Happy New Year All

Well, here we are in the last few hours of 2010. We've had a great year, so here's a quick review in a few photos and a few words.

Happy New Year to all my bloggie and IRL friends!!!

January

We continued to watch it snow and snow and snow. And snow....and snow. And snow some more.

February

Patrick started taking Tae Kwon Do classes (doesn't he look tough).

March

We spread around our Irish luck.

April

We celebrated Easter on a warm, WINDY day.

May

I turned 21 40.

June

WM and I went to Pebble Beach, Monterey, CA to the US Open.

July

We started started 'Family Golf Sundays'.

August

Had the best family vacation EVER in Cape San Blas, FL.

September

Josie started Baby Ballet (and my heart melted a little more).

October

We obtained 95% of the candy sold in Tulsa during Halloween week festivities.

November

Katie stepped out of her comfort zone and decided to try basketball.

December

We wished everyone a Merry Christmas and had a wonderful Christmas ourselves.

Happy New Year to all! Hope your 2011 is blessed and everything you hope for comes true!

No Name That Tune! today...someone already has it wrapped up. I'll announce winner tomorrow!

What Would You Rather Do Wednesday?--Christmas Trees?

It seems that everyone is or has taken down their Christmas tree (except us, not for awhile over here, thankyouverymuch). So for today's What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday, I ask you this:

What Would You Rather Do?

Decorate the tree

or

Undecorate the tree

Whaddya think?

Now for Name That Tune!

Score:

Impulsive=4 (I think she may have this wrapped up unless one of you can make a strong come back)

Baloney=1

Korinne=1

Here's today's lyric (this is for you Yogi--surely you can get this!):

"Say your prayers little one, don't forget my son, to include everyone."

Leave me a comment and tell me what it is!

Christmas--Wrap it Up

Here's a quick look at our Christmas this year. Few words...few photos. I can say this...we had a very stress-free Christmas and the weeks leading up to it. I think it had a lot to do with us getting our shopping done super early (usually we're last minuters). We had a wonderful, wonderful Christmas.

This is the best I could get of the kids on Christmas Eve after church. I mean, what do you expect...they just sat through a nearly 1 1/2 Mass, they weren't really keen on standing still to get their photos taken. Speaking of church...here's my one beef for this year...I sent WM over to the church 45 minutes before Mass started. When he got there, it was standing room only. Seriously people? Where are you the other 51 weeks of the year? But...off my soapbox I come. Christmas Eve Mass was wonderful (we did score a seat...thanks to some friends who saw WM and squished their family together so we could sit...all 5 of us).

My sister gave these to Josie...they are wack-o to look at but they are stinkin' hilarious! I couldn't quit playing with them! Josie loved them, too! She likes to make them bite her fingers, silly girl.

Here's Katie and her American Girl in their matching nightgowns. Katie got her AG for her birthday this summer (Katie names her Angelina) so one of Katie's big Christmas wishes was for clothes for Angelina. She scored.

Josie laying in our bed with her brand spankin' new American Girl. She named her Beatrice. If you ask Jos what she got for Christmas she'll tell you "an American Geeeel."

Ahhhhh...you knew it wouldn't be Christmas for Patrick without dinosaurs! There's that 3' one behind him and grandma was the ringer giving him a D-Rex...something he's been asking for for 2 years. When he opened it he couldn't even talk he was so excited and shocked. He LOVES it!! Thank you Grandma and Papa--you made one little boy's Christmas dreams come true.

By 9:00 a.m. it looked like a toy tornado had hit our home, but the kids were thrilled and playing peacefully and happily. All was good in our home. I'm not ready to take the decorations down yet. Sure, the tree is droopy and dropping needles, the candles are 1/2 burned down, all the Advent candles are lit. But we still have, what 9 more days of the real Christmas season and I'm going to savor this for a little longer.

I hope you all had a wonderfully, blessed Christmas.

