Christmas break!

Christmas break is officially here! For those of you who know me personally, you know that I LOVE Christmas! Really, I love any holiday but Christmas especially. In my family we go ALL OUT for this fantastic holiday! Because there are so many of us, we draw names. Whomever you get, is who you buy for as far as the extended family goes. So for example if I draw Aunt Sue's name (there is no one in my family named Sue so that is NOT who I got! lol) then I will buy things for Aunt Sue's Christmas, but that doesn't mean I don't buy for other people. I still get my parents and sister a gift too. And usually I will get my grandparents something too. I will admit, my favorite person to shop for is my Aunt Kathy. I got her name last year and had a BLAST! She loves jewelry so I got to spend a lot of time at Charming Charlie, which I LOVE!!!! Haha. It's really fun buying things and figuring out what they like. Gift cards are a total bore and I hate them! I like putting thought into the gifts that I'm giving. No, they aren't always serious gifts or things that you need. They are, however, always gifts that I put a lot of thought into. My favorite presents are the kind that MEAN something to me and that person. Anywho...

Another of my favorite traditions for Christmas is putting up our Christmas tree (which we haven't done. Well, that's not true. The tree is up, in the wrong room... and it's not decorated lol.). Hopefully we will get it moved into our TV room/den/whatever you want to call that room and have it decorated by the end of tomorrow... fingers crossed. Me, my mom, my dad and my sister used to all gather around the tree and arrange the ornaments just so. You can't leave any "holes" or mom will yell at you lol. We usually decorate the tree while we listen to Christmas music and try not to step on the dogs, and keep the cat from scaling the tree (which is a very feeble attempt, but we try).

Usually, a few days before Christmas we all pile in the car, with cokes and popcorn, and go look at Christmas lights! I LOVE looking at Christmas lights!!! We hit up the fire station because they do a show and then head over to one of the "rich" neighborhoods to see the lights they have put up (or have paid to have put up, but w/e they're pretty). Then we head on over to Frisco Square for another light show!

You thought this was a lot? I haven't even told you about Christmas Eve or Christmas Day! Haha.. stay tuned to see what we do on Christmas Eve and day!

That's my Southern Christmas Soapbox! Good night y'all!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday

Yes, it's a little late.. but better late than never! So here it goes!

Woot-tastic:

- I only have one day left for the semester! My last final is Friday! So excited to get the Christmas break STARTED!!!!
- The Vampire Diaries is totally woot-tastic. I'm sorry.. but it is. And even more woot-tastic is that I've gotten my mom AND sister addicted to it! My mom and I are going to watch season 3 tomorrow (well.. technically it's today but ya...) and yes, I'm kind of obsessed..
- The love of my life... we spend most of the day together today :). Even after four years I still get excited when I know I'm going to get to see him. I hope I never loose that feeling.

Wonky:

This picture.... yes, that's a desktop.. in a coffee shop (Saxbys is AMAZEBALLS!) One of the guys that works there brought his desktop to work to play games on lol. Apparently laptops aren't good enough for him

If you will notice all the critters featured in this picture. Rebel, the giant grey dog at the top of the picture. Next to him is George, the cat, and then there is Martin, the little dog at the bottom of the picture. They were all laying in my bed when I went to go to sleep last night. Normally, Martin doesn't sleep with me but since it has been so cold he has been bunking with me, Rebel and George. My bed gets crowded at night.



- So, according to my mother "In 1692 Columbus sailed the ocean blue". That is exactly what she said... she's close, only missing it by 2 centuries.

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox for the night. Hopefully will post something tomorrow.

Finals week

I know, I didn't do wonky and woot-tastic Wednesday. Sorry I was busy. I'll do it this coming week!

Anywho, it's finals week this coming week! I'm excited because that means it's the end of the semester. I'm also dreading it because I hate finals lol. They should be pretty easy though. Anywho, on with what I've been up to...

I've been busy getting ready for Christmas. Whose tree is that to the left you may ask? Is it a little girl that thinks she's a princess? Nope... it's Ryans... my 23 year old BOYfriend lol. To make it more "manly" (although he did not mind the pink, at all) he put his x-box controller on the tree and at the top, for the tree topper is a little Daschund ornament lol. We got into a small "fight" over the tree though. Not really a fight, and it was really over the tree. I was really excited that I had found it and he totally ruined my fun. I got pretty annoyed with him and even considered taking it back to the store. But in the end he apologized and, even if he doesn't care, he's pretending to LOVE the tree lol. On the plus side, if we ever have a daughter, we already have her tree lol.

