This Or That

Today is a sad day for me.  My grandpa passed away last night:(  It's going to be rough without him for Christmas.

Celebrity Christmas Carol's or Chipmunk Christmas Carols
I grew up listening to the Chipmunks Christmas Carols and love them! 



The original Chipmunks not the new ones...although they are all cute

 

Gift Cards or Gift Baskets
Either. If there is wine in the basket I will take them all year long:)
 

Naughty or Nice
NAUGHTY!  Nice is no fun. I'm getting coal in my stocking for sure

 

Getting Everything on your wishlist, or Giving Someone Everything on Their Wishlist

Giving someone everything on their wishlist! 


Presents on Christmas Eve, or Presents Christmas Morning.

We usually do both.  Christmas Eve with family and then alone on Christmas morning!

Weekends aren't long enough...

Or maybe they are too long? I know it's weird to say that but sometimes my weekends are so busy I look forward to going to work to get a break!

My grandpa is on his death bed, literally.  I wasn't expecting him to make it through the weekend but he's still here today.  By here I mean breathing but that's about it:(  He no longer recognizes anyone or opens his eyes.  It's such a painful thing to watch happen.  The only thing that makes me feel better is that he has lived 87 years.  He has been through war, marriage, kids, divorce, grandkids, another marriage, a career, great grandkids and retirement.  I have been lucky enough to be extremely close to him my whole life and so when he finally does let go I can be content to know that I got to experience a wonderful, hilarious man!

Luckily I got to have a little fun in between spending as much time with him as possible.

Friday- After spending time with my family I went bowling with some friends.  It was fun except my arthritic hands don't like it so much today!  I am a terrible bowler too....my highest score was 67. Yep it's that bad haha

We stayed up till 5 in the morning.  I am really feeling my age these days!  My mind says I can act 21 but my body says FU!

I was going to add a funny e-card here but blogger isn't liking me today!

Saturday- Marcus had a basketball game so I drove 45 miles home for that.  They won!  Then we drove back.  I spent some more time with my grandpa then went to an all girls Christmas party!  We had lots of wine and played sour apples to apples.  I really want to buy the dirty one. Anybody played that one?

Sunday-Went home and made dessert for a late Thanksgiving I was doing with a friend.  I made a Reese's cheesecake and The Pioneer Women's Apple Dumplings.  Those apple dumplings were amazing, they had one really weird ingredient though....mountain dew.  It totally made the dessert though!  Here is the recipe if anyone feels like they need to eat some. I wish I took pictures this weekend.  I think I forgot how to blog lol

She made lasagna and it was the third italian meal I had this weekend and I'm not complaining except these love handles that grew back..oops!

Then I watched 3 Hallmark movies. I needed my fix I guess!

So on that note, back to some goals for the week!

Fitness:

*Workout at least 3 times this week.  I think everyday is too much to ask for!
*Quit eating crap (if only it were that easy)

Non Fitness:

*Finish all my Christmas presents and wrap them
*Make cookies
*Pack all my soon to be ex husbands crap and organize my house

Short but sweet. I put too much pressure on myself sometimes, time to slow down!

Hope everyone has a great Monday!!

Cookie Swap and This or That

Cookies are my favorite thing ever! That's why I only make them at Christmas so I can give them away:) Linking up with my favorite Ang:)

This recipe is from an ancient cookbook of my mom's that we used to make every year.

Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts (any kind)


Frosting:

1 cup brown sugar
3 tbs. butter
4 Tbs. milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine and mix the first 10 ingredients. Add nuts. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

For the frosting: Stir and boil the first 3 ingredients for 2 minutes.  Cool. Add last 2 ingredients and frost cookies.

These are amazing and you can't eat just one, you have to eat 5 lol


Next up:

 

Fashionable snow boots, practical snow boots?

Practical.  I don't go around town in my snow boots so there is no need for them to be that great although mine are pink with fur. Boots with the fur, the whole club was looking at her....

 Hat or ear muffs

Hat!  Particularly my bronco beanie:)

Snowed in or playing out in the snow

Both? I love being warm inside watching the snow but it's so much fun to go sledding or have a snowball fight!

Sledding or snow tubing 

Sledding! I've never been tubing...I know I know I live in Colorado.  I really don't actually like the snow haha

Almost winter or Winter’s almost over

Winter is almost over! Come on Spring, Summer, and Fall!!!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Christmas Traditons Link Up

Today I am linking up with one of my favorites Holly ( her husband just did my new awesome blog design) to tell you about my Christmas traditions.

To be honest the only thing that stays the same every year is the movies.  I haven't always been a fan of Christmas but can't get enough of the movies.  Anyone else addicted to those ridiculous Hallmark movies?? Oh just me? Pathetic I know!

