Oh, yeah, it's Friday!

[Robyn1007]

I almost forgot it was Friday and we should be klatching!

And so, my crazy life begins. Tomorrow I'll be at our team orientation in the morning and then meeting up with Gracie's brother at Keystone in the afternoon. He and a team of guys from his online magazine have a team participating in the annual 36 Hours of Keystone where the mountain stays open for 36 hours straight from 9am today until 9 pm tomorrow (lighted at night) and they have to have someone on their 4 person team do at least 1 run per hour. Unfortunately I can't be part of the team but I thought I'd head over and do a few runs with them. It's supposed to start snowing today and snow through tomorrow afternoon/evening so we'll be getting snow. Oh, and my Subaru will get her first real snow test. :D

Sunday I'll probably take it easy since the drive home will be challenging (snowy and dark) and I'll have skied pretty late as well. Maybe I'll throw together some food to hold me for lunches through the week and get some of my Christmas shopping done.

So, what's everyone else up to?

[testkitchen45]

How fun, Robyn! (Who's Gracie?) Sounds like you'll have a blast skiing on Saturday. Drive safely in the new car! Sunday would be a good stew-and-hot-chocolate day for you after all that cold air.

We got mostly through the Xmas decorating right after T'giving, then had to quit b/c the school (and my) schedule got nuts. I hope to finish that up this weekend, & carve a bunch of new Styrofoam scenery for the Dickens Villages. Last year was our 1st Xmas in this house, & we didn't set them up--& all the stuff I had made for our old house won't fit on this house's display areas. Good thing is, I'll only have to do that once, & then we'll store it for use year after year. Then house cleanup, baking for the ballet bake sale, an Xmas party at a friend's on Sat, church Sun, some board-game time with the kiddos, and mall avoidance at all costs.;)

Anyone else postponing shopping till Monday? :)

[Robyn1007]

How fun, Robyn! (Who's Gracie?)



A frequent poster here on this BB. ;)

[testkitchen45]

A frequent poster here on this BB. ;)

Oh, that Gracie! I didn't even think "BB" when I read your post.

Have fun!

[mbrogier]

I am so glad it is Friday! Yippee!!!

No big plans. We need to get groceries and find a Christmas tree this weekend. I think I'll try KMart before I get this prelighted 4 foot model intended for porches that is at Ace hardware. I think that one is perfect at $20, but Kmart has Martha Stewart and might have a better tree.

Rob is tired and needs to sleep some this weekend. We need to finish up Christmas shopping.

Robyn, enjoy skiing this weekend and stay warm!

Testkitchen, enjoy decorating your Dickens Village and buying your griddler. ;) My BIL has the Dickens Village, too. SIL uses thick batting for snow and to protect her antique breakfront that she sets the village out on.

[DmOrtega]

It looks like we won't make cross country skiing, this year. Bwah!!! There are just too many obstacles in our way right now. However, I will be acquiring the gear throughout the year so when we have the opportunity, we will be ready to start.

This weekend and every weekend through the end of December, we, as a family, are voluteering our time with the Forgotten Childrens Fund (http://www.forgottenchildrensfund.org/)organization. This is such a great organization. They collect donated toys, bikes, coats, etc, and then it's like Santa's workshop.

They screen families in need, usually referrals through social services. They get the kids names, ages, requests. Then they have wrapping days, where the volunteers are given a form with the requests of the family and a large plastic bag. The volunteers then become Santa's elves and fill the bags with the requests from the family. We wrap the packages and put the names onto the packages.

Every child gets a special gift from Santa, a bike, a coat, and a stocking with toothbrushs, toothpaste, and other little things. They will even include food for the family.

On Christmas eve, they load the trucks, lots of trucks, with the bags and on Christmas day Santas, yes lots of Santa's, make deliveries to the families, about 800 families, this year. The volunteers 16years and older are allowed to go on the routes and be the elves. They say it is a really rewarding day for everyone.

We have been looking for volunteer work that our whole family could participate in for a few years now. I think this is it. We started last weekend with opening several pallets with boxes of toys and setting them up on tables. We all are very excited to be a part of this organization. This gives all of us something to focus on other then ourselves, which we really need right now. Finally, we've found something that we all can agree on. :)

[vbak]

Yes, I love Friday! Tonight the DH and I are having a slumber party with 5 of the DGKs:eek: :D I am making pizza when I get home from school today and one has requested bacon and pancakes for breakfast tomorrow morning. I'll leave that to papa. Tomorrow I think I will just collapse!

Robyn have fun skiing.
DM what a lovely family activity
Mbrogier good luck finding that tree

Testkitchen have fun carving!

Vicky

[Gracie]

Robyn, I didn't realize it was tomorrow! Make sure you guys take pictures and email them to me! :cool:

I have to get our Christmas decorations up this weekend. I can only have them up until Dec 26 since we are going to FL for the band playing in the Macy's New Year's Parade and I do not want to have to deal with that when I come home.

