It was a fun day.

Had a few family members over for a Christmas Eve early dinner. Well, it was my mom and my "step dad" (someone who has been in my life since I was 12, who was with my mom for 14 years until she decided to end the relationship but they are still very good friends, which is totally awesome) and his room mate/friend (who moved in six months ago, they had grown up together, was supposed to be a one month temporary thing, but it has worked out well for it to be a longer situation, so naturally he is adopted into our "family"- that's how we roll). So the four of us had a really nice time- good food, conversation and lots of laughs.

After they all left, I spent the remainder of the evening catching up on emails, chatting with some friends I haven't spoken to in awhile and just.. thinking. I guess with another year at a close, some thoughts are bound to be at the forefront of my mind.

While doing all the emailing and chatting and so on, I had a nice mug of hot chocolate from a mix that (e:pyrcedgrrl) had made as gifts. I added a candy cane and an extra large splash of chocolate mint Baileys. Yummy. I tossed my special hat on that I wear when I am chilled sitting at home. Ok, I have an assortment that I can chose from, and really I just grab whatever is closest to me. The one I chose always brings a smile to my face, it is an old joke of the sort.. yeh, it has Barbie on it (so NOT my thing).


Now I am wrapping it up and heading to bed with a book. Warren Ellis', Crooked Little Vein, if you want to know.

want some?


yummy!


Trying to get me, the cocoa and the top of my hat in while take a self pic was much more complicated than I thought, so you get a second pic of me. :P
cheers!

I have a DeLonghi microthermic flat panel radiant heater. It is awesome. It heats up quickly and takes care of a good size room easily. There are multiple settings but usually I am cranking it high. I got it last year for use in a room that never quite gets warm enough, also for use when I am going to be hanging out in one room for a long period of time and I want the extra warmth but don't want to heat the whole apartment to that level.




My cats love it too. I often see them stretched out in front of it basking in the panels warmth. I don't have any pictures.. yet.

So when I saw this picture today over at that lolcat site, it did indeed make me "lol", as I can totally imagine that being my Joey warming his little fuzznuts near the heater.

and officially, my little village got its first snow late last night. There have been a tease of flakes at times, but it has been all green up until this morning. Today, the snow covered the grass.

yesterday afternoon I saw Joey was watching the snowflakes fall. They weren't really sticking, so I didn't expect anything to wake up to.







however, I did wake up to a good dusting. Nothing on the roads. Maybe an inch fell?





with the sun, it is already melting.

Ok, time for G rated cookie pics.


big mess compared to the organization depicted in (e:theecarey,50601)


lots of sugar cookies and gingerbread men


soft peanut butter cookie w/ Hershey's kiss


A white chocolate coated oreo ball


(ground oreos, cream cheese mixed together then chilled. Followed by dipping into melted white chocolate. Crazy easy and yummy)

3am silliness.

Just making use of cookie "mistakes".


I call this, "Bukkookie"






more cookie pictures to come..

G rated ones, that is.

not your grandma's cookies!

Cookies making was a hilarious time. I meant to post about the cookies, but that will come later...

but I got side tracked at sketchysanta.com (thanks (e:libertad,50606) - so flippin' funny!)

All the kids look mortified. We learn about 'stranger danger' but then are encouraged to go sit on some strange mans lap?!

Santa is so lecherous!


Oh, then I got sidetracked into looking at other stuff, naturally.

..THEN somewhere in my mind the thought to look up "BUCK ANGEL" surfaced. Thanks to whomever planted that seed. MY EYES! MY EYES!


As I was told, a simple Google image search will tell you all you need to know.

Sketchy Santa and Buck Angel.

What better way to spend a peaceful Sunday?

Good grief..

received an early (for me) morning wake up text,

8:38 am: "Are you free today?, we should do COOKIETIMEZ!"

In my head, over and over, "NO!!!" as per (e:theecarey,50597)

8:54am, my actual response sent back: "Yes.. Let's make some cookies!"

