2012...You've got big shoes to fill!

I don't think there is any way that 2012 could possibly top 2011.

2011 was by far the best year of my life.  Here's why...

Met Nick

(technically that was in 2010, but it was at the end or 2010 so it counts!)

Dated Nick
Went to Vegas with Nick and met his parents

Got engaged to Nick

Married Nick in Mesa, AZ Temple

Went to Rocky Point for Honeymoon with Nick

Gained a whole new family
Ate at In-N-Out a lot

Sold a house

Moved to Texas

Bought our year-supply

Put together our 72-hour kits

Learned to bake good bread

Taught lots of dance to awesome students

Went to Disneyland

Became more informed and opinionated about politics and local, national, and world issues

And while I hesitate to write down any New Year's Resolutions, here are the things that husband and I have already been, and hope to continue, working on...

Decide on a home to buy

(city or country or somewhere in-between)

Become more self-reliant

Continue to add to our year supply

Garden

Stay in shape/get in better shape

(running together is actually one of our faves)

Pray often

Cook new things

Stay informed

Balance Balance Balance
Enjoy life
and
Love each other more and more each day!
(that one shouldn't be hard to do)

{WELCOME 2012!}

Our First Christmas

Well, I guess technically our first Christmas together was last Christmas.

Which was spent with my family.

At our cabin.

With 11 adults.

5 little-ones.

Cramped quarters.

Playing games with my family where my brothers were on their best behavior...NOT!

And it was freezing outside.

Oh, and did I mention that we had only been dating less than a month.

Oh, and that he comes from a MUCH smaller family.

We only stayed one night, but it still amazes me that even through it all he was such a great sport and still wanted to continue dating me.

He must have really liked me.

This Christmas was spent in Houston with husband's family.

My first Christmas away from "home."

Honestly, it was kinda hard 'cause I really missed my fam...especially my nieces and nephews.

But it was fun to be a part of new family traditions.

We spent the majority of Christmas Eve

baking

sitting around the fireplace

discussing politics

eating

arguing about politics

eating

being entertained by Brooke

(the one and only grandchild...she's 4)

eating

playing some games

laughing

being entertained some more by Brooke

arguing some more about who knows what

eating

laughing some more

and then finishing it off with a viewing of JOY TO THE WORLD!

Christmas morning we
went to church
(with Elder Scott...his daughter is in our ward)
opened presents
hung out by the fireplace
ate yummy Christmas lunch
hung out some more by the fireplace
drank yummy hot cocoa
discussed/argued lots of things
and did a lot of playing with Brooke and her new toys!

ALSO...
we skyped with my fam!!!
I love Skype.
I got to see all my nieces and nephews and talk to them.
Oh, and my parents and my brothers, sister, and sister-in-laws.
Elliot came up and with his sweet voice told us, "Merry Christmas!"
Landon did his famous stare, obviously in shock over seeing us after so long,
and finished it off with a cute "Merry Christmas" as well.
Emery showed us her ballet dance.
Ian sang "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer" and showed us his "hilarious" cowboy boots like Uncle Nick's.
Paige blew us some kisses and gave some really valiant attempts at saying our names.
And Jamison gave us the cutest little smiles.
We also did our sibling Christmas gift exchange.
The kiddos did the nativity...which was pretty much total chaos but totally cute!
Then mom came out with a huge bucket of presents for the kids to unwrap.
Again...total chaos.
All the while Nick and I are sitting in our quiet house watching this all on the internet.
I love modern technology!

And then a couple of hours later
Elder Mason Rhett Crandell called!!!
Can you believe that he comes home in 10ish weeks????????

{BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!}

Candy Cane Blossoms

Forget rolling out the sugar cookie dough to the perfect thickness,

cutting out the dough with cookie cutters,

and frosting them.

These are SOOOOO much easier

and cuter,

and yummier!

They're my new favorite Christmas cookie/treat!

Recipe from HERSHEY'S

What You Need

1 bag Hershey's Peppermint Kisses

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp milk

Red and Green sugar

What To Do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, remove wrappers from kisses

2. Beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended

3. In separate bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt

4. Add flour mix alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended

5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red or green sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet

6. Bake 8-10 min. or until edges are lightly browned and cookie is set

7. Remove from oven; cool 2-3 min. then press kiss into center of each cookie

8. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely.

{ENJOY!!!}

I pinned it and then I made it...

This tree skirt.

I LOVE it!

Click HERE for directions.

I made mine a little different from them.
I used cotton material instead of linen 'cause the cotton was on sale for cheap.
I think I like the way mine turned out better.
It doesn't fray as much as the linen.
And I think it's a little more classy this way.
Just my opinion.

Anyway, it was really easy.
A little time consuming, but just throw on some Christmas movies and
get to some cutting and gluing and you'll be done before you know it.

PS...I still gotta finish decorating the tree :)

My newest hobby...

...is baking!

Baking BREAD to be exact.

Last month my new sister-in-law and I took a three-day 

(three hours each day)

course in downtown Houston on how to make artisan breads.

We learned how to bake

Rustic Italian

Focaccia

Ciabatta

French Baguettes

Sourdough

Rosemary Sourdough

Pain a l'Ancienne

Pizza Dough

My faves were definitely the baguettes, focaccia, and ciabatta.

And let me tell ya...these aren't exactly the easiest breads to make.

They aren't exactly super difficult either, but they are time consuming and there are certain techniques that would probably be hard to figure out if you didn't learn from someone.

Hence, why we took the class.
And it was totally worth it 'cause I learned a lot!

So far, since I took this class, I've made baguettes twice and focaccia once.

Ciabatta is next on my list.

I'm sad that I didn't get a picture of my focaccia, but here are some of my baguettes.

They turned out heavenly!  

I'm thinking of becoming a baker.

Not really.

But maybe :)

11 things to be THANKFUL for on 11/11/11

Thanksgiving is just around the corner!  And even though the stores are already covered and full of Christmas Decor {which I actually really LOVE} I haven't forgotten about this month of THANKSGIVING!  And since today is 11/11/11 I figured I would do a little something on the blog.

I suspect many others may be doing something similar today, but here are 11 things that I'm especially grateful for on this unique day.

{eleven}

{ten}

DANCE

{nine}

TECHNOLOGY

Mainly so I can communicate with my family in AZ and see pictures and videos of my nieces and nephews who are growing up WAY too fast!

{eight}

{seven}
The Good Things in Life
...aka...

And no, it is no mistake that Diet Coke is on there twice.  I just really do like it THAT much.
And this is not to mention probably one of the greatest things in life...
IN-N-OUT
Ian Boy says it best...

{six}

and

{five}
TENDER MERCIES
I couldn't think of a picture for this...
but I'm sincerely grateful for those special moments where I know Heavenly Father is helping me out!

{four}

{three}

Which includes arguably the cutest nieces and nephews in the world!

{two}
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
mormon.org

{one}
That I get to spend eternity with this guy...

Mrs. Foster

Today I went down to the Social Security Office and had my name officially changed FINALLY...after being married for almost 5 months!

However, I'm wondering if I should have taken Phoebe's lead here and chosen a more fun and unique name.

I could pass as a Princess Consuela, don't ya think?