2010 has been a total ride. How is it possible this year is over, right? We had some laughs and more laughs and some other stuff that wasn’t laughing. We made friends with a possible chupacabra and he is now like the most famous squirrel on the internet. We learned about science and we took a trip and another trip, but the best time was when we were just home doing what we do.

So happy goodbye to 2010, it’s been, um, yeah.

Here’s to less hospital visits, more squirrel sightings and as always, plenty of wine.

Happy New Year,
ZDub

I hope everyone has recovered from the holidays, I haven’t. I might need to add on an east wing to accommodate all the new toys my children received (side eye to my sister and my mother). We had a lovely time, eating and drinking and eating and napping and eating and good news, no one needed band-aids. Also, check this out over here for a chance to win $100. Spoiler alert: I wrote about sausage bagels.

He Needs To Learn To Crawl.  And Fast.

This is what happens when you mother is trying to pay bills (read People.com) and you and your sister are “playing” together.  He didn’t seem to mind.  I think he looks kinda cute.  I asked Zoe why she did it and she shrugged and said, “I like stickers.”  Duh.

|Originally posted March 2008, Baby T was four months old.|

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and JimmyDean, however the opinions and feelings expressed here are my own.

With January 1st quickly barreling this way, it is time to start thinking about change and what we want to accomplish throughout the upcoming new year. Some people resolve to break bad habits, some might decide to exercise more, lose weight even. This year, I’m making one of my top resolutions completely simple, so simple that I think I can possibly stick with it the entire year: Eat.

Allow me to be more specific, eat breakfast.

I have never been a rise and shine, up and at ‘em type of gal. I have worked nights for the majority of my adult life and I tend to stay up late and I prefer to sleep to mid-morning, my internal clock is wired this way. I would be content if starting your day meant ten a.m. Now that I have children, my day starts much earlier than that regardless of what time I went to bed. I am up at daybreak, packing lunches and making breakfast, but I never take the time to eat first thing in the morning. Ever. I throw back a cup of coffee (or three) and go about my day, usually not stopping for a meal until lunch.

I would never let my children skip breakfast, weren’t we raised being told it is the most important meal of the day? Studies show that protein has satiating effects that may help you feel fuller longer.  Enough said.

My main criteria for breakfast are quick and tasty, bonus points issued for preparation of said meal not requiring an actual dish. Jimmy Dean D-Lights meet all my requirements and involve a paper towel and a microwave, we have a winner.

Besides being easy to prepare and ready in less than three minutes, the Jimmy Dean D-Lights Turkey Sausage Whole Grain Bagel is only 260 calories, has only 8 grams of fat, and contains 18 grams of protein. High quality proteins, such as turkey, milk, yogurt, pork, beef, eggs, cheese, fish and chicken, are recommended to keep your body balanced.  You can click here to learn more about the benefits of protein for breakfast.

Please visit the official rules at BlogHer.com and the official site of Jimmy Dean for more information on the benefits of protein and a balanced breakfast.

To start your New Year off right, BlogHer and Jimmy Dean are giving away a $100 Visa gift card!

To enter, I will make this real easy for you. Here are the rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive two total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a)Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b)Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.  Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.  You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

-The contest is open 12/28/2010-1/30/2011 and a winner will be chosen 1/30/2011 at 5 p.m. GMT.

To enter for your chance to win, leave a comment and answer this question- “What better choice will you make this New Year?”

Good luck!

(Feel free to visit BlogHer for more chances to win!)

Did you know how you live on a street and everyone has tasteful decorations, lights and perhaps a lone snowman placed just so on the porch, and then there is that one house that goes a little to far?

That would be us.

I’m going to keep adding to it until we have a mecca of blow ups, each one tackier than the next.  Although, I think I might be hard-pressed to find anything tackier than Santa with a reindeer pit crew.

Speaking of Santa, the children stopped by to put in last minute requests.  Zoe asked for “everyone to be healthy and happy” and Troy asked for “a car and Band-Aids”.  My guess is he likes to be prepared.

From our redneck house to yours, Merry Christmas.

XO,

ZDub

I love this time of year.

Zoe and I decided to sleep under the Christmas tree a few nights ago. We started out in sleeping bags and I decided I would like to be able to walk the next day, so we made Jeff drag her mattress from her room and place it in front of the tree.

It’s been there all week. I kinda like it there. It’s less to vacuum.

It finally was cold yesterday, it made me want to stay covered up under the tree. I didn’t get to take a tree nap, I finished shopping instead. This is the view from my driveway if you looked up.

The children also went to visit Santa yesterday and wrote him letters.

Magic, baby.  All over the place.

You Capture-Holiday Magic