Since I posted some inside Christmas pics I felt it only fair to post some outside ones also. Once again I braved the cold dark night to snap some pics of my airblown's. Only for you dear bloggy friends,only for you!
First we have Snoopy (who Miss Madison adamantly calls POOPY) a classical fav!

Next is Sponge Bob. Madison's second favorite. She has to walk down and kiss him and "Poopy" just about every night.

This is just a generic airblown Christmas Tree. It's the second airblown I ever bought and I bought it from... yep you guessed it W*l Mart!

This is one of our newest, Santaland Train. I wish it were longer though.

This guy is 8 ft tall. He came from Sam's. I didn't see any this year though. Hmmm..

I tell Madison this is her and Mommy. She just gives me a funny look and says "OK". She's probably thinking "Who's she kidding? I ain't no darn snowman!"

Stacy's favorite. Homer Simpson. With a box of... D'Oh Nuts! hehe....

That concludes the tour. There are a few more that I just didn't feel like walking down to that side of the yard for but maybe another night this week.

Oh we went and saw Santa last night. There was crying .... lots of crying. All I asked that !@#$% "photographer" to do was make sure Madison was looking at the camera. I didn't mind that she was crying. Just make sure she's looking at the damn camera. Where was she looking? Somewhere over her right shoulder. I was PISSED. I should have refused to get the pics. $30 for crap. I swear i'm not doing it next year but who am I kidding? I'm a sucker for tradition.

Well I finally finished decorating the Christmas Tree. We got it before Stacy got so sick (btw he passed the stone around 4am Saturday morning so all your prayers,good wishes,chants & cheers are greatly appreciated. They worked!). It's a beautiful Frasier Fir and smells wonderful.I don't do a "theme" tree. All of my ornaments have "meaning" of some sort.
This ornament is Madison's first picture with Santa. But how cool is it that Santa was her very own "Pop" (aka my Dad aka he-who-bakes-birthday-cakes-from-scratch).

I bought this ornament at the Festival of Lights in 2004. Could I have picked a more perfect one? The footie PJ's, the pigtails and you can't read it but the bottom says "Warning: I climb christmas trees". I hit the nail on the head and she wasn't even 8 wks old when I bought the ornament!

Now we move onto our stockings which I have hung by the chimney (not) with care.
Here is Madison's. She just got this one last year because the year before she had the 'obligatory' baby's first Christmas one. It was cute and it was monogrammed also. We'll keep it as a memento. I heart this one and hope she keeps it always.

This is Stacy's stocking. My Mother bought it for him when we first got married. When he saw it for the first time he scratched his head, looked mightily puzzled and said "Why's mine a Tater?" (that means potato for those of you who don't speak southern"). I of course, screamed with laughter. I said "It's a reindeer. Don't you see the antlers?". To this day the poor stocking is called "Tater". It does hold much lootage though.

My stocking is exiled to it's own little corner because "it doesn't go with anything else". It, however spoke volumes to me in the store and had to come home with me. I love it. So .... me.


***** Don't forget about sending me your address - See my Sunday post below.

Since next week at this time i'll be winging it toward the Land of Snow and Cheese i've got to get cracking here.

To the 9 ft fall slouchy "thug" shuffling along in front of me at the grocery store. MOVE YOUR STUPID ASS. Yep I ran all up on your heels, Yep I will do it again. (This guy made a turtle look like Speedy Gonzales y'all)

To the stupid twit in Accounting who does our expense reimbursements. Those little slips of paper I submitted to you, they are called "receipts". They show what I spent on my trip. Add them up and then cut me a check for the total amount and do it YESTERDAY. I am tired of waiting for my Christmas Cash-ola.

To the pushy cow behind me at TJMaxx. Black Friday was, oh, 4 days ago. Take a chill pill lady. Don't make me whack you over the head with a box of Christmas Cards.

To the girl who is in charge of office supplies. Get over yourself honey. It's a $1.49 Bic not a Mont Blanc.

Pardon me, I am grouchy this morning. My Kid is a brat and if I hear
"Straw ~ba~ba~ba~ba ~berry ~Strawberry ~Shortcake" one more time I will SCREAM.

Oh yeah they were fuggin' on Black Friday for sure. Note the guy to the right of Stacy in the GREEN socks / shorts combo. I was trying to fake it by taking a pic of Stacy holding the Strawberry Shortcake Doll we were purchasing for Madison (who is obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake). I think the people with him as well as him knew we were scoping him so I just said "The hell with it" and took a close-up hehe....

Here is a close-up. I think he was going for the "Andre 3000 look"...

