The End.

Put on your party bras, girls, it's the very last day of this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year!  2011 is just hours away from being Over with a capital O and I could not be more excited to see 2012 on the horizon.

Even though the world might end.

And even though both Michelle Bachman and Rick Perry have the prospect of being elected president before the year runs out.

And, oh snap, even though we have an entire eleven months worth of political ads to look forward to.

Poop.  Maybe I'm not so excited to see 2012 on the horizon.

Since it's a new year and all that means it's time for *drum roll* resolutions and goals.  Here are mine:

1) Lose the holiday pounds.  Blah, blah.  Same every year.  I have been eating like an asshole for a week now and refuse - refuse! - to step on a scale until I have a week of Slimfast and rice cakes under my belt.  So I'm not exactly sure how much I have to lose but I'm thinking more than five, less than ten.  Except I may go ahead and lose another five beyond that since I go to New Orleans in SIX WEEKS and plan to eat my way through the French Quarter.

2) Decorate my house.  I mean, I've only lived here since 2009.  I've only been waiting on the walls to be painted since right around the time Karis - who was born in April of 2010 - was born.  It's time to embrace the baby poop yellow of the walls and just decorate.

3) Organize.  Blah, blah.  I think the resolve to do this each year lasts until about January 4th.  So we'll see.

4) I want 2012 to be the last year I buy diapers.  Ever.  I realize this depends more on  Karis than me but I'm determined.  Since she's no longer a newborn we go through a box of diapers about one every three weeks.  This is 17 boxes in a year at a cost of $20 a pop.  Which is almost $350 I could be spending on something else.  Like a plane ticket to Vegas. 

5) Make my husband clean out the garage.  "The garage" has been a resolution since 2009.  Yes, even before we actually moved to Memphis.  We have a history with garages.

6) Do at least two craft projects a month.

7) Project 366.  I've done it for the past two years.  I can do it again.  This year I'm also going to add this element to it.  (Sorta). 

Happy 2012!  I'll leave you with my favorite P365 pics from the year:

New BFF

So my husband cannot keep a secret for shit.  He does this thing:

"You're going to LOVE your Christmas present.  Wanna know what it is?"

Hi.  You've been married to me for going on four years now.  YOU KNOW I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.  I'm the girl who used to unwrap and then rewrap gifts.  I could give seminars on snooping.  And you're going to ask me if I want to know what you got me?  Duh.

I found out Tuesday or Wednesday of last week that he got me . . .

*Drumroll Please*

HE GOT ME SIRI!

*Squeee*

It wasn't a complete surprise seeing as we'd discussed it a few weeks before.  But it was.still.awesome.

Prior to Sunday morning, I had a Droid.  I loved that phone but I'm not going to lie -- this iPhone totally kicks the Droids ass.  Not only that, but he bought the LifeProof case for it.  This takes the phone from merely bad ass to Chuck Norris.  When he said those magical words, "waterproof" my first response was "I can text in the shower!"  I was joking but turns out it is a possibillity -- at least according to Youtube videos -- but I'm still too chicken to get it too close to water.

Of course, the second app I downloaded (after Facebook) was Instagram.  Do you know how hard it is to be a Droid user in an Instagram world?  Well, I'll tell ya -- it sucks.  So now that I have the power of Instagram I've been taking pictures of the most mudane things ever.

And, of course, tons of pictures of my little people.

If you Instagram and you're interested in pictures of my the mundane (or my children) feel free to follow me.

I've also been getting acquainted with my new girlfriend, Siri.  I've told her I loved her, asked her to talk dirty to me, and inquired as to who her daddy is.  We're getting along famously. 

I'm still trying to learn this phone and navigate my way through it and find the best apps.  But as of right now?  Less than a week into our relationship?  Crazy in love.  This is the first Apple product I've ever owned (I've never even had an iPod!) and, yeah, I'm not going to turn into one of those "I will ONLY use a Mac" assholes but I really am loving this phone.  And for all you iPhone devotees out there who are not tardy to the party and have had one for more than five minutes, can you share with me your favorite apps? 

Thursday Things

1) My blog is in the process of undergoing a makeover.  I was tired of the old look and wanted something more clean and simple.  Well, it's definitely simple right now!  The header is temporary until I can come up with something I like.  It works for now.

