It's feeling a LOT like Christmas!

It's finally happened I'm out of the bahumbug faze and ready to celebrate, oh shhs I know it's the 23rd of December. It just really hasn't felt like the holiday season, people have been grumpy, my office moved so the tree got up late and the snow which yes should put me in the Christmas mood has just made me moody. I hate driving in it and the ice that comes along with it.

Today something happened NO the snow didn't melt, but the streets I must say were nicer. As long as you stayed off the side roads, you know the ones where Cole's School is and where Grandma Pat's (Daycare) are located. This is what today looked like, The top is yesterday and the bottom is today. Better right? Well at least the moon is out :).

This is the lovely parking lot (yup it's under there) at Cole's school. You can barely see the Chapel on the Right.

But enough about that, I made it to work just a little behind schedule. I passed out all the cookie trays and people ohh and ahh'd which of course made me feel like a proud momma! I even got some amazing treats to. My favorite is from Jana, we call her Jana Banana. She made the cutest banana bread, check it out:

After "testing" now really I didn't eat all 4 pieces of the peanut butter fudge Jana gave me! And of course the bread was too cute so I didn't slying open a side and take a nibble. Oh Lord thankfully the rest of the girls gave me giftcards and nice smelly lotions. The giftcards were to Starbucks, now to find a yummy LOW fat but tastey drink. I think the Green Tea Frappacini I love is not on that catergory.

Back to the taste at hand "Santa's Workshop" aka Alexis wraps the Christmas Exchange Gifts opened. I think this is totally what put me in the Christmas Spirit, see my gifts have been bought and wrapped under the tree since the day after thanksgiving (Read my My Post Ode to Black Friday). So it didn't really feel Christmasy with no shopping to do. So today with my cookies being a hit, yummy treats from my friends and presents to wrap I was excited about the season. I wasn't able to finish all the gifts I have 3 left and still need gifts from 10 people. Tomorrow should be fun since the party is at 11:30 and I'm sure most people won't give me their gifts until 10:45ish. Must love working with guys :). So I leave you with some great pictures of "Santa's Work Shop".

Santa's Tools, Double stick tape and Electric Scissors.

We're you really surprised I'm crazy like that. Hello I wrapped every ones gifts at home in their own color paper.

Lay out all the things you need.
Double Stick Tape Rocks. No ugly tape lines, yes I know I'm nuts. But the presents are oh so pretty!
Look at those corners aren't they GREAT?

This paper was awesome the flowers were velvet. Very Pretty.

Doesn't the work tree look pretty.

I do a great job! Sorry needed to pat myself on the back :).

And I leave you with the LARGEST snowman I've ever seen.

This was on the block over from us, it stood around 8 FEET!

Really I'm a good sport! I just want to WIN!!!

First off before I start my crazy story, I MUST say thank you for all the wonderful SITS lady that have stopped by to say hi. I found this WONDERFUL blog site a few weeks back. Then Sunday comes I get all these comments (which made my heart do a little skip). Come to find out yours truly is featured on the sidebar as one of the Saucy Blogs of the week. Yup I'm dancing around and sing "I'm a Rockstar". Sorry for that mental picture! For any of you who don't know the blog, you must join great place for Mommy's. SITStas unite :). It's on my side bar click on it and sign up!

Yes I'm still in a winter "white" land seriously it needs to stop. It snowed again last night, thanks to dear hubby driveway had been cleared and my car, so this morning I could roll out of the driveway. That was until I hit the giant heap that had been pushed off the road to the edge of my driveway, thank you dear city workers. When we finally made it out of the driveway, thank you Kia I love my four wheel drive. For all of you who laughed at me for a SUV and four wheel drive, a big raspberry coming your way! (That is so much better in person, currently my mouth hurts and the screen is wet).

My beautiful neighborhood:

Today at work I got Brian to count the votes for the Bake Off. Do you think it would be bad if I was to bribe him to make the votes in my way? Just playing ... (Psst Brian I won't tell anyone ... guess this is not the best place to ask that people from work read this). Oh well it's too late anyways Jacob took the list to the engraver to get the wooden rolling pin engraved (The Shengie award, isn't that the coolest ... yup I came up with it). After I got home after picking up the boys and buying my Christmas Exchange gift for work. Which I think is the BEST gift ever! It's a wireless headphone set, an awesome deal regularly $60 and they had them on sale at Rick's work for $20 which is the limit. The exchange is everyone grabs a number either grabs a present or steal one that was open. The person that bought the gift that is stolen the most gets a prize. I so want that prize! LOL I know I'm obsessed with winning. It must be the chubby girl that never got picked for sports or picked last! Now when it's a competition that isn't sports related I go crazy, and I'm so going to win (sorry couldn't let it go).

