These are a few of my favorite things . . . to do during the Christmas Holidays!

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things . . .'

1) Sipping egg nog and watching "Christmas Vacation".

"Don't throw me down Clark!"
"I won't Aunt Bethany!"

"Is the house on fire Clark?"
"No Aunt Bethany!"

"Oh Aunt Bethany, you really shouldn't have!"
"Oh dear, did I break wind?"
"Gees Bethany, did the room clear out? Heck no! She meant the presents!"

"Aunt Bethany will you say grace?"
(Aunt Bethany shakes her head no)
"GRACE - they want you to say Grace."
"Grace? She died 30 years ago."
"THE BB-LL-EEE-SSS-II-NN-GG!"

Boy, that Aunt Bethany is sure good for some laughs!

2) Decorating the Christmas Tree





3) Stringing the lights outside . . .

With my little helper . . .


who decided that chasing the neighbor's cat would be more interesting!

4) Wrapping presents . . .
Ooopps - no picture for that -- haven't actually started doing that. Ahem! Anywhoo . . .

5) Kissing under the mistletoe

Ok - let me clarify -- first of all, there will be no pictures (you're welcome!) Secondly, hubby, I'm only referring to kissing YOU under the mistletoe. I mean ladies, just look at him!




6) Sipping on a warm cup of cider cozied up by a fire (is "cozied" even a real word? Um, well spell check says no. Well I say it is now -- this is my blog and I can do that if I want!)



6) Listening to this . . .




"When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad!"

Merry Christmas to me early . . .'er rather late, I guess!

Guess what showed up in the arms of my Hubby at my door yesterday? Nope . . . not these, but . . . these!



That's right my bloggy friends and family. It's Cuisinart 10 Piece Chef's Classic Cookware in all Stainless Steel. Guaranteed to to help me cook like a real chef or I get my money back. Ok, well not really. But . . . how can I not cook better with new pots and pans. You know -- they're all level and stuff on the bottom. No uneven heating here. Nope! Here's what they do promise:

* Chef's Choice Stainless:18/10 mirror finish. Classic looks, professional performance.

* Unsurpassed Heat Distribution:Aluminum encapsulated base heats quickly and spreads heat evenly. Eliminates hot spots.

* Stainless Steel for Professional Results:18/10 stainless steel cooking surface does not discolor, react with food or alter flavors. Great for classic cooking techniques like slow simmers, rolling boils and reduction of liquids.

* Cool Grip Handle:Solid stainless steel riveted handle stays cool on the stovetop. A helper handle provides extra support and balance when lifting and pouring.

* Drip-Free Pouring:Rim is tapered for drip-free pouring.

* Flavor Lock Lid:Tightfitting cover seals in moisture and nutrients for healthier, more flavorful results, every time you cook.

* Dishwasher Safe:Premium 18/10 stainless steel easily cleans to original brilliant finish.

*Constructed to Last:Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Let me tell you the story behind these gems. Last year (yes, I said last year -- Christmas to be exact) my hubby and I started looking at cookware. We both knew we were in need of some new pots and pans. Our pots and pans were almost 10 years old. You know --- we're the people whose pots and pans had the non-stick coating peeling off and the warped bottom that won't allow the pan to sit level on the smooth top range (this just drove Hubby crazy!).

We shopped, we looked, we fretted over price . . . and we procrastinated. WE.COULD.NOT.MAKE.A.DECISION. We scoured the internet, talked to our friends, got sound advice AND.STILL.DID.NOT.MAKE.A.DECISION. We went to the store this past weekend where said pots and pans were "on Sale" and walked out of the store EMPTY.HANDED. I had all but given up hope on them there pots and pans until Monday afternoon, hubby pulled into the garage after a long day of work and low and behold, there he was with my brand new set of pots and pans. Yes, my friends -- only the best for his little lady. I.WAS.SHOCKED. Happy, but shocked!

So, how 'bout dinner at my house -- next week? I'll need a week to break them in. I hear cooking with stainless steel (as opposed to the non-stick) is a little different. So, I'll need just a little bit of time to adjust. Not to worry, though. I have the utmost faith in my culinary skills (snort!snort!)

Thanks Hubby! I can't wait to give 'em a try!

Gotta run, my biscuits are burning!

Your chance to get a FREE Phillips Senseo!

If you've read my post here, then you'll understand this post. If not, click on the link and then come back here, ok?

Alright . . . are you back now . . .

Are you there?????

Hello?

Oh, there you are! Ok, now let's get down to business. The nice people over at Phillips are giving my readers a chance to get a free Phillips Senseo. Yes, you heard me . . . FREE! So, all you need to do is go here, answer a few questions and they'll let you know if you qualify! It's rrreeeeaaaallll simple! So, go! You know you want one! Just go . . . you can thank me later!

What in the world do pods have to do with coffee making?

About two weeks ago, I received a Phillips Senseo coffee maker for FREE! Yes, that's right, I said for FREE! You can imagine my excitement when the mailman rang my door bell and there it was waiting for me. So, Maddy and I immediately brought it inside and ripped the box open. And then, disappointment struck. What? It only makes a cup at a time? I hate those machines. They're too much work! I just want a whole pot of coffee sitting there, steaming, waiting for me to refill. So, I promptly set it aside and thought "Re-gift!"

