Circling the drain.

 

Another year down the drain. Well, not exactly down the drain, but you know what I mean.

We have no plans for New Years Eve. We usually don’t. I’m content being in my comfy cozy house wearing some comfy cozy pjs hanging with my fave peeps. No drunk drivers in sight within these walls. (Of course, that is a different story for my poor battered mailbox) 

My new years resolution a few years ago was to NOT make new years resolutions. That is one I can stick with. 

But I am going to work on some self improvement; better health. I have a lot to live for, I don’t want to miss anything by being dead.

How about you? Any resolutions or big parties on the radar?

I would like to thank each and everyone of my dear blog friends. I have thought many times this year about NOT continuing this lil’ blog about my lil’ life, for many different reasons. But I continue to get so many lovely notes and gobs of cyber love that it makes it hard to quit.

{You can’t catch anything via cyber love can you?}

You’ve made me laugh.

You’ve made me cry.

You’ve made me think.

You’ve opened my eyes to new discoveries.

Are you my 2nd grade teacher? I loved her too.

Cheers to 2011! 

May you be on the receiving end of love, good health, prosperity and many pee inducing belly laughs.

{Art by Erin Smith}

XOXOXOXOOX

Hanging up the Party pants.

 

Another birthday, another milestone, another celebration.

Fifteen years of being her. Now, we have added in boys to the mix. {But why, oh why  must we add in boys ever???}

Birthday dinner; food, fun and laughter…and embarrassing  the newest gang member too. If you want to be a part of this gang, you have to have thick skin.

Two days of partying. Lunch out, dinner out, dinner out again and then the much anticipated s’mores by the fire. Forget the fact that it was 40 degrees out….it involved sugar. Who feels cold when you are shoving sweet stuff into your mouth? Not teenage girls.

We are hanging up our party pants…at least until July.

I don’t even think my party pants fit anymore.

Highlights.

 

Last week~

Lolo and I lost some sleep to see this:

Oh wait, you can’t see anything?

How about now?

Yeah, we both lost valuable sleep trying  to photograph an eclipse.  We should have slept through it and saw photos on the web like normal people.

{In case you were wondering, yes,  I did end up back at the grocery store on Christmas eve. No one was shanked. Merry Christmas.}

Christmas~

Lolo made me this.

It is an ornament with a bee attached and it says: “My Mommy’s better than Your Mommy.”

I know, it is the best thing ever.  She is the best. And don’t taunt her with how wonderful YOUR Mom might be…she won’t hear of it.

The girls got a new game for the Wii.  Just Dance. {walk like an Egyptian}

It is super fun, and quite a workout. Tina Turner {proud Mary} kicked my butt.

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. Frost all over the place. Toto, were not in Kansas Florida anymore.

Expect to fork over an arm and a leg for your citrus.

Anything exciting in your neck of the woods?

 

*15*

The best after Christmas gift I ever received.

Remember when you promised me you would NOT grow up?

Oh, you never promised me that? You should have.

Happy sweet 15 to my baby Lindsay.

You are the queen of:

hugs

one liners

laughing

funny observations

rainbow colored outfits

dancing

sweetness

Stealing hearts

I hope you dance forever…

Is it over yet?

 

I ended up in three different grocery stores yesterday.

Me + baking = chaos. Don’t ask.

I am the reason why they invented break and bake cookies.

We have our big Christmas dinner tonight; an Italian feast for 15. When I start to assemble the lasagna and the antipasti I pray that I’m not missing something….if I have to enter another grocery store, I will take a mixing spoon and jab it into my eye.

Surely no one would notice a spoon in my eye at Publix, for those peeps surely have lost their minds too.

***

The Coach and the girls are going shopping today. I know; ‘uber silly.

But first, the girls are treated to a once a year (or less) treat. The Coach is taking them to Waffle house for breakfast. Seriously, they are super excited about going and have been talking about it for two days. Yeah, they don’t get out much.

I am not going, I spent too much time at the waffle house as a child and am still trying to recover.

