Christmas Party

Friday night we had our 2nd annual Christmas party.  It was a small gathering since it's so close to Christmas and we had several friends who couldn't make it because they were either out of town or had other family obligations.  We put 7:30 on the Evite, but when nobody was here at 8:15 we thought for sure that nobody was going to show up.  The Murph and I got excited and thought we would be able to put on our pj's and watch a movie.  Then everyone showed up at once.   We ended up having about a dozen people.  We thought they wouldn't stay long and move on somewhere else for a late night drink or two somewhere other than our house, but at midnight they were all still here.  Everyone seemed to have a great time.  The Murph and I ended up having a great time after we got over the disappointment that we wouldn't be able to put on our pj's just yet.

I made sausage balls, sweet and spicy nuts, crab and avocado on toasted baguettes, stuffed olives, 2 kinds of chips and dips,  fruit and cheese trays, and ricotto and honey bruschetta  I picked up a veggie platter, cheese straws, petitie fours, wedding cookies and peppermint bark.

Everybody brought their choice of wine to drink, but I made a champagne punch with cranberry juice and frozen orange juice and had soft drinks and other bar mixers and liquors set out, including egg nog and rum.

I didn't get a lot of pictures of everyone once they got here and the Babysitter showed up late and refused to have her picture made because she knew they would be all over Facebook the next day.  So these are all I managed to get.

Everybody must have had a good time because nobody would leave so The Murph had to throw them all out promptly at midnight.  It was way past our bedtime.  We are not in our twenties anymore!   We slept in on Saturday and were totally useless the entire day.  

We didn't even get our workout in on Saturday which is almost unheard of!  I made up for it today by running 10 miles with little L (former Running Nazi) and then going to the gym and spinning for 30 minutes and about 10 minutes of weights.  

After running I finished up the rest of my Christmas shopping early this morning and picked up a honey baked ham at the HoneyBaked ham store.  I love those things!  It was great not having to wait in lines or dodge traffic!  No crowds at the mall yet!  Only us runners that early on a Sunday morning.  I was home by 10 a.m.  

Now I just have to wrap everything and get ready for my family and the Babysitter to come over Christmas day for lunch.  And the Boy comes home tonight from his dad's house.

I'm Going To Brag Now

This is the Boy when he was one.  It is NOT a little girl and that is Not a dress (it's a one piece jumper thingy and has snaps up the legs) despite what some certain people may say..  

I've been bragging all over Facebook and Twitter about The Boy's grades this semester.  Now it seems only proper that I do a blog post in honor of him.  For the first time in his life, he has made all A's and B's.  Not only that, he made the dean's list this semester with a 3.5 GPA which brought his overall GPA up over 3.0.  I can only hope this upward trend continues!  He has a really tough schedule for Spring with a Business Statistics class, a Technical Writing class, a History class as well as a computer/IT class.  Whew!  He will probably need a note taker for his History class and this is one accommodation that the college refused to give him but it is on the list of needs from Alabama Rehab.  I hope it's not going to be too much of a battle to get them to add this one accommodation.  The Boy does have a recorder that he can record the class lecture and one of those pens that records as he takes notes as well.  He didn't need it fall semester, but he will for spring semester.

He now has enough hours officially to be considered a sophomore and one of his classes was a 300 level (Junior) class and he did great!  Three of his classes were Computer or Information Technology related and one was a Speech -group communications class.  I can tell you I was worried about that one, but he pulled through with a B!  I am so proud!  He's called me three times from his dad's to tell me he made the dean's list.  He's really proud too.

I saw him briefly this past Monday when his dad dropped him off because we had a phone interview with SSI and I couldn't do it for him without him being here since he is now considered an adult.  I had also received a questionnaire from his high school.  They were doing a survey of all the recent graduates and wanted to know what the students were doing now and how they felt about their days at the high school.  Questions like do they feel the school prepared them in writing, math, etc.  Also drug related questions.  I read the questions to the Boy and he had to choose how he felt on a scale from A to D.  He was extremely negative about the school on the first few questions to the point where I felt it was a little too negative.  I told him that the high school must have prepared him at least a little if he's doing this good in college.  He thought for a moment and lightened up a little on the school, but he still didn't feel they did that good a job.  

