Merry Christmas, friends.
The day we’ve been preparing for has finally come.
May you be filled with childlike wonder as you ponder the good news that brings great joy on this, yes even this, Christmas Day.
I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ The Lord. Luke 2:10-11
May your day be merry and bright! Merry Christmas!!
Some of my favorite people gathered Friday night to chat and exchange Christmas cookies. These girls get together once a month, but I hadn’t seen them in what seemed like ages.
So, despite having notimewhatsoever to bake, I joined them.
My first thought was to go with store bakery-bought goodies, but theBOY shamed me into making something.
Ever hear of Jolly Hocks? Me, neither. But that’s what bigSIS called the delicious treats I made for the get together when she tasted one.
I had to ask Google to be sure I wasn’t in the dark about these Jolly Hocks. Turns out, she’s still a silly three-year-old with an imagination.
I adapted a recipe (with whatever I could find at Target on my lunch break) that my mom gave me, and they turned out super yummy.
Easy Recipe for Jolly Hocks
Ingredients
Two 12 oz bags of white chocolate morsels
10 or so pretzel rods broken into pieces
One 4 oz can of almonds, chopped
One bag of craisins
Directions
Melt white chocolate according to the bag (I did one bag at a time), stir in remaining ingredients. Drop blobs of the yummy goodness on a cookie sheet and pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.
Of course, if you had more time to shop and a better Target, you could use slivered almonds and pretzel bites and you’d save yourself some time in the kitchen.
Thanks, mom, for the recipe! And thanks, Emily, for hosting us!!
If you know the real name of these, will you let me know? Otherwise, I’m sticking with Jolly Hocks.
It took less than a week for our new baby boy to both pee and poop on me. I’m talking firehose style.
Many people warned me about the pee, but the poop I never saw coming.
So yeah, we have a new family member. The most perfect baby boy who looks just like his dad (even if he doesn’t see it). The newBABY fits right into the family, and we’re all feeling so blessed to have him join us on our journey.
With a new baby comes some time away from my full-time day job. {Yay!} And this time around that means lots of extra time with my big girl.
I want to make the most of our time home together, so I decided to do something special leading up to Christmas Day.
Here is the super easy, 20-minute project I did during nap time today. And, yes, I was too lazy to get up off the couch to take these pictures. Enjoy!
Christmas Countdown Activity Chain
First, I cut scrapbook paper into 31 1.5″ strips.
Then I wrote a Christmas-related activity on the back of each piece of paper.
{I looked at a calendar to include things we already have planned.}
That’s when theBABY woke up from her nap.
{Maybe it’s time to stop calling her theBABY?}
She helped me tape the strips of paper into a chain.
Ta-da!
We’ll start all the countdown fun the day after Thanksgiving. That day happens to read “Pick out Christmas tree and get ice cream!”
UPDATE: Here are a few more ideas for activities in case you need some inspiration!
Also, I’m linking up to Tatertots & Jello’s Weekly Wrap Up party! Check out all the great ideas over there!
