Christmas Tagging

(Natalie & I in front of the stuffed Christmas tree we used one year)

A tag from my friend Emily, that I thought was fun and festive for this week:

1. Do you like Eggnog or Hot Chocolate? Oh, hot chocolate, hands down. I find egg nog to be a little bit slimy, which I really can't abide. I have serious texture issues when it comes to food.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? Growing up, Santa just laid them all out. I don't think we really ever unwrapped Santa presents. As we got older, my mom wrapped more and more of our gifts, though. We each had a pile on one of the couches or chairs, and you could tell which was yours by your stocking at the top of the pile.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White White White on the tree.
I prefer no lights on the house, just candles in the windows like the do in Williamsburg. . . but if you're going to do it, I like nice STRAIGHT lines of white lights. Of course, that's boring for kids. . . but also not tacky.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I did for a long time. The real stuff, even. Last year I got a plastic mistletoe, and right now, it's sitting on the counter. I'm such a romantic.

5. When do you put up your decorations? I am adamantly opposed to putting them prior to Dec. 1st. This year, it took us a little longer. I was very afraid of what Nolan would do to them. . .

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Yeah, I can't pick one. . . probably ham and mashed potatoes. . . But there are always so many good things to eat!

7. What is your favorite Holiday memory as a child? Staying up all night with Natalie because we couldn't sleep from the excitement. . . we weren't allowed to get up until 7 am, so we would count down the hours.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always opened one gift on Christmas Eve. It was usually the swap gift from the swap we did with our cousins. We sometimes to the PJ thing now. . . but we're not consistent.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? White lights and a big bunch of non-matching ornaments from over the years. I have ornaments that my great grandmother made me when I was a kid, and some that I bought at Thai Pan this year. . . Plus, we have Ben's big set of Disney ornaments that his parents bought him when he was way too young to decide what he wanted in a set of ornaments. Some of them are amazing, some of them are tacky. Either way, Nolan loves to remove them and carry them around the living room.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love to look at it, especially when it's fresh and new. LOATHE driving in it. One of my least favorite things on earth. Probably owing to the lack of control it entails.

(Holding our homemade Care Bears and our Strawberry Shortcake dolls that blew kisses)

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I have to agree with Emily on this one, though I got lots of gifts over the years that I loved. My favorite childhood Christmas gifts were the handmade Cabbage Patch and Care Bear dolls my mom made us (two different years, it turns out). I'm still amazed that she was able to do such a good job. And I still have mine! I am constantly amazed at the lengths my mom went to to make sure we had a wonderful Christmas, even when there wasn't a lot of money for such things.

(with our cousin Karissa, who got a REAL Cabbage Patch doll)

14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The joy and the festivity of it all. . . leading up to that wonderful feeling of peace when you truly settle down and remember the Savior's birth and why we're celebrating in the first place.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Peppermint bark & toffee. But also. . . peppermint stick ice cream. YUM.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Making a CD of new and old Christmas music to listen to. . . and making Christmas treats. . . As a kid, we had Pop Tarts and Lucky Charms on Christmas morning, and I thought that was an amazing treat. We don't really do it any more, but I am always tempted to buy those things to have around Christmas morning, just out of nostalgia.

17. What tops your tree? A star. It started out as a kraft paper star that I spray painted silver. Some day I'll probably get something fancier, but I like it. . . You can't tell it's made of cardboard.

18. Which do you prefer, giving gifts or receiving them? Oh, GIVING! I mean, everyone likes to get presents, but at this point in my life, finding fun things for family and friends is so much fun. Even better, are the years we adopt a family that is struggling and find wonderful gifts for them to surprise them. There is no better shopping than that. . .

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Seriously? That's like asking me to pick a favorite movie! I don't have one particular song that I love no matter who is singing it. The one I play OVER and OVER is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by the Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan

20. Candy Canes? LOVE them.

21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Yeah, it really is. I get that companies have to make money. . . but I feel like there are far too many people that go into massive debt every year in order to give their kids WAY too many presents. Kids just don't need $2000 worth of gifts. My parents were always very frugal about gift giving, and I don't think it hurt us one bit.

22. Favorite Christmas movie? Mr. Krueger's Christmas, with Jimmy Stewart. It's so touching. And how can you not love Jimmy Stewart? I also very much enjoy Love Actually, Little Women, & Charlie Brown's Christmas.

If you have the time, in the middle of the craziness we call Christmas, do this tag. It's fun!
Maybe while you're snowed in this weekend, as so many of us are.

