How You Like Them Apples??

BAM!!

7 pounds down and 2 pant sizes. Take that Flab to Fit contestants!!

Since you asked, these are my pre-Beezie skinny jeans. This is awesome. I get to go shopping in my own closet for crap I haven't been able to wear in years. I should have borrowed a treadmill years ago!

My daily workout is weights and 2 episodes of Mad Men on the treadmill. Oh how I love this show. I'm afraid my daily TV diet will have me catching up, and then I will have to kill January Jones for delaying the new season.

So who's going to bail me out??

PS...Mr. Jordan Knight just scheduled a stop in SF in March. That has to mean he reads my blog, right??

Music to my Ears

The following quote is from this lovely man

"We haven't recorded in almost four years, so we need to get back to the studio. We will be recording another album, creating new visuals, new videos, new numbers on stage, all that stuff. I would think possibly a late 2012 or early 2013 album release."

In case there was any doubt, he happens to be in this group

YES!! YES!!! YES!!! A new album means a new tour, which means more opportunities to travel all over and enjoy my boys. Skankwhores NOT allowed this time. Talk dirty on your own time, and leave Donnie to me!

I wish 2012 would just get over already. Is it almost 2013??

On a related note, every time I see this video, it makes me half crazy. I have huge "non-cruise" regret every January. I would do almost anything to set sail on the high seas with The Kids, and I always wonder why I don't forgo gifts for my birthday and Christmas to "earn" the trip. I know they will probably only do one or two more cruises, and I can't think of anything I want more than the chance to cruise with my Blockhead friends and the boys. I weep with regret now!

Why I cry

Campo di Bocce

Our lovely friends got a group together to play a rousing game of bocce ball at Campo di Bocce. It's a highbrow sport.

Bowling de Italiano

I like how they don't allow sleeveless shirts or tank tops for dudes. What's that all about? Not that I'm dying to see random dude's pits.


Before dinner, we hit up our favorite Thai restaurant, Shana. It's our new favorite place to eat. It's fast, relatively cheap, and delicious.


Lancer got the spicy pumpkin curry with chicken, and I got this lovely dish--Tamarind prawns atop a fresh pineapple. It's the *best* Thai food around, hands down. It's so pretty, it's hard to eat.


After dinner, we packed up, and headed down to Los Gatos. It was freezing for the Bay Area. We were all decked out in our "severe winter weather" jackets, and we still huddled under the heat lamps. We're wussy.

Team Aufdermauer


Team Jacobs


Team Tinger

Team Andersen

We split up into two team--boys versus girls. This was a solid choice--until I remembered that Lancer has played this obscure game around 20 times before. I should have pushed for married couples.

Like the NYE charades, the action shots/serious bowling faces were awesome.

Let's be honest. The majority of the action looked more like this. In case you can't tell, they're measuring how close the balls are.

A few fights broke out when the girls realized Lancer was the pinch hitter. When the boys were down and out on their luck, they would have Lancer roll, and this greatly improved their score.

The girls rallied, and sent me in to do some dirty work. And dirty work I did.

We realized there was no way to win without some major destruction on the court. Lance had rolled the ball right next to the metal pallino, and there was no way we were going to get closer. One of us had the genius idea to smash Lance's ball out of the way. I unloaded the ball like I was bowling, got lucky on my aim, and sent both Lance's ball and the pallino flying, which ruined their game. It ruled.

Lancer was not impressed with my legal, but questionable, antics.

But these ladies were!

I like 'sports' that require a modicum of skill, but mostly rely on luck. I'm officially a bocce ball fan. Thanks all for a fun evening!

Good Grief

It's mid January, and I have little to show for this month. I blame my sinus cavities. Back in November, I caught a cold. It hung on for dear life no matter how hard I tried to shake it. It would get better for a day or two, and then--BAM--it would kick back into high gear. This continued through December. I was complaining to Inger that I had a cold I couldn't get rid of, and she matter of factly stated that it was probably a sinus infection. Sure enough, it was. I started on antibiotics, and immediately started feeling better.

But wait...there's more! Just as I was nearing the end of the meds, I either caught a new cold, or my sinuses kicked back in, and I was laid out again. I relaxed and laid low for about a week. Normally, this would have been awesome. But I was surrounded by stuff that needed to be addressed--Christmas decorations, my massive Christmas village, laundry, dishes--you get the picture. But I just relaxed, put the blinders on, and caught up on my sleep.

