A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Party Started FONDUE STYLE>...... NICK LOVED IT!!!

Then the angels came

and the Sheperds and wisemen too... to help us remember what all the celebrating was for. We remember the birth of the baby so long ago that started a family that now for us means so much!



Then the night turned to day and look what showed up at our house....
<<<<<<>>>>>>
This is all he's done ever since... like 36 hours straight...

YIKES! I think that will keep him warm!

TWINS Sadie and Rebecca spend every minute together

My favorite gift to give this year was this....she loved it and was surprised.

OVER ALL SUCCESS!

found the cutest thing....

These are adorable.... hot chocolate on a stick. For a tutorial click here on Giverslog. Maybe it's too overwhelming to think about right now... maybe not... these would be cute even for valentines for your sweetheart. Or just for kids for afternoon snacking delight! You add these cute little chocolate "POP'S" to a warm cup of milk and ta-da!

ONLY 9 DAYS LEFT!!!!

I can hardly believe that Christmas is in 9 days. Time is tricky that way. It really feels like the kids and I were barely having a sleepover in the treehouse under the summer sky. Now it's winter, we wake up and it's still dark. This morning there was another dusting of snow on the ground which makes me all the more excited for the big day. I love a white christmas. I feel like these years when my kids are small and innocent and excited about everything are going to go by too fast. It almost makes me cry just thinking about it. I hope they are enjoying their childhood and that we are creating enough happy memories for them. My memories of being a kid are very happy, warm, fun filled (maybe a tich of drama created by non other than myself... but otherwise awesome!) I hope that Christmas in our home is as magical for my kids as it was for me. I'm still a kid at heart. I was thinking this morning about not being able to sleep.... it's already happening!

just to keep your ear's COZY

So, here's what I've been working on. i had requests for cream, grey, black and for some reason i'm loving the yellow. they snug around your forehead and cover your ears. I found the pattern for the flower online somewhere...
Here's the pattern:
round 1: ch 5, sl st in first ch to form a ring; ch 1, 16 sc in ring. join with sl st to 1st sc. (16 sc)
round 2: ch 1, sc in same st; ch 2, sk next st, *sc in next st, ch 2, sk next st. repeat from * around. join with sl st to make 1st sc.
round 3: work (sl st, ch2, 3 dc, ch 2, sl st) in each ch 2 space around. join with sl st in same space as 1st sl st.
round 4: workin in front of petals made (in skipped stiches of round 2), sl st in first skipped st, ch 1, *(sc, ch1, 2 dc, ch 1, sc.) repeat from *around in each skipped st. join with sl st in same space as 1st sl st.
fasten off and weave in ends of yarn.
i might add a jewel in the center and put them on a clip so that they can be changed in and out of the "cozy" depending on what you're wearing.

I've tried all different pattern's. Which is your style? I really like this one.^^

OH DEAR!!!

Oh DEER...I seemed to have lost my one and only copy of ALL of my FRIENDS and FAMILIES addresses! Thus putting a hold on this year's Christmas cards. So sorry! I will hopefully get yours that you send to me and keep better track of the addresses this time. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!

a recipe to share and a big fat santa

macadamia nut cranberry double chocolate bark:

2 c. white chocolate

2 c. dark/milk chocolate

macadamia nuts

craisins

This is my contribution for a cookie exchange tonight.

Do you think Cakerella would be proud of me? I am proud of me for being so patient today. Andy was sleeping and Nick was at school!

baby binki problem

You know you have a problem when your baby comes to you like this. What do you think? Time to get rid of the binki.

snowmen rule!

So this is how it all went down. I made these cute little books with the recipes and ideas in them. Totally easy to make and fun to give them.

Mr. Snowman was chillin and tippin' but otherwise quite yummy.

I will post recipes another time.

There are a few empty spots, but for the sake of time on this demonstration I was really happy with the way this one turned out. My family really enjoyed me bringing most of it home too.

Sadie was the BEST HELPER EVER!!!!!

I didn't get a very good picture of the trifle but you can scroll down and see it from when I made it the other day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

...and now, fashioning a new hat... SADIE

Stylin' Sadie

The test run of the "melted snowman" the angel food cake worked well and I kindof like the idea of making his face on the top rather than just using raspberries.

I'm hooked!

I took a knitting class a few weeks ago and I'm totally hooked (no pun intended). I guess they aren't hook's anyway... they're needles... whatever! The minute I started making a scarf Nick was begging for me to make him one. So he choose the color and was very specific about the N being on it. I probably should have held out and surprised him at christmas with it, but you know me and surprises... it kills me! This was the only half decent picture... "half" being the operative word here. But you get that he's A VERY HAPPY BOY!

