ww: christmas 2010 edition.

I was so excited about Christmas Eve this year! I had been having an itch to cook a big meal and I knew this was my chance!

I immediately turned to my Pioneer Woman cookbook because I knew she wouldn't let me down!

The Menu:

ONION STRINGS

These were TO DIE FOR. I mean seriously. I can't brag enough about them. BEST onion rings I have EVER had. However, I will tell you that they are pretty time consuming! So definitely allow yourself enough time {I quadrupled the recipe and it took me over an hour just to fry them!}

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

I have had many friends rave about this dish and it was FABULOUS! Not too cheesy, not too chickeny, just perfect!

BURGUNDY MUSHROOM

I'm not a mushroom fan AT ALL, but I knew the majority of my family was so I went with that as the side dish. When I first decided on this, I only looked at the ingredients to make my shopping list and not the actual recipe. Fast forward to Christmas Eve at Noon: I was catching up on my blogs and came across one from PW that said she knew her Grandma was starting the Burgundy Mushrooms on their 9 hour long journey! I frantically jumped up to get her cookbook and read through the recipe...sure enough. simmer for 9 hours. HOLY CRAP.

Luckily, mine simmered for 7.5 hours and they came out perfect!

We kept up the tradition this year and each of us opened our one gift on Christmas Eve....Mine was a Christmas Candle with an "E" on it, despite my REPEATED requests to quit buying me things with "E's" on them because I have MILLIONS. {I received 2 this year, hoping for none in 2011!}

We played Wii until the wee hours of the morning! I realized that I am completely terrible at Mario Kart! Maybe because I was distracted by this 

{That would be my brother in his cut off shirt and ghetto arm brace...how can you not stare?}

FINALLY after 25 years I was able to score SOME kind of freedom on Christmas Morning. The short story is that I have been forced every year to wait upstairs in my room until the parents we're "ready" {aka camera's and video camera's out and armed at the bottom of the stairs} for us to come down. And every year we had to stop at the end of the stairs to take a "cousin's picture". SOOOOO ridiculous. 

This year we compromised. I came downstairs early and got breakfast started and after everyone was awake we went to the bottom of the stairs and faked a picture.

{You can tell we were all REALLY excited about this!}

Next year I'm hoping to finagle sleeping at my own house on Christmas Eve!

On to the good part: 

Since I got my new bed as my Christmas present in October I SERIOUSLY did not expect anything!

Instead I was so blessed by my parents and received some awesome gifts!

a few pairs of new shorts!

a new ipod!

and the best gift of the day

This picture is not reenacted. My mom perfectly snapped the picture and captured my genuine excitement. I was like a 5 year old all over again!

I think this was the best Christmas anyone in our family has ever had! 

I wasn't able to do a lot for my family since I lost my job, but I managed to paint my mom something for the house, get my brother a Starbucks gift card, and buy my dad this amazing DVD about the History of OU Football. {which by the way we watch and it was AMAZING. SOO interesting!} I could write a whole blog about it, but I'll refrain since no one would find it interesting but me!

We had an awesome Christmas dinner with Turkey, Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, and LOTS of Pumpkin Pie! We all messed with our new gadgets while we watched a few movies and headed to bed at a decent time so we could get up early for a FULL day of day after Christmas Shopping!

I started to get sick Sunday afternoon when we finished shopping and was so weak I had to stay an extra night at my parents, but finally after 6 days, I slept in my own bed last night and it was INDESCRIBABLE!

Cheers to the best Christmas!

girls dinner 2010.

Every year my high school girlfriends and our families get together for a night of food, drinks, and catching up!

We've had many different versions over it through the last five years and all of them have been so much fun!

2005 was our first year to do this. It was a progressive dinner at some of our parents' homes. We had all of our parents meet us at the last house for champagne and desserts!

2006:  We had another Progressive Dinner

2007: Since most of us had graduated college by this year, we had a progressive dinner at our own houses! {we quickly decided it was way easier to have our parents do all of the cooking!}

In 2008, the girl's went out to dinner at Charleston's and the parent's went out to dinner at Lottinvilles; we all met up at Louie's afterwards. I for some reason don't have a picture of all of us from this year. I blame it on the fact that I had just had foot surgery and was on all sorts of pain killers =)

2009: Hannah's Parents hosted our dinner this year in their new house! We had it catered by Victoria's in  Norman and it was fabulous!

This year:
We hosted the dinner at my parents house and had everyone bring an appetizer or dessert and whatever they wanted to drink. It was perfect!

My contributions were: Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Mozzarella, & Pesto, Spicy Chicken Skewers, & PW's Olive Bread

The dinners first started out with girls and our parents, but as more and more of us have gotten engaged, married, or had serious boyfriends, we decided to start including everyone!

