Our Weekend

We had a little bit different weekend than what we originally planned, but it was fun and low key.  The mister and I had a big weekend planned to travel to Dallas Saturday morning and do all our Christmas shopping at my very favorite mall, Northpark!  The weekend also would have included looking at Christmas lights in Highland Park, cheering on my precious friend during her half marathon and celebrating her graduation, but the weather had other plans for us.  We stayed settled in at home, made chili, and put up our first Christmas tree!!  

I have absolutely no idea how my iPhone capture this blurred image of our tree, but I love it!  I'm looking forward to posting more tree details and other Christmas decor around our house later this week, but wanted to share this one now.

Another fun thing we did this weekend was purchase many of our Christmas gifts online!  It was so nice to look at all the options without a huge crowd swarming around.  I loved the ease of finding all the products I needed and with free shipping, what is their to lose?!  Part of me will always appreciate the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping along with all the festive decor found in stores and shopping malls, but now that I've experienced the comfort and ease of online shopping, I am so grateful for this option!

In other news, the most wonderful part of the weekend had to be our experience Saturday afternoon!  We were able to go to my in-laws and watch another amazing Baylor football game as our Bears took hold of the Big 12 Championship!!  I am so proud of our team and all they have accomplished!  I can't wait to cheer them on as they play in the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day.  Baylor football has come a long way since I was a freshman in the fall of 1999 and it is so exciting to see what these players and coaches have been able to accomplish together!!  Sic 'em! :)

Our Weekend

We had a little bit different weekend than what we originally planned, but it was fun and low key.  The mister and I had a big weekend planned to travel to Dallas Saturday morning and do all our Christmas shopping at my very favorite mall, Northpark!  The weekend also would have included looking at Christmas lights in Highland Park, cheering on my precious friend during her half marathon and celebrating her graduation, but the weather had other plans for us.  We stayed settled in at home, made chili, and put up our first Christmas tree!!  

I have absolutely no idea how my iPhone capture this blurred image of our tree, but I love it!  I'm looking forward to posting more tree details and other Christmas decor around our house later this week, but wanted to share this one now.

Another fun thing we did this weekend was purchase many of our Christmas gifts online!  It was so nice to look at all the options without a huge crowd swarming around.  I loved the ease of finding all the products I needed and with free shipping, what is their to lose?!  Part of me will always appreciate the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping along with all the festive decor found in stores and shopping malls, but now that I've experienced the comfort and ease of online shopping, I am so grateful for this option!

In other news, the most wonderful part of the weekend had to be our experience Saturday afternoon!  We were able to go to my in-laws and watch another amazing Baylor football game as our Bears took hold of the Big 12 Championship!!  I am so proud of our team and all they have accomplished!  I can't wait to cheer them on as they play in the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day.  Baylor football has come a long way since I was a freshman in the fall of 1999 and it is so exciting to see what these players and coaches have been able to accomplish together!!  Sic 'em! :)

Special Potato Soup

Today, I'm linking up this December post for Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life" series on soups!  This recipe is one of my all-time faves. :)

With the cooler temps we have been experiencing in our area, good warm comfort food just seems to always sound good!  I've made chili more in the past few weeks than I have ever made in my life and this potato soup recipe was another yummy remedy to my comfort food craving.  I mentioned it in Friday's post and described how it was one of those meals I remember eating so vividly during my childhood.  The recipe makes a lot, so you will definitely have leftovers.  We enjoyed ours with some saltine crackers, but I think a loaf of crusty french bread would be a perfect addition as well.

This recipe originally appeared in Southern Living years ago and has been a family favorite ever since.  I tried to find it on their current website to link back, but didn't see it listed.

Ingredients:

2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (Our HEB carries these great plastic containers of pre-chopped celery and onion together, so I just used that!)
2 T. butter, melted
6 medium potatoes, cubed (peeling and cubing the potatoes was the most time consuming part!)
2 carrots, sliced (I used a bag of baby carrots and just put those in whole)
3 c. water
5 chicken-flavored bouillon cubes
3/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dried whole thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary, crushed
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of pepper
2 c. milk
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

1.  Cook celery and onion in butter in a large soup pot until tender.  

2.  Add potatoes, carrots, water, bouillon and seasonings 

3.  Cover pot and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4.  Remove from heat, and mash vegetables with a potato masher.  

5.  Add milk and cheese 

6.  Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.  

Yield:  10 cups

It is so simple and tastes so good!!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :)

Special Potato Soup

Today, I'm linking up this December post for Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life" series on soups!  This recipe is one of my all-time faves. :)

With the cooler temps we have been experiencing in our area, good warm comfort food just seems to always sound good!  I've made chili more in the past few weeks than I have ever made in my life and this potato soup recipe was another yummy remedy to my comfort food craving.  I mentioned it in Friday's post and described how it was one of those meals I remember eating so vividly during my childhood.  The recipe makes a lot, so you will definitely have leftovers.  We enjoyed ours with some saltine crackers, but I think a loaf of crusty french bread would be a perfect addition as well.

This recipe originally appeared in Southern Living years ago and has been a family favorite ever since.  I tried to find it on their current website to link back, but didn't see it listed.

