Saturday Klatch

[Natasha]

Anyone out there who wants to klatch a bit today? :)

I'm looking at a few hours of tidying up the house today. Since childhood, I've had it in my head that things should be even tidier than usual for Christmas and other special occasions, and I just can't shake that. So a-tidying I go!

I'm also planning to make some spiced nuts, walk the dog and do a workout of some sort, and come up with a more interesting dinner than the ones we've been having lately - maybe something from Donna Hay's Instant Entertaining. We'll see, though, how much energy I have after all the other stuff I mentioned :p

What's everyone else up to today? Shopping, parties, wrapping, baking, etc.?

Natasha

[lindrusso]

Good morning Natasha. :)

I know what you mean about the tidying. When I know that people are coming or when I'm decorating, I start seeing the house in a different way and things that I would normally overlook suddenly cannot be allowed to continue. It's a good thing though - I just wish I took the time to do that throughout the year!

I'm getting ready to head out the door for basketball to watch my short little guy prove to the rest that you shouldn't underestimate the little guy. ;)

Then later there will be baking, getting a photo of the boys so that I can get my Christmas letter out and then we take the boys to a Cub Scouts skating party. I forgot that siblings/family were allowed to go, so I just realized that we can drop both boys off and then head out on our own for a couple of hours, so what I was moaning about yesterday, I'm now celebrating. :D

Tomorrow I have neighborhood cookie exchange - I'm looking forward to meeting my neighbors and gettting a little social time.

Walking the dog - that's usually on my list too. It's been very mild here lately - yesterday it was near 60 - so it's been great walking weather. Any day during winter that I don't have to bundle up against frigid temps and/or a biting wind is a good thing. :)

Have a good one!

Alysha

[stefania4]

Good morning, ladies! Natasha, I wish I had your energy - my house really needs a good tidying-up. Alysha, good luck with the basketball game!

I just "frolicked" the dogs - on Saturday mornings we go where they can safely run off-leash, and they love it. I've got to run a few errands before I meet my friend for lunch at 12:30. At 2:30 I'm taking my niece shopping for her Christmas dress and her gifts for her parents. DH and I will have dinner with her, then I'll take her home.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday!

[Natasha]

Good morning Natasha. :)

I'm getting ready to head out the door for basketball to watch my short little guy prove to the rest that you shouldn't underestimate the little guy. ;) Alysha

Yay for the little guys!! (says this 5' 2" girl ;)). How was the game? Hope you enjoyed your kid-free time and that the cookie exchange is fun. Is this the first time meeting some of your new neighbours?

Stephanie, sounds like you have an enjoyable day ahead - lunch and dinner out, wow! Have a great time.

It is so balmy out here too, and sunny to boot. Lovely day! So far I've tackled all the bathrooms and cleaned windows. Imagine - I was cleaning windows from the outside of the house in mid-December, wearing just a light sweater and jeans! :cool:

Okay, off to tackle the living room. Take care, all,

Natasha

[lindrusso]

Alysha, good luck with the basketball game!

I just "frolicked" the dogs - on Saturday mornings we go where they can safely run off-leash, and they love it. I've got to run a few errands before I meet my friend for lunch at 12:30. At 2:30 I'm taking my niece shopping for her Christmas dress and her gifts for her parents. DH and I will have dinner with her, then I'll take her home.


Woohoo - DS was point leader today and played a great game. He's a very good athlete, but he's so small that I think these coaches were not giving him a chance (new kid in town and all that) - he was sitting out a lot in the last 2 games. But today, I think they got a chance to see what he can do and he played all except 2 quarters. And actually, I really prefer it when they evenly rotate the players at this age - giving everyone an equal chance. They're not playing serious games yet, so why not give everyone a chance to become a better player??? Too soon they will have to try out and get benched if they are not the best, so let them play now!

I used to love walking Bailey on the golf course in Indiana - in the winter I could let him off his leash and he LOVED frolicking and sniff-snorting wherever he pleased. We can't really do that here.

