Help!

This is my last post of the evening - I promise. Sorry for the over load - I'm just not sure when I'll have time to post again!

Anyway - I need your help. I have a Christmas cookie party next week and I need a recipe for a delicious cookie ... or else I'll have to just choose one of the millions off the internet! I mean, I have my mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe, as well as her oatmeal raisin cookies ... both of which are delicious, but just so ordinary. I want something not chocolate chip, oatmeal, or sugar ... not sure what. But I'm taking any and all suggestions! Oh, and if you have a cream cheese cookie recipe I'd love to have it because those are my favorite, but can't find a recipe that is just what I want :) Ha.

Feel free to leave recipes or links to recipes in the comments or email me thehappydash@gmail.com. Thanks in advance!

Christmas in our house!

Tonight Rob is on call, so I thought I'd get to blogging while catching up on my TV shows! So tonight, I'll take you through our condo and our Christmas decorations.

Our kitchen is small, so there aren't any decorations in it. However, this is my view while cooking. I think it's rather nice.

This cute little tree is on our bar. Rob loves colored lights, so I bought it just for him (and I love little trees ... and it's in a cute aluminum pot).
This is on our kitchen table. I love it. It's a Santa cake stand that we received as an engagement gift two years ago! It currently holds our candy bowl, well because I haven't made a cake and I want to use it!
Our kitchen table (excuse the non-matching chairs ... we're in the process of moving my table & chairs up, and Rob's table and chairs out ... so far we have my table in, his table out - chairs are next).
This little ornament stand sits on the bar between our dining room and TV room. Our TV room is a step down, so this bar separates the two. I just thought it was cute last year, so I bought the ornament ... the stand was an after thought.

I've shown our fireplace before ... I added Rob's "doctor" Santa. It was given to him from his grandparents, she couldn't find a real doctor, so bought a Veterinarian. She said it was a Santa doctor that just loves his animals :)
Our coffee table ... I used our Simon Pearce bowl (wedding gift) and filled it with various green and red balls that we put on the tree in years past. I love the colors on the table (and being able to put this bowl to use).

Our side table was quite full, but placed the Spode candy dish full of dark chocolate M&Ms among the picture frames.

And since I've shown the tree before and we really don't have many "special" ornaments here is the overview of it.

We're in full swing of Christmas at our house! Now, I must get some presents wrapped. Hope you enjoyed our tour of Christmas decorations!

Christmas Card

Merry Christmas! Love, Kelly & Rob

Our cards were mailed last Thursday, so I'm hoping by now any friends & family that are expecting a card have received it. I hope you enjoy your virtual card from our home to yours. Enjoy the holidays (even if yours is not Christmas)

and cherish time with family & friends - I know I am!

Lazy Weekend

We had a lazy weekend, well kind of lazy. We stayed in Friday night cooking dinner and watching Fred Clause. Saturday we slept in. We watched the UNC game. I ironed. We tried to go shopping. Unsuccessful. The mall was terrible, probably because it was so cold and rainy outside. We ventured to Fresh Market, as we decided to have some friends over before the med school party. We ventured to the med school Christmas party - it was fun. At one point I was concerned that these men and women would be doctors one day, but reminded myself that everyone deserves to let go and have fun sometimes. At least those on call on Sunday remained responsible! Sunday we got up in time for church so headed that way for a great Advent service. We decided that we would go out to brunch and enjoyed a delicious meal at Old 4th Street Filling Station. Finally, we decided to finish some shopping. Sunday was better shopping wise. I still have to get Rob his gift, but I think I know now what to get him :) Sunday afternoon, we watched Elf, made a fire, played Scrabble, and cooked a late dinner. Bedtime came early so that we could start the week of right. Only 2 weeks until Rob's Christmas break (and thus, mine too!) ... can't wait!

Now for pictures from Saturday evening (and my cute outfit that just couldn't get situated correctly for pictures - ever).

