just once, do Weeweechu with me."


Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu."


Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang.....



"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,

Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year."


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Holiday Wreath

Here is my pretty wreath I made....all by myself:-) The picture doesn't do it justice. BUT you can see that it was snowing that day:-)

Holiday Meme

Give The Moose a Muffin had this Meme on her blog. Sounded fun...and holidayish! :-)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bag?
Wrapping paper...till I get lazy then they all go into gift bags.

2. Real tree or artificial?
REAL TREE. Living in the Pacific NW....we have an abundance of tree farms.


3. When do you put up your tree?
Normally, Thanksgiving weekend but we are getting a slow start this year. NEXT weekend!!!

4. When do you take down your tree?
Sometime after New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Yes I do. My fave is Eggnog latte's.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
My Sunshine Family house complete with the ENTIRE family.


7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope.


8. Hardest person to buy for?
My brother.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My kids!


10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received?
Well it wasn't the worst. But one year David only got me a snow hat for Xmas. He forgot to finish his shopping. LOL


11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail...if I get around to them.


12. Favorite Christmas movie?
A Christmas Story

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
As much as I want to start early....I never even think of it till the weekend after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
YES! But I received two of the same thing and had permission from the person who gave it to me (my mom)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
All the yummy Christmas cookies!


6. White or colored lights?
Typically I like white lights on my tree and colored on the house.


17. Favorite Christmas song?
Christmas Wrap by the Waitresses

18. Traveling for Christmas or stay home?
Christmas Eve will be at our house. Christmas Day will be at my brothers....a mere 7minutes away.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
Yes. Can't you?


20. Angel or Star on top of tree?
STAR

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or Morning?
Both! This year we are gonna do kids presents on Christmas Eve...then on Christmas morning, Santa comes. Us adults will open on Christmas day...from our gift exchange.


22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
People who get so caught up in shopping, shopping, shopping and don't appreciate anything else around them.
23. What I love most about Christmas?
Snow...and the pretty lights.

Tripping down Memory Lane

I spent most of Thursday going through pictures. Trying to find a dorky one for upcoming Dorky Tuesday.

I had the best time. I found pics that I had totally forgotten about. All the way back to my teen years. Of course they are all thrown in various boxes. Organizing them would be a pain. But sifting through them was sooo damn fun. I ended up taking out a huge stack to take to the cabin this weekend. I figured David, I, my brother and SIL can take a trip down Memory Lane one night while we are drinking:-)

So, we are off for the weekend. I have my bags packed, chest full of beer & wine....and my pictures.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend.

Drifting back to reality

So I obviously made it back from Memorial Day at the cabin. I had a super time!!! Just what I needed. And extra special was my oldest daughter (19) came with us (the younger two were off with friends). It was really fun hanging with her for the weekend. Her dad and my brother spent the weekend trying to get her drunk. She had a few drinks but unlike the rest of her family; drinking isnt' her style.....yet. LOL

Meanwhile, ME? I spent Sunday night vomitting in a wheelbarrow. I'll spare you the details but that was the only icky part of my weekend. Those 'Hop, Skip and Go Naked's' sure sneak up on you!

For the most part the weather was awesome. On Monday, the entire family took a hike to a place called Sauk Falls. It was BEAUTIFUL.
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Since I have been back, I've been CRAZY busy with work, family and mundane stuff. Why does that always happen after a mini vacation????

Happy Easter!!!!

Okay, admittedly the "younger" audience might not get this. But I KNOW there are several of you out there that remember SUPER CHICKEN! :-)

And check out this link for some funny Easter Cartoons: http://www.offthemark.com/easter/easter.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my family, Easter isn't a big 'religious' holiday. But we do get together for a big gathering of family and friends. My kids have outgrown the thrill of the Easter Egg Hunt so thankfully I now have a nephew coming into age to enjoy it. So the day will start with his Easter Egg Hunt, followed by lots of food (my fave part) and lots of sitting around, socializing, drinking wine and having a good time (my second fave part). Crossing fingers the weather stays nice to enjoy it outside.

No matter how you celebrate it .... Have a Happy Easter!!!! I'm off to enjoy the good weather and holiday weekend!