South Florida Morning

The long drive down here is always worth it. It's a wonderfully different world down here. Well worth the trip.
My car (a rental) didn't have Cruise control. Well, it does, but either I can't figure out how to make it work, or it's not working at all. After an hour and a half on the road, I called THRIFTY and they said I could return the car to Pensacola or drive to Jax or Tampa to return it. NO rental places in between. I decided to tough it out and proceed on. Using the cruise is only good traveling across I 10. Once I get on I 75 there's too much traffic to use cruise. Needless to say, I will not be renting from THRIFTY again. I guess there's a reason it's THRIFTY. Plus the car is older (08) and reeks of cologne. UGH!
But all I endured is worth it once I get here!
I stopped at The Villages to shop with Teri a bit. She had never been to She Scrapbooks. What a nice store! We both bought cookbook kit. Then we found a wonderful little dog store, I picked up some real Wisconsin Cheddar treats for my buddies, Max and Mudge. I can't walk in the door without something for them can I? Of course, they loved me for that. Sorry Michele, they have a new favorite "Aunt".
Finally got to Kip's. After freshening up, we headed to Harvey's for dinner. I have a new favorite place! I love the atmosphere! When you walk in the door, they had their huge, REAL Christmas tree! Just beautiful! Here's Kip by the tree, see how big it is!

 

Another picture from our table. I can't get over how big it was for a real tree in South Florida. I wonder where they got it from?

 

All the food that went by me as I was ordering looked so yummm! I decided on a Club sandwich, and truly was not disappointed! I opted for the potato salad, and usually when you get potato salad it's like, well, unh? Not this! SO YUMMMMM!!!! and of course my favorite dessert, Dill pickle! LOL! So good! I'd eat there every time I come down! That's Harvey's in St. Pete!

 

Today we're off to IKEA. I can hardly wait. Kip's never been, she's going to love it. I hope I can stay within my budget! I hope to see a few of our friends tonite. We're going out for NEW YEARS!!!! Melanie's hubby is playing in a band and we're going to go listen. HOW fun! I can't even remember how long it's been since I was out on New Years Eve!
Happy New Year everyone!!!

The last of the Christmas Adventure Photos!

ETA: I have three posts in a row that I've posted today. Of course they posted backwards so the first one is actually last. I don't know how to fix it, so just keep scrolling to see everything. I hope you enjoy the pictures! I'm being a lazy bum today, enjoying the peace and quiet after 5 days of company.
The day after Christmas, we decided to take Erica to the Naval Aviation Museum on the base. If you've never been, you need to go. If you have little boys, it's better than Disney! Lots of great history preserved there and it's free! We spent a few hours walking through looking at all the displays.
I don't care how old you are, once you get to the part where you can climb in the cockpit and pretend to be a Top Gun pilot, you have to do it! Kevin's all time favorite movie is Top Gun. When it first came out (on Beta) he would watch it every day. He has the movie memorized and says the lines right along with it. He has been doing that since he was 4. So here's Top Gun Kevin.

 

And just to prove girls look just as good in a Cockpit, here's Erica!

 

After the museum, we drove by the Pensacola Lighthouse. It was open! We had to go in. I'd never been to the top, and it's one of the things I've always wanted to do. So we did! 177 steps later and out of breath, we were rewarded with the most beautiful views. This picture looks up into the light. These are the reflective prisms of the light.

 

Just to prove I did it,(I don't like heights) I had Kevin take our picture. Don't I look relaxed? You can't see the death grip I have on Rick, or that my back is against the lighthouse as tight as I could get it. I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of falling. I would be okay up there with a few people, but there were little kids and I was sooo nervous! But it was fun, I'm glad I can say I did it. All 177 steps!

 

More Pictures from Christmas

The tree, despite missing several lights, our tree was just as pretty as always. I begged the kids to take some of the ornaments home, but they refused. They said it wouldn't be our tree if it didn't have all the ornaments on it.

 

What has the world come too? We didn't light a fire in the fireplace. Didn't need too, WGN had Christmas music and a fire going all Christmas morning. It looked good on the new big screen and since we're in Florida, we didnt' need the warmth!

 

Santa Baby! Patrick looking all Santa with his hat.

 

Daniel and Erica in their new kitchen, getting ready to start dinner. They were so excited!

