Not My Usual View

It isn't every day that I travel commercially. And by that I mean that I own nothing of the proper TSA-approved size for carry-on materials. Though I travel for a living, I do it in a way cooler way and skip the security lines altogether. I'm spoiled, I know, but I'm not complaining about it one bit. I didn't let my shampoo keep me from enjoying a few days in Albuquerque this past week to visit some dear friends.

Though I don't have photos of us all together, I promise I actually visited people. We were just so busy catching up, cooking, hiking, and catching up some more that we forgot to take pictures until it was too late. Just let it be known that I have some dear friends in Albuquerque, and it was more than a treat to see them in person for the first time in over four years.

Four years is way too long, in my opinion. But we all decided that we won't let it happen again.

Since my airplane was down for maintenance, I flew out on Thursday after Hubby got home from work. My return flight on Saturday landed in time to enjoy New Years Eve with friends and family in town.

My main purpose for visiting the place where I lived before coming to Phoenix almost five years ago was to see my friends in person. We keep up electronically, but nothing can beat a smile or punch to the arm or sarcastic tone. We also cooked for two days straight to prepare for a New Years Eve party hosting over twenty teenagers! I still can't believe that the food wasn't gone by 8:00 PM but sure glad it lasted! The menu included: chicken and steak fajitas, chicken lettuce wraps, Oreo truffles, a chocolate fountain with all sorts of goodies to dip, a vegetable tray, spinach artichoke dip with baguettes, cheesy sausage dip with tortilla chips, parmesan pull-apart bread, chips and crackers, and sparkling cider to ring in the new year. It was fun working together in the kitchen to get everything ready.

It was such a treat to leave town to visit...something I never get to do because of work. I only wish I could have gotten pictures of the three of us together. I will make sure that happens when they come visit me this coming spring!

(Hint Hint)

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