Some days.

Some Days you just need one of these nice cups...

add to it some yummy hot chocolate mix and some steamed milk.

Then take one of these low fat, no calorie, zilcho sugar marshmallow stir sticks...

and I promise you that you will get one of these...

a priceless smile from your three year old.

Now you don't think after yesterday's post that I would partake in such indulgence do you ?

No of course not... I was eating the other treat choc. covered oreos ;)

Chocolate Covered Oreos

*Pack of Oreos

*Almond Bark/Candy Coating

*Christmas Sprinkles

Step one- Check for broken oreos and eat immediately :)

Step two- Melt your chocolate. (I do thirty seconds at a time until fully melted in microwave, yes I know the microwave sucks your brain cells, and distorts the nutrients but really I think in this case the nutrients are long gone.

Step three- Using a large fork to balance cookie dip in chocolate. Let it drip a bit and then set on wax paper to dry.

Step four- While still wet sprinkle with fun Christmas Sprinkles.

Stir Sticks

*Large Marshmallows

*Coffee Stir Sticks

*Bag of Choc. Chips

*Crushed Candy Canes

Step 1- Put the stir sticks in marshmallows

Step 2 - Crush candy canes

Step 3 - Melt chocolate

Step 4 - Dip Marshmallows

Step 5 - Sprinkle with Candy Canes

Step 6 - Let dry on wax paper

Step 7 - Wrap up in cute cello bags, put in a much with a packet of Hot chocolate. Inexpensive gift :)

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

Sometimes in life you just need a little bit of chocolate, and then their are times that you need chocolate and well some peppermint :)

I love to bake cupcakes, and sometimes I am so thankful for an excuse to make them. Not that I need one, but well this time I had a reason :)

At our church here in Colorado we house students who are training to go into full time ministry. Well we adopted one of the chica's into our family. We just love us some Mary Helen! She's a sweet southern girl from Alabama who loves to say yes ma'am and make me feel way old.

Yesterday was her Birthday and since she is away from home well the girl needs something yummy to indulge in for her birthday! So I made her some yummy cupcakes!

She texted me a picture later of the pan of 2 dozen cupcakes that were demolished by the students.

Okay so I normally don't share my recipes but this is a cheater recipe that is soooo EASY!!!

Semi-Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes w/ a Stuffed Andes Peppermint inside (yummo) & Cream Cheese peppermint Icing. Sprinkled on top are the soft baking chips that andes makes at Christmas!

Cupcake Directions

Cupcake:

1 package devil’s food cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1-cup sour cream

1-cup vegetable oil

4 eggs; lightly beaten

1/2-cup warm water

1 teaspoon of vanilla (could use peppermint, but I prefer to taste the chocolate)

Package of Christmas Peppermints (round and large)

Frosting:

8 Oz Cream cheese (room temp)

6 tbsp. unsalted butter (room temp)

1-2 tbsp peppermint extract (do it to your taste)

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

* Line muffin tins (this recipe will make close to 3 dozen)

* In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, vanilla and water.

*Divide the batter into the prepared pans. I use a pampered chef melon scoop :)

*Bake for 15 minutes, and then take your Peppermint and unwrap and push down into cupcake. At this point your cupcake will not be all the way cooked that's okay!! Push it down and then allow the cupcake to "swallow it up" and continue to bake for another 3-5 minutes until the top is springy to touch.

*Cool cupcakes all the way before frosting.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until mixed, then up the speed to medium-high and whip for several minutes until light and fluffy. Once cupcake is cooled, grab your favorite tip and bag and decorate away. Sprinkle the top with red and white peppermint Andes (baking isle).

Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer!

Enjoy!

Christmas.

Love this new tune by Hillsong...

What do you think ?

Worth It.

Valentine's Day.

Many years this day has held unnecessary expectations.

Having to out due every other date of the year.

Flowers.

Chocolates.

Great Sex.

In our home those expectations in my mind were never met. I built it up to something that was not even possible. The day usually ended in a argument because I was to selfish to admit that my expectations that were way high in the first place were not being meet.

Now it wasn't because my husband didn't try because he is amazing and ALWAYS does his best to meet my needs, wants, and desires.

We came to the conclusion that we have awesome, fun dates all thru the year and those have no expectations because of a "day". It's just us. 365 days are dedicated to us loving each other like crazy so why on earth do we put so much pressure on Valentine's Day ?

So this year.... We decided we would give up 1 day since 364 days we get to sleep in each others arms. We decided on this 1 day we would dedicate to those who didn't get to have that significant one with them, or haven't meet them.