 

Keep Scrolling!

All the Things I've Been Meaning to Show You (til the battery died)

I know, you'd think since I've been home all week, I'd have been a better blogger. Well, I intended to. But I'd taken pictures and didn't download them. Then the camera battery was dead. I couldn't find my charger. So, last night, I finally remembered where I'd put the charger (where it belongs). So here's a few pictures from the week I've been off. Of course Blogger doesn't let you put more than 4 pictures at at time, so scroll down a few posts.
In the course of looking for rogue Christmas ornaments I've stuck here and there, I came across this box of beauties hidden in the hutch. My mom always had these for as long as I can remember. We put them on our Christmas dinner table with name cards. It felt so special. So now I have them, and the box!

 

Some doilies I found in her stuff too. We'd originally priced them for the yard sale, but I must have had second thoughts and kept them. Now, will I use them? We'll see!

 

Kevin relaxing in the recliner with Boots the cat. Boots loved having extra warm bodies to cuddle with over the weekend.

 

Erica and I watching classic Christmas movies, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!. How did I ever grow up and not see this classic Santa movie. OH MY! Talk about cheesy! It was so bad we had to watch. What a classic.

 

Cookie Party 09

Last night was the Cookie Party. So much fun! I can't tell you EVERYTHING that goes on, as you can see we were reminded at the door......

 

But I can tell you we have a great time, eating and drinking or drinking and eating, playing a few games, winning a few prizes, exchanging a few cookies, telling a few stories and having more fun than should be allowed. Ann gives us a theme every year, and we were supposed to color coordinate with the theme. Well, this year Ann switched the theme in October, so some of us had the theme she told us from last December and some had the new theme. I had a combination of both. My cookies were packed in the Light blue, turquoise and Purple snowflake theme of last December. My gifts followed the 12 days of Christmas theme she decided in October. It was all fun no matter what the theme. Next year we are "goin' Green"
Everyone has to tell about their cookies and the recipe. Last night there were a few crazy tales, stressed out bakers and lots of laughs. OH MY GAWD! LOL! Here's the table full of our creations. Everyone boxes theirs up and at the end we all go through and take a box.

 

Here are all of us from this year. Usually, it's mostly the same people, but sometimes you aren't asked back, sometimes we add new people. We didn't add any one new this year. There were a couple who couldn't come. But basically this is us. We're all wearing our new aprons that Ann gave us. They say, "what happens at the cookie party, stays at the cookie party!" Some people won mugs or ornaments that say that too. We also got bags with the same thing on them, filled with the 12 days of Christmas, Ann Style. That's another blog post!

 

We play greedy Santa, and we also bring one gift to put in the big prize basket. At the end of the night one person gets to take home the big prize basket. This year Natalee won, here she is with her prize basket. She got some cool stuff, yankee candles, a cutting board, lotions, soaps, socks, and a few other cool things.

 

It was a fun night, and despite our pre stress, well worth all that we go through to find the perfect cookie, the perfect presents and it ends in a perfect night. Thanks Ann for all that you do!

Christmas Break!!!

I MADE IT!!!! Christmas Break is here and I've survived with most of my hair intact and not grey. Even with the business that is going to happen the next few days, it's going to be a wonderful two weeks.
I say that because really, I have no plans. I have cookies to bake, presents to wrap, cards to send, and parties to attend. Most of the time, when I'm off work, I'm not home. I'm off on an adventure. Not that there won't be a trip worked in somewhere this break, but for the most part, I'm home.
My kids will be here too. This year Erica is coming home with Kevin. We're excited about that. We're all going to Daniel and Felicia's new house for Christmas day. Daniel is doing the cooking, but I'm sure momma will have to help. Somewhere, somehow, I have to be in the kitchen. I managed to get in there during Thanksgiving, I'll get there for Christmas too. I just don't like others doing for me.
I can't believe it's less than a week til Christmas. I've so much to do! But I'm ahead of where I was last year at this time. Just a few more presents to buy. I know what I'm getting those people, except one or two.
I'm rambling. Time to get moving, time to make the magic happen! I love making the magic happen!

The Rain Didn't Rain on My Parade!

To say that it rained this weekend would be a huge understatement. I contemplated building an ark! This morning it poured! I mean can't see the street in front of the house poured! Puddle upon puddle raining going on here! But I didn't let that stop me.

