Snowmen Pretzels

Last night was the annual Hay Ride at Nana and Papa's!
AJ and I had fun making snowmen for the big event.
Click HERE if you want all the details on how to make these cute little guys.

Fruit roll-up scarves...gum drop & gummy life saver hats...so stinkin' fun!

Girlfriend had fun eating lots of yummies!

Lack of hair = justification for exponentially larger bow...in my book
Whoop! Whoop!

Up To The Mountains

To get a Christmas tree!

AJ is all about exploring in the woods!

Girlfriend...not so much...
it was cold.
(And there wasn't food involved.)

It was extreme vertical hiking without a trail.
(Or falling in my case.)

But AJ found a good stick to take home.
(He is checking for a stick pocket.)

& he helped cut down the tree.

My children always look so happy to take pictures with me.

Success!
Trees were cut down and strapped to cars.
Mommy made it off the mountain with minor bruising.
Abby got lunch afterward!
Everyone was happy.

Every Year

My sister and I exchange ornaments.
I greatly look forward to this exchange.

I take this process very serious.
I look for sentimental ornaments that spark a memory
or represent a special time in our lives.

This year I gifted her with this rubber ducky ornament in honor of
her being pregnant with her first son.
Baby boy...rubber ducky...it works.

This year she gave me this giant silver blinged out fish
from the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Last year I received a similar blinged out gold bird.
The year before that, it was another gold bird with a spastic feather.

I am noticing a theme here...
spastic blinged out animals.

What is it about these creatures that makes my sister think of me?

Random McRandomness

If I had to choose one and only one food to eat for the entire rest of my life,
I would choose bread.

I cry at every single Parenthood episode.

When my mother passed away, I clung to the few words she had written in a journal.
They were like a peek into her world. A gift left behind.
I blog so that my children will have a glimpse into my world.

I have recently accepted that I am a perfectionist,
but it still annoys me about myself.

I think Little Debbie Christmas Tree snack cakes
are one of the greatest things about the holiday season.

If I were to change professions,
I would choose to be a stay-at-home mom.

I love romance novels,
flavored coffee creamer,
flannel pajamas,
and those cheese & sausage gift sets you see at Christmas time.

I laugh when my four year old says inappropriate things
(like when he asks me if chicken butt is a sight word...or when he asks his dad
who died and made him the king of anything after his dad redirects him to finish his dinner before leaving the table),
but I try to regain composure before my four year old notices.

I love travel mugs, but am not a big fan of regular mugs.

The game Chutes and Ladders drives me c.r.a.z.y...
as in I would rather poke my eye out than play that game for even ten minutes.

My all time favorite song is Africa by Toto.

If I were to be totally honest,
AJ may get his potty humor from his mother.

My favorite place to buy jewelry is Forever 21.

I love chandeliers,
rain boots,
and Bath & Body Works' Winter Candy Apple lotion.

I want a crepe maker for Christmas.

My favorite side at Thanksgiving every year is my sister Tami's crock pot corn.

I prefer Milky Ways to Snickers.

Santa

A Baby Shower

My lil' sis is having a bambino this spring!
So while we were out, we had a lil' shower.

I made extra moist chocolate cupcakes...

chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients indicated on box)
one package instant chocolate pudding
an extra egg
one cup of sour cream

topped with

cream cheese frosting...

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I also made my mother's traditional wedding mints with my fam...

4 oz. cream cheese
3 c. powdered/icing sugar
1/4 tsp. mint extract
1/8 tsp. (green) food coloring
small bowl of sugar

Mix together sugar and cream cheese well.
Add in mint(check with your sister to make sure she didn't already do this step), then add coloring.
Use a cute mold to shape mints into adorable shapes...
but when that cute little mold fails you...
just roll into cute little ball and coat in sugar.

They are so tasty,
your children will be screaming for "blue balls" all evening...
at least mine did.

Pineapple Stuffing & Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving in Kansas with the fam...
included...

quality time with the cousins...
lots of food...
many trips to Wal-Mart...

some boots...

lots of laughter...
& hugs.

Whoop! Whoop!