Because I just had to try this dessert. These are the Harvest Pumpkin-Spice Bars I found in that mini-magazine last year. The cake is so moist, with just the right amount of spice. It caved a bit along the center (all my cakes do, not sure why), so the icing part was a little tricky. The recipe called for raisins and nuts, but I don’t like either so I left them out. Still turned out so yummy, even John liked it and he’s a picky eater. I will definitely be making this again!

Speaking of my birthday… kind of odd. I haven’t spoken to my dad since Easter (short story- he and my mom are separated, and my dad is very much the “victim”... feel sorry for me, nobody loves me, blah, blah, whatever). Anyway, he actually called and asked if he could take us out to eat so I put my anger aside and we went. It was good to see him. John bought me the newest season of How I Met Your Mother on DVD, some Andes mints (love those!) and treated me to a Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks for dessert after we ate. My mom is supposed to be taking me out to eat on Friday, so all in all, pretty good birthday. I’d rather eat than get actual gifts anyway!

Who’s ready for massive amounts of food, drink and bickering with family?! I love Thanksgiving. I’m super excited to be hosting it this year, even though it won’t be the whole family. John’s sister is hosting for his side. We decided that we’re having Christmas here. With everyone. From both sides. God help me. HA! No, it’ll be fun.

We did the grocery shopping late last night. The bird is in the freezer ready to be taken out on Monday to start thawing. I still need to clean the house, find a tablecloth and buy a couple bottles of wine. Our menu is kind of basic, but my family isn’t into mixing it up (unfortunately). So, we’re having… herb-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and pan gravy, sweet corn, glazed carrots, mac-n-cheese, grandma’s famous dressing (not stuffing lol), rolls of course, pumpkin pie and butter rum-glazed applesauce cake. Kind of boring, but still YUM. Gobble gobble! 

Simply put, I am a bundle of nerves. Now that I think about it, I have been for quite some time now. Getting through my best friend’s wedding (an actual event, not the movie) was a test I barely passed. That’s over and done with, and he and I seem to be on a path to recovery, for lack of a better phrase. Now the approaching holidays have me snapping at anything in my path and have left me a blubbery mess. I’ve been seeking out every tiny thing I can find to start an argument about with John, and today he finally had enough. We were going out to get some Coke and grab something to eat, got into it at the gas station and ended up at Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy serving spoons. I yelled, he yelled, my waterworks began and he got all quiet. After several minutes of silence, I said something that suddenly made so much sense… “you have no idea how hard the holidays are for me. I really think I hate my parents”.

I successfully cooked a Thanksgiving dinner that turned out wonderfully and got mad props (I aced the turkey!), but have nothing to show for it because I forgot to take pictures! Yes, I am one of those people who likes to take pictures of food… well more so the complete spread on the table is what I had planned to photograph. I’ll remember for Christmas. We had a small group of five with myself and John, my brother, dad and grandma. I had SO much fun preparing the meal for them, and I can’t wait to do it for the bigger group at Christmas. If they don’t all have to work, John’s family will be joining us as well which brings us to ten or so.

So Black Friday… crazy as usual but honestly, not that bad. All the people I encountered were in good spirits and pretty laid back. Actually, it was Saturday that brought out the ass clowns. Love being yelled at before I’ve had coffee, it’s great. All in all, the whole weekend was pretty uneventful. No fights, no deaths, no shootings… seriously what the hell is wrong with people? I’ve seen a woman smack another over a Tickle-Me-Elmo, but stampedes and guns? I don’t even know what to think about it all. I’m just glad it didn’t happen here.

My next mission? How to afford presents for all on my list with limited funds and only one more paycheck before Christmas. Yeeeah. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We scaled back this year, and I think it was nicer than when we’d spend a ton of money on just “stuff”, you know? I scored a ton of Starbucks gift cards, two big collage frames, a ridiculously plush bath robe, the new RR cookbook, and a really cool measuring cup contraption from Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons store in Savannah. I also got on of those wooden signs that says “Live well, Love Much, Laugh Often” that I’ve been wanting for a while. The dinner went well, although I nodded off for a bit and didn’t have everything ready by the time the family got here. I was rushed, but it all turned out great!

Yesterday, we were supposed to go out to eat with John’s parents and sister, then come back here for dessert and gifts. I have the flu so we did gifts first, then they went out to eat while I stayed home and died. I feel better today, but still look and feel like a truck ran over me.

That’s my wrap-up for the holiday. Hope yours was great. OH, I almost forgot one other present I got… A NEW JOB! I got the transfer to the other store that will be opening in March. I think that’s the best present I got this year. Happy New Year!