Secret Santa

We started our Secret Santa at work yesterday. I really love this gift exchange we do every year. It's a lot of fun and not at all expensive. We give one gift a day from the dollar store for 3 days, and on the fourth day we give a $5 gift.

Seems not everyone sticks to the $1 gift rule, though. This is my gift yesterday:



This adorable little frame must have cost more than a dollar! Anyway, I love it!!

And this is my gift today.



A Christmas mug, hot chocolate and some Hershey's kisses. See? More than $1 I'm sure!

It snowed like crazy today. I had a slow ride to work,and then I parked in the patient parking structure because I did not want to deal with cleaning the snow from my car after I got off. On the way home, the roads were snow covered but not too bad. It didn't take me too much longer than normal. I hate driving in the snow. It's pretty to look at though. I need to take some pictures to post. It's supposed to snow again on Sunday.


Looks like we'll have a white Christmas this year!

I still have some shopping left to do which means that I will be going to the mall on Saturday! I will be getting a early start for sure!

Clenching my Way to Christmas

Busy weekend.

Saturday I had my teeth cleaned and my dentist (who so conveniently happens to be my brother!) took impressions to make me a bite guard to wear when I am sleeping. Too many nights I wake up with my teeth hurting or with a headache from clenching my teeth during the night. Taking my stressors out in my sleep, I guess!

After my appointment we met Chris and Marissa for lunch and then went back to their place to say hi to the dogs!



This is a picture of Lou taken last summer. He's scary looking but really sweet! They have another dog but she was too scared to come out of her kennel!

Did some more Christmas shopping later. I'm still not done! This has been a slow shopping year for me. Plus I still have to wrap what I did buy! Sheesh!

Sunday I bought a new light for the dining area. I really liked it so of course it was too long for that area. Anyone six feet or taller would have hit their heads so I had to take it back and get a shorter one that I don't like as well, but it is growing on me. Thursday they are coming to finally finish the last of what needs to be done, just in time for Christmas eve.

I am so glad to be done with this kitchen!!

Brenda Photo Challenge-Christmas Decorations

This challenge is brought to us by Kim of Caffeine is Life

Thanks, Kim! This was a easy one!


These wreaths were made by my kids when they were in grade school. Of course, they are probably my most cherished Christmas decorations!

This ornament was given to me by a friend when I was big into garage sales!

The dining room table..simple but pretty.


This is my newest decoration. I love his hat with the little bird on it and the snowflake hanging from it!

TGIF As Usual!

I am so glad is it Friday again. My coworker took the day off and someone else called in sick so we are short here at work. Luckily it's not too busy.

I really would like to get my Christmas shopping done this weekend. I have a dentist appointment at 10:45 Saturday, and we are meeting Chris and Marissa for lunch afterwards. Then we really have to do some touch-up painting in the kitchen and put one more coat of stain on the stair nosing. Oh and somewhere in there I need to clean two bathrooms and get the laundry done!

I am still trying to decide how much baking to do for Christmas. I usually make a few different kinds of cookies, Puppy Chow and some kind of a cake. We are hosting the family this Christmas Eve so I have to make mostaccoli too. Anyway, I need to decide what to bake, make a list and get the ingredients this weekend. Shauna is making a pie that she made for Thanksgiving that everyone loved so maybe I'll just stick with Puppy Chow and a couple different kinds of cookies.

Next weekend we are going to see these guys with my brother and his wife. I love them and can't wait! It should be a awesome concert!

That's all for my exciting life right now. Oh yeah, I had a cystoscopy and everything is clean, no cancer recurrence. It's almost one year since my surgery and so far so good!

99.9% Done!

Well, the kitchen is finally finished, except for a panel, some trim and a electrical outlet, everything else is done.





So nice to have a double sink again. Actually, so nice to have a sink period!

We had to return the original pedestal sink we bought for the 1/2 bath because it was too big. I don't like the smaller one as well but I can live with it. It still makes that bathroom look bigger not having a vanity in there.



Everything just came together nicely. I am pleased.

This weekend I am going to do some serious Christmas shopping. I can't believe there is only 20 days until Christmas and I don't have a single gift bought! Of course, I am a good marathon shopper and have been know to get the majority of my shopping done in one trip!

The rest of the weekend I plan to finish cleaning up and decorating so I can take pictures and be prepared for the photo challenge next week.

Kitchen and Mom's Village

I got a nice surprise yesterday when I left work. There was a voice mail that the counter top was ready and going to be installed the next day. So I called to confirm and today they installed it!


It looks just like I pictured it!

It was about a week-and-a-half earlier than I expected it. They said it was because they work faster for the holidays, but I suspect the real reason is the economy and they just don't have much business these days. For whatever reason, I'm glad they finished it so fast!

We are still waiting for a few pieces of trim which should be in next week. In the meantime the builder is coming on Thursday to install the toilet and sink in the half-bath, the microwave and stove, the dishwasher, garbage disposer and faucet, a couple of electrical outlets and a light.

I'll have a kitchen for Christmas!

Last night I put Mom's village up. This is very special to me because my mom made it and each piece has her handwritten initial on the bottom. She used to put it on a large board with snow and people and even a little ice rink made of aluminum foil! I don't have anywhere in my house to put something like that, so I just put it on my fireplace mantle.



Having that village in my house every year sort of keeps her spirit with us during the holidays!

Quick Weekend

Man, that was the fastest four days in history! I can't believe it's already Monday.

Thanksgiving was very nice at my brother's house. We had home-made ravioli which is a tradition for us on Thanksgiving. So between that and the turkey and stuff and dessert, I was way too full and uncomfortable all night! But it was nice to see everyone, as usual. I felt bad for my daughter, Shauna because she had a migraine and did not feel good. She ended up leaving early. She made a really good sweet potato casserole, though.

Friday I spent the day trying to clean up the mess a little so I could do some Christmas decorating. No shopping for me! I hate the crowds and people are crazy!! Can you believe that Wal Mart in New York?

Saturday morning I took Marie to breakfast for her birthday at Wolfgang Puck in the MGM Grand casino. They have the best pancakes I have ever tasted! They we played video poker for a while. She ended up being up $35 so we cashed out and left! Got the tree put up in the family room.

Sunday I went grocery shopping and finally got the tree decorated.

Today I am back at work and hoping they show up to do some more work on the kitchen. The counter top is not ready yet but they can put the bathroom back together at least. It's funny how spoiled we get. Having to go up or down stairs to use the bathroom is getting old! Anyway, I am anxious for it to be done, especially because we are having 20 people over for Christmas Eve!

That's all for now. I plan on putting up Mom's village to night. I also am determined to walk on the treadmill every day in December! Ha!