New Year's Eve 2023

Happy 123123 to us!

Lots of food shenanigans are afoot. 

Also: These ladies needed some playground time.

For our NYE Feast, we had shredded barbecue chicken with rolls, hot artichoke dip, sausage balls, devilled eggs, veggies and dip, crackers,  cheeses, summer sausage, craisins and almonds, cake (yellow with chocolate frosting - R's request), and a couple kinds of soda. 

Hubby and I relaxed with movies on TV and I played Sims. We enjoyed the comings and goings of our kids, the ones who went to parties and the ones who stayed home. We considered going to a movie, but mostly we just wanted to be home. 

At midnight we rang bells, made noise with the noisemakers, and drank Martinelli's (oh ya gotta). It was tremendous, to quote Gran. Happy 2024!

The Fridgening

FINALLY the story can be told....

....of Hubby's Christmas fridge.

He is next to impossible to surprise, so I was pretty proud of myself for this one. 

Today we dropped by WinCo and picked up some initiatory groceries. Then we drove to Hubby's office and plugged the little dude in, and filled him up. When we go back to work on Tuesday, there will be lovely chilled items for him to snack on. Yay! 

The Wedding

So happy for my old friend and his new wife

The fabric purchase after the wedding 

The lunch after the fabric purchase after the wedding 

The coziness after the lunch after the fabric purchase after the wedding

Slow It Down

We always seem to wind up at the games & calendar store a couple of days after Christmas. Looks like I found my 2024 daily pages dude:

January is coming and I am frightened.

Otherwise, life is good. 

The Local Vegas

continues to bring us joy this holiday season.

I had a super chill, nice day. Hubby and B and R all wanted to shop and return gifts but I hung out at home and made some progress on putting away Christmas wrap stuff, and played Sims. Later we visited Shmarget (R) and spent some time at Shmo-Ann Fabrics. I received two gift cards from the latter for Christmas and I'm excited to spend them.

Christmas Day 2023

Santa's been here! 

Aye, tis a blustery winter's morn... Christmas in Glasgow!

TRICYCLES FOR CHRISTMAS 

We loved just sitting and watching our kids and grandkids open gifts. Nothing made us happier. Everyone tried so hard to make or purchase thoughtful gifts for each other. Hubby and I were so pleased and proud of them.

Also: HUBBY GAVE ME A TRAIN

Color me so happy. I've been wanting one for a long time, if for nothing else, to set up under the Christmas tree. Hubby made it happen!

Later: Christmas Afternoon Laziness

Hubby and I ran down to Brother E's and met up with the folks for a while. It was fun

Back at home: Christmas dinner (ham, funeral potatoes, The Jello, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, cookies up the wazoo) and THE LEFT-RIGHT GAME which is always a blast.

Damn, what a great Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2023

5:41 AM

Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved getting up early at least once during Christmastime and having "dark tree time" by myself. It's so quiet and magical, for the most part - right now I hear the wind chimes chiming every so often and I've had to threaten Chad because he won't leave Magenta alone. 

I wonder how many more sets of twinkle lights we can put up for winter. The kitchen and bathroom could use some magic. I need to work on winter decor, as well.

We shopped. We baked. We decorated cookies. We wrapped gifts. We put stuff together. We watched The Muppet Christmas Carol. We put out cookies for Santa and (at Little R's request) carrots for the reindeer. We rang our jingle bells at midnight and went to bed.

So exciting!

Consider the Kitties of the Chair

....how they gaze upon the foggy realm

Morning: Sbux, then a trip to Annie's to pick up the little girls' Christmas gifts from Annie's niece's high school class. Home again.

Afternoon: Dropping off donations at ReTails; Shmal-Mart to buy gifts; home, to rest and then wrap gifts.

Evening: Baked brownies and M&M bars. Ate Alexis' yummy lasagna. Watched TV. 

Visiting the 318

But first: Today C is 22! Happy Birthday, you cute kid!

I hoofed it over to Grandma and Poppy's today.

I know I've mentioned this before but I have multiple pictures of myself in front of this house. 

I miss them (Poppy passed away before I was born - I hear good things, though). I was thinking how cool it would be if they were still alive and in that house and we lived just a block or so away from them. Would I be at their house all the time? 

Chatted with Mom, and with Brother B and Sister T.

Later: We partied. Hard. The Chocolate Cake, gifts, chickie strips and pasta Roni - we pulled out all the stops for this guy.