Christmas Bunco Cookie Exchange!!

On Monday night, we had our annual cookie exchange party. I left my camera at home, so the only picture I have is an assortment of all the cookies that I collected that night. Basically, there are 12 ladies in the group and each person brought 3 dozen cookies. One dozen to snack on while we socialized and played bunco, the other two dozens were for each person to take two cookies of the 12 different cookies that everyone brought. I baked 3 dozen of Butterfinger cookies, they were so yummy!! David and I even made some for his work Christmas party and they were a huge hit there. I will enclose the recipe in case anyone wants to make some cookies over the Christmas holiday.
Sidenote: I am so excited that we are leaving in a few days to go see David's family in Florida for Christmas!! We are going to have so much fun!! I will have lots of blogging to do when I get back. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Butterfinger Cookies
1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg
1 C. (about three 2.1 ounce bars) coarsely chopped Butterfinger Candy Bars

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in large egg, gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in Butterfinger pieces. Drop by slightly rounder tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Bert the Betta!!!

So, a few weeks ago, I decided that I wanted a fish. I did not want the responsibility of an aquarium fish, but an easy betta. So, David and I went off to Petsmart and came back with a male betta that we named Bert. I found his bowl at TJ Maxx and it looks so pretty on our bar.
We also put some fake grass in there and it seems to be where he sleeps and hides during the day.

My all-time favorite story...

Charlotte's Web-I have been waiting for this to come out forever. David and I went to see it tonight and it is one of my favorite childhood stories and it is still my favorite story. I can't wait to share it with our kids someday. I am going to put the overview at the bottom, I know everyone has read the book, but it may of been awhile ago and you might need a refresher.

The classic story of loyalty, trust, and sacrifice comes to life in this live-action adaptation. Fern (Dakota Fanning) is one of only two living beings who sees that Wilbur is a special animal as she raises him, the runt of the litter, into a terrific and radiant pig. As Wilbur moves into a new barn, he begins a second profound friendship with the most unlikely of creatures – a spider named Charlotte – and their bond inspires the animals around them to come together as a family. When the word gets out that Wilbur's days are numbered, it seems that only a miracle will save his life. A determined Charlotte – who sees miracles in the ordinary – spins words into her web in an effort to convince the farmer that Wilbur is "some pig" and worth saving.

Deck the Halls!!

So, winter is my favorite time of the year to go see movies at the theater. It seems so many great movies come out this time of year, so Thursday David and I went to see "Deck the Halls", it was so funny and was great to get us even more into the Christmas spirit. I am going to be the movie critic for all the movies I see during the holiday season, because I have a long list of movies to go watch.

Deck the Halls overview:
When the spirit of Christmas compels a small-town New Englander to decorate his home with enough lights to make it visible from space, much more is set to be decked than just the halls in this holiday comedy featuring Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick as two warring neighbors determined to outdo each other in creating the best lighting display on the planet. Christmas is without question the most wonderful time of the year for Cloverdale, MA optometrist Steve Finch (Broderick). Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Steve's wife, Kelly (Kristin Davis), and the pair's two children, Madison (Alia Shawkat) and Carter (Dylan Blue). Despite Steve's annual holiday zeal, the rest of the Carters have grown to resent the seemingly endless family rituals leading up the Winterfest carnival over which their terminally cheerful patriarch presides. Though it seems that nothing in the world could dampen the spirits of the local "King of Christmas," Steve soon finds his royal status challenged when used-car salesman Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito) moves in next door and covers his house with enough festive lights to make it visible from the deepest crater of the moon. His Yuletide thunder effectively stolen, Steve resorts to desperate measures in regaining his crown when Buddy's lavish decorations make him a local celebrity, his wife strikes up a warm friendship with the neighbor's outspoken better half, Tia (Kristin Chenoweth), and even the kids seem to warm to the car salesman's air-headed twin daughters, Ashley and Emily (Sabrina and Kelly Aldridge). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Jermain Taylor is still the middleweight champion!!!

We went to see the Jermain Taylor vs. Kassim Ouma fight at Alltel Arena on Saturday night. That was my live fight to ever go to and it was so much fun. David had to work on Saturday and I got a call from him around noon, saying that he got five free tickets from work and they are $300 per seat. So, thank you Air Force!!! David got a ticket for me, himself, Sarah, Jason K. and my brother Jason. My brother was the most excited about the fight, he went to Las Vegas last December to see Jermain Taylor fight. We decided that it was a great time, but I couldn't see us paying $300 per ticket ever!!!

