Who would've guessed that our surprise once-every-ten-years snowstorm would stir up such a flurry of surprise posts? But these cutest little edible Christmas gifts are another one! Adam tromped out in the snow to save all our massive bushes of basil, turning my kitchen into a veritable pesto …
winter
how to make the best decorated sugar cookies (decorating tips from a pro!)
After you've created the perfect sugar cookies (see this post!) and added the 'base' icing, it's time to DECORATE! Because I know first hand that making sugar cookies look beautiful and festive is harder than it looks, I've recruited Jordan, the sugar cookie master, to share all her pro sugar cookie …
how to make the best decorated sugar cookies
(how to make the BEST decorated sugar cookies- tips from a pro!) I love this time of the year, with all of the holiday things on the horizon- thanksgiving hostessing, favorite food making, Christmas gift brainstorming, advent planning, and so much treat baking. One of Jordan's family's Christmas …
build your own bruschetta bar
(A step by step how to for putting together a gorgeous, easy and delicious Bruschetta Bar for easy entertaining). With the holidays right around the corner and back to back guests on our docket (both of those are my favorite), I am in planning mode for all of our holiday entertaining. My best …
christmas gift wrap idea- picture wrap!
I've mentioned in the past that we had a ton of Christmas Eve traditions growing up, and we are trying to continue most of them with our little family. Which means Christmas Jammies on Christmas Eve! This year, I made personalized gift wrap for the kiddos and thought I'd pass the idea along. To …
easy snow ice cream recipe!
Today's post is a total surprise, thanks to an unexpected snow storm that gave us a Snow Delay AND a surprise chance to make snow ice cream for breakfast (so ironic to be writing this from south texas and not colorado- haha!). I can't actually remember who gave us the tip that Half & Half …
gift wrap ideas- the prettiest packages
So I've always loved pink Christmas trees and white Christmas trees with sweet pink decorations, but am fully committed to a "family tree" (aka- a place to pile on all of our eclectic, homemade, and souvenir ornaments). However, last year Adam got me a rose gold tree when artificial trees went on …
the perfect last minute teacher & neighbor gifts
For teacher gifts (all teacher gifts- Christmas, birthday, end of year and teacher appreciation) I abide by a simple tried-and true-formula- useful gift card + something kid-made (or in a pinch kid-chosen). In the past, the kid-made portion has been a yummy treat (this salted caramel sauce is one …
simple christmas decor
I know that most of you are way more on top of things than I am, and that you're probably already all Christmas-prepped. But between what must've been a serious Christmas-goods-Goodwill-run before we moved to Saipan and the craziness of moving this fall, our Christmas decoration game this year is …
driftwood wreaths
My Christmas-in-Saipan motto is "do the best you can with what you've got." Ok, actually, that's my motto in Saipan decorating overall- haha. Resources that I have in abundance? Shells. Drift wood. Coral. Coconut. I made stockings (and a tree skirt) out of a drop cloth last year, and thought I'd …