Christmas is DONE...

Kinda.  Not really.  We still have two more. :-/
However, what we've done so far has been wonderful. Tuesday after work I went back up to Granny Morgan's for a Mexican lunch since I got off early.  I went and got the boys and proceeded to attend Christmas at my step-dad's moms home.  We normally just do gifts, but this year we did dinner as well.
And apparently I didn't upload those photos yet... :-/ bummer.
Wednesday morning we woke up and opened Santa presents and our presents to each other.  The boys racked up, Ayden was thoughtful and got me and Darrell gifts, and Darrell was more than good to me. After hanging out a bit, we threw on our jackets over our PJ's and went to my Aunt Jamie's for Breakfast Burritos. One more Christmas tradition we like to have. My camera died, so I don't have photos of breakfast.
Or of the Jones Family Christmas Christmas evening. Oh well, I was there.... that's about as good as it's gonna get! I DO however have family photos that we took! and let me say... this photo that my google account made pretty much sums it up.  Out of 12 photos... I've got two that if I can mash them together, will work.

I swear, at one point in this photo, you can see me say "STOP!" lol And you can see the door beginning to open!

my pick for favorite

I got this awesome new shirt from my honey...

LOVE IT!

We've still got my step moms family Christmas this Saturday in Lincoln, Arkansas.  And on January 11th, we'll finally get to have our family Christmas with my Dad.  Now, we just have to figure out when we can make it towards Jonesboro to see Darrell's family.
How did your Christmas turn out?

Weigh In Wednesday ~ Day after Christmas Edition!

Here it is folks... I'm up 2.4 lbs for the holiday... Geeze. Thats perspective. Even my toes look fat!
Again, I haven't done much to try to remedy my situation, but I'm so looking forward to my new regiment starting on the first.  I've got a week to plan, prep, and prepare (myself and others) for my change in life.  And this time I'm going to do it! What are your suggestions to make this whole thing work?
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Christmas follow up later today!

Weigh in Wednesday ~ Christmas Edition!

Happy Christmas Eve!!
I'm up and at em this morning since I've got to work today. Hoping it goes by quickly and that we get to leave a tad early.
Here's today's weight:

I said I'd weigh in today since tomorrow will be filled with wrapping paper and smiles. I'll try to weigh in again on Thursday to see just how much the holidays really effect the outcome.
Tonight we have presents to open at my Memaw Alice's home. Its tradition to do presents and snacks on Christmas Eve, then Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, we won't be able to make it this year as another side of the family is having their dinner Christmas day.
I plan on letting the kids and Darrell open their pajamas tonight. I hope they like them. Everyone needs new pajamas for Christmas!
Christmas morning my mom and step dad and brother and sister will be joining us for the boys to open their presents, then we always go to my aunts house for breakfast burritos. We always wear our pajamas over there for that too!
I'm pretty excited for the boys to get their presents this year. And to get to spend the Holiday with Darrell for the first time. :)
Merry Christmas everyone!

Pre-Christmas Sentiments

Christmas is finally close enough to say it's here!
We started our holidays off on Saturday, with my dad's side of the family.  We always meet at my granny Morgans for food, presents for the kids, and a dirty Santa gift exchange for the adults.  Darrell and I didn't participate this year, as we have been financially strapped this month. Good thing it's not mandatory! lol The boys racked up on gifts...

I took some precious photos of my Nephew (little Bill) and his mommy and daddy for Christmas

And I enjoyed watching my 87 year old grandmother open her gifts.

Theres just something about that toothless smile that I love so much.  I spend a great amount of time with her as a child, and  everyone will tell you that I'm her favorite... She will too! lol 

I picked my little brother up after the Morgan Christmas and we went home to cook... and cook and cook.  

Sunday we had the annual cookie party that my Aunt Jamie throws.  I swear it gets bigger and bigger every year!