I'm going to take Erin out driving for the first time - first time with me anyway. Andy's taken her each weekend both days since her birthday so she should be past the (parents') white-knuckle stage.

Then I will probably take my friend's twins out driving too. She gets too stressed so I told them I'd take them out. I took their older sister driving too a few years ago. :)

The other thing I want to do is nail down what cookies I'm making for the annual give away tins and trays. Then I can concentrate on buying ingredients gradually and making some doughs and freezing a bit at a time.

Vicky - have fun with the grandkids! Do they appreciate your pizza better than takeout?

Dmortega - that sounds like an organization that would appeal to us, too.

mbrogier - I could never figure out Martha's alignment with KMart. It's so weird to think of quality items coming from there.

testkitchen - Robyn will be with my brother. I've never met Robyn in IRL so it's funny that he will meet her first!

Loren

[testkitchen45]

Testkitchen, enjoy decorating your Dickens Village and buying your griddler. ;) My BIL has the Dickens Village, too. SIL uses thick batting for snow and to protect her antique breakfront that she sets the village out on.

What do you mean, "buying" a Griddler? :D ;) I'm "dropping a serious Christmas hint to my DH for" a Griddler Gourmet from Costco. You (and others) convinced me that the removable plates would be worth the extra $ over the Griddler Express.

(Has your SIL had good luck with the batting? I don't use thick batting for snow b/c the small figures fall right over. I use Styrofoam, and if I get really creative I'll make little walkways from red and green peppermints for the North Pole village, & spray the whole thing with acrylic sealer. Good thing you only have to build it once. ;) Batting can become snowdrifts at the back of the display, to hide the cords' path to the plug. You can carve divots into the Styrofoam for cord concealment, & then sprinkle the pulverized S'foam, bought in a bag, over the whole thing to give it a fluffy look & hide the S'foam seams & cords. Just MHO in case she's looking for another way to do it; I detested using batting & was glad to switch. :) )

DMOrtega, what a wonderful charity! I clicked the link, and it looks local to you--but you have reminded me that we need to get it into gear and decide what special things we can do as a family to help out those in need this Christmas. We just joined a new church that is very involved in the community, so they may have some good ideas--but local food banks need help now also, even more this year than in prior years.

Vbak, have fun with the GKs--may they fall asleep before 2:00 a.m. :D

Gracie, good luck with the baking! Your great intentions sound like mine--only I never end up doing the baking ahead of time. Do you think you'll be able to pull it off? If so, what's your secret? :p

Happy weekend, all!

[LakeMartinGal]

Well, I'm late to the party, as usual!:rolleyes:

DMIL finally left Wednesday, and I'm starting to get back to my normal routine -- haven't been to the board since she arrived!:eek:

The annual Christmas party for the fire department is tomorrow, so I spent the day in the kitchen -- made ham and salami appetizers with cream cheese/horseradish, lite truffles, which are delicious, but I burned out my hand mixer!:( DD2 is making the sugared cranberries, and the hostess had asked for the recipe as well, so that'll be a winner with her at least!

Robyn, enjoy the skiing, and have fun meeting Gracie's brother! Sounds like a good time!

TestKitchen -- sounds like a busy time for you! Have fun with the decorating!

Micah -- hope Rob gets the sleep he needs, and that you find a great tree! I'd love to get an artificial tree, but as long as the DDs are here for Christmas, that won't happen, and the real one is a pain! But it smells so good!;)

DMOrtega -- your family must be very special! That volunteer work sounds very fulfilling, and a great teaching opportunity for your children!

Vicky -- you have more energy than I do! A sleepover with grandkids! Hope you have time to catch up on the sleep you'll lose!;)

Loren, you're way ahead of me on the decorating! We're starting to think about it, and DD1 and her partner are due here in a couple of weeks for an early Christmas!:eek: I need to get going!!!!!

Everyone have a great weekend!

[Canice]

Wow, Robyn, here we are again! Seems like you were just packing away your gear for the season a few weeks ago. Hope you have a great weekend - sure sounds like it.

Fantastic organization, D! Great on every level, and a nice family activity.

Didn't know your MIL was visiting, Kay; how many dogs did she bring? ;)

DBF is leaving shortly for Pebble Beach (he's homeless for the time being, because the renovations have now rendered his house uninhabitable). I'm going to the farmers' market in the morning but other than that don't know what to do with my weekend. Since Soup n Salad Mondays are on hiatus, last weekend I made soup, chili, and garden muffins for friends, but one is out of town for the week so I need a new client or two. Yesterday I actually dropped off soup for our BBer Meg (mgs) who now lives quite near me. Maybe she'll let me cook for her family! :p

ETA: Kay, Meg lives a stone's throw from your DD1

[hollysmom]

Is Gracie's brother cute and single?

SSM

[Robyn1007]

Is Gracie's brother cute and single?

SSM

Nope (at least to the second part). Too bad, I know. ;) :D

[Gracie]

Nope (at least to the second part). Too bad, I know. ;) :D

He looks like a skinny Billy Joel! :D

Loren