It's pretty crazy to go back and look at all of the pictures and see how much we've grown up over the last 5 years. 

I look forward to this night every year! I love these girls dearly and hope we continue this tradition for the many, many, many years we have ahead of us!!

ww.

It's been awhile since I've done a weekend wrap up! Mostly because I haven't been out in awhile!

Everyone's finals are finally over so it was time to celebrate!

FRIDAY night we went to Fuzzy's to relish in the fact that Danae only has 1 semester left of Law School and Evan graduated with his MBA this weekend!

Fuzzy's has this drink called a "Fish Bowl" I'm not really positive what's in it besides Gatorade {that's all I could taste}, but it was fun to drink! There were 7 of us that split two of them.

{We each had two straws to get it down faster...sounded like a great idea at the time!}

We continued on to O'Connels and had a great time! Although, I learned one lesson that night. Don't take pictures in the winter after you've been drinking for awhile. Alcohol + no tan = NOT HOT.

{see what I mean? A spray tan is in my near future!}

I got a call SATURDAY from my favorite newlyweds to go see an 80's cover band play at The Deli. It was their last show and a dressy Christmas Party, so of course there was no question I'd be there! {I love any excuse to dress up!}

The Deli is always an interesting place. There are SOOO many different groups of people there {including a girl who hadn't shaved her arm pits in YEARS, if ever...lord I hope she was French!}, yet I never feel like I fit in. Most the time I don't care, most of all because they have Big Red Cups there! What's BRC you ask? A giant red cup of Budweiser! I absolutely LOVE Bud-Heavy, but rarely let myself drink it!

A much needed weekend out! I'm so excited to see everyone over the holidays!

lately loving: christmas style.

I {somewhat unfortunately, but also great-fully} already received my Christmas present for the year.

But, JUST in case you're feeling generous this holiday, there's still a few things on my wish list....

My camera is AWFUL {thanks Samsung} and so I've been drooling over this one.

{via}

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I've seriously been dying for a Wii since they came out! I still think it'd be hours of fun!

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I'm in desperate need of a new black coat....a look alike to this amazing J.Crew one would so be ok!

{via}

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I could REALLY use a gift card to the mall. I've really grown in my taste in style over the last year; however, I don't have the funds to keep up with the change! I also need a couple hundred to spend in Sephora....OMG I love that place!

{via}

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I've been swooning over a pair of lighter colored TOMS. They are just ridiculously comfy.

{via}

This year I'm wishing for 2 pairs of gloves.....too much? Let me explain...

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Fashion

Thanks to Christine for posting these on her blog! They are just genius and soooooo useful!

{via}

vs.

Function

These fabulous gloves by The North Face block the wind...JUST what I need on those freezing game days {or for those couple snow/ice days we get a year}! Wouldn't want to get frost bite from holding my beer =)

{via}

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Add Bed, Bath, and Beyond to that gift card list...

New pillows would be A-MA-ZING. I won't even tell you how old my pillow is...it's too embarrassing.

{via}

I REALLY want a food processor. The cooking possibilities are endless!

{via}

day 30.

so peaceful

day 29.

My hiatus was unintentional. It's been one hell of a last 7 days.

• I made an important life changing decision last weekend {I'll give details one day}
• I was laid off from my job {it came as a surprise, but I know everything happens for a reason}
• I'm in MAJOR planning mode for this up coming wedding. I've been working on it, along with the Bride, for about 6-10 hours a day! I am loving every minute and am SOOO excited for the big day!

Now that I have more time, maybe I'll be a little more inspired to blog!

So....here's day 29.

3 Wishes. 

{I'm just gonna do right now, not for all time...that's too much thinking for tonight}

1. That my life changing decision works out the way I'm planning it to!
2. I get a new job situation figured out quickly...it hasn't even been a week, but boredom is setting in.
3. That I get to see everyone I want to see over the Holidays!

day 28.

What stresses me out?

LIFE

day 27.

I've never really owned a pet. At least not what I really consider a pet. Fish, turtles, hermit crabs...that's about the extent of my "pet" repertoire.

BUT.

I'm dying to have my very own one of these one day....

{image via}

A Goldendoodle.

OMG how do you not fall in love with it at first sight?

Can't wait!

day 26.

great people right there...great people.

day 25.

Shuffling my iPod...

{warning: I RARELY update my iPod}

1. Shake Your Money Maker - Ludacris

2. All Right Now - Free

3. Three Days - Pat Green

4. Hallaback Girl - Gwen Stefani

5. Let's Get Retarded - Black Eyed Peas

6. More Than a Feeling - Boston

7. Hypnotised - Piles Featuring Akon

8. Feels Just like it Should - Pat Green

9. Lean Like a Cholo - Down aka Kilo

10. All I Ever Wanted - Brandon Jenkins

Just a little all over the place....

day 24.

