MOCHA MORNINGS

...Time for Joy and time for Cheer. Why I do believe this is the earliest the McKnight-Griswalds have ever gotten the tree up; and oh what a relief! Our night ended with the downtown Christmas stroll, Christmas parade, a visit with Santa and Chinese food for dinner. It doesn't get much more American than that folks. 'Tis the Season!

Why just set one New Year resolution?  I find that when I do this I either forget about it or get bored with it.  Instead I have chosen to set a number of goals in hopes that I will be able to accomplish most, if not all of them.  Also, writing them down, blogging them and/or posting them on a social network is an excellent way to actually remembering the goals you have set for yourself as well as feeling that you are being held accountable for achieving them.  This is the first year that I have publically announced my goals.  I am hoping it will inspire me to follow through with them and I hope it also inspires others to set and work towards their own goals.  2012 Personal Goals: Read through the Bible in one year using  this chronological plan. Keep Ridiculously Delicious updated weekly with meal plans and new recipes. Plan blog posts a week in advance. Eat healthy, exercise faithfully and drink a lot more water! Get at least 7 hours of sleep a nig...

I've been working on my goals for 2012 and will be posting them in parts, the first being tonight after I finish our New Year's Dinner consisting of the traditional black eye peas, kielbasa and cabbage, fried potatoes and sweet cornbread.  I have divided my goals into three parts, my 12 DIY projects for 2012; My 2012 reading list; and finally my personal goals for 2012.  I'm excited to share them with you and would love to hear what your goals are for this new year! For now, I am off to the store to do our weekly shopping (I blogged our menu for this week earlier at  Ridiculously Delicious ) and then home to play Candy Land and Yahtzee with the kiddos before dinner. Happy New Year to my dear family, friends and readers!  Make it a good one!

Kicking a chunk of ice down the sidewalk...my kids are easily entertained!

We woke up this morning to find that our elf Buddy had helped himself to some powdered donuts and some coffee! I guess it was a long night for him, as he probably had a lot to report to Santa. I wonder where he will land tonight? What has your elf been up to?

You never know what a new day is going to throw at ya. This week our 11 year old fell at school causing the ball of his femur to slip off the growth plate. After emergency surgery on Wedneaday and three screws later, he is beginning to learn to walk with a walker and will be coming home today. If you believe in prayer, we are asking for some. He has a long road ahead of him. Three screws through the femur to hold everything in place.

t he smurf boat Buy the boy a piece of PVC pipe at Home Depot and it becomes a horse, a sword, a baton and a Cane...and that's while your walking through the store. Go to a restaurant and the jelly packets become a skyscraper or a train and the salt and pepper shakers are army men fighting each other or riding on the jelly packet train. After making homemade macaroni and cheese last night he asked for the Velveeta box, so I said, "sure!" Five minutes later he has a boat built with all the essentials that a smurf might need while riding in it. You know, a belt, couple of hot wheels, a Lego block and a tech deck.  Complete with plastic forks and knives for the sails and artillery.

I carry it in my purse and they fear it. I love it.

Obviously, I have totally been ignoring my blog.  Life has been crazy and blogging has been at the bottom of my to do list. However, things seem to be calming down (yeah, right) and I have found my way back to Mocha Mornings. I have been intensively working on my page as my little guy naps and I am actually quite pleased with its little face lift. Next on today's agenda, feeding the kids lunch.  For some reason they get really cranky when you don't feed them....

Wow, is really all I can say about this news report! My son and husband watch this on a daily basis!   My Christmas gift to my hubby was an iphone 4.  I introduced him to Words with Friends...yeah!  Now I have found that the most effective way to communicate with him is to message him when it is my turn to play a word.  Houston, we may have a problem here! Who knew trying to get a picture for the McKnight Family Christmas card would be such a challenge?  This one almost made the cut....just keepin' it real! L is for Lindor Chocolate! Yum! Oh, what I have been missing out on all these years!!  

ADVICE ON HOW TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO YOU! never, NEVER , bake a cake with wild heathen children in attendance. never wait til the last minute to bake a birthday cake because then there will not be enough time to bake another one in case an emergency occurs. never flip a 13x9 sheet cake out of the pan into the palm of your hand, always flip it out onto a baking sheet, or large cutting board. NEVER hold the cake over the sink and especially over a bowl of water while removing from pan. lastly, always have some backup cupcakes, cookies, etc., to feed the wild devil children who had caused you to lose your mind and flip your cake out into the sink to begin with! 

CHEESE!! jaxon and his "pumps" from the farm. yeah, he kinda likes 'em, a lot!