@shawbridge – I know you can get it all over the country these days, but what about local maple syrup?
Ok, chuckling. I really hate malls. I only like small boutiques and what I call “eye candy”.
I just checked and we had 159 orders from Amazon in 2016.
Love them.
No, no baby for Son.
We had DIL’s parents over tonight. Son was here as was younger D and DIL came over after work. They are nice people.
Just a quick Happy Holidays and hugs as needed 
I always miss my dad (technically, stepfather) this time of year because he passed on Dec. 12 and himself hated Xmas – which makes it wholly ironic that his girls think about him so much during the season he dreaded with every bone in his body.
CBB, delightful anniversary gift…can you get your kids to call McSon ?
Speaking of rotating Xmas, he’s on a road trip as we speak…first, Duluth MN and later parts unknown in WI for gf’s extended family, then back to Michigan Monday. Last year, her folks joined us for Thanksgiving. This year, she spent TG here with my mom and sister, and we just had an early Xmas last Sunday before they left. With a 12 hr drive there’s really no other way to do it, though I do wish they were here.
When mch and i first started dating, (18 years ago) he endured several xmases at my mom’s with my ex in tow because even though it’d been 5 years since divorce, we’d gotten into that habit for mcson.
So I didn’t complain at all when his sole condition was that his own father was never left alone Xmas eve so long as he was alive. This means inevitably that we endure a min. 3 hour drive very Xmas day to get to my own mom’s and that I’m never back home long enough to really catch up with childhood friends etc. My folks house used to be the Xmas eve drop in center and in truth I still miss it sorely each year. Its a small thing in the larger scheme of things.
So my hope for everyone is that whenever you share it, your holiday times with family are enjoyable, entertaining, or both
Everyone who celebrate, have a great Christmas.
We are very, very fortunate to be able to spend this time with my parents, my sister and her family ( here from New England), my brother and his family, my MIL, H’s sisters and families and a very special cousin I am close to.
I do not need any material things. I have all that I want.
Mary Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all.
Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate. (What is the preferred spelling???)
Christmas is under control here – H actually helped decorate the tree. (Usually he quits after putting on the lights.) I didn’t do ALL the decorations, but things look pretty Christmas-y, so it’s all good. Low key Christmas Eve here, and then tomorrow we’ll drive 2 1/2 hours to my father’s for a roast beef dinner with my brothers and their families. Looking forward to relaxing next week!
Wishing everyone a lovely next few days.
D and H and I will go to a Peruvian restaurant tonight.
D’s BF arrives tomorrow evening. We will have dinner then.
H is taking food over to his B as SIL is coming home from the hospital.
She and I do not get along at all–I have tried. But she has been thrilled with the vegetarian
meals I have been sending with H for them. Have not seen her in 6 years!
Oh well, it is not a hardship for me and I like BIL.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. Ds and I only went to one Christmas Eve service. Home before 8. It’s the earliest I’ve been home on Christmas Eve my entire married life. The stockings are stuffed and I’m just waiting for H to get home. Son will spend the night at the inlaws’ house. I worry a bit about him because he doesn’t do well with change.
Hold your loved ones close '09 friends and blessings upon you.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah! Beautiful Christmas Eve service last night. Candles everywhere, a string quartet. O Holy Night was fabulous - produced the desired chills and tears. Came home and had a simple late supper and watched It’s A Wonderful Life. Because of church this morning, we’re not opening presents until this afternoon. Glad the kids are old enough to wait patiently!
And today I’m wishing a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! For the first time in almost 30 years H and I are waking up on Christmas morning with no children (of any age) in the house. Thank goodness we have a crazy pup who acts like it’s Christmas every day!
Hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! Ours was lovely and we got together several times with Ds. H’s parents called on Christmas but H had his phone turned off so didn’t get the call. He still has not returned the call.
We are getting together with friends at our lake home for NYE. The husband is having cardiac issues and had two stents put in last week and needs two more when he is a bit stronger. I am readjusting my dinner menu for him. I plan on having some salmon and shrimp and a winter citrus salad that has avocado with a basil vinaigrette or a Pear and Pomegranate salad with orange poppseed vinaigrette. I need another side dish that is heart healthy and low carb. Any suggestions? Roasted veggies?
