Monday, December 6, 2010

holy.poop.


What.a.busy.busy.weekend.
Before I explain, let me apologize for my absences on the last three days of the blog challenge!
Frown! Yawn!
I had no time, whatsoever to keep up this weekend. If I would have known it was going to be this hectic, I would have prepared! So, please excuse me being completely unprepared!
However, I did have a fabulous weekend. I had much fun,but super tired!

Friday - After work, I rushed home to attend The Drew Christmas Party. Aaron's daddy's side of the family. They decided to do it a little earlier this year because his cousin lives in the Dominican Republic & was headed back today. It was good, but I had to leave a little early. Before knowing about this party, I already RSVPed to my girlfriend, Rachel's Gingerbread Christmas Party. So, I left there to attend that. It was great fun. However, I did not get home until REALLY late. I will post all the pictures from the party sometime this week.
Saturday- I had to work. Which usually isn't bad. It's only four hours every other weekend. BUT, due to my lack of sleep, I got up late. Looked horrible, in my car to find it NOT starting [ran out of gas in my driveway, ha. didn't even know]. I rushed inside, told Aaron... Grabbed his keys and headed to work. When I drove up in my parking spot, it dawned on me....
I did NOT have my key to open the store. holypoopwhatamigoingtodo! I was panicing. I called Aaron. In my hectic, freak out voice said get here, asap, now, with my keys! "Get here now" is impossible. We live 35 minutes away. So... I prayed very hard to not be very busy and thank goodness we were not, until I sat at my desk and then everyone trampled in. Blah! Clock out at 2, got home and wanted to sleep... but needed to put my outside lights up. :( [I was thinking about the blog challenge] Succeeded in that, we went simple this year. Finished in time, to get a shower and get ready for my Sisters 30th Birthday Celebration. Again, it was small and simple, but we had the best time! :) My parents were taking her out to dinner & we tagged along.
Mom, Aaron [Step Dad], Me, Aaron, Kim & Tommy piled up and went to Mexican restaurant in Statesboro, El Sombrero! It was great! We drank Margaritas & laughed the night away. We then tried to see a movie, but they all started too late. Kim & Tommy have four kids, so the don't get out much. But, we didn't wanna go back just yet, so....went to Walmart  [ha] && shopped for random stuff. But had the best time... 6 of us... together... in Walmart... it was great!
Sunday- I did get to sleep a little, but I was up and ready to meet the ladies I used to work with [when I work for the Salon/Spa]. We had lunch at a restaurant called Cheddars. It was great & nice to catch up. Came home, changed and went to my in laws house. They were having a gathering for the Falcons game. In which they beat Tampa! Go Falcons! In the middle of this, I left to support my hometown friend, Caitlin who also blogs A Journey from Miss. to Mrs. She is in the middle of planning her wedding, in Nursing School, and now she and her future MIL have start their own boutique. [They have a website, but it is under construction, I will share it with y'all later] I'm super excited for her. Go check her out! She's great & has a really awesome blog! [Excuse Caitlin for lack of Blogging, but she has been very busy]
After attending her party, I went back to the in laws.

So... Again, I'm sorry for my absence!
I have another busy week ahead & weekend!
My girlfriend, Heather is graduating Georgia Southern University Friday. SO, verrrry proud of her! Saturday is our hometown Christmas Parade & my other Girlfriend, Holly's Dance Studio is performing so I must be there to support the precious girls & that night is MY Tacky Christmas Party, in which I am SUPER pumped out. Sunday... I'm not doing a darn thing! Nothing. Not ONE thing. I'm staying in my PJ's all day.

Happy Monday!
( Yaaaawn! )

Friday, December 3, 2010

12 Days of Christmas - Day 11: New Years Resolutions


My 2011 New Years Resoultion[s]
Pay off, Pay off, Pay off
Shop LESS
Get Healthy

....


If I could have just ONE wish in 2011...


 


50 Christmas Cards for FREE

Have you sent your Christmas Cards yet?
Head over to Shutterfly & sign up to receive 50 FREE Holiday Cards!
I sure did!
If you are interested, go here!
Hurry the offer ends December 10th!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

12 Days of Christmas - Day 10: Christmas Songs/Carols

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Carols


Merry Christmas, Happy Hoilday
[voted best song to sing in your car on the way to work]
My Grown up Christmas List
 The Drummer Boy
 O Holy Night
Christmas Shoes
Baby it's cold outside
Breath of Heaven
Santa Claus is coming to town

Have you ever heard these songs...

Lady Gaga - CHRISTMAS TREE
[haha, I don't even know what to think about that]
&
I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
This song is the CUTEST song I've ever heard!
I found it last year for my girlfriends Dance Studio...
The three year old little ones danced to it at our Hometown Christmas Parade!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

12 Days of Christmas - Day 9 Favorite Holiday Recipe

"Mama's Cranberry Bread"

Christmas is NOT the same, without Mama's Cranberry Bread!

 

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts




DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).


True story:
Every year my Mom makes this marvelous Cranberry Bread! She always said she got the recipe from my Grandmother. [Better known as Ganny]
It's so yummy to my tummy! She makes each family of all my family members one, plus family friends. She wraps a tiny Philadelphia Cream Cheese package to the outside and tags it From Our Home to Yours!
It's really out of this world! Everyone fights over them!
In conversation with my Daddy [who lives in NY] on Thanksgiving Day, he was telling me he was making Cranberry Bread. I instantly got excited. Then he said "You do know the story, right?" Confused! He began to tell me that years ago, Ganny met this lady who gave her Cranberry bread & was out of this world. The lady gave her "her" recipe & from that day on Ganny started baking it. One day Ganny was baking with Ocean Spray Cranberries and noticed a recipe for Cranberry Bread! It was the exact same one the lady gave her years prior too. Cheater! :)
This story may not be all that great to you [my bad] but I couldn't believe it when Daddy told me that. I always thought she got it from Ganny. Of course when I asked my Mom, she simply stated "Yes, you didn't know that?" Even though it's Ocean Spray [bagged] recipe. It will always be called "Mama's Cranberry Bread" to me, and it's not the same without the Cream Cheese!