SIster love and no front teeth. . .

Fa La La La La, La La La La

Christmas Survey...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper with big pretty bows

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. Note to self... do not place Christmas tree directly under heat vent next year.

3. When do you put up tree? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving. We were a little late this year.

4. When do you take the tree down? Ryan requests it be down the day after Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog? Ummm... no. I think I've tried it once when I was young and it was terrible. I do like Glühwein. It is a warm spiced red wine. My inlaws brought some home from Germany a few years ago. It is to die for.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Golf cart

7. Hardest person to buy for? Ryan

8. Easiest person to buy for? Caroline and Bug

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. Two. Jesus is the reason for the season, duh!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year... neither.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? No gift is a bad gift.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? No date. We are still shopping on Christmas Eve most years.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I plead the 5th.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sausage balls, dressing... actually EVERYTHING.

16. Lights on the tree? Yep. I am a freak when it comes to lights. Caroline and Emma's small white tree (it's about 6 feet) has 800. My real tree in the den is about 7 feet and has 1200.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay in town. We (meaning all 15 of us.. my mom's family) spend the night together on Christmas Eve.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Silver glittery star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rude people

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? I ALL of my ornaments and I love that Caroline and Emma are making so many to add to the tree. My favorite colors are red, white, and lime green. If I could have a themed tree (one of these days I will) it will be a glittery fish theme and I will have another peacock themed tree.

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? Dressing is my favorite part of the whole meal

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I have only asked for two material things this year...
A pair of Frye boots that I've wanted for a while and monogrammed bed sheets

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit

I saw this the other day in Micheals.

Tom and Sally’s Handmade Chocolates. Reindeer Pies. Belgian Milk Chocolate with Almonds.

Upon closer inspection, I see this...


"Pure chocolate. No Doo-doo."

Seriously? I mean, seriously???

Be serious! It is Jesus's birthday, people. We don't eat or talk about poop on Jesus's birthday.

Let's have a little respect.

Completely ridiculous!

Reason 8,362 why I hate Michaels.

Sick kid.

This was my child all jacked up on valium... no front teeth... with croup. All of these things happened exactly one week ago today.

You can hear the stridors. Sounds like she is gasping for air a little bit.

She woke up Wednesday morning sounding like this.

Yuck!

I took her to the doctor. The PA gave her a steriod by mouth. I requested no shot since the poor child had had her teeth pulled a few hours before.

The steriod got rid of the seal bark and stridors.

Yayyy!



Sorry this is sideways. I don't have the software to turn it and I don't think I can do it on YouTube. What to the ev.

Reason for therapy number 5,653

Many of you asked about Bug's black tooth.

"I've never noticed it."

So, without further ado my friends... the black tooth before the extraction...


Go ahead... click on it... blow it up... get a good look at it.

She is totally going to kick my ass for this one of these days.

PS- Bug, your DAD took this picture. Not me. I'm just sharing it with the world. HE is the reason you will need therapy... not me.

Photo overload.

Just a glimpse of what I've been up to for the past three months.

A few of my favorites...

LOOK LOOK LOOK

For the first time in four whole years...


YES!

One of the top 10 proudest moments of my life as a parent.

Oh, the little things that make us smile.

Check Please!

Just a cute picture of Bug helping me with my lighting at a photo shoot.

Today's to do list

Tooth extraction x 2 for toddler... check.

Fight with toddler all jacked up on valium... check.

Smash finger in door and almost vomit... check, check.

Make 8 million sausage balls for the first time ever... check.

Burn 8 million calories making said sausage balls... check.

Teacher gifts... check.

Christmas dress x 2... check.

Ready for Christmas parties and program tomorrow... check.

One overtired mama... check.

Peace.

The BS Christmas Guide.

Things I love that will make fabulous Christmas gifts for those that you love...

*NOTE: This is NOT my Christmas list. Keep in mind I am asking for a few of these things though. Ha! These are just things that I love that I wanted to share. You're welcome.

------------------------------

Kitchen gadgets

I love kitchen gadgets. I mean like really LOVE anything and everything for the kitchen. If we ever build a house, my kitchen will be the most awesome room (aside from my closet).

