Bouquet...For Him!

It's that time of year....the time to stress over what you are getting for people that you don't know all that well. For most of the men folk in my extended family I am a big giver of gift cards, can't go wrong there. But, I hate handing them an envelope to open amid all the boxes and paper. This year I had my cousin-in-laws name (his first Christmas with us.) I asked his wife what he might want and the best we could come up with was a Lowes gift card. I decided to get a bit crafty and headed down to the good ole Dollar Tree. I got some floral foam stuff, tissue, rope, tools, and skewers. A little hot glue later and TADA! A bouqet of tools and a gift card, just right for the man that could care less :-)! Merry Christmas!

A couple of things...

1. Kirk hated that Santa message for earlier. Totally freaked out. He doesn't mind Santa as long as he brings the gifts and leaves. No talking though.

2. I went to Subway tonight to get me, the boys, and my mom some food before the Christmas parade. This random stranger cut in line ahead of me. He just wanted to get a couple of cookies. He said "I will get these, and whatever she is getting." and pointed to me. He just looked at me and said "Merry Christmas." It's sad that the world is in a state that I don't know if I should think this was kindness or creepiness. It's the holidays, so I'm going with kindness. Danny's suggestion was to pay it forward. So, who wants a free sub?

Lil' Sebastian

Meet our newest edition, Sebastian! I've always wanted a white, floofy dog, always. This year, Danny said that if I wanted him to be my Christmas gift I could get him. Yee! I must be a glutton for punishment though. Arg, I forgot how much work a new puppy could be. But, this dog loves me. I mean for real. Things don't always love me or enjoy my company. This dog does. He is an amazing snuggler, too!

Coolest Thing Ever!

Customize a message from Santa to your child. Kirk is going to love this!

Click HERE to view his.

Mortality

This has been a bad week to be a pet around the Wilson estates. Last Friday our dog of 5 years, Libby got hit by a car. Today, my parent's dog of 12 years, Buster died. This has created a lot of talking time between my 3.5 year old and me. He's not upset by it at all. There are just a lot of questions. Questions that I can't answer. It's not that I don't know the answers, I do. It's mostly that I can't answer them on a 3 year old level. He is way more inquisitive about it that I expected him to be.

His questions start out kind of like this:

"Where is "Livvy" now?"

"Is she with Heavenly Father?"

"How did she get up there?"

"What did Pap (the area pet bury-er) do with her?"

"How did Pap get up to heaven?"

"Did Pap have to die to take her to heaven?"

"Since Livvy is with Heavenly Father is she alive again?"

"If I ask Heavenly Father, will He send her back to me?"

The more questions I answer the deeper his questions get.

I think next Family Home Evening we are going to have the glove spirit/body lesson.

I'm not smart enough to be a mom.

Charity

My best friend (who just so happens to be my sister) Marlee is a pretty awesome gal. This year instead of presents she has requested that her family donate to a good cause. I thought I would share that with you. It is a organization called My Charity Water which will help drill for and supply water in Ethiopia. I am planning on donating some and I thought that maybe some of you in the blog world might as well. It is the season of giving, of course. Click here to find out more.

Yeeee!

Ok. So. 2 things.

First, for the first time since I've been married I officially have health insurance. We have been pretty dang poor these past years (not that we are suddenly rich or anything, but it looks like that we might have a dollar or two extra!). So, now I can go ahead and get sick and not have to freak out about dying at home with no medical care.

Second, I ended up not putting up my tree. BUT, I have started baking. I need to share this recipe. It is one of my most favoritest cookie recipes ever! Chocolatey. Caramely. Nutty. Just right!

CARAMEL FILLED CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

1 c margarine, softened

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 c flour

3/4 c unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 c pecans, chopped

48 rolo candies, unwrapped, duh

1 tbls sugar

Combine 1 c sugar, brown sugar, and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a small bowl. Add to sugar mixture; blend well. Stir in 1/2 c pecans. Cover and let chill about 30 minutes for easier handling....cause you will have your hands all in this! For each cookie scoop about 1 tsp of dough. With floured hands, shape dough around a rolo, covering completely. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 c pecans and 1 tbls sugar. Press 1 side of the dough ball into the mixture. Place nut side up 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 7-10 mintues until set and slightly cracked. Cool for 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheet.

These are so good. I made a ton of them yesterday. We had hot soup for supper and then ate these as we watched the Christmas devotional. It was fantastic! I always make a lot of treats during December and then freeze them for giving out later. Let me tell you, these are just as fantastic frozen as they are warm and gooey! Yum!

I give up.

Our signing date got moved back. Again. To the 12th. I'm saying forget it and putting my tree up tomorrow. This is the longest I've ever gone without having my tree it. I would rather put it up and take and down in 2 weeks than to only have it up for a bit. So, tonight begins the Christmas baking and the tree goes up tomorrow. I've waited long enough. It's time to get festive!