Outside Christmas Decorations!!

David and I wanted to do garland and wreaths outside this year. So, we went and got all the stuff and worked Thanksgiving night putting everything together. We were very happy with the results. Next year, will be much easier since everything wil be put together!!

Attempt of the 2006 Christmas card!!

Sarah came over to try to help with our Christmas picture. We needed her assistance to get the dogs to look at the camera. All she had to say is "Where's that Kitty" and they instantly look or "Do you want to go for a ride"? After many pictures we finally decided on one and they are in the mail right now!! Happy Holidays everyone!!

We love our puppies!!!

We took some sweet pictures of the puppies last night. We took them to the doggy park yesterday and they were so tired last night. Check them out relaxing!! Katie loves her cage!! Thanks to grandpa Ken and grandma Joyce for passing the keeshond cage down to little Katie Bug!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Happy Big 2-7 to David!!! We celebrated for David's birthday this past Sunday night. David has been wanting to eat at Gaucho's for a couple of years now, well he got his birthday wish. We went to Gauchos with my mom, sister, brother, Jason Kordsmeier and feasted on the great food. We all got so stuffed, they we barely had room when we got back home for cake. But, the cake was from Mickey's, so that cannot be resisted. David opened his presents once we got back home. He got a new robe (he was tired of freezing when he took the dogs out at night). He also got the Tiger Woods 2007 playstation game. Sarah and Jason suprised him with a round of golf at Burns Park with a nice Nike golf towel. I also got David a round of golf at the Country Club of Arkansas, along with a ball retriever for when the ball goes in the water. My mom's famous present is always a sweet card with cash, but hey David was complaining. David has been wanting to join the country club, so I thought he could check it out with his pass to see if we should join in the spring. After the presents were opened we had the best cake in the world from Mickey's.

Arkansas vs. LSU-Tailgating PIcs

Well, the last home game in Little Rock did not come out the way I wanted, but they did play a good game. We will beat the LSU Tigers one day!! Well, let me back up now, most people starting tailgating around 6 or 7am, but we had some "Black Friday" shopping to do first. David, Sarah and I headed out from Maumelle around 5:15 am to hit up Target before they opened at 6am. They had a 19" LCD TV that I wanted to get for the guest bedroom. It was regular $349.00, but it was on sale for $178.00. About two weeks prior to that I had paid over $400 for a 20" LCD for that bedroom, so I thought I would just return that and save over $200. I also was on a mission to get one other thing on sale there, I can't disclose that on here because lots of family reads this and it was a Christmas present for someone. Well, once we got there the line was literally a mile long, so we walk to the back of the line really discouraged that we awoke at the crack of dawn and we were not going to get what we had came for. But, to our suprise the line started moving fast and as we walked through the front doors, there was two televsions left. So, we got the TV and the other present we came for. Mission accomplished, but my sister and I were not done shopping. So, we went and had breakfast at the Waffle House and dragged David along shopping for the next few hours. Once we called it a day for shopping, we headed home to get ready to go tailgate for a few hours. Well, David passed and decided that he had enough excitement for one day. So, Sarah and I met up with Jason Kordsmeier ( refer to him with his last name, since our brother's name is Jason, too. We had lots of fun!! I don not have any pics from the shopping experience, but I do have tailgating pictures.

THANSKGIVING CELEBRATION!!!

Our Thanksgiving was a little non-traditional this year. Instead of cooking we just went out to eat at the Golden Corral in North Little Rock. My brother and sister had to work, so it was going to be worth my mom cooking for just a few of us. Before, we went to eat we stopped by the Lakewood Nursing Home to pick up Noah. Noah is 96 years old and going strong. He was my grandparents farm-hand years and years ago and he has always been a grandfather figure to me. He has known my family for over 70 years. We ate lots and lots and then David and I headed home to do outside Christmas decorations. We decided not to decorate, well let me re-word that, David decided that we should not decorate inside, since we are leaving in just a few days to spend Christmas in Florida. But, hey I am not complaining that I get to spend Christmas in Florida. I am so lucky that my in-laws leave there.