I'm finally starting to feel better. While B napped today, I finished packing up the village and hauling it out to the party shed. It was at this point I realized how much crap I picked up in my Display-Off victory. I may have the title, but I also have an extra crate full of crap now. Jokes on me, Ashley! I finally got it all packed in nicely.

Stage Right

Here's hoping this dude will scare off all potential squatters and/0r crazed gunmen skulking 'round my hood.

Stage left

I spy a Hooty!

I wish!! But this little chap isn't so bad, either.

What a Crock

I like my crockpots. I also like to brag about my crockpotting prowess on Facebook.


This lead to me being asked to teach a class at church on crockpotting. I should have buried my crockin talents under a bushel.

In any case, I told the powers that be that I was happy doing a lesson on crockpotting basics. Here is the presentation if you are the least bit inclined to read it.

Crockpot Tips and Tricks

Purchasing a crockpot

~Make sure you buy a crockpot with a removeable insert for easy washing.

~I recommend a crockpot with an automatic timer. You can set it in the morning, it will cook while you’re away, and automatically switch to ‘warm’ when it’s done cooking. Much better option than one that’s only warm, low, and high.

~Good brands are Rival and Hamilton Beach. A programmable crockpot will cost around $50. All major stores have them, as does Amazon and Ebay.

~I suggest having at least 2 crockpots—one 3 quart for smaller side dishes, and one 6-7 quart for large dinners like roasts, whole chickens, and soups/stews.

Cooking in Your Crockpot

~Plastic cooking liners are a great way to save time and cleanup. Always give the inside of the cooking bag a spray of Pam. Make sure you remove the food from the liner before putting it in the refrigerator to make sure the food has time to cool down—the liners retain heat.

~Never overload the crockpot. Make sure you never fill it over 3/4 full. Always have it at least ½ full, however, or the food will cook too quickly.

~Don’t open the crockpot or remove the lid. If you do, add 15 minutes on to the cooking time.

~In general, one hour on high is equal to two hours on low.

~Though not necessary, searing or browning meats prior to adding to the crockpot brings out the flavor of the meat, and helps eliminate some of the fat.

Why Use a Crockpot?

~You can use cheaper, tougher cuts of meat. The slow cooking process breaks down the meat, and makes it tender with time. A good example of this is stew meat, which tends to have a tougher texture, but cooks up tenderly.

~It’s convenient. You can be away all day, and come home to a delicious dinner.

~Stronger flavor on day two and later. The longer a dish sits, the better the flavor.

~Crockpots can make an entire meal, start to finish—appetizer, main dish, dessert—even drinks like cider and hot chocolate!

Adapting Recipes to Cook in a Crockpot

Read Here: http://southernfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa980215.htm

Vegetables
Dense vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and other root vegetables should be cut no larger than 1" thick, and placed in the bottom of the pot, since they take longer to cook.

Liquids
Usually liquids may be decreased in slow cooking - about half the recommended amount. Unless the dish contains rice or pasta, one cup of liquid is usually enough.

Pasta and Rice
If a recipe calls for cooked pasta to be added, cook it until just slightly tender before adding to the pot. Add 1/4 extra liquid per 1/4 cup uncooked rice, and use long grain converted rice for the best results. For long-cooking recipes, add cooked rice shortly before serving.

Milk/Cheese
Milk, sour cream, and cream break down over long periods of cooking, and should be added during the last hour. Condensed cream soups are good substitutions for milk and can be cooked for extended times. Cheeses don't generally hold up over extended periods of cooking, so should be added near the end of cooking, or use processed cheeses and spreads.

Big Batch Cooking in a Crockpot

~Saves time, energy, and money, and effort cleaning up. You can purchase large quantities at Costco, Sam’s Club, and regular grocery stores when food is on sale.

~You have food on hand to take to people when needed i.e. baby or illness.

~You can tailor the recipes to your taste preferences or food allergies. You can make low-fat, gluten free, or vegetarian options for much cheaper than buying prepared and/or frozen food.

~Great way to make several meals out of leftovers. You can use shredded chicken for enchiladas one night, and then leftover chicken for BBQ chicken sandwiches the next night, or several weeks later.

