Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours, 

we wish you 

a very 

**Merry Christmas!**

We are soaking up the sun, spending time with our family and friends, and enjoying the rest of what 2013 has to offer. See you next year! ;)

Chocolate Pudding Cookies

Before holiday baking is over, I have to share with you one more treat. Maybe you're still looking for something to give to a friend or neighbor, or for Christmas morning while you're opening presents. I wish I had baked these cookies sooner, because I would have definitely made more than one batch, they are that good!

I found these fun festive white chocolate chips at Aldi a few weeks back and knew I had to have them. The original recipe calls for peppermint chips, which I'd love to try next time I make these cookies. 

These are easy to make and you probably have all the ingredients already in your pantry. The only thing I didn't have were the festive chips and chocolate pudding mix. Otherwise, we were good to go! 

I baked them to take to a friend's house and they were eagerly snatched up, by me, my husband, our friends, and of course, Miss A. She hasn't met a cookie she doesn't like!

Source: adapted from I Heart Naptime

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 small package chocolate dry pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup festive white chocolate chips, or crushed peppermint candies
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until combined. Add in the dry instant pudding mix and mix again, just until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; mix. Next, add the flour and baking soda and beat until well incorporated. Stir in the white chocolate baking chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. 

Use a cookie scoop (or tablespoon), drop cookie dough on to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes. Mine were done at 10 minutes. Best served warm!

Christmas Pictures 2013

Last year I didn't have any photo cards printed for our Christmas cards. I dressed Miss A up in a cute "My 1st Christmas" outfit and sent them along with a regular card to friends and family.

This year I was contacted by Tiny Prints to try their cards. I absolutely loved the selection to choose from and went with this design.

We didn't have professional photos done, as we're still new to the area and haven't found a photographer yet. I asked my dad to take some pictures of us while he was here for Thanksgiving.

We went with this photo for our Christmas cards! Miss A was NOT in a picture-taking mood, so this was the best one out of the bunch.

We also took some pictures while we were out searching for a Christmas tree.

And this is after we finished decorating the tree! I really do love this picture, Miss A is finally smiling, but it's indoors, I had changed out of my red dress, and I don't love the lighting of indoor pictures. Plus, I've got some weird crazy eyes happening here!

Overall I'm happy with the photo we chose and I hope to take one every year. I plan on starting a new tradition- adding a family photo ornament to the tree every year. How fun will that be to see our family change and grow as we unwrap each ornament. I can't wait!

Gingerbread Cookies

Over the weekend Miss A and I did some baking. Our sweet neighborhood had a caroling event, complete with hot chocolate and cookies at the end of the night. While I would  have loved to go, I figured taking Miss A out in the cold, by ourselves, at night, might not be such a good idea (hopefully next year my husband will have the night off!) Even still, I never pass up a chance to bake Christmas cookies, and signed up right away.

We made gingerbread cookies, using all my Christmas cookie cutters. Can you believe there wasn't a gingerbread man cutter in my set? I'll have to pick one up for next year!

Miss A was much more interested in the cookie cutters themselves instead of trying to help Mama. She took them in and out of the container, "counting", one at a time. When she was bored of that, she played with her own ball of dough and I'm happy to report she only tried to eat it once!

For the icing, I found this amazing little pouch at Aldi, with a spout, and it is one of the best baking items I've ever purchased. It made frosting the cookies SO easy. No mess with powered sugar, no stress over overdoing the frosting. I lined the cookies with the icing and then spread a little more in the center and used a butter knife to fill in the rest. Then I sprinkled the cookies with green and red sprinkles. After about 4 hours, the frosting has set, and you can stack the cookies!

I found this recipe in a magazine a few weeks ago, but can't remember which one. So forgive me for not having the source. A word of caution- this makes A LOT of cookies. I cut the entire recipe in half, but included the original for you here.

Gingerbread Cookies
Serves: 8 dozen

1 1lb box of dark brown sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup molasses
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp all-spice
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Combine sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Beat until combined. Add the molasses and eggs, one at a time.

In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing at a very low speed. You might need to use your hands to help the dough form. Once the dough comes together, it will be very thick. Divide dough into four parts and wrap each with plastic wrap.

Preheat the oven to 375. On a lightly floured surface, roll-out one portion of dough to 1/4 inch thickness. I had to knead my dough a bit before I could roll out it. You might need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky. Cut out shapes and place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Make sure cookies are 1 inch apart and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely before removing cookies from the pan. Decorate as desired.

Happy Baking!

Christmas Home Tour

I love decorating for the holidays and Christmas is my favorite holiday to decorate for. It's my favorite time of the year! We don't have much, even though my husband says we have plenty, but after living in an apartment for the last four years, I definitely need more to decorate an entire house!

