So long, farewell.

Tracey, over HERE, did an end of the year meme and forced me to do one too-

. . . . .

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Started my blog. duh.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did keep my resolution this year, surprisingly enough!  It was to STOP multi-tasking and instead to just do one thing at a time, and to do it well and attentively.  I think I will just keep working on that one.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
SOOOO many people had babies this year.  It was a baby extravaganza!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Cory lost a lot of friends this year.  So sad, so young.

5. What countries did you visit?
I was pathetic and lame this year and stayed in the country.  I am so not the jet setter.

But I did do a ton of traveling in the country.  Cleveland, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Miami, Las Vegas...

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
This here baby that I am a carryin.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 5th- Cory made an honest woman outta me after all.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
School and the fact that I did not maim or kill myself or anyone in my home due to the stress of school and home.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmmm, I honestly don't know.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Does this incredibly horrible "morning" (my ass!) sickness count? Cuz it should.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I think my MacBook.  Oy Vey. Consumerism at its best.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I am going to say everyone here at home.  We have all made a ton of huge adjustments, and we are all doing well and being great at just being Team Danger (Name is Corny, Jessica Corny).

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I am going to have to say that the majority of the political right (NOT ALL OF THEM) and people that struggle with accepting gender, race, and class differences in general really showed an unflattering side this year.

14. Where did most of your money go?
tuition and los boyos, therapy, Drake, basically Tomas.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The election, and Obama totally taking it.  And also, that I did remarkably well at school.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash, as that is what we got married to.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Happier fo' sho'.
b) thinner or fatter?
Immense is not an option, but for me it should be.
c) richer or poorer?
way way way poorer. 

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spending time with friends.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time on the Internet?  Did I just admit to that?!

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my faves-

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes I did.  I fall in love with Cory all the time.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Pushing Daisies is it for me!  Oh, and Project Runway.  And The First 48, and Cold Case Files.  Maybe I should change my answer for 19.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope- still hate them.

24. What was the best book you read?
Hmmm, I read a lot this year.  This is tricky.  I really liked Nervous Conditions, I really liked the Dust Bowl book, there were so many of them, I honestly can't pick.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
All of the music we picked up down south.  I heart all of it.

26. What did you want and get?
To get knocked up again.

27. What did you want and not get?
oh man.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Milk.  But that could be because I just saw it.  I loved it.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Vegas!  Went to the Wynn with the hubby.  We saw LOVE, the Beatles show.  Man oh man.  I am now one more year closer to 30.  I'm close, we'll leave it at that.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Who knows?  I don't know.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
This meme is looooonggggg.

32. What kept you sane?
Keeping my eyes on the prize. Always.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't know.  They are just people too.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Oh my word, this year?  Name something.

35. Who did you miss?
I miss my mom so much, everyday.  I miss living close to her.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Sharayah.  Then she moved. Of course.  

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Be pliable and adaptable.  And nothing is really as big as it seems at first.  Just take a moment and look around, and you're good.  You just gotta get out of that box for a minute, and it is not as scary.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I am cheating- it is not a song, it is a movie quote-

"All he needs is two Sundays worth of sermons in Orange Fucking County".  

Nailed it.

Happy New Years guys-

xoxo,

The Ever Expanding J.Danger

Dramatic? or Comedic?

The winner of the James Patterson Hanukkah giveaway is-

SERENA!

Congrats Serena!  I hope you enjoy it.  I see you have him on your blog today!  Email me your snail mail address so that I can get it out to you!

Thanks guys- that was a lot of fun.

Look at what the boys left me from their lunch today-

Those boys!

xoxo-

The ever expanding J.Danger

It's like riding a bike-

But what if it is your first time on a bike?

Here is a before-

And an after-

Ridiculous.

So what did YOU get YOUR parents?

Well, here is what we got our mothers for Hanukkah and Christmas-

Baby Danger Tres is on it's way!

So here is your run of the mill "I just peed on this stick" picture.  For proof and all...

Think pink people, think pink.

XoXo,

(The ever expanding) J.Danger

Double Dippin

Last night was the third night of Hanukkah.  The rain stopped for approximately 3.7 seconds, so we made hamburgers and turkey burgers for dinner.  The boys got more gifts, and so they are excited!  

Today is also Christmas Eve.  We are an interfaith family so we are lucky enough to get to celebrate most all of the holidays.  We have a tradition here at home that on Christmas Eve we make a big dinner and every year we each get a new ornament to add to the tree.  Originally, it started because we were B-R-O-K-E and thought it was a good idea to build up on decorations.

Tonight we are fortunate enough that not only is it Christmas Eve, but it is also Hanukkah so both sides of the family will be here to eat and hang out and swap gifts.

I am making Kosher Salt encrusted Prime Rib, mushroom garlic rice, Cranberry salad, Green salad, and then for dessert a Sweet Potato and Apple crumble casserole.  

And of course the kids are helping me make cookies for the fat man and his mini horned magical ponies.

I'm sorry- I tried.  I tried to refrain myself from this juvenile display...

BUT.....

I GET TO SEE MY MOM TOMORROW!  

I am soooooterribblyveryverymuch excited.

Look out Mom- here I come!

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas Eve-

The Danger Family

P.s. BIG HUGE SUPER GIGANTIC news to come in the next few days.  Just you wait...

Night Two

Last night was the second night of Hanukkah.  We tried some take out from a new Italian restaurant (I am SOOOO sorry Peppinos but you are just too far away and not on ROTR).  It was so good.  I don't think that anyone realized how hungry they were because we all ate so much.  I babysat allllllll day yesterday.  There was a total of 5 children (4 BOYS) in my house, on a rainy day, ALLLLL DAY LONG.

So the second night of Hanukkah with my family was a welcome reprieve.

This is what they got for night two-

If you look close, their feet are way off the (dirty) floor.

They are called HOP! balls.  So stinkin fun!

This sums up the rest of the night on the Danger Ranch.

On another note, last weekend we made this fun little bit for breakfast.

I used cookie cutters to take out the middle of bread.

See- Christmas trees!

Then you place them in a hot pan with some butter.

Plop an egg in them and then you get Christmas tree toast and eggs!

Kids loved them.  It was fun.

Tomorrow I will be cooking all day.  Let me tell you, I am excited.  Stay tuned.

xoxo,

J.Danger

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