1. Pampered Chef Stoneware Fluted Pan
My MIL bought me this pan and I love it. It doesn't hurt that it makes a cake in the microwave in 10 minutes. Yes, you heard me. Microwave... cake... chocolate lava... 10 minutes.


2. Pampered Chef Mix n' Chop
This little gadget does a fantastic job with ground meats. A plus, it chops the meat up so great that it cooks much faster than when you use a fork, wooden spoon, etc. It is fabulous and I love it.


3. Handmade Oven Hand Mitt
When I learn to sew, this will be one of the first things I make. So cute!


4. Funky Forks and Spoons
I picked out fabulous flatware a few years ago that I absolutely LOVE. These are so cool for dinner parties though. So fun!


5. A fabulous print from Yellow Mug
A print for the kitchen. Simple and classic. Perfection.


6. Hooks for the kitchen
How cool would these look in a kitchen or just anywhere in your house? Fabulous, I know.



7. Pig Platter
You can never have too many serving dishes. This one is so cute and fun!



For the photgrapher in your life

1. Kelly Moore JuJu Bag
How cool is this bag? It looks like a fabulous pocketbook. My name is written all over it. I'm sure yours is too.



For the wine lovers
1. Antique Riddling Rack
A little bit of awesomeness to hang on your wall. This would definitely be a piece that everyone talks about in your home.


2. Monogrammed Stemless Wine Glasses
Elegant, classy, and I need a set. Monogram... rLh. Love it!


3. The Bottle Of Wine Glass
What kind of list would this be without this baby?



Gifts with no category

1. Monogrammed Sheets
I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a sheet snob I am. My house may be messy but my bed is always made with fabulous, clean sheets. I love sheets!


2. Personalized Stationary
Ashley Brooke Designs is AMAZING! She does a custom illustration for a special touch to your stationary. She has even designed for celebs!

The sweetest gift.

We went to Disney on Ice Friday morning.

It was an amazing show.

My driving skills in Raleigh were not so amazing but that is a different story. I like to drive in circles... that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :-)

I FINALLY got home Friday afternoon and there was a package waiting for me. My personal UPS man (aka husband) delivered a fabulous package.

This...


I looked at it. I looked at him.

I said, "You DO read my blog. I can't believe it. Did you order this for me?"

He looked at me like I was nuts. "No," he said.

I ripped open the box a little more to find the invoice.

It took me a minute to find the sender's name.

Then I saw it. The sweetest note ever.


In case you can't see it, it says "Just wanted to send you a Christmas present, but please consider this a token of appreciation for writing a fabulous blog. Hope you're family has a great Christmas! Melissa Beddard Eakes"

Yes, I may have shed a little tear. A tear of happiness of course.

Melissa and I went to ECU together. I was living with my parents at the time and still thought I was going to be a nurse one day. This was before the days of marriage and babies and all the stuff that comes with that. I had a few classes with Melissa and we really hit it off. She is an amazing person. She is genuinely sweet and it is hard not to be friends with her.

We recently reconnected on Facebook and she obviously reads my blog.

Anyway, it was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. It is an amazing gift of kindness. She said she was paying it forward for all the nice things people have done for her lately.

She will never know how grateful I am. Each time I use my awesome cookbook, I will think of her and the way she made my whole Christmas. If I don't receive anything else this year, my Christmas is complete.

Thank you so much again Melissa. You rock my socks, girl!

Jack.

Our elf is Jack.

He serves no purpose. He works for like a day and then he is just an ugly little Christmas decoration among all of my cute Christmas stuff.

Whatever.

Anyway, the other morning we got up and Jack hadn't moved.

Fabulous.

The children noticed. I was all, "Caroline, you went to bed too late last night. Jack didn't have time to fly back to the North Pole so he just stayed in that old spot."

She agreed and we went about our morning.

Ryan comes home.

"Umm. Jack didn't move AND he is flopped over." He goes to fix him to sit straight and the girls scream... "NO!! YOU CAN'T TOUCH HIM!!"

The girls began to explain why he hadn't moved.

"Yeah, but he looks like there is something wrong," he said. In all seriousness, he looked at the girls and said, "Maybe he's dead. He looks dead. Maybe THAT'S why he didn't fly back."

