Friday, December 27, 2013

Friday Mishmash

Hello!  I hope everyone who celebrated had a wonderful Christmas.  We did - our kids came home and my uncle showed up, so we had a houseful, and have spent the last few days randomly watching movies (American Hustle was great, The Wolf of Wall Street, holy cow!) and DVDs (Wreck-It Ralph, awww), playing video games, knitting (OK, that may have been just me), lazing around, and enjoying some downtime.  We did manage to fit in our annual Gingerbread House Decorating Throwdown, and guess what?  Team Awesome (my youngest and I) beat Team Hug It Out, Bitch (my oldest and Jeff).  Really, it was no contest - we came up with a cool idea and managed to execute it nicely.  Now, this could have been due to the fact that my only job was to cut up blue jelly beans and keep my hands off the gingerbread house, but whatever - we won and I'll take it!

Here's the winner:
It's a gingerbread version of the Breaking Bad RV, complete with Heisenberg and Jesse in the front!
We stylized it to include blue meth (aka the blue jelly beans) on the roof and ground, along with a 55 gallon drum filled with more blue meth...oh, and the door has bullet holes in it.

And here's the loser:
I don't even know what this is.  Honestly, they just like to drill holes in the house, and somehow marshmallows and gummy worms became the decor...
They even melted some of the gummy worms in the microwave (SCIENCE OVEN, to those of you who've seen American Hustle) for added grossness.  

Side-by-side:
How can you compare a RV to a hot mess of a gummy-worm house?  You can't...and that's why we won!  Also, my uncle, who eats the gingerbread houses each year, plowed through the RV and left the other one for a couple of days...that alone should tell you which one was more enticing!

This is the least amount of candy we've ever used while decorating the gingerbread houses, and interestingly, the least amount of candy I've eaten while decorating the gingerbread houses.  Coincidence???  Hmmmmm.

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Gift opening was fun and everyone liked their presents.  I got a bunch of thoughtful gifts from family and friends:
Fiestaware plate in Shamrock to replace the one I accidentally broke, along with a butter dish (love it, but I'll be exchanging it for a color that contrasts with butter a little better)(am I the only one who thinks like this?), a milk frother so I can make hot lattes at home, a half marathon sweatshirt, a felted scarf handmade by my mom, pink drumsticks, two pairs of Smartwool socks (only one is pictured because I was wearing the other pair), hand-dyed yarn(!), a digital meat thermometer, felted soap, a silver dollar, knitting novels AND the book written by my future second husband (ironically, my current husband gave it to me).  Not pictured is a nifty internet connection device from the kids - now my computer isn't constantly searching for a signal, which is wonderful.  Plus my parents gave me an IOU to cover the cost of a knitting class in the future - nice!  I feel very spoiled...and I like it!

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I know this is a short post, but it's time to get off the internet and get back into spending time with the kids.  Have a great weekend!

17 comments:

  1. My Christmas isn't complete without your gingerbread houses. You totally deserved to win this time.

    And how spoiled you are with those lovely gifts.

    Seems to me you had a great Christmas, enjoy the rest of the time with your kids.

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  2. This was a just right post! Lots for me to check out--American Hustle, Smartwool socks. Love your gingerbread house, even though I don't know what Breaking Bad is (will check it out too.) Ron Burgundy (an imaginary person) wrote a book? So do you open it and just pretend that there's writing in there and pretend that you're reading it? LOL, I amuse myself. Ooh, you got that yarn whisperer book--I was looking at that before it came out. Maybe I'll wait for your review before I get it. And very cool for your parents to give you a knitting class!

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    1. Ah Debby, you crack me up with your idea of Ron Burgandy's book! I've only had time to read a few pages, but it's making me chortle already...although, consider the source as I'm easily amused.

      I'll let you know when I read the knitting books - they sound great!

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  3. LOVE the Gingerbread RV!! Yes...definitely better than science oven blasted gummy worms.

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  4. You got some great goodies! My husband wanted us to make a gingerbread house but we never did. It seemed like way too much candy to invest in for just the two of us. I did make gingerbread cookies though!

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  5. OMG, I love your meth gingerbread house - too funny! And yes, yours is clearly the winner.

    And for the record, you are the only person I know who would want a contrasting color butter dish! Ha! Enjoy the family time!!

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    1. You should see me choose which dishes (out of my Fiesta rainbow) to use with dinner - I do take into consideration what color food I'm serving and like for it to contrast. Clearly I have too much time on my hands...

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  6. I was wondering about the gingerbread throwdown! Love the meth bus ('crack'er bus?)

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  7. Haha, there really is no doubt which house was better. I love that you called it the loser, that made me giggle for some reason!

    Great gifts you got too! I'd also exchange the yellow butter cup thing, because butter is yellow. So ... obviously that makes sense.. right? :D

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    1. Aw, you get me! I got the butter dish exchanged for a red one. :)

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  8. Ok, first of all...smartwool socks.....Love me my smartwool socks! Wearing a pair right now!

    Secondly....you so did win hands down. I actually had to call my husband over to see your gingerbread rendition of Breaking Bad!!! That was just awesome (now I may have to go back and re-watch the series....so sad that it's over!)

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    1. I am a Smartwool convert! Dang, how have I gone so long without them?

      Very cool that you showed your husband our crazy BB gingerbread house - and I, too, am sad that the series is over. Looking forward to the Better Call Saul show!

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  9. Gingerbread, yo! Love the RV, that's awesome! The marshmallow barrel is a nice touch. I've been watching the Breaking Bad marathon this weekend, that would be the perfect snack :)

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  10. I bought a pair of smartwool running socks to try this winter and they are hands down my new favorite winter running socks!

    Glad you got your Fiesta replaced and yeah, I think I'd want a color other than yellow for a butter dish. So, no, I don't think you're crazy.

    You totally deserved to win that gingerbread house contest - yours was clever and well thought out as opposed to be a hot melty marshmallow mess ;)

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  11. Oh Shelley, LOL (so hard) at "Team Hug it out bitch". Love the gingerbread tradition! Belated Merry Christmas to you and your gang. (including the little rat) hugs, Roz

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  12. Your gingerbread meth-lab on wheels is HIGHlarious! Definitely the winner. So glad to hear your Christmas was merry. Can't wait to see what you make in your knitting class!

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  13. Hahahahaha, oh you guys KILLED it this year!! Very impressive.

    I love that you got Fiestaware. I'm going to start asking for it too -- I've been wanting that butter dish for a while.

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