Friday Fill-in

1. What do you see your life like in 10 years? 10 years seems like such a long time from now. I am praying that in 10 years my life will be like... celebrating 14 wonderful years being married to the man of my dreams, have at least 2 kids, a wonderful house, and my Avon career to take off.

2. What do you like most about your job?Well, I LOVE working near my momma! My family and I are super close. So getting to see her everyday is amazing!


3. What are three things you do every day, no matter what day it is? Play with my fur babies and kiss this hubby.


4. What would you do with an extra five hours in the day today? CRAFT!!! I love creating new projects. My best friends and I are starting an Etsy shop so I have been making things for that.


5. What is your favorite Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate) cookie recipe (please share!)? I don't bake cookies, I have tried many times and they just don't taste right, But I do make cake. So here is my Red Velvet Cake.


RED VELVET CAKE

2-1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 oz. red food coloring
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. cider or white vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda

Cooks Note: Use liquid red food coloring, such as McCormick or Durkee; if Wilton's is used, only 1/2 tsp. is needed.
Preheat oven to 350°F for 15 minutes before baking cake.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, on medium speed for three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, stir together cocoa powder, food coloring and vanilla extract. Beat this into the butter mixture.

Stir 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk, another 1/3 of flour, the remaining buttermilk, and the remaining flour mixture; stir just until blended.

In a cup, combine vinegar and baking soda. Mixture will fizz. Stir this into the batter and combine well.

Divide batter evenly between two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake for about 22 to 28 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Allow cakes to cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife along edges of pan to free cake; remove cake gently from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Ice with Cream Cheese Icing.

Secret Santa Thursday!

Today my awesome Santa bought and made this for me.
No I did not eat all of these brownies, I had help from coworkers.

The platter will go perfect with the ones I have at home!

Christmas Craft

I saw these wreaths in Starbucks. And then found them in a Christmas store last year but I just didn't want to pay an arm and leg for them. So while reading some blogs I stumbled across Eddie Ross's version of them. He used shatter proof ornaments and wire hangers. After reading about it I told J that I am going to attempt in making this wreath. But I wanted it to be different then he had it. So I nix the wire hanger (I don't even have one) and bought a foam wreath. Plus I am a glue gun type of girl.

I went to Walmart and bought shatter proof ornaments

Large - 12pack for $4.99 (I only used 6 of them)

Medium - 4pk for $1.00 (I bought and used 7)

Small - 16pk for $3.00 (I bought and used 5)

16" Styrofoam wreath - $6.99 and with a 40% of coupon it came out to $4.19

red ribbon - I had this from another project and did not have enough, so used a different ribbon.

Hot Glue Gun and a ton of glue.

I wrapped the Styrofoam wreath with the ribbon. I do recommend using all red, I just didn't have anymore and I didn't want to spend more money on this project.

I hot glued the largest ornaments on first then went to the medium and filled it in with the smallest ones.

Almost done

My finished wreath. It matches the house decorations perfectly, and I love that the ornaments are different textures.

And here it is in the Hallway.

I hope you guys like it!

Secret Santa Wednesday

Today my Santa gave my favorite apples, peanutbutter, and Publix unsweet tea. I think my Santa is one of my good friends Lari, but we will see on Friday.

Secret Santa Tuesday!

Today I came to work with this sweet mug and my favorite coffee from Starbucks!

Christmas Survey

I did this survey in 2008 but I thought I would do it again. Some of my answers are still the same.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I love them both!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps all of his gifts in brown packing paper with red ribbon on it.

3. Colored lights or white lights on tree/house? all white

4. Do you have Mistletoe? I never have... I should buy some this year and get a picture of Jeff and I kissing under it.

5. When do you put your decorations up? On black Friday and I have done my Christmas shopping.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? This egg creation thing that my grams makes every year.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Hmm.. one doesn't stand out in particular to me.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Only with my grandparents on my moms side.

9. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What truth... Santa is real! jk my mom was not really that creative with wrapping Santa's gifts, she used the same paper as their gifts to us, and I could tell her hand writing was the same as Santa's.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I am very picky with my tree, I don't even let Jeff help (he is fine with that. He sits on the couch and drinks hot coco.). Light go on first then the bulbs go on and our favorite ornaments. And last we put the Santa hat as a topper (tree can't hold a star). For the grand finally of the tree we have our yearly ornaments in the middle for everyone to see! I LOVE MY TREE!

11. Snow! Love it or Hate it? Hmm.. I love to see it, love to play in it.. but don't live anywhere near it. Thanks FLORIDA!

12. Can you ice skate? sure can, but not that well. Jeff is really good at it. He use to play Hockey in high school.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Every gift I love but my favorite is... But I love my pearl earrings that my parents bought me.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family. I love just being together and doing fun holiday things.

15. What tops your tree? a Santa hat, we do the fake tree and ours is small (small condo), so the first year we got the tree we bought this pretty star from Pottery Barn. As soon as we put it on the top of the tree started to bend. This star was so heavy, I returned it the next day and bought the Santa hat.

16. What's your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas Eve. My family and friends all get together, have a huge dinner and then drinks and a ton of laughter!

17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving, I love watching peoples reaction to the gifts!

18. What is your favorite holiday desert? Pecan Pie or Red Velvet Cake!

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Silent night!

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Depends... in coco - Yum, by them self - Yuck

21. What is your favorite Christmas special/ movie? Christmas Vacation and White Christmas!

Secret Santa Monday!!

Every year at work I play Secret Santa. I love the person that I got and having a blast shopping for them.

Today my Secret Santa made me my favorite candy. Chocolate Covered Gummie Bears and gave me a recipe card for Gummie Bear Margareta. That sounds so good!