Way to work together as a team, Ryan. Thank you. It's ok to help a sista out every once in a while... ass.

Also, don't fuss when your children will need therapy in a few years and it will all go back to the day you told them there Elf may be dead.

Thanks for making me look like mother of the year.

Tick off Tuesday and Randoms all rolled into one.

- Rude people tick me off

- The public in general pisses me off

- Fruitcake (is that one word or two? whatever. I don't care) it ticks me off.

- I hate the fact that during the Christmas season you will encounter the rudest people you have all year.

- I hate insurance and dealing with insurance companies.

- I dislike pumping gas. I am always scared my car is going to explode.

- I get very angry that I can NEVER find scissors when I need them.

- It ticks me off when you work really hard for something and are let down by your group of friends. Thank goodness for other friends that take their spot.

- Biggest tick off of today... we took the girls to get their teeth cleaned today. We decided to use a pediatric dentist because we knew that Emma's black tooth would need special treatment. We just didn't realize how special the treatment would be. After cleaning her teeth and doing xrays, the Dr. told us that Emma's black front tooth is abscessed. What's even better? The other front tooth right beside it is abscessed too. Fabulous. The Dr. warned us that with a fall, more than likely more than one tooth would be damaged. Guess what? It just so happened to be BOTH of Bug's FRONT teeth. Ugh! She is having them pulled next Wednesday. I am so nervous about it I could throw up. Keep us in your prayers. Poor thing will probably miss her Christmas program which is next Thursday. :-(

- It ticks me off that I have no wine glasses. Yep. You heard me. I have NO wine glasses. I have plastic wine cups from Pier One. Classy, I know.

- Now for randoms... Do y'all have any cute ideas for teacher gifts? I think I am just going to do gift cards but you know me. I'm always looking for something cute and over the top.

- SANTA'S COMING!!!!

- Jack the Elf is making his rounds. Santa sent Caroline and Bug a message via Portable North Pole. It's CHRISTMAS!

- I have a long list. One thing on it though is Ree Drummond's cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. If you don't read Ree's blog, you are missing out. I puffy heart her!

- I dislike eggnog but those eggnog candles smell fabulous!

- Our Christmas tree is just perfect this year. Pictures to come.

- I am off to finish midnight edits then it's to bed I will go.

Send my hubs a message please.

Can someone please tell my husband that I want this for Christmas...


who I will affectionately name Bouvier, Genevieve or Eliza.

OR



Thanks.

PS- I only threw the dog in there to "pretend" to give him choices. I know he will totally choose a camera over a dog. I also know that I will not be getting either item. One can hope and dream, right?

How Shutterfly Just Might Save my Christmas

Click over my my review/giveaway blog to read!

TO THE MOON!!!!!

My children like to swing "to the moon".

This all started with my Dad who my children affectionately call "Jay".

Yes, that is his first name.

Yes, that is what they call him.

He is totally not a Papa, Grandpa, or any other name. He is a "Jay".

Anyway, Ryan and I took the girls to the park the other day.

Emma asked to swing the baby swings even though she can swing in the big girl swings now.

"Fast, Daddy!"

"Ryan, swing her to the moon," I yelled as I snapped pictures.

This is what happened...


"Dear sweet baby Jesus! Not that high!!"

I almost lost it.

Emma almost flipped out but loved it.

Ryan was oblivious as to why I almost had a heart attack.

And one more time for good measure...


Nutjobs.

Sisters

This princess was sick Monday night.

She started throwing up about 6:30pm and finally stopped about 3:30am Tuesday morning.

It was a long night.

Just after Caroline 1st throwing up spell, I took Bug upstairs to get a bath. I was in the process of bathing her and Big walked in.

"I have to fow up Mama."

I held her hair back as she threw up.

Emma was in the bath tub which is located right beside the toilet.

She watched as Big threw up and I heard her gag.

Then I heard her clapping and she said, "Yayy Big! You did it! Good job, Big! Cool, Big! Cool! Yayyy!"

Hopefully she will be that great of a cheerleader for her sister in their later years when Mama's not there after those wild parties to hold back hair. ;-)