Holiday Par-tays...

Whew!  I have had a week of Christmas celebrations!  I ate so much this past week, I probably shouldn't eat anything else until 2010, but instead, I just googled recipes for leftover ham...

First up, the office White Elephant:

David scored some giant shoes.

Of course, a Snuggie was on hand.  I can't remember who officially ended up with this, I don't think it was Jacob...

The most popular present was $10 worth of lottery tickets! Notice Jerome checking them out, using his White Elephant gift, an amazing magnifying glass! Haha.

I successfully offloaded an unwanted wedding gift, which will remain unnamed to protect feelings :)

And here's my White Elephant loot:

It's a sarcastic ball! Kind of like an 8 ball, but funner.  You can ask it a question... like.... let's see... will I get to go to the White House Christmas Party tonight? Answer: "in your dreams"

Stupid sarcastic ball!!! Too bad it's totally right!  I'm so incredibly bummed, I thought I was going to get in this year, but sure enough, I'm caught up in the system, and they invited fewer media people this year, so in a few minutes, I'll walk over to the White House, where on my way to my office, I'm sure to see dresses and tuxes hanging on doors... and sadly, I'll attend the briefing, and go home :(  Not that I don't like quiet evenings at home with my wonderful hubby, but going to this party is seriously a dream.. and while I'm closer this year than I have ever been before... I still feel... defeated.  Deflated.  BUMMED. :(  Waaa...

In Other News... also last week, we had our Christmas Party for the office.  We had a really, really nice meal at a hotel down the street, and we all got gifts!  I haven't even been to a sit down meal kind of company holiday party in YEARS.  Those don't really happen anymore!  And on top of that, we all got door prizes and a very generous gift card!  On top of all of THAT, I won majorly playing "The Price Is Right"!!  My loot from that was awesome - an entire brand new bake set!!! With measuring cups and spoons and a giant cutting board and oven mits!  It was the perfect thing for me to win, you know with my baking goals and all!

Then... over the weekend, Michael and I had our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party!! We had so much amazing food!  Our fridge is seriously so stuffed when you open the door,  hardly any light comes out, hahaha! And believe it or not, I sent every single guest home with huge doggie bags!  We had a lot of fun.  Here is proof:

The kids decorating gingerbread men!

Joe.

Hubs.

Brokaw and Baby Caleb.

Princess.

 The gang playing Pop 5.  We got that game as a wedding gift and it was a lot of fun!!!

 Here we are, hosting in our ugly sweaters!

Lavina told us to make stupid faces.  This is what we get.  We got our Ugly Sweaters at Goodwill... and I'm happy to report, they have been washed, and are now back in the "Goodwill" pile to go back!

Merry Christmas everyone! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday we got about 4 inches of snow. It was beautiful! I don't mind Saturday Snow Days at all! Bring 'em on!

I took this picture on the way to work Monday morning. It was STILL there! It's pretty much gone now...

National Christmas Tree Lighting

Okay, for real... last blog of today, I promise!  I'm trying to get this puppy up to date!

Last week, we went to the National Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House!  I was stoked when we got tickets!  I entered the lottery online and actually found out on M's birthday that we had "seats!"  Right in the front of the standing room section, on a little planked walkway.  One of the perks you get when you're rolling with someone in a wheelchair.

We were in the "standing room" section but we weren't standing.  I sat it down right on M's lap, and we wrapped up in a camo blanket.  Yep, you heard that, our camo blanket made it to the White House.  Niiiiiice.

All Bundled Up!

Sheryl Crow rocked!

The O's hitting the button to light the tree!

Ta-da!

Thankfully, we survived VP Biden's motorcade driving by, and made it to Starbucks.  Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Look at blue eyes enjoying his PSL.  Atta boy!

The tree lighting was really cute.  You can actually watch it online, if you're terribly bored.  Jordin Sparks & Sheryl Crow were great!
 
 
 
 
 

White Bread

I am happy to report... my first bread baking endeavor was a success!!

I rocked out the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (one of the reasons I got married haha) dough hook.  That thing was amazing! Did all of the work for me!

I followed the "easy" recipe for White Bread that came in the mixer's cookbook and.... tada!

