I'm wondering when I'm gonna get done with shopping! 

I still have some main gifts to get... husband, mother and aunt.. which are my biggies other than the Santa stuff. 

I'm not just totally thrilled with anything that I've gotten anyone this year, and I've totally cut back, just because. 

I'm having a little party for the guys at work Tuesday.. I want to make it special for them.. and I'll do my best.. but with the cost of food like it is,  I hope they don't expect a big spread.. I'll do a cake, cookies and some candy.. maybe deviled eggs.   One of the bosses is cooking Chili and the guys are donating $3.00 each to cover expenses for that.  Some of them actually grumbled about having to pay 3 dollars.. geez. 

I have a party to go to Tuesday night.. then I'll be hosting a get together here.. then another one Christmas afternoon.  I've been cooking my butt of lately and freezing things.  I'm not going just way overboard this year like previous years... It works me too hard and I don't have any help, not even with the cleanup.  I enjoy having everyone over, but the bottom line is, I just work too much now to put on big party like I use to do.  Tomorrow I need to make out my menu's and go to the grocery store.   I've been good at  using coupons lately for things, and stocking up on things as they come on sale.   I figure with the economy in this town like it is right now, I probably need to get in practice again.


New Years Eve we'll be going to a friends for a get together.. we always have a blast and I'm excited about getting to see everyone.  It's been awhile and it will be nice to just relax and enjoy. 

I think I'm done with my Santa doings.. She's getting a TV, Nintendo DS games and other odds and ends.  She wanted a flat screen TV, but.. ugh.. I just couldn't see that just yet!

Has anyone ever made Turtle butter candy?  I made it the other night and I have to say that it's the prettiest candy that I remember seeing in a long time.. and OHHHH so easy!  I broke mine apart like bark, instead of cutting into squares.. I think it's going to be a hit!   I'll make another batch tomorrow to send to the police station and have for my work party.   So far I've made that, caramel dipped pretzels and fudge.. which was much easier than my granny's recipe, but good none the less.. I have some cakes and cookies frozen too... thank goodness for the freezer! 

I've had these small, freaky looking knots come up on the inside of my left wrist recently.  They are spongy feeling and look about the size of a pea and under the skin.  I keep hoping that they will go away but they haven't yet.   I guess it's going to mean a trip to the doctor soon, I just hope that he doesn't say surgery... both of my jobs require extensive use of my hands.. and cannot be done if I'm in any sort of cast at all.  I wish I knew what these things were. 
 

I hope everyone has a bright and beautiful weekend before Christmas!

Chels made Allstate Choir.  This is a big honor and only a few of kids are picked from each area.  We spent the day in Baton Rouge yesterday.  Their performance was great, with the exception of the very end when they let 2 girls pipe in with a solo part, which wasn't suppose to be a jazzy spiritual but the kids stood up there and tried to make it sound that way... Ewwwww, those few lines were seriously BAD!  They could have left that part out.. people in the audience were cutting eyes at each other, wondering what the heck!

Chels did good and looked so pretty.  Her looks are changing so much just this year.  I have all my pics posted on myspace, if you'd like to look, please do!  Also, add me if you'd like and have a page yourself. http://www.myspace.com/remembertheredhead

On the way back from Baton Rouge, We stopped at the Myrtles plantation in St. Francisville, LA. us three, my ex husband, his girlfriend and her kids stopped too.   Maybe you have heard of this plantation, it's one of the most haunted places they say.  If you google about the place, you'll get a history that's very interesting.  Sylvia   Brown has been there, and the Montel Williams show did a segment on it, along with other media people.  

One of the tales of the place involves a young slave girl that got her ear chopped off.. she haunts the place and is known to take women's earrings.. just one of them.   Chelsea warned me not to wear any earrings.. I did and I kid you not.. while I was walking on the  grounds I felt my ears and one of my earrings was missing!!  The kids just absolutely LOVED this.. and were so freaked out by it.. as was I!   Chels ran in and told the lady that worked there and she said that it happens all the time, to leave my name and phone number and they would contact me when it showed up in the house somewhere.  Normally, I don't believe stuff like this, but It seriously happened to me!! 
I also have pictures posted on myspace that we took while there.  They say that the ghostly images and things show up in the pictures.. one of my friends just emailed me and told me that there was a face in one of the pictures and a shadowy figure in a window..  and I saw it too.. if you look at the pictures you'll see the comment she left.  Please if you look at the pictures and see anything, let me know or leave a comment so everyone can see it under the picture!!

Our trip there was fun.  I went exploring on the grounds with the kids while everyone else seemed less interested and sat at the tables waiting on the tour.   I wanted to walk around and feel the place.. and felt it I did!   We walked under the trees and by an old well.. I felt a strong feeling in one spot in the yard.. so we took pictures there.  The kids found some black cats wandering around which added to their excitement of the place and it being so close to Halloween too.. they were excited.  I would like to go on their mystery tour at night, but I definitely would not want to spend the night there.  It's a bed a breakfast too, but around $200 a night to stay.