The good, the bad, the ugly...and the loot...

The Good:

Hit a rockin' sale at Old Navy.

Spent $137 on $665 worth of stuff...I did the math.

The Loot:

Tony:

Puffy jacket, sweater, 2 button-up shirts, thermal shirt, t-shirt, jacket and robe and slippies (okay just slippies...must watch AD to know what I mean)

Me:

Puffy jacket, 2 fleece jackets, 3 shirts

Indie:

2 coats (one for next year), 2 jackets, sweater, 2 turtlenecks, 3 onesies, 5 shirts, 2 jumpers 

The Bad:

Running out of room for clothes.  Have been meaning to purge but haven't gotten around to it.  The clothes rod in my closet is bowing down in the middle.  It isn't a matter of if, but a matter of when...

The Ugly:

It finally happened...

While hanging up my new Old Navy purchases the bar went crashing to the floor taking all my shirts with it.  

Church Time Drama...

This is us...dressed, ready and on time-for church...but this picture wasn't taken this morning.  No, this was months ago when our church was at 1 in the afternoon.  This morning we were still in bed when it came time for church.  Our church time recently changed to 9 in the morning and we have had some serious drama at the Smith home ever since.  

Last week we made it and were only a few minutes late but Indie and I were both ornery all day due to the lack of sleep.  

Last night Tony and I made an unwise decision of staying up until almost 2 a.m. to watch Saving Private Ryan.  Indie made an unwise decision of waking up at 2:30 a.m. and again at 7:15 a.m.  I then made a decision, again unwise, that I would not be attending church that day until the last hour (only because I had to teach the beehives or I probably wouldn't have gone to that either).  I wasn't sure which was worse, missing church or being a beast all day.  This week I chose sleep (and I am sure Tony is glad I did).  Please forgive me. Amen. 

P.S. Aren't my babies adorable!

Provo house...

Check out my "Ode to the Provo House" here.

MGK...

This week was rather busy, Thursday night was My Girlfriend's Kitchen or MGK.  Every month we get together to exchange meals.  It is a.lot.of.work. but in the end it is worth it.  This month I made taco soup.  I had to brown ten pounds of hamburger and onions...the house still smells funny...

Tony even got into the action by opening 30 cans of stewed tomatoes and kidney beans.

The recipe for taco soup:

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 (16 oz) can corn
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Tortilla chips

Grated cheese

Brown ground beef and onion.  Stir in taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce.  Simmer 20-30 minutes.  Serve with chips and cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

It is quite delicious and very inexpensive.

This months meals...

Alicia-poppy seed chicken

Allie-breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls

Madelyn-tamales

Jessie-beef with brocolli

Brian-pull apart pork

Britnie-massaman curry

Audrey-pot roast

Card Club...

Every other month I get together with Alicia, Allie, Corey, Katie, and some other people and go to Erinne's house for a Friendly Card Exchange.  We bring 12 identical cards that we have created and exchange them so we end up with 12 different cards based on the theme assigned that month.  This month was a little different.  On Tuesday night we had the queen of cards teach us how to make 5 different Valentine cards...

They are awesome and we had such a great time.

Thanks Erinne!

Continued...Christmas stuff...

This survey was going around my family blog but I never got around to doing it...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bag?  wrapping paper

2. Real tree or artificial?  artificial

3. When do you put up your tree? whenever I can get around to it but it has to be after thanksgiving.  This year Tony refused to listen to any Christmas music until after Thanksgiving but secretly I had it playing whenever I could.  Sometimes he wouldn't even notice.

4. When do you take down your tree?  Again, whenever I can get around to it but normally after the new year.

5. Do you like eggnog? yes but not straight up, it has to be half milk.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? ski bus pass/ski pass, grandma's painting of me, karaoke machine just to name a few.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, Kim and my grandma gave me this one... 

and Alicia gave me this one.  They are my most favorite Christmas decorations.  I've considered leaving them up all year.  
8. Hardest person to buy for? mom

9. Easiest person to buy for? Indie

10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? I can't think of one.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, normally late though, in fact, Geof and Darla yours is coming I just need to find your address, I know I have it around here somewhere.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Not soon enough, things are going to change next year because I am tired of waiting until the last minute.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Heck yes! I am notorious for it so watch out.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom and Kim's toffee both different, both delicious.

16. Favorite Christmas song? I have so many, I had FM 100 streaming online at work constantly this year, I couldn't get enough.  I like, I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas by The Drifters and I love the Christmas Song by the beloved Nat King Cole.

17. Travel for Christmas or stay home? Stay home, surprised?! I am a Rigby.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? yes even Olive the other reindeer.

19. Angel or star on top of tree? this year we had both...
20. Open presents Christmas eve or morning? We do a little of both.  We do Christmas with Kim on Christmas eve and Christmas with mom and dad Christmas night.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? How busy the stores are and the traffic by the mall.

22. What I love most about Christmas? being with family and friends.

I cry the day I take the tree down...

We (and by we I mean I) took the Christmas decorations down on Saturday and I couldn't help but sing that song, I do every year...seriously.  It is depressing to me how quickly Christmas flies by.  All that preparation and it's over in a flash.  Here are some pictures of what my house looked like during the season...