2) I was so tired from the weekend on Monday.  And my house was a Disaster.  So instead of hitting the after Christmas sales I decided to be lazy.  Only being lazy turned into getting the house back in order (somewhat).  In other words, I wasted a day where I could have been shopping and spent it cleaning.  WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?  I went to Walmart and Hobby Lobby on Tuesday and everything was picked over.  I did get some things like wrapping paper and gift boxes at Walmart.  I found some cute decorations at Hobby Lobby -- only spent $26 since they had all their Christmas 66% off.  Score!  Just wish I'd gone on Monday when I could've gotten a lot, a lot more bang for the buck.

3) Eddie is back working nights sometimes.  (He had been on a special assignment [which sounds a lot more cool and mysterious than it actually was] and had only worked two or three nights since July).  Karis is NOT LIKING the fact that he's here during the day . . . sleeping and therefore not playing with her.  It's become a full time job trying to keep her from busting in the bedroom and yelling, "Wake!  Daddy!  WAKE!"

4) What are your plans for New Years?  I'll have a working husband and a house full of kids.  Aren't you jealous?  Storme is coming to town.  We're going to wine to drown out their whines.  Chuck the dueces to 2011 when midnight rolls around and celebrate the beginning of a year that has to be better than the previous.  Also, there will be a lot of eating.  And did I mention wine?

5) I ordered prints from Snapfish a couple weeks before Christmas.  They were shipped on the 17th and when they still hadn't arrived as of Tuesday I sent an email to customer service.  They gave me a full refund and are re-shipping the prints.  SCORE!  Gotta love that kind of customer service.

6) I had an idea during our Holiday Baking and Making Day last week.  (Why does it feel like it was weeks and weeks ago and not just seven days?)  I made up a batch of brownies (from scratch!) then mixed up some peppermint bark and spread it on top of them.  It was pretty good!  Jaidan absolutely loved them.  I think he's the one who ate a majority of them.

Speaking of Baking and Making Day, here's a look at all the goodies we made:

We did sugar cookies, peppermint bark brownies, Christmas crack (that didn't turn out so great), Hello Dolly bars, two kinds of fudge, peppermint bark, chocolate covered Christmas crackers, cake balls . . . I don't remember what else.  Yes, it was way overboard.  Way.

7) Santa brought one big for all the kids.  And by all the kids I mean even the one who's in his 40's . . .

By the way, it's no longer in the living room.  Right now it is . . .wait for it . . . RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FRONT DOOR.  We're waiting to move it upstairs to the toy room but in order for it to fit in there we have to take the couch out.  Fun times.  Maybe it'll be upstairs by, say, Labor Day . . .

8) I'm trying to have a more positive attitude about the month of January this year.  It's not going to suck.  It's not going to be bitterly cold.  It will NOT snow.    Think it'll work?  We'll see.  January is pretty much all that stands in the way of me and New Orleans.  I leave six weeks from tomorrow!  Oh, January, please speed it right on along.

9) Made these as part of dinner last night.  I had made them before but honestly forgot just how delish they are.  I use provolone instead of swiss cheese.  But, mmmm, yumm-may. 

10) Irony: after busting my ass for about six weeks at the first of 2011 and losing 10-15 pounds, I am once again RIGHT BACK WHERE I STARTED.  I don't want to lose as much weight as I did but I do need/ want to knock off about five or so pounds before I go to New Orleans.  So January 2nd it'll be back on the wagon.  Boo.

Tradition

For as long as I can remember, my family has had one very special Christmas tradition.  After the presents were all opened and the living room was littered with wrapping paper, we took a package bow and stuck it to PawPaw's head. 

PawPaw was not there to celebrate Christmas with us this year.  I know that the bow was on all of our minds and I'm so thankful for my Uncle Tom thought of an amazing way for us to carry on our tradition.  We went to the cemetary Christmas afternoon.  And we took a bow with us.

PawPaw's stone is not in yet so we took the bow and placed it on his grave marker.

Then Storme made us all laugh.  And we were sad but we knew PawPaw wouldn't want any tears or blubbering or carrying on.

