Fat Men in Red Suits

Some of my favorite things to do in life: open presents, eat good food, and spend time with Hubby. You can imagine my joy at getting to do all three in one day!

Christmas was a joy at our house! We slept in, not having any little monkeys to jump on our bed at 4:00 AM insisting that they find out what Santa brought for them. Hubby went to the living room to fire up the tree lights and the furnace. Once it was warm enough to leave the warm covers, we headed to open some goodies from under the tree.

It probably goes without saying that every day this past week, I've asked if we could open a present. Not all of them. Sheesh, I'm not like that! But one here and there. Unfortunately, I married a stickler, and the only way to get those presents opened was to actually wait for Christmas morning.

Also making it fun was that an additional present arrived for me every morning. I would head out to the living room and find that Hubby had not only turned on the Christmas tree for me to enjoy all morning, but he had added yet another thing underneath the fake branches for me to shake and poke and prod. It was fun. Almost like a mini-Christmas each morning. He's thoughtful like that.

Before the magical morning arrived, however, we made treats and delivered them to friends, family, and neighbors. I guess we got a little carried away, since we made twenty-eight treats and had to deliver them over two nights. It was fun to visit people and leave them some peanut butter cookies with Reeses and Hershey Kiss middles, and some pretzel Rolo and Hug treats as well. I found some cute boxes at Marshall's weeks ago and could hardly wait to get them into people's hands. Honestly, the best part about Christmas is the giving.

But don't think that I didn't thoroughly enjoy Christmas morning!

Hubby is a tricky guy. He doesn't really need anything and wants even less. He wouldn't tell me a single thing that he wanted for Christmas other than a knife sharpener, which I bought for him weeks ago. So I kind of had to wing his Christmas. I think I did pretty well, and he seems to agree! He got a knee pillow to help his old, aching back, some new pajama pants, and a Leatherman Squirt from me, tickets to a Suns game (thanks, Ji and Jolene!), a gift card to Walmart (thanks, Mick and Donna!), and $50 for our favorite place, The Cheesecake Factory (thanks, Mom and Merrill!). Hubby had a great Christmas morning.

I scored even more, though. As always.

I opened the CD-shaped package first, hoping it was one of the OneRepublic albums that I've been wanting. It was, and I was happy! The next package was one of my favorite books growing up as a kid, A Walk In Wolf Wood, by Mary Stewart. Next I opened Mount & Blade and was very happy that he had used its packaging to sneak in another OneRepublic album! Such a smarty pants to know I would figure it out. I also got a brick...in with a book about how to start my own part-time food business (a.k.a. Hubby'a retirement plan). We still have a dream of opening a baking company someday. Did you know that? I also got a cookbook from my Amazon wishlist from Eating Well. Very cool...especially since I feel like I've been eating sugar non-stop for three weeks! (I have).

But the greatest (and certainly the heaviest) thing all day was my Cuisinart Food Processor! I've been wanting one of these puppies for ages, and it certainly didn't disappoint. I've already used it to make three things, you know. I love it! It's going to make life in the kitchen even easier! Hubby disappeared one night to go to Macy's...and since that isn't a place he frequents on his own, I had my fingers crossed that it was for something food processor-ish. Yippeeee! So now that I have one, what do you want me to make for you?!

After presents, we snuggled until it was time to go to church. After a beautiful choir of Christmas songs (I already miss Christmas music, by the way), we were home by 12:30. It felt like we still had an entire Christmas Day to enjoy! I made some Christmas dinner (slow cooker ham, Funeral Potatoes, and a broccoli salad). We drank it all down with some Martinelli's Sparkling Grape Apple Juice. This isn't just the Idaho in me speaking, but the best part of the meal was certainly the cheesey, gooey Funeral Potatoes.

Then we watched some of the NBA games (today was the opening day post-strike) and popped in A Christmas Story to enjoy. I had never seen it all the way through, though I've seen most of it during the 24-hour marathon each year. Our last movie of the day was my personal favorite, White Christmas. Then we read scriptures and went to bed!

It was a wonderful Christmas. I love that it was just me and my Hubby. We didn't have to be anywhere or get out of our pajamas once we got home from church. We got to play with our fun new toys and just enjoy a rare day of spending time together. It was a treat. A perfect day, really.

Did you know that Christmas is only 364 days away?

Obesity Never Felt So Festive

We came. 

We saw.

We ate like pigs.

Once again, this time of year means a magical moment of gathering around a large display of homemade goodies and devouring way too much. It means gaining five pounds in less than three hours. It means taking a "breather" to rest on the couch for a few minutes before diving in for Round 26.

Oh yes. It was wonderful.

The only downside to the event that I happily anticipate all year? I got called to leave for work. On a Sunday?! Right in the middle of my Annual Family Christmas Snack Table? Do I work for people who don't believe in Christmas? Who aren't religious? Who hate families? Who don't like eating food? I'm starting to wonder so myself...