Name That Tune! for today!!

Score:

Impulsive=3

Baloney=1

Korinne=1

Remember first one to leave a comment and get it right gets that day's point. Another reminder...the prize for December is a $10 Starbucks gift card (unless Impulsive wins).

Here's today's lyric:

"I'm gonna take this itty bitty world by storm, and I'm just getting warm."

Name that tune....

Perfect Pairings--John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. --John 1:14

Remember the real Christmas season began yesterday. Hope these 12 day of Christmas bring you joy and blessings.

Go see Baloney for more Perfect Pairings.

Merry Christmas to All

Merry Christmas!!

From the Three Little Lams, WM and myself!

Hope your day is filled with magical moments and the love of Christ.

Peace be with you.

It's Not Boxing Day Yet

It's been busy around here (as you can tell since I haven't posted for 2...or is it...3 days?). We (as in you, me, all you readers and people of the world) are busy preparing for Christmas. So I'm going to make this quick because today is "Baking Day" at our house and I need to get that oven fired up (well, it's already 'fired up'--I've already made one cake this morning).

So I thought I'd share this little piece of delightfulness that I experienced yesterday. I do love my 3 year old--but man, oh man, is she a pill!

That look on her face is her look of defiance when I tell her to do something she doesn't want to do (like telling her to put the styrofoam peanuts back in the box).

Hopefully no more boxes will show up.

Christmas is coming! Are you ready!?!?

Now for today's Name That Tune!

Score:

Impulsive=2

Baloney=1

Korinne=1

Today's lyric:

"Baby I was naive, got lost in your eyes, and never really had a chance. I had so many dreams about you and me. Happy endings, now I know."

Leave me comment and let me know what it is.

McLinky Monday--My Favorite Ornament

Since we finally got someone who got yesterday's Name That Tune! I can finally post my regularly scheduled post for today. I'm the McLinkster today with the RHOK. Go over there to see more McLinkies. Today they want us to talk about our favorite Christmas tree ornament.

Since my kiddos are ages 3, 5, 7 we're kind of in the tree being covered in homemade ornaments phase. But I do have a favorite ornament...actually ornaments. Here they are:

Katie's 1st Christmas ornament

Patrick's 1st Christmas ornament

Josie's 1st Christmas ornament

These ornaments always remind me of my little ones as teeny babies and how special each one of them are. I'll admit these ornaments are a tiny bit of a pain since each year I have to polish them and one household chore I do not like doing is polishing silver. But, I polish them up so they are nice and shiny. They are hung directly under the angel at the top of the tree but are always close to my heart. Even when my little ones are grown and have children of their own, I'll hang these ornaments at the top of our tree and remember their first Christmases.

Now to today's Name That Tune!

Score:

Baloney=1

Impulsive=1

Korinne=1

I'll try to make it a little easier today. Here's today's lyric:

"A mole, livin' in a hole, diggin' up my soul, goin' down, excavation."

SO easy people...leave me a comment and tell me what it is.

Last hint

This is your last hint:

The band that sang the song is The Cherry Poppin' Daddies.

Come on...surely you can get it now.

Name That Tune--a hint.

HINT

No one has gotten the Name That Tune! yet, so here's a hint...

If no one gets it in about an hour or two, I'll post another hint, like a really obvious hint.

Perfect Pairings--Jump for the Joy of the Lord!

Today I'm doing a Perfect Pairing, so go see Baloney for some more wonderful pairings.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God. --Act 3:8

Now for today's Name That Tune!

Impulsive Addict got it first on Friday (sorry about yesterday...crazy, busy day, family in from out-of-town, bball game, Christmas parties=no post), the song was What Child Is This? Good job Impulsive (is it okay if I abbrev your name)?

Current score:

Baloney-1

Impulsive Addict-1

Everyone else-0

You all are being such smartie pants, so I'm going to try to toughen it up today. Even if you don't know, just leave me a guess. I'd like to see what you think it might be.