~Get an electric can opener.

~Get at least 2 programmable crockpots with removeable liners. I have 3. These are the ones I have: http://www.crock-pot.com/Product.aspx?cid=113&pid=10220

~Spaghetti sauce, casseroles, enchiladas, chili, soups, and stews work well in the freezer.

~When making a big batch, simply double or triple all ingredients, including spices and liquid. Some sites say to halve the liquid, but I’ve always found it effective to keep the quantities normal.

~My preference is to buy a Foodsaver, and use it to store the items you want to freeze. The benefit is they lay flat, and you avoid freezer burn. You can also use Tupperware containers, or Ziploc Freezer Bags. If you do this, make sure you use the Freezer bags. The regular bags don’t work in the freezer. The Foodsave is great because food will last in the freezer for much longer than other containers.

~Leave at least an inch or an inch and a half in the top of the bag of container to allow for expansion when freezing.

~Make sure you cool the food at room temperature for an hour (no longer!) before loading into containers for freezing. You should never add hot ingredients to freezer bags or containers.

~I prefer to cool at room temperature for an hour, then cool in the fridge overnight before freezing the next day.

~Label and date your food. Spaghetti sauce and chili, for instance, look exactly the same when frozen.

~Frozen soups, sauces, and casseroles generally keep for 2-3 months; 6 months or longer if you use a Foodsaver.

~A lot of people like to freeze items they can use different ways, such as cooked ground beef, or cooked shredded pork. They cook the meats, freeze the items, thaw them out, add various spices and sauces, and then serve them different ways.

~Don’t re-freeze any food that has been frozen and thawed. It’s only safe to freeze and thaw it once.

~Thaw foods in the fridge, or in a container with warm water if it’s a sealed bag. You can also use your microwave. Then add to a pot for stovetop, or bake in the oven.

~Start small, and use recipes that you know your family already loves. Double or triple the ingredients, and let your corckpots do the cooking for you!

~Some people find it helpful to have a master list with all of the frozen items so they know what they have, and what they need.

~When in doubt, throw it out! If something looks bad or smells bad, toss it!

Foods that Don’t Freeze Well

~Dairy products—cheese, sour cream, milk

~Mayonnaise

~Jell-o

~Fried Foods

~Cabbage, celery, cucumbers

Favorite Books for Big Batch Cooking

Once a Month Cooking

Frozen Assets

The Best Freezer Cookbook

Best Websites for Crockpot Recipes

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

http://crockingirls.com/

http://slowandsimple.com/

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/main-dish/slow-cooker/

http://www.momswhothink.com/crock-pot-recipes/crock-pot-recipes-for-the-crockpot-and-slow-cooker.html

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cooking-Style/Slow-Cooker-Recipes

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/slow-cooker-classics-00400000001101/

http://www.myrecipes.com/slow-cooker-recipes/

http://southernfood.about.com/library/crock/blcpidx.htm

http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=slow+cooker

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/preparation/slow-cooker-recipes

http://family.go.com/food/pkg-dinner-recipes/pkg-crock-pot-recipes/

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/slow-cooker/

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/slow-cooker-favorites-00400000038588/

http://www.familycircle.com/recipes/slow-cooker/

Best Books for Crockpot Cooking

Fix It and Forget It Series

Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Series

The Gourmet Slow Cooker

My Most Requested Crockpot Recipes

Nanny's White Chicken Chili
3 cans of white northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
3+ cloves garlic
2 4oz cans green chilies, diced
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1 t cayenne pepper--omit if you don't like the heat
1 t oregano
1/2 t salt
One whole cooked chicken, shredded
1 large (49 oz can or box) chicken broth
1 cup water

Put all ingredients in the crockpot, and cook on High 3-4 hours. Serve with grated white cheese (Jack, Muenster, Mozzarella) and corn chips.

Crockpot Kalua Pork
5-7 lbs boneless pork shoulder ribs
1 Tbsp mesquite liquid smoke
1.5 Tbsp Hawaiian sea salt--available at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's

Place ribs, liquid smoke, salt, and 1 cup of water in crockpot. Turn on low and cook for 12-16 hours. If your package of ribs is closer to 5 lbs, cook it closer to 12-14 hours. If it's closer to 6-7 pounds cook it 14-16 hours. Shred with forks, and enjoy! Gluten-Free.

