Random Happenings

We celebrated Christmas with my parents. It was such a great day. The grandparents helped Madeline and Jacob make wooden gingerbread houses (love Lowe's free projects). Then we opened gifts and the kids enjoyed quiet time playing and being with those they love.
Oh, ya we ate too! This is a picture of the Baked Alaskan pie. This is soooo easy and makes a great presentation! The first time I ate this was on our Baja Mexico cruise 12 years ago, wow time flies.

You put softened peppermint ice cream (Grandma Berrett's favorite) in a baked pie shell. Place in the freezer until ice cream is hard.

Next, make some meringue and smooth it on top of the ice cream and then place under oven broiler for 2 minutes or until golden brown on top, yum! Then drizzle with some hot fudge topping and you are in sugar heaven!
Stephen received the movie Kung Fu Panda from my parents. Love the headband honey!
Our master bathroom shower is under renovation, ya got to love it! We are having the tile replaced because you suppose to seal the grout every six months, I didn't know that! So, $2000 later we WILL seal the grout every six months. And now you KNOW!
In first grade, Jacob has been learning about Christmas around the world. Here we are outside (about 10 degrees) hitting his homemade pinata. Thanks Jacob for sharing your yummy candy with us.

A good deal!

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I use these all the time and it makes a meal 1/2 price, yes! Merry Christmas to you!

Christmas Lights by Stephen Stoddard

Here is the much anticipated picture of our beautiful Christmas lights. The Christmas balls change colors, cool! It was about 15 degrees last night when I took these picture, nippy!





Here is the street view, ohhhh ahhhh... Wow, it is cold outside. Back inside, the Stoddard family is decorating the gingerbread house. Let's go in and see....
Jacob loves this night.... candy!

Two fish kissing...

Drum roll please... the amazing sugar coated, heavily decorated, gingerbread house. I saw a picture of a candy house with smashed candy canes on the roof so we did that to have some sparkle!

GOT Christmas ball???

I LOVE purple, I wear it when it's popular I wear it when it wasn't so popular! I like the splash of color it adds to our door.

My sweet husband Stephen has a disease, he inherited from his father, Ron. The disease is Christmas lights. There are pros and cons to this disease. The pro is how beautiful the lights look when it's night time.

The con is the cost and time involved in putting all of the lights up. Thank goodness we have excellent health and death benefits in case there is a Christmas Vacation Clark Griswald moment.

Stephen has drooled over the little giant ladder for several years. "if only i had a little giant ladder, i could reach the top of the roof line to add more lights". "if only i had a little giant ladder, i could change the light bulb in our vaulted ceiling!" Well, the ladder went on sale at Costco and I said "boy, get over there and buy that ladder so your life will be complete!"

So, if he complaining about wanting a new TV or having $$$$ to paint the house i just say "you have a little giant ladder, your life is complete!"
Stephen standing on the little giant ladder!
pile-o-lights waiting for some loving attention!
Here are the much anticipated Christmas balls! I went to Lowe's and all their Christmas decorations are 50% off, so that making Stephen's disease a little more affordable!

It was great weather on Saturday, 50 degrees and sunny skies. Jacob was being the little assistant and keeping Stephen entertained.

Did you see those cute glasses on Jacob's face? He just got those on Friday.

My sister, Cynthia, thought my kids would have glasses in the womb, nope we waited until 2008 when both Madeline and Jacob got them. Good thing for that great health insurance!

Jacob, you MOVE me!

Here is the Jacob's dance that won the school and my heart!

Got Hampsy?

Every year the PTA hosts an Art contest to encourage children to learn new things. Well, this year I took it to heart and we went wild and entered almost every category.

I let Madeline use my new camera (a little scary) and she took Hampsy outside and took pictures of him running free in the wild! Well, this picture is the winner! Madeline won in two categories Film and Photography. The theme was WOW! so I guess Hampsy's WOWED the competition. So now she moves on to Regionals!

Jacob won in film, dance, and literature. I will post his winning dance moves tomorrow!

I reallllly love my sister!

I've never shopped on black friday because the lines are so freaking long and I would rather sit around and talk or eat.

Well, my sweet sister Andrea saw this kitchen aid mixer and called me up to ask if I would boop over to Kohl's and get it. Sure you problem, it's 11:30 am and the doorbuster sale ends at 1 pm. I walk and and see this line that goes on and on and on and on clear to the back of the store.

There are probably over 200 people in line, yikes! I chat with random people as I walk back to the line asking how long they have been there... only 20 minutes. Oh, good this hopefully won't be to bad.

So I go and get the very, very last Kitchen Aid mixer... wow I hit the "mother load:, as Jacob would say". I stand in line and push the mixer along with my foot.

Well, 50 minutes later I finally get to pay for this mixer! Now, I know why I will never again shop on Black Friday, it's crazy! Pass me some pumpkin pie please, I'm hungry!