Here's today lyric:

"Cut me a Sammy and you'll understand, in my veins hot music ran."

Name THAT tune.

Peace on Earth

Hi ya'll! (Sometimes I like to act all Okie and stuff).

You know that I'm a HUGE Will Ferrell fan. And I think movies with Mr. Ferrell and John C. Reilly are simply gut busting funny (one of my all time fav movies EVER is Talladega Nights, starring both of these clowns). So here's a little holiday cheer courtesy of Out on a Lam and Will and John C. Sorry if you don't think it's funny...find your funny bone. Come on! It's freakin' hilarious! And that's really those two singing.

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy with Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly from Will Ferrell

Okay--now onto the Name That Tune! game.

Current score:

Baloney--1

Everyone else--0

Good job, Baloney, know that yesterday's song was O Holy Night.

So today we'll toughen it up a bit. Here's today Name That Tune lyric-of-the-day:

"Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through. The Cross be borne for me, for you."

What's that song? Leave me a comment!

New Game!!

Remember yesterday (or today, whenever) you read that I've decided to start a new game on this here ol blog. Well, I'm super excited about it, because I like goofy games...trust me, most of you will probably think it's D-U-M-B. But stick with me and just play along...you might win something.

So here it is:

Name That Tune!!!

Yes, you read that right...Name That Tune!

It's not really name that tune as much as name the song that the lyrics are from.

Here's how it works. I will give you a line from a song, then the first person to leave me a comment in the comments section (not email, not Facebook, not Twitter...COMMENT SECTION) will win that day. Whoever has the most "wins" at the end of the month wins that month's prize! Yay--prizes!

Here's an example (a very simple one, but still, I want you to fully understand):

"It's after midnight and something evil's lurking in the air."

Then, you would quickly leave me a comment and say, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. First one to comment with the correct song wins.

Got it?

The Name That Tune lyric-of-the-day will be at the bottom of each of my blog posts. If I don't have a regular post that day, the lyric-of-the-day will be the post. So check back each day. Even if someone has posted an answer, go ahead an post your answer, it will help me judge how hard or easy the song was and which genres are more popular, etc. Mmmm-k?

Now, here is my disclaimer...I don't really listen to country music, but I promise I will see what I can find in that genre. I'll mix it up, you'll get a little bit of everything, even rap. Hee! If you all seem to be having a difficult time with the song...no correct answers coming in, then I'll give you a hint.

So what do you think? Fun? Stupid? Ridiculous? Too-much-time-on-my-hands? (um, hello, NO, I don't). Let me know what you think.

Since there's not much time left in December, the prize won't be much...how 'bout a $10 gift card to Starbucks! Ummm, yum. I need a Starbucks right now!

So here's today's Name That Tune lyric-of-the-day (we'll start with an easy one in the Christmas spirit):

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining. 'Til He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth"

What song is that...leave it in the comments! I'll post the score tomorrow (who's winning, etc.)

What Would You Rather Do Wednesday?--SLEEP!

Sorry I'm a little to the blog party today. Like a day, or two or FIVE days late. Anyway, it's the most wonderful time of the year, but it's also the most hectic time of the year...you know, we're all in this boat together.

So, let's get right to it. We all need our sleep this time of year, so tell me....

What Would You Rather Do?

Sleep with someone who snores

or

Sleep with someone who grinds their teeth.

How 'bout that...nothing about Christmas or presents or cooking or singing or Fa La La-ing.

Leave me your answer down there in the comments.

And my answer for last week...I'd rather do the cooking.

Oh--and I've got a fun new game I'm going to start on my blog. Well...it seems fun to me, I'll explain it tomorrow (hopefully I'll have time to post tomorrow) and we'll get that party started.

Random Thoughts

Lucky you! You get to read the rambling thoughts that are in my mind. We have officially hit over-the-top-crazy-time-of-the-year. I have that constant feeling of "what have I forgotten." Ugh. So here's just a bulleted list of randomness.

