Birthdays And Gifts

Today we celebrated my birthday two days early. Because we are travelling on the actual day, my husband and the kids gave me my gifts early. I was spoiled! I am truly grateful for my family and the thought they put into these gifts. They got exactly what I wanted without me telling them, well, except for the big gift.

From my husband I got a Wii Fit!! I love it already. I have to say it was really funny seeing my mii get all fat on me, haha. But the best part was that it weighed me 10lbs LESS than my scale at home. Can you believe that? Here I've been going around thinking I have all this extra weight to lose, and I don't! And that was at night too, so I'm going to weigh again first thing in the morning and see what the actual morning weight is. The Wii Fit kicked my butt tonight, but I look forward to mastering more of the games.

From my oldest daughter, I got a red chair cushion for my desk chair, picked out lovingly so I wouldn't have to steal the couch pillows anymore. My son gave me season 1 of True Blood. Awesome!! I love that show. My middle daughter gave me a box of yummy European chocolates that I've had a couple of already. I love chocolate and never buy myself the nice expensive stuff, so this is a real treat. Our youngest didn't get me anything, but she a bit sad about it, so my husband will take her tomorrow to pick out something little for me.

Tomorrow, well, Thursday night, is my actual birthday. My mom is making us dinner at her house, and I'm getting her famous Black Forest Cake for my birthday cake. Yummy!

Since my mom, sister and I don't get together all that often, we usually lump a couple holidays and celebrations in together. This time it will be Mother's Day, my birthday, Mom's birthday and my sister's birthday. My sister is getting me a bunch of really nice hair product, and cutting and coloring, and styling my hair, as my gift. I'm really looking forward to that. She is a professional hair stylist, so I know she'll do a good job.

I had a LOT of trouble picking something out for my sister, but I found the PERFECT gifts for her tonight at Marshall's. I love them, and wish I had some for myself, but since we're not big wine drinkers, it was a waste of money. I can't wait to see her face when she opens them, I know she'll go nutso over them.







I wasn't trying to be all artsy fartsy with the white paper, just trying to hide my disorganized mess of a computer desk. There was also another goblet that had girly things on it like lipstick, "diva", hearts and what not, but I think those two were the best. Aren't they just AWESOME?

Happy 4th Of July

Since it is just the kids and I today, I thought I would make it a little fun for us. Yesterday I went out and purchased some fireworks, which we will set off tonight after it gets a bit darker. I also plan to bbq, hot dogs and hamburgers, and I'll be making a potato dish as well. For dessert, I took Frugal Girls recipe for 4th of July Fruit Kabobs. I just made them, and the kids are dying to eat them. They're very easy to make, but I think Frugal Girls must have had longer bamboo skewers, because I couldn't fit all the food on that they did.

These are very easy to make, just alternate fruit and marshmallows in a 4th of July color scheme. The marshmallows were Kraft Jet Puffed Starmallows. They come in an assorted package with red, white and blue stars in various sizes. The fruit was easy enough to come by, but make sure you pit your cherries. I have a cherry pitter, so it was quite easy. The only fruit I skipped out on were the Grapes, as they were $2.49/lb.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I made the most delicious looking Apple Pie this morning, and my turkey is in the oven. It's just me and the kids today because my hubby is driving in Iowa, and our family is hours away. My mouth is watering at the thought of tender turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls with butter..mmmm...and Apple and Pumpkin pie for desert! Yummy!

I hope everyone has a great day.


**************************

Updated;

Worst food ever.
A few words of advice: Don't ever purchase a pre-made turkey dinner from Safeway. You can cook the pre-cooked turkey for 3.5 hours even though it says only about 1.4 hours and it will still be un-done and pink. Yes, it was not frozen and fully thawed. And grainy mashed potatoes are never any good.

*sigh*

I'm very frustrated. PISSED that I spent the money on a good meal that has been delicious in the past (we had it a few years ago), and awful now. The only good spot of the meal was my apple pie. I'm so disappointed.

Hubby and I are researching foreign foods for Christmas.

I've Been Googled

I have to say, I am very proud of myself this week! I've checked my sitemeter feed (at the verrrrrry bottom of my blog) and have found quite a few referrals to here from google. And it's all because people are wanting to figure out how to make Skeleton Cupcakes for Halloween tomorrow!

Yaay for me!

Once this time of year starts coming, I get into baking mode. I'll probably start doing a lot more baking posts once Thanksgiving is over. The kids and I do a ton of baking in December because we like to have lots of goodies for Christmas. One of our yearly traditions is making a Gingerbread house. Ok, I cheat and buy one pre-made, or pre-assembled, and all we do is decorate. But we have a lot of fun.

Some of my favorite recipes to make are No Bakes, Rollo Cookies, Peanut Butter Fudge, Shortbread, and Rocky Road or Cathedral Fudge, and last but not least, Gingerbread Men.

I can't wait to get baking!

Bored On A Saturday Night?

Then take the Moon Survival quiz!!!

24%

Yes, I really did get only 24%. If you click on the pic, it will bring you to the quiz.

Look for a fun halloween post tomorrow mid afternoon to evening. I've got something fun planned with the kids, and I'll take pictures to show!!

Halloween Is Nearing...

Today while I was at Safeway, I happened upon a cute little cookbook/craft book with tons of different halloween recipes and crafts. The cashier was even surprised they had them, but I just had to have it. There are some really neat ideas in there, and my kids have already poured over it asking me to make most of it. We'll attempt a few I am sure.

Even more proof that Halloween is coming, is the fact that some stores have already started to put Halloween items up online. Right now it is mostly clothing, but I am sure that stuff will come soon.

I ordered these two today, aren't they adorable?






Who else is looking forward to Halloween like me?