Walgreens Drive Through FAIL

I think I used up my line waiting mojo earlier today at the post office. In and out in 10 minutes, thanks to the automated weigher machine and a nice postal worker man. I was feeling pretty good about it.

I felt too soon.

I got a migraine tonight. . . a nasty whopper of a headache. It's the third one I've had this week. The other 2 I woke up with. . . This one came on like a freight train courtesy of a flickering fluorescent light bulb in the Wyview Park building where Ben's work Christmas party was being held.

And after hurrying to get to Walgreens to pick up my migraine prescription. . . that had been waiting for me for 3 days. . . I got stuck. Literally stuck in a line of cars with no way out. In the end, I had to wait 35 minutes to get the stupid pills. At which point my tired hungry baby was wailing in the back seat, and I felt AWFUL. I got home and ran straight to the bathroom to throw up the wonderful ham dinner we'd eaten at the party (well, I ate it. . . Nolan refused which is why he was hungry)

And all this is to say the following.

"Dear Walgreens,

Thank you. No really, THANK YOU.

Tonight was the second time in a week I've waited a RIDICULOUS amount of time in your drive through. In these tough economic times, you obviously have plenty of customers (it being cold and flu season AND it's Utah Valley, so there are plenty of Prozac prescriptions being handed out).

What you do NOT have, is enough employees in your pharmacy. That, or the employees you do have are incapable of multi-tasking.

I used to love you.

I'm re-thinking my feelings.

Love,
Melanie"

You Wouldn't Like Me

iTunes Tag
1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

1.IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"Tiny Vessels"

2.WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"You Are My Sister"

3.WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Pray Your Gods"

4.HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"He"

5.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Wishful Thinking"

6.WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"Man Of The Hour"

7.WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Love Is Waiting"

8.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Sucker"

9.WHAT IS 2+2?
"Spit It Out"

10.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Tomorrow Morning"

11.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Painter Song"

12.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Rings A Bell"

13.WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Shakalaka Baby" (yeah, I do!!)

14.WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Dance Of The Robe"

15.WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Prophecy"

16.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Here Comes The Sun Again" (love it)

17.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"She's Got You"

18.WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Pretend"

19.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Memory Lane"

20.WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Love, Where Is Your Fire?"

21.HOW WILL YOU DIE?
"Different but the Same"

22.WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"The Humpty Dumpty Love Song"

23.WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Spond" (because it's a funny word, possibly? I don't know)

24.WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"Follow Through"

25.WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"Deep Water"

26.WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"So You Are To Me"

27.DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"Don't Waste Your Time"

28.IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"My Sundown"

29.WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"Stupid" (OH, so true)

30.WHERE WILL YOU TRAVEL TO?
"Oh"

31.WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Eyes On The Prize"

32.WHAT DO YOU OFTEN FIND YOURSELF WANTING TO YELL AT PEOPLE?
"Devil Inside"

33.WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF?
"When My Boy Walks Down The Street"

34. WHAT DOES THE PERSON YOU LIKE THINK OF YOU?
"The Simple Life"

35. WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"You Wouldn't Like Me"

OK, now YOU do it!! It's fun!!

Gingerbread Houses 2008

Last night for FHE, we reinstated our yearly tradition of making gingerbread houses. Several of us wimped out and bought kits rather than be creative enough to make something from scratch. . . but it was fun anyway.

Here are a few of our best moments:

Jules & Griff with their graham cracker creation.

Tamera used one of the kits I got at Target. . . needless to say, the frosting was not ideal for holding that heavy roof on. It was having some issues.

Ben & Jeremy engaging in their ritual melting of chocolate things (this time it was fudgie frogs) with Ben's creme brule torches

(left to right) Jeremy's tree, Jules and Griff's graham cracker house, my train, Tamera's house, and Emily's Tree.
Missing is Jessica's fancy shack (she took it home before we managed to set up the picture)

The aftermath of Tamera's house after trying to move it to the front table.
Sigh.

A good time was had by all

Nolan and the Christmas Tree

I had a very strong feeling that my busy busy son and the Christmas tree in the living room were not going to be the best combination in the world. Now that it's up, I see that I was right. . .

I'm less concerned that he'll pull it over on himself, though. He seems to enjoy, instead, taking the ornaments off and depositing them in his other toys, or banging them on the table.

