Countdown to Christmas is ON!

[nurseangel]

I have become addicted to watching people prepare easy recipes on YouTube. Especially since DH has them somehow connected in with Roku and that's one of the options I have. I can't watch other things on YouTube, it's what's set on the TV and am clueless as to how to change it. But goodness this woman made some beautiful easy cookies. Off topic, but my husband is apparently into recipes and news.

 

[Jem]

I have become addicted to watching people prepare easy recipes on YouTube. Especially since DH has them somehow connected in with Roku and that's one of the options I have.

Maybe I should have created my own YouTube Channel...I could be rich and famous!!!! LOL!

 

[Jem]

I did my big shop this morning...kudos to me for not dilly dallying, LOL! I made the shortbread cookies and the lemon fudge. Not really happy with the lemon fudge recipe...it's a bit too sweet and not lemony enough. Oh well, not everything I touch in the kitchen is a masterpiece the first time around.
My husband brought home the tables for me this afternoon...and I finally have Christmas presents, Yay!...Mr. "Wait 'till the last minute"!
I have three more cookie recipes to make. Plus I've decided to make some Nuts and Bolts...that stuff is addictive!
Aaaannnd, I still have the cleaning to do that I mentioned last time, and all the prep work for my meals.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Merry Christmas to one and all!

 

[di and bob]

Yes, Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

 

[Jem]

I saw this and thought it was fitting....

JK, I'm not actually going to give up....but I may start my drinking early!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I just finished my pies a little while ago. DD and I made the Peppermint Bark and its in the mini fridge in the garage but l’ll wait till the kitchen cools down a bit to cut it. I’m thinking the pizza cutter should work well.

DS’s godparents stopped by with Christmas gifts so that motivated some cleanup effort. DS made progress in his room but its pretty crazy in there.

I have a written list for tomorrow. I need to get the meat for the meatballs defrosted. Its still rock hard right now.

 

[Jem]

Well I made the last three of my baked goods done!
I got the bathroom done and did some laundry. I wrote out all the cards and made the wild rice for my stuffing.

I have a written list for tomorrow. I need to get the meat for the meatballs defrosted. Its still rock hard right now.

Me too! I'm getting my meat out the freezer as soon as I'm done here. Then I can scratch that off the list I made.

My list...
dust the living room
vacuum and wash the floors
wash the litter boxes
arrange the living room
clip the cats claws - just in case they get feisty playing with my nieces
put our coats and boots/shoes away so guests have room for theirs
random tidying / putting things away
Shovel the back deck and front walk way....we got snow today.
Call my Dad or Uncle for a few extra folding chairs...I just need two

Food wise...
First thing tomorrow morning I'm going to make my nuts and bolts so it has time to cool completely
make up the cookie trays for X-mas Eve's guests
make up the cheese/pickle/cracker trays

Getting Christmas day's food prep done might just have to wait until that morning....we'll see.

 

[Jem]

Well...Tonight was a success. Everybody was well fed and seemed to have a great time. I'm pooped, but tomorrow we do it all over again!
I have to make my meatballs, the stuffing, the fried green beans, a monkey bread, my cheeseball, cut up some veggies and cheese for snacking and put out the pickles, crackers, my baked goodies, etc...
The house is already cleaned up, so I'll probably just have to pass the vacuum quickly tomorrow afternoon before everyone arrives.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!!!!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Merry Christmas!!

I'm supposed to be wrapping right now but I wanted to check my shopping spreadsheet to be sure I don't forget anything. Last night I sorted everything I could get to out and wrapped a bunch. It's just my kids now.

I did get almost everything done that was on my list. I just didn't get DS's laundry folded. And he didn't finish his room. He really does need help with it. So I guess that's a project for next week. Yay. I have a bit of kitchen tidying to do once I can move the Gingerbread houses back to the counter where I'm about to wrap stuff at. I'll get the sauce on early in the morning and my mom already dropped off both the regular lasagna and a buffalo chicken crockpot lasagna for tomorrow. I made the meatballs today and they were so tasty! (Yeah; I taste tested like any good chef should! ) So tomorrow should be on the simpler side. Plug in a few crockpots, cook the lasagna, garlic bread and some veggies. Viola. Dinner.

I do need to cut up the peppermint bark but it'll keep as is. And drop cookie boxes to the neighbors. I suspect one neighbor works from home at odd hours based on when I see her lights on; so I didn't want to disturb her if she was sleeping. The other wasn't home. They'll keep too!

 

[Jem]

My meatballs are in the slow cooker and the pasta is cooked and chilling.

We opened our stockings and presents and got a great haul!
My husband got me a new pizza tray, some spatulas, an egg slicer and a good bread knife (don't laugh - I wanted them). I got a new hand mixer/beater, it's fancy and has multiple different beater attachments. And I also got a Harry Potter castle puzzle - 3000 pieces!
At last nights gathering, from the first side of my parents - My Dad/Step mom and hubby's Mom, I got some moolah, a new game called "Cat Crimes", and few little stocking stuffer type things. Tonight is the other side of our families, so, My Mom/Step-dad and Hubby's Dad.

My sister and I (including our husbands) don't normally exchange gifts, but I saw something hilarious as I was shopping around and HAD to get it for my brother in law. It's an anti-chaffing cream but it's called "Below the Belt, Grooming for Men - Fresh and dry Balls!"
I laughed my butt off when I saw this and immediately thought of him, we share a twisted sense of humor. Well, I gave it to him last night...it was a BIG hit. He laughed really hard.

Anyway, I should get back to getting things organized for our second day of Christmas festivities!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas Eve and that this Christmas morning was a magical one!

 

[Jem]

I'm exhausted, but I feel good that everything went well and the fact that the "I don't have to do anything" portion of my holidays can now begin! I plan on watching TV, working on my puzzle and whatever else I want that I find relaxing. I think I will indulge in a nice hot bath tomorrow to kick off my "do nothing" extravaganza.
I also couldn't fit any more in my fridge right now no matter how hard I tried...but that means I have plenty of left overs and won't have to cook for probably the whole week!

I hope everyone else had a great Christmas day!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I’m glad to be done too. I just woke up with my head on DHs lap. All the late nights caught up. I was looking rough this morning.

The kids had a wonderful morning and the lasagnas and meatballs were delicious. I don’t need to cook for a few days for sure!

The only wrinkle is that apparently the nail polish remover I have apparently gave me blisters on 3 finger tips! One broke open so that’s wrapped in gauze. And I guess DH is on dish duty and the kids are doing the litter box for a bit! I’m not sure if I should preventatively wrap the others. What a mess!