I plated the cookies tonight, don't they look cute. Merry Christmas everyone, here is your amazing gift yummy cookies and a nice dish you can use again. I even threw in the box so you can store the dish for next year (not because I didn't want to fill up my recycler, nope that had nothing to do with it). Oh geez one more baking project before I can go to bed, I need to make bread. You know since I was at the store yesterday said to myself no I don't need to buy any bread I'll make it (like I do each week). Except this week I baked cookies forgot about baking bread which left Cole with no sandwich for lunch. I then didn't think a thing of it until I got to the school of course with no backpack and no lunch box. (Mental Head Slap here) Call Rick can you stop by and buy sandwich for Cole. When I picked him up the cheese and the "salad" (the lettuce) were in the box ... he told me he wanted my bread for his sandwich tomorrow. NO problem I'm sure it's my bread and not the fact that I cut it into a dinosaur each day. I leave you with some more pictures. What out crazy mom with a camera.

Time to plate all those cookies. This was the best way I think.

The wreath look, didn't really care for that.All wrapped up in Press and Seal, just don't try to take it off to add more cookies. Not the prettiest sight. It's like putting control top panty hose on, lord be with me. But once there on don't breath because they might shoot off like a rubber band!
See I use the bins Rick! Yes that is Scooby Doo Costume, it's filling the void. Don't ask why the costume is still out, it's a sore subject at the house my Mr. Clean (hubby).

The boxes that I'm giving as part of my gifts ;). Bread Started! (Yes it's the Semi Homemade way I use a breadmachine)

I like to keep my wobbly arms, no muscles for this girl! LOL I'm ready! Popping right out of the breadmaker.

Thankfully it's a dome lid, let's it rise just right!

Bread done, of course I need to try it.

(Yup total Carb freak and butter of course)

The "Semi" Homemade Way

I'm happy to say we survived the drive and Wal-Mart shopping. We ran into the usual grumpy people that think anyone walking is in need of some of their grumpiness. I'm sad to say I even had to walk in front of a lady that huffed at me a few times, now I only needed to go once but since when I said excuse me and she looked at me like that third eye appeared and then huffed at me. Really there was 2 people that just walked in front of you, but the person who says excuse me and smiles at me gets the huff, so take that I'll walk in front of two more times and even say excuse me all times ... LOL. Take that, yup the inner child of mine just took over.

Wal-Mart is like Costco I go in for a few items and end up with a cart full. Really what the heck did I buy for $100. I guess enough to make cookies for an army! I use to every year make everything from scratch, after testing and trying I have found that Betty Crocker mix is the best way. Plus you can build off the mix, which is exactly what I did. I was so taping into my inner Sandra Lee (who is from Washington, just had to throw that in).

I'm happy to say the kitchen is clean, I even washed each dish after each cookie. Let's make sure Rick knows that, we won't let him know I had to since I reused the bowls each time. Yup let's just let him go on believing I listen to him. I even learned a new trick today, I ran out of sprinkles and the store was out. I was reading Cathy at Semi happy Homemaker who had a great idea on how to make sprinkles. Now I know this is probably a mental head slap, but really I didn't think about it. She took sugar and added (now get this) food coloring! Oh shhs I can't be the only one that was like way cool idea! So I'm now the proud owner of green sprinkles, kicking butt! Sorry been around the boys all day, really I need some adult conversation before I go loony.

So here is what I made today:

Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms

Eggnog Spritz Cookies (Which I did in regular cookie form, since my cookie press isn't working. Ok I can't figure it out, I had to have it bought the very expensive one and it's a pretty thing in my drawer. Rick are you happy now I admitted it? Thankfully he never reads my blog and will never know).

Holiday Snickerdoodles

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Peanut Butter Candy Bars

Plus a box kit for Fudge that looked yummy since it said cookies and cream.

On the weather update we are now getting even more snow. I think we're up to 7 inches, ok I know in some area's that is nothing but again I'm in Washington and that is so not the norm! I can't wait to drive to work tomorrow, I so think I'll make Rick take me and the boys!

