New Years "Campout" 2008-09

Picnic with "camp" food (hot dogs, tater tots, chips, veggies, fruit, and cheese)

Little Hauss' first tent (a tad small, but he didn't notice)

Roasting Marshmallows (in our wood stove) for Smores

SMORES! Little Hauss doesn't get chocoate very often, so this was big treat!

Helping Daddy blow the fire off the marshmallows....Zoey watching hoping for some crumbs!

Zeus and Zoey trying get in the tent with Mommy and Little Hauss

Our "Campout" was a success. Little Hauss LOVED his tent and making smores! We watched 2 movies and some football, played some games, and just hung out! Little Hauss made it until about 10:30, and finally zonked out! I really wasn't too far behind him. I can't remember the last time I saw the ball actually drop??? I'm getting old!

Today, we've already undecorated the house and it always makes me a little sad! I get used to the normalness eventually, but the tree, lights, and all the specialness from the Christmas decorations just makes the house seem so much warmer. I guess I'll just have to keep on redecorating to finally get it how I want it to be all the time!! I'm sure Hubby will LOVE that. More work for him! I'm hoping to get the light fixtures hung tomorrow!

So, on another note, the HOKIES play today in the Orange Bowl at 8pm! We are having our bestest friends over to watch with us. We haven't seen this couple in way too long.....so it should be fun! We usually see them on a weekly basis, but with all the hustle and bustle from the holidays, its been about a month! I've got turkey and beef sliders, baked beans (mom's recipe), veggies, and kicked up brownies (extra chocolatey with icing) on the menu. Can't wait.

Marley and Me

What a WONDERFUL movie. Take the girls, your sweetie, or family to see it! Its one of the best I've seen in a while.....

I've had my fix.....

Oh, I love my girls!!! They keep me grounded, real, SANE!
We usually have happy hours weekly, or monthly (aka, whenever works) girls nights, but lately, its been non existant!!!
Now, we've seen each other out and about here and there over the past few months, but no "real" girl time! I NEED my girl time! Hubby wants me to have my girl time!!! Really!
SO, one of the girls was in town for the holidays and we had Christmas Cocktails last Monday, and it was wonderful! Then, a few of us went out on Friday night to a local Bar and had a mini reunion with friends in from out of town! Last night was a quiet, low key dinner with a small group and TONIGHT we went to see a movie - Marley and Me!
First of all, I love my girls nights....did you get that? BUT, more than that, I LOVE Hubby for agreeing to all the nights out!!! He's picked up all the slack and not whined or complained about it one bit!!!! Loving it! I think I'm done for a bit....there is some major football to watch coming up in the next few days, and I seriously doubt he'll be so willing to let me run amok with the girlies!
So, I've had my fix......it should last me a couple weeks!

The House!

New Curtains!
New Bedding!

New Towels!

New Shower Curtain!

Christmas Tree (New Rug)

Pictures from Christmas

Little Hauss' new "game center" from Mauggie and Papa

Little Hauss, Mauggie, Papa and Cousin

My Little Line Backer!!!

Look what I got?? So much fun!

Kung Fu Panda from Minisoda Anderson

Little Hauss got daddy some gel odor eaters! He was THRILLED!

A new board game!

Doggies enjoying their new bones!

Binoculars - goes along with his new magazine "My Big Backyard"

Loot from Santa - rest was wrapped under the tree from Mommy and Daddy!

Just about done....

With the redecorating...well, decorating.
Really, it shouldn't take 3 years to get it all done, but I've had other things going on and just have done stuff bit by bit....
In the last house, we were only there 3 years, and I knew that we would move sooner than later, so I did bare minimum!

Ok, so, no pics yet, but they are coming soon...TONIGHT!!! Its my goal!

Some of the things I've DONE:

New Chocolate Brown Shower Curtain, Turquois/Aqua towels, New Bath accessories (brown/beige/turquoise stripe)

New bed linens (ice blue) including pillows, shams, bedskirt, chocolate brown curtains and valances (excuse the ugly curtain rod!!! - didn't know that I needed decorative until we were in the midst of hanging)

Moved old bedroom curtains into office, but then took out desk and will turn into a craft room or possibly a spare room?? still comtimplating that one! HOPEFULLY one day it could be a nursery - but don't hold your breath!!!

New rug for living room/den

New light fixtures for kitchen - not up yet, but bought them yesterday.

Next on the TO DO LIST:

Paint vanity base in bathroom dark brown/black, new mirror in bathroom - have really old framed mirror from my great mammy, but mirror will need to be replaced and frame is brass so will paint that too, and new light fixture (since the one we have now is attached to the hideous medicine cabinet - YUCK!)

Install hood vent in kitchen (way overdue) and tile backsplash

Get new carpet for upstairs!!!

Paint shutters and front door and pressure wash deck then stain (0bviously spring/summer projects)

So, hopefully by late summer, I'll have most of the projects done and then I'm sure I'll find something else I'll want to do!!! Hubby will LOVE that. We only got divorced about 4 times over the weekend - hehe.....

Merry Christmas and Happy Almost New Year!

So, it was a whirlwind.....but very enjoyable!

The festivities started on Christmas Eve. Gigi and Pop were here and we all had a great breakfast at a local diner (aka DIVE) but it was delish! I think 5 of us ate for about $20!!! We made the annual trip to Walmart to get last minute stocking stuffers and then I visited with friends in town for the holidays. Little Hauss and I made some yummy sugar cookies with icing for Santa (um....yeah, right out of a bag!!! NOW, I can do that) that Hubby and I ate most of before they made it to the plate!
We headed to my in-laws for the Christmas Eve Open House. They have a few family and friends over every year and we eat til we are stuffed and just enjoy each other's company. So, off to Church we went....late service of course because I have to sing in the Choir!!! I'm not really sure how much longer I'll do it on Christmas Eve only because it is getting harder and harder to fanagle with Little Hauss.
Ok, now for the big day!!! We got to sleep in until 7:15!!!!!! This is late in case you didn't get that!!! Usually we are up at 6am! Santa was good to him....lots of games and fun things to play with. Then gifts between the 3 of us~ OUR FIRST TIME!!!! It hasn't worked out in the last 4 years to have a Christmas with just us! It was wonderful. So, we then headed over to Gigi and Pop's for a great breakfast and TONS of presents!!!! It really was a wonderful Christmas for everyone. BUT, just crazy busy!!!
We headed home for a 3 hour nap...yes, we all took one! And then up we were, off to Christmas dinner!!! By the time we got home, poor Little Hauss hadn't had a chance to play with one toy!!!! Busy day!
Then, it started over again with Mauggie and Papa and Hubby's family! Big breakfast and the boys running nutso! TONS more presents to open! There was a little scuffle over sharing but its because this is the FIRST Christmas they haven't gotten identical gifts. Mostly the same, but a few things were different....they have to learn sometime! The BEST gift was a personalized dvd for each boy! Little Hauss was Spiderman....it was really neat. I'll find out the website and post the link....he loved that he was a super hero!
After all the celebrations, mom and I went shopping!!! I usually shop after Christmas, but not after Thanksgiving! I want decorations, wrapping paper, etc....but this year, I was on a mission for curtains and housewares! Great Sales!!!
Well, I promise to post pictures!!!! pinky swear!