Christmas shopping and lots of visits :)

Notice anything different on my blog? Take a look to the left, scroll down a little... Do you see it? It's MY ETSY SHOP! I started it last week, and every day I'm posting a new item for sale. Go ahead, check it out. It's OK :) I have lots of things at home to post, but you have to be patient and see just one new thing a day. You can do it :) I've spent some free time making jewelry and zippered things... and this is my show case. My favorite things are this pair of earrings and this zippered pouch.

Etsy is such a great website. I've already ordered three things from the site as Christmas presents. You might remember this post about all my favorite things from the site...? Yeah, it's really, really, really, really awesome.

Aside from my constant boasting of Etsy, I had a really good weekend. It went by super fast though :( But that means it really was great.

Friday night Zack and I stayed in and had dinner in "Heaven." Zack put in a special request earlier in the week that I make a dish from our college days. Yeah, he wanted me to make something we were obsessed with from our cafeteria days.

Eww.

Just kidding, don't get grossed out. It's actually a really good dish.

Five thousand years ago we lived on North campus at Central Michigan University. OK it was just five years, forget the thousand. And so that meant our dining commons served Pangeos, which is this ahhhhh-mazing pasta stand. Actually many of the things I make are derivatives of Pangeos recipes.

So Friday night I made this pasta dish with spicy tomato and basil sauce and pepperoni. And ricotta. And Asiago Romano shavings. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm. It was delish. We watched Baby Mama afterwards (hilarious, by the way) and then it was bedtime.

Saturday we got up early and drove to Lansing. I met my Mom for a day of Christmas shopping and Gussy-ing. We had such a great time. We met at Biggby's and spent nearly an hour talking and catching up, and then decided who would get what for Christmas :) I love Christmas :). We then drove out to our favorite store, October Moon, in Old Town (restored section of Lansing). Then we went to Kohls, the Lansing Mall, Hobby Lobby and Yankee Candle. I got half of my shopping done! It was amazing. Zack spent the day with a friend, and the three of us met up for dinner at Johnny Rockets. It was yummy :) That night, Greg and Molly came over to visit. It was a busy day! :)

Sunday afternoon my brother and his family visited from Grand Rapids. This was their first visit and we were very happy they could come. I made homemade spaghetti and meatballs... DELISH!!!!!; carrots with butter and dill; salads with homemade ranch dressing, craisens, croutons... We all loved it. Except Collin. He was more interested in the candy dish I forgot to hide. Whoooops. But later he did express something very special and sweet. He was throwing a mini-tantrum and said "I don't want to visit anymore!" I thought it was cute... of course. I am curious to see what Jack is like once he starts talking. Right now he just stares at Collin (and everyone else) with his big blue eyes and something stuffed in his mouth: hand, pacifier, toy, your hair, etc.

I can't count the number of stories Collin started yesterday with, When I was a little boy...

:)

I was very thankful to see my nephews. I got some great photos of Jack Riley and Collin Matthew. I'll post them tonight after work.

This is a short week of work (woo-hoo) with Thanksgiving happening on Thursday. We'll be traveling to Petoskey for a long weekend.

I think that sums up the last few days.

I'm ready for another Hot Carmel Cider drink with my Mom...