• Josie is full fledged potty training. And so far we're doing great. Except today when she crawled in our closet and used one of WM's shoes for a potty. She did remarkably well getting all her pee pee directly in his shoe. It was actually kind of funny.
• Josie has also hit a really bad streak of being super naughty. I'm oh so frustrated with her.
• Yesterday was Christmas program #1...of 5. Yes, five.
• Remind me to not sign up to bring 3 dozen cookies to every event, homeless shelter, Christian ministry, etc. I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of cookies I've been baking lately.
• My husband did buy me a pair of boots I was really wanting. Just because. Not for Christmas. But just because. 'Cuz he luuuuuuvs me. (Can we get an "awwwww").
• Now I'm working on him to buy me this pair of cool cowboy boots I want. Yes, you read that right. COWBOY boots. Lordy, I think I've been in Oklahoma too long.
• The above referenced husband was very sweet and hung our Christmas lights all by himself. Swing on by to see the Griswolds. (I still love him).
• So I hear the stomach bug is going around my kids' school. That would be a great thing to hit right about now. NOT!
• My Katie (7 years old) asked me the other day what a 'round yon virgin' was. I told her to go to sleep.
• I ordered my Christmas cards today--to be delivered Dec. 22. That gives me one day to turn those suckers around. You'll probably get your Christmas card after Christmas. Sorry.
• I do love this time of the year.
• OH! Big news. I'm done Christmas shopping! I know that doesn't sound like a big deal. But I never, ever, ever, ever, ever even start shopping until about now. So this is huge!

Um, okay. I'm boring you.

But I love ya!

Only In Oklahoma #3--Headless Husbands

It's been awhile since I've done an OIO, not that my fellow Okie's haven't provided me with lots of opportunities, I've just been lazy in posting one. Until today.

I snapped this pic in the drive thru lane at Starbucks several days ago. Because apparently here in Oklahoma, if we're having marital problems or have gotten divorced or have had an argument with our significant other, instead of just removing our spouse from the Stick Figure Family line up, we just cut his head off.

I'm wondering if that weirdo skull looking thing is said husband.

Keep it classy Oklahoma!

What Would You Rather Do Wednesday?--Cookin' or Cleanin'

This is the time of year where there is a lot of cooking, baking, cooking, baking...and cleaning going on. So for today's What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday I'd like to know which you'd prefer. I know the obvious answer would be the cooking the meals, but some people just don't like to cook, so I want to know you would rather do:

What Would You Rather Do?

Cook the Christmas dinner to be served to the whole family

or

Clean up the kitchen after the meal has been cooked.

Now I'm hungry, I think I'll go make some of the fudge that I posted on Monday.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I think I've mentioned how I'm not a fan of cold weather. (This is new news to you? Well, then, let me welcome you to my little blog). When the temps dip below....oh....say....75° I consider it chilly. I'm. Not. Kidding. I seriously think there may be something wrong with my internal thermometer. That I'm not kidding about, I think there really may be something wrong with me (is there a disease or something that makes you cold all the time)?

So, this week it's been a little chilly for me.

Temps in the 40s is bad enough.

But THIS....

(For you Tulsans, this was taken at the Cox building that's out on the BA, so it may have been a little warmer in town, you know, heat island affect, I think it was -132° in town).

I think it's time to start talking to WM about relocating to a warmer climate. No?

Bundle up--stay warm! Happy Tuesday!

McLinky Monday--What's Cookiein'?

Sorry I'm late...I've had wireless issue for almost a week, but I think we're good. I fixed it...by myself...with the help of a guy from AT&T Uverse. We had a nice chat. Literally, I did an online chat session with their tech support. It was great and SO much better than trying to make a phone call with my little ones around. And yes, I told him that. I seriously don't think he knew how much easier that made my life. So, my Mac and I are back to our daily relationship and all is well.

