a kiss while cutting down our Christmas tree

It's the most wonderful time of the year. 

 Really it is.  I love Christmas.

  I love baking and sharing

 and having carolers come to our door

and looking at lights

and taking the kids out to shop for eachother at Walgreens or the Dollar store

and the smell of our Christmas tree

and planning big special meals

and stocking stuffers

and Christmas music

and looking at my nativites

and thinking about our Savior.

I am sad when people say it doesn't feel like Christmas.  I have heard this from quite a few people this year.  I say...make it feel like Christmas.  Share some cookies with your neighbors and friends, give some extra service to those in need, sing Christmas carols with your family... at least that is what works for me:) 

Tis the season

This is our last minute...hurry the rain stopped!....you better smile or else!...seriously can't believe someone had a huge wad of gum in his mouth and his shirt all the way buttoned!...run to Ross to find something to cover my butt!....throw on a turquoise bracelet and now we all match!...our photographer cancelled!...ask Jenny's bff Ashlee to take our picture with a 30 second tutorial!..just leave the headband on for a little longer cutie!...oh crud it's almost dark!...family picture.

I'm sure none of you can relate.  hahaha.

Baked Oatmeal, anyone?

Baked Oatmeal
When I lived in the dorms at UC Irvine, there was one breakfast dish that was heavenly.  It was Baked Oatmeal with Warm Milk.  I actually tried finding the recipe from UCI but the recipe was too hard to down size from their gigantic recipe.  So I gave up for 10 years.  I found a baked oatmeal on all recipes recently and then made my own version.  Here it is: 

6 cups rolled oats                           1 cup milk

1 1/2 cup brown sugar                   3 eggs

3 teaspoons cinnamon                   2/3 cup melted butter

3 teaspoons baking powder           3 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons salt 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix together the dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients.

Spread into a 9x13 dish

Bake for 40 minutes.  Serve with warm milk.

December

Sophie and a gnome
Christmas is around the corner.
And Sophie hasn't attempted to destroy any decorations-of course we haven't got our tree yet:)
In one month Jenny will be at BYU Idaho.  It is finally here.  I can't wait for her.

I am singing a solo in church on the 19th.  "The First Noel".  Arranged by Mack Wliburg. 
There is a recording of it with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir featuring Fredrica Von Stade. 
 It is awesome!  If you haven't heard, you have to.  
So ever since I heard it, I have wanted to sing it. 
So this is the year.  Yay!  It is fun. 

And that is all I got.  Back to work:)