Here are my must sees every year:

Who doesn't love this movie? My dad and I used to watch the 24 hour marathon every single year and I still never get tired of it!

This movie has so many great actors in it and the story is great. 

 Aww Love Actually.  I just noticed yesterday that Rick from The Walking Dead is in here!

I used to watch these constantly when I was younger and have now passed it on to Marcus.  These are a must at Christmas time!!

Growing up our family traditions were always different.  The one thing that stood out to me the most is when we would visit my Tata and Nana (my Dad's dad and step mom).  The whole family would gather in the living room and make music for hours.  Tata, my uncle and my dad were amazing guitar players, so we would all sit around and sing anything from Christmas, to country, to Spanish songs.  We were lucky enough to get together Father's day and do the same thing but probably for the last time:(

The one thing that will carry on in our family is music.  It is our favorite thing!

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Here is mine:

Wendy and Carnie Wilson-Hey Santa-Yep I went there. Judge away

This year I have decided to LOVE Christmas!  I usually don't like it because of the stress it brings but this year is different.  I am going to decorate and do fun things with the kids every weekend until then!  Tomorrow-Santa at Bass Pro, they have the best set up and who doesn't want to go there anyway?  Here is to a great Christmas!!!

This or That

Today I am linking up with Candra and Jodi for the This or That Link up.  Answering questions is so much fun isn't it?

Screened in Porch or Wrap Around Deck-Wrap around deck for sure but it has to be out in the country with a perfect view of the sunrise and sunset:)

Big Luxurious Bathtub, or Huge Walk in Closet-Bathtub.  I used to have one and it was my favorite part of the house!  Candles, wine and a book! Perfect mommy time!!

Kitchen with an Island, or Kitchen with a Breakfast Bar-Neither? Islands and breakfast bars just gather junk lol  Ok if I have to choose then a kitchen with an island.  They just look prettier!

Big Front Yard, or Big Back Yard-Big Back Yard.  You can hide from your neighbors haha and if your lawn isn't perfect it's ok!

Bountiful Garden or Nearby Grocery Store-Garden! Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best kind! I wish I lived somewhere warm all the time so I could have a year round garden.

I'm off to make more jam! Hope everyone has a great Tuesday:)

Thanksgiving and Weekly Goals

How was your Thanksgiving?? Mine was more like Black Thanksgiving. Yes we had dinner and yes I shopped ALOT!  3 different stores to be exact.  What a better way to spend with my family?? Yeah I know it's horrible but hey I am cheap and love me some good deals!

Walmart was nuts and I ended up watching and listening to several fights...I mean really those beats by Dre headphones are not worth broken bones.  Yes there were broken bones and people getting kicked out.  I felt like I was watching animal planet and all these people were fighting for food!

Except it starts the same day now.

I got some really great deals, ended up saving over 400 dollars and got a new laptop! These new laptops are confusing though, they have apps. Yes apps!  If I want to do something on here I have to download an app.  I guess I could have just upgraded my phone and it would have been pretty close but hey I can type without misspelling every other word because I fat fingered it at least right?!

It feels good to be back to blogging.  I don't even actually care if people read it.  It helps me remember my life, my goals and keeps me accountable when I decide to do crazy things like fitness challenges.

This weeks goals:

Fitness

*Work out every day this week, even if it' s only 10 minutes
*Put down the hot Cheetos-I may have eaten a bag yesterday( a big one)
*No sugar.  I know this is hard but it's what I struggle with most.

My goal is to be the healthiest and most fit I have ever been by the summer time.  Then I can actually rock a bikini!

Home

*Deep clean!  The stomach flu is going around and I don't want that shit.  I was up till 5 with Marcus while he was puking his poor little guts out!
*Make more jam!
*Sell some jam!  I made some yummy flavors last week, cranberry champagne, strawberry margarita, carrot cake and vanilla pear.
*Read a whole book...I've been slacking on this one

Happy Monday!! Hope everyone gets some good Cyber Monday Deals!!

Thread Eleven Facebook Challenge

When I saw thread eleven was doing another fitness challenge I jumped at the chance. I hadn't worked out in months and I knew it would be a kick start to getting my ass back in shape. It was a 2 month challenge and to be honest that first month I ate clean maybe 70% of the time and didn't work out once....oops.

The second month though I kicked butt, including doing the advocare 10 day cleanse.  Is that cheating? I didn't do it to cheat I promise. Just wanted to eat better and I did!

Here are my results:

Starting weight 129.4
Waist 34"
Hips 37.5
Legs 22.5
Arms 11.5

Now:
Weight 123.2
Waist 32
Hips 36
Legs 21.5
Arms 11

Pretty good for a month!! Anyone have any other good challenges coming up? It would be nice not to gain weight over the holidays:)