***

Ornaments are earrings, according to Linds.

I would love to send a Christmas tree and gifts and love and good food and big warm hugs to all our service men and women today…that would really irritate my mail man, huh?

Christmas blessings to you all….whether you have been good or bad.  Although I am fairly certain you have been bad because according to my high school counselor, that is usually the type of people I attract.

From our house to yours, Merry Christmas.

Or as my politically correct girls say:

Merry Christmahannukwanzaka

XOXOXOXO

It’s a miracle we even survived.

 

My Brother and I certainly were not spoiled children….that is until Christmas came. Along with Santa, came my Grandparents {my Dad’s parents} they loaded up their car in Miami with as many games and toys as they could fit in their trunk and spent each Christmas with Mark and I.

I must have been around 4 here. G’ma is trying to help Mark and I find our way through the bazillion gifts; I am lost, confused and beginning to go into shock.  Looks like 12 kids lived here.

{Please note the fire safety hazard: The brown electric heater in front of the fireplace loaded with paper and  a bottle of whisky crap, and then the ashtray filled to high heaven on the coffee table. I am sure there was a can of gas on the couch} 

Mark and I Christmas Eve {Suz 6?} {that is my G’pa in the background. I could bet you a million dollars he was playing solitaire and smoking cigarettes in one of those weird filter thingys}

Now, look at that tree above again. Is it just me or does it look like Helen Keller was in charge of the garland application?

Christmas morning. Mark has bed head….I look perfect. {I am holding my doll Cindy.  Right now Cindy is in my hall closet wearing a one shoulder nightgown and suffering with a severely bad haircut. Pogo Stick anyone? Check out the typewriter on the floor, it had windows 5}

When I got older, there were fewer gifts. Heck, I was not even allowed to open this ONE gift without performing first. {I look traumatized, whose idea was this?}

{I am guessing this is a wrapped bottle of Jim Beam.  Thanks Mom.}

My how times have changed. There is no smoking or electric heaters at our house, but my girls will each get a box of wine this year along with bedazzled/personalized shanks.

Ok, maybe it has not changed that much.

xoxo 

The party recap; chock full of photos and cussing.

 

If you really care.

I survived another party. Barely.

The spread.

My sweet friend Dawn and her hubby Eric.

Stacy, Suz and Dawn. AKA: Charlie's Angels.

Dawn is so young, she had no idea what we were doing. (or she grew up Amish)  It took her a moment to catch on….hence my laughing.

The Coach and some of Da’ Boys.

Shiny Happy People. And me. {everyone is leaning in. hello? wide lens}

Ok, for my wordy part.

Stacy, Marcello, Tim, Suz and Jeff.

See Tim? yeah Tim. My BFF. Tim reads my blog. Tim can’t get past the fact that I can come up with shiny happy stuff each time I blog. He said: Some days, it seems you are a bit whiny and mad at the beginning….and I am waiting for you to blow your top…and let it allllll go….but it always turns out sunny. Damn. (he said something similar to that…I had some wine, ok?)   

{Bee happy?}

I explained that when I am not shiny and happy…then I get a call from Bev.

Aka: Mom.

I can’t win. If I am down I lose. If I am cheerful I lose.

So in honor of my friend Tim (who will be 50 next week and has not a flippin wrinkle to his name)

Eff everything.

ouch.

Eff it all.

ouch.

There. I said it.

Are you happy Tim?

I sure hope so, cause that hurt my delicate fingertips.

I just can’t be a Debbie Downer.

I keep all the Debbie Downer stuff inside…you know so it can fester, boil and then explode all over my kitchen on a big holiday. {I kid}  

Isn’t that normal?

 

Oh, and don’t you want to know what Tim says keeps the wrinkles away…

You know you want to know.

Little Debbie's’ snack (preserved filled) cakes.

yeah, it’s all the preservatives. Go figure. Botox via Little Debbie.

How was your weekend? Did you get blog-outed? 

