25 Fun Things to Do This Christmas!

We made it back to LA from Texas! What a great Thanksgiving week with the family.  Lots of food, love, and laughter made it so unforgettable!  I can’t believe how time flies when you are having fun.  I am already looking forward to the next year!  Photos coming soon. 🙂

Now, it’s time to get ready for the holidays!  My absolute favorite time of the year, besides Thanksgiving, is Christmas.  Even though we won’t be here, it doesn’t stop us from doing the usual holiday decorating, gift giving, and baking holiday desserts.  We also watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and drink eggnog with Brandy……

Clark: “Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he’s gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.”

HAHAHA!! This is one of my favorite quotes!

There is so much fun stuff to do so I decided, for the first time, to make a 25 Days of Christmas list.  You can check out daily photos on my Instagram.

Day 1:  Last day in Texas to hang out with the family before heading back to LA!

Day 2:  Take silly family photo at the airport.

Day 3:  Set up small Christmas tree and other holiday decor around the house.

Day 4:  Finish Liam’s custom made toy chest.  Add letters, stain, and chalkboard paint to complete the look!

Day 5:  Take photo with Santa Claus at the Los Angeles Grove!

Day 6:  Bake mini Christmas donuts.  See day 16.

Day 7:  Take family Christmas photo to send to family and friends.

Day 8:  Make french toast and listen to Christmas music.

Day 9:  Shop for family gifts.

Day 10: Donate toys and clothes to a local charity.

Day 11: Make a holiday Christmas ornament with Liam.

Day 12: Make a romantic candlelight dinner for the hubby.

Day 13:  Watch National Lampoon Christmas Vacation and enjoy Christmas cocktails.

Day 14:  Take Liam to a snow day with friends during the day and eat Christmas cookies.

Day 15:  Host a christmas gathering with a few friends, play board games, and drink egg nog with Brandy.

Day 16:  Bake salted caramel pies and give to friends.

Day 17:  Buy new holiday PJ’s for Liam and myself.

Day 18:  Snuggle and read holiday books with Liam.

Day 19:  Get a manicure with a new red nail polish.

Day 20:  Listen to Christmas music while packing our bags for our 2 week trip in Wyoming.  It’s 16 degrees there! Burrrrr!

Day 21:  Fly to Wyoming to see the family for Christmas and New Year’s! Another silly photo at the airport.

Day 22:  Make snow angels and drink hot chocolate, aka snowman soup.

Day 23:  Chop down Christmas tree and make a snowman!

Day 24:  Take part in a White Elephant gift exchange with the family Christmas Eve.

Day 25:  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Open gifts and have Christmas dinner!

PS.. Reggie is here for a visit so he will be joining the fun too!

Our Elf and His Name…

I know Christmas is over, but I had to share our new Elf on the Shelf given to us by the Talty Family.  I am so excited to have him as part of our holiday tradition!  Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who’s naughty or nice?  Liam will be thrilled to know that our elf will be reporting to Santa everyday during the month of December.  As most of you know about the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon you have to give him a name.  So the other night I told Tim, “What should we name our elf?”  Without hesitation Tim said, “his name is Reginald.”  Reginald?  What is that?  I’ve never heard of such a name, but I thought it was unique and fun so I went with it.  We named our elf, Reginald (Reggie for short).

The next morning I went online to register our elf.  It comes with a certificate of elf adoption, which you can print out and show the little ones that it is official.  And you can print out a letter from Santa as well.  This is so cool!

After I registered Reginald, I decided to look up the name to find out what the meaning is.  Well, according to Urban Dictionary Reginald means….

“a person whom is full of themselves; tends to be successful and is pompous about it. they have a competitive mindset and will bang any female while pretending they REALLY care, but everyone else knows…a Reginald can CARE LESS.”

Way to go Tim.  Nice work.  Sigh.

Christmas 2012 at Casa De Mitchell

Our Christmas morning breakfast! I didn’t have time to practice pancakes from scratch so I whipped up a batch of Betty Crocker cakes…at it’s best. Next year, I will make it a tradition to make the best pancakes for Liam. Any suggestions? Please send me a recipe.

Lot’s of Christmas presents from our family and friends. Most of them from my mom. Sad she couldn’t make it to LA this year, but we did however enjoy all the gifts! Love you mom!

What the bib says… It’s True.

Tim and his lovely mother

Lot’s of Victoria’s Secret sweaters. Building up the wardrobe again this year!

Tim’s Irish, which means this is a match made in heaven. He is a super HUGE fan of Notre Dame. What’s not to love about that team? They are undefeated this year! Go Irish!

Liam’s first Christmas ornament from my friend Carmen! We screwed it up the first and second time…3rd time’s a charm. We were going to do Liam’s hand but that didn’t turn out so great.

Personalized stuffed animals from Grandma Sara (my mom).

Baby Liam’s first X-Mas stocking

Liam checking out his new toys

Cookie loves her x-mas gifts too. Especially her flying squirrel, which is now ripped to shreds. Poor squirrel…didn’t stand a chance. 10 minutes and poof! Gone.

One of my favorite gifts from my awesome adorable hubby!! Thanks love!

HOPE EVERYONE HAD AN AWESOME CHRISTMAS!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW YEAR!

Holiday Card 2012

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!!!

It’s the Little Things

Banana Walnut Bread Recipe

I had exactly 3 REALLY ripe bananas and a carton of buttermilk that I needed to use up before it was too late.  The cranberry orange bread I made last time called for buttermilk also, which is why I had it sitting in the fridge.  Wish they would sell this stuff in smaller containers! By the way, this banana bread is delicious.  My neighbors said so.

Christmas pop-up Stickers- used on presents and x-mas cards

Liam’s ornament from our family friend, Reda Garza.

Personalized pacifiers

Nickname: Lil Nugget and GDub all started from the day Liam was born until now.

Liam’s 2012 X-Mas Photoshoot

First Annual Mitchell Christmas 2012

 

 

 

Baby Meet Santa

  I am so excited that it’s Liam’s first Christmas!  So I’ve been trying to convince Tim that we should take Liam to see Santa at The Grove.  They have a HUGE 100ft Christmas Tree with more than 15,000 lights and 10,000 ornaments.   And the best part is, besides Santa and his cottage, is that it snows between 7pm and 8pm.  Trust me, it’s something you’d want to see, if you haven’t already.

Me:  “Please, let’s take Liam to see Santa at the Grove!”

Tim:  “Ugh, what if he gets scared and starts screaming and crying when he sees the old man in the red suit?”

I don’t know if this is an excuse or if he is really concerned about Liam freaking out.  But it had me thinking, and now I am debating whether I should tell Liam Santa exists.

And it’s for this reason….

Source: http://www.parenting.com

What do you think?!?!