Best Birthday Ever

I just celebrated my 24th birthday on December 29. And I have to say, I think it was the best birthday ever. My special day consisted of many of my favorite things.

The day started off with a delicious omelet courtesy of my amazing husband.

Next, we got ready and picked up Starbucks on the way to my pedicure appointment. My loving husband actually sat in the waiting area while I got my pedicure. I was so surprised he was willing to do that..he must love me!

I think the lady did such a cute job on my toes. I just love them! 

The next part of my birthday had been a surprise for awhile. I was dying to know what we were going to do! Stephen still wouldn't tell me where we were going and it drove me nuts until we arrived! He took me shopping!!! I wrote here awhile back about how he had saved money (tried to do it secretly...) months ago for my birthday. 

As we exited the freeway and were driving up to the mall, he came up with an excuse for me to look in his wallet. This is when I noticed the cash that he had saved for me. He told me we were going shopping! I was able to get whatever I wanted, but he suggested we start at coach. WOW! He spoils me. 

He got me this beautiful Coach purse:

AND these adorable UGGs.

source

After shopping, we went to lunch with my mom at Pastinis. It was great to see her, and she brought me pretty flowers!

Only half of my birthday had gone by and we had already done so much! We headed back home to rest for awhile and had Mimosas while we watched Bridesmaids. 

After the movie was over, we headed to Benihanas for my birthday dinner! Stephen had been to places like this but never Benihanas before. We had a great time. 

Our agenda after dinner: drinks before seeing the late showing of Breaking Dawn. I was so excited to finally see this movie and it was very good! Now I can't wait until the last movie comes out.

Thanks for an amazing birthday, my sweet, sweet husband. 

Christmas Recap

We had a wonderful first Christmas as a married couple! 

On Christmas Eve, my parents and siblings came over for dinner. We had delicious ham, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, Broccoli Almondine, and candied carrots. Yum!

We made a huge batch of deviled eggs so that we could bring some to the other side of the family for Christmas dinner the next day.

Hubby also made a huge batch of his homemade egg nog for Christmas day. I wish I could share the recipe, 'cause it is to die for!

It was a great evening with family. We laughed, played a game, and then headed off to the Christmas Eve service at church. My sister stayed the night with us and we woke up very early Christmas morning! My family arrived by 7 am since we had to make an 80 mile drive at 10:30 am to go visit hubby's side of the family. 

We were very blessed this Christmas. 

My siblings and I.

Some of our favorite gifts include: these wine/mixer books (pictured above), a Columbia jacket I received, sausage stuffer hubby received, Twilight series Blurays, a salon gift card (me), t.v. trays, set of Christmas plates, and many more thoughtful gifts. 

Everyone loved the Kahlua and Frangelico that we made! It's always so fun to see loved ones light up when they open your gifts.

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas. 

Holiday Recipe: Delicious Toffee

I just got finished making this delicious toffee for all of our Christmas celebrations this weekend!  It is amazing & very simple to make. I thought I would share this great treat with you. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds
• 
  

Directions

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.

While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. 

Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.

Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container. 

~Enjoy~

Recipe Source

It's OK Thursday

It's OK....

...that my sink is piled high with dishes because I am too full & tired to clean them (my husband made an amazing birthday dinner for his momma tonight!)

...that I only sent Christmas cards to grandparents this year

...that I ran out of stamps for one of the Christmas cards and have not made it to the store to buy more. So this card is not going to make it by Christmas, and I decided that it's OK (life is busy!)

...that I was given all next week off work since my bosses are off too. Although I am nervous about not making money, I decided that break was much welcomed.

...that I am not as excited about my birthday (which is a week from today) this year because I feel old becoming 24.

...that I broke the lid to our coffee pot this morning because I was half-asleep and couldn't snap it on right. It was cheap anyway.

...that I made my husband a honey-do list today of things to complete while I was at work all day. What a good husband, he did them all and more!

...that most of my plans for next week consist of doing nothing.

...that I have been thinking I was finished with Christmas shopping but still have one more present to buy.

...that I didn't wait even five minutes after the babies woke up to give them their Christmas gifts today because I was too excited. They LOVED them! I gave all three girls a pair of these adorable Disney princess slippers:

Only 3 days 'till Christmas...!

I am Blessed

So while I've been at work this week hubby has been home relaxing. He has two weeks off of school, and until today, I was enviously jealous of him. Well, I still am. But I found out I get 10 days off myself too! So, take that hubby. You get to hang out with me on your break next week! I am giddy with excitement. 

But with his time off, my sweet husband has been very thoughtful.

He made an amazing dinner last night. It was, like, yum, so good. 