While I was on my Christmas decorating kick my mom and I went to Hobby Lobby and I was looking at the little signs that they have. The ones you hang out the wall. I found one that I really really like (hint hint Christmas present hint hint).. anywho it says "Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails." I don't know why I like it so much, but I do. It would be really cute on the wall between Ryan's living room and kitchen :D (the wall you see in the tree picture lol). Anywho, it's pretty and I like it lol.


Fibro update: The night before last I had a really bad flare up. I woke up at about 1am hurting so bad that I had to sleep at Ryan's because I couldn't drive home. By the time I woke up at about 10am I wasn't hurting as much but have still been achy, even today. We have a big cold front coming through (there may even be snow *groans*) it's going to be GREAT (note sarcasm).

Well, that's my Southern Soapbox for the day :) have a good one! BE FESTIVE!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday!

It's Wednesday again! Today was crazy. Ryan and I went to his parents house to have Thanksgiving a day early with his family. Instead of turkey, his brother smoked a brisket, which was AMAZEBALLS! Loved it! We also got to meet Ryan's nephew for the first time :)! Alright, on to wonky and woot-tastic

Wonky (things that are weird or that I just don't like):
- I don't know if anyone else has this problem but... when I go to bed, I get all tucked in with Rebel and George in bed next to me, turn off the light and start to relax... then my eyes pop open because I have to pee! It drives me nuts! I get all comfy and cozy in my bed then I have to drag myself out of bed, disturbing the animals(God forbid) and go to the bathroom. So annoying!

- Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1... ugh, don't get me started. So yes, the books were GREAT and I loved them but seriously, the movies are TERRIBLE! They are beyond cheesy. The acting is terrible which I have decided is, in part, due to poor directing. The whole series has been HORRIBLE! And yet... I will still go see part 2... shoot me now.

- Saturday night I laid down in bed(then got up because I realized I had to pee...) and made sure my alarm was set for 8:45am, that way I could be up in time to go to work in the morning. I promise you it was set, but it didn't go off. Thankfully my internal clock is only slightly off and I woke up at 9:15. I was late to work but I still made it so that's good.

Woot-tastic (things that make me go WOOT!):
- THANKSGIVING! Who doesn't like Thanksgiving? It is an amazing holiday. Food, family, friends... it doesn't get much better! I walked into my house this evening and, already, it smells like Thanksgiving. I can't wait until tomorrow!

- Our new ceiling! We had a leak in our roof and it messed up our ceiling in the living room and we finally got around to fixing it! It still needs to be textured and painted but it looks much better than it did! Thank you dad and Andrew (my sisters hubby)

- My Pumpkin Pie Bites! I am so in love with those things! They are YUMM. Going to have some tomorrow!

- Lol, so I wasn't sure whether or not this belongs in woot-tastic or wonky but it made me laugh really hard so here it goes.... I ran into my door. HARD. face first. I had gone to the bathroom (after having gotten all comfy in my bed -.-) and it was dark... my door is usually open but apparently it closed behind me when I went to the bathroom so when I went to walk through the door way, my face was greeted by the door. I laughed SO HARD. It was hilarious! I'm glad I can laugh at myself lol.

Well that's my Southern Soapbox for Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Here we go! I told y'all I would take pictures of every step so here it is! I made these today and took pictures as I went. (This recipe is for 24 pumpkin pie bites)

Here are your ingredients (the Monster was for me, not the bites lol)

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts (these are found by the cookie dough at Kroger)

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 3/4 inch cookie cutter 

1. Grease your muffin pan!

                                 2. Unroll your pie crust  

3. Cut your circles out! I also rolled the circles out a little flatter after I had cut them out.

4. Put your pie crust in the muffin pans. Make sure to put the crusts in every other spot so they don't stick together.

 Don't worry too much about all the excess, just stuff it down in there. Make sure the crust isn't too thin, you don't want any breaks!

It doesn't have to look pretty (I know what you're thinking "YES IT DOES!".. but really, it doesn't). Just shove it down there!

5. Take one of your eggs and separate the whites from the yolk. Take your finger and spread the whites on the edges of your pie crust.

6. Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350. Then mix your sugar, cream cheese, 2 eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and pumpkin spice together.  (make sure you soften the cream cheese. and by soften i mean SOFTTTTTT! otherwise it will be all lumpy and ewww. and if it is lumpy and ew, just stick your whole mix in the microwave for about 30 seconds at a time until it's not lumpy)

this one is actually a little low on filling

7. Scoop the filling into the crusts. I used a cookie dough scoop and it worked perfectly! Scoop enough to fill the crust.

