Sporting Events and Shopping Stupidity

This weekend we spent a lot of time at Panther Stadium. We went to the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic where Lil J saw his first basketball game. I think the only thing that interested him was the fact that it was Miami playing. We're going to stick with hockey for him.

Sunday was a shopping nightmare for me. I volunteered to make a bunch of appetizers for New Years Eve at my sister-in-law's house for the party. Seven layer Mexican dip, Sweet and Sour Turkey meatballs (in the crock pot) and Bourbon dogs. For some reason, Big J insisted that we go to WalMart to do this shopping, that way he could walk around the sporting goods department with Lil J while I did the grocery shopping. Now I remember why I shop at Publix and not WalMart - I don't know where anything is.

I got all the groceries, except the cocktail weenies for the Bourbon dogs and I still needed a bottle of Bourbon for the recipe. After dropping the boys off, I headed out to a liquor store to buy the bourbon. They didn't have any (or the stupid clerk couldn't understand English). So I headed to Publix to buy the weenies - success!

I got home and decided that the Bourbon could wait until Monday at lunch hour and I'd run to a real liquor store. I started to make the Turkey Meatballs and realized I was out of Parsley. I ran to the WalMart Neighborhood Market (this store is groceries only) and they had a detached liquor store. So I finally found the spices, bought them, bought a huge bottle of Bourbon since they didn't have any small ones and headed home.

When I went to complete my meatballs, I realized I bought Oregano, not Parsley. I was so mad at myself and remembered why I always have a grocery list. If I had written it down, I would have had parsley. I substituted Italian Seasoning for the Parsley and if anyone can actual taste the difference and tell me, I may have to bash them over the head with my crock pot.

So...Happy New Year to all and let's hope that 2008 is a better year!

Parties and Time Off

The last 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of parties and time off from work. Big J and I were invited to one of his vendors Holiday parties last Friday night. It was a Casino Night theme and we walked away with $100 gift card to Bloomingdale's...can you say "new shoes"! That Saturday night was Big J's company party where I got to spend time with my brother and his wife. The theme was Mardi Gras and the flowers and decor were beautiful. White, burgundy and gold with amazing flowers. The food was good and the desserts were even better.

Not much went on during the week.

This past Friday, we took the boat out with L&S and their kids to see Christmas lights and have dinner. It was pretty chilly but we had a great time. Saturday, I picked LP (now LC) up at the airport for her visit from Cleveland. We went to a party and then to a Panther game where we sat in a suite.

Sunday, we took a boat out with Big J's parents and cruised down to the Diplomat for lunch. For dinner, we drove up to my parents house at ate at Jacob's Deli. Monday, LC and I went for an airboat ride out in the Everglades. We saw a huge gator from the boat and the weather was fantastic. On Sunday night, Christmas Eve to most of the world, Big J took Lil J to a Christmas party with his family and LC and I headed out to the movies and dinner at Chopstix. We saw I Am Legend with Will Smith. HOLY CRAP was that a scary movie. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Halfway through the movie I said to LC, "I don't think I can take another hour of this." It was probably the scariest movie I've seen in many, many years.

Monday, LC had to leave and I took her to the airport. Big J wasn't feeling well (ear infection) so I took Lil J to my parents to go swimming since it was so nice out. Half the people at my parents pool were from Marlboro so it was pretty funny seeing all of them. I headed home and Lil J napped and Big J and I brought in Chinese food. You can't have Christmas in a Jewish house without having Chinese food at least one night.

Now, it's back to work.

Vacation

Oy, where do I start. Where did I stop?

On December 1st, Big J and I left for Sandals in St. Lucia. Lil J spent the first 4 nights with my parents and the last 3 with Big J's. He did really well considering we were gone for 8 days.

We arrived in St. Lucia and discovered that we are very spoiled and our expectations are way too high. While the island was beautiful and so was the hotel, we still expected it to be better than it was. It took 2 or 3 times to get someone to get us extra pillows, coffee at breakfast or a refill on a soda. The hotel staff was pretty nice but the restaurant staff was lacking. We found the service to be much better at the other location, the Grande, than at our hotel, the Regency.

Here's what we did during our vacation:

• slept
• ate
• drank (Pina Coladas, No Pressures, Dirty Bananas)
• deep sea fishing - no fish, but we saw 3 Sperm whales
• whale and dolphin watching - saw a school of over 200 Spinner Dolphins
• snorkeled
• sailed on a HobieCat
• ocean kayaking
• pool volleyball
• horseshoes
• watched a St. Lucian native, Cowboy Eddy, sing amazing country western
• hung out at a piano bar
• met people from Palm Beach, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Orleans
• sat in the sun

It was a really nice trip. When we got home, we attended my company holiday party which was a brunch at Don Shula's (yummy fresh waffles) and then went to my parents to celebrate Hanukah. Lil J got a soccer net and soccer ball, a Hess truck with motorcycles and a Thomas the Train set. He got a hockey net and alphabet computer too. The kid is soooo spoiled now. He kept asking for more presents and even helped his cousins open theirs (saying "I want to rip it" about the wrapping paper).

Now it's back to work with 2 more parties this weekend. Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.