And just for Tim: Bee Happy. {Damn it to heck!!!}

I lurve you.

xoxox

 

Losing my marbles and keeping the silly.

 

I’m getting ready for our big shindig tonight. It always sneaks up on me, which is strange since I plan the entire thing...including the date!

I will have photos to share later. Party on the patio...yes, the weather has warmed up again! {don’t hate}

Food and dessert in the dining room, cocktails on the lanai….

Looks like a disaster. BUT there is plenty of wine and a chocolate fountain…need I say more?

 

*** 

File this next tidbit under: Who are these people?

At least once a week we have our very own “Lion King” moment here at La Casa Busy Bee .

Complete with the singing of the song:

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba 

Sithi uhm ingonyama 

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba Sithi uhhmm ingonyama Ingonyama

{Did you know those were the actual words??}

Ok, we don’t use a lion, we use one of the cats. Usually it’s one that was seconds ago snoozing soundly and innocently.

No, they don’t like it. But they deserve it. And it is entertaining for us. And really, that is all that matters.

If you call PETA, I will deny it all.

I hope you have something fun to do this weekend. Find yourself a silly moment of your own…surely there are many to be had.

Bee Silly.

Bee joyful.

Bee a lion king impersonator friend.

xoxo

Did he just say I am amazing?

 

Or was it that he is amazed???

 

I have been thinking of coming down with an addiction.

You know, one of those addictions that would force send me to see Dr. Drew.

Perhaps some of you don’t watch Celebrity Rehab on VH1?

Well, Dr. Drew is the shizzle.

Forizzle. 

He can help you beat any addiction.

AND I might have an issue addiction with spray paint…not huffing necessarily,  just redoing stuff around the house.

Do you think that would warrant a 30 day stint with Dr. cutie McSweetie?

Oh, never mind. Surely he would not appreciate me the way my Coach does.

Yesterday on the phone he told me: I heard a Paul McCartney song this morning that reminded me of you….but I can’t remember the name of it. I’ll text it to you later.

I thought: That is so sweet he thought of me….

then I thought: what song was it??? 

LET it BE?

Ebony and Ivory?

Those were the first two I could think of before I got his text.

Seriously. How big of a compliment is that?

I know. I am humbled.

I am amazed at how lucky I am. He is Da’ Bomb!

I am totally not answering the phone when Dr. Drew calls me about my spray paint addiction.

I can conquer it myself. I think.

I have my own Coach McDreamy (who loves me warts and all) and we already have 25 years under our belt. 

Did I just make someone gag?

I really don’t have warts. Promise.

Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.

 

Do you remember when Timex used that as their catchphrase?

Our mailbox could {or could not} be compared to a Timex.

My house was virtually silent this weekend. *hear that?* nothing

The Coach was gone. Lolo was gone. Linds was gone.

It was me. Me and the critters.

Oh, yes it was oh so quiet on Friday night; until a drunk driver flew down our street fleeing the scene of an accident and slammed into my mailbox before he was caught a few houses down.  

The coach just replaced this mailbox about 4 weeks ago. At least the idiot was caught and arrested. 

The mailbox will be put back together soon.

That was it for my excitement.

I missed my lil’ tree monkies!

*Lindsay marched down main street at Disney World with the  band. She had a blast.

*Lolo had a softball tourney. {Perhaps her last travel tourney ever} She had fun.

I got through a lot of my to do list: Christmas cards, bill paying, wrapping, post office, ironing, laundry etc.

I know, I should have had a party, lived it up. But that’s not how I roll. I’m a worker bee. 

Tis’ going to get cold again here this week. Must get busy covering up my garden tonight.

Oh, and we are having a big party on Friday night. So far 24 have RSVP'd. I suppose I should figure out a menu and shop?? Are you coming? Bring some good wine this time, ok?

My Miami family will be here on Sunday too. A menu will need to be planned as well. And gifts for the kiddos…

Dang. I should have done more stuff this past weekend….I need elves. Or at least more worker bee’s. 

