Monday, December 22, 2008

Happy Hanukkah!

Hey all!  I feel like I have been in a bubble all week.  I am afraid to even glance at my Google Reader.  I feel so out of the loop!  Fill me in guys!  Fill me in!

The fall semester is officially over for me!  I am 100% on break.  I was lucky enough to get to take this week off to just hang out with the kids and cook, and enjoy the holidays.  I am looking forward to it!  Pajamas here I come!

Yesterday was the first day of Hanukkah!  It was a lot of fun.  I worked Saturday night so Cory let me sleep in sooooooo late Sunday morning, and when I woke up it was to his special banana pancakes!  It made working the Cheetah Girls concert way worth it!

We went to my mother-in-laws in the afternoon.  At sundown we lit the candles and it was started!  Oh yes- 8 nights of gifts and food!  Oh yeah, and remembrance and all that stuff too.  Yeah Maccabeans!

I am totally lame and did not take any pictures, we video recorded it.  I don't know the first thing about any of that, so I got nothing for ya.

But everyone loved their gifts!  Cory got a bunch of new tools, and his mom got him a MacBook (I am slowly converting the whole family! mwahahahaha!).  Tommy got the Indiana Jones Lego PSP game, and The Beetle and the Bard- he's stoked.  Harry Potter and Indiana Jones?!  Does it get anymore super idol-ish for a ten year old?!  The baby got a huge Thomas the Train train set with landscape and everything.  That is all he did for the rest of the night, no food, no playing with his Emma baby, just the train.

My sister in law and I both got Kindles!  Let me tell you- I thought that I would boo the Kindle. But I was torn.  I love books, I am a literature major. But the Kindle seems so much better for the environment.  I think the Kindle wins.  Make no mistake, my books are not going anywhere (sorry honey!  Build me a second library with all those tools!) but I think I am in love with my Kindle.  I have not named it yet though...thinking...thinking...thinking.  

I also got a gorgeous sweater from my DH.  We were all very pleased.

I think the prize that took the cake is the one that Cory and I gave to his mom.  She cried, so I think we won.

She made a huge traditional dinner- latkes, blintzes, sour cream, applesauce, doughnuts, tuna fish and chicken salad, rye and challah bread, all the fixins. I am still full.

Fun was had by all.

So I have another giveaway!

I am giving away James Patterson's Step on a Crack.  

Here is a blurb from his website- 

"Detective Michael Bennett is about to face the greatest challenge of his career. After the death of a beloved former first lady, the most powerful people in the world gather in New York for her funeral. Then the inconceivable occurs. Billionaires, politicians, and superstars of every kind are suddenly trapped within one man's brilliant and ruthless scenario.

Ten adopted kids.
Bennett–father of ten–is pulled into the fray but is then hit with devastating news: his wife is battling a terrible disease. As New York descends into chaos, he faces the prospect of losing the great love of his life and having to raise his children alone.

The crime of the century to solve.
Day after day, Bennett confronts the most ruthless man he has ever encountered, a man who kills without hesitation. As the entire world watches, Bennett has to find a way out–or face responsibility for the greatest debacle in history.

Welcome to Michael Bennett's world.
From the #1 bestselling author who introduced readers to Alex Cross and the Women's Murder Club comes the beginning of a brand-new electrifying series. Step on a Crack is his most fiendishly terrifying thriller yet."

Since Hanukkah is 8 days long, I am giving you 8 days (well 7, because I actually wanted to post this yesterday! oops!) so you have until the 29th.  Just leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite holiday moment has been thus far, or the one that you are looking forward to most.

Happy holidays guys!

xoxo,
J.danger

Thursday, December 18, 2008

so-

I am almost done.  I have finished all of my written finals, and most of my papers.  I have one more paper due tomorrow, and then I am finished with this semester!  I do not have a T.A appointment this inter-term, but I was asked to speak for two classes over break, which I am so excited for!  Dickens and G.K. Chesterton- so awesome!  And, I will hopefully be able to finish up my two online classes!  I can practically smell my degree now!