I'm needing a little work on my camera skills....I heard bathroom light was good, but the posing in the tub just isn't working, is it? he he he

the upcoming class

"melted snowman"

"cheesy snowman"


"croqembouche .... snowball style"

These are the final three contestants for my upcoming presentation to our local women's league. I was asked several weeks ago to come share some creative holiday ideas. I have changed my mind 3000 times... finally narrowed it down! The melted snowman is a white chocolate mouse trifle... kind of a play on the theme of snowmen and getting the "ball rolling"... I like to choose a theme it helps me focus on one idea. Second is the cheese ball snowman, to prove that just because it's a cheese ball doesn't mean it has to be boring and plain.... dress him up! (I think it will be cute to serve him with those cute little Ritz crackers that are snowflakes....) and last the "croquembouche" ... well mine will be far from the traditional french pastry topiary... I am using powder doughnuts, strawberries for color and ivy vines for decor. (I saw this on an episode of Katie Brown's workshop on PBS.) I'm such a copy cat. But oh well.... I try to put my own touch to things! I think it will be fun to have this be a hands on project. It also is a great way to decorate for any party. The picture above is just a sortof idea of what it is... not what I'm making. And last, I found this cute idea in Family Fun for putting books together with a stick... I think I will share my ideas and recipes this way (obviously without the DAD... and with something snowman-ish / or not!). I just thought the stick idea... with snowman theme was cute and simple.

Next Tuesday Night ... wish you could all come.

Emma's Garden Party ... and a few moustache friends.

Sorry you two.... I had to do it! These pic's are so funny! I had leftover chocolate from making petit fours and so I made these. I'm obsessed with anything on a stick lately I guess.
Enrichment was a success. I helped with food, decor and music (my favorite things).

We had sweet gardens and savory gardens (and a bucket of meatballs)

I ended up contributing, lemon tartlets, pecan pie tarts, Oreo strawberry petit fours, puff pastry ham and parm. spirals, and cucumber mini tea sandwiches.

there was plenty of food and people stayed and visited forever. I think the format of no seating and mingling while eating made for more conversations. The program "Emma's Garden Party" was worth talking about. It was Emma in her garden greeting each of the General Relief Society Presidents throughout history. They each spoke a little about their tenure as president and the narration talked of the world and the history of what was happening while they were in office. Very interesting to see how we've come from gathering wheat, to social service, to humanitarian efforts, to focusing on our own families and always provident living. I love relief society and the legacy of women in my own life that have taught me the joy you can get from being involved in Relief Society, with women who share a common goal. I felt the support and strength that my ward has for each other last night. We have an awesome Relief Society Presidency who serve and love us. There were probably close to 60 women there!

need a "quicky"?

These little Petit Fours are the fastest little whip em' up treats and they are tasty!!!

1/4 c. whipped mixed berry cream cheese spread

12 oreo white fudge covered chocoate sandwich cookies

6 strawberries, halved

semi sweet chocolate chips

spread 1 tsp cream cheese onto each cookie; top each cookie with strawberry half. drizzle with melted chocolate.

*this recipe came from kraft food&family magazine.

they seriously take 5 minutes to make.... now.... do I take them to enrichment or let my kids eat them for after school snacks?

This was Sadie's creation for her friends. Simple simple simple to make. Colorful clips, bright fun buttons, ribbon to match (or not to match) and a little dab of glue here or there.

this one might be safe

I think I'm safe posting this one. I've been very busy lately working on all sorts of fun christmas presents. I wish I could blog about each one of them because I am having so much fun making them. However, that would totally ruin the surprise and the fun now wouldn't it? Of all the projects I've made...this one is about my favorite so far. Nick designed this robot guy. He sketched it out on paper and I made it come to life with fabric and buttons, and random gadgets in the the crafty things. He's soft and adorable and hopefully his recipiant (who never looks at this blog) will be surprised and like it.
Nick LOVES it!

no seriously.... 10 minutes!!!

Really... that is a great and quick project! It's really soft! I love it!

way cute..... "what are you waiting for"

Oh my goodness... I think this scarf is so cute... and just you wait... go here to see the demo! I am totally making this! I found this Hope's Studio blog on the 30 Days blog ... where there are some other really darling and totally worth taking a look at projects....

gotta got tidy up. have fun!