Merry Christmas!

                   

Merry Christmas to Me...

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Too Much To Do Today But Just Had to Share...

College son finished his first semester with a 3.6 GPA! 

This is the same boy who hated school, almost got kicked out his sophomore year for behavior, and has taken years off my life! I think he has turned the corner!

We couldn't be prouder!

Powder Room

 Before

After:

We had those horrid cultured marble vanity tops before. I went to the granite company and picked out a piece from the remnants they had in the back lot and saved $$! 

I like the way it turned out!

The Tree is Up, We Made it Through One Family Gathering and I Get New Countertops Today!

I got the tree put up on Friday afternoon! And yes, I see that the angel is a little crooked, I'll work on that! 

I finished Christmas shopping for husband's family and actually wrapped the night before we were to go visit! 

We were almost out the door to come home when I realized that I had not taken a group photo. Husband's family are not big picture takers and I knew that if I put a stop on our leaving to get a photo it would be met with lots of groans, so I just said 'what the heck, maybe next year."

I did take the food I said I would, though instead of the Red velvet Brownies, I ended up just cutting up a chocolate cake that I had already made and put it on a platter. Would you believe everyone wanted to know what I did to the green beans, they were so good!? Ha!  And an interesting thing about SIL telling me we need to cook and assigning me food to bring. When I walked in with all my food, MIL kept exclaiming "oh my, you brought all this food!" She had prepared soooo much to go with the ham! And, SIL didn't make ONE THING! I was the only one that brought something and I looked pretty stupid for doing so! I was really mad then, but kept my mouth shut, but I think next time she gives me an assignment, I am going to tell her I can't do it. 
We stayed only about 4 hours and then made the 2 hour trip back home. 

Yesterday afternoon  was the pokeno christmas party. The hostess had the most beautiful christmas decorations in her home. I meant to take my camera and take some photos, but I totally forgot! We had wonderful food and then had a little ornament exchange. The ornament was supposed to be in the $8-$10 range. I found a really pretty Waterford ornament at tj maxx to take. I was a little disappointed in the ornament that I received. It is a cute little bear, but when I looked closer at it I noticed that it has a date on the bottom on his foot which says 2005! I am kind of thinking this was recycled? Everyone else got some really cute ornaments, oh well, I still put him on our tree when I got home. 

Right now the granite people are here installing the new bathroom counters! I can't wait to see them all finished! I took before photos and I'll have to take some afters to post so you can see them too!

Still No Tree

Maybe if I stayed off the computer reading your blog posts I would get my tree up and decorated! Ha, there ya go, I will place the blame on you! 

We go to Myrtle Beach tomorrow to celebrate christmas with husband's family. MIL has been talking about serving a Honey Baked Ham for weeks now. I get a text from SIL last friday tellling me that we need to cook on Saturday and what do I want to bring? I tell her 'whatever" and then get a text back saying to bring "a good salad and a vegetable that my family likes and a dessert. Okay, first of all what is a 'good' salad? Second, I live 2 hours away! If I have to make half of the meal I would just as soon have everyone come to my house and cook the whole thing! I have worked myself into a tizzy over this! Husband says it's typical of his family and not to let it bother me. So, this is what I have decided to do: I bought a large bag of mixed green lettuces and plan to dump in some goat cheese crumbles and dried cranberries and toss it with my homemade white balsamic vinaigrette. That's a good salad to me! I Then, since college son and husband love green beans, I am taking big CANS of them and I will throw them in a pot and heat them up when I get there! I started to get a dessert from the bakery down the street, but since I do think I have a few spare minutes and I like to bake, I am making Red Velvet Brownies and those will be dessert! I think I am going to have to take my flask to get through the day! ;)

Sunday is my pokeno group's christmas get together. It is in the afternoon and should be pretty fun!

Oh, and the best story that I almost forgot..... ten days ago the owner of the company where husband works announced that there would be a christmas party this year and it is on Friday the 13th (tonight). Who decides to have a party in December and puts out the invite ten days before? We have had something on almost everyday of the december calendar for over a month! So, we have a conflict and can't go. Well, I really don't know that I would go anyway... it's outside in the back pasture behind the owners house. So it will be cold and dark, and there will be a fire but then you will have to stand around and get all smokey smelling. He will not allow anyone to go inside his house, so he has a porta-potty outside by the barn for us to use! Then, they are serving BBQ, I don't eat pork, so there would be no food for me. Then everyone was instructed to bring a dessert. What is it with everyone having to provide their own desserts? Now we live an hour away, so I would have to balance said dessert on my lap the whole way! The kicker is that husband and I are the only ones not attending! Husband is VP of Sales for company. Owner has not given out awards for Employee of the Year or Salesman of the Year since 2006, it seems the $30 plaques were just too much for the multi-million dollar company to swing! ;) But, all of a sudden since it was learned that husband is not attending they are giving out awards! And Christmas bonuses will also be given out at this time, of which husband doesn't get because the owner told him "he makes enough money"! Can you tell I am a little bitter? To top it all off husband was asked why he couldn't just not go to our previous commitment and come to the office party? Really?! Well, enough about that!

Have a great weekend!

Uh Oh...

Yes, it is December 11th, I think, and I still don't have my tree up!

The End.

Thanksgiving recap...

We had a nice, small Thanksgiving with just the three of us and husband's parents. The inlaws live in Myrtle Beach, so it is just a two hour drive for them. And even though I asked them to stay the night, they just came for the day. I didn't really go over board, just the basics: Turkey, dressing, green beans, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. I bought cheap wine which is all MIL likes,. and she didn't even drink it! 
Teen daughter was texting me all morning since her french host family had asked if she would prepare a Traditional Thanksgiving dinner for them! She doesn't really cook very much and I was a little worried when I got the first text the day before asking how to roast a turkey! I sent her the link to Butterball Turkey and it turned out perfectly! She prepared turkey,dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean bundles, pumpkin pie and pecan pie! 

I thought she did a pretty good job! And when we skyped with her on Sunday the family gave the dinner a thumbs up while rubbing their tummies!
Sunday I had to take college son and his roommate back up to Clemson. What is normally a 3 1/2 hour drive took us almost 6! I have never seen so many cars on the road. After I dropped them off I headed over to the cabin. I wasn't real happy about getting there after dark, since I was alone and would be driving up to a totally dark house! Plus I would have to feel around in the dark to turn on the water (we turn the main water thingy off when we leave so that if there is ever a break in a pipe the house won't be destroyed while we are gone!)
When I drove up I could see through the woods that the house behind us had a bunch of lights on, so I figured they must be there and if I met up with trouble I could always run to them for help. So I got the water on and was a big girl and spent the whole night by myself, though I did sleep with the radio on for the noise!
I did a little decorating while I was there:

I got up and drove home on Monday with NO traffic! 

Tuesday I had committed to help decorate for christmas at Middleton Place. I helped make the outside decorations:

If you are local and can make it out during the holidays, you should, it looks so pretty! And, of course let me know if you want to come out, maybe I can meet you!
While I was there helping on Tuesday one of the house staff had to go home sick and asked if I would work for her on Wednesday. So I did, and then had to fill in for her on Thursday as she still was not 100%! So now I am 2 days behind in getting my decorations up at the house! 
College son has his last exam today and will be home tonight for the next month and a week! Hard to believe he has finished his first semester of college already! 
Have you started decorating yet?