Where are they going....

In an earlier post i was telling about how our family is going to do Christmas Goodie Boxes this year, for who i wasn't sure. Well, Brian and i were talking and since our church is giving all members goodie bags....the staff and spouses baked different items and bagged them up to be passed out to all the families of our church today (Brian and i made up 920 chocolate covered peanut clusters)....we thought it would be a great idea to give out our boxes to "them". "Them" being...Mattie's bus driver and her different teachers at school, the mail lady, the UPS guy, and some of our neighbors whom, sad to say, we've never met. My goal for the above activity to be accomplished is next week.

As far as the "12 Days of Christmas family", i just dont know who we're gonna do it for. we want to pick a family "in need". in order to get this done before we leave on the 23rd to "go home for Christmas" we gotta decide ASAP. so still not sure 'bout all that.

God has a weird sense of humor.

not able to get into details but our hopes were dashed last night. we had thought that some really awesome things were happening in our family....not brian, steph, mattie, and ryder family...but other family. seems God was just joking. i'm trying to not let it ruin my holiday but it's hard. i'm not blaming God. i'm just mad. mad that something really neat could have happened but it looks like it's not going to. not wanting to give satan ANY crredit but he had a little to do w/ this too, i think.

Christmas Goodie Gift Box...this is what i'm putting in it:)

Chocolate Covered Peanuts

Almond Bark - Chocolate flavored
Jar of Salted Peanuts
melt 1 square of almond bark in micro...(at a time b/c if you melt too much it will harden before you have used it all) CAREFUL NOT TO SCORCH!!! add as many peanuts to the melted chocolate as you like...less peanuts means more chocolatety taste! repeat process till you have used all your peanuts.

Tiger Butter

1 lb. Almond Bark - vanilla flavored
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter - crunchy or smooth
6 oz. chocolate chips - not the cheap kind...won't work!

melt bark and mix in peanut butter. spread in a medium sized cake pan. Melt choc chips and pour over the peanut butter layer. spread till smooth. You may leave it in two seperate layers or, w/ a butter knife, drag it through the two layers from one end of the pan to the other to make it swirl together. Do blend too much. Refrigerate just till i's solid. Using a butter knife, cut in to small pieces and store in an airtight container away from heat.

Spicy Pecans

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. Worceshire sauce
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
3 c. pecans

Combine first five ingredients in large bowl, stirring well. Add pecans, stirring; coat well. spread evenly in 13x9x2 inch pan. bake, uncovered, at 300* for 20 min, stirring after 10 minutes. let cool completely. store in airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pecans
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 C. firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. pecans

Can also add:
1 Tbsp pecan praline flavored coffee 1/4 tsp. red pepper

Melt butter in large skillet. Add brown sugar and stir. Add remaining ingredients excetp pecans. stir well. add pecans; coat well. spread pecans on greased cookie sheet. bake at 325* for 15 min. stir every 5 minutes. cool completely and break nuts apart.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Bag of pretzels (mini)
Almond bark - vanilla and chocolate
Christmas sprinkles

melt 1 square (at a time b/c if you melt too much it will harden before you have used it all) of almond bark in microwave- DO NOT SCORCH. dip pretzel in either flavored bark, let cool, then drizzle other flavor over pretzel and sprinkle w/ sugar sprinkles while still warm so it will stick to bark.

Our family pics are ready for viewing...woooohoooo!

Go to

www.melissabreedlove.com
click on client proofing
click on Britt Family


She did a most excellently awesome job!!!!!

Cute Christmas ?aire...

1. What's your favorite Christmas carol?
Joy to the World, Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful....

2. Is your tree up AND decorated?
Yep!

3. Is all of your shopping/creating gifts done?
sorta...waiting on our family pictures to be online so we can proof!!! Go Melissa Breedlove - you're AWESOME!

4. What is your most treasured family tradition?
decorating the inside of the house for Christmas w/ the kids. Brian is in charge of the outside...and we're still waiting:)

5. Will you go to a candle light service during the Christmas season?
not sure

6. Staying home for Christmas Day morning or will you be visiting family?
Family

7. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Day...well mom always let me and Connie open one on Christmas Eve and we carry on that tradition:)

who wants to play? If you're game, i added the last 2 ?'s and it would be neat to see what ? you have to add.....

Stephanieness...

**Brian emptied the dishwasher, put up the clean dishes, put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher...and turned it on. All during his lunch hour. This isn't my husband...Brian is a hottie.

Last night Brian ordered our new digital camera from Best Buy w/ a free big memory card w/ free shipping all for $124. Thank you Jesus. Ours was stolen this summer while of vacation.


i get really irritated when little kids tell my kids that Santa isn't real. Thats fine that we all believe differently but they should tell their kids not to ruin it for those that believe...believing in the spirit of Santa...giving. i'm not interested in anyones opinion on this matter...we agree to disagree.

I bought these really cool Martha Stewart compartment cookie boxes that you can put goodies in at walmart. it looks similar to this. the kids and i are gonna fill the compartments w/ choc covered peanuts and pretzels, spicy pecans, and tiger butter. these items are very easy to make and kid friendly.

Christmas Time....The most wonderful time of year!

if only this were a pic of louisiana.

I love Christmas time. and it sure feels like Christmas right now....love the cold weather. at the moment my house is a wreck. the kids and i cleaned up before we messed up yesterday after church. every year it happens. my house gets wrecked out for a few days while we're trying to decorate. i'm babysitting 3 days this week so i gotta get lots done in between working. PRAISE the LORD for the extra money. He provides. we have friends from texas coming in saturday for the Christmas Festival in Natchitoches, so i gotta get all me decoratin in this week. i have a secret sis reveal party 2nite. oh and i've been a crappy secret sis so i'll never do it again. i'm gonne have to apologize for my laziness. i'll make it up to her during the Christmas season - she's even my neighbor how sad is that - sad sad sad. we have church wednesday and a staff party on friday night. so i basically have this afternoon and evening till 7pm, tomorrow, wednesday, and thursday night to get my act together.

since i'm so tired of not having a digital camara...i'm getting one this week.

Thanksgiving was good. hope all had a thankful thanksgiving. everyone raved over my chicken n dressing. i thought it was good but everyone else did too. i thought it was so good i gained a little over the holiday. back to the straight and narrow. i've lost 20lbs. so i'm thinkin i can lose 10 more.

Meeeeechawn and her kiddos are coming back to the holy land. not sure if joel is coming. anywoo, her family is soooo excited i'm sure. will definitely have to get together. they will be in the states till the end of february.

our family pictures will be online at the end of the week...can't wait.