Two Days Till the End

... not to sound dramatic or anything, right?
This week held the last family gathering of the year!  We got together with Dad's side at my grandpa's house, ate food, made a gingerbread house, talked politics, and played music until the cows came home (oh wait, that was the boys).  My cousins and uncle were up from downstate, and our newest little cousin was there in all his Gerber-baby cuteness.

Liam watching Grandpa play carrom, an indispensable game if you care at all about traditions.

Liv and I assembled a gingerbread house; I did not eat myself sick this time!  *cheers*

It's like pulling teeth to get a picture of these three! Someone always has to crack a joke or jab their finger into someone's spine right as I take the photo.   Next time I'm grabbing a couple of these before I attempt a group shot:

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Should do the trick.

Never in my life have I seen longer eyelashes.

I refuse to be late this time!

  How was your Christmas?  I was concerned ours wouldn't have that "Christmas feeling" this year.  I blamed it on the lack of snow and how gol-darn busy we were leading up to the holidays.  Feeling low, I read this article, realized it was "feelings, nothing more than feelings", bucked up, and had a wonderful time!
  As you can probably imagine, with eight people giving gifts and extended family all over the place the tree was overflowing.  Along with our other traditions, another one is Mom walking into the room and declaring "one present per person next year!"

  We kids all curl up around the Christmas tree and all watch "The Nativity Story" (which is the best Christmas movie of all time... the music is incredible!).   Dad reads from Genesis and Luke 1, and then we all go to sleep.  (ha! yeah right!)

A while ago I found this picture on Pinterest (see, I find cool things. you should follow me), and my sweet little (yet big) brother made one!  This is the original:

This is mine from the side (I'll get a better picture of it soon!):

He did such a fabulous job!  I like mine better than the original.  :)

My other little brother enjoys buying prank gifts for all of us.  For example:

He's a keeper!

Ella received this adorable hat and scarf...

...and gave me a lovely necklace of which I will presently post a picture. 

And Molly joined in on the festivities, as any decent kitten should, and was sorry to see the delightful wrapping paper, presents, and Christmas tree be put away.  

God Bless You All, and...

when friends come to call!

Technically we went calling on a coffee shop, not on one another's houses, but anyway.  My siblings were going to see "The Adventures of Tintin" across town, so I thought "hey, why not get coffee while they're at the theater?" and called up one my best amigas, Holly! 

So we did.

We curled right up in these here two leather chairs. 

Her 20-ounce-with-four-shots-of-espresso-macchiato-latte dwarfed my peewee hot chocolate... those veteran coffee drinkers!  Holly then treated us to a delicious slice of caramel apple cheesecake, and like the shameless blogger I am I had to take a picture of it.

The cheesecake was so perfect, I believe it could only be topped by something like this:

Mmm.  Delectable. 

Moving on, Hols and I headed up to the thrift store to find the perfect "ugly-yet-cute-enough-to-wear-again" Christmas sweater, and I think she scored big time:

Another neat thing we spied was this necklace, which is totally overdone but still the coolest thing I've ever seen.  I considered buying it but knew I'd just hang the piece up on my wall as artwork instead of an accessory!  What do you think?  Like it?

Since we'd killed about an hour, we ambled around downtown, then sat down again in front of the coffee shop (called Jolly's, which I thought was appropriate since I'm with Holly and it's Christmas... get it?)

Then we took pictures in an alley (in case you ever visit my town, you're required to take pictures in an alley.  we have very photogenic alleys.).  

We look like a bumblebee.  And that's all!  

Happy Christmas Eve, dear ones.  I hope you're off enjoying the holiday instead of reading my blog.  Get off your computer and get outside!  Take a walk!  Make it a memorable holiday - after all, the world may end next year before Christmas has a chance to come again!   

Tough Question Thursday #2

Why do guys do this?

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What passes through their minds when they pull their pants on in the morning - 

or rather, don't? 

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"A hippo?" 

