Don't Blink, Life Goes Faster Than You Think.

We attempted to see Santa on a Thursday night but the line was so long & since it was a school night we bagged it. We promised my daughter we would return Friday after school and we did just that. We waited in line for about 20 minutes, only to find out that he was scheduled to go to dinner in 5 minutes. So we waited, and waited, and waited. So to pass the time, we people watched & took some pictures. But the 2 1/2 hour wait was priceless.

The holidays are quickly approaching. I have one of two trees decorated & the outside of my house complete. The outside is simple, just the wreath that I made, garland around the door & two tall topiary trees with clear lights. We strategically placed two spot lights on the house to bring out the wow factor. The Christmas tree is a nine footer in the entry way. It is decorated in all red & gold. However it is not complete, I am still looking for the right tree top.

So Hell must have just froze over this past weekend. If you know me & my family you know how dysfunctional we are. This picture was taken this weekend at my house. My sister came in from out of town with her daughter & we managed to get everyone together. It was not any easy task, but it happened. Just a few were missing from this picture, like my husband. He was the only one that was able to take the picture. Also missing was my brother-in-law & nephew. Oh yeah, my other sister, but that is another story for another time. Yes Virginia, their is a Santa Claus. Happy Holidays!

Cookie mix -$ 2.50 Royal Icing -$ 7.50 Sprinkles -$ 5.00 Christmas memory- Priceless My daughter had a blast decorating these cookies. What a wonderful Christmas memory. The royal icing was left over from the Holiday Houses that were made in school.

Happy Birthday America "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" Have a happy & safe 4th of July. God bless America.

When we hear that Memorial Day is coming we think of the kick off to summer. How exciting. We open the pools, pull out the grills and sit back and have a cold beer. Sometime the true meaning gets lost. Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. These service people dedicate their lives to protect our country & keep us safe. The next time you see service men or service women, take the time to thank them for their service. After all, they & their families have given up a lot to keep you & your family safe.

My goal is to do the 365 day challenge. Take one picture a day & post it on your blog. No words are necessary, because a picture is worth a thousand words. Jan. 1, 2009

Yes, Christmas is coming. Only 34 days away. I vowed this year that I will not let the season slip away & become total chaos. To help relieve the stress, I created a to do list. Next, I set dates to accomplish my tasks. The chocalate chip cookies are baked. The lady lock dough is rolled & will be cut, wrapped & baked tomorrow. I plan to bake one type of cookie each day of the weekend. Tomorrow my daughter & I will bake peanut butter blossoms. Perhaps Sunday will be biscotti. I have one gift down for each grandmother. I had mugs made with the kids pictures on them. Costco has a great deal. I ordered on line & the mugs arrive 2 days later. I was able to take the day off & do some shopping for the kids. I picked up some clothes & a toy or two for each of them. Next major task is wrapping. I'll have to find a day when the kids are at their friends house. This is the picture on the grandma's mugs. Picture on each of the grandma's mugs.

It's October. Fall has arrived officially. This is my favorite time of the year. The weather is cooler. I love wearing sweaters & sweats. The trees are absolutely beautiful with there new colors. My birthday is at the end of the month. It's a big deal for the kids. I quit counting last year when I turned 40. Pumpkins & apples are in season. That means hot apple cider & pumpkin cookies. Yum! Hallowwen & candy. Although I could do without some of the candy. I guess I could go on. What are your favorite things about October & Fall ?

We kicked the day off by watching the life of John Adams. What an interesting man. It brought a smile to my face when my son asked so many questions about the movie. It consists of 6 DVD's. We are on a waiting list at the library for discs 3 & 4 (Blockbuster was out). I learned some interesting facts today. Both John Adams & Thomas Jefferson both died on the 4th of July, exactly 50 years after signing the Declaration of Independence, only a few hours apart. Adams & his wife Abagail had 4 children. They lost a son to alcoholism & their daughter to breast cancer. What an ordeal for the daughter. She had a breast remove without any anesthesia. Only a shot of whiskey. And I thought 24 hours of labor was bad. This is a must see ! HAPPY 4th of JULY ! God Bless America !

The birth of our country, what a wonderful day.