Joy

Product Placement

OK, it's time for a list of my current favorite things. After all, it's the time of year when I indulge my consumerism BIG time, so why not, right? (yes, more than half are food. that's just the kind of day I'm having, OK?)

First

Mint M&Ms
We bought about 10 bags of these at the end of last season, and we were just finishing them up in time for them to come out again. Good timing, eh? They are a little bit tricky to find this year, but I got several bags at Target. Head on over.

Second

Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon
Dude! I love what this does to first day hair. You know, the hair that is dry and sticks up everywhere because it's so bloody CLEAN!? Yeah, this does an amazing job of controlling the insanity wihout being all goopy and gross. SUCH a good find.

Third

Candy Cane Hershey Kisses
white/red chocolate with peppermint crunchies inside. . . need I say more?
Need I point out my intense love for min/chocolate combinations again?

Fourth

Wee little notebook
Yes, I have an iphone in which I SHOULD take lots of little notes so I have them with me all the time. . . but there's really not a great place in it for making to do lists, and sometimes it's nice to very quickly jot things down.
They come in a 3 pack. The other 2 found happy homes in the mid-West, but I kept one for myself. they can be got at Barnes & Noble, in the Jonathan Adler Kensington collection up by the registers.

Fifth (and finally)
Gerber Yogurt Melts
OK, these are for Nolan, not me, but when he literally takes them out of the bag, grabs my hand and places the package in it, and then starts signing "please". . . Probably a good sign that he likes them. They are the perfect take along, healthy snack. They're pricey, considering how quickly Nolan plows through them, but at least they aren't white flour, am I right?

Fakey Scovil Bakery

My mom is the activities committee chairperson for their ward, and the Christmas party theme this year is "Christmas in Nauvoo". They wanted to have a replica of the Scovil Bakery, a building that is actually IN Nauvoo, to serve desserts from. A great guy across the street built the flats for them, but then they needed some painting. . .

Ben and I set about using our Scenic painting skills to make it look authentic. . . And I was pretty happy with the results, even if we are a little rusty.

Here is a step by step of how it went together:

The original flats with no paint

Base coat of brick red and a texture coat sponged on in a slightly lighter shade

After spattering for texture, painting on mortar lines, and basing in the window frames and sign
(I should have taken one before this, but the camera battery had to be recharged)

The finished bakery! (with shadows, lettering and a roof line)

In the end, I felt it was the least I could do. My parents DID pay my tuition while I learned this stuff at BYU, after all. And I'm not sure they thought I'd ever get a job, studying stuff like this.

Hopefully the pies that are baked there will be wonderful.

The Many Faces of Nolan

During the course of a normal day around the Hess house, I often pull out the camera for a quick shot of something funny Nolan is doing. Most of the time, those pictures get lost in the shuffle. Today, I'm going to share a few little snapshots of our everyday dealings with a 1 year old:

He LOVES typing.
Jer & Emily donated an old keyboard to his toy box in an effort to keep him away from laptops. . .

Cookie sheets make good sleds on the kitchen floor

Dad makes a good seat on the couch for some TV watching

"smoking" his dad's chapstick.

His favorite post. He's pretty good at getting down now. . . the falls are minimal.

Dragging around the tripod

Refried Beans and godlfish at grandma and grandpa's house. (notice the fish hanging from his chin? this was a fast track to the bath tub)

Elf On The Shelf

My mom has this really scary looking Christmas elf. . . My guess is that it's from the 60s, and it always comes out with the Christmas decorations. . . and it's always made me just a little bit nervous. . .

Look at that face!!

BUT, I saw this
on the internet the other day, and it reminded me of the scary elf (though slightly less scary). . . and I thought to myself. . . we need more TRADITIONS in our house. And the scary elf is something that was ALWAYS there in our house. . . so why not get one of my own?

This one comes with a story book that explains how Santa sends his little elf helpers to watch over kids and make sure they're being good. . .

we're considering leaving him up all year long as a form of motivation for Nolan. . .

(If you need one, their website has a list of stores that carry them)

Movies and TV Catch Up

Feast Of Love
Good cast. Not good writing. The cast did what they could with it, but it was just. . . bad. I was hoping to like it, but I really really didn't. I watched this so long ago that I really can't some up with anything else to say about it. . . I don't suggest getting this one. . .


Charlie Bartlett
This one, on the other hand, I DID like. And I wasn't at all sure I would. The script is surprisingly clever, and Anton Yelchin, that plays Charlie, carries the movie brilliantly. Hope Davis' character was pretty contrived and silly, but Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr were so honest, that the movie was great, overall.


