Peace... and Gratitude

Holidays are a time to be ever so grateful for all the wonderful things you have in life. This holiday season I am especially thankful for my family-- my parents, my grandparents, my two beautiful sisters, my brother in law, and my two healthy and adorable nieces. I am so lucky to be blessed with such a loving family, and I can't wait to get home to spend the holidays with them.

Holidays are also a time for memories. Sharing those memories with the people you love and care about, and making new memories to last  a lifetime. My fondest memories are from winter and the Christmas season with my family and friends. A few days ago I shared the memory (and tradition) of driving around to look at the lights with my uncle and sisters, and today I'll share one more.

Christmas Eve was always a busy night at our house. For dinner, we usually have my Uncle Tom's amazing homemade pizza, and then we just have family time until midnight mass. For the last two years however, I've spent Christmas Eve with Jordan's family at his Granny's house. His whole family is there, and it's a really fun night. The first year that I was lucky enough to join them we walked in the door and his uncle (who I've learned has QUITE the sense of humor) looked at us and asked Jordan who the ugly girl was that he brought along. If you know me well, you know that I turn a nice bright shade of red when I'm embarrassed or surprised or happy.. or really anytime my emotions shift dramatically. I was redder than Rudolph's noes or Santa's suit. Luckily, Jordan and his mom both warned me that he was quite the sarcastic one and I should ignore it.. otherwise, I probably would have started crying... and been far more embarrassed.

I'm thankful for every holiday memory and tradition I'm fortunate make with my family. I love spending the holidays at home, surrounded by everyone I love, and I look forward to watching Kenzie enjoy her very first Christmas in this world

Let Your Heart Be Light (And Loosen Your Belt)

 My favorite Christmas Cookies are Spritz, but because I don't have a cookie press up at school to make the shapes that are so pretty, I'm going to share this delicious cake recipe instead. The picture is from an awesome blog that posted a version of the recipe-- also, I'm not as artistic of a photographer, and I thought it was just really cool!  This cake is a Peppermint Fudge Poke Cake (but her blog calls it Better than...Christmas Cake which I thought was cute).

   
Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker Chocolate Cake
(take your pick.. I chose Triple Chocolate Fudge)
1 1/2 cups crushed oreos
1 1/8 cups Coffeemate Peppermint Mocha Creamer
1 jar of sundae fudge 
(I used a normal size jar of Smuckers fudge)
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 container of Cool Whip

*Also, make sure you have the ingredients on the back of the cake box-- eggs, vegetable oil, water

Let's get Baking!

To start, bake your cake according to the directions. I would have made a homemade chocolate cake, but Betty Crocker was much more in my price range! 

Once your cake is baked let it cool (in the pan). 

Take a wooden spoon and poke holes (using the non-spoon end) in the cooled cake. I would poke 20-25 holes (depending on the size of your spoon).

In a bowl mix together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the peppermint creamer. Pour the mixture over the cake filling each of the holes. 

Next, in the same bowl (so don't rinse it out!) mix together the jar of fudge, the remainder of the peppermint creamer (1/8 cup) and 1/2 cup of your crushed oreos. Spread it as evenly as possible over the top of the cake. 

Spread your container of CoolWhip over the top of the cake like frosting and then sprinkle the remainder of your oreos over the top. Some recipes say to also crush some peppermints and put them on top... I didn't have any peppermints. 

Let your cake set in the fridge for 4-6 hours and then serve! 

As you can see, my pictures aren't nearly as awesome as Something Swanky's. If you'd like to check out her blog, click HERE. She's got all kinds of great recipes, and check out the awesome pictures she has of her version of the cake!

Happy 3rd Day of Advent. 

Twinkle Twinkle Part 2

To go along with today's theme.. click the link below for some adorable puppies lit up!
They're adorable, and it will make you smile!

Click HERE to see 30 Dogs who think they're Christmas Trees

via flickrr.com

Twinkle Twinkle

One of my all time favorite traditions of Christmas is piling into my Uncle Tom's rental car and going out driving to see the lights in the neighborhoods, the lights the town puts out, and listening to Christmas music on the radio. It used to be that he had to bribe us with Dairy Queen, or sometimes Starbucks works (though that is more something J&J and I have done the last two years). Now, as I think of what a gift that time alone with him and my sisters was and how I never truly appreciated it as I should have, I will be so excited to look for lights and go driving this December on the hunt for the beautiful lights. 

I just love these photos (credit to the photographers who provided them). The first is of the lit tree. I absolutely love trees. I love when people decorate their outdoor pines and evergreens. The second photo is of lights on trees that were put up by a city/business. I love walking downtown with lights above my head. It makes me feel so happy and light on the inside. The last photo is of a home decorated for the season. My favorite lights are the small yellowish clear lights. I don't like the LED blue that burns your eyes. I know they're Energy Efficient, but I don't like the headache they give me. I'm also a huge fan of the huge bulbs in multi-color. They remind me of living in Arizona because they were our neighbor's lights. If a flipped one of my blinds up I could stare at the lights all night long. It was the best. 

What do you love about Christmas lights?  What are your favorites?

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/Kl/outdoor-christmas-tree-lg.jpg

http://sammydvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/christmas_lights_outside.jpg

http://rubenmarquezjr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/2010-11-exterior-christmas-lights-1.jpg

Tis the Season

Tis the Season for mittens and scarves,
for buttoned up coats and long sweaters,for peppermint mochas and cookies,
for rosy cheeks and pink and frosty noses,
for catching snowflakes on tongues,
for snowmen and snowangels,
for trees decorated with tinsel and lights,
for eager children waiting for Santa,
for holiday music and cheer,
for friends and families to reunite,
for hot cocoa and blankets by the fire,
for classics like It's a Wonderful Life,
for remembering Christ and why we celebrate,
for being thankful and remembering how blessed we are,
for kisses in the snow,
for blooming love and cuddles to keep warm,
for memories to be made,
for ice skating on the pond and falling down,
for jingle bells and Christmas carols,
for love.

My Reason Why Is....

My reason why is the snow. 

My reason why is my beautiful family and friends. 

My reason why is watching the twinkling lights on the tree.

My reason why is the celebration of the birth of Christ. 

My reason why is the smell of peppermint in my hot cocoa.

My reason why is the mound of Christmas cookies on the counter.

My reason why is the laughter and joy and excitement of Christmas morning. 

My reason why is the gathering of the whole family to celebrate the holidays. 

What are your reasons why? What do you love about December and the Holiday season? 

25 Days

Today begins my favorite season. The Holiday Season. Christmas Season.
In honor of my favorite season I'm beginning a blog-countdown. Each day I will post something I found on an awesome scrap booking website. They provided 25 prompts for scrap booking. It's not the same, because I'm on a blog-- but, it's equally as exciting because I get to share it with you!!

Here begins the 25 day blog holiday!!

Merry Christmas!!