Christmas Recap

Our tree, not as pretty as usual. Haphazard piling of gifts due to being sick. I am so lucky we have people to spoil us when life is rough!

Hi folks. Hope everyone is well and winding down from all the Christmas hoopla. It's such a busy time of the year. I'm sure many of you are feeling a bit burned out. I think it comes with the season. Too much to do, not enough sleep and eating like we should not for weeks on end. Tends to take a toll. Thank goodness it only comes once a year.

As many of you might know we've had a death in the family. So my time is limited for blogging right now. The funeral is tomorrow so I have some things I need to get organized. I shall be doing a post tomorrow in memory of my aunt so I shall fill you in more then. For now just know every one is doing well and coping. With that said I may be laying low for a few days. So if you don't see me commenting on other blogs or responding to my comments quickly for the next few days that is what is happening. We have family in town so no idea how the next few days will go. May be very busy, may not.

We've also had some other drama going on. I cannot explain right now but it's been a wicked rough week here at the Bee household. We will power through as always. Life keeps spinning no matter what. Again everyone is okay and coping.

We did have a pretty good Christmas. As you know me and mini-me were wicked sick beforehand. So we did not get to do the gingerbread village we do every year. We also did not do gingerbread men. It's unfortunate but when you are that sick the last thing you want to do is decorate sweets for hours on end. I ended up not going to dinner at my in-laws as I was so behind, I had not finished wrapping gifts at that point. So I stayed here. Mini-me had to work anyway so I had to pick her up after work. It's getting harder and harder for me to eat at other's homes as time goes on. So many people are into the healthy lifestyle so they load the table with wheat and whole grain products and I cannot eat any of that stuff. It can make dinners out a bit difficult. I am all for a healthier lifestyle but mine cannot include being doubled over in pain after a meal. Very unfortunate, but I think in 2012 I should think about just bringing my own food when we go out. Make life a bit easier. IBS can make life a bit of a challenge at times. Most people do not understand it or how seriously it can cause extreme pain. What I eat can affect me for days on end. So I am way more careful these days about avoiding things I know will trigger it.

Anyhow the guys had dinner at the in-laws and us girls bopped over after mini-me finished work. Had a good visit. Always nice to see everyone, especially the kids. So fun to watch their reactions to things at Christmastime. For me that is what Christmas is all about.

We always come home at a decent hour and open a couple gifts. It's a yearly tradition. We all open one from my sister, Deb. Then we all open one from each other. Then we usually end up opening a third just for a good measure. Then the hooligans go to bed and no matter how tired or sick Santa is the gifts make their way under the tree.

Malia getting in on the action. This puppy was a gift opening machine!

Christmas day was us four opening gifts and hanging out. The kids are older now so we don't do the whole get up at 5 am thing any more. We got up late, opened gifts, then had brunch as we always do. The bacon blew this year. I bought a different kind and it was awful. Luckily the rest was good.

Brunch table is never pretty, we're usually still in pj's with bedhead and no makeup too. By this point we'd eat out of a trough.

Then it's cook, cook, cook all day long. I made chicken as we are not big turkey fans. We had bought a Honey Bee Ham which is something we do about twice a year. I made mashed potatoes (sucked), stuffing (brilliant), corn (yum), homemade garlic bread (flipping awesome), and roasted carrots (wicked yummy) and just some plain rolls (meh). I shockingly did not do dessert. Just was not up to it. My brother came by which was great. Love seeing him, he's a hoot and a half.

Highlight of the day would be the kids gift to me. They got me an I Love Lucy cookie jar. I cannot tell you how surprised and happy I was. Huge Lucy fan and well, cookie jars rock my world so woot woot. I've put it somewhere safe so it does not get destroyed. I may not let anyone touch it for quite some time. It'll be the first non-cookie cookie jar to enter the house.

Most favourite thing this year! Thanks hooligans, you done darn good. Lol!

I also got the coolest purse in the world. Most of you won't like it but I adore it. It's pink and cowgirl all the way so again, woot woot. Love the things to bits. *insert horse humour giggle here*

Cowgirl "pretty in pink" purse!

Okay so to wrap up, here's a summary:

Wicked busy!

Wicked external drama!

Wicked behind on wrapping gifts!

Wicked Christmas dinner I did not attend!

Wicked time with family!

Wicked gift opening!

Wicked tired Santa!

Wicked gift opening again!

Wicked brunch!

Wicked dinner!

Wicked cookie jar!

Wicked purse!

Wicked tired!

Wicked looking forward to next year!

Wicked is officially the most overused word of 2011!

Recap of Christmas baking:

Peppermint Eclairs- click HERE to view post!

Pistachio Coconut Meringues- click HERE to view post!

Gingerbread Ice Cream- click HERE to view post!

Slow Cooker Party Mix- click HERE to view post!

Hot Fudge Sauce- click HERE to view post!

Coconut Bark- click HERE to view post!

Black Forest Bark- click HERE for view post!

Turtle Bark- click HERE to view post!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter M+M Cookies- click HERE to view post!

Chocolate Cherry Checkerboard Cookies- click HERE to view post!

Kim's Nutella Cookies- click HERE to view post!

Pretty Pepperminty Ice Cream- click HERE to view post!

Yup, that's not bad considering I ended up with the plague during Christmas. Next year I vow to start earlier, and take vitamins so I do not get sick. I really wanted to share our gingerbread stuff with you but it'll have to wait another year.

Hope everyone enjoyed the season. We sure did. Proof positive having a tight Christmas can still be a blast. While I would have loved to spoil the kids on our last Christmas together before my son moves off to get his PHD, it was not in the cards this year. Hubs was laid off in October after a 2 month return to the work force, he's still struggling to find a job with his fancy new degree. When life hands you lemons, make cheap lemonade!!!

Toodles and smoochies.xx