It's sad that this has to be our tradition now, there's no doubt about that.  But I'm glad we still have some sort of tradition with the bow.  I like to think it made that Small Town Southern Man smile and I hope it's something we really do continue every year on out. 

The Magic

I was laying in bed Christmas night, all cuddled up with my laptop, some reheated potato casserole, and a Coke Zero, watching the same holiday episodes of Friends Nick at Nite had been showing for two weeks.  And it hit me.  The post-Christmas let down.  All the planning and shopping, the cooking and baking, the anticipation.  Gone.  Over.  366 days to go.

I am full aware that we are in the thick of the best days when it comes to Christmas with our kids.  We have a five-year-old, a three-year-old, and a one-year-old (and, of course, the eleven-year-old but she ceases to count as much in the "magic" factor due to asking for only clothes and money when it came to making her Christmas list).  Our children believe easily.  Christmas is full of magic and wonder.  I love it but I also know these days are fleeting.  Jaidan will start kindergarten next August and there's a good chance some playground punk will spill the beans about Santa.  This could be the last year all my children believe in Santa.  That makes me want to cry!

It seems like just yesterday that I went to bed on Christmas Eve night after sitting out gifts for a two month old's very first visit from Santa.  Now that two month old is five.  And a big brother.  Two times over.  I'm sure this, the now - the magic and the believing - will go by just as fast.  I'm probably going to wake up tomorrow as the mother of teenagers who demand gift cards or money because they claim there's no way I, in all my middle age-ness, can pick out jeans or boots or whatever that fit their tastes. 

But this Christmas . . . this Christmas, we had our little people who believe easily and will scurry to bed at the very thought that Mom and Dad might see Rudolph's blinking red nose outside.  This Christmas was magical and just about close to perfect.  Even though I never did get to make it to end of Twas the Night Before Christmas because a certain husband had too much wine with Christmas Eve dinner and kept adding fifth grade level commedic relief to the story (think snoring during long winter's nap).

We celebrated with three separate gift orgies this year.  Christmas Eve was Gigi's turn.  We cooked dinner for at least thirty which was crazy seeing as there were all of eight of us there!  Eddie fried a turkey and he's still talking about that damm bird.  We go through this every single Christmas.  I'll give him this one though -- that turkey was, for lack of a better phrase, the shit.

We did dinner and gifts.  Cars, clothes, shopping carts, baby dolls.  But, hands down, the most popular gift was the football uniforms the boys got.  Karis kept putting one of the helmets on and whenever we tried to take it off she yelled at us.  "Hey!"  She may have been cuddling baby dolls but she was doing it with a football helmet on . . .

Gift Orgy #2 began Christmas morning.  6:30.

Confession: I couldn't sleep Christmas Eve night.  It was after midnight before I was finally able to settle down and drift off.  Then I was up by 4:30.  I WAS SO EXCITED! 

Santa did some spoiling this year.  But we've kind of come to expect it -- the jolly guy has grown to be pretty predictable.  Being three this Christmas, Kyan's expressions were absolutely precious and priceless.  Everything he opened was greeted with a gasp of surprise and a squeal of joy.  And his snuggie even earned an "I Gotta Snuggie" dance.  Gawd.  I love three year olds.

The "big" and final gift for the older three we made them all unwrap at the same time:

Tablets!

Holy excited kids!

We didn't have to be at my grandma's until 3:00 that afternoon so we were able to spend a good chunk of the morning just playing.  Or doing things like this:



Every year before Christmas I daydream about spending the day in our pajamas just lounging around the house.  Playing with new toys and eating leftovers and not caring that wrapping paper is strewn all over the house.  But you know what?  There's no way I would miss spending the day with my family at my grandmother's house.  It's about 5-6 hours round trip and we only spend about three hours there.  But?  Worth it. 

Especially since this year it was warm enough for the kids to run and play out in the fields.

The kids played with their cousins, Storme and I ate on the back porch like we did when we were kids, we took a trip to the cemetary to spend part of the holiday with PawPaw, and then it was Presents: Round I Lost Count.