One of the questions on the survey was "do you feel the guidance office was helpful?".  The Boy looked at me puzzled and said "what guidance office?  I didn't even know there was a guidance office!"  I know he must have known at some point where the guidance office was, but I have to admit there was at least one guidance counselor at the school that I didn't really like.  She always seemed too busy for us and wasn't really helpful at all.  Unfortunately, this particular counselor started off with the freshmen when the Boy was a freshman and moved right along with him for most of the years.  I didn't have much to do with her.  Like I said, she wasn't helpful.  Just bothered and impatient.  (I'm being nice because what I REALLY mean is she was a Bitch!) 

 It probably wouldn't have made much of a difference if the Boy had known where the guidance office was located.

I've known that the Boy was capable of far better grades than he got in high school.  To me this proves it.  Not just this semester but last year he did really well in his English comp classes.  The school was not set up to teach the way the Boy needed it to be so he could learn and excel.  He had far too many classes going on at once.  It would have been better for him to have just 3 or 4 concentrated classes for one semester and then the other 3 or 4 the next semester instead of dragging out  English, Math, Science, History or Electives all year long giving him 6 or 7 classes to deal with all at the same time.  He had to go to summer school three or four summers and he actually liked it better because he only had 1 or 2 classes.   I think he's the only kid in the world who liked summer school!  I would have died if I had to go to summer school while I was in high school or middle school.

He loved it!!

Anyway he's out of that high school now, thank you, God!  Yes, I did pray about it a lot and I still do.  I'm praying for college success now.  Prayers work!

Pink Lace

I pulled out this pink lace shirt to wear yesterday to finish up Christmas shopping and shopping for our 2nd Annual Christmas party which is Friday night.  It will be a small party since we are having it later this year and most people have other commitments by now, but we have lots of goodies plus I'm using some of the bottles of champagne we have left over from the wedding to make a holiday punch with champagne, frozen orange juice and cranberry juice.

Skinny jeans:  J brand,  Tank:  Gap,  Pink lace shirt:  Free People,  Boots:  Jeffrey Campbell

Last night I made sweet and spicy nuts and some retro sausage balls.  Reminded me of all those parties we had back in the 80's.  I think I'll do deviled eggs as well since I'm in a retro mood.  That's what the holidays do to me.  This weekend I'm baking sugar cookies in all my favorite Christmas shapes.

The Murph was a little nervous with me taking over the kitchen.  He's a little protective of "his" kitchen.  He was going to take some pictures of me in there cooking since that is such a rare sight around here except for this time of the year.  Cadence was confused too.  He didn't understand why I was in there and not giving him kitty treats.  He kept meowing and coming up right behind my legs when my back was turned.  I don't trust him when he does that.  A bite is sure to follow if I'm ignoring his demands for kitty treats.  This went on almost the entire time until I gave him his treats and he went on his little way.

Demanding little kitty!

I got this Christmas Santa from my grandmother many years ago. One of my favorites.

It's been a busy week and it is going to be a busy day!

Hey Eugene

I just wanted to share the latest song that is stuck in my head.  Not since Nicki Minaj's "Starships" have I had a song that's driving me nuts.  What makes this even worse than that time when "Starships" was stuck in my head is the fact that The Murph now plays this CD every night when he goes to bed and then again every morning when he wakes up.  Which means that I hear it every night when I'm going to bed and every morning when I wake up.  At least when "Starships" was stuck it my head it was only on my ipod and therefore self-inflicted.  I'm pretty sure The Murph doesn't have a Nicki Minaj CD hidden somewhere among John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk.  Where he came across this CD by Pink Martini I'll never know.  He's kind of non-mainstream when it comes to music.  I like that about him.