Rob decided he would have a photo shoot while I went to find drinks. Not sure how he convinced our friend Matt to take these, other than I assume Matt was making so much fun of him.

The party was held at an art museum on Winston-Salem State University's campus. Art was used loosely, as all it consisted of were these pictures of students/people holding or using an American flag as a prop. I guess it's art. I was just not a fan.

Rob & I at the party.

don't worry, he is buckled

This is why you don't leave babies unattended in their toys:

I was sitting right beside him, making his breakfast and fastening the "high chair" to the chair so he could eat, I look over and BB is sitting up in this bouncy seat! I mean, he'll rarely sit up on the floor and play, but he went to town in this seat. This seat has officially been retired as a "hang out" while I (or mommy) does other things! (And yes, that is a John Deere play cell phone - it's his sisters, but she's having to learn to share her toys these days because her toys are better than his)

On another note: tonight, I taught myself how to make a bow for our wreath. The store prefabricated ones were not what I wanted, and the craft stores that make them charge upwards of $30. So, I purchased some 10 yards of ribbon for $4 (on sale at Michael's). While I like the ribbon, it's not my favorite - red and white hounds tooth. The finished product isn't terrible, but I don't think I can go into business anytime soon :) I made a second one and it was better, so I put it on top of our tree since we don't have a topper of any kind. I know many like bows as toppers, with the ribbons hanging down the tree ... I didn't grow up with this (we had an angel on top), but could see where I could eventually like it if I found good ribbon that I really loved!

Publish Post

At least it's a warm welcome to our home! And it couldn't be better timing as my bff Bethany is on coming to visit me this weekend!! So.excited.

Our tree

Along with many other small, unimportant things, Rob & I have differing opinions over the Christmas tree (slash, all Christmas decorations). Thus, we end up with a mix of my modern, cheery, yet traditional decor and Rob's very traditional, old-timey decor. It's semi-amusing/confusing in our little condo, but I think as we grow older it will be perfect as we can decorate different rooms by themes that we individually enjoy (I do enjoy decorations he likes, I just prefer the ones I like - ha). Anyway, we also have different views on the tree. I love tall, fat trees that are glowing, full of ornaments. He loves skinnier trees with lights, but not too many and ornaments that are sparse. He loves colored lights. I prefer white. (We settled this with colored lights on the porch and mini-tree on the bar). As for now, he wins. I say it's budget issue (we would be very poor if I were to go out and purchase all of the ornaments I want!), he says he gets a few years of his way - knowing that over the years we will build up ornaments for a tree that I like. With all of this disagreement, you may be wondering how we get along ... well we both agree it must be a real tree or no tree at all. Presents are necessary under the tree. And well, Christmas music is a must while decorating the tree together! We enjoyed (survived) our first Christmas tree decorating as a married couple ... I only moved a couple of his ornaments so the tree was more "balanced!"

After all of that, here is our tree with one long strand of lights because I'm too lazy to put another strand on! (Oh, I apologize for the picture quality ... I again was lazy in my picture settings ... either with or without flash - must get on to Christmas at Rockefeller Center!)

Stay tuned: next week - more Christmas decorations around the house! Yes, they are everywhere, but can't be shown until the house is cleaned :)

christmas card photo

In light of all of the (terrible) news regarding Tiger Woods and his family, and despite my efforts not to bring it up, I am. This photo was forwarded to me, as I am a fan of christmas cards. I laughed when I first saw it.

Enjoy?!?

(Edit): Thought I would share some jokes from my friend Emily:

What's the difference between an Escalade and a golf ball? Tiger can safely drive a golf ball 400 yards.

Did you hear Phil Mickelson called Tiger's wife asking how to beat him?

What were Tiger Woods and his wife doing out at 2.30 in the morning? They went clubbing.

I hear Tiger's wife has improved his game. She made him a true scratch golfer.

Why did Tiger crash into the fire hydrant AND a tree? He couldn't decide between a wood and an iron.