Treats!

My sister Meg posted on her blog a couple weeks ago about some cookies she had made with her new cookie press. They were so cute and topped with peppermint frosting. Delightful! My other sister bought me the same cookie press for Christmas! Delightful, once again! I have a New Year's Eve party tonight and thought it would be fun to make some treats to snack on. I used Meg's sugar cookie recipe, my cookie press, Mint Hershey's Kisses and VOILA! Here's the result. I could get very addicted to the cookie press. I'm going to have to pace myself!

Changes, updates and musical selections

As you can see, I've been doing some remodeling while watching The Sound of Music tonight. There's several new posts and lots of new pics. New music selections- and- as always, the musical selections are there for a reason. I love how music takes you to memories or moments. If you don't want to listen to it, click on the off button and it will stop playing while you read.
One final thought before I go have a brownie sundae and listen to why Julie Andrews has confidence...
Can ANYONE tell me why The Sound of Music is a holiday movie?

For my 3rd oldest niece

Meg said my niece has been wishing for snow...come to my house! There's plenty!

My mismatched socks

My sister Meg had me for Christmas. She always find the perfect gifts. Suited perfectly to the person for whom she is buying. This year I received a pair of handwoven mismatched socks from her coastal adventures and a lovely and "sophisticated" conversation game/table decor piece. I LOVE MY SOCKS. They keep my piggys warm is such style and fashion. They remind me of her and help me not miss her so much. Thanks, Meg.

Christmas with the Fam...or as much of it as was here!

My Little Santa Story

The school I work at does a Sub for Santa each year for some families that live within our boundaries. Sometimes I know the students and sometimes I don't. I've been heavily involved with this project for just about 10 years now. Some years we have families that are so grateful. Other years we have families calling in October to see how soon we can help them out and while we're at it can we bring an electric guitar?
I used to be able to take some of my students with me to help deliver presents. They could really see the fruits of their labors. That had to stop abruptly when I delivered to a mom who was so high I'm not really sure she knew I was there. So now pretty much its me and the SBO advisor who get to see what happens after Penny Wars is over. Penny Wars is how we raise money for our project.
This year we had a girl who lives with her dad. Its just the two of them. He works round the clock pretty much. She takes care of shopping, cleaning, meals, laundry, being a kid, being a student.... :) We called to ask dad if we could help out. His response was "I haven't had a *&%^ Christmas in 10 years! If you want to help out, you talk to my daughter." Well- alrighty then! We did.
In talking with her, she found out some of the things we had done in the past. Everything from groceries and underwear to microwaves and vacuums. When we asked what she would like, she asked if we could get her dad a bed. Apparently he sleeps on the couch or the floor, as he doesn't have anywhere else to sleep. I made a couple phone calls to some business partners we have and a local furniture company agreed to donate a queen size mattress set. :) And not only a queen size set- a $1300 set. Wow.
On the day of delivery, we called dad and he let us go over. He noticed the bed but didn't say much. It wasn't until the SBO advisor told him that was what his daughter asked for him to receive that he started to tear up and cry. :) Bless his heart.
I don't post this so it can go everywhere- just so you can have a little Christmas warmth that I don't get to share due to privacy issues. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Better Late than Never!

So.... a little more about the night we saw Twilight haha. The girls have been bugging me for pictures since that evening (or rather really early morning). So here they are! The top photo was in the theater and we were seeing how many of us we could squish into the lense without someone else taking a picture for us. haha- Rachel and Bernadette are the two vampire-looking individuals hanging over our heads. Seriously- LOOK at Rachel's eyes! lol Oh my.

The next picture is us at IHOP prior to the movie. We were laughing at ourselves because we really aren't that young anymore...staying up late to see a teenage vampire movie at 30 something? lol hilarious! So maybe we look younger with our hoodies on flashing signs...probably not. But we had a great time! This definitely one of those "had to be there" moments. :)

Tradition! Tradition!

As many of you know, we have a big tradition in our family of making gingerbread houses the weekend of Thanksgiving. My grandma started it years ago and has passed it on to my mom and I. My sisters join in occasionally but not that often. As you also know, my parents have been gone for the past two Thanksgivings. So my mom wasn't around to do houses. I did one last year by myself. But this year my sister and I decided to surprise our mom. See- she got home yesterday so she barely missed making houses. She knew when she got home she would be too busy with the holidays to bother with one so she was just not going to have one. UNacceptable.

The two of us got together and made her a surprise house, along with mine, the first weekend in December. It was there to surprise her when she got home late last night!

This one is mom's.

This one is mine.

Support yourself?

Every winter I try something. And every winter I fail. I try to "support" myself by wearing hosiery. Not just knee highs.... full hose, ladies. I've tried every brand, every size, every style. I hate them. I hate trying to get them on. I hate how they run. I despise the feeling of them. So this year while shopping at LB, the manager, Steph, suggested I try Spanx. Maybe you've heard of them? Supposedly revolutionary hosiery that every woman will love because of its miraculous ability to shape and support and not roll or inch down your leg until you have rolls of nylon fabric gathering at your ankles. Very attractive.
So I bought a pair. Just traditional black. They're more like tights, rather than sheer hosiery. Steph assured me I would love them and I trust her judgement! She's the reason I keep going back to that LB location. Anyway, yesterday was cold enough that I broke them out. It was still an annoying thing to get them on while trying not to let other articles of clothing roll. And they do shape and support all that they should. They didn't roll or gather in places there shouldn't be rolling and shaping. However, I still hate them. I really think I just hate hosiery. So after all that, I took them off again and wore my regular knee highs.
Try out the Spanx. If you're a hosiery fan, perhaps they will revolutionize YOUR support. :)

Doctored or not- its funny :D

Jumped ahead of myself... as usual

I meant to post this first for my orderly brain BUT, it didn't work out that way so it will have to bug me for awhile and then I'll get over it.

I spent Thanksgiving at my sister's in-laws home in St. George. Sounds kind of odd, but when all your family is gone, you just go with it. Plus, I knew going down there wouldn't be awkward. Her in-laws have to be some of the nicest people ever. Their home is your home and you are part of their family. They made me a little room of my own in their office and included me in late night pinocle, although I'm stink at it. Bidding always gets me. I was included in the family gifts (seriously- nicest people ever) and asked to go with them for family sealings at the temple. I was so grateful and that's what Thanksgiving is all about!

Welcome to Christmas at my home!

I'm all decked out! Ready for Santa... minus my gingerbread house. I'm working on that- later. But it will have a separate post all to itself. :0) I love my home at Christmas. I love my snowmen- everywhere. I love my little handicapped lights that you can't see very well in the picture. Love my nativity. Love my Noel that I made in elementary school with Grandma's silly little Santa's. Love my Santa that sits on my shelf that I made with Mrs. Phipps in 5th grade. Love having all the lights out in the house but the tree and candles. Can't beat it. Come visit!