I cooked a fun dinner, used our great china, Lit some candles and when we were all done eating we tore down the table set- up and got our Wii on.

Nothing over the top.

Nothing spectacular.

Just a fun time with some great people.

Worth Every Minute of giving up our Valentine's Day to share with others.

My expectations were beyond met and we had a great time!!!

Easy New Years Recipes

With New Years Eve we know some of you are looking for a quick easy recipe. Trust me it doesn't get much tastier and simple than this.

You need :

(2) packs Hot Dogs

1 Bacon

Toothpicks

Brown Sugar

Dried Diced Onions

Your going to cut the hot dog's in half.

Cut the Bacon in half.

Wrap the Bacon around the hot dog and stick a tooth pick in.

Do this until completed. Now there won't be an even # of Bacon to Hot Dog ratio so you will have a few leftover Bacon strips. Just put in a ziplock and wait for later.

Then your going to generously pour brown sugar and the diced onions over top. There is no magical amount. Sorry I don't really measure when it comes to these type of dishes.

Then your going to cook for 45 minutes at 350 in your oven.

Then your going to generously pour brown sugar and the diced onions over top. There is no magical amount. Sorry I don't really measure when it comes to these type of dishes.

Then your going to cook for 45 minutes at 350 in your oven.

Check at about 30 minutes and make sure it's not burning.

Some ovens are different.

Pull out and cool.

SO YUMMY....

Black Friday?

So tell me are you all about it or can't stand it and want to stay inside all day and hide from it ?

I LOVE IT!!!

I love the sights, the sounds, the smells.

I go with no agenda (other than a peppermint mocha from bux) and have fun people watching and just taking it all in. If I find a great deal then I'm happy but if not it doesn't really matter.

So do you venture out ?

What are your top stores ?

This year I will be working on black Friday and I'm really excited about that! I really I'm. I love helping people find the perfect gift at a great deal!!!

Oh and what time will you brace the madness ???? 4am or earlier ?

This year I think I'm going to go to Tanger Outlets at Midnight!

Tell me all about your Black Friday...

On The Line.

How many of you have so much on the line ?

This starts the week of crazy but fun events and cooking and baking! There is so much on the line... if i don't get my butt in gear and get of the computer.

I even just sent my amazing preacher dude to the store with a three page list yes... with my 6 year old daughter to help keep him on track. Much is on the line with this grocery store trip.

We have friends coming from Michigan for a few days, we are going caroling with the family, Family parties, lot's of food to make a lot is on the line.

The pressure to clean and cook and bake and so on and on and on...

As I was thinking today i realized there is a ton on the line.

You see Christmas is about one thing. A baby born in a manger who came into this world to eventually die on a cross for us, you and me! There was a lot on the line when that wonderful baby Jesus was born! I'm a mother of 3 who had the luxury of giving birth in a hospital. There would be a lot on the line, if i did a home birth. I have complications and things that would be dangerous to deliver let's say in a manger, a stable on hay or even just in my home or God forbid a car. I say all this to say that yes there is a lot on the line with presents and cooking and party's but how sad at the end of the day, at the end of this season if we didn't share the love of Jesus our Savior with one single person. I mean really share it... invite people to put it all on the line and follow him ??? I know my family is going to do our part to make Jesus felt and known everywhere we go! I will put it all on the line just to see even one person feel the hope that Jesus brings, to see him as a present and not all the other "stuff".

Loving Jesus & putting it all on the line.

Merry Christmas!!

This is How We Christmas Decoration Addition

Yeah how much fun is this! I'm so excited to be the one to get to bless someone with $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Lane. Make sure you link up over @ Lisa's aka The Preachers Wife to play, and show us your Christmas decor.

This year is way different for me. There is no snow to set the decorating atmosphere, and I'm in a house that well let's just say doesn't make you want to decorate. So not all my decor made it out this year (just moved 4 weeks ago).I also am a Pottery Barn junkie and everything needs to be perfect and matching. Not happening. Not yet at least. However, as i pulled ornaments out i realized how much i truly love my Christmas collection. Each piece have memories and this year that is what I need and want the most is memories. This is a strange Christmas having just moved. I know God has us right where he wants us! I'm going to embrace it.

Here is a little taste of how we do Christmas.

I just got this in the mail from my best friend in Michigan :)

We picked this up in disney a few years ago. It's so gaudy but gosh such great memories. Plus it's pink so that's just a great thing!

This is my favorite. It's from our old Senior Pastors wife in Michigan. I got it 3 years ago. She wanted me to know that I was the perfect peace of the puzzle for our team and that we are a piece that fits right in. Miss that lady like crazy!

