Christmas Joy

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. We had a wonderful few days celebrating Christmas with our loved ones. There is nothing better than spending time with family and enjoying family traditions. And the best part? Watching my sweet daughter's face light up with pure joy. Seeing her happy makes me happy. This time of year is truly something special.

Santa Clause is coming to Town

Yesterday we went to our favorite cupcake shoppe, One Sweet Slice, to see Santa and Mrs. Clause. Mia was so excited to sit on Santa's lap but as soon as she sat down she got super shy. After sitting on Santa's lap all the children were given free mini cupcakes and were able to listen to Santa and Mrs. Clause do story time.

We can't wait until Santa visits our house tomorrow night!

Easy Eggnog Icecream

Baby, it's cold outside! Very cold, I mean, it is 19 degrees outside right now. BRRR. And even in this cold I still crave homemade icecream. I made this the other night and it felt very Holiday-ish. Eggnog icecream, perfect for this time of year. It was super easy to make, no cooking involved because eggnog is essentially a custardy drink- which makes this icecream all the more creamy and delectable. OH and by the way it is super healthy- NOT- is anything healthy during the holidays??

Eggnog Icecream Recipe


1/2 C sugar
1/2 C milk
2 C eggnog
1 3/4 C heavy cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, milk, eggnog, cinnamon, vanilla in a bowl. Using a hand mixer on medium speed whisk ingredients for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into icecream maker and follow machine instructions. Freeze after removing from icecream machine and enjoy ALL week long!

Temple Square

Temple Square lights, my favorite are the trees wrapped in blue and green lights. The blue hurts your eyes so much you almost can't look, but thanks to the few green mixed in on the strand you can still look with but with still a little pain to your eyes.
My suggestion to you light goers is to go over to the conference center and take a tour so that you can go on top of the conference center and see the temple square lights from there. Such a a great sight this time of year.
Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season.

december list

I know everyone is talking about it, but I am done with finals (deep breathe) and I survived another semester. Now that the stress is gone, all that is on my mind is getting into the Christmas spirit by doing anyone or more of the following things.

Here is my perfect December Xmas list......

The lights at Temple Square. It's not Xmas if you don't go to Temple Square.

 

A cup of Hatches family chocolates hot chocolate... it can warm you right up after seeing the temple square lights.

 

 

How I would love to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert.

 

 

Ice skating at the Gallivan Center.

 

 

It wouldn't be Christmas without at least one ugly sweater party with your favorite girls, right?? Word to the wise never pass up an ugly sweater party, and the uglier the better.

 

 

 

Having this shake Chic-Fil-A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake at least 3 times.

 

 

 

 

 

Spending lots of time with these people, because I love my family

 and Christmas so why wouldn't I?

 

 

There is much more to the list like, driving through neighboorhoods seeing lights, white elephant gifts, breakfast at grandmas, games, gifts, surprises, making giant snowmen, watching the grinch at least 3 times, traditions, etc....

I love the holidays, and now I'm ready for them.

Let the Christmasing begin!

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



Peppermint Bark

I needed to put together a cute gift for some ladies that I visit with. I wanted to do something tasty, cute and easy! I saw this recipe for Peppermint Bark about a month ago and it sounded so easy so I thought I would try it out. Thanks for the super easy recipe Paula Deen. It turned out great!!

 This peppermint bark really took me ten minutes, then about an hour in the fridge. Then all I had to do was break it apart...

 I put them in little bags with some homemade oreo cookies with cream cheese frosting.

 Tied it up with a bow and an ornament and.....

Sure hope my neighbor ladies liked it!!! Tis the season!

XOXO,
Whitney

Peppermint Bark
By Paula Deen

Ingredients

• Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup
• 2 pounds white chocolate
• Peppermint flavorings, optional

Directions

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

Last minute

Every year I plan out my Christmas shopping. I try to plan out everyone's gifts and my goal is to get all my shopping done during Black Friday and the first week of December. And guess what? It never seems to work out that way. And here I am. Running around like a crazy woman, busy as can be getting all my last minute gifts. I don't hate it though and I don't let it stress me out because I love shopping for the ones I love. Maybe next year I will be a little organized but let's be honest that probably won't happen. I guess last minute shopping is just part of my christmas tradition!

XOXO,
Whitney

Holly Jolly Mail Time

I love this time of the year. It seems as though every day there is a knock at the door and I am presented with a package. Oh the joy! Today I got a bright orange package that looked something like this:

 Finally! The Christmas cards that I ordered have arrived. Now it is time to address them and mail them. This usually may seem like a daunting task  but I am actually stoked to do it. They turned out perfectly! Remember how a few months back I was all stressed out about getting family pictures taken? Well thanks to my awesome Sis in Law they turned out so cute, especially the ones of my baby girl. I haven't shown anyone the pictures because I wanted the Christmas card to be fresh and new! So hopefully in the next few days I will have them all addressed and mailed out to everyone...

Then I can cross one more holiday task off of my list!

XOXO,
Whitney

Holla Dolla Dayzzzzz

It's the most beautiful time of the year... seriously I  be lookin so good this month all the boys are wanting to date me. Real life. Promise. Be jealous.

Here you have a few photos to look at from tonights events. Top left: just an action photo  of the ladies of the night, you want us? Bottom left: my winnings from tonights white elephant gift exchange, an orange t-shirt that says Gardening Alaska with a moose eating lettuce.. you want it? Right: Me lookin like a million bucks and a million pounds I ain't complainin tho cause if I would have arrived on time I would have won the Ugliest Sweater Award, you want to be me?

Hope your Holla Dolla Dayzzz (Holidays) are filled with white elephants, ugly sweaters, and amazing family and friends. This time of year is amazing and obviously brings out the best in me, just look at those pics! aw ya.

Happy Holidays,

nicole

O, Christmas Wreath! O, Christmas Wreath!

I just might have been working on this Christmas Craft all week long but I am pretty happy with the results. It all started on Monday when I got all my christmas decorations out. I started putting up some decorations and even put up my tree this week. Then, I looked at my front door and saw that my fall wreath was still on the door and the problem is... I didn't have a Christmas wreath to replace it with. So I started looking online at ideas on making my own Christmas wreath. I found so many cute ideas for yarn wreaths but then I found this Snowball Yarn Wreath by Two Junk Chix and fell in love. First of all, I loved the grey tones and second of all I loved the texture of the yarn balls. All week my mom and I went on a search for supplies. Who knew that find a styrofoam and/or straw wreath would be so hard???? We literally went to every store and they were all sold out. We finally got lucky at Hobby Lobby the morning after they received a new shipment of inventory.

The supplies I used were:

1 yard of burlap (Hobby Lobby)
Yarn (2 shades of gray, whites, and a natural color)
Silver ornaments (60% off at Joanns)
Snowflakes & Embellishments  (60% off at Joanns)
24 Styrofoam balls - I used 2" and 2 1/2" sizes (Hobby Lobby)
LOTS OF HOT GLUE
Glue Gun
18" straw wreath (hobby lobby)

 It really was quite simple. First I wrapped my wreath in the burlap . And then really... all you need to do is know how to make yarn balls and how to use a hot glue gun. I just glued the yarn to styrofoam balls and wrapped until my hearts content! Once all the styrofoam balls are covered just glue to your wreath and add desired embellishments and TA DA....

I love it and am pretty proud of myself. And I love how it will also be fitting for January so now I have a wreath for December and January... look at me, killing two birds with one stone!

XOXO,

Whitney

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Yarn!

I'm feeling a little bit like a 70 year old lady tonight. The last two nights I have been making yarn balls while snuggled up on the couch with my big cozy blanket. But it is all in the name of my Christmas craft.... coming soon! I am hoping to finish it this weekend so stay tuned.

It turns out that making yarn balls is actually quite relaxing. Can't wait to show you my craft that was inspired by another blog!

XOXO,
Whitney

Need Her

she is amazing.
Thanks to my sister in law Whitney she sent me this lovely picture of pictures of Audrey and said if she was more richer she would buy these for me for Christmas. and you know what I said... I told her that if she loved me enough it wouldn't matter that she wasn't rich and that she would buy for me no matter what the price because that's how much she loved me. Let me guess you are all thinking that worked. Well it didn't, at least I don't think it did... cause Whitney never responded to my text.
Which I guess is why I'm blogging about it, maybe this will get her attention. Hi Whitney:)

Much Love,

nicole

lights fill the streets

Tonight I saw these lovely Christmas lights.
I love Christmas light, so tonight definitely won't be the last time I go wandering through the streets to see them this holiday season. notice: the title is a line from one of Justin Biebers Christmas songs, can you guess which song it came from???

tis the season,

nicole

Dark Chocolatey Chunk Cupcakes w/ Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

It is Christmas time which also means Family time. I love the Holiday season because it is filled with family get togethers. Tonight we had our annual family party. I was asked to bring a dessert. I made these mini cupcakes last year and everyone loved them so I thought I would make them again this year only improve them! First of all, I changed them so that they are dark chocolate with dark chocolate Ghiradelli chunks. YUM. Dark chocolate anything is just better. I have also improved on my frosting skills. I used my favorite tip the Wilton 1m:

I love how this decorates. It makes the cupcakes look so elegant! And it is so easy to use, just a little swirl and you are good. Then I just sprinkled them with some crushed candy canes.

 I love making and decorating mini cupcakes. They are so tiny and cute. Plus, they are much easier to eat. For some reason I feel ok about eating one or two of these rather than eating one normal sized cupcake.

 The Ghiradelli dark chocolate chunk gives the cupcake a little texture and a pop of dark chocolate flavor. Have I mentioned that I love dark chocolate yet? ha ha. These really are the perfect little Christmas Cupcake. (And they are super moist!)

So if you have a family or friend party and are asked to bring a dessert... you should maybe consider taking some of these cupcakes!

Here is the recipe:

Dark Chocolatey Chunk Mini Cupcakes w/ Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/4 C unsweetend DARK cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 C shortening
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks
2/3 C cold water
2 egg whites
1/3 C sugar
1/2 C Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips (60% cocao)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium high for approximately 30 seconds. Add 1/2 C sugar and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl as needed. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each yolk. Alternately add flour mixture and water to shortening mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined.

In a large bowl beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add 1/3 C sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into chocolate batter. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter into mini cupcake liners.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotating tins halfway through.  Remove from tins and let cool completely on wire racks.


Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
6 C Powdered suger
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend butter and sugar together until frosting consistency is reached. Add extracts and blend to combine. Keep in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

Frost cupcakes using a Wilton 1M tip. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane bits up to 2 hours before serving.