The kids, once again, made out when it came to gifts.  Kyan's Buzz Lightyear was easily the most popular toy.  My favorites?  A tie.  I love Karis's little Razorback cheerleader outfit.  But I'm also a huge fan - HUGE fan - of the little toy puppy dog MawMaw got her.  It barks and walks and pants and even whines.  BUT IT DOES NOT POOP OR HAVE TO BE FED.  It's pretty much the perfect pet.  And even if she's scared of it (great big WTF? moment as that kid loves dogs), I'm a fan.

And that was our Christmas.  It was great and it was magical and I couldn't imagine it being anymore perfect!

Thursday Things

1) It's Baking and Making Day!  The kiddos and I are getting into the kitchen and making all manner of holiday goodies and treats.  We're gifting a few of them to the neighbors.  And the rest?  We're going to inhale.  Oh come to Mama.

Did you know Nestle, apparently, no longer makes the pre-cut sugar cookies?  Bitches.  Last night I mixed up a batch of sugar cookie dough.  Now I'm just trying to decide if it's worth the head ache to let the kids roll them out, cut out shapes, and decorate them.  Hold me.

2) I got my first Christmas gift in the mail on Monday!

My girlfriends and I did Secret Santa and this was my gift from my girl Michelle.  She knows me all too well!

3) I understand that I'm probably supposed to be offended by this but I'm not.  And I found it friggin' HILLARIOUS.

People!  Pat Robertson!  It's not making fun of Jesus.  It's making fun of Tebow!  And it's pretty darn funny.  At about 2:12 is where I laughed the hardest.  Oh, and the part about Tom Brady being God's nephew.  And "Dad Bless Him."  Ha!  It's just a funny skit.

Oh, and on the Tebow vein: I just wanted to throw out that most of us who can't stand him?  Those of who are SEC football fans and have had him shoved done our throats since he was Tebowing at Florida?  His religion has nothing to do with why we don't like him!  We don't like him because he has been shoved down our throats since he was Tebowing in Florida!  Seriously, peeps.  My friend Lesley said something a few weeks ago about making a drinking game out of taking a shot every time a sportscaster says "Tebow."  You'd be drunk by the end of the first quarter!  No matter if you were watching the Broncos or not!

Also, we pretty much can't stand him because of you bandwagon jumpers who've decided you big puffy heart him just because of his faith. Two things: 1) He's not the only Christian to play professional sports nor is he the only one to give thanks to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the end of every game and 2) What're ya'll going to do when he's caught in the backseat of a car with a hooker and a straw up his nose? 

4) My computer got a makeover the other day!

Eddie and I have the exact same laptop.  His was black; mine was blue.  Karis cracked the cover on his.  I wanted a red cover so he took my blue one and put this red one on mine.  Then I told him that my computer, phone, and camera were all "Razorback red" and he rolled his eyes.

He's no fun.

He also likes Tim Tebow.  We may need to seek marital counseling.

5) This was on a cough drop wrapper from the other day:

Really?  Halls is now giving out "a pep talk in every drop?"

6) This poor ornament is pretty much representative of my entire tree right now:

7) Storme has been in town the past couple of nights.  She and I went to On the Border then did a little bit of shopping on Tuesday night. 

OTB is quickly becoming our place.  The margaritas are strong, the staff is friendly and, of course, the food is delish.

That was Tuesday night.  Last night we had a Wrapping Party on my living room floor.  We also invited our friends Smirnoff and Christmas Vacation.  I think, when Storme originally decided to bring all our stuff to Memphis for help with the wrapping, she thought she'd be getting someone who could do perfect corners and not waste a single inch of paper.  Ha!  Shoulda gone to my mom's house for that.  No.  Half her presents look like a five-year-old wrapped them.  Oh, who am I kidding?  She can't wrap either -- ALL of her presents look like a five-year-old wrapped them.

8) My kids put together their gingerbread house yesterday.

When I say the kids did it, I mean the kids did it!  It was completely kid constructed.

Then one kid tried to destruct it.

She had been coloring at the kitchen table.  Or so I thought.  I walked in and realized she'd pulled her baby stroller over to the counter and used it to climb up.  She was shoveling frosting and candy in her mouth when I caught her.

9) Jaidan is so totally into Christmas this year.  More than ever before.  He is like a miniature Buddy the Elf.  It's cute and I love it but, at the same time, I don't think I'm going to miss the "OHMYGOSHTHREEMOREDAYS!" gushing we have all day every day.

