Best in Snow

Because I am now officially old I decided I needed a very relaxing and calm birthday weekend. We headed up to Show Low, Arizona with some friends and spent the long weekend in a beautiful cabin in the mountains. It was wonderful! We watched movies, ate tons of good food, went on a hike, and had a giant snowball fight (the girls ruled, p.s.). This is what I love about Arizona—we live on the surface of the sun, but all we have to do is drive a few hours and we're in the trees, mountains, and snow. Gotta love it! It was a perfect getaway for a perfect birthday weekend.

More Schools in the Tri-County Area

Jimmy Kimmel interviews kids about politics.  So funny! Apparently going to the gym makes you a great candidate for president...something we should all consider this November.

National Pizza Week

Today was a great day! I learned that the second week of January is National Pizza Week!! First, I was shocked that a pizza-lover such as myself did not know this, second, I was overjoyed to hear that this amazing holiday coincides with my birthday week. It’s like a dream come true! The stars and pepperoni must be aligned! This is just another reason for me to eat pizza every day this week—an idea I had already proposed. Happy Pizza Week to one and all!

Christmas Craft Crazy

This year I found the inner-crafter in me. It’s true—I’ve never been a big arts and crafts person, but this holiday season I started, and now I can’t stop!! I thought I would share a couple of the Christmas decorations I’ve made this year.

These Christmas trees are so cute and so easy to make! I purchased the paper trees at Michael’s, used a spray adhesive, and then went crazy with the glitter.

This simple plaque brings lots of JOY to my front entry way. I purchased the wooden plaque and letters at Hobby Lobby. After painting the edges, and glittering the letters, I used Mod Podge to cover the plaque with scrapbooking paper. Voila!

I wanted to add some holiday pillows to my décor this year so purchased these red pillow covers from Ikea. I created the designs, printed them on iron-on transfer paper, and then ironed them onto the pillows. I love how they turned out, and love the splash of Christmas color they add to the house.

Oh Christmas, how I love you so!

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Tis the season…the season to eat lots and lots of yummy food! Perhaps it’s the chill in the air or all this Christmas music I’ve been listening to, but lately all I’ve been craving is comfort food. And nothing says comfort food like homemade Mac and Cheese. Yum! I found this recipe on a blog I follow (The Small Things Blog) and it’s totally fabulous! It’s incredibly delicious and amazingly easy. And I mean super easy! So if you want some warm, gooey, yummy homemade Mac and Cheese I highly recommend this recipe. Enjoy!

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb (1 box) al dente elbow noodles

1 lb cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons butter

salt & pepper

1/2 cup milk

*cook your noodles to al dente as per the package instructions

**set oven to 375 degrees

Instructions:

1.    Pam/grease your baking dish. 

2.    Place cooked noodles in the bottom of the dish (enough to cover the bottom).

3.    Salt and pepper generously.

4.    Add two large handfuls of cheese.

5.    Start second layer. Repeat exactly what you did in the first layer until you fill your dish.

6.    Place 4-5 tablespoon slices of butter on top of the mac and cheese and pour 1/2 cup milk over the top.

7.    Bake for 35-45 minutes uncovered.

(Recipe and photo taken from The Small Things Blog)

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches! I could literally stare at my Christmas tree all day. It makes me so happy! I’m just sad that the holiday season is flying by--I don’t want it to end. Can it be Christmas all year long? 

Unbroken

“December 7, 1941--a date which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." Seventy years ago today started a course of events that certainly changed the world forever. I’ve always had an enormous amount of respect and gratitude for the armed forces—especially those who served during WWI and WWII—but I recently read a book that has made me appreciate those men and women more than I can say. The book is titled, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand.

I was incredibly moved and inspired by this true story of a World War II POW, Louie Zamperini, and the men he served and survived with. His journey and experiences are breathtaking, heartbreaking, and inspirational. I literally couldn’t stop thinking about and talking about this book for several weeks after I finished it. I've been thinking about it a lot today, on this anniversary, and it is a story that will always stick with me and inspire me. It is such a powerful book and I think everyone should read it. I am so grateful for this country, our freedom, and for those who have suffered and given everything so that we can enjoy those freedoms and opportunities we have today. God bless those who sacrificed their lives seventy years ago today, and God bless those who volunteered to serve our country in the days, months, and years that followed. Promise me you will read this book—it’s a must!

Spread Christmas Cheer

My second favorite Christmas movie is Elf. I watch it every year and every year it makes me feel joyful and triumphant. It’s hilarious. I still laugh out load even though I’ve seen it a million times. Well, imagine my Christmas cheer when I found the following printable on Pinterest. I immediately printed this out, framed it, and added it to my Christmas décor. Ta-da!!

Just glancing at it makes me so happy! Here is the link to the printout for all you other Elf fanatics. And don't forget to stick to Buddy's recommended four main food groups this holiday season: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. Cheers!