Purple Violets
I liked this movie a little. . . There were some huge and glaring things about it that really bugged me, though, to the point that I couldn't REALLY like it. #1-- Selma Blair. I don't think she can act, but also, I think she's annoying and hard to watch. (I know this is contrary to popular opinion, but it's just how I feel) #2-- Who decided Donal Logue should play British? He did it BADLY. Not a good call Edward Burns. . .

But on that point, the rest of the cast was good. . . even Edward Burns, who usually annoys me as well, and I generally think should not act in his own movies. He was good. And the plot, though predictable, was not bad.

I just couldn't REALLY like it.
(and there was apparently no poster made for it)

Because I Said So
OK, this one is SERIOUSLY BAD. And the thing is, with this cast, there is no excuse. The script (if there was one) and the direction are just AWFUL. Most of the movie feels like a 1st year improv class. And my guess is, the director told them to "have more energy! Be more frenetic!" the whole time. It's bad. REALLY bad. Even for a chick flick.


Beauty Shop
I wanted to hate it. I can't like movies like this. . . I'm smarter than that. . . But it was really quite sweet. And Queen Latifa is just so GOOD. At everything. And granted, it was a quiet Sunday afternoon, and I had just finished watching Because I Said So. . . but I think both Ben & I really enjoyed this. . . silly though it may be. If you see it coming on TV, it's worth the time.. .


Margot At The Wedding
Yeah. . . I am officially NOT a fan of Noah Baumbach. I couldn't sit still through this movie, in much the same way I couldn't through The Squid & The Whale (which he also wrote and directed). I know there are people with whom his style and rhythm resonates. . . but I'm not one of them. I call movies like this "Mumbler Movies". I just wanted to tell them all to enunciate!! I didn't like it. . . but that doesn't mean you wouldn't. . .

And a few (lots of) points on TV. . .

We care enough to be caught up on:
Pushing Daisies-- it's being cancelled, and that makes me sad. Granted, I am less enamored with this season than I was last, but it's SUCH a great show. . .
Big Bang Theory-- yes, this is a slightly unexpected joy to us. Maybe the sitcom ISN'T dead! Although I could still do without the ridiculously loud laugh track
How I Met Your Mother-- again. . . giving me hope for sitcoms. I know, I'm late to the party. . . But I like this one.
Ugly Betty-- Oh my WORD, I'm so glad it recovered from last season. I was about to give up. But it's BACK!
Grey's Anatomy-- OK, I am pretty certain it officially jumped the shark this past week. UGH. I loved Denny too. . . but seriously?! I will still keep watching, though. I'm a sucker for it.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition-- we cry every week. It's amazing and one of our absolute favorites.

Partially caught up on:
Heroes-- mostly caught up. . . and while it's better than last season (OK, that's not saying much) I am still not thrilled with the writing. COME ON, people!
Biggest Loser-- Really wish it wasn't the long, drawn out, 2 hour affair that it is every week. They could do it in 1. . . and all the dramatics and repeated clips are making us lose interest. . .which is sad, because we really liked it. . .


We are SOO far behind on, and trying to care about:
Private Practice-- I'm more caught up than Ben is, but it's just getting SO overly dramatic. I know this is silly from someone that likes Grey's, and I LOVE the cast. . . but the writing is just not doing it for me this season. . .
House-- I actually took this off the schedule. . . not because I don't like it, but because it's syndicated all over the place and I'm not up on any sort of PLOT anyway, so it's not worth the DVR space.
Fringe-- I love JJ, but this one may end up getting deleted too. It just didn't draw us in. We'll see if we get caught up soon and have time for it. . .

New ones we're trying. . . when we find time:
Eleventh Hour-- The previews looked interesting. . . sort of X-Files meets Bones. . . I'm not sure when I'll get to it, though. Or if that's even an accurate description.
Life-- I have watched 2 so far, and I like it. It's definitely on deck.
My Own Worst Enemy-- We watched all of the episodes last night. Couldn't stop watching. We're suckers for spy shows. . . it feels like we're watching Alias all over again. Really well done. WATCH THIS, if you don't already.

Yeah. . . we watch WAY too much TV. Our excuse is that we don't go TO the movies and plays much any more. . . so we have to entertain ourselves. . . but we're also just slaves to the TV.

Done now.

