Happy New Year!!

EDITED TO CLARIFY Content!!!


I can't believe this year is just about done with. We have had ourselves a busy week, and while most of it was pretty good, we had a huge disappointment. The disappointment being that hubby didn't get to come home at the end of the week as planned.

Christmas was with the my In-Laws (Which was wonderful because they were a big help). It was nice to have family here with us, since hubby is deployed this year. On the other hand, I had never cooked dinner for them before (don't ask me how I have managed that, we've been married 6 yrs!) so I was a nervous wreck. Not to mention I am a crazed perfectionist when it comes to entertaining. I go overboard, do way too much, and drive myself nuts! I bought a Honey Baked Ham from well, you know where. And I had been under the impression that I was buying the Mini Ham. We had got one at Easter time, so I assumed it was a year round thing.


When I went to pick up my ham, it ended up being $49.95! And since I had to stand in line to pick up the silly ham, there was no way we were doing that again. So home we went with our over-priced ham. To go with the ham (insert heavenly music here) I had bought rolls, then planned for Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed potatoes, THIS corn pudding, which was delicious, and then of course Double Layer Pumpkin pie and a Jello Poke Cake in Strawberry in the shape of a star.

My mashed potatoes are kind of a wing it process. I don't have a recipe. I boil potatoes, thats simple enough. But in a mix of water and chicken broth. Then I get crazy and mash them WITH the skins on. I just like them that way. Then I throw in a stick of butter (look at me, I'm Paula Deen!) a container of Sour Cream and an entire package of shredded cheddar cheese. SO GOOD. Apparently the leaving on of the skins is a NORTHERN thing. Because my MIL asked me what the brown things were in the potatoes. I almost laughed out loud. I know not everyone does it that way, I guess when hubby asked the first time I did it, I should have known!

The corn pudding was easy, I followed the recipe except I only felt like putting in 4 eggs instead of 5. I know, I should write a cook book or something.

The chilluns had a great Christmas morning, got WAY too much stuff if you ask me though. I had tried to keep gifts to a minimum for our part. But when you have family all over the US who can't make it for Christmas, they get a LOT! Which also squashed my Santa plan. We for one are not planning on encouraging Santa. We want it to be a fun thing, but well known as make believe. But I know everyone has their own ideas And I will kind of let it slide for now. We will re-enforce as the years go by. Because in our house, Santa is not responsible for the gifts, or the day. Jesus is, its His birthday.

On a sadder note, hubby is still on deployment. He was supposed to be back for two weeks a couple of days ago. They are not here and may not be here at all until April. Which is horrid, and depressing, and infuriates me. And I hate having to tell my boys everyday when they ask what day is Daddy coming home. And I have to keep trying to explain. I could go on and on, but I am trying to work on not complaining so much.

Our New Year will bring him home at some point though. Hopefully and prayerfully as planned in April.

I am not much for resolutions, but I have decided we are going to work on cutting way back on the amount of sugar we eat in this house. As well as eating more organically.

And this year will see us MOVE out of the Armpit! I am so happy about that, and its whats getting me through all this. I hope you all have a Happy New Years Eve! I am spending mine with my little ones. Well, I am down to one little one, Train Junkie is the only one who is going to make it to Midnight. But we are going to toast eachother and then its off to bed!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!