Hayley's Crockpot Veggie Soup

1 onion, diced
1-3 cloves of garlic
4 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups of chicken broth
1 1/2 cups of water
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 12 oz. can of tomato paste
2 tsp of Italian Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
(2) 10 oz bags of mixed veggies--I use the one with corn, peas, green beans, lima beans, and carrots
16 oz of Knudsen's 'Very Veggies' juice--can use V-8 instead. I bought the VV @ Whole Foods

Mix together and heat on low for 6-8 hours. Freezes well. Can stir in cooked pasta or meat when serving for a heartier meal.

Brooke's Crockpot Creamed Corn

2 lbs frozen whole kernel corn
12 oz cream cheese cut into cubes (can use low fat)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Spread corn over bottom of crock pot. Top with cream cheese cubes. Stir together remaining ingredients in small bowl; pour over corn and creamed cheese.
Cover and cook on high heat setting 2-3 hours.
Stir well before serving. Corn will hold on low heat setting up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Kaari's Spicy Homemade Crockpot Chili

2 lbs lean ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 TBSP bottled minced garlic, or 1-3 cloves of fresh garlic
2 1/2 cups water
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes, drained
1 12 oz can tomato paste
1 10 oz can Rotel--diced tomatoes and green chile peppers, undrained
1 TBSP yellow mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper--omit if you don't like spicy

Brown beef, onions, green pepper, and garlic until meat is brown and onions tender. Drain fat.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large crockpot (4, 5 or 6 quart) and stir. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. Freezes well!

Kaari's Split Pea Soup in the Crockpot
1 lb package of dried green split peas
2 cups diced ham
3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 onion, diced

3 ribs of celery chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
5 1/2 cups hot water

1. Layer ingredients in the crock pot in the order that they’re listed and pour in water. Do not stir ingredients.

2. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft. Remove bay leaf. Serve. DOES NOT work heating it on high, low only.

BBQ Baked Beans

1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced

1/2 pound ground beef

1 c. chopped onion

1 (28 ounce) can pork and beans—remove fatty pork

1 (17 ounce) can lima beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 c. barbecue sauce

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp prepared mustard

2 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

In a large skillet, cook bacon, beef and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain. Transfer to crockpot; add all of the beans and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir into beef and bean mixture. Cook on low 2-3 hours.

Lazy BBQ Pork

1 container of Costco’s pre-cooked and shredded pork

1 onion

1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (don’t sub in another brand!)

Heat pork in microwave for about half the time. Sautee the onion, and add to crockpot. Add the bbq sauce and pork. Heat on low 2-3 hours, can keep on warm until you serve it to prevent overcooking.

Lazy Spaghetti Sauce—Triple Batch

6 lbs of ground beef

6 jars of spaghetti sauce—I prefer the taste of organic sauce

6 lb can of drained diced tomatoes, undrained

3 large cans of drained mushrooms—the size from Safeway

1 large can of tomato paste—the size from Safeway

6 onions, chopped

3 green peppers, chopped

8 TBS jarred garlic

1/2 bottle of red wine—omit if you don’t care for the taste. The alcohol burns out during the cooking process.

Brown beef, onions, garlic, and peppers. Drain. Add the rest of the ingredients. Split the mixture between 3 or 4 large (5-6 quart) crockpots and cook on high for 5-6 hours. Freezes well!

Here is the recipe for Janelle’s coconut curry chicken: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-coconut-chicken-curry/

Johnny Citizen

It happened again this morning. As I approached the two way stop on our street (we have the right away) I slowed down to turn. The driver mistakenly took this slow down to mean I had a stop sign, and proceeded into the intersection right as I entered without even looking. I almost got hit--again--and this time I was furious. It made me realize that I send a text to Lance at east once or twice a week saying that I almost got hit.

So I got on the horn, and I called the city. I was transferred twice, and finally got to the right department. The lady was exceptionally nice and helpful. She stated that they are backlogged due to budget cuts, but that a survey crew could come out in 3-6 months, assess the situation, put if before the City Council, and hopefully they would rule to install the signs based on the data.

It wasn't a great answer, but at least it would take care of the problem. I would just have my hand on the horn as I entered the intersection for the next few months.

