Oh, JOY

This was such a FUN project! The girls at Shanty 2 Chic are pretty brilliant! I saw this on their blog and had to make them ASAP. Glad I did. One thing I didn't realize was how BIG they were. Which is great. They are my new favorite Christmas decoration. I am currently trying to think of a 3 letter word that I can put on the other side so I can keep it year round...any ideas??
If you go to the blog: Shanty 2 Chic, you can get detailed directions on how to make these and where to get the materials. Great thing is that they are pretty cheap to make!!

Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites

All I have to say is YUM-O!! These were so incredibly easy to make and so easy to eat:) These came from picky palate...of course. I used a mini cheesecake pan that I got from William Sanoma...best purchase EVER! So they were the perfect size.

Just look at these bad boys! When you are hitting all the holiday sales, make sure you stock up on the Candy Cane Hershey Kisses. So worth it! This recipe will make 18 of them, unless you use a mini muffin pan and I'm sure you can get much more.
Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites

from: Picky Palate

1 brownie mix 9×13 inch size

18 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses

1/2 Cup chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

3 original candy canes, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin pan that has been generously sprayed with cooking spray, about 3/4 way full. Press kisses into center of brownie batter, do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely.

2. Melt chocolate chips in microwave, 30 second intervals until smooth and melted. Stir in cream until silky smooth. You can place back in microwave for 10 seconds to smooth more if needed. Dip tops of brownies into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Serve with a tall glass of milk. Enjoy!!

Thin Mint Cookies

These are a staple at our house during the holidays...I always have these ingredients: Ritz Crackers and Andes Mints...Crushed peppermint if I have it. Thats all you need and they taste just like Girl Scout cookies;) Melt the Andes Mints, dip the Ritz cracker in it, sprinkle crushed candy cane and refrigerate until it is set. Thats it my friends! If you love mint, this will be a favorite!
Here is a quick easy way to package them up...this is an old formula can, cleaned out with some cute Christmas paper wrapped around it.

May Your Days be Merry and Bright...

This was a gift I gave to neighbors and teachers. So easy...just get your vinyl lady to make up a saying for you and get a pack of chargers from Wal-Mart (4 for $5) and you have the perfect last minute gift.

Cookies for Santa

I made this cute little jars for the people I Visit Teach for Christmas. I think they turned out pretty cute:) The idea came from make it do. If you go there, you will be able to get her cute templates. Bakerella also has some of these...they are cowboy cookies.

Cookies For Santa...aka Cowboy Cookies

From: Bakerella

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix flour, baking powder, soda and salt together. Layer in a quart Mason jar in this order:

First: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Second: oats
Third: m&ms
Fourth: chocolate chips
Fifth: brown sugar
Sixth: white sugar
Seventh: chopped pecans

Pack each level down really tightly. I mean it. Pack it in. Or else it won’t all fit. Also, I added the chopped pecans last, because if the ingredients were too much or not enough, then I could add more or less pecans to adjust. I’d rather sacrifice nuts than chocolate, you know. The ingredients should be flush to the top of the lid when you seal it up.

When you give this, their instructions are:

Add

1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup butter (melted slightly in the microwave)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon to work it all together. You may even need to use your hands to get everything incorporated.

Aargh...

I have a GAZILLION things to post...some fun Christmas things...too bad my card is not reading on my computer! So, until then...don't forget about me and check back later:)

Santa Party

Every year at Christmas time we have a Santa Party...we have been doing this the last 3 years and the kids love it and look forward to it every year. We start by everyone coming together and eating a fabulous dinner. Then Santa and Mrs. Claus knock on the door! The kids run to the door and see Santa. The Santa sits and reads a story to the kids, they sing Christmas songs and then he lets each kid sit on his lap and the kids tell him what they want for Christmas and then he gives them a little gift. Then we send him home with some cookies and the night is over. It is so much fun to do this every year!

Here is Caden and Noah welcoming Santa.


Connor was just excited to suck on the wrapping:)
The boys with Santa...Caden-6, Connor-5 mo, Noah-4
All the kiddos...You know how impossible it is to get a good picture of this many kids...but still pretty cute!!

