What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Here are a few things I'm loving this week!

The holidays! The day after Thanksgiving we usually get our tree and put all of our decorations out.

The Michael Buble Christmas CD, it's just wonderful! I have probably listened to it a couple dozen times this week!

Secret Wonderland scent from Bath and Body Works, I can't get enough of it! I think this may be my all time favorite they've ever sold!

This eggnog tres leches cake recipe....looks so good I'm excited to give it a try!

This reindeer snowflake Christmas sweater....can't wait to get it in the mail!

The Small Things Blog - I've been a follower for a while now.  Great site for fun hair tutorials and other cute things.  She is all over pinterest, and I always look forward to what she will be posting next!

photo from http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/

What are you loving today?

Be sure to link up!

Christmas Meme

I aboslutely love the holidays and this year we have all of our Christmas shopping done already so we can sit back and enjoy the holiday season!  I saw this Christmas meme on my SIL's blog and in the spirit of the season I wanted to play along too.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Usually hot chocolate but every now and again I get a craving for egg nog.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
They are wrapped and don't usually come out until Christmas morning. 

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White lights on the tree.  I've never had lights outside, growing up or even now that we have our own house. I would absolutely LOVE to have them on the outside of the house one year. Slowly working on convinving my hubby to put some up someday.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? 

No I don't. I don't even know where I'd buy one to hang!

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Unless we are out of town, we put them up the day after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
So many but I would say posole or tamales from either one of my grandmas.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? 

Helping put decorations up, particularly my mom's nativity set.  She bought me my very own for my birthday this year!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember, must've been around 1st or 2nd grade.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Definitely! If we are going to stay over at my parents we usually open up all our presents on Christmas Eve so we don't have to pack them also. This year, he combined my birthday and Christmas gift which I was totally peer-pressured into opening on my birthday! I can't complain, I love wearing my new pretty-shiny earrings!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

This year we cut our own tree down at a local farm and while they shaked, baled and loaded it for us we went in their cabin and warmed up with cider and cocoa. So much fun and definitely a tradition we will be doing in the years to come! As far as decorating, we have 2 sets of decorations we switch year to year. One is blue, silver, and white; the other is red, brown, and bronze.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? 

It looks pretty but I sure don't like driving or walking in it.

12. Can you ice skate?

That would be a negative.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

It was a scooby doo watch my parents got me when I was probably 4 or 5.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Remembering in the midst of the holiday crazy what Christmas means to me.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

Peppermint bark. LOVE.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Putting up Christmas decorations and listening to Christmas music.

17. What tops your tree?
Depending on which ornaments we put up, but we have 2 stars, one is glittery silver the other is a bronze metal trim with a pearly surface and has lights inside.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Absolutely hands down love giving.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? 
I like candy canes... broken up and made into peppermint bark!

20. Favorite Christmas show?
I don't really have one I'm more of a Christmas movie lover.

21. Saddest Christmas Song?
The Christmas Shoe song, usually makes me cry. 

22. What is your favorite Christmas song?

Way too many to list but I'd say O Holy Night.

SIL liked the idea of this meme having 25 questions, since Christmas is on the 25th, so she added three more questions:

23. Favorite Christmas movie?

Elf. "Why are you smiling like that?" "I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite."

24. Do you cook Christmas dinner or do you go to visit family/friends?

We usually go visit my parents on Christmas so I help my mom cook. We are hoping to save up to fly back east to spend Christmas with my in-laws next year. It's been too long!

25. Favorite holiday picture book?

It's all Christmas movies for me!

Secret Santa 2010

Last week, I received this package from my Secret Santa that I had signed up for on Simply Stacie.  I love the candle so much and was thrilled she sent Mary Kay goodies - it's the only makeup I use!  Thanks Michelle!

Other fun stuff we've been up to:

I got this super cute necklace from my SIL and her Mister for my birthday. I wear it all the time!

I helped my sister bake her first pie on Thanksgiving!

We drove over to the Apple Cup. It was about 10 degrees out and our team lost BUT it was so worth it to be there cheering for our Cougs!

I made this cowl to send as a gift to one of my other SILs for Christmas.

And we put up our Christmas tree. We bought new ornaments this year and have yet to find a tree topper to go with it that we like. Side note - I NEED to get rid of that old lamp I got in college!!

There has also been a lot of baking (recipes and pics to follow) and going back and forth watching Elf and The Holiday!



parting is such sweet sorrow

Taking down the decorations is always a bittersweet moment for me - it's nice to have your space back, but sad to realize the holiday season is over.

See you in 11 months Christmas.

resolutions

January 2, 2010. Twenty ten. Two Thousand Ten. It sounds so unrealistic and futuristic. With the start of every year, naturally it feels like a mark in the line for a fresh start. I haven't made a resolution in years but since it is the beginning of a new decade, I want to start it off by being a better habit-keeper; better about telling my husband I love him everyday, better about exercising, better about walking our dogs, better about eating healthy, better about reading the Bible, better about calling my long-distance friends, etc.

Do you have a resolution? Or do you think resolutions are silly?

None of this, of course, has to do with this recipe but it was so good I had to share it! The orange zest and cranberries compliment each other so well; yum, yum, yum!!

Cranberry Orange Shortbread
recipe from Honey & Jam

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add vanilla, almond extract, orange zest and dried cranberries and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter beating at a low speed until blended.

Form dough into 2 logs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter; wrap in parchment, and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Preheat oven to 350.

If frozen, let the logs stand at room temp for 10 minutes. Remove parchment. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and space about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

blessings to you and yours

Here's to joy, laughter, and cheer in twenty-ten.photo source

Happy New Year.

Christmas Cards 2009

A while back, I won a set of 50 Vista Print Christmas cards and envelopes from a 2000 Wedding! All of our family and friends have received them, so I thought I'd share the final product! I was so happy with the outcome; they were great quality and had lots of cute designs to pick from! Thanks Sara and Nick!

Vegas-Themed Holiday Work Party

I work for a construction company and we are having our work holiday party in a few weeks. I always have the toughest time figuring out what to wear to these shindigs! The invite says:

• Suggested Dress: Whatever you would wear to Vegas Baby! (Jeans to Jewels)

When I think Vegas, I think all things sparkly, glittery and saucy. But this is a work party, so I have to keep it somewhat professional. I think. And all of my coworkers are at least 15-20 years older than me, if that means anything. I'm probably going to go with a pair of dark jeans and black boots; here are few shirts I had in mind:

source

source

(with an cami under, of course) source

So am I way off? Any ideas? What would you wear to a Vegas-themed Holiday work party?

Pumpkin Patch!

Hubs and I bundled up (it was 40 out) and drove over to the pumpkin patch to pick out some decorations for the front of our house this fall! Although it was chilly and windy out, we still had lots of fun!