Have fun with your niece. She's so lucky to have you! :)

[LakeMartinGal]

Hi, everyone! You all sound busy today!

I've just finished the last cookies for church, and deciding which cookies I'm taking to the exchange, today... I opted for Rocks and Mexican Wedding Cakes. I was going to take the tuxedo cookies with the cherry cordial kisses, but they're not pretty enough... just look like brown nipples:rolleyes: :eek: so I decided they taste better than they look, and DD1 will like them. I made bourbon balls yesterday, but I'm not sharing!;)

We decorated the tree last night, but in the light of day, there isn't enough stuff on it, so I will be adding some special ornaments later. Maybe out to dinner tonight with friends, but probably not. DH is at a funeral, and a friend of his is coming to build airplanes with him, so we'll probably stay home...

It's really nice here, supposed to be 72, so I'll take the boys (dogs) swimming, then watch a little TV and knit! (Of course, all my 'holiday' clothes are sweaters... yes, I wear 'teacher clothes' at Christmas!:rolleyes: )

Alysha -- have fun while the boys are at the skating party! And the game, too!

Natasha -- you sound WAY too energetic... if you're close, you wanna come here to expend some of that energy?;)

Stephanie -- sounds like you're going to have a fun day! Enjoy some 'girly time' with your niece!

[Lauren]

Hi all! I'm busy today since I'm having the family here tomorrow for a Hanukkah party and I've been such a bad procrastinator. :(

The briskets are in the oven and I've finished wrapping. On to making cookies, cleaning, making the salad dressing, dip, etc. Oy! At least we're in tonight, so I can keep going until I crash. :p

Alysha - I liked it when the kids were younger and played town basketball. The games were fun to watch! Great that your DS is such a good player! Have you met your neighbors yet? We had dinner with two couples in our new neighborhood last night. Very nice families!

Natasha - You'll feel such a sense of accomplishment tonight. :D

Stefania - Sounds like you're having a fun day ... lunch/dinner out and shopping!

[lindrusso]

Natasha - Whoops, we were posting around the same time, so I missed your post. DS doesn't get his lack of height from strangers, that's for sure - I'm 5'1" and DH is only 5'7". Sorry, DS, basketball and football just may not be in your long-term future...........

Sounds like you're accomplishing a lot today. I want to clean out the garage while the weather is still mild. Once it turns cold for good, I tend to completely neglect it until spring......and always regret doing that.........

Kay - Snort - little brown nipples! :D Have fun at your exchange. Knitting always sounds so relaxing, but I'm sure I would turn it into a swear-fest! ;)

Lauren - I have met some of the neighbors, but I don't think I've met the lady who's hosting this party. Everyone seems pretty nice, but no one I've really clicked with as far as hanging out with........

[Canice]

'morning klatchers!
Not a lot going on here this weekend. Since my mom moved back my Sundays are spent up in Sonoma with her, then I come home and make soup. Very, very predictable.
DBF has an event tonight so I'll probably stay home and do some cleaning. I'm always tidy, but then I get to noticing things like the shelves, top of fridge, or whatever and it's time to haul out the cleaning agents!

If I have time this afternoon, I think I'll get a Christmas tree; it's silly that I haven't done one single thing to acknowledge the season....
I'm actually going to run out the door in a minute and go to the farmers' market; there was so much beautiful produce last week I came thiiiiis close to buying Brussels sprouts which, no, I don't think I like. But they looked so pretty and fresh and tempting - I think I could learn to like them if I tried them a couple of different ways. "Talk" to you later! :)

[Natasha]

Hi all!

Alysha, great job by DS!! :) I'm sure that made his day.

LakeMartinGal (it's Kay, right?), too bad I'm not closer to Alabama or I'd be sure to come expend some energy there too :p ;) The weather must be lovely there this time of year.

