un-traditional thanksgiving

*taken in the morning; sky

i'm hoping that i wasn't misunderstood with my last two posts about thanksgiving. i am truly grateful for all the wonderful things in my life and know that i have been blessed. very blessed. just didn't feel like gobbling down turkey {hahaha} nor did i feel like having to carry on conversations with other family members. i'm one of those people who likes to stay away from "negative" people and right now that person is my mother in law. i realize that its all minor but i just needed some space. to relax and to breath.

i came close to my "thanksgiving feast"- 2 posts down. tonight i made orange roughy, homemade mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. there's fresh fruit in the fridge and the cupcakes have been baked and frosted. the only thing missing was the warm weather and the beach. it was still a delicious un-traditional thanksgiving feast. i'm not sure how i did it but there seems to be tons of dirty dishes waiting for me. hope everyone is having a great thanksgiving!

todays the day...

today's the big day and i hope to return with news that we got an offer and we accepted it. we would love to be moved in by christmas. i still lack motivation to clean. i just don't give a rats ass right now. its either they want the house or they don't. who the {f} cares if its clean or not, they've seen it twice already.

some good news for me and maybe ham. i got out of thanksgiving. ham will probably stay home with me- one of the perks of being in a step family. i will still get some peace and quiet since ham isnt quite as high maintenced as his sister. the plan is to work on my many neglected photos and get them loaded up to my on-line portfolio. but in reality i will probably get distracted. hopefully by packing?

slacking motivation

here it is later in the afternoon and i'm not getting anything done that i'm suppose to be. instead i'm eating chocolate cream pie and blogging. i just don't have the motivation though i do have the best motivationer~ we have a 3rd showing tomorrow evening and they're bringing parents! {for the record, i did clean the upstairs already} kaylee and i went shopping yet again this morning at kohls. i need a new comforter since my husband puked his guts out on our old one. and it wasn't because he was sick with the flu, he was sick that ends with a hangover. what sucks for me is that i have to take the comforter back. its too small. we have a queen size pillow top mattress with a pillow topper on top of that so it makes the queen size fit like a twin. and another thing, i'm not all that excited about thanksgiving. i mean it does get the short end of the stick with halloween then zoom everyones got their christmas decorations out. i wont decorate for christmas till thanksgiving has passed but i'm still not looking forward to eating turkey or mashed potatoes or even pumpkin pie. i want shrimp on the grill, loads of fresh fruit and salads and something spicy. i also want cupcakes. i might fake a sickness thats how badly i do not want to go to thanksgiving.

monday

kaylee and i ventured out into the cold today and headed over to hobby lobby. they were having a 50% off sale on wrapping paper+supplies. the papers kinda expensive but its worth it. it doesn't tear at every fold or bend. and since our ornament supply is pretty low from those days of owning a beagle who use to eat them, i got a box of clear ones to make these courtesy ali edwards.*link works now*saturday mike and i ate lunch at one of my favorite places, stray dogs, before christmas shopping. ended up getting kaylee all of her christmas and birthday gifts except the stocking stuffers. and we got ham a this tv from best buy. its a LG 32" flat screen and its pretty sweet. wouldn't mind keeping it for myself. we definitely got it for a better price than what they are currently showing on-line. we also got mike's parents a digital camera. nothing fancy since they have a hard time navigating a computer. ham's debating on an itouch or iphone for his birthday or if he even wants either of those two. all that he really wants is a car. nothing else went on this weekend besides it being super cold. i did make wicked white chili from design gal + her handyman. it made a really big batch so i'm thinking of freezing some of it. i would like the base to be a little thicker other than that- it was really delicious! i also made oatmeal apple toffee cookies. will be posting the recipe on my other blog- bites. {its a place to hold my recipes for easy access}here's a current photo of me and the kayleenator in black and white since it was taken first thing in the morning.

