It's my birth week!

: )

Thanksgiving at home was wonderful. We had plenty of time to visit with our families and friends. I ventured out on Black Friday and scored some amazing deals. We played board games and drank Starbucks. D and I enjoyed a date night including Dewey's pizza, Second City, and the Mynt Martini. Now we are home, decorating for Christmas, and catching up on DVRed shows.

....and so begins the Christmas season....

oh yeah, and my birthday is this week! ha Thursday is my birthday but D is taking Friday off of work and we are going to Columbus to FINALLY see Harry Potter, eat at the Melting Pot, and see the lights at the Columbus zoo. What a perfect day? I am so so excited.

In other news I have received 125 Christmas cards for soldiers overseas!! Amazing.

Thank you to everyone that's contributed (Grandma+friends and my sister-in-law E)!!

buttoning up our house..

We are leaving this evening to visit our families and hometown for Thanksgiving.

I have this weird obsession with leaving our home clean and "buttoned up" while we are away.

I dust, sweep, vacuum, organize, and make everything presentable.

I suppose I just like coming home to a clean, welcoming house.

Any weird traditions you have before leaving your house to travel?

-h

this weeks gonna be a good week...

It's Thanksgiving week! yay! turkey and mashed potatoes and g r a v y!!

We have a slightly busy and fun week ahead of us.

Today I am headed to Costco (my fav) with 2 1-year-olds. uh.... : ) If I survive that adventure, this evening D is going to put up our Christmas lights! I am so so excited that we have a home we can decorate this year. I can't wait to drive home after visiting family, only to be welcomed home by twinkle lights.

Tomorrow night we will be heading home to visit our families for Thanksgiving.

Wednesday I am jeans shopping (seriously, last week I was folding laundry and noticed that my favorite pair of jeans has a giant hole in the behind. giant. who knows how long it's been there!) and we might take a trip to the shooting range...you know to spend quality time as a family. Of course, Wednesday night is the biggest bar night of the year so we'll be participating in that wholesome activity as well. ha ha

Thursday is Thanksgiving AND MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY! We are doing things a bit differently this year, we are spending all day Thursday with D's family. I can't wait to eat Aunt M's homemade yeast rolls and J's little belly bump! I am anticipating some wine and domino playing in my near future!

Friday is for shopping and sleeping. D and I have front row tickets to see Second City, an improv comedy group, at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. I am super looking forward to this show.

Saturday my family is celebrating Thanksgiving. My brother and his girlfriend are traveling to join us I haven't seen T in about 8 months, it will be so nice to see him and have my entire family under one roof. We are also simultaneously celebrating D, my mom's, and my birthday!

Sunday we will be recooperating and heading back to our little home.

whew!

looking foward to it....

-h

26

Happy Birthday D!!

You are 26 years old...I'm sorry but when I was like 16 I thought 26 seemed so old! ha ha Now 60+ seems old (sorry 60+ readers! : )

I love you, I hope your 26th year is way better than your 25th.

-H

Don't forget about the Christmas Card Campaign!

Here is a link to the orginal post. Tell your friends, link to my blog, send an e-mail. : )

Glory be to God!!

I have literally been holding my breath for days, riddled with anxiety, and sweating to death.

Why?

I thought I lost my Garmin.

*gasp!*

the horror, the horror

I remember seeing it when I last cleaned and vacuumed the car.

Then I could not for the life of me, remember where I put it.

Listen, I cherish and adore that little gadget. I knew I would not put it somewhere unsafe. I had a moment of panic where I debated whether or not my car had been broken into again. I didn't even tell D about my fears....because...well...I feared they were true!

What would I do without my beloved Garmin? I can't go to Costco without the Garmin, I can't find my way our town without my Garmin, and GO OUT OF TOWN? not happening without my Garmin.

I have been up since 7am tearing my house apart. It's 10:33am and I just found it...in a purse that I thought I had emptied and put away.

Glory to GOD!! Thank you Jesus. Thank you St. Anthony. Thank you, Thank you!

From now on, I will not be letting my sweet, darling Garmin out of my sight.


-h

these are a few of my favorite things:

Dear Santa and D and mom,
You asked for a Christmas list and here you have it...at the moment these are a few of my favorite things....

I adore this nativity scene. a.d.o.r.e. it.

I am also into these decorative pedestals, minus the pumpkin dome. : )

My toes are freezin all the time.

Oh, Martha Stewart is cool. I'd love a subscription!

A classic, that I don't have yet.

GLEE!!!! Need I say more?

yep.

There is going to be a Christmas album too *cough cough my birthday is Dec 2*

I stinkin' love this stuff. It's like $3 from Walgreens and I'd like lots of it.

FREEZING COLD TOES!

I am feeling pretty cold these days....how about a space heater? ha ha

love,

xoxo,

H

Who needs a happy hour drink?! THIS GIRL!