 Ayden (8)

 Remington (6)

 Little Bro Todd (16)

 My other very special Granny Rose. She's 80

 Cousin Madi and her bf Warren

 Madi and Desaree (15)

I worked last night trying to make sure we get paid before the holiday... now that I'm at work and still waiting on everyone else to do their part of payroll, I see that my efforts were not well spent.  It will now be Friday before I get paid.  A WHOLE DAY AFTER normal payday.  Things like this frustrate me. Not that I won't get paid till a day later than normal, but that no one else does their job in  a timely manner. :-/

Weigh in Wednesday happens tomorrow... I'll also note more stuff about the Resolution Revolution that I've signed up for with Jessi. I can't wait to get started! 

These are a few of my favorite things...

Or at least a few things at the top of my list that I would like to receive.

I know the holidays aren't about receiving, but occasionally people ask what I'd like.  Most of the time I ask for things that I actually need instead of want. But I usually WANT things that I need too... if that makes sense.

For instance... I need new tennis shoes. The pair I'm currently wearing I've had for 3+ years.  The pair before that? Close to 7 years.  I typically would wear these until there wasn't any tread left, but it seems I've rubbed a hole in the sides where I cross my feet at my desk...

 Oops!

 I currently wear New Balances... (size 8.5 please) I love the way they fit, my feet rarely hurt, and I always seem to go for a running shoe, even though I'm not a runner. (yet)

I need a shampooer... as often as I clean my carpets myself, I just need to invest in one.  My aunt let me borrow her work one around March. I borrowed one from my other aunt this past weekend and knocked them out before the holidays. I can't stand to be able to smell smells, and thanks to my dog, I could smell smells.  I have what I call "pregnant nose". It's when you can smell EVERYTHING while your pregnant.  However, I'm not pregnant, (THANK GOD) it just never went away after I had Remington. It's crazy. Anyway, needless to say, the dog is now an outside dog now, even though I feel terrible about it.


Which brings me to another need.  A dog house. Not that the damned thing would get used.  My dog isn't the brightest.  When I put him in the back yard, I have to put him on a runner because he digs out from under the fence. I made sure the runner is long enough that he can get under the porch awning comfortably, and that his bed is reachable.  The stupid thing won't even get in the bed unless I put him in it.  He sat out in the rain the other day... laid in the snow another day... doesn't even get under the awning. Stupid... Maybe, just MAYBE he'd use a dog house?

Doubt it... 

I recently purchased this hand little do-dad.

and I FREAKING love it! Pretty ingenious, and quite frankly, I'm a little upset that I didn't come up with it myself. It's a 20 oz Mini Crock Pot that you can use on the go to heat your soup or whatever you want.  Plug it in for a couple of hours, and lunch is ready when you are! It's got a top that "pops" when your food is warm and it really does heat it well. I got mine on Amazon.com here as a lightening deal and it was a darn good investment.   It has a removable container that you can store in the fridge and makes for easy cleanup.  Since I already have one, you're probably wondering why I've posted it on my want/need list.  Well, what I actually NEED is more removable bowls so I don't HAVE to clean this one each night. :)


A few other things that I think would be good gifts? See below:
- A gift certificate for a car detail (or two since I have two vehicles)
- Gift Certificates for a mani/pedi (from Le Nails in Van Buren, of course)
- Gift Certificate to get my hair done.  I'm in desperate need for a cut and color since it's been since April!
- Any kind of Mirror.  Big, small, I love them all!
- Wine.  And that's a NEED. In order for me to make it through the holidays, sometimes I need a little help.  Here's my favorite. (And just so you know, you can buy it by the case at my local liquor store, Sooner Liquor)

Primo Amore Moscato

Anyway, these are a few of my favorite things. I'll probably think of more here and there, and I'll update it along the way. Just don't let me forget!

Festive Favorites Linkup

This post is a linkup with Jennifer over at FatChick2FitChick check her out!