8. Pop them into the oven. The site I got this from, Bakerella, says to bake them for 12-15 minutes but I ended up doing it for about 20. I suggest starting with 12 minutes and add more as you go along. To check for "doneness" take a toothpick and stick it in the middle of one of your bites. If it comes out clean, it's finished, if not, add another 5 minutes.

When you first take them out of the oven they will be all puffed up. I wish they would have stayed that way, but sadly, they flattened out.

You can either serve them hot, or refrigerate them and serve them cold. Personally, my family thought they were better cold. Let me know what you think!

That's my Southern Soapbox for the day! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Gobble Gobble!

It's Crunch Month!

You know that month? The last month of the semester, students, you know what I'm talking about. That time of year where your professors ALL decide to give you the most extensive complicated, long essays and projects of the entire year. Not only do they give you projects and papers, they also give you tests, quizzes and expect you to still study for your final exam. CRAZY! So that is what I have been doing, papers, papers, project. It's CRAZY!

On a brighter note, I am officially on Thanksgiving break (not that it means anything because I have 3 papers to write, a speech to do, a project and some research I have to do)! I am really excited thought because I made Pumpkin Pie Bites for dessert the other night and they were GREAT! Everyone liked them and my brother in law, Andrew, said they're even better cold! I am going to be taking them to Ryan's parents house on Wednesday. Run down of the week: baking and cleaning tomorrow, Wednesday Ryan and I are having lunch with his family and then Thursday we are having lunch with my family then dinner with a friend of ours :). It's going to be a CRAZY week!

George, helping me read -.-

This past week I finally finished reading the new The Vampire Diaries book, The Hunter: Phantom! It took me a couple of days which, for me, is pretty long. It was pretty good and I am looking forward to the next book! I have to start reading the latest House Of Night book too, Destined. I have to hurry up and get all caught up because my new Stephanie Plum book come out TODAY! (I just Googled to check the date, didn't realize it was TODAY... crap...) Oh well, I might have to read it first lol. BTW if you have never read The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evonovich GO READ THEM NOW!




Well, that's my Southern Soapbox for the day. Tomorrow (Tuesday) I am going to post a picture of what I am wearing to Ryan's parents house on Wednesday and will also post more details about my Pumpkin Pie Bites, as I will be baking them tomorrow :). Have a good night!

Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday!

It's time for our second Wonky and Woot-tastic Wednesday! So, here we go!

Wonky (things that are weird, awkward or that I just don't like in general lol)
- the picture posted above.... Mom and I did a "photo shoot" today because my outfit was cute and we decided to do "action shots" of me jumping. Mostly I just looked like.... well like I was jumping. Supposedly there is a way to jump gracefully in pictures. I tried, I can't.

- so I walked into the bathroom at Macaroni Grill. i went to the bathroom and was going to wash my hands when I saw a sign that said "mens" on the back of the door. I TOTALLY freaked out and ran out of the bathroom. Then I remembered that they do that on purpose to screw with poor innocent women's minds... so uncool.
- haha so I was walking through WalMart(ugh walmart) with my mother and suddenly decided to start speaking with a British accent. By British I mean British/Australian/Scottish. It was pretty funny. I started t get a lot better at it the more I did it. The lady at the check out counter asked if I was practicing for a play or something.... nope, I'm not that normal.
- I know a lot of game lingo, and it disturbs me. Ryan will be talking about some weird thing about his online game and I will know exactly what he is talking about. I can't really think of an example but when I think of one, I'll be sure to share it with you lol
- the cold... ugh I hate it! It makes my joints hurt



Woot-tastic (thanks that make me go WOOT!)

- getting 2 new books to read. I'm always looking for something good to read. I prefer series because I like the development of the characters and to see what happens next. I'm always REALLY sad when I finish a series. Like I'm loosing friends (I know, I'm weird)
- a book that is so well written that you feel like you are there. I love it when I can loose myself in a book and it become, for a short time, my reality. Does anyone else do this or am I a freak? lol (well, I know I'm a freak.. you know what I mean)
- ONE WEEK TO THANKSGIVING! And after that only 2 weeks until the end of the semester! I'm really excited but am surprisingly sad that my Communications class is coming to an end :(.
- Seeing my friend Chris. He has been in Afghanistan for nine months. A lot of things happened to him over there but I am really glad that he is home, safe with his wifey :).