I've learned that...

...Life is the biggest roller coaster you will every ride

...I might have the biggest sweet tooth out of anyone I know

...Being nice and generous sometimes gets you walked all over

...Even though I get walked all over, I wouldn't change who I am for anything

...People come in and out of your lives for a reason

...Friends and family are what get you through life

...OU football really is the best programs in the country

...Not to take what I have or who is in my life for granted

History in the making.

I love to attend things that I know are going to make History {especially in sports} and this weekend I got to do that!

Yesterday marked the last {until further notice at least} Big XII Championship game. To make it an even more monumental night the two teams that played, OU and Nebraska, have a rivalry that is rare.

Dating back to 1912 when the two teams had their first meeting, OU leads the rivalry 44-38-3 {now 45-38-3}. There have been some quite amazing games, players, and coaches between these two college football powerhouses over the many years, they are both so rich in tradition, and honestly have some great fanbases! There was no better way to end the Big XII and it's Championship game than with a game between these two.

First and foremost...

THE FINAL GDO OF THE 2010 SEASON!!

My dad lucked into our tickets from his work. We knew they'd be great, but seriously had no idea HOW great.

The game was at Dallas Cowboy's Stadium {aka Jerry's World}. If you haven't been there before, it is quite spectacular; However, I find the enormous 50 yard screen distracting as hell!

We started our trek to Dallas Late Saturday morning, and wound our way thru Arlington to find our parking lot. When we pulled up we were in shock. We were parking so close to the stadium that they had to search our car....

We were fortunate enough to be invited to this Dr. Pepper Pre-Game Gala thing. We had free food and and drinks for a good 3 hours before the game, watched the bands practice and even caught some glimpses of the South Carolina Auburn game.

We left the gala for our seats about an hour before game time...Thank God we did because we walked around the whole stadium trying to find out seats. {Jerry needs a little help on his sinage or maybe we had just had one too many drinks}

We ended up find out section by going through this, what I called "secret hallway".

We found our seats and there was not a thing to complain about!

{12 rows up on the 40 yard line ain't too shabby}

Dad and I before the game

{I'm interrupting the great time for a small rant} This is the 2nd time I've been to Cowboy's stadium for an OU game and for the 2nd time I was asked to sit down during the game. Granted the first time was by a 60 year old woman, but this time it was a by a 30-something lady. 

First off. Are you joking me? This is a college football game. You are SUPPOSED to stand and cheer for your team for all 4 hours! And Second. If for some odd reason you don't feel like standing and cheering, there is a freaking GIANT screen above your head....WATCH THAT. Don't you dare tell me to sit down....it only makes me stand longer =) {She's lucky she told me to sit down when we were starting to play better...the 60 year old woman at the BYU game wasn't so lucky}

{ok. end of rant}

My favorite part of the pre-game

The game was stressful to say the least. I just about pulled my hair out through most of it! But our defense played amazing and through the 2nd half we had some awesome plays. I love action shots so I snapped a few of us cheering...some are kind of hilarious/scary.

All through the 2nd half I still thought we were going to lose, I didn't breath a sigh of relief and really get excited until our 2nd to last snap of the game.

ah...victory

 What a FABULOUS night! And I can't imagine having spent it with anyone else!

I'm one lucky girl...let me tell ya!

day 23.

I have two favorite vacations {it's way to hard to choose between the two}

1. My first trip to Scottsdale, Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl

We played every major golf course in the city {TPC, both Greyhawk courses, and our resort Kierland}

Took a guided {by a REAL cowboy} horseback tour down into a valley where we learned how to lasso, throw tomahawks, and shoot guns.

Ate at some of the most amazing restaurants I've ever been to, celebrated the New Year, and sadly witnessed one of the worst OU football games I've ever seen {against Boise State}

On our last day we went to a "fun park" as I call them. We played video games, hit golf balls from a 2nd story tee {a check to one of the small things on my bucket list!}

and even rode go-karts!

I was like a little kid! I absolutely LOVE doing "kid" like things!

2. My last trip to Cancun, Mexico

Our view was completely amazing

We went ziplining, bike riding, shopping, but mostly laid by the pool. 

We traveled to a little Island called Isla Mujeres for a friend's Wedding dinner.

It was such a cute, quaint little island, I highly recommend you take the ferry there if you are in Cancun or even spend your vacation there!

I was also blessed to be a part of these two people's special day. 

They and that day will always hold a special place in my heart!