We've lived in our house for almost six months already. Six! I can't believe how fast time has flown, it really does feel like we moved in yesterday. I struggled with how to decorate certain rooms and where to put things; this is how our home looks now.

The Mantle

Hanging the stocks with care. I bought plain stockings last year so that the four of them could match. I like decorating and personalizing things on our own, so we used glitter glue to write our names on them. Yes, our dog has a stocking. She was our 1st baby, right? She gets presents on Christmas too!

I got the stocking hangers last year at Target. They work beautifully on the mantle, however, a certain someone tried to pull down the stockings the other day and I had to take them off. Now they hang on clear command hooks. Problem solved!

I added stick-on glitter stars (that I got at Michaels) for even more of a festive touch. The "believe" blocks are from Meijer, also purchased last year. 

The Kitchen 

Our breakfast bar is an area I wasn't sure what to do with. I got these cute penguin plate sets years ago from Target. I thought this would be a good place to display them. 

I always buy Christmas candy and have it out somewhere. These candy cane Hershey kisses are my favorite! 

In the kitchen I've got a printable that I framed, my favorite peppermint candle, our snowman cookie jar (Target) and snowman placemats. 

The Living Room

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree! I love how magical a Christmas tree can transform any room. The living room feels even more homey and I want to spend as much time as I can in this room. Only problem is, Miss A loves the tree!! I've taught her to wave "hello" and to Ooo and ahhh from a distance. So far is working...until curiosity gets the best of her and she wants a BALL!!

A few special ornaments- I bought this "our new home" key last week at TJ Maxx to represent our first home. 

My mom had this ornament personalized for us after we got married. 

Miss A's first Christmas ornament. I think a fun tradition will be to take a new family picture every year and hang them on the tree. 

The Dining Room

Eh, it needs work. I ran out of decorations by this point. I want to do something different with this room next year. But for now I hung some old stockings I had when I was a kid, a snowman that once held cookies, and our red globes. 

The Bathrooms

Yep, even the bathrooms get a little festive touch! With seasonal soap and lotions, special towels, and candles. 

I hope you've enjoyed a peak into our home!

My Favorite Christmas Pins

Today I realized that there are only 20 days left until Christmas! My mind is whirling and I'm trying to make to stop spinning. The only way for that to happen is for me to make lists. A list of gifts still left to buy (two more people, not counting my husband :), a list of people to send Christmas cards to, cookies I want to bake, traditions I want to start, and crafts I want to make.

So many lists. So little time.

Besides making lists, Pinterest is a great way to keep track of all my ideas. As I searched through my boards last night, I thought it would be fun to share with you my favorite Christmas pins.

Christmas Cookies

As you know, I LOVE to bake and I especially love to bake around the holidays. I like to bake for us and for family and friends. Edible gifts are great, don't you think? Here are some cookies I'm thinking about baking this year.

Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

Double Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies

Chocolate Fudge Cookies with Candy Cane Buttercream

Free Printables

There are SO many free printables out there that it's hard not to print them all! I found the cutest gift tags and a letter to send to Santa that I absolutely LOVE. I printed all three of these already and I can't wait to start wrapping presents, they will match our red candy cane stripped and solid green wrapping paper perfectly. And I'm saving the Santa letter for when Miss A is old enough to write one!

Gift Tags

Gift Tags

Letter to Santa

Christmas Decor

I love seeing how other people decorate their homes for the holidays. I'm always inspired to spruce up my own decorations and buy a little more! ;)

Entryway

Christmas Tree

Christmas Mantle

Eek! I can't wait. I'm SO excited this year. From now until Christmas I plan on enjoying every minute of the season and making it special for Miss A. Share with me some of your favorite Christmas pins! I could always use more. :)

Holiday Baking Ideas

I like to do most of my holiday baking when I'm surrounded by family. When I know I can give it away and watch everyone enjoy a sweet bite after the big meal. With my mom, we bake sugar cookies and pies, cheesecakes, whatever new recipe we've had our eye on for a while. I'll be making some goodie bags to give away as gifts too and I'll still collecting ideas for that.

There's one thing I'll be making for sure this holiday season. Fudge.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels- in Christmas colors!

Christmas Tree Cookie Balls- crumble up Oreo's and mix with cream cheese!

Melting Snowmen Cookie Balls- smashed Nutter Butter cookies and peanut butter

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls- I've got a thing for cookie balls this year.

French Mint Silk Pie- Perfect for after Christmas dinner!

Chocolate Cream Pie- I've had my eye on this for months.

M&M Peanut Butter Bars- How cute would these be with red and green M&M's?

What's on your baking list?