So here we go, let the cooking (Semi Style) Start.

Ok I'm ready to start, I have everything I need right?

What I used for the Holiday Snickerdoodles

These turned out to be my favorite, Eggnog Cookies.

What I used for the Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter Candy Bars (minus the chocolate, I used the rest of the kisses)

See boys this is so much more fun then playing right? Cheap labor pay in cookies to unwrap the Hersey Kisses for me.

Yeah someone else gets to unwrap.

What I used for the Mexian Hot Chocolate Cookies. Very Yummy!

So technically the fudge wasn't semi it was packaged all I had to do was mix it, but come on I did the rest. As I'm cleaning up I turn around and find this. Do you think someone got into the chocolate?
And I thought I got out of unwrapping this time. Forgot about the bar cookies!
Am I done yet? 4 types of cookies, 2 things of fudge and 1 bar cookie.

Thanks to my taste testers. Who told me everything was Yummy except the Eggnog Cookies where just So-So. I told them I think it's an adult thing, I loved them.

I'm making a break for it ...

Currently I'm the warden in this insane asylum of cabin fever kids, the more I sit here the more I go crazy too. I don't care if I have if I can only go 2 miles per hour, I'm going to do it! I don't care if I open my door and can't even see the ground, if I go slow enough well make it. With any luck the kids will fall asleep on the way to the store. I've mapped it the closest store is actually the one farther away but no hills unlike the other 3, so we're going to Wal-Mart. Yes I know I will run into every crazy there is but I must go before I turn into one of them.

We are running on top of one any other hear, I think Cole has found a way to replicate Spiderman's sticky fingers. I think I just saw him climb the wall and hang from the fan. Well I guess knowing him he could have figured this on his own, but the Spiderman Theory makes for better story telling so I'm going with that. Even Caden is under foot. It reminds me of when I was like 5 or 6 and Dad took me to the mall, Larry Bird (a 7 ft basketball player) was there. We or should I say me ran into him. Every time he stepped to the left I would step to my right and be right under his feet. Caden was channeling my inner child and played this game with me in the kitchen. Thankfully today's breakfast was cereal (oh hush) and when it spilt it didn't burn him or me.

So it's time to shower and venture into the Wild "White" ... LOL yup I crack myself up, yet another reason to break out. Again did I move to Kansas since when I went to bed last week I lived in Washington State, yes the state known for Rain NOT snow! We usually get a day or two at the tops of this stuff, it usually melts by the night and back on the way we go! That is why when we got this winter warning all the schools were like no worries 2 hour delays only. Then the crap (sorry) started coming down and I can't even see where my driveway and the street begins. Oopps I slipped back into my Bahumbug ... Ok positive thoughts about snow. I'm not going to think about the vacation/sick leave hours I don't have if I can't make it to work. I'm going to think of slowly driving to the store and coming back to make cookies until my hands hurt and I forget about what it looks like outside. That is the plan and I may just loose some more hair making sure that is the way it goes down. Wish me luck ladies, this rain driver is going to brave the snow driving! Back of old ladies you have nothing on driving slow and yes it's Sunday so the Cliche will work here also!

This is what I opened my door to today!

This was once upon a time my front lawn that actually was still green 5 days ago! And the lone soccer ball that of course was left out yet again!
Even though my hubby repeatedly told me I was not to leave the house. He swept off my car before leaving for work today. He knows me oh too well, I'm going to be like the postman come snow ... sleet or crazy kids I will get there!

Cabin Fever Anyone?

Once again I must say how much SAHM Rock, I'm losing it and we've only been locked in the house less then 24 hours and 10 off that was the boys sleeping. I think I'm loosing it this winter wonderland (whoever made up that name had their head in the wrong spot) is killing me. Ok really it isn't and I guess I could bust out more board games, but if I hear another he touched me or he hit me I think I might just scream. Wait did that had a glass of wine and still feel the need to scream.

We went outside to make a snowman, it was cold and the snow was too powdery. Thanks to Roy we did make a small one. So that killed maybe 1/2 hour and at least when they were bickering it wasn't bouncing off the walls. We went inside I made popcorn and watched The Polar Express, which surprisingly the boys sat 1/2 thru before getting up and complaining. I tried Ice Age after that of course too young for Roy who refused to sit down and watch it, instead pouted in room. Really again I'm sorry mom and dad for EVER being a moody teenager, this ten year old is showing me what a horse behind I was! Positive note I did learn something from the exchange program that I can say Thank you to my parents, that and next time only girls!

