Since I Don't Have a Mantel...

Hello?  Hellooooooooo???  Is anybody out there?  Boy oh boy, visits to SIASD sure have been few and far between these past few weeks.  Yeah yeah yeah, everyone is busy with the holidays, I know.  But come on, cut me a break here.  I'm feeling lonely!  I want my bloggy comments back.   And to be perfectly honest, it's frustrating and makes me mad that there are blogs I comment on nearly every. single. day. and many of those people do not extend the same courtesy.  There is a thing called blog etiquette people!  I could be really bitchy and just stop visiting those blogs, but I happen to enjoy all of them, so I can't do that.  But... I can start to name the names of the lame commenters!  Bwaaaaaa haaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

*Jumping down off my bitch box*

So, as I was going to say, I don't have a fireplace in this house, so I decorated the top of my entertainment center instead.  I tried Artie's add more add more add more, but I don't think I have it down pat.  I just don't have that much stuff, and certainly not the beautiful kinds of things he decorates with.

And now that I'm looking at the pictures, I really do need to get rid of that fake plant for the holiday season.  Totally out of place.

I love that white ceramic Christmas tree.  I just picked it up 60% off at Kohl's and now I regret not getting the other similar pieces.  Ugh.

I set aside all the lower branches that Jimmy trimmed off the bottom of our tree so I could have some live greenery in the room.  I with I'd had enough to make a garland for around the sliding glass door, but alas, there wasn't enough.  Also, Frasier fir isn't the easiest to make flowing garlands with.

Hope all of you are enjoying the anticipation of Christmas just around the corner.  I'm trying to get my butt in gear with the baking but it's been a slowwwww process this year.  Someone light a torch under my ass!

Here is what I made yesterday.  Rainbow petit fours.  I may share the recipe on Foodie Friday, so keep your eyes open!

Pssst! If you love me, you might love my stupid sister more. Go visit her at Jill's Believe it or Not, and tell her I sent you!

My Balls Are Shiny

A few nights ago, while enjoying temperatures in the 40s, Mikayla and I decided to put some lights up outside.  I think it's a given that there will be no lights up on the house this year.  Jimmy is not a lover of heights so if I wanted it done I'd have to drag my neighbor, Tom, down here to do it.  Being that he's already put lights on at least 3 houses on our block I think I should cut the guy a break, don't you think?

I usually go hog-wild with the lights but as I've previously stated, I've kind of lost my Christmas jingle so we're keeping it more low-key this year.  Mikayla did all the shrubs and two Chinese fan palm tree trunks and I concentrated on the Canary date palm in the middle of the lawn.

Have you ever gotten a splinter from a Canary date palm?  No?  Well neither had I, until the other night.  Holy crap, is there some kind of poison in these things?  That sucker hurt!  And I don't even know exactly what got me because it wasn't one of the 3" long thorns that cover the stalks of the fronds.

Anyway, here are some lousy pictures of our work in progress.  If anyone has any tips for me on getting decent night shots with a digital camera, please share, 'cause I'm desperate!

 

I hung some shiny and glittery balls from the fronds.

 

 

There were many many inappropriate ball references going on this night, and I had Mikayla cracking up.  Below is an example of things I was saying and in my very odd, Cartman-ish voice. I decided I'd make you a sample video of what I sounded like while hanging my balls.  I was looking disgusting at the time so I just pointed the camera at my computer.  Turn up the volume if you dare.







While Mikayla and I were working our little elf fingers to the bone with lights, Madison and Jimmy were at her Snow Ball at school.  For those of you that remember last year's pictures, yes, she's wearing the same dress!

That's just my little kitchen tree that I got on clearance last year at Target.  Cute though, right?  Oh, and that fugly garland on the railing?  It's coming down, baby!  Blech!

Hey Elizabeth, did you notice what's on Madison's wrist???

I think Strudel was feeling a little left out.

Doesn't she look sad?

Anyway, yesterday I took a couple of pictures while it was still light out.  Ya know, of my shiny balls.

And just once in a while when it's cold (or I'm sick) I crave a cup of strong tea.  Ahhhhh... it hit the spot!

Last night I bought some red lights to add to the white on the shrubs, so if either Mikayla or I get around to putting them out, I'll show you guys updated pictures.  I also bought nearly all my required baking supplies to prepare for Christmas Eve.  Yikes!  I have to somehow get motivated to start whipping up my desserts!

So far on my list is my famous, extra rich cheesecake, this year with blackberry topping; the ever present rainbow petit fours; butter nut cookies; an Italian cream cake; sand cookies from a recipe in the Dorothea Benton Frank book, A Christmas Pearl, and sugar cookies.  Jill will be very pissed to know that I'm not making my also famous chocolate cake with white chocolate-peppermint mousse and chocolate ganache.  I'm tired of making it!  But, Mikayla found a fudge cake recipe she wants to try and she will be making the white chocolate peppermint mousse to layer it with.  Go Mikayla!

I'll try to take pictures as we go along!

Pssst! If you love me, you might love my stupid sister more. Go visit her at Jill's Believe it or Not, and tell her I sent you!