no road trip for me

we headed out early this morning for what was suppose to be a "road trip". going to canton, michigan to ikea. half an hour into the drive, mike decides he doesn't like the weather conditions so we turn around and head for home. we ended up going to UP mall instead and got some more christmas shopping done. got all three of uncle eddie's kids and my nieces. we decided to add some slippers to their other gift we had gotten them. we plan on going back tomorrow after dropping kaylee of at nana's for the night. she was so cute in the disney store saying "ooo, i really like that" and " i really want that." i found a few things in there for her that's why we're going back. i want to beat the crowds. i hate crowds. i would rather pay almost full price than having to deal with crowds. and tonight we stayed in and watched forgetting sarah marshall. it was a decent movie. cant believe they actually showed a guys "junk." ok, there have been a few other movies showing a guys unit but the guys are always ugly or old. not someone who's junk you would actually like to see. why is that?

my mom's dinner night out was a blast. i forgot to take pictures. there were 11 of us all together. even though we talked mainly about our kids + family it was nice not to have to worry about kids not eating and behaving. i had a tom collins with my dinner and boy was it strong. its been awhile since i had one of those. kinda reminded me of my college days when all i would drink was gin + tonics at some random party. ah- the good ol' days........

jane porter rocks!

look what i got in the mail today. from jane porter herself. on her blog she said that if anyone is having a flirty with forty party/get together she would send them a box of goodies. and that she did. she sent red vines, chocolates, leis- the book/movie takes place in hawaii. *sigh* hawaii, mike +ikes, hot tamales, pop corn and packets. inside the packets- to be passed out to guests- are recipes used from the book/movie, a jane porter flirty with forty pen, a hibiscus "tattoo", gummys shaped like flip flops and a bookmark. how freakin' cool is jane? tell me what other author sends out cool shit like this? unfortunately i wont be able to have my get together the night of the premiere but do have a friend who's going to record it for us to watch later. i can not wait to see this movie!!

just returned from my favorite retail therapy place- target! needed to get kaylee some "dress" boots to wear. i've gotten her the same style for the past 3 years but this time i decided to change it up a little and got her dark brown ones instead of the light brown ones. crazy- i know! and i splurged and got us some new bath towels too. mike and i had the exact same ones (color too) when we first moved in together and that was about 8-9 years ago. i've been looking way before this but could never decide on what color. today was the magical day for at least one of the bathrooms. {in the new house that is}

i also took some time out of my very busy {not really} schedule yesterday and finally watched this movie.it was cute like everyone said it would be. i really didn't care for jason batman's character but i really care about jason bateman. even in our old age he's still mighty fine to look at. last night we went to look at another house. it was nice and spacious but i think we're still stuck on the cambridge house aka the money pit. like i've said before its twice the size + a better price plus i get to make it our own. what i really don't understand is why do people buy shell toilet seat covers? just wondering......and tonight i get a dinner out with other mom's from kaylee's play group. its not going to be wild or crazy like the mammoth men but its a dinner out. and i also get a mom's day out tomorrow. mike has the day off and i need to head over to amishville to look for material for mom's apron. thought i would make a day of it though this crazy weather might be keeping me inside tomorrow.

a great giveaway!

simple mom is doing another great give away--- way cute reusable shopping bags! go and leave her a comment to win.

wednesdays ramblings

i'm not sure where tuesday went . i am happy to report that i did some clothes shopping yesterday. nothing grand or original but at least this frump girl has a few more winter tops to wear. i still have a blanket of that white stuff on my lawn. it really needs to melt so we can get those leaves raked up before the next batch of white stuff. i have lots to do but cant seem to get organized enough to do them. i still need to come up with a new design for my brother in laws poker chips. mike was all jealous so i've decided to surprise him and give him those. guess my "happy sports season" gifts sucked this year. and i seriously need to work on my on-line portfolio considering i paid 100 bucks to the website to hold + showcase them. instead i've been i've been wasting time at sp studio making up my cute, little south park family. this is how we look normally.
mike+me
hamilton kaylee
and i've been spending too much time on the mammoth men website drooling and wishing that i was one of them on that trip. how much FUN would that be to be free to do whatever crazy thing available at that moment?? my wilder side is itching to be released.

