christmas cards make me smile

I think we may have gotten our last Christmas card today. That kind of makes me sad. I sure do love checking the mail during the month of December. There's just something about real mail that makes me happy!!

Secretly I'm hoping at least one person is late sending their Christmas cards. I would love to get a few more after Christmas. I'm not ready for my mailbox to just be full of bills and junk.

the eve of christmas eve

We celebrated Christmas at Nonnie's house tonight. We started out with a delicious dinner at Babe's!!

After we stuffed ourselves full, we headed back to Nonnie's for gifts. Before we even started passing out gifts, Carson spotted his. He got right on it and started playing with all the buttons. This boy is going to be just like his Daddy. He loves wheels!!

Every gift I got had to do with the kitchen. I told my Mom, "You know you are a real grown up when all of your gifts are for the kitchen, and that's they way you like it!!"

My grandma does a lot of cooking with her pressure cooker. She's even done some cooking for me with her pressure cooker. I've been begging her for one, and I finally got one!! I can't wait to try it out.

Thanks Nonnie for the yummy dinner at Babe's and all of the wonderful gifts. We both loved everything we got!!

We love you, Nonnie!!

ho! ho! ho!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Merry Christmas!!

My cousins are in town from Nashville Tennessee. All four of them came over today!!

Ashton was busy painting.

Cole and Kennedy watched Elf.

And Mackenzie and I made cute little Nutter Butter Santas!!

*Thanks for blogging about these Becky!! We had so much fun making them!!

Here's how we made them....

Nutter Butter Santas

Nutter Butters

Almond Bark

Red Sugar Sprinkles

Mini Chocolate Chips

Red Hots

Marshmallows

Melt the almond bark in a microwave safe bowl. Dip one side of the Nutter Butter in the almond bark. Sprinkle immediately with red sugar sprinkles. Do this to all of the Nutter Butters. Spoon on a teeny tiny bit of almond bark below the hat. Carefully put on 2 mini chocolate chips for the eyes and a red hot for the nose. Once they are all dry dip the other side of the Nutter Butter in the almond bark for the beard. For the top of the hat, cut a marshmallow in half and dip the bottom into the almond bark. Place at the top of the hat and you're done!! Enjoy!!

I'm off to get ready for our first of four Christmas celebrations. Tonight we are doing Christmas with my Mom's side of the family. We are all eating at Babe's for dinner, then going back to my grandma's house for desserts and presents!!

eggs, toast, & bacon with a twist

Eggs in a Basket......Have you ever had them??

My Mom used to make them for me as a kid all the time. I even get them every time I go to Cracker Barrel, (which is not that often) but I've never actually made them myself.

I decided to give it a try last weekend for our Saturday breakfast. They turned out delicious!!

Here's how to make them.

Eggs in a Basket

Cut a hole in the bread. Melt some butter in the bottom of a skillet. Grill the bread for a little bit. Crack an egg into each hole.

Salt and pepper. Cook for a bit. Flip and cook for a bit more. Serve with bacon.

If you need a more detailed recipe, you can go here.

another sweet giveaway

http://kellyskornerreviews.blogspot.com/

http://mckgiveaways.blogspot.com/

http://totallytogetherreviews.blogspot.com/

http://boomama.net/

new recipes

I've tried three new recipes this week. They have all turned out great, so I thought I would share!!

Crescent Chicken

2 cups of chopped boiled chicken

1 cup of shredded cheese

1 can of crescent rolls

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 cup of milk

Put the chicken in a mixing bowl then add the shredded cheese. Open the crescent rolls and separate the dough. Place about a 1/3 cup of the chicken/cheese mixture into each triangle. Pull the dough as best as you can around the chicken/cheese mixture. It doesn't have to be pretty.

Mix the can of cream of chicken and milk with a whisk. Pour over your chicken/dough bundles.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

And enjoy!!

*the 1st & 3rd picture and the recipe came from whatever. (a new blog that I read.)

Lasagna Roll-Ups

1 pound box, lasagna noodles

1/2 pound of italian sausage

2 cups of small curd cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cups bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach

1 egg, beaten

1 (10 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Boil lasagna noodles as directed. Cook spinach in microwave for 3-4 minutes or until thawed. Place thawed spinach in a sieve and using a spoon, press out all of the liquid.

In a medium size bowl, mix spinach, italian sausage, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and egg.

Once noodles are cooked, drain and place in cool water. Place ½ of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a two 9x13 glass baking dish. Take one noodle at a time out of the water and blot off with a towel or paper towel and lay the noodle on a cutting board or flat surface. Cut the noodle in half (so it is half as long). Spread a thin layer of the mixture all over one side of the noodle and starting at one narrow end, roll the noodle and filling mixture up. Repeat with all noodles. Place each noodle roll in the baking dish. I put 1o roll ups in each 9x13 dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the roll ups. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover pan with foil. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until hot.

*recipe from my friend Tammy

Cornbread Taco Casserole

1 lb ground beef

1 can cream corn
1 packet taco seasoning

cornbread mix
2/3 cup salsa

1/2 teaspoon of onion flakes
1 cup water

1 can black beans
1 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix cream corn, cornbread mix and 1/2 cup water in small bowl.
Spread mixture into bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes and then remove.
Cook meat with onion, drain well.
Add 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning and simmer until water is absorbed.
Add salsa and black beans to meat and mix well.
Spoon meat mixture over cornbread evenly. Top with cheese.
Cover and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles.

