Christmas Holiday Eating Tips - funny!

I received this via email, and I thought it was too funny not to share...ENJOY!

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read these tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a wonderful Christmas season!!   

Hearty Round Steak Casserole!

I found this recipe in my Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook about 6 months ago, and we fell in love with it!  I love cooking with my Crockpot, and this is actually pretty easy!  Here is the recipe!

Ingredients
(Red Bell Pepper not shown)

Throw everything in the Crockpot!

This is how it should look after about 6 hours on high!


Ingredients:
2 lbs Round/Cube/Minute Steak
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 Onion, sliced
3-4 Potatoes
1 can French Cut Green Beans
1 can Tomato Soup
1 can of Diced Tomatoes
1 glove Garlic, minced (I used 2 this time, because the one I had was pretty small)
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced (not shown in ingredient picture, but I added it last minute...DELISH!)

Directions:
1. Season meat with Salt and Pepper on both sides, place in the bottom of Crockpot.
2. Add Onion, Potatoes, Green Beans, Tomato Soup, Diced Tomatoes, Garlic, and Red Bell Pepper.*
3. Add more Salt and Pepper and other seasonings if you want. (I used Salt, Pepper, and some Rufus Teague Meat Rub.)
4. Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-6 hours.
5. Remove cover during the last half hour if too much liquid has collected.

*Please note that when adding the ingredients over meat, it doesn't look like a whole lot of juice/liquid; don't add anything there will be a lot of juice once its done cooking!

So yummy!

 I loved how I was able to come home on my lunch break, prepare everything and throw it into the Crockpot and went back to work.  When I got home, the house smelled amazing!  If you decide to give this recipe a try, let me know how it turns out!!


Linking up with...
The Girl Creative
Todays Creative Blog
Somewhat Simple
What Allie's Making Now
The Shabby Chic Cottage
It's a Blog Party

Christmas Decor

As I said yesterday I've been putting up our Christmas decorations this past week.  I really like how things have turned out, but I just know that I'm not done yet!  Here is what I did the other night...


The Bookshelf
(and yes we have a dumb plug-in in the middle of the wall...I.hate.it.)

Top Shelf
(I love the little Santa boots I got a couple years back for 1.99 ea!
The "M" stands for both of our last names since we're not married ;) )



2nd Shelf
(I love the little word blocks I got at the Holiday Mart last year on clearance!)

3rd Shelf
(an old picture of my dad, brothers, and I from our Aunts wedding,
sitting on top of those books I wrapped the other night!)

4th and last shelf, and Gold Glittered Christmas Tree
(Bernie came right into the picture, he wasn't shy like he was being the other night!
Not sure what to put on the last shelf yet, and in the basket I plan to get some
Christmas ball ornaments and pine cones.  Remember the floral piece I made for fall?
I purchased that tree at True Value about a month ago on clearance for $7!)

Another shot of our Christmas Tree!
(still needs presents, I know!)

 

Random Shelf that I love!

 So there you go, that's what I've got so far!  I really love to decorate, and especially for Christmas!  How's your Christmas decorating coming along?  I would love to see it! :)


Linking up with...
The Girl Creative
Todays Creative Blog
Somewhat Simple
What Allie's Making Now
The Shabby Chic Cottage
It's a Blog Party

Wrapped Christmas Books!

I have been decorating for Christmas, and on our bookshelf I have 4 books stacked with a picture frame on it.  However, I the books didn't really match the Christmas spirit, so I had to think of a way to either find something else to put there, or cover them.  I decided to save a little money, and just re-cover the books for Christmas!  I've seen other bloggers do this with wrapping paper and scrapbook paper, but I didn't have any of those (well that I liked for this), so I used some cheap tissue paper...in Christmas colors of course!  It was really easy and took me a matter of 10 minutes to do all 4 books.  I really like how it turned out...


Supplies: Tissue paper, books, scissors, and tape.

  

Step 1: Put book on a couple pieces of tissue paper
and measure out how much you'll need.



Step 2: Cut off the amount needed to cover the book.
You'll want enough to tape the edges of the tissue paper on the inside of the book.

 

Step 3: Fold and tape the tissue paper edges into the inside of the book.

 

Step 4: If there is excess around the edges, trim it off.

 

And you're done!
Repeat Steps 1-4 for your remaining books!
(I know you can see the picture coming through, but the books will be stacked!)

 

All 4 books stacked and done!
(The white one says "Christmas Wishes", which I covered it with the green plaid first
so the book cover wouldn't show through since it's on the top.)

 

Here is a closeup of them stacked on the bookshelf.

 

Stacked on the bookshelf with the picture setting on top!

 Oh and it cost me close to nothing to do this.  I had everything already, including the tissue paper which I happened to purchase last year after Christmas.  So we're talking pennies, maybe $.10!


Linking up with...
The Girl Creative
Todays Creative Blog
Somewhat Simple
What Allie's Making Now
The Shabby Chic Cottage
It's a Blog Party

O Christmas Tree...

Last week I attempted to put up our Christmas Tree, as you remember I couldn't find one of the legs or the actual tree stand itself.  I was determined to find it, tearing the house apart, but I never did find it.  So Saturday I ended up buying a replacement stand at Walmart.  When we got home Sunday night, I wanted to see if it would work.  It fit, but it was loose around the edges.  So I decided to rip up some cardboard to fill around the stand.  That worked pretty good, actually!  Here is the tree before putting the decorations on it (it's a pre-lit tree)...


I didn't have our regular camera, so I had to
take the picture with my phone.

Then came the decorations!  It had been a couple of years since I've seen any of the decorations that I had forgot about some of them.  I was so excited to get it all decorated!  However, Bernie kept looking at the ornaments so I made him promise me he would be a good boy and not eat any of them!!  LOL!  Here it is with the garland, ornaments, and angel topper (the angel came from my great grandma, so it means a lot to me to put it on the tree!)...


Again, terrible picture, but in person
the tree looks really pretty!

After getting the Christmas Tree finished, Bernie looked like he wanted to participate in the Christmas spirit!  So I got out his "Ugly Christmas Sweater" and put it on him.  Oh and he's so cute, thinking about putting this on a Christmas Card!  Here is his little photo shoot!


Rockin' this Ugly Christmas Sweater for all my gf's!

Didn't you say I get a treat for this?!

I'm so over this photo shoot!

Please note: he doesn't have a problem with the clothes, but he has something against camera's!!

As I get the rest of the house decorated, I will try and take some better pictures of our tree!  I'm really getting into the Christmas spirit now!!!  Now if I could start wrapping all of those presents that would be fabulous!