This is in my kitchen. Usually you can find it decked out with snacks and goodies. Peperment Bark, Oreo Truffles, Buckeyes and on and on and on....

I love my front door!

This reminds me of home in Michigan.

Who doesn't love snow globes ?

We gave the "Hope" ornaments out 2 years ago to our worship team for Christmas. We had just completed our first Christmas Album "Hope Inside". Many memories with this one.

We all have matching Pottery Barn stockings with our names on them. I have them hung on an old antique wooden ladder with some greenery and such inside. I love them!

Thanks for stopping by I can't wait to see all of your displays!

Christmas Parade.

It's parade time in Georgia!

We found out on a last Monday that there was a parade in our new town that we moved to. So we decided on Monday that the parade was a great opportunity to let people know we were going to be coming to the area. So we signed up! The only thing is that the parade was on Sunday. That gave us less than a week to pull everything together. Phew.

We decided to just use our van as our float. On top we put some cut Christmas Trees and some gifts. On each side of the van we put Coming Spring 2010 The Family Room and then we put our website. We jammed out to fun Carols blasting from a sound system in the van.

We printed business card size flyers advertising from them to go check out our website and we would enter them in a chance to win $100 Christmas gift from us to them. We have had a great response! We also walked amongst the people and passed out candy canes. It was a huge hit and we heard from numerous people that no one really does that. We shook hands, said Merry Christmas, and stirred up excitement about The Family Room!

I'm so excited about the things to come. We have a ton of work and we are praying that God will send us our dream team to help!

This is How We Christmas 2009

So excited to be apart of this! You see Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I could breathe in the smells all year long, and the sights are just glorious. I do miss the snow already. Small as it may seem that would be an amazing Christmas miracle for me. So God if you see fit would you please send this girlfriend some snow. Yes, I know the other southern peeps will freak but that's okay they have this yankee to show them how to deal.

Okay on to our traditions :)

If you want to be apart go check out Lisa and link up to her, there are prizes involved.

Some of the fun traditions are baking. LOT'S of it! If you want any of the recipes let me know.

Peppermint Bark

Scoocharoos (sp?)

Buckeye's

Fudge (peanut butter & Choc)

Christmas Cookies

Oreo Truffles

Those are just a few.

We have them laying around all the time and i DO NOT feel guilty about eating it all! I worked hard for it after all. When January comes i work extra hard to just take off the few extra pounds... well at least that's the goal.

We then package up the goodies and on Christmas even we open up our one gift. Those are Christmas Pj's, or seasonal Pj's. Then we pile in the car with our plates of goodies and drive around looking at Christmas lights and then we take turns going up to the door and blessing them with a plate of goodies. After all they blessed us with their lights and decor :)

We usually travel somewhere for Christmas as all our family is out of state, but last year we decided we wanted to wake up in our home on Christmas! WE LOVED IT!

I'm sure we will travel again but for now we will spend Christmas morning in our pj's reading the Christmas story eating a yummy breakfast of homemade sausage biscuits and gravy with fruit and all sorts of other fixings.

This year is a little unique because we do live by family. So we are doing several fun filled things!

Family Christmas Caroling to the local Nursing Homes and our children are making home made Cards.

We are doing a Holiday House Hop. We are starting at each sibling's house and each home will host for an hour before we move on to the next. One place will have breakfast the next will have hot chocolate then next will be a game all the way thru lunch time. This way we get to visit each others fun decorated home and enjoy each other.

Then on Christmas afternoon we will join at my In laws for a late lunch and open up gifts. Then it's on to a movie late on Christmas night.

For Advent we read a book called Adventure of Christmas by Lisa Welchel it contains stories about where the Christms tree originated from and candy canes etc... then we have a small tree that we add special heirloom ornaments that my grandmother gave me. The kids take turns and then we send a picture to her of us in front of it! The ornaments are so ugly but gosh they mean a lot to me!

So good old Santa. As a child I was never really allowed to participate in santa traditions. I know it seems kinda sad but really i wasn't damaged to bad. With our children they know there isn't a santa and actually they have never really showed any desire in going and seeing him. We tried it one year and Lord help me if i will ever stand them in that line again with over zelous mothers who have screaming kids. My kids just laughed and thought it was pointless. They are allowed to watch santa movies we actually think they are quite fun. I hear them playing "Santa" in their rooms and i love that they play pretend! I love how my children give Jesus all the glory in their gifts and how they thank him for blessing my husband and I to be able to bless them.

I am enjoying reading all about your traditions thanks for stopping by! Let me know you were here so i can visit you :)