Enjoy!!

*Recipe from my friend Lauren

**Pictures don't really do justice to this recipe.

my sweet nephew

relaxin' in my snuggie

While I'm out of school for two weeks, I think I'm going to put my new Snuggie to good use!!

I have some other things I'd like to get done over the break, but I think I'll be spending most of my time just relaxing.....in my Snuggie of course!!

meal planning monday

Monday: Lasagna Roll Ups, Caesar Salad, Asparagus, & French Bread

Tuesday: Chicken & Dumplings w/ Flour Tortillas

Wednesday: Babe's w/ my Family

Thursday Lunch: Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas

Thursday Dinner: At My Parents

Christmas Breakfast: Monkey Bread, Breakfast Casserole, & Mimosas

Christmas Lunch: At Matt's Parents

Christmas Dinner: At Matt's Parents

Saturday Breakfast: Cinnamon Rolls

Saturday Lunch: Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Saturday Dinner: Out w/ Matt's friends

Sunday Lunch: Meatball Subs

Sunday Dinner: Enchiladas & Spanish Rice

playing with photoshop

I got Photoshop Elements this summer, but every time I tried to use it I never got anywhere. It's so confusing and not user friendly at all.

I finally sat down yesterday to figure it all out and I just couldn't stop.

I used a free class from Jessica Sprague that I got this summer called "Frame-Ups & Special Effects" to teach me how to do all these special effects!!

Check out all the cool things I learned!!

I also had a really cute 9 picture layout of my nephew, but right as I was finishing it photoshop "unexpectedly shut down". Of course, I hadn't saved my work. I'm going to re-do it and post it tomorrow. And I'll remember to save as I go next time!!

need a good laugh??

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

i think they might make it

Last year I was so on top of things and had my Christmas cards in the mail the day after Thanksgiving.

I was so determined to make my own cards this year. Unfortunately, I got a late start designing them and then I had trouble finding a place to print them for a decent price.

After a little stressing out and thinking the cards might not make it before Christmas, the address labels I won from this giveaway and cards finally came in.

I finally put them in the mail this morning so.......

I think they might make it by Christmas!!

**I'll post a picture of our card later this week. I want them to arrive at our friends and families houses before I share it with the blog world!!

santa clause is coming just came to town

He visited our Christmas party at school today.

The kids were totally surprised. They loved seeing Santa Clause!!

Isn't he a great looking Santa?? He is the grandpa of 2 of our students at our school. He comes to our Christmas parties every year!! We just love our Santa!!

photoshop giveaway

Head on over to MckMama's blog for a chance to win Lightroom.

Then head over to Grammie Dairies blog for a chance to win Elements.

1 more day....

Today was pajama day at our school.

Tomorrow is jean day & party day and my last day to work in 2009!!!

Yahoo!!

1 more day....

crayon cupcakes

I made these last night as part of my gift to my students for Christmas.

Crayon Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees & spray a muffin tin pan with Pam.

Break up crayons into small pieces and put them in the muffin tin.

Bake for 8 minutes. Stir each cup with a toothpick, then put back into the over for 2 more minutes.

Let them cool for an 30-45 minutes.

Dump them out of the muffin and.....

Crayon Cupcakes!!

gingerbread playdough

1 c. flour

1/2 c. salt

1 c. water

1 T. oil

2 tsp. cream of tartar

cinnamon

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar in a heavy saucepan. Combine water and oil and slowly pour into flour mixture. Stir constantly and cook over a medium heat. Pour in cinnamon until the playdough turns the shade of brown that you want. Cook and stir until it forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Turn out onto wax paper. After it cools a little, keep in a Ziploc bag.

My kids at school love this playdough. I have to constantly remind that although it smells really yummy, you can't eat it!!

ouch

I had to get a tetanus shot today.

I hate shots.

My arm is not feeling so hot right now.

I don't plan on stepping on a rusty old nail any time soon, so why did I have to get a shot that makes my arm feel like it's going to fall off again???

Oh and on top of that......I have an ear infection.

My body is seriously breaking down on me.

so much for that....

Remember a couple weeks ago when I blogged about having a December Resolution??

Well.....so much for that.

I went to the doctor last Monday and I found out that I have patellar tendonitis. (also known as "jumpers knee or runners knee") The doc told me I can't do any cardio or lower body workouts for 2 weeks.

Looks like I won't be doing the 30 day Shred every day for the month of December. I'm still trying to eat better, but I sure do miss working out with Jillian.

I'm hoping next Monday I'll be back to working out like normal!!

meal planning monday

Monday: Chuy's w/ the Kindergarten Team

Tuesday: Chicken Tortelinni w/ Alfredo Sauce, Broccoli, & French Bread

Wednesday: Cresent Chicken

Thursday: Cornbread Taco Casserole & Salad

Friday: BJ's with The Hares & Zellners

Saturday Breakfast: Eggs in a Nest & Bacon

Saturday Lunch: Pei Wei w/ my family

Saturday Dinner: Tamales, leftover cornbread taco casserole, & queso

Sunday Lunch: Crostini's & Chicken Noodle Soup

Sunday Dinner: Orange Chicken & Egg Rolls