: )

It's been one of those days!! The spring on our garage door broke (bummer), the mechanic can't figure out what's wrong with my car BUT isn't going to charge me for looking it over and keeping it three days (sorta a bummer?), and I stinking miss my husband...who I haven't seen for more than 10 hours in two weeks (bummer).

Trying to keep busy by working ahead on my school work, visiting friends, and crafting.

But I could really use a drink!

Margarita anyone?

-h

p.s. Would it be bad if I went to happy hour alone? Like I was desperate (maybe) or trying to pick up guys (not so much)?

home for the holidays

Most people I know travel home to be with family during the holidays. This year D and I will pack up and make the two and a half hour drive to be with our families for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

While we are thankful to be together we are also sorely missing a family member that cannot travel home for the holidays....D's cousin J who is serving his country, as a Marine, in Afghanistan.

So, I started thinking about J's service to his country and how much I love visiting with family during the holidays and how homesick he must be and I decided to start a Christmas Card Campaign for the Troops.

Ya'll this is so easy and will mean so very much. I am hoping to send a thousand cards this Christmas season to our troops over seas.

ambitious? uh huh, but this is close to my heart and important.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Buy a package (or two!!) of Christmas cards *no glitter cards please*
2. Take some time with your family to sign each card and write a small message.
3. Put the cards in their prospective envelopes
4. And them give them to me!! I will pay for the shipping and handling of the cards.

This is so so easy. Please consider participating.

Feel free to e-mail me at h@thehalleydaily.com with any questions or details.

Make a difference this Christmas season.

much love,
halley

eating chili with H Potter

I'm all curled up with my Nyquil blanket, eating turkey chili (yum and healthy) watching Harry Potter...if D HAS to be away, this is an ok way to spend the evening : )

a well stocked pantry

D is out of town and I have a bit too much time on my hands so I've organized my pantry and started making a list of items that we should always have on hand. "They" say that with a well stocked pantry can provide weeks of healthy meals in case of emergency (as in you don't feel like going to the grocery store emergency... or it's super cold outside emergency...).

So I started thinking about items that D and I always have on hand:

* ingredients for tomato soup and grilled cheese (for quick lunches or lazy dinners)
* ingredients for chili
* pasta (various sizes, shapes, etc)
* pasta sauce
* artichokes
* canned tomatoes
* taco seasoning
* onions
* garlic
* mac and cheese (yes, the kind in the blue box)
* bread (some combination of white, bagels, naan, english muffins)
* cereal
* chicken and beef stock
* salt, pepper
* flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder

In the fridge and freezer we always have:

* cheese (parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella)
* milk
* eggs
* chicken breasts
* ground beef and turkey

What are your pantry and fridge staples?

-h

overheard at church...

Mom: Are you going to be a good girl during mass?

2 year old: uh huh

Mom: That's right sweetie...because you know who's watching?

2 year old: ????

Mom: Jesus and Santa

a new low..

I have been DRAGGING lately! I have loads of schoolwork and housework to do, but zero motivation. none.

Wanna know what K suggested I do?

Turn on Christmas music....

Oh, it's been blasting at the D/H household all afternoon now with zero chance of turning off anytime soon.

I know it's early, but right now I need a little Christmas, right this very minute and it IS after Halloween! ha ha

-h

on my soapbox

Did you?

Voting is a privilege and honor. Please take some time today to research the candidate's and make a difference in our country. As a responsible adult and citizen this is your civic duty.

....and now I'll step down from my soap box

Happy Election Day!!

Did you know that voting has it's perks?! Many businesses are giving away free products to those wearing an I voted sticker!

Chick fil a - free sandwich Krispy Kreme- free doughnut Starbucks- coffee

You get the idea. GO VOTE!

-h

holiday guests

D and I live 2.5 hours from our hometown/families.

That means we have a lot of guests. frequently. Truthfully, we like having company...it's easier and more fun than driving 2.5 hours to visit "home."Plus it's fun to show off our new "hometown."

When we bought our house we made sure we had a designated guest room.

That was a good investment. : )

Here are a few points and tips I've acquired from my house guests:

1. Stock the guest bath: New soap, extra toothbrushes, shampoo/conditioner, q-tips, a hairdryer, and plenty of toilet paper...try to anticipate what your guests will need and have it there before they can ask. I like to pick these items up at TJ Maxx, on sale, etc.

2. Keep extra linens and pillows in the guest room

3. It's also a good idea to keep a space heater and fan in the guest room

4. Set out the *prepped* coffee pot before bed, this makes it easy and accessible for guests in the morning.

5. Little treats make everyone feel special and welcome: a magazine you know your guest will love on the nightstand, fresh baked cookies, bread, or baked goods (who doesn't like cookies?!), or an extra blanket on the couch for visiting on cozy winter nights.

It's the little thoughtful gestures that help your guests to feel at home in your home. While I don't always accomplish all of these tasks for my guests, I try to do one or two. : )

Any other suggestions?

-h