Mindless Monday (on Tuesday), Blog Linkage, Crock Pot Hot Chocolate

Good Tuesday morning!

I hope this post finds you doing well... Christmas shopping done... gifts wrapped... Christmas cards in the mail... (one addressed to me).

I'm still in the prep stages of Christmas. While I know what I need and where I need to go to get it, I continue to act as if it is still November, and I have plenty of time.

Someone needs to come over here and give me a good shake.

Or at least pick up my list and run my errands for me.

You choose.

RANDOMNESS #1 - The Christmas Card count stands at 21. It's going to be low this year, but as I said before, I understand. I'm sending out another big chunk of Christmas Cards today, and hopefully, by tomorrow, I'll finish that task completely.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Yesterday, on one of my three trips to the grocery store, I noticed a woman with only three items in her hands. Being full of the Christmas spirit (or guilt... I can never tell which one it is), I let her cut in front of me.

"Thank you so much. I have to get home and make spaghetti tacos for my daughter's birthday."

Okay. It's confession time.

I love the iCarly television show. You know. The kid show. The one that just went off the air after seven seasons.

And I have the final episode recorded... and I have watched it three times while I iron... and I'll probably watch it three more times before I erase the recording.

Yes. I am a 51 year-old adult woman who watches iCarly... without kids in the room.

So I knew the only place I had ever heard of spaghetti tacos was from the iCarly show. (Spencer, Carly's older brother, makes spaghetti tacos all the time on the show.)

"Is your daughter a pre-teen?" I asked.

"Well, she's 14 today," she responded.

That would be about right. She started watching iCarly when she was seven years old... like "normal" people.

If you do the math, I started watching iCarly when I was 44. (Not normal.)

"Does she like iCarly?" I asked.

"Yes. That's where all this comes from. Every year, she wants spaghetti tacos for her birthday meal."

"Are they good?"

The woman scrunched her nose and said what I had always thought would be the answer to that question. "I can't get used to them... but she likes them, and it's her birthday, so... ."

I haven't tried spaghetti tacos yet, but who knows. Maybe in honor of iCarly going off the air, I'll serve them to The Faulkner Five, and we can all sit down and watch the final episode together... again.

RANDOMNESS #3 - I hosted our 14th Christmas Tea at the Three-Earred Rabbit in Trussville this weekend. Everyone was in attendance (except for the three chicks who now live out of state).

I think (hope) a good time was had by all!

The full-of-whimsy Three-Earred Rabbit!

The Christmas Tea Chicks! Me, LeAnna, Tonya, Debbie, Carrie (back row), Dawn and Dee (front row).

And this kind of says it all, doesn't it?

RANDOMNESS #4 - We had our annual family celebration at Palisades Saturday night. It is "steeped in tradition," I tell you! Steeped.

First, we gather at a large cabin in Palisades Park in Oneonta.

Nothing says, "Merry Christmas" like a mounted deer head wearing a big red Christmas bow.

Roxie and Mikie.

Handsome Uncle Charles (MamMa's little brother) and MamMa.

Roxie and Monica.

Stephanie and Brad.

Austin, Me and Brad.

Me and Katie. Teenagers LOVE it when you throw your arms around them and kiss them in public. (Don't try this at home! The only thing that saved me was the fact there were witnesses present.)

Just Katie. She felt it necessary to knock me off the hearth soon after the impetuous aunt/teenager cheek smooch.

The Lovely Melia and Austin.

There were 23 in attendance this year. Bev and Zac had to stay home and take care of the flu bug... and Steve (Amy's hub) was out-of-town. They were all missed.

Second, we partake of the bounty. We traditionally serve chili, soups, sandwiches and desserts.

It's good, good stuff.

Third, we open gifts. Most of the gifts are given among the cousins, but MamMa gave all the female members of the family beautiful crocheted kitchen cloths this year.

At 91 years of age, MamMa made over 30 of these as gifts this season. She is, in a word, amazing.

Fourth, we always have some sort of Christmas competition or game. The last two years, we have played Minute-To-Win-It games, and they've been a big hit with the cousins.

Does anything scream Christmas more than throwing cheese curls at your teammate while they are wearing a shower cap covered in shaving cream.

I didn't think so.

What about wearing pantyhose on top of your head (with a softball hanging in the toe of said pantyhose), and trying to knock down all the bottles before your opponent?

Brad and Josh couldn't wait to play this game... which concerned me a little.

And then there is this age-old favorite... Put Santa's favorite cookie on your forehead and try to get it into your mouth without dropping it. People have been playing this game for YEARS!

Oh. And Santa's favorite cookie is the Oreo... in case you didn't know.

Finally, all of the kids walk around and look at the hundreds of light displays in the Park while the grown-ups do the clean-up thing.

It's a fun party, and one we look forward to year after year.

RANDOMNESS #5 - When Austin was three years-old, I held our first Cookie/Caroling Party for him and his little friends. (We baked sugar cookies, packed them up and delivered and caroled elderly neighbors and grandparents.)

When Josh was old enough to participate, we added his friends to the mix.

The same with Roxie.

Somewhere along the way, Austin and Josh outgrew this traditional party, and before I knew it, so did Roxie and the Chicks.

So I tweaked.

For the past two years, we've had dinner at the house before heading to The Alabama Theatre to see a Christmas movie (Elf and Home Alone).

I had planned on doing the same thing this year, but the girls' Sunday Night Bible Study Group planned a trip to The Alabama, so I had to (cheerfully) tweak once again.

Roxie and friends decided they wanted to go ice skating (very festive), come back to the house for gourmet hot dogs, hot chocolate and desserts and a lot of visiting.

It worked out well.

The obligatory Christmas Tree pic with Ally, Roxie, Kendall, Ragan and Ciara.

Mikie took them to the skating rink while I stayed home and got dinner on the table!

Everyone had been ice skating before except Ciara, but she was excited to give it a try.

She definitely conquered the dreaded "walk to the ice."

"Roxie, take your coat. Roxie, take your coat."

"Mom. I always get hot and sweaty when I go ice skating."

Roxie is wearing Ragan's coat. (Thank you, Ragan.)

No matter where they are, Chicks know how to pose for the camera... even on ice.

Blog Linkage - I have an addictive blog for you to visit today. Every year, The Nester has a Christmas Tour of Homes. You just click on one of the pictures at the bottom of her post and you get to see all kinds of beautiful decorations and ideas.

It is so much fun.

Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and read today's post entitled "2012 Christmas Tour of Homes."

Click away!

Creamy Crock Pot Hot Chocolate

I made this last night to drink while we watched a Christmas movie.

You will need the following:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups milk chocolate chips
6 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Pour all ingredients in crock pot.

2. Cook on low for 2 hours.

3. Stir occasionally.

Okay. This stuff is good. This stuff is RICH. This stuff is decadent.

Especially if you spray Redi-Whip on top to make it look really, really pretty and Martha Stewart-ish.

I also wouldn't recommend making this unless you are serving six or more people. (It makes a lot!)

Have a VERY PRODUCTIVE Tuesday. (That is what I'm hoping for myself!) I'll be back Friday with Weekend Happenings, Randomness, MORE CHRISTMAS STUFF and pics.

Take care, and I'll talk to you on Friday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda