Christmas Eve

Mom, Dad, Rach, Brandon and Bryan. Steve and Heather arrived later on that night.

Christmas Eve dinner...lasagna! Mmm!

Bryan with his "Bunny Suicides" Calendar for his 13th b-day. I love that kid!
I remember when he was born! :)

Cheesing it up for the camera, me and Rach.

Gingerbread House Extravaganza

run, run as fast as you can. you can't catch me, i'm the gingerbread man!
some of the gingerbread architects
tyra, tommie, natalie
chad's upside down/chinese house
brennon, beth, and chad
Me and my roommie, Cara. Love that girl.
me, katie, cara
katie and kristen
a few more of the creators

we had so much fun!

Rocky Road Goodness

just the right amount of

peanuts,

marshmallows,

chocolate

equals

the bestest/tastiest christmas treat

EVER!

{the pic seriously doesn't do it justice}

Here's how to make your very own:

Rocky Road

6 oz. milk chocolate chips
2 tbs. margarine
8 oz. dry roasted peanuts
6 oz. semi-sweet chips
10 oz. tiny marshmallows
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine chips, milk, and margarine. Heat until chocolate is melted. Fold in marshmallows and peanuts. Spread in a 9x13 pan lined with waxed paper or foil. Chill for 2 hours. Cut in squares.

Side note: I use 100% semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of 1/2 semi-sweet and 1/2 milk chocolate.

Christmas Tag

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Can I just say, "I heart Christmas!"

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? definitely wrapping paper...i love tearing it off
2. Real tree or Artificial? i love the real trees. this year i'm sporting the rosemary bush cut in the shape of a tree. love it!
3. When do you put up the tree? shortly after turkey day
4. When do you take the tree down? new years-ish
5. Do you like eggnog? usually one cup a year does the trick
6. Favorite gift received as a child? my purple bike with pink tires. i always had something that was AWESOME.COM. thanks santa! wink! wink! i always loved getting presents from my siblings though, too. remember when bry got us all gifts from the dollar store? and they were so us?
7. Hardest person to buy for? for sure, the parentals
8. Easiest person to buy for? prolly ratch
9. Do you have a nativity scene? sure do, just got one!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? snail mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? hmmm! toilet paper (white elephant gift exchange)12. Favorite Christmas Movie? elf
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?after thanksgiving...i'll probably still be shopping 'til Christmas Eve...searching for the "perfect" gift
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? can't say i have.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? rocky road, hands down...and homemade cinnamon rolls christmas a.m.
16. Lights on the tree? definitely...i love clear ones!
17. Favorite Christmas song? do i seriously have to choose? i love christmas songs
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? i love being at home with the entire fam
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? rudolph, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet, cupid, blitzen...i think there's more
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? angel
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?christmas morning, for sure. i love the anticipation.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? dreaming about having a "white" christmas and then waking up christmas morning and having it still be 70 degrees. don't get me wrong i "heart" the sun mucho, but it just seems like christmas should have snow.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? clear lights with lotsa red-ness
24. Favorite time for Christmas dinner? whenever it's ready...early afternoon is the tradish
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? to have the best Christmas E-VER with the family, cinnamon rolls, to talk to hermana em, and to have a greater testimony of the Savior-his birth, his life, and the atonement!

Merry Christmas, all y'all!

I tag Megaroni and anyone else!

My New Car's First Bath

Here's some pics of my car's very first bath:
I guess I'm turning into a {mommy blogger}, of sorts. :P

Isn't she purty?

Any ideas on names?

Awesome Week Coming My Way!

1. Gonna eat some Rocky Road and other Christmas treats 'til my heart's content
2. Pay day
3. Christmas Festivities
4. Date to see Polar Express Imax style
5. 7 days closer to seeing the fam (only 10 more days)
6. Enjoy Christmas decorations
7. Attend another White Elephant (the third this year) :)
8. Finish my Christmas shopping
9. Finish reading the 4th {vampire} book aka Breaking Dawn
10. Remember the reason for the season...Christ

Claus Inc.

Here's a little on how the economy is effecting Santa...

http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/a-message-from-claus-inc/

{You can listen and/or read.}

Hermana Em's Christmas!

The Christmas package with the 12 Days of Christmas to my favorite Hermanita.

I miss that girl! I can't wait for her to come back...February 19th isn't coming soon enough!

I love having an hermanita in the missionary field sharing the gospel, but...

just can't wait to have her back!

Woot!

My New Ride

My car salesman/buddy Jimmie and me.

{I took this for Rachel's sake.}

I'm the proud new owner of a 2009 Honda Civic!

Love it!

Some Call Me Bruiser!

As Promised...

Here's the pix of my large bruise from shooting at the gun range!

P.S. I think the gun won! :)

{Excuse the "Relief Society arm"/flabbiness.} Shortly after the "occurence."

Sporting the bruise...later that night

Day 2


Day 3



Day 4

Day 5