Resolution Fail

So for 2010 my New Year's resolution was to buy one new accessory each month.  I did good up until September and never recovered.  Good thing I didn't resolve to eat less sugar or lose weight or be a better human being.  I'd be feeling horrible now that it's Dec 31st!  In this case, it just goes to show I'm a bad shopper.  boo hoo.  Totally the point of a resolution, right??

In other end of the year/month news... here's the recap!

1.  Lunar Eclipse!
Exciting stuff!  Did you see it?  We had a perfectly clear night here, though it was freezing cold.  I think the total eclipse happened here a little before 2am.  I decided to try to take a picture and was super surprised by how well it came out, so I documented the event.  Well, kinda.  I don't have a tripod just popped outside every once in a while to get a shot.

 at this point I was 'reclining' in a chair on our deck, balancing the camera on my face, trying not to let it move at all, and holding my breath while the shutter was open so I wouldn't shiver or breathe and mess it up : )

 at this point there was a guy standing in the parking lot at the bank across the street looking at the moon.  Hmmmkay.

 at this point it was veeerrry hard to stay still.  There was hardly any light and the shutter was staying open fooorrreevver.  See?

 Then, 30 minutes later, some other guy came out of the bank and yelled at the one watching the moon, en espanol.  They were cleaning.  Makes sense now.

Then I tried for the fifth time to get Stephen to come look at the eclipse because it would probably never happen again in our whole lives.  Nothing.

Then I went to bed with freezing cold feet.

The End.

2. Christmas!

It was wonderful, amazing and fun.  The pictures are still on my camera... all 3 of them.  Colby got lots of trucks, tractors, train stuff, and balls.  Kyla got princess baking/kitchen stuff, a barbie, and Tag books. Not typical at all huh?  We got to spend a lot of time with the Cleaver side of the family, which doesn't always happen (3 days in a row!) and also spent Christmas evening with the Strecker side.  Plenty of family to go around and around and around.

3.  My Birthday!

I'm 29.  Great.  Stephen and I went out for dinner, some shopping and the hot tub at the gym!  Party on!  Kids aren't allowed in the hot tub, so we never get to go when we all go swimming.  So it actually was a treat : )

4.  Beckham goes home.

Today.  As long as this snow storm clears up and it's safe to drive north he is outta here, and not a minute too soon.

5.  I don't know, just wanted to end on a nice round number, which is funny, since 5 is odd.  Can it still be 'round'?  It is to me!  

Happy New Year!!!  

Freeze Dance

Last week we had an entire day of freezing fog.  No snow, just the worst fog- wide spread with the least amount of visibility, lasting the longest amount of time, I have ever been in.  After running one quick errand and making it home safe, I spent the rest of the day cooking dinner for friends of ours and taking pictures.  I couldn't keep myself from taking more.  Every time I would go out I just couldn't believe the frost on the branches, it was wild!  I just kept saying to myself, "this is SO. WILD."

Check it out!

 Then I tried to get some christmas light bokeh...

Then I went back for more

 It had thickened up a bit

 I heart this one ; )

Tried something different.  I was going to try to submit some photos to the Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bokeh 'contest', but my computer was being slooow when trying to edit the pics. 

 And then at night

 excess much??

Then I went back inside

Where it was nice and cozy.

Tour of Ornaments

I really like putting the Christmas tree up every year because our ornaments hold so many memories.  The first year Stephen and I were married he was pastor, some of the members in the church wanted to throw us a house warming party, so they did, and guests were asked to bring an ornament for our first Christmas tree.  Since then we have added one new ornament per year that commemorates the year.
Let's start the tour!!  ...in no particular order ; )

 We'll start with this year's newbie!  A snowman in hopes of lots of snow this winter and lots of business for Stephen and his many snow accounts!  So far... no good.

Moving on!

 Here's us in 2006!

I was pregnant and Stephen remodeled our Conifer house.

 This guy is from 2007 and our trip to south Florida and the Keys.

 This is a family favorite.  This was a gift from the housewarming party from a woman named Mary.  We will always remember her from the church.  She was at every prayer meeting, get together, pot-luck and of course every Sunday morning.  We knew her and her son well.  The little crank on the right turns and makes some of the animals move :)

 This is our 2005 ornament.  Super sentimental, huh?

We did drink a lot of coffee that year though.  Can you say 'french press' and 'at home espresso maker' fads?  All. The. Rage.

 Kyla's 'Baby's first Christmas' Ornament. 2007.

 This is going in the books under the year 2008, when nothing happened.  At all.  Hence the generic toy soldier.

 This year we also got a pickle in hopes of starting a new family tradition of Find the Pickle!  Who ever finds the pickle on Christmas morning gets a special prize!