Random (Again) and Wordy

Apparently my new theme is random lists. . . because here I go again. (though I will follow it up with a movie/TV post)

1) We bought our Christmas presents this weekend. . . I know, I know, it's ridiculous for a person who can't even stand to start listening to Christmas carols until Dec. 1st to buy Christmas presents SO far in advance. It is. It's ridiculous. I know this.

Ben and I have gotten into the habit of saving large purchases that we really want for special occasions, for the sake of justifying them. We used our TV purchase for birthdays and anniversary gifts this year. . . and ever since we bought the TV, it's been our secret (and not so secret) wish to have a Blu-Ray player to go with it. . . I mean, HELLO, how can we have an HDTV and NOT have Blu-Ray? Easy, actually. We didn't NEED it. DVDs looked fine. But. . . we wanted one.

SO it's our Christmas gift. And at less than half the price of last year's Christmas (iphones at the old price) I feel pretty good about it. And it LOOKS AMAZING. Wall-E is SO pretty. Planet Earth. I can't even tell you. . . you could PET the polar bears. . .

2) When I went to deposit our aluminum cans in the recycling bin I always use today, I ran into something new and different for American Fork Utah. . . or so I thought. . .

The large trash can for recycling (proceeds go to the handicapped, or so it says) is right next to another can for newspapers. They are in the parking lot of a Smith's grocery store and there is never anyone by them. Dumping my cans through the special hole is usually a solitary affair I do on my lunch break and move on to other errands.

But today, when I pulled into the parking lot, there was a man by the newspaper can, with newspapers EVERYWHERE. A giant circle of papers surrounded him as he looked to be sorting through them. I admit it. I figured he was homeless (even if that's not something you see in AF very often) I don't know if it was the gray hair sticking up through his ear warmer or the older wind breaker he was wearing. . . or just the simple fact that he was kneeling by a couple of trash cans in a grocery store parking lot. . . either way, I have to admit that it gave me pause, pulling up to the cans. . . Not very Christian of me. . . I know.

As soon as I got out and he looked up at me with a bit of a laugh in his eyes I knew I'd been wrong. But I still didn't understand. . . but not to worry. He explained. He talked to me the whole time I was emptying my cans. . . and then a little longer. He told me that he was pulling newspaper clippings to add to scrapbooks he was making for his grandkids. . . He wanted them to remember this year. . .

And it occurred to me that I was judgmental. . . and that he was a freaking COOL grandpa. . . if a bit eccentric. How many grandpas dumpster dive for newspapers to create SCRAPBOOKS for their grandkids? I hope they appreciate it. And I hope I'm that cool some day. (even though there CERTAINLY must have been an easier way to do what he was doing)

3) When I made my hair cut appointment on Saturday they asked if I'd like to have anything waxed while I was at it. . . In order to tell this story, I have to admit something. . . I am 31 years old. A GROWN woman. & I am NOT a fan of hair in places it ought not to be. Which is why I endured the pain of laser hair removal on certain parts of my body. Because besides not enjoying errant hair, I am also lazy. Too lazy for the shaving and the plucking SO much of the time. . . HOWEVER. . . I have made it to the ripe old age of 31 without every having had a part of my body waxed. I hear tales. I wince. . . which is stupid because I KNEW in my brain, that the laser hurt more. . . I've just never done it. SO, when they asked, I thought of my eyebrows. . . SO unkempt. Really quite ridiculous. . . and I said yes.

And it was wonderful.

I now have perfectly shaped brows, with VERY minimal pain, and I will never pluck again.

The End.

Thursday Randomness

I am feeling pretty scattered this week. We all have crazy crappy colds and one of the many joyful symptoms is a distinct "medicine head" feeling, despite having taken no medicine. Another symptom is the desire to pass out for the night at 8 pm (or 7:30, as Ben did last night for a half hour snooze)

So today, I have randomness to offer, and that's all I can muster:

A) Trying to pace myself and spread my Christmas shopping out over several weeks makes me want to listen to Christmas music. . . but I am FIRMLY on the side of not turning on the Christmas tunes until Dec. 1st. I will get sick of them, and the whole holiday feeling, if I start earlier. And I have a LOT to be thankful for in the meantime. . .