FYI

they're baaaacckk. if you love photography and if you love hot, goofy men then you need to go and follow the mammoth men. {they even let us readers vote on an activity for the day}

and if your interested in doing a swap, here's a easy one. hosted by sarah said. i'm bummed to not be doing this one but i'm currently doing 3 from swap-bot.com

weekend recap

we didn't do much this weekend. friday evening mike got home from being out of town again and we all just stayed in. ham and i played guitar hero {i suck at it} till he got bored continuously kicking my butt. he wanted to practice his night driving skills so that's what we did for about an hour. it was kinda scary but i had to act like it was no big deal. he's definitely getting better. saturday was spent running around doing a few errands + wasting time shopping at circuit city and steve + barry's. mike + brent went out again later that night. sunday morning had a good time teasing brent about trying to mack on some "cougars". (mike said the ladies brent was talking to looked like they were in their 50's) . the rest of sunday was spent hibernating inside. it started to snow and its continued on to today. this is what my neck of the woods looks like.

and yes i still have pumpkins. since they're not decorated they're considered thanksgiving decor rather than halloween, at least in my mind. and this is kaylee about an hour ago. she just had to go outside in the snow. i did not join her.

and to set the record straight. i like snow. i think its real pretty when it has freshly fallen but hate the cold that comes with it. if it could snow and be like 80 degrees i would be happy.

christmas gifts

while farting around on the computer yesterday morning, i found christmas gifts for my picky sister and her hard-to-buy for husband. since i figured my sister would probably just return the item i got her, i'm getting her a gift card for ikea. they just moved into a new house so i thought she could find herself something. plus, she can return any items she buys to her hearts content. and for her hard-to-buy for husband, well he loves to play poker so i'm getting him some of these bad boys. they can be found at beau coup. they're 90 cents each minimum purchase 50 and for an extra 10 bucks you can personalize them. i'm still trying to come up with an idea to personal these and so far seem to like "liquor in front" with a beer bottle one one side and "poker in back" with ron's name incorporated in there somewhere on the other side. i did not coin this phrase, someone else gets the credit for it. and i believe the raunchier the better just to see the horror on my moms face at christmas. it makes for great fun! and for my saintly mother, i am going to try to make her this apron. i just ordered the pattern and now need to find the materials.

typical

received some semi-good news on the house yesterday. our realtor said that the couple who came to see it for a second time last saturday really loves the house and wants to bring their father through it over thanksgiving. they also want to know if we get any other interests in the meantime. i'm guessing they're trying to sell their house or waiting on loan approvals. still not getting too hopeful yet. i had to call mike and tell him the semi-good news. i had asked him if the cambridge house was our final choice. i would rather build new or go for a newer house but they don't meet our criteria like this house, plus, the price is right. its got the square footage, pool, 2 car garage, master bathroom for me and the finished basement. and its also got the nasty 80's decor. i'm not sure if i'm ready to redo a house again. and in typical mike fashion, instead of saying something encouraging like "honey, you will do a fantastic job remodeling the house." he says "yeah we have to buy it, its cool." so this morning i compromised. said we can buy the house if i get to buy this for the dining room:

saw it on oprah yesterday and loved it. it can be found at pottery barn. so far he says i can get it. we will see when the time comes.

i could sit here all day and stare at this

gotta love google. i'm sitting here getting nothing done except i did manage to get a pile of laundry in the washer and me a much needed shower. that was tmi. anyway, i'm sitting here feeling like a beached whale or jabba the hut and i was doing an image search just to show you what i looked like then changed my mind and decided i would show you how i would like to look when i came across this:

