2010 Top 10

In celebration of the last year, here are my Top 10 photos of 2010. Making my "2010 Favorites" file was so fun. The last year has seen a lot of changes for our family. So many good memories here! I'm excited to see what 2011 brings!

This photo is fun because you can see us in the reflection in the left lens of Mickey's sunglasses.


Our home away from home: Winter Garden Little League fields


Little Man at baseball camp, knocking out some batting practice


The Girl's new hair cut, with some fun color :)


Little Man in his All-Star uniform


Friday morning coffee dates


Making the trek north to Michigan


Enjoying the fall colors


The first big snow storm of the year


Playing with Christmas lights

Mama's Holiday Wish List Meme

Today's Mama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? My holiday wish for my family this year is that we really stop to enjoy each other and take hold of the memories we are making together. Our days slip by so quickly and time passes before we know it. We need to slow down this season and keep things simple.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?Every year the entire family meets at my mother-in-law's house for Christmas morning. We have a quick breakfast and then let the kids have some fun ripping open packages. Then we take a break and slow things down, each person opening one gift at a time in turn, so we can all enjoy the excitement and wonder of Christmas. It is always an all day event!

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? My one decadent wish would be for a new car all my own. I always get the hand-me-down car. And if I could have my car it would be a Lexus.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?We spend a lot of time in the kitchen together. We bake cookies, cookies, and some more cookies. And a recent new tradition: the Gingerbread House! The highlight of Christmas week is finishing up the Gingergbread House and sampling all the little candies we decorate with!

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?Growing up, we played the game of LIFE, Monopoly, Trouble, and Sorry! As we got older, my mom would let us play with her Flinch! game. All of these games are still family favorites.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?The only family tradition from my side of the family to survive is having the whole family together on New Year's Day to celebrate together, and we always serve Grape Leaves and Kibi, and occasionally Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. The in-laws celebrate Christmas as a 2-day event. Beginning on Christmas Eve with fondue, opening stocking gifts and going to the Christmas Eve Service. Christmas Day is spent eating, laughing, and opening gifts. It's a full day of fun!

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?I wouldn't go anywhere. We've spent the last 4 years living across the US from the rest of our family. We were unable to get home for Christmas last year and it was a very difficult season for me. I would choose to stay home for Christmas. But, if the whole family could go on a trip, I think it would wonderful to spend the holiday travelling Europe together! Wouldn't that be a Christmas to remember?!

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
Our family's top 3 would be: PS3 system since ours died recently, the XBox 360 Kinect, obviously, and the latest, greatest Guitar Hero/RockBand stuff. We like to rock around here!

New cookie cutters!

I don't have any cookie cutters here in Florida. They are all in storage back in Michigan. I didn't think I'd need any here because it's always so hot, baking makes it miserable. But now we're having nice, cool weather (some would say cold) and I have no cookie cutters.

So I broke down and  bought some! (good sale!)

I bought a set of 3 heart-shaped cookie cutters. They're very cute. We made some brownies and I practiced using my cute new cutters. Yummy!

Anytime I've needed cookies before, I 've just used a plastic drinking cup and made circles. Like these I made for J's baseball team last spring

and the ornament cookies I made at Christmas

Straight forward and simple, still yummy. But I'd really like to have some of my special cookie cutters right about now. This cool weather doesn't come around often in sunny Florida!