The Murph usually has some non-offensive jazz CD playing at night and in the morning, but he dug this Pink Martini one out the other day because he said he thought I would LIKE it.  When I first heard the song "Hey Eugene", which is the very first song on the CD,  I thought it was the strangest, stupidest song I had ever heard.  Before I knew it though, I was going through the house singing "HEY EUGENE" at the top of my lungs.  I started calling Phantom "Phantom Eugene" and then all the cats became Eugene and I was singing/yelling at them "Hey Eugene!  Are you theeerre Eugene!  I say hello, Eugene!  HELLOOO EUGENE!!" and now the cats aren't sure who or what or which one of them is Eugene, but what they do seem to know is it's extremely annoying.  In other words, I'm extremely annoying.  Now they are all collectively called "Eugene", not Phantom, Cadence or Ed.

They've started avoiding me unless they want kitty Party mix.

While the song is questionable at this point, I do like the bands name, Pink Martini.  It reminds me of the signature drink at our wedding.   A pink martini.  French martini.  Love them!  If I had a band, I would love to call it Pink Martini.  Only that name is taken now and I'm a really awful singer.  Just ask anyone who's ever heard me.

Things have calmed down a little today and I think I've only called Cadence "Eugene" just once, but I'm pretty sure I'll hear the song again tonight when I'm getting ready for bed.  Then it will start all over again.  The Boy's picked a good week to spend some time over at his dad's and away from me and that darn song.   Aside from that time he took violin lessons and that time he taught himself how to play an electric guitar because he wanted to be in a band, he's not a music fan, especially not jazz and especially, especially not whatever this "Hey Eugene" music is called.  I honestly don't think it fits any musical category, but what I do know is that it sticks in your head and you can't get it out.

"Hey Eugene! Are you there, Eugene?"

Make it stop!

In My Thoughts And Prayers....

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Mathew 5: 4

For all the people who lost loved ones in this tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Pink Christmas Plates

I just purchased  new Christmas dinner plates and I love them. They are Old Britain Castles pink Christmas.  I just couldn't resist pink Christmas tree plates.  These look even better in person than online.  I got the pink dinner plates and the pink and green salad plates.  

 Old Britain Castles Pink Dinner Plates

Old Britain Castles Pink Salad Plate

I can't wait to use them Christmas day!

You Only Live Twice and Me and Mr. Frosty

Me:  Jacket - BeBe, Dress - BeBe (old), Scarf - Chan Luu, Tights - Express, Cowboy Boots - Durango  
Mr. Frosty:  Hat - Vintage, Scarf - Vintage, Mittens - Vintage

The Christmas season is about the only time I ever wear red other than the red cowboy boots.  I wear them whenever I can despite my husband begging me not too.  He hates cowboy boots!  Whenever I wear them, he cringes when anyone compliments me on them and usually says something like, "Pleeeease!!  Don't encourage her!!"  I also have black one and brown ones.  He doesn't like them either!

This red jacket is on its third Christmas season now and looks like new since it gets worn a maximum of two months out of the year.  Actually only about 2 weeks out of those two months gets cold enough to wear it here in the South.  It's not that I don't love it, I do, it's just that I'm more of a pink person, not red.  I don't know what it is about Christmas that makes me pull out my red clothing.  Even my nails get redder at Christmas.

Two months ago for the wedding I went with a french manicure and did the pink and white acrylic.  Whenever I get a french manicure done, I always do pink and white instead of white tips because it lasts longer and to me looks better.  After the wedding, I moved on to a darker, eggplant shade, Lincoln Park After Dark, for Autumn.  Now it's all about the holidays and there is a really great OPI James Bond Skyfall Collection out.  It has some really cool, sparkly, shimmery shades.  I chose OPI You Only Live Twice.  It's a perfect magenta red with lots of holiday shimmer.  I'm really loving it in place of the more pinker shades that I normally wear.

That's me and Mr. Frosty.  He's been hanging out on the porch every Christmas since The Boy was a toddler.  My photographer, aka my husband (I love saying that!) should have told me to straighten out the belt on my jacket, but didn't.  He probably didn't even notice.  I guess I should be glad he's willing to do it.  The cats have all learned to run when I go near the camera.  That's one reason why there are less pictures of them on here these days unless they are almost asleep.  The refuse to participate.

