Wish List

I'm a big believer in giving your husband a detailed list of what you would like to receive for birthdays and Christmas. My handsome guy always gifts a mix of the things I ask for and some of his own gift ideas. His ideas almost always work because they follow my number rule:

If it doesn't make me feel glamorous or beautiful don't.

Don'ts include: anything to do with cooking, cleaning, parenting, aging, hair removal, or exercise.

Here are few items on this year's list!

1. Amazing Grace roll on perfume by Philosophy, $25. This perfume has such a light, clean and fresh scent. I'm usually overwhelmed and headachy when I wear perfume but not with this! The price seems a little pricey but my last bottle lasted a year, well worth it.

2. So Sexy volumizing shampoo and conditioner by Victoria's Secret, $20. I was once swamped by men and women sniffing my hair in Sunday school. Yes, it does smell that wonderful! I'm just too cheap to buy it on a regular basis.


3. Umbrella by Totes sold in Target. Our last surviving umbrella is a huge blue and white contraption with Budweiser scrawled all over it. I think my husband got it free from Alltel. It just isn't me. But this one is! I need it in red please.

4. Bellydance with Jillina Choreography, Vol 1-3 DVD's from Amazon, $45. In my opinion, Jillina is the best at teaching and dancing belly dance. I love you Jillina! You might consider this one breaking my rule of no exercise but since it's my idea it is good. Chuck's gift box of Tae-Bo was not good. Billy Blanks does not wear any sequins, beads, big hair, or dance.


5. The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia from Amazon, $15. I borrowed this book from the library this summer and devoured it in one night. The illustrations and writing were whimsical and funny. I just loved it.

I hope you will consider your own list and hand it over with confidence. Every woman deserves a wonderful morning surrounded by gifts that make her feel gorgeous!

Christmas Parties

My husband's side of the family is full of fun. We spend Christmas Eve with them for a Dirty Santa exchange and dinner. We hosted this party at our home a few years ago and Chuck dressed up as Uncle Eddie from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". Only his Nanny, who loves the movie as much as we do, knew him immediately as Eddie. One of his aunts thought we might be hard up for money.


The following year we decided that everyone would dress up "tacky". It was so much fun! Aunt Leigh Ann came in asking "Where's my cat? Has anyone seen my cat?". Katherine loved this after she caught on to the joke.


This group had to get gas on the way to the party. Can you imagine what a site they were!

This year the decision was that we'd have a "As Seen On T.V." Dirty Santa round. Sounds silly and fun!

Ninja Master Prep Blender

I am not a fan of having a lot of kitchen appliances using up precious space on the counter or in the cabinets. Two weeks ago I pulled out my old blender to mix up a lovely strawberry smoothie (allowed on my diet). I put in a couple of berries, a few pieces of ice and some liquid. After using every button and every speed my "smoothie" was more like "chunky" with some watery liquid at the bottom. I was resigned with the lousy results until I saw my friend's obviously chunk free smoothie which looked and tasted fabulous. Mine looked and tasted like ice splashed with strawberry seeds.
My husband has been inspired by this smoothie making business and has been blending his own concoctions with the same lousy results. It just so happened that he discovered "The Ninja Master Prep Blender" while browsing in Sam's this week. The packaging claimed to "blast ice into fluffy snow"and can also be used as a food processor. We were skeptical but bought it anyway, $45.00. We have been using this appliance every day now. It comes with several containers and two sets of blades. Allowing you to blend several things right after each other without having to rinse or wash. I tried it with onions today then cabbage. The onions were finely and evenly diced. The cabbage was trickier. I probably loaded it too full so the leaves were pushed to the outside of the container and had to be repeatedly pushed down. Next time I'll slowly add and will get better results.


I now can sip my smoothie instead of spooning then spitting out large chunks of ice. Nice. I give this product an A+!

Happy Birthday Charlie!

We spent another birthday weekend partying. I have been so wrapped up taking care of sick kids, then Katherine's foot, and a new diet that I just did not have the creative energy for another party. Luckily, we have a great family. My mom decorated her kitchen table area and made cupcakes for Charlie. He loved it, but not so much the cupcake. We opened gifts, played then ate out.


The next day we had another party with the other side of the family. Chuck's lovely cousin Chelsea generously shared her party with Charlie. So sweet. And her mother made him his own cookie cake along with what smelled like awesome food. I did not partake as I'm dieting and not cheating. I was seriously tempted with the apple empanadas but I made it through the evening.
The favorite gifts are the push car, wagon and huge dump truck!

Quite a Setup!

We had great Halloween weekend. We began our celebrating with carving the pumpkins. Chuck purchased a "Pumpkin Gutter" on line this year. It's a tool that is inserted into an electric drill that allows you to speedily clean out the inside of a pumpkin. It worked really well but did throw out pieces and seeds. I would have preferred to do this task outside but in the end it wasn't too messy.


We rate this tool an A-, points subtracted for the price ($15 with shipping and handling).


Last year, we lucked up and bought a Bubble Fogger on clearance. This contraption blows fog into bubbles. It worked really well and was a big hit with adults and kids. Chuck had this set up outside along with the fire pit and black lighting. Every man who came by said, "This is quite a set up you have here". If you come by a Bubble Fogger on clearance grab it!