When I return in January, I have a full full full load of classes, but I am looking forward to the break with the kids and my sister-in-law.  Cory and I are getting ready to celebrate our anniversary and we get to get the heck outta dodge for a red hot minute so we are both very excited!

I hope everyone is doing well, and gearing up for the holidays!  Hanukkah starts for us on Sunday, and this year Christmas and Hanukkah overlap again- so we are full of cheer, presents, and FOOD!

Happy Holidays!

Xoxo,
J.Danger

Sunday, December 14, 2008

because free is STILL better than cheap-

my pal Trish is hosting a giveaway-



http://trishsdiary.wordpress.com/

Go check her out!

xoxo,
J.Danger

HOW?


I did five loads of laundry yesterday.


FIVE.


One more than four, one less than six.

How is it then, that when I went to bed last night, I saw THIS-


How is that even possible?!

Its like Gizmo after midnight!

xoxo,
J.Danger

Saturday, December 13, 2008

No soup for you-

First off- it is Cory's fault that I do not have any pictures of the Holiday Party for you.  I know.  I know.  

It was a nice party.  I do not know if my cookie won or not, I left earlier in the night and Cory said that they still had not voted by the time he left with his friends.  But in my mind, my cookie won.  It was crowned even, with spotlights from behind, center stage, and an orchestra playing my cookie off right stage.  

But, alas, I have no picture of my cookie.  So you will just have to take my word for it.  Which is cool, cuz you know, most people do anyway. 


So friends, the Danger family got their tree today.

It was so freaking cold today.  I know it never really gets cold in southern California.  But good lord it was cold.

See-

And F.Y.I. that is MY Hello Kitty scarf that Oliver is wearing.  But he came totally unprepared.  Saved by mom.  AGAIN.


Tomas picked the winning tree.



Here are our stockings.  Please excuse the roller skates and pop up tent.  It is the kids playroom and all...



And here it is- the Danger Family Christmas tree 08.  Frankos came over for dinner and helped with the tree.  We always love having him.  Mostly because it is the only time we are all in the picture!  I kid, I kid.

I know- no pants.

xoxo-
J.Danger

Friday, December 12, 2008

Please excuse the shiny night cream...

Tonight Cory and I are going to a "Holiday sweater party". Yes, you ARE right.  It is actually called a "Christmas Sweater Party" but we over here like to double dip in the holidays. (Yay interfaith!)

So- we are going to a "Holiday Sweater Party" where we are required to wear horrible holiday sweaters. I figured, you know...anyone can go to the S.A or the Goodwill and get your generic holiday sweater with the puppies, and the kittens, and the hot cocoa mugs, and glittery puffy paint embellished Christmas trees.... but we wanted extra special holiday sweaters! So we made them....


The boys are staying home with Nanny, but we thought they would have fun making their own interfaith holiday shirts.  

We were right.  Cory later filled in Oliver's star of David with criminal amount of silver glitter.

Cory really got into the crafting mind set....

hence, the title of this post.

For the party we also have to bring a cookie recipe, and also a holiday drink.  I asked for help making an honest to god good Vegan cookie and you all replied and were so helpful (thanks Lisa!).  I wound up making these, but I made a few adjustments to make them my own.

We had a ton of fun crafting with the kids!  They had a blast making their shirts, and they can't wait to wear them for the family dinners!  So many of them.....

Today- my Christmas cards (all five gazillion and nine of them!) are officially in the mail.  Keep an eye out loved ones....a few of you are even getting PACKAGES!  I LOVE getting packages.

Also, Cory has a potluck at work today.  So I got to make these-  (thanks P-Dub). I LOVE them!  And so does everyone else.  They are slowly becoming the appetizer that everyone asks me to make. 

So- have fun this weekend dear readers!  Stay tuned for pictures of us all decked out in our holiday home-made finery!  

AND-   another giveaway is coming up....

xoxo-
J.Danger

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Because free is always better than cheap!

My good friend Redhead is giving away a mystery book over at her place!   Isn't that exciting?!  She is so creative!  You only have till midnight tonight to add.  Midnight!  See- mysterious!

Tell her I said HI!

xoxo-
J.Danger