Here is my super cute South Carolina Christmas t-shirt. Note the cute wreath hanging from the Moon! I got alot of comments on this shirt today, alas I bought it in October at Merry Market and have no idea how to advise anyone else to get one.

This is the cutest little Turkey I could find! May you all stop for a moment today and count your blessings be they family, friends, food, money, a job, good health, good sense (if you find any of those last two how about send some my way!). Seriously today is a day to ponder and truly be thankful. I know I am. I've got the bestest blogger friends in the world!.

Here is the darling Princess wall hanging that Lee made for Madison. I just noticed Madison had it turned around so you can't see the detail and I will try to get a better pic of it but she loved it (and I do too). Thanks so much Lee.

Also Cheeky sent me some cool birthday gifts. I use that big ol' Minnesota Mug for hot tea and I love it. The candles are just beautiful, so "me". The leaf ornament will hang on my Christmas tree and I am a lip gloss addict!

Yesterday I received a package in the mail all the way from the land of Indy 500. I couldn't imagine what it was but sweet Jen at Insert Catchy Title Here had sent me a beautiful Willow Tree friendship statue. I do collect knick-knacks and I love it. She said it was a late birthday present and apologized for that. NO need for apologies Jen. It came on a day when I needed some brightening up and you did just that. To the right is Madison's silhouette portrait by Clay Rice.


Remember when my old wonderful boss left and I got the jealous insecure female boss.. well as I posted last Friday I have a new cool boss and it just keeps getting better. Today he told me since Madison is two now, and the holidays are so important and i'll be in Wisconsin so long, that when I fly back on the 20th I don't have to come back to work until Dec 28th. He would give me the 28th & 29th also but we do have some end-of-year loose ends to tie up and he prefers I help him with it. Fine with me. So.... i'll leave work on Friday Dec. 8 and not darken these doors again until Dec 28th. Um I can deal with that, yes I can. He also hinted broadly that he doesn't like the hierarchy that he was "given" and intends to make his own changes when feasible. Not counting my chickens or anything but maybe a promotion/pay raise is in my foreseeable future. ~Happy~Happy~Joy~Joy!
Great Boss - Check. Great Blogger Friends - Check. Life is GOOD.

This week-end we went to the Festival Of Lights at the James Island County Park in Charleston SC. It was so much fun!
The sand sculpture art was AWESOME. This is the big guy aka Santa Claus enjoying some beach time.

Madison rode the Merry Go Round three times, this time with Mommy on a Bunny Rabbit.

Then with Daddy on a silly Monkey! (her fave)

The first time was on a regular carousel horse

Here is a shot of the gift shop area it's blurry - sorry! But it was really pretty

This is a shot of us driving into Candy Land. I wish you could have saw Madison's face light up. She really loved it.

Yep i'll be flying back to the land of Snow and Cheese on December 10th and this time I feel fairly sure I might see some snow. Stacy is not too happy about it but I told him I think this is my last trip. It should be. Apparently I made such an ass out myself last trip impressed them so much last time that I have to go back and impress them again.

My brand new boss will be with me this trip (He's friends with my old boss - how do I keep getting so lucky and getting cool gay guys for my boss?) and he's already planning on us going barhopping and to the Casino and to Chicago for the week-end. I'll have my own car but I am not one to like driving much, so that's not much of a bonus for me. Now if they had included a driver, that would be a different story! I put down sports car, we'll see what I get. The girl beside me said "Put convertible". Uh, Hello?! Who wants to drive a convertible in the winter in Milwaukee, WI? Anyway I should get some Christmas shopping done while i'm there. I've been feeling kinda blue about the holidays so this should be a welcome diversion.

We went to see This guy ...Raef J*dd is one of the nicest guys around. He will race you clean, he is a gentleman on and off the Track. I heart him. He and Stacy have known each other forever and he was always my favorite driver in Summerville and when that Track closed I was thrilled when he came to race at FMS. Unfortunately he got in a wreck and totalled his car. His car is so pretty. You TX chicks would totally dig it. It is shiny burnt orange with purple numbers.

an ambulance was involved.. OMG I almost had a heart attack but Thankfully he was okay. You can see his beautiful orange car at the bottom of the Track

He relaxed on top of his Hauler right across from us

He had to walk some of the soreness off. He took a pretty bad lick, got T-boned on the Drivers side. That's him in the light grey shirt, I have one just like it that he gave me and I wear it every time I watch him race.

He also raced his Super Truck (also #34) but unfortunately was involved in another wreck (not his fault again) in that too finishing his day. Crap. :( I was not a happy camper.

Okay ... um.. I think Rat Tails went out when Silver Spoons went off the air?



To quote one of my favorite TX Blogger bitches Kami "Dear Bob"..... female plumbers crack. Who knew?