B) Nolan had his one year old check up at the Dr. on Tuesday. The little man has not grown much. . . a fact that the doctor isn't concerned about, but it has me mildly perplexed. He has not grown ANY taller. Still hanging out at 28.5 inches. He has gained a little bit of weight. . . he's now 22 lbs 4 oz. but that's still less than a lb. . . His height puts him in the 15th percentile right now. . . so bizarre! I always assumed I'd have a kid who was generally tall. . .
And maybe in a couple of weeks he'll sprout up a couple of inches, just because he can. . .

C) I am NOT doing well on the "Fit Friends" challenge we're doing. . . There's no way I will win. . . and for that matter, I'm having a hard time coming up with the energy to even try. Exercise? What's that? Maybe if I could get unsick. . .

D) I am really nervous about the upcoming holiday season. I'm nervous for totally different reasons than I was a year ago. Ever since I got pregnant with Nolan, I have bouts of serious anti-socialness. . . And holidays (and summer) in Provo are all about people, and visiting, and seeing old friends. It's a destination, of sorts, for all of our friends who have abandoned us for places far and wide. . . And that means each and every week includes at least 2 places we need to be, friends to meet for dinner, festive actitivites to participate in. . . And I'm not complaining about that part, really. I love seeing everyone. I truly do. . . but it's exhausting. And my anti-social crap just makes it harder. SO, if you see me this holiday season, and I have a rather blank stare on my face, don't take it personally. I'm just going to my happy place for a few minutes and trying to do some mental yoga. I'll return soon. Promise.

Cupcake Pops

I have been wanting to try these since the very moment I saw them on Bakerella's blog. . . and there were step by step instructions! How easy, right?

Yeah. . . it's true. . . none of the steps were hard. At all. . . but it's definitely something that takes some practice. They tasted great! but they weren't as pretty as hers, that's for sure. . .

Yellow cake and 1 can of cream cheese frosting. . . WAY gooier than I expected. Her tip to rinse your hands every couple of balls is a really good idea. Makes it MUCH easier.

I skipped a few steps in the picture taking. . . this is after we formed the balls, froze them, and used the cookie cutter to shape the bottom. . . and then dipped the bottom half in chocolate and added sticks.


We had to be a little bit tricky after we finished dipping. . . Being the brilliant person that I am, I forgot to get a block of foam. . . This worked, but it was precarious. So, I made Emily do it.

All bagged up.

They went back in the freezer where they stayed until it was time to eat them. They were really yummy cold.

I think next time we'll do plain old balls rather than shaping them. . . that was the part that took forever. . . but it was fun, and I really liked the way they turned out.

And they are especially yummy to eat if you like to eat cake batter. . .

More. . .

A few more of my favorite shots that Lauriann did of Nolan.

There are some cute family ones too, but as we haven't decided on a Christmas card photo yet. . . I'm going to save those. Instead you can have 3 of the adorable babe. . . because honestly, that's why we all come here.

Our awesome photographer was nice enough to let Nolan borrow her son's hat after I asked her about it from a set of photos on her blog. . . I couldn't find one that was equally cute, so that was pretty sweet of her.

The one moment he sat still for 3 seconds when we were trying to get him to pose by the black wall. . . crazy busy kid. . .

And a perfect view of the unique way his teeth are coming in. He has one of those middle ones on top coming in now, so I'm glad we captured his "vampire" stage. I love it.

Muffins. . . Almost As Good. . .

OK. I'm back. . . And it's time to officially catch up.

First. . . a post from Nolan's actual first birthday.

I had grand plans to make cupcakes again and let him smash another one. . . but that morning (a Saturday) I was too tired to be bothered. . . So I made blueberry muffins instead.

Almost as good as cupcakes, right? Even if they were Jiffy mix. . .

Nolan wasn't so sure. . . But eventually he ate it anyway.

Quick Observation From Convention

Some people are detail oriented.

Some are not.

Pumpkin Carving

OK. . . it's convention time, so I am SOO far behind. . . but I have some pumpkin carving photos hanging out on my desktop waiting to be posted, so I'm gettin' it done.

After our trip to the pumpkin patch, we went home to carve, and were joined by many many people. It was a packed house.

Workin' hard

Tanner was a good little helper to Jenny in making a classic jack o lantern

Brian, Jer, & Emily

Darrin & Jessica, and Jessica's clever pumpkin butt

Cortney and Ben

Nick, Nolan and Tanner hangin in the love sac

Jer & Nate jammin' to the new Guitar Hero (together again)

The pumpkin parade on the front porch.
Along with Ben's scary vampire rat in the bottom right corner
That rat scared the little neighbor girl pretty badly
mission accomplished