Back on track ... Thank the lord for these crafty moments I get into and that then sit in a pile. Since today I was able to get two of these projects out and make them, well Roy and I did Cole and Caden decided Ice Age was a better form of entertainment. That didn't stop Cole from wanting to get his picture with "his project", no worries I really don't want to take credit for it. Not my best work by far, I think I ended up with more Elmer's glue and glitter on me then the so called Slow Globe. Roys' Igloo looked pretty darn good, do you think it would be bad if I claimed it as my own? LOL yup the cabin fever is starting to get to me. Rick just showed up and took the two older ones, who funny little things wanted to stay here with me. Sorry boys the wine bottle is almost empty and unless I can find snow shoes to walk to the store, you need to go!

I think I'm going to look for chocolate, more later! Oh geez what has my world come to? Humor I say is where it has ended!

Mom do you think 3 layers was really needed? I can't move my arms!

Talk about wind blow and Rosy checks!

Caden wasn't having the mom taking a close up picture

See look I put the stars on the present.

I think I'm loosing him

Yup almost gone!

Going, Going ... Gone

Look what I made!

Snowman's hat kept falling off. Guess the 4yr old pushing and pulling it can do that.

Roy and the Igloo (Mine ... ok not really)

Needing some Holiday Spirit?

Well I'm sad to say I'm the wrong girl for the job. It seems that ever time I get behind the wheel all the crazies come out, oh shhh it's so not me. Really people have lost the holiday spirit if it's just a simple wave to say thank you for letting me walk across this parking lot, you know even though I decided the cross walk only 5 feet up wasn't good enough for me and that your driving on a sheet of ice and stopping on the quick since I dogged between those parked cars. Sure no worries mouthing thank you was too much to ask for, even a nod would be nice but I guess with the cold weather your head might break off if you nod. Then you have the people that zoom out in front of you, who cares yet again we're driving on 3 inches of ice I'll break just for you. NO worries you don't have to wave either of care when my car wobbles back and front as you continue forward! Ugh!

Really it's like this time of year people turn off the common niceties (even the small amount we get the rest of the year) and put their head down and act like everyone is a batter ram around them! I had the great idea to pick up my pictures on Friday, mind you at the mall which I usually avoid at all cost during this season. Parking was nuts since you can't see the lines so everyone is parked ever which way. Then you have the yo-yo that are driving acting like battering rams also. You stand on the side being the nice person that waits and they zoom by like not snowing. Hmmm maybe that is why the yoyo's are walking in front of cars, but still it doesn't give a pass on waving or saying thank you. 20 minutes of a hike you make it into the mall just to have the person in front of you slam the door in your face, since holding the door for the person behind you is too much to ask. Mind you the entrance you go in has double doors, so joy it slams on you twice! Being the nice person that I am I say "Thank you" in the nicest clenched teeth voice I could muster. Head to the portrait place to be ignored for 10 minutes, since I'm in such a generous mood I get suckered into another $20.

Fight my way back out to the car, to slip and almost fall but thanks to the lovely parked car in the middle of the road that caught my fall. See I guess it was there for a reason. My second brilliant idea was to tell a lady at work I would drop off a package to Fed-Ex/Kinkos. Which is on the other side of the mall in a packed plaza. Oh joy I get to play frogger to make it to the other side. Really have I lost my mind? Since I'm there I stop next door at the dollar store for wrapping paper. Back in the car where I try to back out which was to much for a car who decided zooming past me and making me slam on my breaks. Slide some more and make it out to the main drag. Oh joy I can't wait for the snow and people to go back to normal! Oh geez I use to love this time of the year, what has happened?

Today I got the pleasure of meeting a lady who told me X-Rays killed her thyroid and her teeth. And another one who lost her hearing aids and wanted my home number so we could keep in touch. Yup I attract all the crazies, I guess maybe I should think what that says about me. But instead I think I'll whip up a batch Hot Buttered Rum drinks and try to cheer myself back into the Christmas Mood. Oh Joy Spongebob Christmas Special is on, yup that will do the trick. If not I'm sure one station has to have "It's a Wonderful Life" and if that doesn't work I'm busting out "The Christmas Story" DVD!

No more Bahumbugs!