I called to extend the departure as much as I could, but it still meant that Hubby and I had to leave the best party all year by 6:00 PM after just a few hours of pure bliss. I was so bummed to leave. We had planned to stay until around midnight to play games and maybe even watch some old Christmas video footage. 

It just meant that I had to eat double-time to make up for the loss of my evening. I held my ground. I made my Hubby proud (or embarrassed...we're still trying to figure out which one).

The feast included: T'liese'e Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (oh my), Caramels, Ham and Swiss Pastries, Lemon Poppers, Chocolate Cookies Four Ways (Reeses Peanut Butter Cookies, Hershey Kiss Cookies, Mini M&Ms Cookies, and Hershey Mint Truffle Cookies), Pretzel Turtles, Pretzel Hugs, Oreo Truffles, Cheesy Sausage Dip, and (my personal favorite) Alton Brown's Spinach Artichoke Dip. 

We hardly had enough food for the six of us.

Luckily, the babies didn't eat too much. We kept them distracted with fruit and such. But they smartened up after a few minutes and began demanding such things as gummy bears and handfuls of sugar. Instead of bananas. Crazy.

Even though I had to leave early, the party was simply heavenly. I look forward to this time with family every year. I feel so blessed to live so close to a sister (and her family) and a brother (and his family). And I also feel blessed that they like food just as much as I do!

Thanks for a great evening, folks. It really isn't Christmas until the Annual Family Christmas Snack Table has taken place. We just need to get everyone here for it next time!

Round 27, anyone?

Not enough food for you? I didn't think so. Take a walk down Obesity Lane by checking out the parties from the past two years!

Annual Family Christmas Snack Table 2010
Annual Family Christmas Snack Table 2009

A Little Bit Of South

 Last week was an odd one for me. Usually, with Big Boss in the back of the airplane, we fly six, seven, even ten times a day. Long, hard days, starting very early in the morning and ending very early in the morning the next day. So last week, he only flew once or twice a day. It threw me off my game! I still waited for him all day at the airport, since he didn't tell us when we would be leaving. It's much better to be safe than sorry with this guy. I finished one book and started another on my Kindle Fire. I'm so glad I have books to keep me busy when I don't know where or when we're headed next!

We left Sunday night for Austin, Texas. I hate working on Sunday, but especially when it is the most anticipated day of the year...the Annual Family Christmas Snack Table. I got called just a few hours into the shindig, and I must say I was just a little disappointed that I was going to miss the festivities with my family. I called Big Boss to see if we could bump it back to the next morning. He couldn't since an early meeting was scheduled, but he let me bump our departure back an hour so I could stay a little longer at the party. I was still pretty bummed.

We arrived in Austin around 11:30 PM local time. Luckily, the hotel was close. I was beat! 

The next day, after grabbing a quick bite at a Mexican restaurant, we waited at airplane alllllllll day until Big Boss finally announced that he was ten minutes away. And that we were headed to New Orleans.

I haven't been to New Orleans since my Hubby and I left for our honeymoon cruise from its port. How fun to come back! It was more fun with Hubby sitting next to me...three years ago!

After a lunch at a seafood place (I had a Caesar salad while my partner-in-crime at an entire Swamp Platter), we waited again all day to find out when and where we would be heading next. When we finally heard, it wasn't good news. Since the weather was terrible in Houston, and the instrument landing system was broken and prevented us from getting low enough below the clouds to land, that evening meant a detour to Shreveport, Louisiana instead. The weather was nice enough to let us find the runway. Luckily, we didn't get yelled at. I hate being held responsible for the weather! Also, luckily for us, Cracker Barrel was still open and fed us dinner. I love eating breakfast for dinner!

We left for Sugarland, Texas just outside of Houston the next day around 1:00 PM. He said we might stay the night here or leave that evening. So again, a day of camping out by the airplane to hear what was in store for us. While we waited, we ate some delicious BBQ just a mile away from the FBO. I love trying a variety of foods on the road each week, and BBQ is one of my favorites! Then I almost finished my second book while we waited on Big Boss.

He called that night to say he wanted to fly to San Antonio. I scrambled to find hotels this late, and went through five hotels before finally being able to find us some rooms.

On Thursday, we decided to try Beto's Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio (Tig, try it out...it is delicious!). It was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri, so we figured we couldn't go wrong. It was so good, and I don't even like empanadas all that much!

We were surprised to get a call shortly after we ordered our food. We were leaving in forty minutes...heading back to Phoenix! It's very rare to land here in daylight hours with Big Boss on board. What a treat.

The whole flight back, I had a dear friend on the radios the entire flight and didn't even know it. Shari, let's fly like that again some time! And I promise not to take SJN next time!

I'm just hoping the call for work never comes this week so I can prepare for Christmas. This is certainly my favorite time of year!

Phoenix - Austin - New Orleans - Shreveport - Sugarland - San Antonio - Phoenix