Deck the kitchen table with {delicious} food.

Let's eat, ya'll!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who likes to eat yummy food at Christmas? As you probably know, I'm not much of a cook, but I do love to bake, so the holidays suit me just fine. My mom and I usually make fudge each year, and I like to make cookies too. I'm making some Christmas funfetti cupcakes for Delaney's preschool Christmas party tomorrow, but I don't think that really counts as a recipe!

Here are a couple of my favorites for the holidays:

Snickerdoodles from scratch (aka Awesome Wife Cookies- these are Andrew's favorite cookie):
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in remaining flour. Cover and wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Combine the 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are delightfully golden!

Candy Cane Punch (from Taste of Home):
2 jars (10 ounces each) strawberry jelly
2 liters lemon-lime soda, divided
2 quarts peppermint stick ice cream
mini candy canes

In a large saucepan, melt jelly with 2 cups soda. Chill the jelly mixture and remaining soda. Just before serving, place 6 cups ice cream in a punch bowl. Gently stir in jelly mixture. Add remaining soda. Add remaining ice cream by scoopfuls. Garnish with candy canes.

Philadelphia White Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake (from Kraft Foods)
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup sour cream
4 squares white chocolate, melted
4 eggs
1 cup thawed whipped topping
16 mini candy canes

Heat oven to 325. Line 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix graham crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and extract in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream and chocolate; mis well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 40 minutes of until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top each piece with a dollop of whipped topping and candy cane.

Happy baking, ya'll! What are your favorite Christmas recipes?

Christmas traditions.

Happy Monday, friends! I'm back this week co-hosting the Holly Jolly Linkup with my bestie. Today, we're talking about Christmas traditions. My favorites have evolved since I've gotten older. When I was little, I loved going out shopping and wrapping with my dad for my mom's presents, most years on Christmas Eve. We had some special Christmas Eve traditions, a lot of which we've kept in my own little family now. As a mom, I now love playing Santa, and we've kept up traditions from both sides of our family, as well as starting new ones.

We start Christmas Eve by celebrating at Grandma & Grandpa's house. We all go over, Delaney makes her cookies for Santa with Grandpa, and we usually watch a Christmas movie. Later, our family all attends Christmas Eve service at 11pm Christmas Eve night, followed by a big breakfast at my in-laws at midnight. After that, we all go home and get to bed so Santa can visit. This is when Andrew & I usually open our gifts together. It is fun to be up in the middle of the night drinking hot chocolate (ok, it may be spiked with whipped cream vodka) and celebrating with each other. In the morning, our parents come over and watch Delaney open her gifts from Santa. We go later that day to open gifts at Grannie & Pop's house. This may be my favorite 24 hours of the year! It's such a special time for us.

Crystal is talking about the traditions she loves today. Link up and tell us about yours!

The reason for the season.

As we hustle and bustle around this holiday season, it's SO important to remember the reason for all the celebration. We talk about Jesus and his birthday a lot around our house, so that Delaney grows up learning that Christmas is more than buying presents, going to parties, and eating lots of treats.

As we go through Advent, I hope you'll take time to let some Scripture sink into your heart this holiday season. Crystal is closing out this week for us with just that.

Gifts for little girls.

True confession: buying gifts is one of my very favorite parts of the Christmas season.

I love shopping, so that helps. But I also love putting thought into finding something that the recipient will truly enjoy, and if I can think of something that surprises them and they still love, that is even better. One of my favorite groups to buy for is little girls. My own, and her friends. I've been buying little girl gifts for longer than I've been a mom, as Miss Emery had to get showered with gifts from Auntie Bri before Delaney was even around. Seeing little eyes light up at a special gift purchased warms my heart and "makes mommy happy," as Delaney has been saying a lot lately.

So what do you get for these little dolls?

1. Clothes/Shoes/Accessories: I like finding Delaney some super cute things that are more "fun" items than needed. If you've got a girly girl who loves clothes, this is always a good option! I love holiday themed or "auntie" themed shirts for tiny girls, but I don't know too many of those anymore!

Toddler Girl Clothes by brienn-klahn on Polyvore

 

2. Toys: This is kind of a given. I love buying educational things and anything by Melissa and Doug. I always look for a sale and check Amazon for these items. Delaney also adores her KidKraft kitchen, so this year we're adding some wooden food to the mix. Pretend play is also huge for us. Hello doctor kits, babydolls, and tools!

 

 

 

Toddler Girl Toys by brienn-klahn on Polyvore

 

3. Books/Art/Music: I've got a little girl that loves to read, and if Santa brought nothing but books she would be thrilled. Music is a real favorite too. Anything that inspires creativity is a wonderful thing! Kids all love to dance, and music is great for the mind too. Encourage your little genius with one of these awesome items!

Toddler Books & Music by brienn-klahn on Polyvore

 

I've got a few of these things in Santa's bag, but some are just cool things to keep in mind for the future. Link up and tell us what you are buying your little ones - if you have boys, link up and share those ideas too!

Wordless Wednesday.

Meeting the Man in Red

xo, bri

 

Decking the Halls

xoxo, crystal

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Yep, I use that title every year. What can I say? Old habits die hard.

Aaaaaaaanyway.

Today we're talking about Christmas decor. My house is all full and fun and Christmasy, and the challenge is how to make it different using what I already have. Today, my lucky bestie and her gorgeous brand new house are the focus. In a new, bigger space, she's finding ways to make her house a home, Christmas style.

Take a look at her beautiful spaces!

Welcome to Christmas!

Happy December, ya’ll!

In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, my bestie and I are hosting a link up for all you fellow bloggers to participate in! Christmas is fabulous, and we want to talk about it all month long. In an effort to do just that, we’ve come up with some fun topics and will be rotating hosting positions on them all month long. Read along, link up, and find new blogs with us!  

Just write a blog that follows the daily theme, link up to the host blog in your post, and come back here and post your link into our Link Up below. It’s that simple!  

Here’s a look at the ladies who’ll be playing Hostess with the Mostess this Christmas season: 

Brienn
 

I’m a Southern working mama with a passion for Christ, my family, and really doing life. When I’m at home I play wife to an amazing husband who can cook like nobody’s business, and together we are raising an independent, creative, sassy 2 year old little love. Our house is usually bustling with animals and people – I love to entertain and we’ve got four furbabies to love, too. If it involves hot glue and doesn’t require sewing, I am all about DIY’ing. I don’t cook (unless pinning recipes on Pinterest counts), but I love to bake at the holidays. I don’t sit still long, except to blog about life happening around me!

Crystal

I’m a So. Cal mama, raising my family and finding my way in Colorado, although I like to think of myself as a little bit Southern at heart. I am passionate about service and giving back to others and my community, as well as instilling that passion in my 3 year old girl. I am a wifey to an amazing and supportive husband that successfully handles my OCD tendencies and desire for a pinterest inspired home. Together, we are raising a smart, compassionate, and fiercely independent girly girl. As new, first time homeowners are we creating new holiday traditions and collecting new holiday décor. To top it off, we have 3 fur children that complete our chaotic and blissful life and love story.

We hope you’ll join us this month getting into the Christmas spirit with ideas, inspiration, and some pretty cute pictures of our girls, too.  

Merry Christmas!