Boots: Before & After

Santa came a bit early this year.  Really early, actually.

Brooke & I both picked out boots at the Nordstrom Annual Sale last July for our Christmas presents.  You might think it would be super boring knowing what you are getting for Christmas so many months in advance, but I think the anticipation of actually getting to wear the boots made it even more fun! 

We started the day out like this:

Boots: Before

And ended the day like this:

Boots: After!!!

Santa decided to give us the boots a week early because she didn't want to wrap those huge boxes was feeling the Christmas spirit.

Jack wanted to join the fun, so he showed off his shoes too... and his belly.

Sweet Shoes.

Needless to say, my new boots have definitely put me in the Christmas spirit!  Now if only it would stop raining so that I could wear them somewhere outside the house.

Roll Call

I've told you about the importance of rolls in our family.  Before I'd even met Drew's Aunt Nancy, I'd heard about her rolls.  Eventually I tasted them.  And that's when I realized what all the hub-bub was about.  The rolls are good.

This weekend the torch was passed!  Nancy held Roll Camp on Saturday.  She spilled the beans on all the secret techniques and ingredients.  I was stunned when the secret ingredient was revealed.  Stunned.

"Betty Crocker doesn't know everything."

The rolls originated with Drew's great-grandma.  She taught Nancy when she was in her early 20's.  And she's been making them ever since! 

She's got it down to an art.

We mixed, kneaded, shaped, and laughed the day away.

Kneading the Dough.

Roll Campers.

Shaping the Clover-Leaf.

I have a bit of experience with yeast bread, but I had no idea how much time and effort go into these rolls!  Shaping the dough requires specific technique and takes some time!  Then you have to proof them.  It's a good idea to find something productive to do while the rolls are proofing.

Cheryl to the rescue.

After preparing a batch of the ever famous originals, Nancy showed us how to make cinnamon rolls.  They are amazing.  Amazing.

Rolls + Butter + Cinnamon = OMG

The Roll Team.

Nancy's laundry room transforms into a proofing room.  Just waiting for those babies to double in size!

How beautiful!

Right out of the oven!

Just add butter!

We were a little nervous about how the rolls would turn out... our shaping technique was a little shaky.  But they were really good!! 

I'm so happy.

Jack approved. :)

This will go down in history as one of my favorite days of all time.  Who knew bread baking could be so much fun?  I am so appreciative to be included in such a special family tradition and I feel so blessed to have amazing women in my life that I love to spend time with. 

Now we've got a lot of practicing to do if we're going to be roll-ready by next holiday season!  Who wants to come over for a dinner party?

Crescent Moon Christmas

I have lots of blogging to catch up on... bear with me.

I'm so blessed to live near to so many of my sorority sisters.  Our monthly dinner get-togethers are always a blast.  But my favorite is our annual holiday party.  Kelly was our gracious hostess this year.  The night was filled with food, wine, and lots of laughter. 

Love you Kel!

Kelly and I gushed over our Pinterest-love and she showed off one of her Pin-spired creations.

Cute wreath!!!

Our tradition is that everyone brings a drink and a snack.  This leads to lots of delicious snacks (and drinks!)

Peppermint Ice Cream!

Cider!

Love me some Jana.

Side Note:  Leg warmers are almost as fantastic as sweater tights.  I love warm legs.

Ice cream!

The newest addition. :)

Pretty friends.

We typically have a cookie exchange every year.  Its super fun and awesome to take home a million different kinds of cookies, but we decided to switch it up a bit this year with a scarf exchange.  I totally stole this idea from Krista and everyone loved it.  Going home with a new scarf is just as fun as going home with a lifetime supply of cookies, and much more figure friendly.

Kel loves her scarf.

Doubling up.

Kait was the only one to steal a scarf!

Pretty girls have pretty scarves.

Cozy. :)

Scarf love.

The party was a fantastic success!  There's no better way to kick off the holiday season than with friends!

Pinterest Caramel

Pinterest:  I'm addicted.  Addicted.  Like, I sit there at night scrolling through pins, telling myself to log off the damn computer and go to bed.  Yet I keep on pinning. 

I'd never actually made anything or bought anything that I find on Pinterest... but I've gotten my fair share (and then some) of laughs from the hilarious quotes that are pinned... plus tons of motivation from all the hot girls that people post as fitness inspiration. 

And yet, this has nothing to do with being fit.  This has to do with pie. 

I kept seeing this pin over and over and over again.  It said that you can take a can of sweetened condensed milk, submerge it in water in your crock pot, cook on low for 8 hours, and the result is "the best caramel sauce I've ever had, let alone made". 

That's a bold statement, right?  But it sounded easy enough.  So as I spent the day before Thanksgiving making cheesecake, I stuck a little can of sweetened condensed milk in the crock pot and let simmer. 

The result.

Super thick, needs stirring.

This was seriously the easiest thing to pull off ever.  The caramel for sure wasn't the best I've ever had... or the best I've ever made.  But it was good.  And it jazzed up my apple pie for sure.

Next Day: Reheat & Stir.  Voila.

Verdict:  It was the best easy caramel sauce I've ever made that didn't almost burn my house down. 

I was so inspired by my Pinterest success that I took it to the next step and followed some directions pinned there and tied my scarf in a new and exotic way.  Oh, and I bought and wore leg warmers.  But that's another story...

Happy Pinning!