We got the tree up. Not without panic mind you, but it's up. We got what I thought were all the ornaments onto the tree. Remember sticker sneeze? Yeah, we have ornament sneeze. Then I found ANOTHER huge tin full of ornaments. I thought we were missing some, but I couldn't remember what, until I found the tin. So we worked some more on the tree. Now it looks like ornament elephant sneeze.

But I was in a panic. I thought some of my, I hesitate to use the word vintage, but they are, ornaments were missing. Specifically the reddish pink, Silent Night ball that's been on every single Christmas tree our family has had since probably before I was born. I just couldn't find it. After two days of searching, fretting and worry, there it was. Right in front of me the whole time, if it would have been a snake it would have had several opportunities to bite. So it's on the tree where it belongs, and my heart is at rest.

So the tree is done. The Nativities are up (we have 3), the snowmen are in their places, the santas are in the hallway and the angels have taken roost in the dining room. In a few more days, I'll have the stuff put here and there and I can call it DONE. But at least the tree was done on the 12th, didn't want to break that family cardinal sin.

Patrick thought it was a sin that his dad put up the one Nativity. He considers that his Nativity and his job. Oh well, he should get out of bed before noon. We got to talking about that Nativity and Rick said he can always remember having that Nativity at home. So he called his parents to see how long it had been in the family and where they got it. They didn't even remember having one! So I took a picture and sent it, that jogged their memory about having it, but don't remember how long or where it came from. LOL!

Putting the tree up put me in the Christmas mood. We played Christmas music all day long, it was fun. So since I was in the mood, I did some shopping, mostly online. OH how I love that!!! Found what I need mostly with free shipping, shopped in my jammies with my coffee right here! Rick even kept it filled for me! I just love that!

I saw Kevin's girlfriend, Erica, on FB, and she gave me some great ideas for his Christmas. Went from FB to online shopping, ordered his gifts, and was done in 10 minutes. Still in my Jammies! Love it!

So with my shopping spree today both online and at the Navy Exchange, I am almost done. One kid left and a few odds and ends and I'm done! YEAH!!!! All I have to do is wrap once UPS comes.

All that, dinner and movie with the hubby, a Packers win, and it was a great weekend. So what if it rained! Not on my parade!

Does the rain EVER END?

Another rainy day in Florida. Yep, more liquid sunshine! A good day to stay in the house, get everything done so that if it ever lets up, we can go somewhere! I guess it beats 16 inches of snow!

It's been a busy week, not Christmas busy, but gearing up for next semester busy. I'm glad that's done and out of the way. We were supposed to have our work Christmas party, but since it was going to be out in a field, bonfire type party. We canceled it because of the rain.

So maybe tonite the hubby and I can go to a movie. But I have a house to finish decorating first. Anyone want to help?

Need to work on the old blog here. I'm sure the leaves have fallen off those trees. And you're tired of looking at the cards I made a few weeks ago. hmmm what to add? I'll have to find some snow pictures. I think I have a few of those. So what's been going on with my life? hmmmmm, see below.

ONLINE SHOPPING - I've been doing quite a bit of online shopping this year. I've found a few new favorites and a couple of old ones. So if you are looking for something different to get, here's a few of my ideas.

Galena Canning Company - Galena is a quaint, very old, very historic town just north of where I grew up. I love to visit there as it's full of wonderful, old shops filled with unique gifts. Last time I was home, I found Galena Canning Company. It's a wonderful place filled with all kinds of things your granny would have canned. And a few things Grandpa wishes she'd have come up with! My guys love these!

But I prefer the Strawberry Rhubarb spread. If you want, you can get a gift crate and give both! Check it out!

Even tho I live in Florida, my tootsies get cold in the winter. So I found The Sock Lady. Her socks are so soft warm and cuddly! And you don't have to worry about matching socks, they come mismatched!!!

Lots of colors, styles, sizes. Don't be surprised if these show up in your stocking!!

So those are two of my ideas for Christmas. I hope if you are on my list, you won't be disappointed. Of course you don't have to buy me anything, your friendship through the year is enough! Unless of course you are my much, much older sister. Your present isn't listed here, and YOU do have to get me something, because You give the best presents!!!