Christmas Weekend In A Nutshell - PT 1

Can it really be in a nutshell if I divide it into two posts??  Whatever.  Also, when I think of nutshell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song plays in my head...

Aside from my husband being a bone head and not getting to relish in few glasses or so of alcohol (see my husband is a bone head), Christmas was pretty good.  

I don't know what it is about holidays but it puts me in a bad mood.  The idea of getting together with family and watching all the children opening their presents seems like such a wonderful time until it actually happens.  Usually it turns into a mad house.  There is a lot of noise, shouting and children misbehaving and thus creates a big, giant cluster-beeping headache for me.  

It's enough to drive one to drink, which if I haven't mentioned until now, I didn't get to do because my husband is a bone head.  The food is always great though.

Ok, enough talk, look at these.

The soccer ball is the only toy that she received from us.  Otherwise, she got a few clothes, a couple of books and a DVD player for the car.  She's already becoming a soccer superstar!

Also, I'm not sorry that my child is not wearing pants and her hair could be confused with a nest.  It's how she rolls around these parts.

Part 2 coming whenever I get enough energy to do it...so probably never.  

KIDDING!

Fill In The Blank Friday - Christmas

Something light to get me back into blogging...

1.  "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is..."

Well that's pretty easy, it's singing loud for all to hear.  I save my beautiful voice for the shower and Quinn, though.  I've joke sang in front of my husband quite a bit lately.  According to him, if we ever win the lottery, we're starting a singing group.  We're that 'good'!

2.  The holiday season is...

Usually overwhelming and tiring but this years look to be wonderful.  Something about having a 18 month old who finds delight and fun in everything changes my whole perspective on holidays.  She enjoys life and everything it has to offer, so my goal this year is to have a whole lot of fun with her!  Tonight, we're partaking in a community Christmas and going out to dinner. 

3.  When it comes to holiday decorating...

The more, the better.  I was raised in a household, that when it come to Christmas time, all the regular decorations come down and every wall, nook and cranny is covered with red, white and green.  I've inherited a bunch of Christmas decorations from my mom so our living room is pretty decked out right now.

Note to my mom:  MOM!!  I now know why you've gotten rid of all your decorations...they're either broke, broke or in need of a glue job!  Also, we've had our tree up since Sunday and only one time has Quinn touched something on the tree...she's being such a good girl.  Your decorations will be safe with Quinn...Mitchell on the other hand...

4.  The thing I look forward to most about the holidays is...

Family time, music, lights and all the other activites that come with it!

5.  My favorite holiday tradition is...

On Christmas Eve, we go to Christmas Eve mass.  I love being able to get dressed to the nines in holiday wear.  After mass, we go back to my parent's, eat Mexican for dinner and then unwrap gifts.  After that we usually play some type of game that usually ends up being overly competitive and way too loud!

6.  This year my plans include...

Making a whole bunch of goodies, with the little ones help, doing Christmas crafts and spending time with all of our family.

7.  My favorite holiday food is...

Oreo truffles, sugar cookies with frosting and caramel corn.  I wouldn't mind if my mom my a batch or six of her chocalate cookies.  Christmas food definetly trumps Thanksgiving and every other holidays...I mean it's not even a contest.

So what do you have up your sleeve for the holidays?

Minnie Mouse In The House

If I asked Quinn what she wanted to be for Halloween, she would tell me a ball, dog, cow or night, night because that's about all she says to everything.

Tonight I taught her beep, beep which is pretty fun and I'm hoping she starts using it in public.

I took Quinn trick or treating on Tuesday night around my parents area.  I brought her by my parents and since my mom is too cheap to buy candy (kidding, mom!), she gave her a box of Frosted Flakes and Nutrigrain Bar. 

Chocolate or cereal, it's still food in Quinn's book so she was happy.  If you ever need to bribe Quinn, just say anything about food and she'll be on you like white on bread. 

I had woken Quinn up from her nap in the car so she wasn't too pleased to be taking any sort of picture.

After we were done at my parents, we went into town and visited my Grandma M. and then hit a couple more neighborhoods up for candy.

It was fun taking Quinn this year.  She didn't understand the going up to people to get the candy or rather she was just too shy and scared to.  But she knew that she had some goodies in her bucket.

She had a great time running down driveways and waving to all the other kids.

We stayed up about an hour and a half past her bedtime but it was a lot of fun for the two of us!  Hubs had to miss because of work & pool league.

On Halloween, our town had trick or treaters so we dressed Quinn up and had her greet everyone at the door.  It was a perfect little Halloween.

If you're wondering what Barney & I were for Halloween, just take a look at this precious little picture.

I was Psy...you know...Oppa, Gangnam Style.