I bought this candle at Bath and Body Works yesterday and it smells wonderful.  The entire house smelled like cookie dough last night.  Lots of vanilla and a warm buttery sweet smell.  It almost inspired me to make sugar cookies.  I use to do that every year with The Boy, but it just doesn't seem fun to do anymore by myself now that he's grown.  Maybe when he gets home next week I can convince him to help me.  I don't have to convince him to eat them.

I got the Christmas stamps I ordered in the mail today so tomorrow my Christmas cards are going out.

I am really loving this OPI color.  Perfect for Christmas!

Santa's Lap

I met my friend K today for lunch and Christmas shopping.  We decided not to take any chances and make sure Santa knows exactly what we want for Christmas, so we joined the line of 5 year olds to sit in his lap.  I joked with the Santa photographer that K was on the naughty list, but I was on the nice list.  I'm not sure if she believed me though.

K and I have been friends since 8th grade, but I am embarrassed to say that we haven't seen each other much the last 15 years.   I kept her son D when I had my daycare back when he and The Boy were preschoolers.  Then K had a little girl and quit work to stay home with her children, The Boy started kindergarten, I closed my daycare and then the years flew by.

While I've seen pictures of her daughter, I have never actually seen her in person and she's 15 years old now!  How did that happen?  We discussed it today.  Life just passes so fast and before you know it years go by.   I guess once The Boy started school my nightmare began.  IEP's, speech therapy, his zoning out in class, ADD, anxiety, depression, parent/teacher conferences, therapy appointments, then finally the Asperger's diagnosis when he was in 8th grade.  Where was I?  Buried in it all that's where!  Depressed at that point myself, trying to keep my head above water, trying to keep him up with me.

I am so thankful that K and I just picked right up where we left off last time we saw each other like it was yesterday instead of years ago.  I think I've only seen her maybe 3 times in the last 15 years, although we have kept up with each other on Facebook the past few years.

The Boy called today to tell me had two finals completed and 2 more to go and he thinks he made all A's and B's in his classes.  He's doing so much better in college than he did in high school.  I am so thankful for that.  And so thankful we made it through those rough years.

K and I didn't get much Christmas shopping done, but we did find some shoes we liked and then we had fun trying on the sequin Ugg boots and taking pictures and posting them on Twitter so our fashionable friend S could be totally disgusted by them.  We're just mature like that.

I did kind of like the pair below, but they didn't have my size.  The silver pair above just didn't do it for me.  Maybe it was just the way they clashed with the black tights.

Some Of My Favorite Christmas Songs Now

I spend a lot of time working out and listening to my Ipod. Lately, I've been listening to Christmas music because I happen to enjoy Christmas music. Yes, I'm not ashamed to admit it. Here's a few of my  favorites that I'm listening to over and over right now.

Just because there are no Michael Buble' songs on this list, don't think I don't have his Christmas CD on my Ipod. I do and he's one of my favorites. I just can't decide which song I like best.

 I've been loving "Winter Snow" for a couple of years now after I heard it during the Christmas Eve service at Church of the Highlands here in Birmingham. Beautiful song!

 One of my favorite Christmas CD's is Broadway Cares. I love just about every song on it, but my overall favorites are "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" and "Baby it's cold Outside" with Liza Minnelli.  Love it!

Our First Christmas Card

I'm so excited because we received our Christmas cards yesterday.  I downloaded our wedding pictures to Shutterfly and designed these cards with some of the pictures.  I am very pleased with the way the cards turned out and with a discount and free shipping, the cards were extremely reasonably priced.  I also got matching return address labels.

Our very first Christmas cards as husband and wife!

Today I will be busy addressing them so we can send them to our sweet family and friends.

They weren't allowed to come to the wedding because of "behavioral problems,"therefore weren't in any of the wedding pictures, but I included our three furry feline children in the Christmas card too.  Of course!

It Was The Shoes That Distracted Me...