 As this reads, it is from 2004.  My friend Julie made it for us!

 Look, Julie!  It still on our tree!

Here is our tree this year, crooked angel and all.  I promise you, this is the most difficult tree to photograph.  We have to tuck it in the corner and our heinous oversize couches block it out and take over every picture.  The tree is too tall to take a horizontal picture without blatantly displaying the ugliest couches in the world.  Can you tell, I loooove them??

So those were just some of my favorites.  There are a lot more and even some that didn't make the tree this year!  We're getting so many new 'yearly' ornaments that some of the old ones just aren't making the cut, sad!

Cray cray!

Check out the light show this house does every year. We swung by on our way home tonight.



Think THAT was crazy??

What do you think about this?




He's BaaaaaaAAAck!!!

I can hardly believe it myself, but here he is with his buddy and long lost friend, Hogan.



Okay, so it's only temporary. Beckham's new owners are originally from Michigan and are going home for Christmas, they planned on taking B with them but doggy tickets were $500!! So they called and asked if we would want to see him again for a little while. And we said sure!!

He was excited to see me and laid with his head by my hand the whole way home. When we pulled in the driveway he was SO excited, he knew where we were!
He and Hogan were really happy to see each other and are BFF's again. It's good to have him here but no, I'm not tempted for a second to keep him
: )

White Chocolate Almond Boozy Biscotti

I made Biscotti for the first time last year, I was going to my first ever cookie exchange and was intimidated because I really don't love baking cookies at 6,739 feet above sea level.  They never quite turn out right for me (let's be real, I don't really take my chances on cookies very often).  I decided to make biscotti, since they are 'supposed' to be toasty and dry, ha!  Well, they turned out great, they are time consuming, but easy to make and they are welcomed at a cookies exchange party because 1.  they don't contain 5 cups of sugar and 2.  You're supposed to eat them for breakfast!  Score!

Well, I'm back again this year and have even made my own recipe, based on this one here for those who are altitudinally (not a word) challenged ; )  They are delicious, go perfect with chai tea and aren't unbearably dry or crisp, you can easily eat these by the handful... like my husband did ; )

White Chocolate Almond Biscotti

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted
• 3 Tablespoons Disaronno Or Other Almond Liqueur
• 2 teaspoons Pure Almond Extract
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Sliced Almonds, Lightly Toasted
• ½ cups White Chocolate Chunks
• 3 whole Large Eggs
• 2-¾ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Salt (generous)
• 10 ounces, weight Extra Chocolate For Decorating, Use Any Kind You Like!

Stir together sugar, melted butter, almond liqueur, and extracts in a large bowl, then stir in eggs, white chocolate chunks and toasted almonds. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.

Chill dough, covered, 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Using moistened hands, halve dough and form 2 (10-by 5-inch) loaves on an ungreased large baking sheet.
Bake until pale golden, about 28 minutes.

Carefully transfer loaves to a rack and cool 15 minutes.

Cut loaves into 3/4-inch slices with a serrated knife.
Arrange biscotti, with a cut side down, on a clean baking sheet and bake until golden, 6 minutes, turn over and bake 6 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

Melt extra chocolate and drizzle over cookies or dip cookies in chocolate! I find it is easiest to melt chocolate in a large zip lock back in the microwave, snip off a *tiny* corner (you can always go bigger!), then drizzle over biscotti on drying rack, placed over a cookie sheet to contain the mess. Have fun with decorating ; )

Biscotti improve in flavor if made 1 to 2 days ahead. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Mary?

Is that you? Has anyone seen Mary??

In other news: the lights, garland and wreath are up!

And while listening to a Pandora Holiday station, I heard the most amazing Christmas mash up ever! Brilliant and beautiful!

Thumbs up!

Gotta hear the whole thing though :)

There's an App for that, literally.

I'm sure you remember a post with a similar title... No? Okay fine, here. This is different, and no children were at risk for drive by shootings, drug exposure or food poisoning. So after deciding last night that the only thing I didn't want to do sans computer was blogging, I decided to get a blogging app! So I'm giving it a whirl :) Which reminds me, I need to get all those little faces to go with it, since even I am getting tired of this :), this :( and this ; ). I think it is really going to come in handy since I take so many pictures and videos with my phone, like many, like I currently have over 800 pictures! This way I'll be able to skip the emailing photos to myself or syncing to iPhoto, especially since Facebook wouldn't let me upload mobile this week. So here's what you would have missed!


Me working on Christmas cards while watching Elf in Breckenridge.


Winter Wonderland!!


Colby walking in the snow for the first time!


And loving it


Kyla wanted to climb in the snow


And be silly :)


Super fun!! Stay tuned for more day to day blogging and emoticons too, or not, but probably :)