Barney was Bruce Mitchell with his boyfriend Jeremy as the alligator.  "Shooot 'em, shooot 'em".

Pin Today, Eat Tonight

You know what Pinterest is really good at?  Giving me dinner ideas.

One of my friends had pinned a Buffalo Chicken Shells recipe yesterday and I just knew I had the basic ingredients for.  So I pinned it and then made it last night.

But before I get to the recipe, I want to show you all the easiest way to make shredded chicken (which I use in the recipe).

First bake your thawed chicken at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so until its cooked through.  Then take that chicken, throw it in your mixer (we have a Kitchen Aid...aka THE BEST MIXER OUT THERE!) and whip it around a bunch.

Wa-la, shredded chicken.  I now only do it this way.  I used to buy the cans of chicken (to make the dip) but I realized that I was wasting my money!  Buy the frozen bags and shred away.

For the recipe, mix in with the chicken, oil, salt, sauce, dressing and cheeses.  Fill cook jumbo pasta shells and bake in oven.

Trust me.  If you like Buffalo Chicken Dip, you're going to love these.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1 pkg (12 oz) jumbo shells

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp vegetable oil *

1 tsp salt

2/3 C. hot sauce **

1/3 C. bleu cheese

1/3 C. Mozzarella cheese ***

1/3 C. Parmesan Romano Cheese ****

2 C. Ricotta Cheese*****

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to directions on box.  Cook chicken to your liking.  In large bowl, combine all ingredients except for shells.  Stuff each shell with as much filling as it will hold.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until shells are heated through (when I heard bubbling, I took mine out).

*I used EVOO

**I used 1/3 C since husband doesn't do spicy

*** I used 1/2 C.

**** I used 1/2 C of pizza blend

***** I didn't have ricotta so I used 4 oz of cream cheese and 4 ounces of sour cream.

******I'm using way too many stars.

Use what you have instead of buying the exact ingredients listed on the recipe.  Many things can simply be substituted with bananas, applesauce, cream cheese or sour cream.  A few weeks ago, I made cookie dough using applesauce instead of eggs and it turned out perfect (and a touch healthier!).

So tell me, what is the most useful thing that you've found on Pinterest??  Besides the above, rolling up magazines inside of your boots when not wearing them is a game changer for me.  Plus it's keeping my entry way a little bit tidier.

Original source of recipe found here.

Linking up with Steph and Katie today.

A Debate Thought or Two

Ever wonder what the candidates would look like with their wives hair?  So fetch.

I like Mitt's tie.  Well that wraps up all the nice things I have to say about him.

Wipe that condescending smile off your face, Governer.

Al Qaeda...no, no, no, Russia...I take that back, Al Qaeda...no wait...MONEY!

"The 1980's are now calling asking for their foreign policy back".

Mr Romney how do you feel about ______ issue?  What day of the week is it?  Oh, okay, it's Monday then this is where I stand but don't quote me on that come Friday.

MOOOOOMMMMMYYY!!! He's attacking me!  I swear I haven't been doing to him every other debate.

Hold up traffic, are they actually agreeing on something?

The President has gotten better looking since the first debate.

Is Mitt's face made of plastic?  Why does he look so creepy all the time?

What decade is Romney living in?

There is no such thing as an apology tour.

Romney failed math.

"I think Governer Romeny maybe hasn't spent enough time looking at how our military works.  You mention the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916.  Well Governer, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our militarys changed.  We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them.  We have these ships that go under water, nuclear submarines, the question is not a game of battleship where we're counting ships it's what are our capabilities..." 

The President

One final note:  if I have to hear another Romney lover ask why everyone is still talking about the Bush Administration...I'm going to punch-a-size yo face for free through my computer screen.  Obama can't move forward and make the changes we need as a counry, if he's spent the last four years filling the crater sized hole that George Bush so graciously dug and left for him.

#MittIsFullOfShit

#MittNeedsToQuit

#MittSmellsLikeShit

#MittIsNotLegit

I could go on.

Summer Vacation

This summer Barney & I and 3 other couples dumped our chitlins with our parents and bounced are happy asses up to Harper's Ferry for a little peace and quiet.  Not that I don't love my child but sometimes, we have to get away.  This was the first time leaving her for more than just a night so by Sunday we were more than ready to pick her back up.  The vacation consisted mostly of drinking but we did sneak in a few non-drinking related activities.  I'm kidding.  It was really all about drinking and having a relaxing time without any children around.  We've decided it's going to be an annual trip.

Day 1: Driving, drinking, asshole, fishing and campfire.
Day 2: Pontoon, drinking & asshole.
Day 3: Shopping, winery, fishing & casino.  Oh and drinking
Day 4: Clean-up & home.