Happy 4th of July!

Have a safe and Happy 4th Of July!!!!

Happy New Year!!

Sorry I am a day late..but yesterday I swore I had alcohol poisoning.

Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Years! I definitely did. Close friends and family came over for some fun. From what I remember a lot of us (mostly me) made a fool out of ourselves..! Good times!

I'm not one for making new year's resolutions. Last year, I swore I would loose weight. And in a year I've lost 35 pounds. I still have a few more to go... + all the holiday pounds! But I am trying to make this my life commitment. Only indulge once in a while. I made it 1 year-I can make another. One step at a time, right?

2009 is going to be a great year. In just 1 month my friend Bella is getting married. Then 3 months after her wedding-Mine will be here! I will be become a Mrs. for the 1st (and only time) and I will also get on a plane (to our honeymoon) for the 1st time. Possibly make a baby.. This is gonna be one hell of an exciting year!

I can't wait!

2009 here we come!

Dear blog friends,

I have been a bad blogger. I have been so wrapped up in baking things like Potica for my Grandpa, shopping for last minute presents (I'm a procrastinator..), wrapping presents, dogsitting, and cleaning up the house for Holiday guests!

Christmas is my favorite time of year. And today Christmas Eve..is my ultimate favorite day! Today we will go to my Grandma's house and hang out-watch old time Christmas classics like, Suzie Snowflake, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, Hard Rock Coco And Joe, The 3 Wise Men....And we will all feast on Christmas dinner. (I'm also in the middle of making the scalloped potatoes as we speak) Then we will listen to a Christmas story by my Uncle Fr. Bart. He loves to drag it on....to make the gift opening suspense even stronger! Then we open all of our presents!! I have 6 cousins and Mike and my cousin's boyfriend have joined our clan...so we all pull out of a hat-then exchange gifts. I pulled Troy-Annie's (BM) boyfriend. I'm so glad we include all our significant others now. It really makes them feel special and part of the family.

We will all miss my cousin Nate, he is in California at Camp Pendleton. He and I loved to spend Christmas together. We were connected at the hip-as my Grandma likes to say.. He will be home for our wedding-so exciting! Which makes it a little easier without him at Christmas. (Love you Nate!)

Tomorrow is Christmas with my future In-laws! We get up early, she makes us breakfast, we take all day to open our presents...and then we feast on dinner! It's so fun hanging out with his brothers-they really make me feel like family. It's nice having older brothers! (even if they tease me!) And I love his parents too....(they also tease me! But all in good fun!)

I wish all of you a safe and Happy Holiday!!!



PS: I wish all this snow would stop! We have had almost 20 inches of snow since Friday...and it's still coming down hard. Whoever wished for a white Christmas-got their wish! I like snow as much as the next person-but enough is a enough! :)

Snow Day!

Today was a perfect kind of day.

I woke up to our Instant Alert system-advising me that our school is closed to inclement weather. Woo hoo! Snow day! No work for me! I laid around the house and took occasional naps. It was wonderful.

Here is a picture of my antique angel. I inherited from my Grandma. She is old but I love her. (the angel that is...)

My favorite ornament

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I actually don't even care about presents, it's more about traditions and spending time with family. Every year Mike and I have made it tradition that we and my Dad go out to a local tree farm and pick a out a real tree. This year we got a tree a little too big.. But is has got to be the most perfect tree I've ever seen. It's perfect in shape and extremely healthy (it is dripping sap onto my carpet! Yikes!)!

Here is my dad trying to get the tree just right.. (please excuse my ugly curtains...my 'landlord' wants them to stay..)


See how big it is? It takes up half of my living room! My love seat is almost pushed to the corner of the living room! And it isn't even done 'falling' yet..

Here she is! All dressed up! Ain't she puuurrrtty??!

Note: I really hope I get a new camera for Christmas-my camera is getting worse and worse..

