Featured!

I was featured on another blog today. For reasons I feel like you'll appreciate when you click over. Here's a sneak peek:

Read more from the blog post: Double Duty.

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

Halloween has come and gone, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if you're planning on sending out Christmas cards, it's time to start thinking about it! This year, like last year, Shutterfly is hoping to make the Christmas card process easier on us!

Photo cards are my favorites, and here are a few of Shutterfly's designs that I just love:

Flat Photo Card - Merry & Bright

Holiday Cards - Holly Jolly

Christmas Cards - Big Cheers

Shutterfly's site is really user-friendly, and you have the ability to personalize your cards however you'd like! My mother-in-law ordered her cards from Shutterfly last year, and they turned out really beautifully.

I think sending real, paper Christmas Cards is one of the best parts of the season. I love it when cards from friends and family members start showing up in my mailbox. And Shutterfly makes the process so easy, even if you're crazy busy like we are, you have time to send out beautiful cards to commemorate the year.

So, excuses are now out the window, head over to Shutterfly.com to get started on your 2011 Christmas cards!

{I received a code for 25 free cards from Shutterfly in exchange for this post. The opinions expressed are my own. Are you a blogger? Want free cards, too? Sign up here through November 11th!}

Cozied Up

{our cat, Chesney, loves a good fire!}

I've been taking a bit of an unintentional break around here. It's been COLD in my neck of the woods, and snowier than I can remember. Today's high is a balmy 46 degrees, and as such, I've finally left my "big heavy coat" at home for a day.

{via my momma. this is her back deck!}

So, I've spent the first part of this year cozied up. I've been working, of course, but when I haven't been at work, you're pretty much guaranteed to find me wrapped up under my husband's new quilt, watching the West Wing.

{my momma is one talented lady! she made this quilt for hubs for Christmas}

Hubs got the complete West Wing series for Christmas. We've made our way through two full seasons and are a handful of episodes into season 3. It's safe to say I've developed a new obsession!

{i love you, i love you, i love you!!!}

How have the first few weeks of 2011 treated you? Do you have any new obsessions after opening your gifts?

Merry & Bright

I hope your Christmas weekend was beautiful and filled with your favorite things! I don't know how many hundreds of pictures I took amongst our 5 Christmases (yes--FIVE!). We had such a wonderful weekend filled with family and food!

While I drag my feet in getting my pictures uploaded to my computer, enjoy one of my mom's pictures of this sweet girl's First Christmas!

How was your Christmas?

Prepare Him Room

As I sit to write this, I'm not sure where I'll end up. I just feel a tug to write, so write I will.

Last night, my husband and both of our families gathered at his parents' house for a little Christmas celebration. We ate chili, had a tacky gift exchange (all gifts were provided by his mother--she always has an eye out for a tacky prize, and we were NOT disappointed last night!), we sat in front of the tree and we sang Christmas carols.

It was lovely.

As we were singing "Away in a Manger" I made an effort to listen to the words I was singing. I've sung that song for the better part of 25 years. I remember a wall-hanging from my grandmother's house that had the music to this old Christmas hymn on it—after I learned to read, I loved to just stare at the wall-hanging and read the words to the song.

But last night, something in this song struck me anew.

Let every heart prepare Him room.

Let every heart make room for Him.

Let every heart become home for Him.

Let every heart become a place for Him to dwell.

This weekend, Julie came to stay with us. We have a 2-bedroom apartment, so the room for her to stay in was THERE--but it wasn't prepared. We use the closet in that room to hold all of our Christmas decorations, so as the decorations come out of the boxes, the boxes tend to end up all over the floor in there. The room was not ready for her to dwell there.

So we prepared her room in our home. We put boxes back in the closet. We straightened desks and shelves. We washed sheets, vacuumed, dusted, made the bed. We washed the towels and scrubbed the sink and tub in the guest bathroom. We prepared her room.

In the church calendar, the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas (counted as the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas) are called Advent—meaning "coming." So, during this time, Christians are to prepare for Christ's coming.

