our christmas photo 2010.

 i think this may be my last post about christmas.  sad huh.  i hate it when all the fun ends.  i don't even remember what i used to think/blog about before the holiday season began.  i guess i should start doing my new years resolutions.  i have some goals in mind that i'm very determined to complete.  like...exercising 3-4 times a week.  i have been sooo lazy lately and have been eating tons and tons of christmas treats...not a good combination.

have you started your new years resolutions?

p.s. i posted my recipe for homemade buttermilk syrup over on just cook already - you must go get the recipe, make it, and then tell me what you think...okay thanks!

scenes from a magical christmas.

christmas was truly lovely this year.  i survived my night shifts on christmas eve and christmas and had a fabulous few days {and exhausting - due to a lack of sleep} with my isaac and family.  we made a delicious christmas eve brunch complete with homemade buttermilk syrup, munched on candy cane cookies and peppermint cheesecake, gave and received many thoughtful gifts, feasted on christmas ham, and enjoyed our time with our loved ones.

christmas cricket.

 

 merry christmas from emma, isaac, and cricket!

happy christmas eve.

the little christmas dinner i had with my bffs was so much fun this year {we missed you kari & katie!}  we went downtown to eat at the delicious happy sumo and found some last minute gifties {a funny book for isaac and some mini cupcake ornaments for me...} at urban outfitters.  and of course we munched on my hand dipped chocolatey treats all night.  oh, and my sweet friends gave me the most thoughtful gifts.  i love christmas/bffs.

happy christmas eve!!  today is the anniversary of a very special day for me...the day isaac proposed!  it was just 2 years ago.  crazy how much i love that man.

christmas cupcakes.

 

 would it really be christmas if i didn't make cupcakes?  i don't think so.  my mother-in-law had a christmas luncheon for her sisters/cousins and asked me to make cupcakes for the event.  of course i said yes, and created quite the treat.

red velvet + cream cheese frosting + crushed peppermint = magic.

tonight i'm hosting a little family christmas party and i'll be in the kitchen all day preparing quite the feast.  i'm making prime rib...i hope it turns out...

a christmas concert + brunch.

 last weekend we were so lucky to get to go see david archuleta perform with the mormon tabernacle choir - it was amazing!  i love me some david.  after the concert my parents took us to brunch at the fabulous market street grill.  market street it one of my favorite restaurants {we had our wedding dinner there!} but we had never been there for brunch.  isaac and i both ordered steak and eggs benedict - it was sooo delicious.  we can't wait to go back for brunch.  

oh yes, we are going to become brunch people - i'm dead set on it.

chocolate dipped treaties.

this year for my sweet friends and neighbors i made a variety of chocolate dipped goodies.  we're talking chocolate dipped oreos with crushed peppermint on top {delicious}, dipped fortune cookies, dipped cinnamon bears, and chocolate drizzled popcorn.  by the time i was done dipping i had a stomachache from all the sampling i did.

ilovechristmastreatssoooooomuch.

sister/cousin christmas dinner.

one of my top five favorite parts of christmas is getting together with all my besties for dinner and fun. we {as in me, my sissy jenna and cousin dallas} have made it a little tradition to get together for dinner each month to catch up.  i love it.  especially when we to go yummy places like the nordstrom cafe and eat delicious salads.  and then still feel hungry after said delicious salad and order a pizza.  i wasn't even ashamed.  their salads/pizzas/white chocolate bread pudding are amazing.  try it.

homemade oreos with a pink peppermint twist.

 

 i know i've talked about these homemade oreos a lot {my family loves them so i make them often} and i thought this time i would make them with a fun christmas twist.  i love anything peppermint, so personally think these are better than the original!

homemade peppermint oreos

the cookie: 

1 devils food cake mix

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

cookie directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  mix cake mix, eggs, and oil.  roll into balls and bake for 10 minutes.  cool.

peppermint butter cream frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

2-3 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1-2 drops red food coloring

frosting directions:

cream butter and shortening until fluffy.  add peppermint.  slowly pour in powdered sugar, then add milk while mixing.

after the cookies and frosting are made, frost the middle and put together.

add these to your list of christmas treats to bake, you won't regret it.

our tree...

