'Tis the Season....

Today I'm grateful that I'm done with my Christmas shopping. The gifts have been sent to loved ones far away, the cards have all been sent out...now it's time to enjoy the rest of the Christmas season. We have a lot going on until then and I'm loving every minute of it. Tomorrow we are going to make a Gingerbread Train with Harrison. He saw the kit a couple of days ago and has been eagerly awaiting this activity. I'll be sure to post pictures later. If the weather holds up we are also going to see the "Festival of Lights" , which is always so fun. I can't wait to see Harrison's eyes when he sees it this year.

Supper Club and Ornament Exchange

Last night I hosted the ladies for supper club at my house. We had so much fun...and even sat down to eat in the dining room. I made a fig and blue cheese stuffed pork tenderloin that was super easy and I thought was good. Everyone else brought appetizers, salad, sides, dessert and wine. I must say we have some very good cooks in the group! I made a super easy "Christmas cocktail" with cranberry juice, pear nectar and sparking wine...so yummy! We also did an ornament exchange which I say went far better than the one I went to last week with the ladies in my neighborhood...this time we didn't do the white elephant switch, so there was no stealing and re-stealing of ornaments. I scored a very cute pink and green glass ball ornament with the palmetto tree and crescent moon...so cute! Today I'm grateful for friends...old and new!

Baby, It's Cold Outside...NOT!

I feel really bad for the people in the midwest and northeast suffering with all of that cold, icy, snowy weather....really I do. I was always so terrified to drive in that stuff when we lived in the D.C. area (and we didn't get it too much). Meanwhile, it's a balmy 82 degrees here today...I wish I could shave some degrees off and send them to the cold areas. So, in order to stay cool in mid-December I've discovered a new favorite thing. I first heard about this company on The Apprentice a few years ago and then Oprah had it on her favorite things list this year....Ciao Bella Blood Orange sorbetto is absolutely delightful and it's 98 calories and 0 fat grams in a 1/2 cup serving. I'm loving this stuff and I feel refreshed eating it. If you haven't tried Blood Oranges, they are the bomb. So, until the mercury goes down a little, I'll be enjoying my sorbetto in December. My husband told me the high is supposed to be 56 on Monday-I say bring it on. I guess today I'm grateful that it is warm here and not icy or snowy. Because Charleston is actually on a peninsula, we have tons of bridges here-that would not be a good situation with ice and snow.

Back to Normal?

Well, I finally did it-I've reached my pre-pregnancy weight minus 2 lbs. Why 2lbs you say? Because it's just a numbers thing. I want the scale to say a certain number....You would think that I'd be excited? Well I am and I have worked hard...but I am just not the same. You see, when you have 2 babies growing inside of you for 8 or so months (they were born a month early), something happens to your....ummm...skin. Now I'd like to lose some more (let's say about 5 lbs and then I'll stop there-I promise) in hopes that something will magically happen to that excess skin. So, although my body is not the same as it used to be, I look at that excess skin and smile knowing that it is the result of my 3 beautiful boys! That is what I'm grateful for today...Of course, a neighbor brought over some homemade fudge yesterday and it is sooooo good, so I'm grateful for that too.

Peppermint Dip

If you're like me this time of year....things get a little busy. I love this peppermint dip, it's an old Southern Living recipe from 2000. It's so simple, yet everyone raves about it. All you do is take a 12 oz tub of Cool-Whip-I use lite or fat free and crush about 50 peppermints and mix together. Voila-it's great with these bad boys dipped in...
Oh, and yeah...today I'm grateful for tried and true and SIMPLE recipes like this that make my life easier. I'm taking this to my MOMS Club moms-night-out ornament exchange next week...so yummy!

All he wants for Christmas....

is a candy cane. The other day Harrison and I were talking about Christmas. I asked him what he wanted and he said a candy cane. Today I'm grateful for the simplicity of being 3. I know in a couple of years all he's going to want are big ticket items. I think we can handle the candy cane from Santa...maybe even a few more things!

100th post and a Santa Spotting

Today Santa came to our neighborhood clubhouse. I'm grateful today that we have such a child-friendly neighborhood and didn't have to wait in long lines to see Santa and buy a picture that we may or may not like. With this Santa, you take your own picture! I'm also grateful that it's my 100th post...who would've thought? I'm loving this blog and sharing my life with friends and family and other bloggers. It keeps me fresh with computer skills and one day the boys will get to read all about it!