*sigh* nice eye candy huh? i cant wait for the movie. its called flirty with forty and its from the book by the same title. its going to be on lifetime december 6 @ 9pm. i need to find someone with tivo to tape it for me. i have a christmas party to tend too. my female parentals side. i would much rather be at home that night in comfy pj's, eating popcorn, with a fire in the fireplace, watching this. the christmas function is kinda lame. my mom has to have this holy than thou image and she wont allow alcohol. last year my uncles + cousins snuck outside to drink and they stayed as far away from her as possible. i wonder if she ever found out????

and with the holidays fast approaching, not only did i get my sisters name in our christmas drawing but her dear husbands too. that just shows you our luck. they are the hardest people to buy for. my sister is picky though she says she isn't and she's return queen extraordinaire. that could be her full time job. returning things. and her husband, well we don't know what he likes. he's pretty quiet when around us. which i cant blame him but thats another story. it has to do with my sister and him, let me just say poor guy. she's probably just going to return whatever we get him anyway.

couple of more things

1. i hate cold weather. and the coldest hasn't even yet begun. {i forgot to add that i noticed with each season change i feel like frump girl all over again}

2. i have lots to do. photos need to be made pretty and put into a portfolio on-line and flickr.

3. i have a "belly cake" from eating too many cookies made by pepperidge farm.

4. i wish i was living in hawaii so i can feel like i'm actually living. miles of cornfields, trains and cows are not doing it for me.

5. i have been inspired by this via a bag of chips.

6. check out blogography. want to go to one of her workshops in south carolina next year but don't see it happening.

7. my blog has been linked! our story told through...amelia love. {i googled myself and found this out. that's another story...... } and pam at pure+ simple was kind enough to link me too.

8. and i have comments! check out justin + mary- photography. i love photography!

9. i've been watching dancing with the stars and wish i had more readers just so i can do a give away so i can say "winner winner chicken dinner"

10. being linked and having comments really made my day. so thank-you.

couple of things

sunday we stayed in all day and wore comfy clothes and just chilled. kaylee stayed in her silky pj's so we decided to call her hugh hefnie. it was cold outside and at one point it started to snow/rain. funny to see tons of leaves on the ground and then have it snow. whatever happened to fall? it seems to get shorter and shorter every year. mike and his buddy brent were nursing hangovers though they did manage to leave the house and visit buffalo wild wings to watch the dolphins win- again. wow that's like 5 games now out of 9. don't tell mike that i'm telling this but saturday after their guys night out i heard strange noises in between mike's snoring so i decided to move to kaylee's bed. good thing because he ended up puking all over the place! not mad about it at all- disgusted yes- but he cleaned everything up and i get a new comforter out of it. [i've been wanting a new one and couldn't justify spending the money, now i have an excuse. hee hee]

and if kaylee ever needs glasses i'm so getting her these. i want them for myself but i wouldn't look as cute!

and one with ham in it. at least he didn't turn his head like he normally does though he is giving me that look. (he definitely looks like his dad in this one)

and i really like this hair cut. though kinda scared to go that short. what do you think?

give away

simple mom is giving one of these away. go and enter. thanks pam @ pure + simple!

tuesday the school nurse called me asking if it was alright to give ham an otc medicine for his headache. it was. he came home after school and layed on the floor. kaylee went straight over and gave him a big hug and said 'i love you" in her sweet little voice. {glad my camera was nearby}

today we had a second showing. never heard from these people the first time around but a week later, here they are. fingers crossed that they are now deciding what to offer us. during the time the second showing was happening- had ham drive me around. went and looked at all the fancy houses around our area. back in the day it use to be me and ham taking a walk up the street and looking at those fancy houses and saying "someday" . now its ham driving instead of me pushing him in a stroller. talk about times changing. making dinner at the moment and will have a kaylee + mama movie night with popcorn + jammies on. {making more memories} going to watch madagascar 1. mike and his buddy brent+uncle eddie are out watching football at our local hooters and just having a guys night out.