  

• Favorite Christmas song: "Oh Holy Night" (sang the correct way) and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee. 
• Christmas song you can’t stand: ... *crickets*
• Favorite holiday movie: Home Alone & Christmas Story
• Real or artificial tree?: Artificial
• White or colored lights?: White :) 
• All matching ornaments or more random personal ornaments?: Both... in moderation
• Favorite ornament: Anything that my two boys have made 
• Angel or star tree-topper?: Bow... but my son insisted that we have a Star... so we have both. 
• Does Santa wrap presents or leave them unwrapped?: Santa leaves presents unwrapped
• Favorite childhood memory: When I was little, I used to wait restlessly on Santa to come! One year, my sister and I woke around 3 in the morning, but knew better than to wake our parents.  We decided to play Nintendo until everyone got up... somewhere around 5, my dad comes trotting down the hallway, in his tighty-whiteys and yelled at my sister and I, "If I hear that thing go "whoop, whoop" one more time, I'm going to "whoop, whoop" all over your ass!"  Needless to say, we went back to bed and didn't wake again until around 10!
• Coffee, hot chocolate, or eggnog?: Yes!
• Christmas morning at home or do you travel?: YES! We've recently started to have Christmas at home because I purchased my first home last year.
  
   But, we still do LOTS of traveling. 
• Traditional holiday meal or something unconventional?: Traditional
• Personalized photo Christmas cards, store bought cards, e-cards, or “ain’t nobody got time for that”?: I used to do personalized Christmas Photo cards... now, I do good to write names on all of the gifts! 

Finish the Sentence... Christmas Edition!

This is officially my first link up... and I'm not real sure that I'm doing it right, or that I'm even allowed, but here it is! If anyone reads this and would like to do the same, click go on over to Holly's page and follow the instructions! 

1. My favorite Christmas was....

When I was little, I used to wait restlessly on Santa to come! One year, my sister and I woke around 3 in the morning, but knew better than to wake our parents.  We decided to play Nintendo until everyone got up... somewhere around 5, my dad comes trotting down the hallway, in his tighty-whiteys and yelled at my sister and I, "If I hear that thing go "whoop, whoop" one more time, I'm going to "whoop, whoop" all over your ass!"  Needless to say, we went back to bed and didn't wake again until around 10!

2. The worst Christmas I had...

I'm not sure I've ever had one.  Holidays were always hard for me because I had divorced parents that had remarried. There were always so many people to see, lots of people I didn't get to see, and lots of time spent making everyone else happy.

3. That one gift that made me scratch my head and say, "Hmmmm" was...

A bible from my grandmother, with my name spelt completely wrong.  And she thought it was right. 

4. One year I....

Received a fur (ish) vest from a grandmother... Absolutely hideous.  It had four or five kinds of fur, and it just wasn't me.  My mother re gifted it and it was done.
The very next year, I received the exact same vest from a "secret sister" at church... MIND. BLOWN.

5. I think the worst gift to give is....

Nothing. If I have nothing to purchase for a person, they at least get a card. Something homemade. Something. Anything.

6. At Christmastime I typically....

Freak out... I'm always worried about everyone but me. I've got to learn to loosen up.

7. Typically, family Christmas....

Is CRAZY.  So many people, so many families, so much running. 

8. If I could change one thing about the Holiday season....

It would last longer.  Each holiday should be at least two days long.  Some of us need more than a day to make it everywhere, others need the second day to recuperate from the one day!

9. It is so hard to buy for....

My honey.  Always. No matter who he is! (Luckily there has only been two)

10. My favorite Christmas tradition is...

Opening presents in my OWN home ON Christmas morning. I purchased my first home last year and it was SOOOO nice to wake up and let my kids open their presents in their very own house and then not have to load them up immediately to move to the next place. 

11. Santa, baby, bring me...

YOGA GEAR! I've became addicted to yoga this year. I need my very own mat and video, so that I can give my sisters back.   A subscription to Yogaglo.com would be handy too! :-)