Ingredients:

2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (Our HEB carries these great plastic containers of pre-chopped celery and onion together, so I just used that!)
2 T. butter, melted
6 medium potatoes, cubed (peeling and cubing the potatoes was the most time consuming part!)
2 carrots, sliced (I used a bag of baby carrots and just put those in whole)
3 c. water
5 chicken-flavored bouillon cubes
3/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dried whole thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary, crushed
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of pepper
2 c. milk
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

1.  Cook celery and onion in butter in a large soup pot until tender.  

2.  Add potatoes, carrots, water, bouillon and seasonings 

3.  Cover pot and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4.  Remove from heat, and mash vegetables with a potato masher.  

5.  Add milk and cheese 

6.  Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.  

Yield:  10 cups

It is so simple and tastes so good!!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :)

Five on Friday!

Yay!!  My favorite day of the week is here and I'm linking up with Natasha, Darci, April, and Christina to share five fun things going on in my world.  As I've looked through these five, perhaps this list should be called foodie edition!

 

 

Weekend Breakfast Casserole

 

Last weekend we made the Mix and Match Mama's delish breakfast casserole and it was the perfect yummy start to our day.  The recipe is so easy and tastes so fantastic, I think I might have found our new Christmas morning recipe!!  This dish is also perfect for brunches or for overnight guests.  It is in our rotation for sure!

 

Early Christmas Surprise

 

My parents surprised us with the Willow Tree nativity for an early Christmas gift!  I've loved arranging all of the figures and think I found the perfect spot for it in my dining room. :)  Putting out the nativity scene has always been one of my favorite things to do to decorate for Christmas!

 Mom's Special Potato Soup

Sunday night I made my mom's delicious potato soup.  It is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter night and is easy to prepare, too!  You know those recipes you grew up with and just the taste makes your mind flood with childhood memories?  This soup takes me to my parents' breakfast room eating this warm soup on a chilly winter night.  I'll have to post the recipe soon. :)

 

Elf on the Big Screen

Our downtown has been hosting lots of fun events this week, including a showing of Elf on the big screen!!  My mister had never seen this cinematic wonder that is certainly one of my Christmas favorites, so I was excited to share the fun with him!!  Good news -- he loved it!  I think Elf will be in our holiday movie rotation for years to come!!

Also, we enjoyed the most delicious white chocolate Oreo popcorn from a local vendor!  Delish!!

My Favorite Chilly Evening Snack

Finally, my favorite treat -- hot chocolate and popcorn with a few holiday peanut m&ms sprinkled infor good measure! :) It's getting a little chilly in our area, so this was the perfect late night snack! 

What are your Friday Five?

Five on Friday!

Yay!!  My favorite day of the week is here and I'm linking up with Natasha, Darci, April, and Christina to share five fun things going on in my world.  As I've looked through these five, perhaps this list should be called foodie edition!

 

 

Weekend Breakfast Casserole

 

Last weekend we made the Mix and Match Mama's delish breakfast casserole and it was the perfect yummy start to our day.  The recipe is so easy and tastes so fantastic, I think I might have found our new Christmas morning recipe!!  This dish is also perfect for brunches or for overnight guests.  It is in our rotation for sure!

 

Early Christmas Surprise

 

My parents surprised us with the Willow Tree nativity for an early Christmas gift!  I've loved arranging all of the figures and think I found the perfect spot for it in my dining room. :)  Putting out the nativity scene has always been one of my favorite things to do to decorate for Christmas!

 Mom's Special Potato Soup

Sunday night I made my mom's delicious potato soup.  It is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter night and is easy to prepare, too!  You know those recipes you grew up with and just the taste makes your mind flood with childhood memories?  This soup takes me to my parents' breakfast room eating this warm soup on a chilly winter night.  I'll have to post the recipe soon. :)

 

Elf on the Big Screen

Our downtown has been hosting lots of fun events this week, including a showing of Elf on the big screen!!  My mister had never seen this cinematic wonder that is certainly one of my Christmas favorites, so I was excited to share the fun with him!!  Good news -- he loved it!  I think Elf will be in our holiday movie rotation for years to come!!

Also, we enjoyed the most delicious white chocolate Oreo popcorn from a local vendor!  Delish!!

My Favorite Chilly Evening Snack

Finally, my favorite treat -- hot chocolate and popcorn with a few holiday peanut m&ms sprinkled infor good measure! :) It's getting a little chilly in our area, so this was the perfect late night snack! 

What are your Friday Five?

An AMAZING Giveaway!!!

I just wanted to post today about two of my absolute favorite blogs and a fantastic giveaway they are doing!!
Shay at Mix and Match Family and Sheaffer at Pinterest Told Me To are giving away a $500 Nordstrom gift card!!!  I think Nordstrom is hands down my favorite store and these girls write such fun blogs.  I love to read their posts with my first cup of coffee!  Sheaffer writes the most darling posts about the greatest fashion finds and Shay writes the cutest posts about her sweet  family.  Shay also writes at Mix and Match Family where she posts mouthwatering recipes!  I know my pinboards are full of her meal ideas.  These girls also post about their fun shopping trips together and over Christmas they are blogging "Shay and Sheaffer's 12 Days of Christmas" full of all kinds of amazing Christmas ideas and treats.

Hurry to sign up for this wonderful giveaway!  They are announcing the winner tomorrow. :)

Pinterest Told Me To