Brown nipples - too funny :D BTW, I made Mexican Wedding Cakes today too!

Hi Canice! I'm impressed that you drive up to Sonoma and back every weekend. How's your new tree, if you got it? And what soup are you planning to make tomorrow?

Lauren, sounds like you're having a productive day too, and Happy Hanukkah! :)

This is my low energy part of the day, which is why I made sure to get an early start on the cleaning. I've done enough that I feel entitled to relax now and enjoy the results (now, how are we going to keep everything this neat & clean for the next week?! :p). Have a great afternoon & evening, everyone!

Natasha

[LakeMartinGal]

LakeMartinGal (it's Kay, right?), too bad I'm not closer to Alabama or I'd be sure to come expend some energy there too :p ;) The weather must be lovely there this time of year.

Brown nipples - too funny :D BTW, I made Mexican Wedding Cakes today too!

Yes, it's Kay... The weather is WILD! We're having a 72F day, and I'm in shorts! In December!!! Growing up in Buffalo, NY did not prepare me for this!!!

The cookie exchange was a bit of a bust... only 4 of us, and we had had promises from 10 or more! :( :rolleyes: Oh, well, I got to bring back some of the cookies that DH likes, so that's ok. We had a good time, anyway.

I was glad I left the brown nipple cookies home, because one of the ladies brought chocolate cherry cookies that actually looked good!:D I brought some of them home!

[GingerPow]

I was going to take the tuxedo cookies with the cherry cordial kisses, but they're not pretty enough... just look like brown nipples:rolleyes: :eek: so I decided they taste better than they look, and DD1 will like them. I made bourbon balls yesterday, but I'm not sharing!;)
Kay...brown nipple cookies and bourbon balls? You really know how to do some Christmas baking. Please invite me to your cookie exhange next year. I have a feeling your holiday parties are LOTS more fun than ours.;)

DH and DS are visiting the new Marine Corp. Museum near Washington, D.C. this weekend. I'm finishing Christmas cleaning and decorating. Tomorrow is DD2's talent show. She will be singing Lennon's "Across the Universe" while her friend accompanies on guitar. Wish I could post an MP3 - she has a beautiful singing voice. She inherited it from me. ;) :rolleyes: :D I think 'Across the Universe' is such a beautiful song, the lyrics are gorgeous.

Sounds like everyone is having fun and keeping busy. Enjoy the weekend!

[stefania4]

Tomorrow is DD2's talent show. She will be singing Lennon's "Across the Universe" while her friend accompanies on guitar. Wish I could post an MP3 - she has a beautiful singing voice.

I'm so envious of people who can sing! Best of luck to your DD with her talent show.

Brown nipple cookies.... too funny!

I've learned that it's a lot more fun to shop for a little girl than with a little girl, particularly one who would much rather shop for toys than dresses. Regardless, she now has a beautiful black velvet on the top/dark green taffeta on the bottom Christmas dress AND gifts for her parents. I'm eternally grateful to Target for still having a nice (and age-appropriate) 6X dress on the racks... for $14! And, like Big Girls, we took a little Starbucks break during the day so that we could put our feet up for a minute and enjoy a nice box of milk.

All in all, a very nice day. Now if only magic cleaning fairies would descend upon my house...

[LakeMartinGal]

All in all, a very nice day. Now if only magic cleaning fairies would descend upon my house...Call Natasha! She had a lot of enery, yesterday!;)

Glad you had a good time with your niece, even if she was more interested in toys! You do good work...:)

[Natasha]

Stephanie, sounds like you did well yesterday although I can imagine that shopping for a little girl may be easier than shopping with one ;) The Starbucks break is too cute!

Ginger, hope DD's talent show went well. The Marine Corps Museum sounds like something my husband would enjoy.

Kay, too bad more people didn't come, but I'm glad you had a good time, anyway.

And yes, I'm happy to offer you guys my travelling tidying & cleaning services (for a fee) :p ;)

Natasha