Oh and the plumbers crack chick was SCARY. Finally Stacy said "Patti, quit taking pictures of her before she catches you. She can totally kick your ass".
Me: "As If" ;) Oh what the hell. Here she is. Toldja she was scary!

Here are me (front of course) and my girlz behind me. We didn't all go to Milwaukee together but we ended up hanging out some. This was Sunday afternoon and I was beat. We went from the airport straight to the Mayfair Mall (which if i'm correct is the largest Mall in Wisconsin). Very productive trip but I am GLAD to be home. I missed Stacy,Maddie & Reilly more than I can say. I missed you sweet blogfriends also. If I have to go again I will definitely take my laptop though it seemed a big hassle. I've got to go do some stuff but I expect to visit some blogs over the week-end and at least comment on your latest post. Ciao!

P.S. No Laverne & Shirley sightings at all :( Fish, L&S are characters in a popular american sitcom from the early 70's, sort of a spin-off of Happy Days (Fonz-AAAAYYY)

Ha Haaaaa I can just see me & Cheeky as Laverne & Shirley but who would be who?.... Hmmmmmm?.....

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated.

We’re gonna do it!
Give us any chance, we’ll take it.
Give us any rule, we’ll break it.
We’re gonna make our dreams come true.
Doin’ it our way.

Nothin’s gonna turn us back now,
Straight ahead and on the track now.
We’re gonna make our dreams come true,
Doin’ it our way.

There is nothing we won’t try,
Never heard the word impossible.
This time there’s no stopping us.
We’re gonna do it.

On your mark, get set, and go now,
Got a dream and we just know now,
We’re gonna make our dream come true.
And we’ll do it our way, yes our way.
Make all our dreams come true,
And do it our way, yes our way,
Make all our dreams come true
For me and you."


I'm doing a last-minute load of clothes before I pack (do I suck or what?) Honestly I am the QUEEN of procrastination

Stacy is at Santee fishing since noon yesterday and Madison has REALLY missed her Daddy. All day today I had to endure "Daddy home?" "Where Daddy Momma?". I wonder if she'll miss ME that much????

Every year in Summerville businesses and individuals take part in a contest called Scarecrows On The Square. I love to go and see what ideas they come up with and took a few pictures. I'm sure Cheeky has been there too!


The Red Hat Club Scarecrows... One of my favs!

The Lions Club Scarecrow "Melvin" was collecting glasses for the needy.

This Weeny Witch poked her nose into it!

I love this Thanksgiving theme! Turkeys rule!

I loved her skirt - so colorful!

the Tooth Fairy! I want her mask!!!

Eeek it's a Geek!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road Madison

A Pink Poodle!

She sat right down on the steps and promptly started munching on a popcorn ball (It's okay, her Granny gave it to her). I had to explain that there were more houses to visit and more candy to get!

Which one is cuter? Tigger or the Pink Poodle. I"m going with the Poodle ;)

A little Halloweeen Cheer to burn your retinas this morning.....


Also to clarify the quinea questions.... they actually belong to my niece next door so no, they won't be moving with us. They are pets, they eat fleas,ticks,bugs in the grass. We also buy chicken scratch to throw out for them. They let me pet them but are still sort of skittish. They are obviously devoted to me & Stacy though because whenever we are outside they follow us around like dogs. It's pretty funny. I'll miss them when we leave.

Y'all I have GOT to find a t-shirt with that saying on it!
We sang and had cake/ice cream last night for Madison's actual birthday. She was smiling and kinda shy when we were singing (and it was only her nearest & dearest) but she's going through a "shy" stage right now. No she was NOT picking her nose! ;)

She blew out her candle so good! Didn't even spit all over the cake LOL

and then ... dug in! Her Pop (my Dad) baked her cake and it was yummy!

I think this concludes "Madison week" at Patti_Cake Land!

Two years ago today at this time I was in labor with my little Princess. Was I scared? Yep. Was I uncomfortable? Check. Would I do it again? You betcha. I wouldn't give a million dollars for my baby girl. Here she is as an infant. Yes, that IS me with short blonde hair. My Mom says i'm a chameleon LOL Wasn't she DARLING? I could just reach into that picture and cuddle her close and smell her little new baby smell. Mmmmm....

Here she is today my little pig-tailed monkey (Michael Manning you'd better stop by today - pigtails!) :) I am so blessed to have her and her Daddy to make up my wonderful little family. So.Very.Blessed.

*** I hope to get by your blogs maybe tonight. I'll probably only be able to comment on the most recent post since there are so many I visit but I WILL get there! Hugs!

Also a special cyber hug to Lynilu and Cheeky who have both lost precious furbabies.