Fast forward two days later . . . I took a second look at the coffee maker and thought, These nice people at Phillips sent me this coffee maker for FREE in good faith, hoping that I would try it, love it and tell others about it. And I haven't even bothered to pull it out of it's box. Shame on me! So, I began to think some advantages to using this coffee maker in hopes of prodding myself along and cranking up the machine:

1) Hubby is gone 1/2 of the month. Instead of making a big pot of coffee when he's gone, I could make one cup at a time and save myself the trouble of using the big machine.

2) Since it is only making the coffee one cup at a time, every cup is hot and fresh.

3) Oh yes, the pod thingys. They come in different flavors and such, so each morning I could technically have a different flavor.

4) It has a sleek, attractive, modern design. I wouldn't mind this machine sitting out on my counter.

So, I plugged the machine in and decided to give it a whirl. I did a quick little clean of the machine and then it was raring to go. I lifted up the front lever, inserted one pod, closed the top, filled the water compartment and pushed the button. In about 90 seconds, I had a fresh cup of coffee, sitting there waiting on me. Cool! And the coffee? IT.WAS.DELICIOUS. How easy was that!

So, then I remembered that I had French Vanilla and Cappuccino pods and decided to experiment. I did half an 8oz cup with the french vanilla coffee pod and then in the same cup, swap pods and used the cappuccino. And right then and there, I had a French Vanilla cappuccino --- SOLD! I immediately fell in love with this machine. The whole process took less than 2 minutes. That's right ladies -- no running to Starbucks -- no dragging out the Espresso/Cappuccino maker, grinding the beans, frothing the milk -- no ma'm. It was so simple. And so GOOD! I added a little Reddi wip
on top and voila --- heaven on earth in my cup!

"Senseo advertises it's system as a way to personalize your coffee. The coffee pod system lets you savor a single serving of coffee at the touch of a button, just the way you like it, whenever you like it!"

With the great coffee, ease of use and sleek design, the Senseo is sure to be a hit.

Now, let's get down to the nitty gritty. Target is selling this machine for $65 (or atleast my local Target is). However, Senseo was so generous as to send me a few $20 gift certificates to be used on the purchase of a machine. So, if you're interested, please let me know and I'll get one to you (first ask, first get basis! Supplies are limited so ACT NOW!). Of course, Senseo's website sells the machines and pods, but they have the machine listed at $69.99 -- and then you have to pay shipping and handling. I priced the pods at Target and they were selling 2 bags for $7. Each bag contains between 10-18 pods, depending on the flavor and variety. I was able to use each pods for 3 to 4 cups of coffee (though they recommend you use a fresh pod for each cup of coffee -- why waste a good pod, I say!)

Well, I hope that I have shared some helpful information! Feel free to comment with questions and I'll try to answer them.

*As with any products I write about on this blog, I am not being paid to endorse those products. This product was provided to me free of charge from Phillips and I agreed to tell others about my experience -- good or bad.

My little beauty secrets

I've always been a girlie, girl. Despite the influence of two brothers and a mother who is always in jeans and a tshirt and never wears a drop of makeup, I somehow turned out to be a prissy little thang! It's funny, the girls at the office would say that I was the only woman who was 9 months pregnant wearing 2 inch strappy sandals. Hey -- a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

So, I thought I'd share a couple of new little inexpensive beauty items I've found at my local drugstore. If you've got a moment to pamper yourself, you might want to try these:

1) Dove Energy Glow Daily Moisturizer with subtle self-tanners - I know! I know! I live in Florida and get my tan from a bottle. Hey -- I'm not all about getting skin cancer, even if it's in the name of beauty sake! My laying out in the sun days are over! I love this product! It's an all over body moisturizer with just a hint of self tanner. It gradually enhances and evens out your natural skin color and adds an extra glow. I like it because unlike a lot of self tanners, no one can tell I'm wearing it. And I've had dozens of people comment on what a great tan I have. So, it's about $8 for a 8.5 oz bottle -- pretty inexpensive.

2) Sally Hansen's French Manicure Pen - I love french manicures. However, with two children and a husband that is gone most of the month, I don't have time (or a babysitter) to head to the local nail salon. So, I found this product in the store one day and thought I'd try it. The process was a lot easier than I expected. The pen is designed to make the white stripe on your nail for the french manicure. By using a pen, it's alot easier than trying to brush on a straight line with nail polish. It works great and I found it was so easy to use on my toes also! If you buy the entire kit, it comes with the natural pink polish, the french manicure pen and the clear coat. It runs about $8 to $10 for the entire kit -- not even what one manicure would cost at a salon.

3) Botanics conditioning clay mask, complexion refining toner and purifying face scrub (same brand but 3 different products) - I love this Botanics line. I picked it up at Target. I first apply the purifying face scrub. Then the conditioning clay mask. Then the toner. I love the fresh smell of the products -- it's subtle and earthy. My skin felt so smooth and young after using these products. Each product ran about $6 to $8.

So, with that being said, take a few minutes this weekend for youself and enjoy some of these products or maybe even some favorite products of your own. If you do, I'd love to hear about your 5 minutes for you! And if you have any products that you'd like to share with everyone, please leave a comment.