Gatherings, Gifts, and Baking....

So much loveliness happening...going to bed exhausted every night from all the running and doing but so totally worth it.

Had our big Christmas dinner at my moms house the other night. We open presents a little early with this side of the family. Too rushed on Christmas Day, we want to take our time and enjoy it so we started doing it before Christmas.

Yummy dinner with the most beautfiful place settings. My mom always gets a little extra gift for us girls and lays it on our plate. Always some cute little decoration or knick knack.

Sweet Granny O came as well. With little goody boxes for all the grandkids.

My mom always gives the kids their Hallmark ornament on this night. She picks out a special one for each of them. Something they love or are interested in that year. Carson got a Star Wars one. Linc got Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Drake bug got ironman.

She also gave Drake a small ironman toy and Linc and Cars each got a new movie. We also draw names with all the little cousins and we did that this night as well. The boys had been counting down the days til this party. Their first real "gifts" of the season. Lincoln kept saying when it gets to the 15th we get 2 presents and an ornament.

Brownies with peppermint icecream for dessert. Ohhhh, I love that stuff.

The next night all of us girls met at my Aunt Tam's for a little ladies dinner party. Just us, no kids except sweet Hallie who is our little friend and baby Caroline.

Are you dying over this table. My mom and aunt sure no how to make things beautiful. I just love that kind of thing. I am major into the details

Such as this beautiful cranberry sparkling punch. Just as good as it was pretty.

I made these little babies. Tortellini skewers from Pioneer Woman. Fresh mozerella, cherry tomatoes and spinach tortellini drizzled with a balsamic pesto sauce. We gobbled em up!

And our favorite appetizer to date....cream cheese with pepper jelly.

Dinner was chicken dill soup with thick crusty bread and butter.

We all drew names. Jill had me, love what I got. The Ann Romney cookbook. Oh geez I have been wanting this so bad. I don't think I had ever told her that but everyone knows I love a good cook book. This one is even better cause I absolutely adore the Romney family. I just think they are pretty neat. Love what they stand for. Love the way Mitt Romney treats his wife. He has the utmost respect for her and truly seems to idolize her. Throughout the book she not only shares recipes but also life experiences and traditions. She talks about how she has always loved to be in the kitchen. The heart of the home. When she was little she would sit on a little barstool and watch her mom. She loved the peaceful, happy feeling it brought. My thoughts exactly. I just love everything the kitchen symbolizes. Truly the center of every home. A warm meal at the end of a long day. The smell of something delicious baking in the oven. The prep work behind a big meal, and an excited little family waiting to partake. Nothing makes me happier than being in my kitchen, preparing dinner while my little boys sit at the counter. One is usually doing homework, the other two playing with their superheroes or ninja turtles or coloring. The world cold and dark outside, and the kitchen alive and warm and happy. This book totally encompasses that. I am thrilled with it.

My Hallie girl and sweet Caroline. Seriously love these two. Hallie, never will you meet a more beautiful little person. On the inside and out. She is a little gem. I could just put her in my pocket and carry her around all day. Just love her. And sweet Caroline, how darling does she look all dolled up for the big event. Cutest little stink!

I just love these girls. So much! As women, we need other women. Truly believe that. Especially women who you know always are behind you. Who are always there for you. Who know everthing about you and love you anyways. These girls have had such an impact on my life and I cherish their love. It was such a great night.

My gifts so far...my cookbook, a big ol' thing of coconut flavoring. If you know me and my sisters we love our "dirty" drinks. Which in Utah means a carbonated drink with a shot of some kind of flavoring. For me, that is always coconut. Nothing better than adding a little coconut to my Mcdonalds coke. Perfect gift. Thanks Jen! And the little plate, geez don't you want to just be in that plate. So old fashioned and happy. I want to live in that world. And my new little kettle. Holy crap friends, freaking love this blue kettle. Almost as much as my blue bench!!

There is something so warm and cheery about a tea kettle sitting on a stove. Me and Carson are putting ours to good use with our hot chocolate every night!

Moving on....Lincoln boy had his Christmas class party the other day. His teacher sent out an email saying she needed a parent volunteer for each class. I seriously responded 2 seconds later. Love the chance to be in my boys' classrooms. I try really hard to not be an annoying, always around parent. I try really hard. Can't help myself...those are my babies they've got there!!

My girl and her cute house. Elle Belle was seriously the last kid finished. She is quite particular and very thourough. Kinda like her mom.

After helping with the gingerbread houses, Drake and I had some time to kill so we ran to Target. He chomped on Swedish Fish while I finished up the boys' stocking stuffers.

We then picked up Lincoln boy and headed home for a full day of baking...

I had been contemplating pulling Carson boy out of school a bit early that day so he could help with the baking. Out of all my kids he just truly loves it. He is my little buddy in the kitchen. Sits next to me watching, adding ingredients and talking my little ear off. I kept going back and forth. Like I said it was a full day event and I would still be at it if he got out of school at the regular time. But I just think those full time school kids need a little surprise every now and then. A little pick me up. So I didn't tell him about it, I just showed up at his school and had the office call him down to check out. You should have seen that cute smile coming around the corner towards me. He was so surprised and just so happy. Made my day.

Full kitchen. Ash and the kids were that too. Working on her neighbor gifts.

She made peppermint muddy buddies. Pretty dang delicious.

Holiday Oreo's.

Sugarplum Thumbprints.

And cranberry, coconut, white chocolate chip cookies.

I love good ol' fashioned baking for neighbors. Alot of people are kinda funny about that these days. But I still appreciate it. I tell ya friends, I was born in the wrong era. Very much an old fashioned kinda girl.

While I was at it, I threw together my kids' teachers gifts. Found these cute little cups at Walmart back in November. Sometimes Walmart surprises me. I thought they were darling. Stuffed them with some hot chocolate mixes and some Christmas candy.

And oila!! There you have it. I was pretty pleased with them. Crossing things off my list friends. 5 days and counting. In truth I don't want Christmas to come, cause that means its all over. And I don't want it to be over. Can't we have Christmas all year long.....