Christmas- so fun, so busy, and so fattening!

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Christmas is such a great time of year.  There is so much going on, but so little time to get regular stuff done...like updating my blog!  My oldest daughter always lets me know how long it has been since I've updated.  I am embarrassed that this is my first blog update of December.  She has been nagging me to do this for quite some time.

The picture above was taken at my brother's house when we celebrated Christmas with my family.  Just look at how big my girls are getting.  I am only 5' 1", but as you can see the oldest daughter has passed me up and the other is well on her way.  How time does fly! 

Santa was very good to our family this year.  Ellen finally got a cell phone.  We had heard for months about how dreadful it was that she is 14 years old and doesn't have her own cell phone for heaven's sake!  We finally broke down and got her one now that she is a freshman and involved in more activities at school.  She will be learning to drive in the next year and truth be told, we will probably appreciate the convenience of having her just a phone call away as much as she enjoys her unlimited texting.  Needless to say, she was completely surpriesed and thrilled with her new toy.

Rosie's favorite gift was a really cool Lego set.  I guess you could kind of describe it as a Department 56 scene in Legos.  Very cute Toy Shoppe with park benches, streetlights, and a town Christmas tree.  It is really sweet.  It even comes with a "light brick" which is a special Lego brick with little batteries and a bulb that actually lights up the toy shop (just like a Dept. 56 house).  She was able to put the whole thing together by herself without any help from either of us.  It will be her new tradition- she can take this set out every Christmas and put together and then display it for the holiday season.  I mean, are you ever really too old for Legos?

These were two of my favorite gifts this Christmas.  The first was a bunch of random dice that I wanted and thought would look really cool in a jar.  I LOVE things in jars dispayed around the house.  I've got jars of buttons, army men, marbles, old-fashioned Chirstmas light bulbs, candy canes, bottle caps, and now DICE!  The other thing I got that was sooo neat was this little ORIGINAL 4"x4" painting of a peppermint.  The artist is Linda Hunt and it was a gift from my friend (and business partner) Theresa.  She found it on Etsy.  The picture doesn't do it justice, but it is really cool!  Ha!  Get it?  It's a peppermint!  Seriously, the paint is really thick and dimensional and it reminds me of an original piece of art that you'd see in a museum or something.  It is adorable and I just love it! 

Well, that's all the news that's fit to tell for now. 

Everyone have a SAFE and Happy New Year!