Here are my loaves, pre-refrigerating and baking.  One was pretter than the other.  So typical, right?

And... here they are all finished!  I got up early Sunday morning and baked while every other living creature in my house (Michael, Princess, Katy and Brokaw) slept.  It was glorious! LOVE my morning alone time! :)

We have already devoured one loaf.  It is very yummy! Makes awesome garlic toast!  Today, I'm having a sandwich on it.  Yay, me.  I accomplished a goal!  I hope to become quite the baker.

Oh, if you want the recipe, here you go.

I must give myself full credit for being a baking machine this weekend!  I asked M what kind of cookies he wanted.. he said.. out of nowhere.. Peanut Butter with M&Ms. 

You got it.

Those were yummy, too.  A little crunchy, though.  I had enough dough to freeze a roll of dough, looking forward to pulling that down one day!  I'm making dreams come true all over the place, haha.
 
 
 
 

Contentment & The Christmas Tree

Let's start this one with the definition.

Contentment is the experience of satisfaction and being at ease in one's situation.

Now, a truth and a confession.  Truth: My Michael is the picture of contentment.  He is almost always satisfied and at ease.  It takes very little to make him happy.  And I mean really happy, not just "dealing with it." Confession: I, however, can't ever seem to get enough.  Fill in the blank.  I always want more, better, bigger, faster, you name it.  Always trying to up it a notch, ya know?

This is one major way that I really hope my  husband rubs off on me.

Case in point:  Our Christmas tree.

The husband and I were out on a much needed date night at Chili's.  The topic of the tree came up.  We were discussing where we would put it.  You know, near the back door, or what.  Then he said "how about on top of that red trunk?"  I kind of chuckled,why would you put a Christmas tree ON TOP of anything?  Then, he told me it was like 4 feet tall!!!

My heart sank.  I practically started googling Christmas trees right there at the dinner table.  We both got rid of a bunch of stuff right before we got married because we thought we'd be squeezing into a tiny one bedroom apartment.  We ended up getting a two bedroom, and have more room than we anticipated, and that has been nice!  Sidetracking, sorry...

When Michael moved in, his Christmas tree box appeared to be the same size as the box my beautiful, 6.5 foot Martha Stewart Christmas tree lived in, that I GAVE AWAY, hello!  I had actually seen this 4 footer at M's apartment last year, but I must not have realized it was elevated or obviously, Miss Christmas would not have agreed to such arrangement.

So... we got home after Thanksgiving... busted the Christmas Bush out.  I was fighting a bad mood as we put it up... tried it in several different spots in the living room, lit it, and decorated it.

In the end... I was... content.  Pretty much.  I certainly could not justify spending full price on a new artificial tree right before Christmas!  And I didn't want to bother a friend to help me get a real tree in... and eventually out of our apartment.  Can you see yours truly strapping a tree on top of my SUV? Ha.  Neither can I!

The next day, M looked at our tree, hugged me closely and said something about how beautiful it was.  I was like, look buddy, I'm dealing with this... I wouldn't call it beautiful... don't push it!

But, as I've come in and out of the apartment to and from work and what not every day.... as I've turned the lights on the Christmas tree on and off, and as I've dusted underneath it, on top of that red trunk... I have moved past "dealing with it" and am now at full blown contentment!

Oh, Christmas Tree  -- with your little self -- I do love you.  I love where you came from and what you taught me and thank you for giving us a sweet First Married Christmas story.

Here she is, in all her glory.  How about that star, eh?  Nothing like a full size star on top of a tiny tree.  It's funny.  But I love it.  I love it all.

We started a tradition of getting an ornament each year.  This is our first one, an adorable silver heart that we got at the National Archives gift shop.  It's perfect.

 We took this self portrait after we hung our ornament.  Our love is ridiculous.  It inspires even me, when I take a moment, step back and see it for what it really is.  Awwww.  Cheese.

And yes, my husband is wearing a beanie, inside.  He's always cold, I'm almost always warm, and well, he's more content wearing a hat than I would be sweating. :) 

Merry Christmas, everyone!
 
  
 

Whoa!

I just used the new "quick post" window on Typepad on that last post with Brokaw's Christmas sweater and the picture is HUGE! Don't know how I did that! Haha.