10) I'm giving away some digital scrapbooking software!  Check it out here and leave a comment to enter the giveaway.

My Gift to You: A Giveaway

This blog started out as a digital scrapbooking blog (which is why it's named These are the Moments -- after the chorus of the Edwin McCain song I Could Not Ask for More -- and not something like They Whine so I Wine or Instant Mom!  Just Add Vodka!).   But, yes, once upon a time it was a scrapbooking blog.  Then Karis came along and my Kid Count went up to three (sometimes four) and my "me time" became non-existent and it seemed more important to shower than to sit down at the computer, pull up Photoshop and start preserving our memories.

I was recently given a copy of My Memories scrapbooking software to try out.  And *gasp* I created a scrapbook page!  For the first time in nearly two years!

Cute, huh?



The scrapbook software comes loaded with tons - tons - of premade templates.  Even premade albums!  These pages right here?  They were made using the templates in a premade album.  It was literally just click-and-add.  So easy and pretty quick too! I did two pages while my kids were watching Super Why on Monday and two more while they watched on Tuesday:

{All above pages were created using the Connie Prince kit "North Pole Express"}

Here's what's cool about the MyMemories scrapbook software:

• It is VERY easy to use.  Very.  Using one of the premade templates, even the most novice of scrapbookers could sit down and crank out a page in a very short amount of time.  It's that easy!
• The software comes preloaded with lots of kits, papers, elements, you name it. 
• You can create so much more than just scrapbook pages.  Calendars, cards, videos!  I love that the program has an option to add sounds and videos to what you make.
• It's cheaper than Photoshop.  And dude.  We're all about the cheaper.

Here's what I didn't exactly love about the program:

• It's not Photoshop.  You can't go in expecting Photoshop.  There are definitely some comparisons -- some great comparisons.  But it has limitations.  However.  It's also much more user friendly than Photoshop.
• Ummm . . . uhhhh . . . that's it!

All in all, I'm a fan of My Memories.  Like I said, it's not Photoshop.  I haven't been able to figure out a way to, like, make a ribbon wrap through words or anything like that because there's no eraser tool.  But this program is perfect for simple and fast scrapbooking.  I LOVE that it has so many premade templates.  And I think it's possibly the best program for a beginning scrapbooker or someone who doesn't have a great deal of time to scrapbook.

Wanna win your very own My Memories software ($40 value)?  You know you do!  It's Christmas.  We can think of it as my gift to you.  Right?

Here's what I need you to do:

Visit the My Memories website and have a look around.  Come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite digital scrapbooking kit.  They have some fabulous designers so that may not be as easy as it sounds!  Also, make sure you're a follower of this blog!  Please either leave your email address or make sure you're email is linked to your blogger profile so that I can contact if you win.

For extra entries you may:

• Follow the My Memories blog
• Like My Memories on Facebook (when I liked their page, I recieved a $5 off promo code to use in the store.  WOO HOO).
• Follow My Memories on Twitter

Please leave an additional comment for each of the extra entries.  The giveaway ends at 9:00 p.m. central time January 2nd, 2012.  Winner will be selected using random.org.

Annnnnd . . . if you don't want to wait until January 2nd and feel like you have to get your hands on this software rightthisminute, I have another little gift for you!  Use the code STMMMS29798 and you'll get $10 off your purchase of the My Memories Suite software!  Awesome!

Disclosure: I was gifted the My Memories Suite software in exchange for my opinion and this post.  All opinions are mine and mine alone.

It Happened This Week

So this morning I turned on Super Why to babysit my kids and then changed my Facebook profile to the new "timeline" feature.

Oh my gawww.

I love it.  I realize that makes me sound super lame to talk about loving a social media feature.  But, ya'll, I do!  It was so neat to look back at, say, when I found out Karis was a girl back in late 2009 and read all the comments on my post.  Totally got sucked in.  My whole life, the past few years, is right THERE.  On Facebook!  Technology, ya'll . . .

Anyway.  Last nigiht, we had plans to take the kids to Starry Nights.  It's a big light show and, even though this is our third Christmas here, we've yet to view it.  Last night I realized why.  Cars were backed up for miles.  Miles.  Like, I have a feeling it would have taken a good two hours just to get into the park.  Voluntarily sitting in a traffic jam just so we could pay $20 for our children to experience the magic of Christmas?  No thanks. 