And then she called back. I don't know if I sounded like a crazed mom ( I explained that I had Beezie in the car this morning), or if there were prior complaints...but the Traffic Gods smiled down upon me, and they are going to be out in the next 2-3 weeks to install "Cross Traffic Does Not Stop" signs on the stop signs.

7 years of complaining taken care of with one call. Why didn't I call sooner? I feel like I should win some sort of citizenship award. A "Great Neighbor/Fabulous Front Porch Display" award at the very least.

Let the Competition Begin!

Okay--Flab to Fit 2012 is officially in motion. After input from different people, I think I am going to stick with the original point system. There are no men in the contest, so I think the playing field should be even. I know this won't work for people not wanting to really lose wight or exercise (those people do exist!) but I think this is the only way to make it work for the majority of the contestants.

How to enter:

1. Send $10 via Paypal to my Yahoo email address. If you don't know my email, leave a message in the comments section and I'll get in touch with you. Or find me on Facebook and send me a message: http://facebook.com/TheMostess

2. Once you send in the money, go to Myfitnesspal and create an individual account. Be sure to note your username. My username is: themostess.

3. Send the username to me at my Yahoo email address, or at Facebook, and I will add you to the "FlabtoFit" group on Myfitnesspal. Here we can track our weight loss and fitness goals, post updates, post messages, pictures (Tiffany's butt--you go, girl!) etc as a group.

Official Rules:

1. The contest begins on Monday, January 9th and ends 6 weeks later on Sunday, February 19th.

2. If your goal is weight loss, record your starting weight on Monday, January 9th in the morning before breakfast. Record your stats, and keep them on record for yourself. No need to share.

3. If your goal is to gain points by exercising, start recording the amount of time spent working out on Monday, January 9th in the morning.

4. You get one point for each pound lost, and one point for each hour of continuous exercise.

5. We will determine the winner via the Myfitnesspal account on Monday, February 20th. The winner will then get the whole pot of loot. Cha-ching!

Thanks to all--good luck!! Let me know if you have any questions!

Flab to Fab

I think Kristina is on to something. She wrote that we should have a competition to see who can use their treadmill the most in the new year. That got me thinking....

Flab to Fab

$10 to enter
6 weeks--starting on Monday, January 9th
Exercise, diet--whatever it takes to lose the weight

At the end of the 6 weeks, whoever lost the most weight wins all the money.

Who's in??

New Years and Napa

Our friends like to party. You may have realized this by now. The only thing we like more than partying is competing. You may have also realized this by now. We compete over cookies, strength, pumpkin carving, gokart racing, decorating....the list goes on and on.

Our lovely friends over at Team Andersen decided to up the ante and stage a "Mr. and Mrs. 2012" competition. I knew in advance the winners would get matching sweatsuits adorned with logos declaring them the winners. I wanted them so badly it hurt.

We brought our 'A' game. This included matching sweaters (the oft alluded to argyle sweaters)

Great faces at charades

A wildly entertaining and horribly undervalued Matrix skit. I say undervalued because I'm kind of certain half the people in the room had never see the movie. No worries, weirdos. It was only the most influential and groundbreaking movie of the 90's.


A rousing round of the Not So Newlywed Game. This was a *real* blast. One of the questions was to identify a not-so-nice name I called Lancer when I'm mad. He had nothing, so he wrote down ASSFACE. For the record, I have never referred to him as ASSFACE. This was awesome because Tyler Carter saw it, and now thinks I'm a ball buster of a wife.

Haha! Look at ASSFACE over there!

A dance-off, for which we have no photos because the person on camera duty was less than stellar.

In the end, our efforts were for naught. The Grays took 3rd place. The Andersens took 2nd place. Yes, they tried to win at their own party. I judge them for this. And, last and most certainly least, 1st place went to these jokers.

They paraded their matching suits around the room. That's cool. Because when they dance, they look like this. I'm not sure you can attach 'winner' to anything that looks like....that.

You can read the full account HERE. It's good stuff.

After such a crushing loss, we headed to Napa to lick our wounds and regroup. We stopped in at Taylor's Automatic Refresher. A milkshake helped.

So did a set of spicy pulled pork tacos with a side of sweet potato fries.

And a grilled cheese sandwich

A visit from a friendly dog also helped out.