I personally like collected and meaningful ornaments. Not the ones that are all the same. I like my tree to have some character. We both have collected all of our ornaments since we were babies. We both get one every year from our parents. It has become a tradition.

Last year, we started our own tradition by getting each other one. And here is our 1st one. I have to say it's my favorite. Isn't it so cute?!

And here are our very first ornaments. Mine is on the right-it says "Baby's 1st Christmas" and Mike's is on the left-we aren't sure what it symbolized. But it still is special.

Do you have any special traditions?

I'm back up and running!

Woo hoo!

Modem was delivered. There is peace in my house now.

Let me start by showing you one of my favorite Christmas decorations.

It's my Nativity Scene. My Grandpa made it for me when I moved out. It's a little small, but-to me-it's perfect.



Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus came from my Uncle Danny. He passed about 16 years ago..but we remember him daily. He was a very important part of all of our lives. He was a wonderful man. And always made sure we ate our fruit! I can still hear him now.. "Here-eat a banana!"

Love you Uncle Danny. I miss you.

Secured in a safe place

Dropped my dress off today in a safe smoke-free and pet free zone. My wonderful Aunt took it for safe keeping. She is so sweet and so generous. I am so lucky!

Today was another eventful day..another Turkey day on my Mom's side. I think I'm done with turkey for a LONG time.

Tomorrow is my last say of vacation. I'm hoping to put up some Christmas stuff and just relax. We both need some down time.

Here is a sneak peak at my dress! Isn't she lovely?!

Practicing to be a housewife

For the last few years, I've been in charge of bringing food to family holidays and get-togethers. It's fun for me because I love to cook. And I hear that once you are married-it's your obligation to make something for every party.. So, here is what I am making for Thanksgiving.

Appetizer

Taco dip
Ingredients:
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
8 oz. taco sauce or salsa
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 md. tomato, diced
1/4 cup ripe olives, chopped
1/4 cup canned green chilies, chopped
Tortilla chips or Pita chips

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Stir in taco sauce and cumin; set aside. Spread the refried beans over the bottom of a serving platter or 13x9x2-inch dish. Spread cream cheese mixture over the beans, leaving about 1 inch uncovered around the edges. Top with layers of lettuce, cheese, tomato, olives and chilies. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.

Dessert

My wonder Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats (I used Quaker Oats-Old fashion oatmeal)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat butter w/ electric mixer on medium-high for 30 sec. Add brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until combined...scraping sides of bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat as much flour as you can...then stir in remaining flour. Stir in rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or till the edges are light brown.

And I will also be making a tossed salad and the mashed potatoes to serve with dinner.

Happy Turkey Day!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for?

This year I am thankful of so many things. My family for supporting me through this engagement and planning process. My friends for always being there by listening to my vent (or freak out), giving support and helping so much with planning. Most of all I'm thankful to have Mike. We have been through so much in the last 4-1/2 years. Some bad...but so many good things. He is my best friend. And he is there for me unconditionally. (Even if he's laughing at me for crying at a animal adoption commercial..) I'm truly grateful to have him..and to be marring him in just 5 short months. And I know if I asked him what he was thankful for, I know he would say the same thing. He has had some rough times lately, and I have been by his side every step of the way. We are going to make such a great team.

Tomorrow is Turkey day! Yippee! But it's also what I am calling the "Meet the Parents" day. Mike's parents are going to join my family for Thanksgiving. I'm really excited for everyone to meet. They are such great people. I think my Grams is a little stressed out though.. She has cleaned the whole house-top to bottom. I'm serious..she dry cleaned the chairs in the dining room and took down our chandelier and cleaned it to perfection. I think she went a little overboard! She even asked if I think they will like her-she is so funny!!

My uncle (Fr. Bart-our officiant) will also be interviewing Mike's parents under oath. And that will be the final factor in all our wedding paperwork! When it's completed he will take downtown and get the stamp of approval! Woo hoo!

Happy Thanksgiving!