Instead we headed over to check out a house that's been on the news a few times lately.  I know these things -- lights set to music -- are becoming pretty popular.  But it's still pretty magical, no?  We even got the Big Grinch of the family to smile and think it was really cool.  The kiddos were mesmerized (well two of them were -- one was sleeping and the big one is an eleven year old girl. 'Nuff said).  It was awesome.  And free! 

It also reminded me of when I was a kid, in Arkansas, and a man named Jennings Osborne was sued by his neighbors because his display of one million Christmas lights caused traffic congestion in the neighborhood.  He responded by, like, tripling the number of lights.  It was eventually shut down (freaking Arkansas scrooges) and now the family funds a light display at Disney.  Good for them. 

Our week:

Sunday 12/11:

Monday 12/12:



Tuesday 12/13:

Wednesday 12/14:

Thursday 12/15:

Friday 12/16:

Saturday 12/17:

And, I don't have the pictures ready to go, but here's what we did for our 25 Days of Christmas activities this week:

Sunday we made reindeer hats and watched The Flight Before Christmas.

Monday we made paper plate/ handprint Santa Clauses

Tuesday we made Chocolate Covered Christmas Cookies
Wednesday we read Gingerbread Baby and made gingerbread men (cookies and construction paper)

Thursday we watched a video message from Santa and went to visit Santa

Friday we we talked about the true meaning of Christmas and made a Baby Jesus craft
Saturday we talked more about the true meaning of Christmas, made an angel craft, and looked at lights

So Very Pinteresting

One week till Christmas Eve!

The kids are excited.  I'm excited.  And a little bummed.  Because once it's over and once the after Christmas sales are over and New Years Eve has come and gone, we're onto the worst part of the whole entire year.  I hate the month of January.  I used to hate February more but now at least I have my trip to New Orleans to look forward to.  But we're still two weeks away and I'm already dreading January.

Notsomuch dreading the fun of watching Eddie put together an arcade style basketball thingamajig on Christmas Eve night.  Our brother-in-law told us it took him the better part of a day to put one together.  So I'm assuming this could get pretty interesting.  I'll have a bottle of wine on hand, all the left over food from previously in the day, and the camcorder on my phone ready to go . . .

Here's a look at some of the Pinterest activities we did this week.

Yummies:

Root Beer Pulled Pork - So the root beer in this works as a tenderizer.  You drain it all out before adding your barbecue sauce.  Honestly, it tasted just like any other pulled pork recipe.  I didn't notice it as being any more or less tender.  And since it cost less to buy a 20-liter of root beer, I have more than half a bottle left over.  Because my kids are weird and don't like it and I've only had two (small) glasses because if I drink my calories then there better be some kind of alcohol involved . . .

Kid Food:

Pepperoni and Mozerella Crescent Rolls - Zhariah and I have a standing theory that anything rolled in a crescent roll tastes good.  This is just a mozerella cheese stick and a few pepperonies rolled up in a crescent roll.  They were really good!  I only had a few bites but Zhariah absolutely loved them (true test) and the other kids liked them as well.  I served with a side of marinara so they could dip.

Kiddie Christmas:

Handprint Santa that I can no longer find the pin for.  I swear I pinned it though!

Santa's Stuck

(If Santa got stuck in my chimney I would . . .

Use a rope to lasso him out then make him go through the door)

Baby Jesus crafts

Zhariah also made these ornaments and today will be putting the finishing touches on these.  (I don't have pictures of either though).

Let it be Christmas: Baking Edition

First things first . . . obligatory Santa photos were taken last night.

Did you know Bass Pro Shop does free Santa photos?  We've gone there three years now.  The background is a little "Country Boy Can Survive" but it works for a FREE photo.  And since we only do the photos for us and not to hand out to anyone (for some reason I don't think our family and friends are too much about a picture of our children with some fat, judgemental bastard [yeah, stole that one from something I found on Pinterest]) it just makes sense to head to BPS and save the roughly $92 you pay for one pic at the mall.