Anyhoo...the McLinksters over at the RHOK want us to share a Christmas cookie recipe and I think the story behind it. Go over there and get some more great recipes.

My recipe that I'm going to share isn't actually for cookies. It's for my grandma's Christmas fudge. It's super easy and super yum. Try it...you'll be glad you did. It always makes me miss my grandma when I eat it and when I make it. My grandma passed away almost 8 years ago and I still miss her terribly. The recipe card with this recipe is written in her handwriting, which makes it even more special. I could rewrite it so it fits in with my other recipe cards, but I like using HER recipe card.

Here's the recipe:

3/4 c. butter

3 c. sugar

2/3 c. evaporated milk

1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate chips

1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme

1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla

Lightly grease 9 x 13 pan. Mix butter, sugar and evaporated milk in a 3 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 234°, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Cool at room temperature. When cool cut into 1" squares.

Then eat the whole pan all at once.

I hope you enjoy!

Five ? Friday-Christmas Edition

I'm going to do another Five Question Friday. Because my brain is on overdrive with everything going on and surely I can type up some answers that someone else provides. Also because something screwy is going on with the WiFi at our house which makes my laptop somewhat non-functional. So I'm working on our big ol desktop computer that is a PC (my laptop is a Mac), I haven't used a PC in awhile so I'm having to remember how to do stuff. Like right click. Oh Mac--how you've made my life so easy.

Anyhoo, the questions are provided by My Little Life. Go there to see more.

Here are the questions for this week.


1. What's on the top of your Christmas wish list and why? I want a boob lift. Why? Because I had 3 kids within 5 years and breastfed all of them for at least a year and I want my pre-baby 32 D's back. Ok, TMI? (sorry mom and Marian if you're reading this). Ok, seriously, what do I want? I really don't have a huge list. I'd like a Nikon D7000 or an iPad, but I'd be totally okay without those since I already have a nice camera and Macbook. OH--I know! World peace, that's what I want. Or shoes, boots or handbags...can never have too much of that.

2. What is your favorite Christmas gift from the past? I remember when I was around 8 or 9 I had a totally pink Barbie Christmas. I still remember how much I loved all that Barbie stuff. In my recent past...probably my Macbook that WM got me last year.

3. If you had to do life over, what would you want to be when you grow up? I love being a wife and mom...that's what I'd want again. In the professional sense, I think I'd still choose what I majored in and had a career in until I quit to stay home. Communications. I loved my job doing PR/advertising/marketing/media relations...a.k.a. community relations. I loved getting out in the community and being in the thick of everything and staying on top of current trends. But if I had to choose something different, I choose to be an airline pilot. Seriously, I love to fly (I get it from my dad--who is a retired...pilot. Not kidding).

4. When do you put up your Christmas tree? We cover this earlier this week, so I'll make it quick. Mid-December. We do real trees so they really shouldn't be up for too long or they dry out and become a fire hazard. (Though I'm going to try to talk WM into getting ours this weekend).

5. What is your favorite holiday? I do love me some Christmas, but my favorite holiday is Easter.

There you go. Do you like that fancy smancy (cheesy) red/green I did there? Yeah--I'm juvenile, but I spend my days with kids 7 and under, so that explains a lot.

What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday--Grass and Flowers

Because it's starting to turn cold (boo!) and yard work will soon be a thing of the past (for 3 months, when you live in Oklahoma), for today's What Would You Rather Do? Wednesday I've decided to see what you'd prefer to do when it comes to making the landscaping of your home beautiful. So here's today's question:

What Would You Rather Do?

Mow the lawn (with a push mower)

or

Plant the flowers

In otherwords, would you rather get all sweaty or get all dirty?

Leave me a comment and let me know!!

As for last week's question. I'd take the donut, though I do love me a yummy, warm sausage roll, I'll take the donut...maple long john, or two, or three, thankyouverymuch.