Change of plans....

As of right now I have no clue what we are doing for New Years Eve. Plans have changed a number of times since Monday. Guess we will find out soon enough...could just be a party for two.

Happy New Year Celebration...

Well I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. Ours was good…I missed not being able to see my own family but it was very enjoyable to be with Cray’s family.

Now that Christmas is over and I can count on one hand how many days we have until the New Year it’s time for planning time. First I wasn’t sure we would be bringing in the New Year with anyone this year but now it’s turned out to be Cray and I, his cousin and his girlfriend, and a couple that we are really good friends with.

I’m thinking about cooking crab legs, I’m a sucker for them. I’ve never made them myself but I’m thinking how hard can they be…right? You just boil them for 5-7 minutes and done! Wish me luck.

We are also of course having mixed drinks and champagne to toast to the New Year. I have no clue what we will do the entire evening. Cray would be happy with playing Halo and Gears of War but I’m not sure everyone else would be into that. Maybe I’ll buy a couple board games.

So what about you? What are you doing to bring in the New Year? Party with friends or family or just some one on one time with your special someone?

Food, food, & more food...

So this past weekend we had the annual Hill Christmas Party. I had no clue what to bring but thanks to my husband and I having to buy 2 turkeys in November (long story) that problem was solved because his mother had no one bringing a meat. My next minor issue was the fact that I had never cooked a turkey in my life. That’s okay though, I’m not one to be intimidated by a dead bird…cough, cough.

So I followed all of the directions, plus my mother’s directions for cooking a bird. I’m very proud to say that I was not defeated and everyone loved the turkey! Victory is mine!!!

Because I love to cook and bake I decided to make a little dessert too. They are called Red Velvet Cake Balls. I found the recipe on http://www.bakerella.com/. She is an amazing baker/artist. You can find the recipe here.

Here are some pictures of my own. I think I did well for my first try.

Not only did we have the Christmas party that night but it was also Cray's birthday. So I made him a breakfast casserole and he played video games all day while I cooked up a storm in the kitchen. Sweet of him right? Na...it was his birthday and all. :)

Christmas lists

Do you remember when you were little, how every year you would make a Christmas list for your parents? I use to go as far as cutting things out so my mom would know exactly what I wanted. LOL.

Now that I’m an adult now and married it’s not the same. Cray and I this year decided to get something together that we really wanted. So we found a car and bought it. Kind of a big gift but a needed one.

Now my mother still insists on getting her children gifts. I always tell her I don’t need gifts but she still always wants to get me something. This year at first I really wanted these cute boots so I told her she could get me those. She couldn't find any but said she would send me money. Well this morning I found these gorgeous curtains on walmart.com.

So of course I gave mom and little jingle and told her I'd love to have these lovely curtains for the living room instead of the boots. Extra bonus they were on sale for 15 bucks!!! So she lovingly purchased 2 for me and they are on their way. YAY!!

I’m slowly but surely turning my living room into what I want it to look like. I have the furniture that I’ve wanted and I’m adding some art to the walls. I want to re-paint but I’m waiting on that one until Cray removes the wall that divides the garage (soon to be den) and the living room.

So what about you? Do your parents still insist on buying you Christmas gifts? What do you and your significant other do for Christmas gifts? Do you surprise each other or do you go our route and go in on something you both have been wanting?

Christmas and goals

So I didn’t realize until this morning that Christmas is next week. I have no clue how that little fact just passed me by. *sigh* Thankfully I have most of my Christmas shopping done. Just a couple little things to pick up this coming week.

The rest of this year is just going to be full of excitement. This Saturday is the Hill Christmas Party. It also is Cray’s birthday. We had to celebrate his birthday this past weekend because of the party but we still had good times. Christmas Eve/Christmas Day is going to be spent with the in-laws. (Thanksgiving was with my family). I’m hoping for New Years Eve to have some friends over for food, drinks, and fun. What a great way to end the year.

With Christmas and New Years Day both being on Friday this year I get 2, 3 (maybe 4) day weekends in a row. SWEET!! So I’m taking full advantage of this and that I don’t have school to worry about. I’m going to clean like a mad woman. I’m going to do my own “spring cleaning” but in December. I love going to school but that plus a full time job really takes away from house chores. My loving husband helps out as much as he can but somehow the house has still gone south.

So my “goal” before the New Year is to have my house all cleaned up. My 2nd “goal” before the New Year is to add some style to my kitchen cabinets. Right now they look just horrible. There is stuff just sitting up on top of them that make it look cluttered. Not pretty at all. Check it out for yourself, I’m not lying.

Hopefully I can spruce it up mostly with items I already have in my house and maybe a trip to the dollar store.

So what about you?? What are you doing for Christmas/New Years? What goals do you want to finish before the New Year?? Speaking of goals, what goals are you writing down for the New Year?

Schools Over...Time for Cheer

Well the fall semester is over…..finally. I checked my class this morning and I made an A for the semester in history 131. I thought I was going to make a B but turns out I made an A… round of applause. Now that it’s all over…for 4 weeks…I’m completely into the holiday season and ready to share with whomever some holiday cheer. (Whomever are my lovely readers…or lack thereof.)

Here are some pictures of our lovely home all decked up for Christmas.

How's everyone elses holiday season going? Are you done decking the halls or have you still got some finishing touches to do?