Here’s my 13 bits for this week:

  1. Ya know, I dabble a bit in a little blog design now and then . . and to celebrate the coming New Year – - I’m giving one away for free. The instructions to enter for the free blog design are easy – you can read about them here. And don’t worry – the second runner up gets a prize, too!
    E.Webscapes Blog Design Giveaway

  2. I opened up a Flickr account last week, just for fun. I’ve no idea why I did it – since I already have a Photoblog of my own that I’ve been keeping for the last few months. I think I just like the flash based Flickr Badge that they give you. (I have it in my sidebar) – I’m such a sucker for cute little web gizmos like that!

  3. Our home is heated by hydronic, radiant floor heating. A few days ago – it broke. We got heat on the lower level of the house – - but absolutely no heat to the upper level. The heating guys finally came out yesterday and had to replace the water pump and things are back to normal. They had to bleed the water out of the entire system, though – and the water that came out had this horrible rusty smell mixed with the smell of rotten eggs (we have well water) – - the smell infiltrated the house so much that we had to open the windows and turn on some fans and pretend like it wasn’t 8 degrees outside! I believe things are back to normal now. But, man! Brr!

    4. You can grab Thursday Thirteen over by Leanne – the fabulous creator of this fun . . thing!

  4. I rediscovered a favorite blogger from the past. Linda over at Auterrific – - I had her blogrolled a long time ago, and somewhere along the line, she fell off my blogroll. I got her back on now, though – go on and give her a visit!

  5. Chris and I sat down and watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith last night. I’ve always been a big a fan of AJ. I liked Pitt in Oceans 11 and Fight Club. This movie, though? It wasn’t so hot. I found it lacking. And that’s not just because I’m a supporter of Team Aniston

  6. Speaking of celebrity dish? Pink is the New Blog has be come one of my daily vices. Shameful. But true!

  7. Speaking of watching movies – - we finished seasons 1, 2, 3 AND 4 of ALIAS. Season Five is the last one – - and it’s the one currently showing on TV on Thursdays @ 7. But . . we’ve missed the first few episodes – - so I just can’t start watching it on Thursdays now . . without seeing the first few episodes! Especially considering the way season 4 ended. I hate cliffhangers. I have to wait until season 5 is out on DVD – - in MAY!! I’m dyin’ here!

  8. Now that the upstairs is warm again – - we’ll be doing the Christmas cookie baking and tree decorating over the next few days finally! I’m feeling really far behind on Christmas this year! /panic!

  9. Speaking of cookies – - Leanne sent me a batch of eggnog cookies that she was baking earlier this week. I’ve feel like I’ve been waiting and waiting for weeks! I’m very impatient!

  10. Monday begins the great diet escapade! Last year, I lost a full 65lbs. A year later, I put back 15 of those. Then this past June/July I lost those 15lbs. I’ve since put 5 of those back on. With SXSW coming up in March, and then my wedding coming up in June – - I’m psyched for this diet like never before. Chris and I are doing it together and we’re completely organized for it – - we’re doing the Body for Life Challenge , which is how I lost the initial weight. Daily exercise plans are on paper, we’ve set goals and have planned menus for our meals - – watch out size 8, here I come!

  11. My daughter came in my office yesterday afternoon all excited to tell me that she got a 100% on her final unit exam in her Earth Science course. This is HUGE news, because this is the class she’s been struggling most with. We shared a celebratory cup of hot cocoa, with a dollop of whipped cream on top to make it special! W00t!

  12. Somehow I got myself stuck on this Kennedy Assassination site. Ended up spending hours and hours there just reading and browsing. Wouldn’t you just love to know what happened, really?

  13. This year, I’m trying my hand at a homemade eggnog recipe – - and, in the spirit of the holidays, thought I would share:

    3 eggs; slightly beaten
    1/3 granulated sugar
    Dash of salt
    2 1/2 cups milk
    1 tsp vanilla
    1/2 cup of rum; if desired (hic)
    1 cup whipping cream (heavy)
    1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
    Ground nutmeg

    Mix eggs, granulated sugar and salt in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over ow heat 1 – 20 minutes, stirring constantly, just until mixture coats a metal spoon; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and rum. Keep warm.

    Just before serving, beat whipping cream and brown sugar in chilled bowl with an electric mixer on high, until stiff. Gently stir 1 cup of the whipped cream into eggnog mixture.

    Pour eggnog into small heatproof punch bowl. Drop remaining whipped cream into 4 or 5 mounds onto eggnog. Sprinkle nutmeg on whipped cream. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any remaining leftover eggnog.

    I did say the diet starts Monday – - so I must make this tonight!

    But you can decrease the calories in this by substituting the 3 eggs for 2 eggs plus 2 egg whites, use 2 1/4 cup skim milk for the milk, and instead of the beaten heavy whipping cream and brown sugar, use 2 cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping.

  14. My daughter is stalking my blogs in hopes of finding any tid bit-o-information about her Christmas present. Sorry, kid — you’re totally outta luck! burn!

  15. My son, on the other hand – - I can talk about his present. We finished shopping for him already and here’s his list………
    • Sorry
    • kid
    • you’re
    • outta
    • luck
    • to!
    • Ho
    • ho
    • AND
    • HO!
    • PSYCH!

So, leave a trackback from your Thursday 13 to mine – and you’ll automatically be linked here as a Thursday 13 participant. Your blog software does not support trackback pinging, you say? It doesn’t need to – you can use Wizbang’s Standalone Trackback Pinger to send a trackback from your post to any blog in the blogosphere.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Thirteen’s I’ve read so far:

Leanne’s
Fireflies & Frogs
PractiGal
MommaK
The Shizzle
Seriously Silly
Crazy Momma
Neville Farm
Happy @ Home
Eat My Oxygen
Crazed Mom
Musings from the Edge
Suspension of Disbelief