It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Well we've been trying to get ready for Christmas. I FINALLY got our tree up but only because Andy was driving me crazy about it. I promise he is worse than any kid! I don't know what is wrong with the tree, we make sure it has plenty of water every day but it's still just dry & brittle. Any suggestions on "perking" it back up will be greatly appreciated!

We've only had two Christmas Parties so far, Youth Leaders Party at Bro. Nathan & Sis. Mandies, they are always incredible hosts and have yummy food & make you feel right at home. Then we had my work party at Brave New it was delish and we had a wonderful time, I love my co workers & their spouses, so it was nice.



I'm almost through with Christmas shopping, just have to get Lori & Richard's, one more present for each of the kids & then stocking stuffers (my favorite)!! Yipee!!





Andy and I helped Lori & Richard put up their tree, it's GORGEOUS!



Here is Vivi with their tree!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Flop your dough on floured surface
Fill 'er up, Roll 'er up!

Let rise & then bake

Ice!!!

Finished Product!

So for some reason I decided to be Betty Crocker for my co workers & friends. I came across a recipe for Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Coffee Icing & thought that would be nice to make & bring to work & deliver to friends for the Holiday. Ha Ha Ha! I have never made anything breadwise that required rising, punching, rising again & finally rolling! It was actually quite fun-the punching part that is! So I made 7 pans of these beauties and did not make it to bed until 2am! I may expire from flour inhalation, but it was worth it!!

Pioneer Woman Comes To Town!

My new friends!

Nina & Ree BFF!!
Marlboro Man-a nice surprise!!

This post is a little late in coming but I'm still excited to write about it! A few weeks back my idol Ree Drummond (aka Pioneer Woman, or PW) came to Little Rock for a cookbook signing, I wrangled my fellow PW Fanatic Cindy & her daughter Madison into coming with me. We had NO idea what we were getting into. I guess the greeter at WalMart (yes it was at WalMart) laughing hysterically when she spotted me coming in the door with my cookbook should have tipped me off. It did not. Cindy is thinking there will be MAYBE 50 people there, I'm more optimistic & am thinking MAYBE 100...Uhhh, yeah right!! The line was all the way to the back of the store! It looked like we were going to be there a while so I quickly struck up a friendship with those surrounding me, I must say it was the best time I've had standing in a line for almost four hours.

Do NOT try this at home!

Cooking for four hundred is NOT as simple as it sounds. This is what happens when the waist high stand mixer vibrates off of it's stand!! HORRIBLE night!!!

Redneck Wife?

Okay so Andy has been working like 70 hours a week. In a unguarded moment I felt sorry for him, so I endeavored to think of a way to cheer him up! Since he was working 4-midnight I had plenty of time to think on this. What I eventually came up with was to make him a pot of deer chili. He LOVED it! I LOVED it! What I'm worried about is does this now classify me as a "redneck wife"?

If so I'll wear the title with pride!!!!

Alarming Muffins!

We had a MAJOR problem with our home alarm system earlier in the week. Long story short our alarm malfunctioned & called ER personnel to our home. I opened my front door to find (keep in mind siren's are BLARING) a firetruck, four police cars & an ambulance!! I couldn't explain myself for laughing hysterically! So anyway my good friend Dave (shout out to Alarm Systems of Arkansas) comes over last night to fix whatever ailed my alarm, it turns into a long drawn out process so I wound up cooking dinner. We had Spaghetti with creamy tomato sauce with Artichokes and for dessert I made Pumpkin spice muffins with cream cheese icing! They were probably two of the BEST things I have cooked in a while!! I'm obsessed with anything pumpkin right now.

Speaking of being obsessed visit http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ for yummy meal ideas & MUCH MUCH more. I LOVE Ree Drummond!! I can't wait to meet her in November!!!

Vivianne

A couple of Sunday nights ago one of Vivi's friends was praying down front at church, I went & asked Vivi if she would like to go up there, of course she said yes. When we got down front there were a LOT of kids around Ollie & Vivi seemed a little hesitant, finally she inched her way forward & it wasn't but just a few minutes & her little hand went up & I could read her lips saying, "Jesus I love you!" That's when she started REALLY praying. I love that God can touch anyone, even a little child with a sincere heart!!

Acts 2:39 (Whole Chapter) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.