...makes me happy.  so so happy.  i love turning on our tree, glittery lights, and cuddling up the hubs and the electric blanket to watch a christmas flick.  i decided i'm going to start collecting christmas dvds so we can watch them for years to come.  so far all we have is elf and a christmas story.  i've watched them both twice...i think i need to order more.  recommendations?

p.s. christmas is in 10 days!

christmas date on temple square.

last weekend we got together with some of our favorite friends to go to dinner {at settebello, so delicious} and visit temple square to see the fabulous lights.  aren't the pink lights perfect?  i'm in love.  thank you isaac for taking so many excellent photos.  two thumbs up to the entire night, can't wait to plan another date night with these lovelies.

ashmae on etsy.

i have been a lover of ashmae's paintings for quite some time now. i recently purchased her santa claus painting at the bijou market last month and can't get enough! it's the perfect addition to my christmas decor. i just love it so much i had to share.  see more of her fabulous work here.

little snowman.

every year on our thanksgiving weekend in park city i buy an ornament for our tree at this little boutique called pine. it's a new favorite tradition of mine, and i love my little sparkly snowman. slowly but surely my tree will be filled with ornaments with little stories behind them. love it.

i am full to the brim with christmas cheer. our tree is up, our twinkle lights are glittering in our windows, the gifts are wrapped and under the tree, and my need to bake is growing by the day. i have a list of at least 20 recipes i plan on whipping up in the next 16 days. i reaaaally want to make them all. i keep making random trips to target to pick up more butter, cream, peppermint extract, almond bark, ghirardelli chocolate chips --- you know, the essentials.

i went to sweet tooth fairy with my girlfriends yesterday and got the most delicious peppermint cupcake. i was in heaven. want to know a secret? it is a dream of mine to work there. i went to college for 5 years and my dream is work in a bakery. actually, let me rephrase that. my dream is to own my own bakery that makes such delicious, beautiful treats. someday, someday.

how are you getting ready for christmas? any delicious recipes i must know about? please share!

dancing elves.

this picture perfectly summarizes how i feel when i think about christmas, then and now.

awesome.

oh christmas tree.

we went and bought our tree this week...and haven't decorated it yet. i promised myself i would do it today. i just get so tired thinking about stringing on all the lights! i'm one lazy gal. but i have been getting our entire month of christmas planned...parties, dinner with the girls, date nights, and concerts. oh, and i wrote all my christmas cards. it's going to be a lovely holiday season.

sweet deal.

if you love real simple magazine as much as i do, you'll want to know about this deal. they are currently doing a special holiday offer where you can get two subscriptions for the price of one - $24! i have been thinking about ordering a subscription for quite some time now {i keep paying the ridiculous cover price, silly me}, and now this deal is simply too good to pass up. it's the perfect gift you can give yourself...and your favorite friend! i'm sold. get yours here.

christmas on my mind.

ike and i on the day we got engaged, december 24th.

you guys, today is october 14th, and i am already getting so antsy to start preparing for christmas! every time i set foot in a store i want to begin my christmas shopping, buy a bunch of beautiful christmas ribbon at costco, and start gathering fun new decorations. a little premature, i know. but i'm just so excited, and i love preparing for the fabulous holiday. love it. and it's pretty much all that i can think about this morning...i'm crazy. alright, i must shift into work mode, i have a nurse residency class to attend! have a lovely thursday!

p.s. for a flash back in time, you can read my post about our magical christmas engagement here...

do i look like christmas?

christmas 2009 gets 2 thumbs up.
i'm officially over the post-christmas blues...as of now. they might creep back up when i have to take down my tree and put everything away but we'll see.
the festivities continued on christmas eve - we went to see the movie the blind side with my family and had a delicious late lunch at pf chang's. loved the movie, food and company.
then, after a brief scare that our car wouldn't start, we headed down to springville to spend the night at isaac's parents. we woke up the next morning {earlier than planned, i still can't sleep very well the night before christmas} and made a big yummy breakfast and opened gifts. it was a lovely morning, we were definitely spoiled with very thoughtful gifts. isaac knows me so well, he got me the most fabulous things - a mint green diana camera, polaroid film, my favorite chocolates, etc.
in the afternoon we went to my parent's house for christmas dinner, christmas movies {elf for the second time, i can't get enough!}, and games. we also got spoiled again with amazing gifts.
thank you sweet husband and family!

when i got ready i asked ike, "do i look like christmas?!" and he said yes. i was very pleased.

our first christmas was better than i imagined. can't wait for the next!
tomorrow is the new year! better hurry and set some resolutions real quick.
happy new year's eve!

christmas babes.

christmas was so great.

having a husband made it 100% better than all the past christmases combined. our festivities began on the 23rd at my family's annual christmas party. the best part was not the delicious food and fun games but these little babes. all of my cousin's kids are so sweet and i can't get enough of them.

i can't wait until i have myself a little christmas babe...

remember, remember.

i don't only love today because it's christmas eve, but also because it's the one year anniversary of this event. i can't believe it's been a year! christmas has an even more special meaning to me now.
merry christmas!