Most of us (myself certainly included) spend the days leading up to Christmas preparing for someone's coming: Friends, family members, loved ones of every sort. We prepare by shopping, wrapping, baking, cleaning.

But for me, I find that I often fail at the task of preparing Him room in my heart—of preparing for His coming. I clutter my heart with ribbon, boxes, packages and—I'm feeling it a bit today—stress. I have left no space in my heart for the King to dwell. I have failed to prepare Him room. Instead I have filled His room with junk.

And while I have several things on my to-do list for the rest of the week, at the top of my list will be to prepare Him room. To take the time to think, reflect, read, and allow my heart to become home for the tiny child who was born just for me. He was born just for you.

And my wish this Christmas? That every heart would prepare Him room.

We don't have to be perfect for His coming. We just have to be willing to receive Him. That is my prayer this Christmas.

Weekend Recap Preview

Ohmygoodness

Christmas

Is

In

Five

Days!

(just had to get that out of the way!)

This weekend I spent a lovely time with Julie as a house guest, and got to meet Kate in person! Julie has posted a full recap on Brown Eyed Belle.

I have yet to transfer my pictures from camera to computer, but I hope to have my own full recap up soon.

Until then: Bloggers unite!

{Lovingly borrowed from Julie. Photo snapped by my sweet husband!}

The Fourteenth Day of Christmas

Day 14: Oprah's Favorite Things: What item(s) would you want if you were in the audience?

Oprah gave away quite the collection of loot this year. Here's what I want most out of her "Ultimate Favorite Things" list:

{all photos from Oprah.com}

(and yes, I'd totally wear the sparkly Uggs!)

Why did I leave off the Volkswagen Beetle? 

Simple. 

I'd rather have this: 

{Honda Crosstour}

What did you love on Oprah's list? What would you replace?

The Thirteenth(?) Day of Christmas

Day 13: Favorite Cookie Recipe

There are only supposed to be 12 days of Christmas, but Aly & Molly were having too much fun to stop at just 12! Also, I skipped Day 11. I'll come back to it. I just have to take pictures of my decorations before I can show them to you!

So, onto a cookie recipe! I'll be honest, Summer B posted these a couple of days ago and I can't get them out of my head! I don't necessarily have a "go-to" cookie recipe, and technically these are "truffles" not "cookies," but I'm going with it! We had these all.the.time. in college. And my mom made a ton of them to serve at my wedding. They are YUMM-O!

O Balls

(as we referred to them in college. Make them and you'll know what the "O" stands for...)

Better known as Oreo Truffles

{lovingly borrowed from Summer B. }

1 package Oreos
1 8-oz block cream cheese
Almond bark and/or baker's chocolate
Red/green sprinkles (optional)

• Mix Oreos and cream cheese using food processor (will help in chopping up Oreos. If you don't have a food processor, crush Oreos using a large Ziplock and a rolling pin. Or rock. Or hammer. Then stir in cream cheese.)
• Roll dough into 1-1.5 inch balls
• Melt Almond Bark and/or baker's chocolate according to package directions
• Dip balls into Almond Bark/baker's chocolate to coat
• Place on wax paper to dry
• (optional) Top with sprinkles while chocolate is still wet, and/or drizzle with contrasting chocolate
• Refrigerate until time to serve

My personal preference is for the ones covered in Almond Bark (or white chocolate). I find the ones covered in milk or dark chocolate are a little too rich to eat the 47 that I want to :) Be warned, you will want to eat the whole batch of these suckers...

What's your favorite Christmas recipe?

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

Day 11: New Year Resolutions

I've got to be honest, I don't really make New Year Resolutions. I was never good at keeping them, so I just stopped making them! But there are a few things I'd like to see happen in 2011, so let's try listing those, and calling it "Resolutions," ok? Ok.

• Take lots of pictures, even if it feels silly to do so.
• Work out regularly.
• Eat better. 
• Smile more. 
• Be quick to listen and slow to become angry. 
• Be quick to forgive. 
• Be thankful in everything. 