sweet mail

what a sweet day yesterday was. not only was i still on my "high" from voting for the first time but i also got my blogging by mail goodies. stephanie from dispensing happiness, bless her, hosted this swap. 117 people signed up. my goodies in the mail came all the way from utah. thanks to shannon{who totally rocks} at designer gal + her handyman!! not only did i get some real yummy treats+recipes but another great blog to follow.
on with the goodies: i hate people with great handwriting. ok not hatin' just a little envious. mine Sucks! shannon stuck a note on each item telling me why it was her fav or what it would be good with or on etc..

violet crumble- an Australian candy bar that tasted like a chocolaty crunchy hollow marshmallow that had been roasted over a campfire. drool- boy was it real yummy. will need to find an on-line store that sells them. chocolate dressed as money- really cute + i love chocolate! some great recipes to try. will give report after making them. roasted wasabi coated green peas. what?? had to try them. definitely tasted the wasabi +wasabi kick. i liked the crunchiness of them too. indiana kettle corn- one of my favs too. and some gummies to share with the kiddos. though i might not share cuz' i'm greedy like that. kidding!

cute leaf bowl filled with peanuts and candy corn- yum, raspberry salsa -can't wait to bust that open and fancy crackers with cheese that has wine in it. oh goodness- i did not eat dinner last night!

thanks again to hostess stephanie and to shannon for all the goodies!

** want more swaps to do- this was FUN!** *** i hope my person got her goodies, haven't heard anything***

history in the making x's 2

i did my part in making history twice yesterday just by voting. the other historical event is that, indiana, as a state, had not voted for a democrat since Lyndon Johnson back in 1964. what a great feeling to see the change already.

and you can order these sodas here. i'm ordering me a 6 pack to remember the first time i voted. ever. go here to pick out your flavor of soda and to make your own labels for that special occasion.

moon

i took this last night at my parentals house. if you look close enough you can see a star. its the white speck right above the moon. i have tons of photos to go through and make pretty but unfortunately it will have to wait till maybe later tonight once kaylee's asleep. we have someone new coming over to see the house this afternoon. our realtor is on a vacation so she has someone else filling in for her. what a great surprise it would be to have this house sold before she got back. what a great surprise it would be just to get this house sold. period.

we got treats + a trick

after sleeping in yesterday (ham didn't have school) i did the final round of house cleaning. i also made cookies for the people coming to view it. besides cookies, we're bribing potential buyers not only with our big screen tv and extra large sectional but i've included an entertainment center, end tables and our computer desk. i wasn't sure about adding the last 3 items but just thinking about taking apart the L-shaped with hutch desk made the decision that much easier. took ham to the eye doctor, went to the grocery store, made my "burn going in, burn going out" jalapeno peppers to take over to my brothers house for trick or treating. this year it ended up being just kaylee and jake. ham and his friends went to the big mall, shawn (my brother's oldest son, who's 8, went with a friend on a huge trailer), my other brother and family went over to a friends house and my sister and her family stayed in their own neighborhood since they just moved in. we had good time anyway without them. i brought over some chocolatini. mom, of course, claimed she could taste the alcohol in it since she's a big drinker *add sarcasm*. 3 sips +3 hours later she claimed to be a little drunk.in the picture: kaylee, the princess + jake being the ultimate spidey man, my sister in law terri, i love the dog, my brother dan, my parentals and the (burger) king.

while we were out trick or treating, my parents were left to pass out candy. they went to the end of the driveway so the littler kids wouldn't have to walk so far. my mom decided to use up some of the less popular candy and left the big bowl of chocolates by the front door. well her plan didn't work out very well, someone came and snatched the whole bowl without them knowing it. she definitely got tricked this year.

and mike better watch out. every where we went comments were made on how adorable kaylee was. the older kids wanted to take her home beccause she's a bundle of cuteness and another little girl who was about 6 years old stopped kaylee in the street and told her how beautiful she looked. he's going to have his hands full when she gets older. we didnt end up getting home till about 10pm. kaylee had a great time playing with her cousin and uncle dan turning him into a monster, dinasour, a banana and whatever else she could think of with her magic wand.