Nobody screamed or cried or freaked out in anyway.  Which was cool but made me feel like I've been cheated out of That Moment in parenting.  We've yet to have a major freak out involving Santa (just a small one the year Jaidan was two).  So no hillarious Santa pics to pull out in years to come.  Next year Karis will be going on three so we're probably over the freak out years.  Just not going to happen for us.  *Tear*

Now, on with the meat (or, uh, the cookie) of the post!

I'm a parent so, obviously, my favorite thing about Christmas is the joy and awe and blah blah of my children.  But my second favorite thing about Christmas?

THE FOOD.

Show of hands on who's surprised.  No one?  Huh.

One day next week, all four kids and I are getting in the kitchen.  We're going to roll up our sleeves, pull out all the ingredients, and get busy.  I thought I'd share the recipes (or links to the recipes) for everything we'll be making and baking.

Chocolate Covered Christmas Crackers
Named by Jaidan
These are just chocolate coated peanut butter Ritz crackers.  Make a peanut butter cracker.  Dip it in chocolate and let it set.  This has always been one of my favorites!

You can also let the kids attack them with sugar crystals but that's definitely up to you . . .
 We also tried a Paula Deen by doing chocolate covered potato chips -- not a fan
The other little brown things are "reindeer poop"  (aka chocolate covered marshmallows)

Peppermint Bark
Melt one package of white chocolate almond bark.  Crush two boxes of candy canes.  Mix candy canes with white chocolate.  Pour onto cookie sheet and let set then break into pieces.  So easy and so good!

Fudge
Courtesy of the back of my jar of marshmallow creme
You need:
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 pkgs Baker's chocolate, chopped (12 squares)
2 jars marshmallow creme (I lie.  You only need one jar for the fudge.  But it's good to have another jar around to stick your finger in.  Mmmm).
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together sugar, butter, and milk over the stove.  Bring to boil and allow to boil 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate, marshmallow creme, and vanilla.  Stir until melted..  Pour into well greased pan (I usually line a pan with wax paper or aluminum foil).  Allow to cool and set.

This is on the back of every jar of Kraft Jet Puff marshmallow creme.  It's called Fantasy Fudge and, believe me, it is the stuff fantasies are made of.  I.love.it.  Best fudge ever.

Sugar Cookies
Disclaimer: Given (a) the age of my children and (b) my level of patience, we will be doing the PRE-CUT CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES this year.  You know, the kind that come with the tiniest packet of red icing that Kyan squeezes onto precisely three cookies?  Yeah, those.  But this is my favorite if-we-were-doing-them-from-scratch sugar cookie recipe.
Need:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
* Yeah, these are SO TOTALLY healthy*
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour

Do:

Mix together sugars, butter, oil, and salt.  Add in the eggs and dry ingredients.  You can cook them now orrrrrr . . . you can chill the dough just a bit, then bust out some more flour, roll them out, and cut them into shapes.  Fun.  But make sure to add "tons of patience" to your ingredient list.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Cool and frost.  Leave for Santa.  (And, in our house, he request a Coke Zero with those cookies rather than a glass of milk.  Lactose intolerance).

Andes Mint Brownie Sandwiches

Just too easy!

All you need for this is a brownie mix (or your favorite brownie recipe) and a package of Andies mints.  Mix the brownies according to box directions.  Spread VERY THIN onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake according to directions.  (Since they're thin,  they'll probably not take as long to bake so be sure to watch them closely!)  Slice into rectangles roughly the size of Andes mints.  Top half the brownies with a mint and them put the remaining half the brownies on top.  Makes a little sandwich that is soooooOOOooo good.

We're also planning to make:

Peanut butter fudge - We made a batch of this last week.  It's good stuff.  It's also the first peanut butter fudge I've made ever that's actually set!

Christmas Crack
Ranch Oyster Crackers
Cake Balls

And just because it's the season of giving and I feel like being nice, I'll pass on a few more favorite holiday recipes that we've loved in the past.

Pecan Clusters - these are so good!  But pecans are horribly expensive this year.
Tuxedo Cookies

Brownie Covered Oreos
Cayenne Pretzels
Paula Deen's gingerbread cookies - I cheated and bought a roll of gingerbread dough this year.  But these are good!

Now.  Eat all that and then join back with me on January 1st for a course in Diabetes 101!