Greeting! S and family arrived last night. We had a second Christmas with them and D and BF.
Dinner of ribs, potatoes au gratin, broccoli/brussel sprout salad, cole slaw and rolls, cheesecake
turned out well. They are young and big eaters thus the heavy food! I made a monkey bread breakfast
casserole for the first time and the lack of chaos in the kitchen this morning is wonderful.
Dil told me that as they were driving over the last bridge into the city last night G’son said,
“This is the way to Nonnie and Poppie’s house! I am so excited that I can feel my heart beating!”
I love 4 year olds! and him!
NM, lovely menu. Roasted Broccolini with either lemon zest and pine nuts or shallots and parmesan?
I would add a nice herbed rice but may be too high carb. What about a light quinoa for a grain?
We have our annual white elephant party Friday night and after that I may not cook again for weeks.
That will be 4 major meals within 6 days. Not complaining as have had lots of fun!
Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year!
I thought about a spinach parmesan quinoa with pine nuts but wasn’t sure about the carb and fat content. I was also thinking roasted sweet potato/portabella mushrooms/red pepper/sweet onion either with a no sugar maple syrup on top or just seasoned with garlic and herbs. Anyone else know what someone with heart disease can have???
The roasted veggies with garlic and herbs sounds good. Low sodium is a good thing. Since you’re already having lots of protein, I’d forgo the pine nuts – though I’d be delighted to have the spinach parm quinoa with pine nuts as an entree!
NM, what did decide?
My menu was crazy full of fat and I do feel bad about that but gads did it taste great. One guest told me that they were the best potatoes he has ever had…cream, gruyere cheese…
Everyone, 12, had a really fun time with our crazy white elephant game. Many do not enjoy this but for this group–going onto 7 years–it is crazy.
One guest has a white elephant bag that she put things into over the year and then decides on one for our party.
This year was our smallest group ever but those that will stay on…1/2 30 somethings and 1/2 60 somethings.
And one toddler. New to the game.
Happy New Years!
Happy New Year to all. We had a lot of invitations that ShawWife turned down because she mistakenly thought that our 23 yo daughter would want to spend New Year’s Eve with us. So, we accepted an invitation from a very nice couple who are probably a bit older. In an email last night, she said that they celebrate New Year’s at around 10. Huh?
We are doing a packathon. We are almost finished packing up our car for the trip to Sausalito – it goes on a car carrying truck. Lots of aluminum plates for painting, art supplies, clothes, capuccino machine, VitaMix, etc. We are helping ShawD pack to move into her new apartment in Western Massachusetts. Plus, we are dealing with an annoying tenant at one of our condos and a new tenant at another.
ShawSon is meeting his GFs parents this week. They (or at least the Chinese tiger mother) loved him from afar for being tall, Jewish, bright, ambitious and likely economically successful. She frequently tells her D about how good he is. Now she will meet him for the first time. We hope the love continues.
Good luck with the packing/moving shaw.
We have dinner reservations tonight but not until 9:30 which is very late for us. Afterwards we are going to our friends house for a midnight champagne toast. It just occurred to me that S has already celebrated the arrival of 2017 because he’s back in London.
Happy New Year all!
Quiet day here after departure of sibs from birthday shenanigans earlier in weekend
Just popping in to wish everyone a happy new year!
Happy New Year everyone! We never made it to midnight the other night. Watched “Me Before You” on demand and called it a night. (H hated the ending!) Missed the Mariah Carey shenanigans.
Today we (I?) start UNdecorating – my least favorite holiday activity by a long shot. We’ll also be starting to gather things for our road trip to FL – we leave first thing Thursday morning. The first big challenge will be to slip by the NYC metro area without hitting the rush hour madness.
S is back from Thailand & Viet Nam. He had told me (I have the text to prove it!) his trip was from Dec. 17 to Dec. 30. When I hadn’t heard from him by the end of the day on 12/30, I sent a text. No response. The next day I sent another text AND an email, asking if he was OK. That night he finally sent a short, somewhat snippy text saying he was fine and “clearly just wasn’t back yet” when I had originally texted. I am honestly hoping for an overload of payback if/when he has kids of his own!!!