Cookie Exchange

I attended my very first cookie exchange this year. I thought long and hard about what I was going to make... I knew I wanted something super yummy....something super Christmassy... So, I decided to invent Peppermint Bark Cookies. Basically just Chocolate chocolate chip cookies drenched in white chocolate and crushed peppermint pieces.


Now, I had to make 8 doz of them. No small feat with a small child that doesn't let you out of her eyesight.... or armslength...





Hours later... I thought up how I would package them, because from everything I've ever heard about cookie exchanges the package is just as important as the cookies themselves...

Here is what I left home with... 14 beautiful, bountiful bags of cookies.

Here is what I brought home with me...



I thought cookie exchanges were all about the packaging???

Guess I was way off base on that one!

Fall Back in Portage...

We are finally back home after 3 months of living the good life out west. Oh, how I miss it out there... But, alas, life goes on...even in Portage la Prairie. I have managed to get a few projects done since getting back last Friday. The biggest of which was a good deep clean, furniture rearrange and curtain change up.I had been dying to get Ryan's sign hung since I bestowed it to him on our Anniversary in August. It was a whole lot of work, but well worth it.

And, I got the Halloween decorations out...
Sophie LOVES the lights!
I hung my black cat sign over the stove...

Unfortunately, this is what my house now looks like clean. I thought the dog beds were clutter enough... now add to that a baby swing, exerciser, jenny jumper, boppy, moby wrap, assorted bowl of toys and binkies, and burp rags. It's funny that even with all these great distractions, the silly girl still would rather be held in her mama's arms.I also found the time to finish up Sophie's Room. I got her closet all done up and organized. I got her curtain rod hung and curtains up. They are the icing on the cake...SUPER cute! They make the room look like a little girly girl room.

And, I got her name finished and up on the wall...complete with modge podge and all! I must give her Auntie Becky credit for this one. She did one for Sophie's up and coming little cousin, and it was so cute that I had to do one for Sophie, too.

Sophie loves playing in her room!

She especially loves all of her toys that were just sitting there waiting for her while she was out west... and she loves sitting in her bumbo to play with them.

Mommy and Sophia

Mommy, Daddy and Sophia

Auntie Nicole and Us...(Ryans Sister) Us....

Grammy Nick, Mommy, Nana Rustad, and Sophie

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hope you did, too!

Summer Fun on the Farm...

We have been having all kinds of fun at Grandma and Grandpa's place this summer.

...eating peaches...

...being cowgirls...

...hangin out at the beach...

...enjoying lazy summer days on the back porch...

...getting pampered in the tub...

Sophia really enjoys her bathtime!

I hope you all enjoyed yourselves this summer as well!

Out West...

Sophie and I have been out in Washington state visiting family for the past few weeks. Her grammy and grampy sure love her!

As you can see, Sophie is now about the size of a very fat chiuaua.

Sophia just got the nicest package in the mail today. She was so excited about it that she asked me to share it with you...

She especially loved how cute it was all wrapped up! I told her that Miss Marika always wraps her gifts up pretty.
We both agreed that the card was the cutest card ever! The images on the front are all emroidered on the paper with real thread!!! We sure do wish we could find a blankie to match...

I told Sophie how Miss Marika is one of the worlds best shoppers, and someday soon we will go down and shop with her. I think that made Miss Sophie very very happy!

One of the wonderful gifts was this chalkboard. The back of which is set up so Miss Sophie can learn her multiplication table. I can't wait to get her started on it! My little girl is going to be a Wiz! Especially with the 'donation' that Miss Marika & Co. made to her future education. Sophie was really excited about that and wanted me to give them an extra large thank-you!

And, this cute little guy finally found his forever home. He is made out of wool felt...

And Miss Sophie LOVES him. We haven't named him yet, but Sophie wants to assure you all that she is thinking of a name...she just hasn't found the right one as of yet.

Thank you so much Ross & Marika for showering our little girl with so much love! I can't wait for her to meet you and your brood!

Busy Bees!

Things have been busy busy around here as of late. Ryan has been getting the Jeep ready to sell... something that makes us both very sad. We love that Jeep! But, it just isn't practical anymore... but more so--WE REALLY WANT A TRAILER! Which means we need a truck to pull it. So the Jeep must go...

On another note, we bought a TV for the basement a few months back. We really wanted a 47", but couldn't find one anywhere...so we settled for a 40". Well, Ry came home the other day and was super excited because Costco had the TV he wanted in a 47". So we decided to upgrade. And upgrade we did... to a 55"

... to the absolute largest TV Costco had. We are never impulsive like this... But this TV is really awesome...especially hooked up to surround sound. Almost as good as a theatre!

And of course I have to include a pic of my little sunshine! She is such a peaceful lil' sleeper 'till she gets the hiccups...
Oh, and I had a birthday last week, too. We didn't do too much... we went into the city on a quick trip (which all trips pretty much are now). We celebrated with Birthday Cheesecake. I got a new lens for my camera, a photography book, and an old favorite CD from Ryan.

Life is Good!