{Christmas '09}

Content is the best way to describe my feelings on Christmas day. And it is not the contentent from all those heart clogging pork roast from last night. It's the feeling that I'm in the right place, at the right moment. Because I am soooo lucky enough to be surrounded by my family on this special holiday.

Christmas morning was special. William was so aware of what's going on. He woke up looking for presents from Santa :)

Santa didn't disappoint. He got William a Radio Flyer trike. How cool is that!
William is so big into Toy Story so Santa gave him a Buzz and Woody action figure. Plus he got the special rocket.

More presents from Mom and Dad Riley got a Christmas present as well. William picked up this stuffed beaver for him.
A quick family picture after we went for the morning Christmas service at church.

A sideview profile of me showcasing my ever growing belly!William chillin' and eating some of Santa's leftover cookie.William showing off his bike to Lola

Tita Susan and William
Cool kid on Christmas day.

Then it was off to Granddaddy and Grandmommy's house for Christmas dinner celebration.

My in-laws are extremely generous gift givers. This year, William had a Dinosaur theme gifts. He received this monstrous Imaginext Ultra Dinosaur. It was soooo neat! The adults loved it too. He received numeorous others gifts. William was definitely spoiled by his grandparents!

After dinner and the grandkids opening gifts, it was time for the adults to open theirs.The kids helped in handing out gifts. Like I said my inlaws are super generous gift givers! Ed and I got soooo many gifts---Keurig coffee maker, jewelry, ipod dock, etc. Too many for me to list!

Christmas went by so quickly, as it always does. We were so blessed to have Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas day with Ed's. I am still feeling sentimental and so grateful for the true blessings that we received -- being together, all of us was the greatest gift of all. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.

{Noche Buena '09}

Words can't even describe how much fun our Noche Buena was this year. I served a traditional Filipino meal to my family. It was very important for me to make this meal not only for my brother, sister and parents but mostly, it was for Ed and William to get know the Filipino Christmas celebration. My mom and my sis kept gushing that I nailed the food! Was so happy to hear that.

Here's our Noche Buena spread-Lechon (roasted pork), Buttered garlic shrimp, Pansit (lo-mein), Crab legs with coconut milk, Fresh Lumpia, Caldereta, Fruit Salad and Cake. Yum! Yum!

William showering Tito Nestor with kisses (because he has a present for him:))Sisters!William loved his hat and gloves from Tito Nestor.
My sister gave us Ray ban shades for Christmas.
William got his Toy Story beddings.
Mickey hat for my brother.
Big smile from my parents when they saw their Christmas gift from us...
an LCD TV. Dad was really excited!
Ed loved our gift from my brother. A folding cart. We've lived in the condo for years and very much need this.
Cool sweater from my parents.
My sister like her new Sonic toothbrush.
Yummy chocolate cake!
William in his jammies and ready for his Christmas morning.

Decorating our Gingerbread House

One of my favorite Christmas tradition is decorating our gingerbread house. It's so fun and we really get into it.

This year Publix was selling their gingerbread kit. The house is already put together so you are guaranteed a strong structural foundation :) Also, this gingerbread house kit actually smelled good and it was very tempting not to eat it. Most kits smell like cardboard. LOL!

Here's William with big smile and all. He was soooo excited for this activity. He loves candy cane so he was so happy when he saw them in the kit.

Father and son intensely decorating. For a toddler, William did so good with putting in the candies in line. I'm sure he got the OCD skill from his dad :)

Of course William just had to taste and test the candy.

Here it is....the Culler 2009 Gingerbread House.

Great job Ed and William! The house turned out really cute. Next year, there'll be one more helper to our Gingerbread house. If she's anything like her momma, she'll probably be just bossing yall and watching. Hahaha!

Santa at Phipps '09

Another successful Santa visit this year. William did not mind him at all and was ready to sit on his lap. Also helps that Santa at Phipps is the nicest Santa ever in Atlanta. He's just really warm and compassionate. Soooo worth it to stay up late in November and book a much coveted appointment.

Here's William making his list.
Picture with Santa
William telling Santa that he wants Buzz Lightyear, Woody and a Bike.

Santa was so tickled on how chatty William was. Santa gave him a big hug.

Post Santa visit, we grabbed some cookie at Starbucks for snack.

Pioneer Woman Book Signing Atlanta

A couple of years ago my bff Wynell mentioned to me that she tried this chicken salad sandwich and loved it. I asked her, the one with grapes? She said yes! I love it too! So I was so excited to share with her this recipe I found at the Pioneer Woman website. She asked me who exactly is this famous lady? Well fast forward to this year and both of us have cooked numerous recipes from the Pioneer Woman --- the woman behind it named Ree Drummond.

I got one of those facebook event invite from Wynell about Ree's book signing. a month ago. I try to avoid going to events on weekdays. Working full time, I want to spend quality time with Ed and William in the evenings. But my loving husband encouraged me to go and take this opportunity to spend some much needed girlfriend time with Wynell. So I agreed. Besides, Borders was only 5 minutes away from our house and we'll be out in there in an hour or so.

What hour or so???? My dear readers we waited in line for 5 hours!!! Craziness!!!

To be honest, I like Ree but not 5 hours LIKED her :) It boiled down to the fact,that since we've already been in line for 2 hours, why not stay for a couple more. And hey I get to hung out with Wynell!


So here's my BFF and I fresh and all happy. 30 mins from when we first walked in Borders.
The perks on being in line, I got meet the famous Bakerella. Love her. I have zero talent in baking and cooking desserts but I still love looking at her site. Even made it to her website with a bunch of other bloggers.

Here's a before....

Here's 5 hrs after
Then finally.....Here's my moment with the Pioneer Woman. She was sooo sweet! She's been signing books for hours and she was still so friendly. And how her hair and make up stayed so long is beyond me. Some strong hairspray and long lasting make up there.Wynell and me with Ree's sister Betsy and friend Hyacinth. Both contributed recipes to this book.So I got home closed to midnight. Ed was sleeping on the couch waiting for me. He asked me how was it? I showed him this page. He said that's it? Too be honest, I laughed so hard and I couldn't agree more with him. Yes, 5 hours of craziness for this signature and "standard note" but I find comfort that it was 5 hours of quality time with my bff Wynell. LOL!