Charlotte Olympia velvet pumps

This morning as always I got on facebook to see what was going on in all my FB friend's worlds since the night before.  I didn't get very far when I saw Net-a-Porters new status update featuring these pussy cat pumps.  Being a cat lover, it caught my attention immediately so I clicked on the link and quickly became immersed in all Net-A-Porter's new arrivals.  Click here to see all the cuteness for yourself, but be warned this is extremely time consuming and will take up most of your day.

Below are just a handful of the things I love and are now on my wish list.

Burberry Merino wool scarf

Juicy Couture cashmere track pants

Juicy Couture cashmere hooded jacket

T By Alexander Wang

Mara Hoffman georgette beach dress

Herve Leger

Ksubi Distressed Boyfriend Jeans

And an all time favorite that look very much like my Michael Kors Rain boots or I would already have purchased a pair....

Hunter Rain boots

Because of the shoe distraction, I was an hour and 1/2 late going to the gym to work out this morning.  This made The Murph late too since he was nice enough to wait for me.  I just told him my computer was being really, really slow this morning and I had some really "important" things to do before I left.  I'm probably going to stay away from pinterest today so I can at least get some things done around the house.  Our second annual Christmas party is coming up in a couple of weeks and our house looks more like Christmas elves vomited all over it rather than the look I was going for, which was more of a professional interior decorated look.  I guess if I wanted a professional design look I should have hired a professional!



Note- I am not getting compensated in any way for the items in this post or from Net-a-Porter.  These are just things I personally like. 

More Christmas Things

The Murph and I received a gift certificate to Pier 1 Imports for our wedding.  I tried to order some things online, but their website doesn't seem to allow you to pay with gift cards so today we went to the actual store nearby and shopped in the "old fashioned" way.   I got these candles and candle holders, a tiered serving tray, a condiment holder, a cheese board, a rectangular serving dish, and two raised cake stand, one white one and one clear.  And yes, of course we went a little over the gift card amount when we went inside the store and saw all the cute, festive things we really didn't need, but that's what happens.  Stores are planned out that way and I fall right into the buying"trap."

I also discover The Murph's one small, lonely box of Christmas ornaments hidden in a closet downstairs.  Before I moved in he hadn't had an actual tree up in years.   Instead he had one of those indoor/outdoor spiral lighted trees in the corner of his family room.    Who knows when the last time these ornaments have been on a Christmas tree.  I took care of that this year and divided them up between two of the trees.  Most of his ornaments were either lighthouses or baseball theme related with the occasional green leprechaun Irish Santa and some Catholic angels thrown in the mix.

This one is really cute!  My Murph's team, The Mets.  Now my adopted team too!  Maybe they will start winning more now with our combined positive energy directed at them.

This one looks like something you would find at McGuires Irish Pub, one of my favorite restaurants in Pensacola and the Boy's all-time favorite that doesn't involve Mexican food.

So happy to have the Murph's ornaments commingling with mine this year!  Hope they get along better than the cats do!

Our Wedding - October 6, 2012

Click here to view these pictures larger

We received our professional wedding photos this week from our photographer.   We love them!  It was fun looking through the photos this weekend.  How fast everything went!  So glad we have  it all captured in pictures!

Thank you Daniel Taylor Photography!

Floral Designer:  J Ross - Hothouse Design Studio
Photographer:  Daniel Taylor Photography
Cake Designer:  Dreamcakes Bakery
Ceremony & Reception Venue:  Inverness Country Club
Dresses:  Reem Acra (long dress) Gown Boutique of Charleston
               Anne Bowen (short dress) Maddison Row 
Shoes:  Jimmy Choo
Jewelry:   Tejani (necklace & earrings)
              Rose of the Mire (bracelet)
Wedding bands:  Southeastern Jewelers
Hair:  Moneer at Saxx Hair Design
Makeup:  Maryjane Clements
DJ & Photobooth - Feel The Beat Entertainment & Cool Shots Photobooth
Jazz Band:  Carlos Pino Band
Tuxedo:  Groom - Mr. Burch Formalwear
               Groomsmen - Men's Wearhouse
Officiant: Rev. Chauma Guss