Frostbiting is in full swing.  Weather has been quite cooperative and the gang hasn’t missed a scheduled day yet!  This makes Larry a happy boy.  Happy Larry = Happy Family.  All is good!

Last weekend there was no sailing scheduled and Larry didn’t quite know what to do with himself.  He did lots of things around the house but kept saying how much it sucked that we didn’t have a boat in the water.  It was really beautiful outside and even I would have considered a jaunt.   Oh well.  I only felt sorry for him for a minute.

I am heading up to Vermont the last weekend in January.  I’m going to see my old friend Mitch.  He’s newly married and I have not yet met his husband.  As a matter of fact, I haven’t seen Mitchell in over 9 years.  Oy, so hard to believe.  We worked together waaaaaaayyyyyy back at Swiss Volksbank and became fast friends.  We’ve stayed friends ever since.  Anyhow, the bastard has gone off and bought one of the  most beautiful houses in Vermont and left me here in NY!!!!!  Seriously, I’m so happy for him!  So, I’m off for a weekend of fun and being spoiled by Mitchell.  I’m going to get in a day of skiing either at Bromley or Okemo too, so it’s a home run.

The following weekend, we’re heading to the Poconos!  We’re going with Larry’s brother James and his family.  We’re renting a house and the house looks fantastic.  We’ll ski one day at Big Bear and then go tubing the next.  The house has a big game room with an air hockey table, pool table and big bar.  There’s a recipe Nutsy likes!  It’s also Larry’s birthday.  So we can celebrate in style, the way Larry likes.  Low key, my lasagna, lots of beer, no driving far away, lots of fun.

Two weeks after that?  We’re off to the BVI.  Sailing around Tortola for a week.  We fly down Friday.  Ferry over to Tortola and sleep on the boat that night, a Lagoon 44 catamaran.  We’re off Saturday to the following Saturday.  Then we have a night in a hotel before flying home on Sunday.  It’s the trip of a lifetime and we’re very excited for that!!

Right now, I’m really looking forward to getting some skiing in.  But, of course, we need Winter for that……ummmmm.

We’re getting ready for Christmas and for the first time in 12 years, I will NOT be wrapping on Christmas!!!  YIPPEE.  I have been busy wrapping/shopping and ……crafting.  Check out my latest escapades over at the House of Babs.

Until then, here’s a little something that pretty much sums up Christmas for me:

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,’Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’”  This is what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown. 

Love to all!

1.  Lights!  I just love the look of everything at night when it’s dressed in lights.  It’s so beautiful.

2.  My tree.  I would leave it up all year long if I could.

3.  Nutbread.  My Grandmother started making it over 70 years ago.  Then my mom made it.  Now my sister makes it in the original Diamond Walnut tin cans.

4.  Christmas concerts at school.  There’s nothing more innocent and pure than children singing and enjoying themselves.

5.  The Holiday Fair at school.  OMG, my kids just LOVE this.  They get intensely excited about what they buy for everyone.  It’s wonderful to see them so excited about giving to someone else.

6.  Christmas vacation.  Love having the kiddies home for the week.

7.  Christmas Eve at my brothers.  A great tradition and one that I really enjoy.

8.  Giving Larry the photobooks I make for him each year.

9.  Getting a new photo calendar each year to remind me of the fun we have had over the last year!

10.  Staring at my tree each night in the dark.  Yes.  I know I mentioned this already, but it is really my favorite thing.

Everyday I pick my kids up from school.  Everyday I ask them what’s going on, what has happened.  “Nothing.”  “Not much.”  “I had a good day.”  What this basically means is, “Oh my God!  Mom!  Why do you ask me this shit all the time?????   I’m not going to tell you!”

Thank goodness for Gracie’s middle school teachers who actually know they are teaching in the 21st century.  They have Twitter accounts!  They post when the quizzes/tests are on these twitter accounts!  I love it.  They also actually send parent emails every two months.  The get it!  Finally, someone is telling me something.

Tomorrow will certainly be a day of rest.  Or at least a day at home, no company and getting shit done.  I will finish laundry.  I will clean the upstairs bathrooms.  I will put two coats of White Dove in downstairs bathroom.  I do not need to cook dinner as we have Thanksgiving day leftovers and delicious leftover homemade meat sauce. I will take many breaks and read during said breaks.  I may even weed the front beds which are full of weeds.  YES!  IN NOVEMBER!!  Unbelievable.

I just finished Catching Fire, the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy.  I LOVE THESE BOOKS.  They’re brilliant.  I’m a little sad to have begun the third and final book today, although as I type I kind of can’t wait to get in bed and read more!!  My son has already finished all three and cannot stop himself from spilling details to me….!  The movie trailer is fantastic and I can’t wait for the movie this March.

Alrighty.  Enough for today.  Time to put me feet up and relax.  Good night to all and I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving.  I sure did.