MckGiveaway!!

Holy Cow!! I can't believe this giveaway....it ROCKS!! I wanted to let all of you know about it so that you can enter too and it's also an entry for me because I'm blogging about it! Win win, right?!?! BlogHer and HP have teamed up to allow MckMama to give away a HP TouchSmart 600!!! Can you believe it?!?! What a great Christmas present for someone. I know whoever wins it will be ecstatic! This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 and older. The contest runs from today, December 9, 2009 until Christmas Eve. You can head over to MckMama on her blog to link to her giveaway page to read all the official rules and how to get all of your entries in. Hurry! You don't want to miss out on a chance to win this!

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This past week I did not spend all week looking up recipes for a dessert to take to a Christmas party this past Saturday and then end up bringing a Cheesecake sampler from the Wal-Mart bakery. I certainly didn't plan on making a fabulous Paula Dean recipe (Thanks Beth!!) and opt for Wal-Mart instead. Ahem.

I did not contemplate taking my son to the Dr. in his pajamas...as well as me staying in mine. He was not so sick that it just seemed easier than getting dressed. I did not take him to the Dr. with no shoes on because he was too tired to walk anyway. And while at said Dr. I did not stand OUTSIDE the sick child waiting room for fear that he would get even more sick. And for not wanting to get other kids sick (for real, I didn't want healthy kids getting sick), I did not just then pace back and forth in front of the reception desk holding my 2 yr. old shoe-less child.

I was not so tired one day last week that when I got up that morning to make the kids lunches for school, I did not proceed to take money out of our Christmas fund (in my wallet) and give it to the boys to BUY their lunch. I would never be that tired. I'm always up and ready to make fabulous lunches for them so that we can save our money.

I did not this past week stress completely out about Christmas....we always have it all together and I always buy presents way in advance. I never have doubts about how will even HAVE Christmas, we are always well prepared and stress this time of year never even shows it's face around here.

This past week I did not think to myself that it would be totally awesome if there REALLY WAS a Santa to take all of my worries away....that would be silly and childish and I'm a grown woman who is always realistic. Ahem. Ok, so how honest can you be today? I would love to hear about it!

Saturday Snow

They said (they, meaning the weather man) that we might get snow this past Saturday. Hmmmm, I wondered if we actually would. I love snow, I think it is beautiful. My hubby...not so much. He says that every time it snows or ices he hurts himself. So we keep him inside when it does! Ha Ha. So we awoke Saturday morning to this...







I totally LOVED it! And so did the kids....not my hubby though. So, he stayed inside and everyone else was out in it! But by that afternoon, most of it had melted. We did enjoy it though and then we went to a fabulous Christmas party that night! It was with some great people and some great food. The Jon, the kids and I had a wonderful time. It was good that they snow had melted....otherwise, Jon may not have gone to the party! Ha Ha!! Just kidding. Well, maybe. ;)

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas Tree 2009

Ahhhh, the smell of a fresh cut Christmas tree!! I LOVE IT. I love everything about Christmas. The decorations, the family time, the music, the food! But what I love the most is celebrating Jesus. Celebrating his birth and what that means for all of us. I always make sure that is the main focus in my house this time of year. We always have so much fun going to get our tree after Thanksgiving. We enjoy picking out just the "right one" and bringing it home and putting it up. We string the lights and start putting on the ornaments. I make homemade sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles and hot chocolate. We enjoy each others company and then sit and enjoy our beautiful tree. It's being together doing something that we all enjoy that makes it so special. We had a great time this past weekend picking out our tree and decorating it. I hold these memories very close to my heart.

I hope that you are all enjoying the start of December!! Can you believe it?! Christmas is in 24 days!! I need to be planning! We are going to a Christmas party this Saturday and I'm taking a homemade dessert. I just have to decided what to take. Any suggestions? And hopefully we will go out looking at Christmas lights this weekend too. That is another favorite of ours. Here are a few photos from our Christmas Tree 2009 search and the final result! Ethan was so helpful picking out trees that he liked. Jon and Caleb love being silly (all the time!) and Corey was worn out by the whole experience! Austin was super serious when helping to put the tree on top of our van. Actually, he didn't know I was taking his picture and the sun was in his eyes. What is your favorite part of Christmas time? Do tell! I love hearing from all of you. Have a wonderful day!!

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Ok, so this past week I did not go to my mom and dad's for Thanksgiving and only take pictures of the table before we ate. I always take pictures of my family at every holiday gathering. This did not have anything to do with the fact that I was too busy eating and for sure not because I was in a "turkey coma". I did not sample all of the deserts there. I always watch what I eat and stick to only one desert.

I also did not go to the Grand Illumination the day after Thanksgiving with my kids and proceed to eat a ton of funnel cake. I mean, who would do that after NOT sampling all the deserts from the night before? Not me. I also did not make homemade cookies the next day for my kids to enjoy and end up eating some of them myself. (Are you seeing a pattern here??!!)

I of course am now not looking for some new fad diet. You know, the ones where you lose 15 lbs. in one week? I would never be so desperate that I would stoop to attempting a fad diet. Nope, not me. I never lack confidence in how I look or feel. Ahem.

I also did not forget that today was Monday and I did not forget to write my Not Me Monday post until right now. I am also not concerned about the "last minute" writing and how it won't appear not planned out. I am always prepared for everything and I always know what day it is. I am also not so tired that I am actually contemplating taking a nap at 3:15 in the afternoon. I'm always productive and only rest when everything is done around the house. I would never take a nap with dirty dishes in the sink. I did not just smile to myself as I typed that last sentence. ;)

And what have you not been doing this past week? What would you not admit to anyone face to face, but you will to all of us internet bloggers?! I would love to hear it!

Giving Thanks....

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. It was one of the best in a long time. It wasn't rushed, everything went like it was supposed to, and we just truly enjoyed being with each other. The food was AWESOME, thanks to my wonderful mother. I can only take credit for the mashed potatoes and gravy and the broccoli w/ hollandaise. The rest was all Mom and she did a ROCKIN job. Oh! My dad smoked a turkey that came out BEAUTIFUL. Thanks Dad! And he helped us so much in the kitchen, he was such a trooper! And my sister made a wonderful homemade apple crumb pie....needless to say, it was gone by last night. So this morning I'm sitting here with my kids enjoying the fact that they are home today and we get to enjoy each other's company. Tonight we are going to the Grand Illumination downtown to hear some live Christmas music, a parade of boats all decorated and lit up for Christmas on the river, and watch a wonderful display of fireworks! Santa sings and everything!! This is an event that our city puts on every year the day after Thanksgiving and my kids love it. It is VERY cold at this event because it is right on the river and obviously it's at night. But we layer, layer, layer and head down there for some holiday fun. My hubby will probably stay at home with our 2 yr. old as it might be "too much fun" for him! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. I'm very thankful for all the Lord's blessings in my life. He truly has brought me through so much and continues to love and protect me no matter what the circumstances. I am so very thankful for Him. And so very thankful for my wonderful family and friends, you all are such a blessing to me. I will leave you with a few photos that I snapped of the table from yesterday. This was before the "eating frenzy" began. The turkey that you see is the smoked turkey, we also had a regular turkey. Yum! And after I took these pictures, I was pretty much in a turkey coma the rest of the day. Which is why you won't see anymore pictures! Well, that and I REALLY need a new camera. Maybe Santa will bring me one for Christmas. ;)