Happy New Year!!

WOW...I seriously can't believe that today is the end of 2010, and tomorrow will be the start of 2011.  Where has all of the time went this year?!  It's kind of bittersweet, ya know...sad to see it go, but at the same time I'm ready for an awesome new year!

I wanted to share briefly some my favorite moments were that took place in our lives in 2010 before I start talking about my "goals" and/or "resolutions" for 2011.  Here is to a great 2010...

• D and I enjoyed a wonderful vacay in Miami Beach, FL at the beginning of March (loved it there, want to go back!)
• We broke news to our family, friends, and co-workers that we were leaving the {big} city to start our new lives in a {small} town at the end of March.
• D and I were able to see George Strait in concert again...3 years, 1 month, and 4 days (or something around there) since we had very first met! :)
• In May we purchased our very {first} home!  (Sweat equity was very rewarding for us...it took a whole month straight of sweat, tears, and muscles so we could move in)
• We finally moved in to our {new} house July 4th weekend!
• Several of our friends were married over the summer and fall, and we tried to make it to as many as we could...(Congrats to you all if you're reading this!)
• I started my very first blog!
• We had our Housewarming Party!
• We went to the Chiefs game!
• D joined the volunteer Fire Department
• I went on a Girls Trip and saw Lady A and David Nail in concert!
• Went to Iowa for Thanksgiving to see D's Grandma Eudy
• Last but not least...we had an amazing Christmas!

I'm off work until next Tuesday...we are back in the {big} city to spend NYE with my Mom, and our good friends!  We are going to dinner and to a band, it should be a great night/weekend!

Here were are last NYE!

So on to my "goals" and "resolutions" for 2011...

• Try to be more patient with everyone (this is a big one for me!)
• Spend more time serving the Lord and our community (haven't done much of that since we moved, so I would really like to get back into that)
• Start up an exercise plan and stick with it (I'm really excited for this, and can't wait to start Zumba for the PS3 Move...and if any of you know me, I DON'T like to exercise!)
• Spend more time with family (we already do this, but sometimes it can be challenging since we don't all live in the same town...this includes everyone from cousins to aunts & uncles)

Well that's all I have for now...I hope ya'll have a fun and safe New Years...

SEE YA NEXT YEAR!! :)

Crafty Recipe Binder

You've heard me mention a project I was working on before Christmas, and it was for my brothers girlfriend Ashley.  I made her a Recipe Binder, and it actually turned out pretty neat!  I can't wait to make myself one, but I will probably wait awhile before doing so.

I didn't take pictures while putting everything together, but I did take some after shots (well Ashley took them for me and sent them to me).  I found some inspiration here and here.  If Ashley is anything like me (which we are WAY too much alike, it's scary) then she has tons of random recipes that she's printed off from various blogs and internet sites that are flying around her kitchen.  When I asked her for her Christmas list she mentioned she wanted a binder to hold all of her randoms in...I knew exactly what I wanted to do!  Off to Hobby Lobby (a few times actually), then to the grinding stone I went, working until I got it done (the night before Christmas Eve)!


Love it!

 Some things you'll need:

• 3 Ring Binder (I used 2")
• Page Protectors
• Your choice of 8.5x11" Scrapbook Paper for the different categories (6-12 sheets, 12 if you want a design on the backside and want to cover up the bar code on the back)
• Your choice of 12x12 Card stock Scrapbook Paper (I had 2 matching used for the front and back, and one solid to fill in the side/spine of the binder)
• Fun Scrapbook Embellishments (to go with your "theme" - cooking, kitchen, etc...)
• Card stock Pad (assorted colors to match your color scheme...I used the kind that were sticky on the back and didn't have to worry about getting glue everywhere)
• Scissors (Regular and Fun!)
• Recipes to fill it (if it's for a gift, put 1 recipe that goes along with each section...it's a nice surprise!)
• And whatever else your little heart desires (like making a scrapbook)!




Front of the Binder
(sticker says "Creating Traditions in the Kitchen")

 



Appetizers & Beverages section
(great section for party recipes: finger foods, spiked/regular punch, etc...)





Soups & Salads section
(great for any kind of fruit/lettuce salads, and any yummy soups,
like this Chicken Taco Soup!)

 



Veggies & Sides
(great for any cooked veggies and any other sides)

 



Main Dish secion
(sticker says "Cooking as easy as 1..2..3)
(great for all of your main course meals, including crock pot meals like
this Hearty Round Steak Casserole!)

 



Rolls & Bread secion
(great for any homemade rolls and bread,
like these yummy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins)





Dessert secion
(saved the best for last!! put any and all of your sweet treat recipes here,
like these Peanut Butter Bars)



In the inside of the Binder, I created a Velcro Recipe holder for her random recipe cards that people have given her.  I found this idea here over at The Girl Creative (love her stuff, check it out!).

After I finished it all up, I had some other things to go with it and put it in a basket, and put a pretty bow on it.  She.Loved.It.


All wrapped up and ready to go!



Linking up with...
Somewhat Simple
Today’s Creative Blog
The Shabby Chic Cottage
What Allie’s Making Now
It’s a Blog Party

Our Christmas!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas this year!!!

D and I had such a wonderful Christmas all around...we ate some awesome food (lots of it), got some neat gifts, and best thing of all was that we got to spend time with our families!  There is a lot of planning and preparation for Christmas, but it is so worth it in the end!