Pot roast. Yummy sauce. Carrots, potatoes, and onions that soaked with the rest in the crock pot all day. Wow, he must really love me! I ate it all before I realized I didn't take a picture. Oops.

But the cutest part was that I stopped by the house and was asking him to make dinner. He told me he "didn't feel like cooking so he would see." But, as I walk into the kitchen I smell deliciousness and see the crock pot on the counter! He tricked me. He already had dinner going. What a keeper! I am blessed.

My chef-of-a-husband has been busy today preparing to make his mom's birthday dinner tomorrow night. He is going all out. I will be sure to show you the end results. 

Christmas Traditions

Some of the most special memories I have of growing up are traditions revolving around Christmastime. I loved the warm presence of my parents and siblings as we recreated things that were special to us each year. With Christmas this weekend, I thought I would share some fond memories of things that my family and I did to make Christmas special, as well as things that my husband and I have started (while dating; this is our first Christmas as a married couple!).

Family Traditions

My siblings and I. Christmas 2010.

On Christmas eve we were allowed to open one present. We got to pick the present, but usually my mom (knowing what each present was) would hint to one that was not a majorly huge Christmas present so we would still have lots to look forward to on Christmas day. Some years we opened our present before church, and some years we opened it after, but we continued this tradition the whole time I lived at home (until 2006).

We always, always, always went downstairs to see what Santa brought us together as a family. My parents liked to torture us...usually they would shower while we begged and waited for them (mind you, this was still before 7am). Then finally the time would come to head downstairs and we would all go together (while my dad video taped). This made it so exciting and created so much more anticipation for us as young kids! Plus, it was really special to open our Santa gifts together.And my mom enjoyed watching as we opened our stockings.

After stockings, we had breakfast. As long as I can remember this breakfast consisted of cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon/sausage. Stephen and I had my parents over to my place last year for Christmas and we made this same breakfast for them (we were engaged; and yes, even divorced my parents are still celebrating Christmas as a family. It makes things so nice).

Once we eat we move on to the Christmas presents from parents and family. My mom says "slow down" or "this is going to quickly" while we take turns opening our presents. This is different from my husbands family. They will all open presents at the same time and that is what they have always done. But I'm with my mom on this one, I like to savor Christmas.

There are some other fun traditions we have done for many years like: even as kids my mom, errr Santa, would put lottery scratch-it card in our stockings, receiving and ornament each year from grandma, as well as the tradition of my siblings always trying to find where my mom had hidden the gifts before Christmas. 

Hubby and I

We are still creating traditions and I am sure we will create even more new ones once we have children, but we do already have some. With our large family and both of our parents being divorced, we celebrate Christmas just the two of us on Christmas eve. This is a special time for us to give each other the gifts we have picked out. This makes our time secluded and even more special since Christmas Day for us is quite similar to the movie Four Christmas with all of the different households we make our rounds to. We wouldn't change a thing, though.

Another Christmastime tradition for us is the Nat King Cole Christmas CD. Hubby grew up listening to this CD and introduced it to me when we had our first Christmas together. It is old and that's why it's great. So much meaning and spirit. We have it on while we decorate the tree and many other times throughout the Christmas season. 

We will be building new traditions together in this first Christmas of our marriage, and we will also continue some others like making cinnamon rolls for my family this Christmas.

Only five more days...

What are your Christmas traditions?

8 Days!

Well, the one week countdown until Christmas is on! I am soooo excited. 

We are busy making Christmas and birthday plans with our family. We are blessed to have many birthdays around this wonderful time of the year! My MIL's birthday is the 22, SIL's birthday is the 26, and my birthday is the 29. This week my hubby will be making a birthday dinner for his mom and we will happily cram into our little apartment to share a special meal together. Then Saturday we are having my family over for Chrirstmas Eve dinner and then again Christmas morning (before we head south to see hubby's parents and fam). 

Speaking of birthdays, I got home a bit ago from a birthday party for the now-four-year-old girl that I nanny for. There were 23 kids there...wow! I am tired. It was impossible for me to just chill and hang out. I took care of the twins (they are two) the whole time. But it was fun. Unfortunately, the birthday girl has been feverish all day and she was not in the mood for the party that was being thrown for her. But, her sisters had fun anyway!

I am currently enjoying a glass of wine while hoping that my best friend (the one home from Boston for the holidays) will come over. We went to dinner last night and had a great time. We are completely different but  I love her more than words can say. I have known her for 23 years, her entire life, and we have shared many ups and downs together over the years. She was my Maid of Honor at our wedding in July, and boy were those special times. 

Happy weekend!