Brokaw's Christmas sweater! I have to get a pic of Princess in her Ugly Christmas sweater too! We are getting ready for the big par-tay this Saturday!

My Documents

Another super fun thing that Michael and I did over the Thanksgiving weekend was making a trip to the National Archives.  It was a biggie on my list of free things we need to do in DC before we don't live here anymore.  Not that we're planning on not living here anymore, don't start anything!  It's just... well, you know how it is... when you live near the beach, you never go.  When you live near the National Archives, where the most important documents upon which our NATION is built live.  I'm talking the ACTUAL DOCUMENTS, people!  You don't go.

Unless you make a point of it.  So glad we did!

Hi Archives!

You are so pretty in the Autumn sunlight!

 
  Nothing turns me on like the Declaration of Independence!  haha.. nerd love is so sweet, ain't it?

This is a copy.

This is the ACTUAL thing!  So incredibly cool to read the words of our Founding Fathers, in the ink they used and on the paper they used.  It was sadly very blurry, despite the amazing preservation technology... but hey, If I were 200 something years old, I might not look so hot, either!

We've got the whole world behind us! Haha.  My puffy vest is making me look pregnant, I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth, thank God! Back to having the whole world behind us... even though this is a horrible picture, the symbolism is beautiful.  We really do have that, and it's amazing.

I highly recommend visiting the National Archives for any of you who live around here or will be visiting.  Don't be discouraged by the lines out front!  It's totally worth it.
 
 
 
 

ThanksG

Hi Everyone.  I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  I know I sure did.  There is so much to be thankful for and every year, I love ThanksG even more.

The day before Thanksgiving, I was able to watch the turkey being pardoned at the White House.  It was actually pretty stinking cute.

POTUS brought Sasha & Malia.  It was very cute.  Fun event to cover.

Two turkeys weren't so lucky, though, and ended up at my sister's house! Mmmm.  One roasted, one fried... my brother-in-law, Jimmy does it like that every year, and they are both yummolicious.

 Action shot of Jimmy & Tracy cookin' up the goodness.

JT getting hungry...

Table settings... isn't my sister amazing?

Tracy had to put out paper napkins for those who are afraid of cloth ones... I, for the record, did use my pretty red cloth napkin.  Thus, creating laundry for my sister.  Sorry :)

My Dad enjoying the food.  EVERYTHING was sooooo good.  Too bad we never even made it to Round Two.  That's the thing about Thanksgiving, you always think you're going to eat soooo much, but run out of room!

Colby, in his food coma.  Wesley was trying to get him to exercise. Haha.  Throw the ball, will you?

Okay, I have to go. More coming later....

Okay, 7 days later, I'm back :)

My siter's mom was feeling good!  Yay, Shannon! One of the sweetest people on the plane!

The Colbster and Toby... he's like the Dog Whisperer or something, haha.

My Michael and My Mama.  You are not permitted to enter this family unless you have beautiful eyes!

I can't even tell you how much it warmed my heart to watch/listen to these two together!  My little brother has tolerated my past boyfriends and what not.. but he never really liked any of them and always asked me "What's the point?"  Until Thanksgiving, Michael & Chris hadn't even met yet.  The whole long distance relationship/my brother's in the Army thing kind of got in the way!  But, they really seemed to hit it off, and that made me soooo happy!

Note the sleevelessness.  It was nice and warm and toasty on Thanksgiving, and I was truly THANKFUL for that! :)

JT looking all cute.

Look at these people!  They are like the same person, in different shapes and sizes, no?  Chris was definitely the star of the party!  We were so glad to have him with us to share in some family togetherness and of course, pictures...

This picture brings up a couple of thoughts.... 1.  My mother cannot take pictures.  (note her finger)  2.  I really need to get my hair cut.

The newly minted annual tradition of Brayden making silly faces with Photobooth continued.  He sure does love his Uncle Chris!!

There was a new event this year, perhaps this will become an annual tradition as well?  An impromptu gathering of white people dancing in their uber-white-people-fabulous way, right there in the Lane living room.  I'm uploading a video to YouTube now... don't say I didn't warn you...