Christmas Cheer

So what would Christmas be without food?

We started the day with a brunch of eggs benedict and Colombian coffee. Yummy!Munchies continued with candy-coated pretzels, peppermint bark, and mulled cider. Mmm.
I know this isn't a great shot of Brad, but check out my standing rib roast! It's awesome!
Brad's brother and his family came by to share our feast.


To go with the beef, we had garlic-cheddar mashed potatoes, miniature gougeres (gruyere cheese puffs), and green bean casserole. And for dessert, a chocolate cheesecake, because, well, Brad's getting really good at making them.
Noah loves the train set Grandma and Pawpaw sent him.And Jackson really wanted the basketball game we got for his cousin. Monkey.


I love how all the old games are back in style.

What a great day. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Eve and Morning

We started Christmas by attending the Children's Mass on Christmas Eve. The school children have a program during the service, and it's very sweet.

Jackson wanted to leave as soon as we got to church. He did pretty well, despite all that. Then it was time for communion. I told Brad I'd take the kids with me so they could get a blessing, and so he grabbed the bags and waited for us at the back of the church.

Noah started crying as soon as we got in line. I was struggling to hold him and Doggy, whom he kept throwing on the floor, so I wasn't able to hang onto Jackson's hand. I think he thought we were leaving, because he took off down the aisle and into the altar area!

I signaled for Brad to go get him. It was so crowded that I lost sight of Jackson, but assumed Brad had found him and was waiting outside. Then, as I was still in line with Noah, Jackson walked by! I managed to grab him this time and hung on for all it was worth. Brad said by the time he had gotten past all the people, Jackson was gone. He figured Jackson kept going behind the altar to the lobby and went back there. I guess Jackson had gone up another aisle and back down to where I was. Little monkey!
Anyway, then the fun began the next day...though not as early as some poor parents had it! Remember these, Jen?
As usual, I did most of the unwrapping. Noah was interested right at the beginning. Then he just wanted to play.
We had presents in three stages...Christmas morning...Christmas evening when the cousins came over...and the next day when Uncle Tuan brought up presents from Rosenberg.
Here are just the morning pictures.
The kids really enjoyed their toys!
And they are already fighting over them.
Brotherly love is the best thing. Except when he's touching your stuff.
This $3 giraffe was Noah's favorite toy. Unfortunately, he's already lost it. Have you seen it?
We got lots of puzzles with animals. They're both really into puzzles and animals.
Brad is trying to teaching Jackson to use his new game. Unfortunately, his favorite button is the exit button.
Noah got a bed tent. It's going to go over the twin mattress in his room...which he only uses for jumping.
We're hoping it will entice him to sleep in a big-boy bed.
Merry Christmas!

Holiday Scenes

Well, it's almost Christmas, and to say that we've been busy is quite an understatement. The poor kids have been dragged out to so many errands and shopping trips. Poor things. Yesterday we drove up to Plano to deliver gifts to my brother who is turn drove them down to Rosenberg today. We all had dinner up there before driving back home. It was cold, cold, cold, and I think Jackson thought we were out of our minds for making him leave the warm house just as he had fallen asleep on the couch.

Oh well. We've tried to make sure they had some fun as well. Yesterday they went to a fun birthday party at a bouncing place. Last Tuesday we loaded them in the bike trailer and rode around Interlochen to look at lights. That's a big neighborhood in Arlington where they really do up their Christmas lights right. We drive through every year, but this time we went on the bikes.

On Thursday we drove through the Prairie Lights, a City of Grand Prairie -sponsored light show on the shore of Joe Pool Lake. At the end of it were some rides and goodies. We took advantage of the carousel, as you can see.I also baked some cookies. The round ones are Paula Deen's Monster cookies with peanut butter, oatmeal, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Brad really appreciates these. The other cookies are Christmas biscotti with dried cranberries and pistachios covered with a sugar glaze. The exterminator who came by was really impressed with them. I offered him one, but apparently he's diabetic and didn't want to end up in the hospital. His loss. They are awesome!
Well, amid all the shopping and wrapping and baking and cleaning, I've hardly had time to think, much less sit down and rest. But yesterday I had a one hour haven from the storm. I went to get my hair cut. Let me tell you, I love my salon! It's an Aveda day spa. I love Aveda. I discovered them back when I lived in Seattle, and I've only gone to their salons since.

At my salon they give you a smock to change into so you don't get little hairs all over your shirt. They give you a cold drink. The stylist starts by massaging oil into my scalp. This is very nice, I must say. Then a shampoo and cut and blowdry. Then she flat-irons my hair, and I always love the way it looks afterwards. She is so great, and she always listens and doesn't argue. I hate stylists who argue with me. I know what I want my hair to look like!

