So I Don't Really Have Anything to Say...

But it's been a while since I posted.

Life has been very busy for the CoasterFamily. We've been preparing to host W.'s office Christmas party as noted previously, we re-decorated our living room, CoasterGirl has had 2 birthday parties plus a Christmas parade to participate in, and work has been...well...busy.

Thankfully, the Christmas party was postponed so that more of W.'s office mates can come, so I'm not nearly as panicked tonight as I would be otherwise. Still, there's plenty of work left to do, and of course the baking will need to wait until next week.

Speaking of baking, I managed to ruin a double-batch of cookie dough earlier this week by adding an extra stick of butter. Which wouldn't be so terrible, except I used 6 sticks of butter and 2 bags of sliced almonds in the batch - an expensive mistake! W. thinks it's funny that an accounting major screwed up the conversions for doubling a batch of cookie dough. Being the super-nice guy that he is, though, he waited to spring that one on me until after he'd consoled me about the cookies.

We did get a substantial chunk of our to-do list accomplished this last week. Christmas presents have been purchased, wrapped and shipped to the in-laws, the Christmas tree was procured and decorated, Christmas cards were designed and ordered, the living room was finished, and most of the rest of the Christmas shopping is complete.

I'm not sure I want to think about how busy we'll be this weekend trying to get the house clean and in presentable shape, though. It's amazing how messy it can get when you're super-busy with work and doing other things during non-work time.

Maybe I'll ask Santa for a housekeeper for Christmas.

'Tis the Season

For peppermint mochas from Starbucks. Having already consumed half of a grande non-fat Peppermint Mocha Twist, I discovered the following:




Looks like I need to get crackin'!

Haul Out the Holly...

Wow. The Christmas season snuck up on me this year, even considering I've been planning a party for W.'s office-mates. Maybe it was the late Thanksgiving this year that did me in. Regardless, I need some help getting in the Christmas spirit. I still have a wooden pumpkin on my front door, and not a single bit of tinsel in sight.

I'm waiting to haul out the holly until after tomorrow, when we'll have new carpet installed in our living room. Until then, I suppose I'll just have to make do with the ultimate get-in-the-Christmas-mood song (at least for me): "We Need a Little Christmas". Here's Johnny Mathis singing his heart out about candles in the windows and carols at the spinet:



Enjoy!

Martha Stewart, I'm Not

So, it's official. We're hosting W.'s office Christmas party here at Chez CoasterFamily. We have a few weeks (the party's on Dec. 13th), but this is the largest get-together we've ever hosted in our home, and I'm already starting to get nervous.

I've been scoping out holiday party planning tips online and flipping through Christmas-themed magazines in the check-out line. I think we're doing noshes instead of a full-out dinner, and having everyone bring something. So, maybe this is doable. Right? Right??

I have quite a few Christmas albums in my iTunes library, so I'm thinking I'll put together a playlist for background music. I'm also planning to make mini pumpkin-spice bread loaves to give as party favors. A fire in the fireplace is a must. And I need a holiday punch recipe - maybe some wassail? And some non-alcoholic punch for the kids. Did I mention that we'll be inviting families?

Oh, dear. What have I gotten myself into?

And So Ends Another Long Weekend...

Ahhh....long holiday weekends. Gotta love 'em. Time to sit back, relax and enjoy the family.

Or, if you're Mr. and Mrs. ChelleBelle, time to finish a redecorating project, host a party, and listen to the CoasterKids fight about whether they should be watching The Wiggles or Spongebob Squarepants. Or whether CoasterBoy is allowed to touch CoasterGirl's dolls. Or whether CoasterBoy will be messing up CoasterGirl's puzzle. Or...well, you get the idea.

CoasterBoy will be two in a few weeks, and the Terrible Twos have arrived a bit early and with a vengeance. His favorite word is already "No!" and his stubborn streak has become his most prominent personality trait, eclipsing his innate sweetness with astonishing speed. I think the highlight of the weekend was CoasterBoy crying hysterically because his cereal puffs were in a plastic baggie instead of in a bowl like his big sister's. Or maybe it was when he insisted on watching The Wiggles in Big Red Car for the bajillionth time ("Car! Big Car!! Car, Mommy!! Car, Car!!").

So now the kids are in bed at last, and the house is quiet. The dishes are washed, the living room is straightened up, and we're planning for the week ahead and the vacation that starts on Saturday. And as this long weekend finally comes to an end, I raise my glass to all my friends who are stay-at-home moms: Here's to you. You're my hero.