and so it begins

I'm getting closer to being excited for Christmas. I braved the mall today. I thought, oh it's Monday, it won't be that bad. Well it sounded like a good idea in my head. But guess who has ALL shopping done now (even for stocking stuffers) and I will be well dressed for all holiday events in the coming weeks. 

The stockings are hung by the...couch with care?

We had Christmas with my mom's side on Saturday. I made cupcakes with my sugar flower making skills, and we didn't forget the pups (they got homemade treats too)! 

We got some tasty treats of our own and a warm new blanket and socks. The little girls loved their aprons we got them. They looked so cute!

Shelby

Regan

a caturday short

I haven't posted a caturday in a while, and I thought it was about time. This one caught my eye because of the black kitty. Enjoy!
I'll be on tomorrow with updates from the weekend and new recipes.

recipes galore and holiday outings

Busy busy busy, but in a good way. I have been baking, icing and just cooking up a storm. I got half my holiday jar mixes ready and wrapped. Pictures and recipes will be coming after they are sent and gifts have been opened. Megan and I made a Mickey Mouse cake for her nephew's birthday. It turned out so so great. We might have discovered a little business here. I had some leftover black icing, so I made a fudge swirl cake and used my purple flowers from class. It looked funny but it was pretty. I made homemade vanilla pudding for the filling. I will never eat a pudding cup again...so good. I had my first recipe club meeting this week too.  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say anything about it since it is a super secret society, but I'm just too excited! I made Pumpkin Cookies and Goat Cheese Bites. I got a bunch of new recipes I'm ready to try from these great girls including Spicy Pretzels courtesy of Emily Buckingham. Here's that one...


Spicy Pretzels Ingredients: 1 bag pretzels, 1/2 tspn cayenne pepper, 1/2 tspn lemon pepper, dash garlic salt, 1/3 ranch dressing packet, 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Directions: Whisk together all ingredients except pretzels in a small bowl. Put pretzels into a large plastic bag and drizzle mixture in. Seal bag and shake to coat pretzels. Enjoy!


I am so so excited about recipe club! I just love it!

Mickey Mouse cake by Megan and Sarah

It looks like it should
be at a funeral

mmm goat cheese!

Well this weekend was really awesome to say the least. I guess the worse the work week is, the better the weekend has to be. Really, I hate my job this time of year. I'm so lucky they let me have the schedule I want, or I think I would lose my mind. Friday night Kevin and I went to pick out our Christmas tree and then we cooked dinner together. Maple Glazed Salmon (oldie but a goodie) and Balsamic Green Beans (a new one, delicious!). Then we decorated the tree, lit the lights and watched holiday movies...a perfect night. Saturday we slept in and then made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Walnut Waffles (my own creation). 

the freshest salmon in Oklahoma AVALON 

  

the green bean master

pre trimming...
see any furry presents?

more presents and the star!

the blue lights are the best

Earlier this week I went with the little nieces to North Pole City to pick out an ornament each. They both ended up picking out nutcrackers. So go figure, today my mom took all the girls to The Nutcracker Ballet. It was fun, and the girls loved it. They both got sugar plum fairy wands and got to see Santa. It reminded me of going to the ballet when I was little. One year I was dancing around the living room on Christmas Eve being a sugar plum fairy, and I knocked the tree over. It was not funny at the time, but now we laugh about it. Well, I'm crossing my fingers that this positivity can last me into the week. I'll be back soon with more recipes. Have a good week all!

Regan and Shelby at the 
North Pole

little sugar plum fairies

wonderful weekend

It's Monday, and the best way to avoid a case of the Mondays is to blog about your great weekend, right? Well it was a delightful one packed with fun things. Friday Kevin got off work early, so we went to Big Truck Tacos and Cuppies and Joe. They are two of my favorite local restaurants in town. Kev got The Flaming Lips taco with beef tongue (it looked questionable, but he said it was good). I got the Okie Baha (tilapia). Then we sipped tea and hot chocolate and got some cuppies, then came home and watched Christmas movies. :)

Saturday I went antique-ing at my favorite place ever, RINK, with my momma. I got some great stuff including a new spice rack! I will take a picture when I get it set up, I'm so excited! Also found alotta nice antique jars to put Christmas presents in. I hope Megan doesn't see this before I give it to her, but this is a thank you present for her...Cranberry Orange Bread Mix. Oh ya, and we went to a new place (well new to me), Mockingbird Manor, and I won a door prize! I still haven't picked it up, so I don't know what it is yet.

And last but not least, Sunday my mom and pop came over for lunch. We made Minestrone, Beer Bread (it was a box mix), Pumpkin Cookies and warm Apple Cider. So that means check the recipes page people...and have a good week!

  

December already?!

I can't believe 2011 is almost here! It seems like this year has just flown by. I am trying my best to get excited about the holidays. It's not that I don't like this time of year, I just much prefer the warmer months. The holidays also seem to be such a source of stress for most people in our society today. Working in retail and food service will make anyone a scrooge. 


One thing that I do love about this time of year is the baking. Baking is my favorite type of cooking. Mainly because the end result is something sweet, and sweet things always put smiles on faces. But also because when you have to put something in the oven and wait it just seems more special and homemade. When all the stresses are over and family sits down together to eat, I remember that I like this time of year after all. 


This year I am making and baking gifts. So get ready friends and family. If you're on a diet, well...sorry. Kevin and I have already made a delicious hot chocolate mix, some oatmeal cookies, and a turkey soup mix. I like mixes because they are super easy and fun to make with someone else. If you want to see how they are made you can look on my recipes page. But don't bother making them now, because you already know you will probably be getting a jar of some delicious mix for Christmas.