And while this is going on, a teenager comes by with a tube of hand cream and gives me a complimentary hand massage! And I get to just sit for an hour and do nothing but relax. It's really the best money I ever spend on myself.

So the countdown has begun, and the space under the tree is full of presents. We going to go to the Children's Mass at our church tomorrow night. My favorite part, though, will be watching my children's excited faces as they see all their new toys. I can't wait!

Almost Christmas

The tree is up...and uh, there are a few presents under it...mostly from Grandma and Pawpaw. Hurray! So, yes, I looked around and realized that Christmas is in 5 days, and I hadn't bought a single thing for my boys. Not one. Do I suck? Just a little. To be sure, I have a list of some big stuff for Brad to pick up when he goes to Walmart...hopefully soon. But I've been so busy buying presents to ship out on time and then buying gifts for my wonderful brother to haul down to the family for me, that well, I've not been thinking about the presents that will be staying here. Plus, well, I'm a procrastinator. I'll just never be the person who has all her presents bought before December rolls around. You people, I both envy and hate you! You know who you are.

Anyway, I've been so busy lately, and the cold weather has been affecting my arthritis. I couldn't wait for winter to set in, and now I can't stop aching. But wah, wah, wah. Not about me, is it? So I sucked it up, and with a splitting headache, hauled my kids to Target today. At lunch time, no less. We went to the drive through at Wendy's first, and then we munched on french fries and nuggets as we wondered around the toy aisles. I let the kids play with toys, and then as they wandered off to look at something else, I threw some of them into the cart. I'm going to wrap them up! They'll never know!

It's finally getting cold around here! It was 31 out an hour ago when I shoved Jackson in the car for school. We only live 3 blocks away, and he always wants to walk, but we were running late, and did I mention, it was cold!!!

But I'm not complaining. Texas weather is so weird. It was in the 70's just the other day. It was up in the 80's last weekend. It will probably do that again .

But, what I wanted to write about was food! Those of you who know me well know I love to eat. And when it finally gets chilly, I actually love to get in the kitchen and cook. Cold-weather foods are my favorites.

In the past couple of weeks, I've made turkey noodle soup, beef stew, coq au vin, ribollita con verdure, and chicken pot pie. Brad made a tasty oyster stew on Sunday. The best part of all these dishes are the leftovers. Stews and soups always taste better the second or even third day around.

And I've fixed myself more cups of Earl Grey tea than I can possibly count. I've got a pot brewing in the kitchen as I type. Ooh, and cocoa! I'm a bit of a cocoa snob. No boring powder mixes for me. I made my first cocoa of the season Sunday night. Dutch-process cocoa mixed with milk, half-and-half, heavy cream, and vanilla. Man, it was sinfully rich and delicious! Not something to drink every night since I'd be as big as a house.

Now I'm thinking of making something gingerbready and something pepperminty.

But with all that said, I have to tell you about Brad. He just got a big promotion at work. According to office law, he's required to bring in donuts for everyone. Well, the big man decided to go all out and made this:A chocolate cheesecake! All by himself. He went shopping for the ingredients and even cleaned the kitchen afterwards! I only had to lie on the couch and tell him where to find everything in the kitchen. Of course, I don't get to eat any of it! Not one single, fricking bite. Life is so unfair!

Christmas Tree

First, Brad's snowman!Okay, on to the tree. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is unpacking my ornaments. Seeing them always brings back memories of when I bought the ornaments, or in some cases, who gave them to me. It makes me quite sappy and sentimental. So, with that said, here are some of my favorites:

This is probably the oldest one I have. My best friend, Erika (of the past 23 years) gave this to me in high school. I would guess it's about 19 or 20 years old!
Here's another one from high school, given to me by another good friend. I still keep in touch with him as well through the internet.
This one was made by Jackson's teacher the year he was in daycare.
This one is for Brad.
This, too, is for Brad, since he'll always remember his Oilers. Luv 'ya Blue!
Here's the new family at Petsmart when Jackson was an infant. I need to haul everyone back out there to take a new picture, but I've been afraid.
This one is for me, well, just because.
And what Christmas tree couldn't use a fighter jet?
I started buying personalized ornaments with the kids' names on them each year. I've got one with Noah's name on it as well.
This one is Noah's favorite...
and this one is Jackson's.
Hmm, maybe I should take a picture of the entire tree!

Parade of Lights