B ran around their spacious field. She captivated kids and adults alike with her outgoing personality and fetching striped pants.





Despite such a faux sour end to 2011 (suck it, Carters!!) I'm really looking forward to 2012. I don't really have any goals to speak of. In general, I would like to be healthier, eat tastier food, and most importantly...continue to have fun and live it up with Beezie. Let's go Twenty-Twelve!

HO HO HO

Santa came to visit. It's almost 2 am, and this needs to be quick and dirty. Expect my next post to be jam packed with wittiness and hilarity. It may or may not involve a dance-off, charades, and a slow-mo photo of me kicking a battery out of Lance's hands. This post is only for the sake of recording Christmas for Beezie and future posterity. Ho Freaking Ho. Let's move, people!


Christmas Eve, we hosted a Taste of Italy buffet at our place. Fun and tasty. I likes doing this. I think I'll make it a tradition. I especially liked it when strangers at the store noted my Italian items, and asked me if my party was because I'm Italian. To quote Chandler Bing, could I be any more Scandinavian looking?? I just like carbs. Sue me.

I did a baked ziti and people brought spaghetti, chicken picata, some GF Olive Garden knockoff that was outstanding, and other assorted Italian favorites.

All of the children acted like they had never seen bread before. It's pretty much the only thing any of them ate.


The next morning we all slept in. We have routinely been sleeping until an unmentionable hour (but only because it will anger all of you) every morning as a family. It's been heavenly. Little Lady rolled out of her crib with some serious bedhead.

Santa had left a little stroller with a brand new baby in it for Beezie. She was delighted beyond measure--it was the runaway hit of the day.

First up, we did stockings. This is our family tradition--each person takes a turn taking an item out before we rotate to the next person. When we were little, we spent Christmas with a family, and they all dumped their stocking out at once, and opened all of their gifts like wild animals. We were horrified.





B was excited to have the dog gate removed so she could move in on Santa. I'm surprised he still has a candle and/or head attached. A delicate flower she is not.

Since we got a new heater and sprung for A/C, we went small for each other. I got Lancer some giftcards (Amazon and iTunes), a personalized photo calendar, and other assorted goodies. I got an electric can opener. This may seem like a lameski gift, but it's not. Let's not forget that I cook in big batches, and in doing so, I open about 20 cans at a time. Lancer had to "help" me with the cans for my white chicken chili at the cookie party, and TA-DA, an electric can opener showed up on my doorstep. By help I mean he complained the entire time, and begrudgingly cranked open the tin cans for me, while complaining of hand cramps.

Donnie was kind enough to spring for some vintage NKOTB comic books from the 80's. I'm going to write in and ask for the Magic Summer jacket advertised in the back just to see if it shows up. Wish me luck!

Beezie caught on quickly, just like she did on her birthday. Wrapped gifts equals booty for her. She wasted no time getting to the goods. Naturally, she had to try and crawl in the box.



Playing with her new play food. She follows us around the house naming the food. Banana? Banana? Banana?


After presents, we feasted on holiday breakfast and my homemade cocoa. I love holiday breakfast, because it has everything you need. It's like an omelet on top of hash browns. Mmm. I've been eating it for breakfast all week long.

Beezie approved

While those two snoozed the day away, I was busy in the kitchen. I did a glazed ham, cheesy potatoes, cranberry Jell-o dish, corn pudding, and a GF chocolate cake.

We went over to The Andersen's for a low-key dinner. On the way in my boot caught on their sidewalk, and I went down HARD. Like split my crockpot clean in half hard. Thankfully, a replacement insert is only $15. Now that I have my electric can opener, I'm unstoppable. I can't let a broken crockpot get me down.

The Spread

The complete meal

I made Brooke's "secret" cheesy potatoes. Halfway through dinner, I realized they're just freaking funeral potatoes. Nice try, Brooke! Still delicious, of course, but let's call a spade a spade.

After dinner, the kids played until a record 11 pm. Beezie loved Kai's new picnic table. Naturally she sat on top, and tried to jump off.

The mini-tramp is always a big hit

Thanks to our fabulous family and friends! We had such a fun and relaxing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day--minus the bruised knees, scraped hand, and broken crockpot. Till next year, everyone! Merry Christmas to all...and to all a goodnight!