Advent Calendar

I had to share this fun craft I did...it only took me FOREVER to do...mostly because I'm lazy and my 5 month old isn't letting me do anything these days:) This was an easy craft, just lots of cutting and gluing. There is a fabulous tutorial on what to do on Splitcoast Stampers.
Here are your materials...

5 papers for the big squares

black cardstock for the big squares and letters/numbers

3 pieces of cardstock for the scalloped circles

1 paper for the circles under the numbers

1 paper for around the tin

24 tins...I used Wiltons favor tins...for weddings

24 pieces of velcro

lots of glue

Terrifically Tacky Tape (like 4 rolls of it)

16x20 canvas

Here is what I put in my tins:

Some were filled with candy

Some have "read a Christmas book" on it...I wrapped all our Christmas books and the boys get to take turns opening one up.

The rest of the days have an event to do for that day:

Decorate the Christmas tree

Go to the Ward C-mas Party

Go to the Nativity at the Stake Center

Write letters to Santa

Go to Holiday in the Park at Six Flags

Drive around looking at Christmas lights

Decorate Gingerbread Houses

Watch Polar Express and drink hot cocoa

Make sugar cookies

Watch Grinch

Have a special Christmas FHE

Make Reindeer sparkles...oatmeal and glitter...sprinkle on the lawn

Make treats and pass out to friends

Read the Christmas story

Hope this gives you a few ideas on what to do this Holiday season!

Connor...5 Months

My sweet little man is 5 months old! Time is flying by and I love seeing more and more of his little personality. He is so mellow and patient...kinda has to be with 2 older brothers. He is always smiling and cooing. Love it. Besides...who could pass up those little dimples?
I had to post this picture...he got sick of me taking pics of him.
I guess the Bumbo chair was waaayy too comfy for him:)

Thanksgiving at Rudy's

on "Black Friday" my Mom, Dad, Nana and Brandon came for a really quick visit. We had "linner" at our favorite BBQ place...Rudy's. We met my cousin Jennie (who lives in Plano) and Leah (who was visiting from Utah) and their families...they haven't seen Brandon in quite awhile since he has been on his mission. It was a fun little get together.

Caden, Jennie, my Dad, Leah, Brooklyn, and Addy
Addy, Caden and Noah...gotta love the glasses...he got them from the movie theater when we saw Christmas Carol in 3-D.
Connor, my Mom, Noah and Nana...my mom's, mom
Check out those big blue eyes:)
I was just laughing when I saw this picture...Noah is making crazy face, Nate with his big cheesy smile, Caden trying to punch someone, Addy is so innocent and Landen cooperating...love it!
Here they were all making a funny face.
Leah with Brooklyn, Jennie with Carter, Me with Connor
The 3 babies so close together...We had a picture like this in September at my cousins wedding...they are getting so big!! And in the last picture Connor was crying as well. So not like him! He is usually pretty good!

C-mas Pictures

The day after Thanksgiving my Father-in-law was nice enough to take our Christmas picture! These were some of our favorites...

I cropped this one so you could see how cute Connor looks...I just can't help but smile when I see him:)
This one is going to be on our C-mas card

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Well, it is a great start to December! Snow! It started right before school started and I have never seen Caden get ready for school so quickly so he could play in the snow! He tried to make a few snowballs...but they were a little small and melted pretty quickly:) But hey...you take what you can get here in Texas!
You can actually see the it snowing in this picture.
Here is Noah
I just thought this was a cool picture.

Thanksgiving

This year we went to the Thatchers for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun there! We started the morning...which was absolutely beautiful!! with a little horseback ride. This was the first time Ben and I had gone with this group of horses. We had a blast! But I do know why you walk funny after you have been on them for awhile:)

Me and my Cowboy
Cute boys...Noah and Caden

I am totally loving the scruff on him...makes him look pretty H-O-T in my book;)
The fam...this was not the easiest picture to get...my horse was NOT cooperating at all. He kept walking backwards and just wanting to take off and eat some grub. Good thing I had some professionals with me to keep him in line!

After our horseback ride we went back to the Thatchers and had our Turkey dinner. Ben's parents were there, Chris (Ben's brother) and Ashley and McKenna, Logan, Cameron and Chelsea (his girly-friend) and our little family. We had a great time and ate WAY too much!!