Just when you thought the fun was over...

Claudia announces that tomorrow - Sunday, December 28 - is National Chocolate Day!!!

Just when you might be feeling the disappointment of Christmas ending, comes this incredible proclamation of hope! Arguably, a miracle as worthy of celebration as the birth of Christ and unbelievably... the holidays are scheduled within three calendar days!?!?!? Come to think of it... maybe there's a connection???? That's a question too philosophical for me - especially at the hour this is being posted.

But there is no question that chocolate should be celebrated. Of that, I am certain! Today we will have a little chocolate fun. Interestingly enough, to do this we are going to feature a form of chocolate I cannot eat... M&Ms. I can't eat them because I am allergic to nuts and beans (all legumes) and yes, to set the record straight... plain m&ms have peanut traces in them, so they too are off limits.

A completely inconsequential side bar to all of this is that I LOVE the idea of M&Ms. This is going to sound weird, but I like to watch people eat them. You might not know this, but when you bite into an M&M (or, even better, a handful of M&Ms) the sound is cool. The hard outter shell, combined with chocolate on the inside makes it the perfect sounding candy! It's true. I get serious candy envy when watching someone eat a bag of m&ms. The closest I get are the Robin Eggs that Cadbury makes at Easter. Richard loads me up with them, because to me they are the closest thing to getting to eat an M&M. But, I digress.

To those aware of my other life, this will be of no surprise. Today we will use M&Ms to do some HLA team building. Whether you are a first time visitor, a lurker, or a regular, jump right in. Below is your virtual handful of M&Ms. Each color has been assigned a topic. For each M&M of the corresponding color, you will share a fun fact related to the topic. I'll go first so you can get the hang.

Green: Favorite chocolate vice

Red: Suggested name for new candy bar

Yellow: Things you like to dip in chocolate fondue

Brown: Idea for celebrating National Chocolate Day

Blue: Your guess of the number of blue M&M's in my regular sized bag of M&Ms

(a chocolate surprise to the person who comes the closest).

Orange: "Orange" you glad this one's a wild card?

For each orange m&m, tell us something you want us to know.

Here's mine...

Green: White chocolate mochas, hot fudge, brownies,

chocolate chip cookies, frozen chocolate custard

Red: Avalanche

Yellow: strawberries, graham crackers

Brown: Watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,

bake a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting

Blue: Place your number here (I won't... unfair advantage).

Orange: Today we are taking Matthew and a friend to see the musical, Annie. I am excited;

I have a lot of HLA packages to mail out; I'm on the hunt for a GREAT looking Christmas cookie jar; and I have literally hit crisis proportions with my laundry situation.

Your turn...

Announcements:

• Give 'Em The Boot Award Winner: And the first person to get the HLA boot in the Annual "Give 'Em the Boot Award" is Cassie P's dad. Mr. P receives this year's award for his "in-line, out-of-line" indecisiveness (see yesterdays comment section). Receiving the award for this year's winner is our very own Traveling Debacle Survivor... Cassie P. Cassie will receive the coveted purple boot ornament to display proudly until December 26, 2009, when she must present it to our next most unfortunate winner.
  
• Super Bowl Throw Down: Richard, whoever that shady character is, forfeits from this week's Super Bowl Throw Down, due to poor planning on his part. Or, as could very well be the case, fear of going up against Tera. Either way... Tera you reign supreme. Congratulations!
  
• Next Secret Ingredient: We were supposed to vote yesterday for the next secret ingredient. So tell us... what should Nicole and Maureen battle over?

Paremesean Cheese or Onion

Signing off until tomorrow...