Thursday This, That and Things

*My brother Ken and I share a birthday, well, close anyway.  Mine is the 13th and his is today, the 15th.  Mom made the happybirthdaycake, because I make it for everyone and she wondered if it ever gets made for me.  Love that cake and my Mom!
*Hubby and I shopped all afternoon and evening yesterday.  We're almost finished with the list. YaY!  We went to Burlington to get away from you know who.  Fabulous!
*Today I'm having a three hour sale at the museum gift shop.  This morning, until one o'clock actually, everything in the store is 25% off.  You won't want to miss it.  Come see me and Leslie and Marjean and score some great deals!
*I had to change my calendar system for 2012.  I'm a little freaked.  More on this later.
*This afternoon I am going to a Christmas party.  Partay of two for pedicures with my friend, Emily!
*Sam was out in the field so no he didn't go to President Obama's speech at Fort Bragg yesterday.
*Tonight I am going to work on a project that I have been trying to put together for a month.  I'll share!
*My life isn't too exciting but I sure have used the !'s in this post!
*Have a great day and see you at the SALE!

I'm Starting to Freak, a Little

Yesterday I ran errands in the morning.  The plan was to do all of my baking yesterday.  It didn't go so good. After going to the grocery store I got home and wasn't feeling it, but started anyway.  The only thing that I completed were the Cherry Bing Bars and I'm not sure if I melted enough chocolate chips for the top layer.  Then I moved on to Jean's Bars, my graham crackers were stale and I just could not go back to the grocery store.  So, that didn't happen.  It spiraled down from there.

I need the Keebler elves to show up and help me.

 While on errands yesterday I stopped at Grandiflora and picked up a few things.  I loved this snowflake and I love it hanging from the chandelier in the sitting room.  The guys think it would be fine if elves lived in the Stone House.  Do I take it down or listen to them grouse about it for the rest of the season?

 While shopping at Grandiflora I was reminded of their Christmas tree contest so I ran home and took a bazillion tree photos and couldn't get one good one.  Pretty hard to win if you can't get it together to enter the contest.  I need the Snapsister that is my sister.

 Christmas casualty.  Poor guy lost his head when my guys were moving the tree in the sitting room.  I don't think his girlfriend is too broken up about it.  

Yes, there have been some seasonal casualties here at the Stone House.  'Tis the season...

Oh well, today is another day.

Tolo 2011

Saturday evening was tolo.  Max and Kassie and their friends came to our house for pictures and dinner.  I was having so much fun with everyone's parents I kind of wanted to tell the kids to go out for pizza and have the parents sit down for dinner.  It was a little crowded but so fun.

 This picture cracks me up, I think they are intimidated by the beauty across the room.

 "MoM, help her, Kassie just stabbed me!"

 Blossoms did the flowers and they were so pretty.  The wristlet had a pearl bracelet instead of elastic, 

much prettier.

Kassie's parents, Ron and Idalia and Hubby and I served dinner.  The girls each brought something.  The guests all had such nice manners and were so gracious.  I made extra chicken cordon bleu and so Ron, Idalia, Hubby and I enjoyed dinner in the sitting room.  With wine and the door closed.  

It is fun to see the girls and guys dressed up.  We were happy that we could host, with three boys it was our first and only chance.  Last tolo for our family...

Nostalgia

So, this week as Hubby and I were trimming the live Christmas tree with all of the boys' ornaments we got a bit nostalgic.  I mentioned that it was too bad that the Lego train was in a zillion pieces because it would be great to have it zipping around the tree.

 Hubby took that comment to heart.  While I was out on the town with the girls Max and Hubby decided to bring it back.  They got all the Legos out of the attic and worked nonstop until I got home to surprise me.  They had so much fun.

Max moved the train to under the tree and got the other zillion Lego pieces picked up and put away.  But first he had to build just one more thing...  Those Legos are addicting! 

Just in time too because tonight is Tolo.  We needed our dining room table and our floor back  as Max and Kassie and their friends are having dinner at our place.  I guess I better get cookin'...  

Have a good Saturday!

The Girls

Once a year, whether we need it or not, it's girls' night out.  It's an evening built on lifelong friendships and traditions.  In 1983 we decided to go out for dinner in December and exchange groovy gifts.  Every year Sheryl, Shelly. Doreen and I start at one of our homes with a champagne toast and a picture in front of the fireplace.  We haven't changed a bit.

 Shelly was the driver last night so she is enjoying a diet coke.  We take turns driving.  There were several years where whoever was pregnant had to drive.  Those days are over.  So are the days of trying to get ready with a toddler hanging on your leg.  Now our driving turns are based on the order of our birthdays in the year.  Our memories aren't what they used to be, so little tricks like that help us.  Last night some of us admitted that we have to look at the previous year's pictures so that we don't keep wearing the same outfit.  It's a problem.  Doreen and I have vintage furs that we always wear for the occasion.  Our dress code is snappy casual.

It was so much fun last night.  Plenty of laughs and conversation, if you can call it that, since everyone talks at once.  I'm not sure that's technically a conversation.
It's more like a shouting match with laughing and snorting.

Good times.

It's Alive

Last evening we decorated a Christmas tree in our sitting room.  We haven't had a live tree for 8 years because our wood stove makes it too dry.  This year we decided to try one in the sitting room.  It smells so good.  I keep thinking of the tree car fresheners, except this is bigger and better.  

The tree is a noble and considering I bought it with the net still around it, it's a pretty nice tree.  No glaring bare spots.   The gentleman that sold it to me could not believe I was going to buy a tree sight unseen.  I had no need to consider every tree, sip cocoa or have a family photo.  I just put it on the cart and loaded it up and took it home.  I got the feeling that isn't how it works at his house.

Hey, it is what it is.  And it's pretty nice.