Christmas Eve (afternoon) we went to D's parents house and opened gifts, and then for supper we went to his Grandparents house.  We ate, told stories, laughed, opened gifts, and laughed some more!  We were so tired by the time we got home, but knew in 6 hours we had to get up and get ready to go to my families.  Christmas Day we went to my Dad's for lunch, which I think will be a new tradition for us.  We all brought something to share for lunch, ate, laughed, opened gifts, and laughed some more!  That afternoon we went to my other Grandparents house, which is where my Mom was.  We opened gifts, laughed, told stories, ate supper, and laughed even more at the guys shooting eachother with Nerf guns!  Later on that night, we went back to Brett and Ashley's house; my cousin and her hubby from Washington came over...the night consisted of catching up, wine, beer, Boxer or Briefs, laughing hysterically, singing "going to Utah...going to Utah" (while doing an awkward robot dance), and shot gunnin' beers!  (Most of it ended up on the floor, but that didn't matter...we had a BLAST!)  I haven't seen them since their wedding which was over a year ago, and before that it had been a few.  So by the time we were all finished with Christmas, all of our faces and stomachs hurt from laughing so much! 

Here are a few snapshots from Christmas at my Dad's house...I didn't think to take any other pictures (which I wish I would have now) at our other Christmas celebrations.


Bernie and Grandpa Dave



Bernie chewing on his new bone from Grandpa Mark (my dad!)

 

Ashley, Me, and sis-inlaw Kelli (she thinks she's a jokster!)
Yes, Ashley surprised both Kelli and I with our very own Ugly Christmas Sweater!
I have one, but couldn't find it...no biggie, Ashley was to the rescue!
Oh and this should totally be our Christmas Card next year :)



I can see it already!

Grandma Jean and Grandpa Dave

 

Bernie and my love!

 

Bernie waiting so patiently for us to give him his bone back!

Here are some pictures from the end of the night....


Alicia and her hubby Jake
(go check out her blog - hilarious!)

 

Me and Jake



Alicia and I
(apparently something was really funny?)



No explanation needed.

I LOVE my family!!

More Christmas goodies - Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars

Last night I was busy!  Not only did I wrap all of D's presents and other remaining gifts, but I also I baked a homemade pizza, Cinnamon Roasted Almonds, and last but not least...CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL NUT BARS!  Just looking at the recipe over at Kraft.com made me want these bad boys, so I added them to my Christmas goodies list!  They kind of remind me of Toffee; mmmmm they are good!

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 pkg. (12 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks (I used the squares and chopped them up)

1 bag (14 oz.) KRAFT Caramels (about 50)

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 cup chopped Walnut Pieces Directions: PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt; beat on low speed until crumbly. Press firmly into prepared pan. BAKE 15 min. or until edges are golden brown; sprinkle with chocolate chunks. Cover with foil. Let stand 5 min. or until chocolate is melted; spread evenly over crust. Refrigerate 15 min. or until set.

MICROWAVE caramels and cream in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt; stir until caramels are completely melted. Gently spread over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with walnuts; press nuts gently into caramel to secure. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 36 bars or triangles.



Ingredients




Beat Butter and Brown Sugar together




Add flour and salt until crumbly





Press into pan and bake for 15 minutes




Sprinkle with chocolate and cover with foil




After chocolate has set, evenly spread melted caramel over the top,
and then sprinkle walnuts and press walnuts into caramel.
Let cool and set.


Side note: I put them in an airtight container once they cooled, and then into the refrigerator; I think they were better.

I hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas this weekend.  I'm off now to finish up my baking (Oreo Truffles and some Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies and that project (can't wait to show you next week)!

Linking up with...

Todays Creative Blog

The Girl Creative

It's a Blog Party

What Allie's Making Now

The Shabby Chic Cottage

2 Days Until Christmas...Cinnamon Roasted Almonds!

I'm starting to stress a little, because I still have a couple more things to bake and finish that project I've been working on...but I should be ok, because I decided to take off work early today so I can be sure to tackle it all!

So you know the awesome Cinnamon smell when you walk into the Mall around the holidays?!  That has to be one of my favs about the mall around this time...those Cinnamon Roasted Almonds smell so good and they are really tasty!  Well our house smelled just like that last night, because I made some of my very own!  And let me tell you, they are just as good as the ones you get at the mall!!  I found the recipe here back in October and knew this would be perfect for Christmas!  Mmmm...so crunchy and sweet, I can't wait to share them with family!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 cups Almonds

1 Egg White

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 250, line 2 baking sheets with foil, and lightly grease pans(I only used 1, and definitely line it with foil and spray it!)

2. In a large bowl beat the egg white until it becomes frothy

3. Stir in the almonds and vanilla

4. In a separate bowl, mix sugars, salt, and cinnamon together.

5. Add the sugar mixture over the almonds, and toss to coat (I just gently stirred them until they were evenly coated)

6. Evenly spread on to baking sheet

7. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown. Stir occasionally so they'll bake evenly (2-3 times).

8. Try not to become addicted to these little guys!!



Ingredients




Step 1: Beat egg white until frothy (sorry not the best picture)




Step 2: Toss in almonds and vanilla




Step 3: Add in sugar mixture and gently stir to coat evenly.
(See all that goodness on those Almonds!!)
Bake for 1 hour stirring occasionally until golden brown...ENJOY!



MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Linking up with...

Todays Creative Blog

The Girl Creative

It's a Blog Party

What Allie's Making Now

The Shabby Chic Cottage