And so.. I AM making cookies after all.

I got up and dug out cooking making ingredients and tools. I am seriously well organized and ready for (e:pyrcedgrrl) to come over with remainder of supplies needed for cookie making. I don't know what she plans on making, but I am sticking to the basics- soft sugar cookie cut outs and iced gingerbread men cookies.

gathering everything together:




table prepped for making a mess with frosting and sprinkles:



Most importantly, we shall imbibe on coffee with chocolate-mint liqueur, or wine or whatever else I have in my cupboards and fridge. This idea made me think of a cook on The Food Network, Sandra Lee.


I never care for her style/presentation (AT ALL) but I found it hilarious that no matter what she was planning on cooking, she always had a cocktail to go with it (kudos for that). Holidays, birthdays, breakfast, lunch, dinner, Children's parties.. always a cocktail to be paired with the meal and event. Random internet quote in reference to her: "The only time that woman ever gets excited about what she's making is when it's 'cocktail time'" (hahahaha)
I actually wondered what kind of cocktail she would pair with baking holiday cookies. I got a little derailed in looking for specific information when I found her recipe for a Candy Cane cocktail which has a short ingredient list of vanilla rum, chocolate liqueur, peppermint schnapps, & candy cane garnish. I'm confident I would like that. mmmmm.

So now, a few holiday beverages:

Candy Cane Cocktail:



Gingerbread Martini:



"The Snowtini"

watch the slurring drunk cook Sandra Lee make her Snowtini:


can also be seen at, The Daily Martini (hell yeah!)


This looks really cute. Oh, (e:Mike)...
Santa's Sleigh Party Favor



better pic but smaller


anyway.. so now off to put the coffee on, find some fun music and put the kitties in the bedroom to keep fur infused cookie batter to a minimum. :)

I'm behaviorally inconsistent this time of year. There aren't any expectations or traditions, so I'm pretty much a free agent when it comes to holidays. Even so, there is less than a week left and here are a few thoughts..

• I like informal- laid back parties. I remember having some events last year that were more "uptight". I'd prefer to pretty much avoid that experience more often than not. I can blend in, have a "nice" time, but I am always happy it is over; like I had been holding my breath the whole time. As for the atmosphere of other parties, time is irrelevant and it is usually a surprise how much time had passed since arrival. Laughs are genuine, conversations and interactions feel authentic and later, I remember how grateful I am to have such cool friends and acquaintances

.

• I put up a small tree and a few lights if only to light up the long evenings. I also like sparkly things.

• I have my shopping done, but I only had a few people to buy for and that is never a stressful thing; usually just the traffic annoys me and the frustrated feelings emanating off of people. The perfect gift is something you want to give someone, not reading and scrambling around for something off of a "christmas list", right?

• I have however, bought myself stuff. I don't get out to shop, really don't care for it, but once I am out (for others), I am much more inclined to buy for myself. Bought a bunch of movies at various places and some music. And lip gloss, of course.

• I was going to make cookies, but I really don't need to. I'll just eat them. I'm so done with eating.

• I mailed out some Christmas-holiday-festivus cards. It has been a couple of years since I last did that. I realize that I do not have addresses for snail mail. It took a little digging and asking around to get what I needed.

• Still no snow. There are a few very light patches, but mostly still green. I wonder if that is what is needed to feel that holiday vibe?

• Watched a few holiday themed movies. I think that is one of my favorite things to do. I really like, and own, Elf and The Holiday. There are others, but I have to rent them, which might be something to do this coming week.

• tried a scalp massager (like that seen below). It is such a simple thing but feels so good. I bought one for my step dad, but I'm going to go back to the store and buy a couple more (one for me!).

• Sherlock Holmes movie comes out on Christmas- if my plans are light, that might be something I go see.

How are your preparations coming along? ready?

Where do I find those little strings of Christmas lights that are battery operated?

(e:matthew), I think some of your ferns have a set?


Thank you!