Ho Ho Holidays are Ho HO OVER!

YEHAW! Another Christmas come and gone!!! For some reason, this year didn't feel much like Christmas to me. I don't know if it was because I worked my tail off virtually EVERY day to get ready for it, or the fact that I didn't even take my kids to see Santa this year (baaaaad mom), or because I was so stressed about not getting everything done on time. You can't imagine the times my kids asked me if I could sit down and play with them this month....and I am ashamed to admit the times that I said "In just a few minutes baby....." then, before I knew it, those few minutes had turned into hours and it was bedtime again.

I have started making my small list of resolutions for the new year. My top resolution is based solely on my performance as a mother this past month. I am making a promise to myself that I am going to spend at LEAST 15 minutes an afternoon doing absolutly NOTHING but what my kids want to do with me. I know 15 minutes still doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it's more than they've gotten this past month. In all the hustle of "doing it all for them", I've lost track of them. They have been in their own happy little worlds and I am somewhere in the background fussing about the floor not being clean enough, baking ANOTHER batch of cookies, running around shopping for every imaginable person....folding anouther load of laundry....

So starting this year.....today.....I am vowing to spend more time with my babies. TIME is my most valuable resource....and it can't be replenished.....I don't want to lose those precious minutes because I know I can never get them back.....

and with December already gone....why am I still typing at this computer????

Happy New Year everyone! Be sure to spend it with someone you love!

Living my lessons learned

I love life. I believe in taking it by the horns, letting it jerk me around to the point that my shirt comes undone and my hair gets messy. I don't believe in letting go, ever. Life is all about happenstance. It's what you make it, and I have learned through love and loss that we're not put here to simply take up space. I believe we are here to first figure out WHO we are, to find our comfort zone, then step out of it. Life happens when we're wondering what's next. Life happens when I am standing in line at the grocery store....maybe that's why I feel the compulsive drive to talk to the lady in front of me. I don't want to let a chance to live it pass me by. If I've learned anything in my short (almost)28 years on this planet, it's this. When the bull of life is trying to buck you off it's back, that's the time to hold on. That's the time that you learn the most about yourself. That's the moment in your life that you'll look back as your proud and shining moment....the one you made it through...the one that made you who you are.

Life is only good for one thing...

LIVING.....to the absolute fullest.....grabbing onto as much as you can hold on to and letting it go when your arms get so full of happiness and contentment that you really can't hold on anymore.

Chocolate Crinkles

Our playgroup had our annual Cookie Swap today at my friend's Carrie's house. We had a great turnout, and the cookies were fantastic! My printer is out of ink so I couldn't print my recipes, so I printed a little card and placed it inside the cookie bags....on it I wrote "For recipe, visit alishalife.blospot.com!" Now if THAT'S not the 21st century (and a shameless plug!), I don't know what is:) So here is my recipe! I hope everyone liked my little cookies!

Chocolate Crinkles

1 3/4 c all purpose flour 1 1/4 white sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa 2 tbls light corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda 2 squares unswt chocolate bar, melt and cool
1/2 baking powder 2 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c butter, softened 1/2 confection sugar

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. I seperate bowl, beat butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Reduce to low speed and add chocolate, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Slowly add in flour mixture and beat until blended well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Place confection sugar in shallow bowl. Shape cookies into 1 inch (or less) balls and coll in confection sugar. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. If cooked any longer, the cookies will not be as soft, but will be great dipped in a tall glass of ice cold milk!!

Christmas Art

I had an amazing time Friday night!! We met over at Anne and Alex's for a bit of food and drink, then headed down to the Art Bar for some fun and dance. We danced allll night, Erica swapped more cherries than I care to know about, Lori let loose and dance danced, Michelle sang every word to every friggin song, Alex's friend Craig (who had realllly nice teeth...lol) and a penchant for relieving himself outside, booty danced with almost every chic in the group (and subsequently made their nights..hehe), Alex realllllly let loose and I LOVED it!, Brandon had a great time and had his bum grabbed by some guy, I danced with some guy who was dancing by himself and then Jenay, Erica, and I "sandwich danced him"....I think we made his night, no...his week! Here are a few pics from our night of debauchery!!