Yes, a hippo.  Hippos' legs look to be about 1/3 the length of their bodies, whereas a human man's legs are the same length as their torsos, if not longer.  When a man (or boy) wears his pants below his butt, his legs appear to be about two and half feet long (see Justin).  The proportions are similar to that of the common hippo.  Hence the appearance of hippopotamus amphibius.

Disclaimer:  I have nothing against Justin Bieber.  In fact, I was in the middle of watching his "Mistletoe" music video when I was distracted by his...um ... pants.  

Want more scientific proof?

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There.  Skeletons.  Skeletons are scientific, right?

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If you want more incentive to pull up your pants, visit this girl.

Opinions, anyone?  Do you wear drooping drawers?  If so, I'd love to know why.  Answers I find online just say "it's a cultural thing", and I knew that already.

Since most of my readers are girls, I'd love to hear what you have to say about it, too.  Do you like saggy pants?  Please, dear, tell me why, because I'm trying to think positively here.  

Then vote in the poll at the top left of the page!  Pretty please!  

I have a problem.

Prepare for the shock. Brace yourself.  Gird your loins.

Don't judge me.  

I'll admit, I have an addiction problem.  When I see a deal on mascara or eye shadow I scoop it up!  Can I help myself?  Probably.  Do I want to?  Nope.  And what's even better is if my mom or sisters buy, say, lipstick and it turns out to be the wrong shade, it just gets passed on to whoever wants it!  That's is how I acquired most of my "collection", honestly- hand me down makeup.  I don't have tons of cash invested. 

I decided to make a drawer organizer, since my dresser/vanity is an antique and it's difficult to find organizers that fit just so.  I did it quite scientifically, measuring all my makeup products and then sorting them by which ones I use most often... you could probably just eye it!

Saw up some old boards to fit your dimensions... then set them where they go.

Then, your handy dad will come in with an air nailer and do all the hard work for you.

Perfect!

I sorted and threw out all the makeup I didn't/don't use, so it all fits in the drawer perfectly- with only a tiny bit of room to expand.  Maybe that'll keep me away from Sally's for a month or two.  

Oh, before you go, would you please vote in the little poll up there and to the left?  I honestly want to know whether you would or not.  Thanks bunches!  A giveaway's coming soon...

now that's what I call a mug shot.

Birthdays, eight times over

   Birthdays are a big deal here.  What with having eight people under one roof, you'd think hardly a month would go by without a birthday!  When I was about 11 my mom and dad implemented a new rule - full-out birthday parties were to be planned for the fifth, tenth, 13th, 16th, and 18th birthdays.  Hosting six different birthday bashes a year, every year is a little much!  We kids all like this way of  celebrating.  It makes birthday parties feel a lot more special, and we still do the whole "sing-happy-birthday-and-eat-cake-and-ice-cream-and-open-presents" thing, just with our family.
   Since this is Anders' tenth birthday, he's going to have a party.  However, it's going to be in the summertime because he's sick of inviting all his little guy friends over just to play in the snow!  I would do exactly the same thing if I were him.  

What are some of your birthday traditions?

oh, christmas tree.

a night to remember

Last night was our Christmas Formal/Cookie Exchange!  We've put on the party seven years in a row; it just gets better and better every year, thanks to the wonderful people attending and my mom's great planning.  My sister explains what it's all about on her blog, here. 

My dearest friend, Willow, whom I never see anymore,
was there with her family - so good to be with her again!

The lovely ladies of the Exchange!

Ella, Amy, Holly, and I; Amy did have a formal on but changed into
her pirate costume for her incredible performance of THIS SONG (in
that arrangement)

The bloggin' cousins!  Me, Alivia, Phylicia, and Ella.

Phylicia (in the red dress) and I both got our dresses at Goodwill - hers for $2.50 and mine for $2!!  Ella got her brown dress from the bridal salon where I work.  

Do you have a yearly get-together with family, friends, or both?  I'd love to hear about it!