Preparing for the New Year

As I sit here eating a warm homemade pumpkin muffin, its hard to believe we only have a few days left of 2009. At this moment, I am thankful that Justin decided not to re-enlist in the Navy as his aircraft carrier is preparing to leave Saturday morning for another 6-8 month deployment. The ship seemed to have just gotten back (which it pretty much did!) and I can't imagine having to say goodbye again for the 3rd deployment. Having him home with me everyday is an incredible thing. Its a constant that I never knew I would enjoy so much. So today, I decided to take our Christmas decorations down, but wanted to put up a few pictures of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
First off, we treated ourself to traditional crab on Christmas eve. With some melted lemon butter, french bread, baked brie, and roasted garlic, the menu was delicious.

Our Christmas morning was wonderful also. Though it was difficult being away from family, we enjoyed the simplicity of being together with our animals and enjoying each other's company
That night, we did a nice prime rib with green beans and festive mashed potatoes that were delicious. The whole holiday was wonderful. I have been reading a lot (on my 3rd book since Christmas break). I'm anxiously awaiting for my Barnes and Noble Nook to come in. A few more weeks and it should be here. I start back with KPMG a week from Thursday. I'm not sure how I am going to do school and 24 hours a week of strenuous tax work, but I keep telling myself that its my last semester of school EVER (at least until I get my MSA), and I can handle a few months of stress. Besides, we need the money and the experience from working through this tax season will be wonderful.

Justin is currently at work and I am sitting at home, bored. About to vacuum and take the trash out, as well as run some errands. I always thought that being a "stay at home wife/mom" would be fun, but I have to do something! I think my dream situation would be working from home. Then I can tend to all of the domestic things that mean so much to me and Justin, while still bring in substantial income in for the family. Hopefully one day I can have a tax prep business out of my home. But in the mean-time, Corporate America is where I will be...in towering high-rise buildings on the 21st floor of Dominion Tower. Nevertheless, I am not complaining...just describing what would be an ideal situation.

Well, off to do some stuff. Getting excited for Olive Garden for dinner tonight...even though its a farewell dinner for our dear friend/neighbor before he leaves with the USS Eisenhower on this coming deployment.

Happy New Year all!

Holiday Excitement

Holy Mackeral! I just LOVE the Holidays. I think that I have officially decided that once Halloween hits till the New Year is my favorite time of year. I've been trying to soak up as much holiday goodness as I can, because in years past, it seems that once Christmas is here, its over with so fast.


I've only been out of school less than a week and have tried out lots of great new recipes and baked pumpkin muffins, blackberry scones, vanilla sandwich cookies and gingerbread cookies. Christmas music has been on in our home non-stop, all paired with the smell of fresh pine (which is from my hot oil burner, not a real Christmas trees...stupid apartments for not letting us have real trees). I had some of my lovely girls over to decorate Christmas Cookies.

And also got a little painting done too I'm really loving the mixed-media thing right now. What a great release to get all of those creative juices flowing!

Tis the Season!

Wow! How wonderful it feels to be DONE DONE DONE with this semester. Only one more to go and then I am DONE with my undergraduate degree! I have only been out of school for about 4 days and have already baked blackberry scones, pumpkin muffins, vanilla sandwich cookies with chocolate fudge filling, a delicious caramelized onion pasta and on to a shrimp orzo for dinner tonight. Man it feels good to have time to cook!

We are SUPPOSED to get snow tonight, but being so close to the ocean doesn't always allow that to happen. It is 34 degrees out so I hope we do get some. Justin and I took a drive North to find some snow with Ellie all tucked away in my arms in her bright red festive sweater, but we only had rain freeze on our car. No snow. Sigh. But, we are home now and got laundry going and candles lit and the lights on our Christmas tree. This really is my favorite time of year. Tomorrow I am having some girls over for tea and scones/muffins and to decorate Christmas cookies. Tonight, I will hopefully get to some reading or painting. We will see what way I decide to go.

Nevertheless, I am blessed this Holiday Season and am so thankful for what I have!