Are you throwing a party this year?

I swear, it seems we are the only ones here that host one…unless, unless, unless people are having them and NOT inviting me! 

The thought of that just chaps my lips.

TGIF; The tarty toile makeover.

 

I asked you a few weeks ago: Who likes toile?

{Note that I asked you…doesn’t it make you want to throw an ax when someone says ‘scuse me, can I ax you sumpin?  No, you can not AX me.} 

*getting off of my grammar high horse now.*

Back to the toile at hand.

One day, out of the blue I decided I wanted to update the guest bath starting with a toile shower curtain. I have never thought about using toile anywhere in our house before…but it was like a design flash of lightning. Minus the burns or power outage.  

(I don’t have a before photo. My bad)

This shower is taller than standard made shower curtains and I can’t sew, so I improvised.

This is two curtain panels on a shower rod. (from Lowes!)

The toile part stays as is; there is a clear liner behind it that pulls open and closed when peeps are showering.

I purchased a few black towels and I even updated the tissue box and garbage can with black spray paint. I love spray paint!

 

I had the hand towels monogramed. You know how hard it is to keep guests from stealing…from now on, I put my name on everything. (The silverware will be tedious!)

Have a great weekend everyone. Enjoy something sweet…or something tart.

Or Just have some sweet tarts.

But remember, Santa is watching, so refrain from actually being a tart.

I know, I know, it’s a challenge for me this time of year too.

XoXoXoXo

Oh Deer, did you just give me the finger?

Remember when I purchased these sweet deer? Of course you do.

I had no idea that their sparkly poop would be part of my tablescape….Poop happens.

I also jazzed up the back of the dining room chairs too. {Snowflakes; In Florida.}

Now, I am ready for a dinner party.

Who wants to come?

Just be prepared to cook and clean. I’m so pooped.

 

Speaking of snowflakes, this week there was a threat of a flippin Florida freeze.

Ok, the weather man may have stated things differently….

Do you know how hard it is to find perfectly fitting sweaters for tomato and broccoli plants?

And my eggplant on steroids? Fuggettabout it!

Of course, after all this knitting covering, we had NO freeze.

I might have given the weather man the finger. Or two.

He was right about ONE thing though, it did get cold. 

So cold that I got socks out of my drawer….and I put them.on.my.feet.

Did you just give me the finger?

{You are so uninvited to the dinner party that you were going to prepare and clean up}

I’m lit.

 

ON Saturday Linds and I adorned our humble abode with Christmas lights….not my favorite thing to do, but she wanted them and offered to help. {it always looks so pretty when done}

Up and down the ladder, not a blast, and luckily my ‘down the ladder’ trips were all planned.

We only did lights around some trees…one of them was this big boy. He’s much taller than he looks. And the girth…oy vey!

And we could not forget about Bartholomew. {Although I think he hoped we would.}

 

I could not imagine trying to do lights around the house itself. Too much height and and too much house girth.

My sweet child was untangling the lights and said to me: “how come all those Christmas songs don’t’ mention THIS PART?” in reference to the un-fun detangling part.

Something smart we did when we built our house; adding electric outlets in the eaves. They are connected to a light switch inside. Brilliant right? Certainly not MY idea…hence the brilliance.

One Christmas, many years ago I hired a handyman to put lights up around our entire house. He had them all wired up and ready to go…and I could NOT for the life of me remember where the light switch was. Seriously it took an hour for me to locate it.

It was hiding.(do you see it below?)I felt like a dork….I swear I DO live here.

Christmas cards are ordered.

Cocktail party invites are done.

Out of town guests have committed to arrival dates. 

The house is all sparkly.

Still need to plan a birthday party for an almost 15 year old. (???)

Are you making Christmas progress?

Have you received MORE than 2 cards in the mail? 

People who have their act together are so foreign to me.  Luckily, I embrace foreigner's too. {as long as they are updated on  shots!}

Have a marvelous  Monday!!!