Happy Holidays!

It's two days post Christmas.  I hope that everyone had a nice holiday.  My holiday was fantastic, though there was almost a chance that it wouldn't happen.

Woke up last Tuesday with a terrible sore throat.  I could not believe I was having the same issues I had during the Thanksgiving holiday. Still I continued to get things ready for Christmas Eve.   Wednesday I had to go out and get the remaining groceries for dinner.  I was slowly falling apart and by Wednesday night, I was feeling so bad, all I could do was lay in bed, rest and get myself together.  I dranked a hot cup of Thera-flu which soothed my throat and relaxed me.  I didn't even feel myself doze off to sleep. 

Thursday morning when I woke up I felt a little better.  I was supposed to be preparing dishes that could be made ahead of time but I ended up going out with one of my best friends to finish gift shopping.  I didn't get to do it Wednesday because I felt so bad and didn't feel like going anywhere else after marketing. 

Oooooh, I've got to tell you what I found when I walked into a Dollar Tree.  I found Santa hats that fit over the top of your chairs. 

I was just browsing through the store while my friend was grabing some things she needed, and there was one hanging on the rack.  I asked a worker if this was all they had left and she said yes.  I was so devasted, but I didn't give up.  I searched high and low through the shelves hoping to find three more.  Just when I was about to give up, I found them, hiding under a bunch of tissue paper.  I had to laugh at myself for the way I was acting.  When I got up to the register the cashier said she was surprised there were any left.  She said they knew these would go fast so they just dumped them all in a shopping cart and left it at the front of the store instead of putting them on the shelves.  When my friend saw them she wanted two so I went back and found two more.  These will be used next year.

We got home from shopping just before the evening rush hour started.  When I got in I decided to take it easy. A hot bath, warm pajamas and a cup of Thera-flu and I just layed in bed and rested.  The food prepping would have to wait until Friday.

Friday morning, I was up early with no problem.  I got in the kitchen and got busy.  Just took my time and did not stress out about all the food I had to prepare.  Know what?  It worked.  Got everything done and still had time to relax before the guests arrived.  This was the menu.

Appetizers:
cheese/ham spirals
crab-red pepper dip
caribbean style wingettes

Entree:
Pork ribs
Bourbon glazed chicken
Steak with carmelized onions

Sides:
roasted potatoes
macaroni & cheese
green beans
fresh garden salad
fresh baked dinner rolls

shrimp salad
deviled eggs

Dessert:
variety of homemade cookies
large punch bowl of eggnog with vanilla bean icecream

The ribs were a last minute thought. Just had a taste for some. The only thing I didn't get around to making were the cupcakes but it was okay.  Noone cared.  I tend to go overboard with the menu.  I just like to make sure that I have something that everyone would like.

The evening went off without a hitch.  I even got a nice surprise.  Some relatives came in from New York whom I hadn't seen in three or four years. 

After dinner we opened presents.  Everyone was very pleased with the gifts I got for them.  Especially the one who received the Washington Redskins car mats.  He completely lossed it. After I watched everyone open their gifts I opened mine.  I got a cute bath set (rug, shower curtain, hooks, towel set), a soft hooded robe with some soft slippers, 3 piece glass candle holders, another candle holder set that has some beautiful writing on them (will go nice with the new bath set), a bottle of Moscoto (my favorite wine), perfume, a 15 inch tall nutcracker (from my neighbor), a gift card for Lane Bryant, a lovely spa set, a digital photo frame (I've always wanted one) and the nicest gift of all - a new laptop computer.

Back in the summer my mom decided to buy herself a new laptop and she would give me her old one.  Well for months I had been waiting for her to give it to me but she kept saying that she was transferring information from the old laptop to the new laptop.  So on Christmas while we were opening gifts she surprised me with a brand new laptop.  When I tore off the wrapping paper I thought it was some glassware.  It wasn't until I turned the box around to open it that I realized it was a laptop.  I was so happy - like a kid.  I couldn't open the box fast enough.  Now I can sit in bed or on the sofa and use the computer instead of being stuck at my desk.  Ooooh, it's a nice one too.  It has a built-in web cam (Now I can chat with my newphew whose in college on Skype) and something called light-scribe.  Light-scribe adds designs to your cd/dvd.  No more do I have to buy the paper and waste the ink from my printer to make labels.  I'm still learning all the programs installed.  Yep, she got me good.

Christmas day for me was a day of rest.  I layed in bed most of the day and watched holiday movies.  My poor feet were hurting so bad.  I could barely stand when I got up to get something to drink.  Usually I am in a coma after partying with the family the night before, but I think because I made sure to get proper rest all week, I was feeling okay.

Well, let me stop boring you guys.  It's almost 8 in the evening and my Monday night line-up of shows are about to begin.  More tomorrow. Good night!