Happy New Year!

I know it's three days into the New Year, but I've been busy! It's hard for me to fathom that I have to go back to work tomorrow and we start second semester registration tomorrow. Where did the two weeks go???

Let's see. First I cleaned house. Whenever I'm off, I have to clean house. I can't truly relax when it's messy. I also had the Cookie party to attend, so I had cookies to bake and dessert too!

I also shopped a bit, even tho most of my shopping was done online. Shopping required me to wrap presents, so I did that for a day. Then there was cooking. I had to make Cheeseballs, some cookies and a few desserts. But I like cooking and baking, when I don't have to go to work.

I'll have to agree with the rest of the family and say it was one of the best Christmas' we've had in awhile. All the kids were here, including Erica, her first Christmas with us. We went to Daniel and Felicia's new house for Christmas day. It was nice to have them entertain us. Daniel is a fantastic cook as is Felicia, and they work well in the kitchen together. Dinner was very, very yummy!

The day after Christmas, we played tourist in our hometown, showing Erica the Naval Aviation Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse. We climbed all 177 steps to the top! Famished from all that activity, we finished the evening at Mellow Mushroom eating pizza.

I spent a few days of the break watching football, which was really nice on the new big screen TV. I think we made the right decision to get it! Rick went back to work Monday, so I did my clean house, do laundry and cook routine for a few days. I truly am happy living that life. Throw in a few lunches with the girls and I'd be set for life! Lunch was followed by a trip to Hobby Lobby where, Surprise! I bought stuff. I hadn't been in Hobby Lobby for weeks. I was due.

Wednesday I was off to Tampa/St.Pete to see the girls. I made a stop at She Scrapbooks with Teri. We found lots in there we needed, including an adorable recipe book that I'm going to work on during the beach crop. Teri has finished hers already, so now I'm dying to do mine. I got to Kips and she took me to Harvey's for dinner! I think I have a new favorite restaurant in St. Pete!
New Years Eve day was a trip to IKEA, a first for Kip. We needed a big breakfast to be ready for such a big shopping trip so a trip to Skyway Jacks was in order. SOOOYUMMMMY! Then off to IKEA to break in the virgin Kip. She was so funny! She'd see something she liked and write it down on the list. Then she'd take two steps, see something else, cross off the last thing and write that down. She finally settled on a new TV stand, a laundry hamper, some yummmy Krusballs and a few other little things. A quick Publix run and then home for a nap to rest up for our big night out with the Stones!

Phenomenal! The Stones are a cover band for Rolling Stones music. If you didn't know it wasn't the real Mick Jagger up there, You'd swear it was the real Mick. We had so much fun being the band groupies, watching the band, dancing, and cutting up. We had the perfect seats for the fireworks at Channelside too! We made it home safe and sound well after midnight.

Sleeping in was on our agenda for New Years day. I was supposed to leave, but decided to postpone it a day. Not because I was hungover (I wasn't) but to "help" Kip put her new TV stand together. Plus Linda had promised us the night before that she would make black eyed peas for dinner, so I had to stay for Good Luck, right? I wasn't disappointed. The black eyed peas were so good, as was the pork loins, rice and the cake was so good, I had TWO pieces!!!

The trip home was routine. Once I was off the I75 raceway the drive on I10 was relaxing. I was home in a little over 7 hours with no trouble. Got home, rested a bit, then began taking down Christmas. Here I sit 24 hours later and it's done. So now I'm off to scrap a bit.

Tomorrow morning is coming wayyyyyy too soon!