What's on your list for 2011?

The Tenth Day of Christmas

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Carols

One of my all-time favorite Christmas albums is Christmas Portrait by The Carpenters. My favorite song on the album (and by far my favorite version of this song I've ever heard) is The Christmas Song (Chesnuts Roasting on an Open Fire). This song never fails to get me in the Christmas spirit!




In other news, the first few snowflakes fell on Knoxville this weekend, leaving this girl quite happy (and thankful for my heated mattress pad!).

Also. I turned 25 at 8:59 this morning! Holy cow! How am I another year older already?

Can you pick just one favorite Christmas song? Which one is it?

The Ninth Day of Christmas

Day 9: Favorite Holiday Recipe

There are certain foods that are just part of the holidays, you know? Those certain recipes that it's only socially acceptable to make starting a few days before Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. Sometimes we might sneak a batch in sometime during the summer, but these recipes just taste better in November and December!

One such classic recipe in my family (and in Hub's, too!):

Sausage Balls

{via}

Here's our recipe (and note, we like things spicy!)
3 c. Bisquick or Pioneer baking mix
1 lb. HOT sausage (we use Tennessee Pride or Wamplers)
1 block (8 oz) Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (you can also buy the pre-shredded stuff, but I MUCH prefer shredding myself--the texture is just better this way)
Hot sauce
Red Pepper
Milk

You can use either your KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook, or your bare hands to mix this goodness up. Bare hands is how I've done this all my life. Then I got the stand mixer. And now I don't get sausage stuck under my fingernails...

• Put Bisquick, uncooked sausage and cheese into a large bowl or the mixing bowl for your KitchenAid. 
• Add hot sauce and red pepper to taste. Remember, if you bought hot sausage, you're adding even more kick with those! 
• Begin mixing by hand, or turn mixer on low to combine. 
• If the mix seems dry, add milk in small amounts until all Bisquick, cheese and sausage is incorporated. You should be able to shape the dough into one large ball without it crumbling. 
• Roll the dough into ~1.5" balls. 
• Place about 1" apart on a non-stick cookie sheet. 
• Bake at 350 for 15 minutes
• Try to let them cool slightly before devouring! 

What's your favorite recipe? Are sausage balls part of your holiday fare?

The Eighth Day of Christmas

Day 8: Least favorite thing about the Holidays

Plain and simple: Mean people.

Scrooges (pre-Ghost-of-Christmas-Future).

{via}

Grinches (pre-His-Heart-Grew-3-Sizes-That-Day).

{via}

Humbugs.

But then again, I don't really like mean people any time of the year...

On another note: 
If you've got a minute, click on over to Facebook, and vote for Hub's boss to win this PSA contest! His video really is the best of the 3 you can vote for! Contest only runs for today (12/2), so hurry! Many thanks!

The Seventh Day of Christmas

Day 7: Holiday Craft/DIY

{apologies for poor picture quality & a craft I made last year...}

Last year I spruced up a store bought pre-lit wreath with a bow and some plastic ornaments. The wreath hangs on my front door (and isn't yet plugged in--based on the location of our outlets, it takes some masterwork by Hubs to be able to have the wreath plugged in while still being able to open the door!), so it was important that any improvements I made to said wreath be weather-resistant.

Here's what I started with:

Pre-lit wreath like this one from Target

Shatterproof ornaments, like these from Walmart

Green floral wire

Christmas ribbon of your choice

Holiday Wreath Tutorial:
Step 1: Get your mom to make you a pretty bow. (sorry, no tutorial. My mom makes awesome bows.--'nough said!)
Step 2: Attach plastic ornaments using floral wire. Thread floral wire through the top of the ornament, then twist both ends of the wire around the wreath form. Arrange ornaments to your liking.
Step 3: Attach bow using the same technique as the ornaments.
Step 4: Hang wreath!

{Like I said, the pictures are terrible. But surely you get the idea??}

Have you ever spruced-up a store-bought decoration?