...and a Happy New Year!

I'm sitting here listening to the neighborhood children pop fire works, and numerous car alarms blare in response. My children won't sleep due to the noise and I'm feeling quite agitated myself. I have never been one for New Years Eve. With that said, I am trying to be positive and directing my attention elsewhere. So here are my favorite moments of 2011.

*My little Jacob being born!
*My little Kailyn meeting my little Jacob for the first time!
*All the surf camps this summer
*Kailyn learning to dive under water and swim (hope she remembers next summer lol)
*Ashlee's wedding reception!
*Ladies Conference!
*Our trip to San Antonio and Joy of Jesus
*All the youth Thrive nights
*My Hubby and I celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary!!!
*Prestonwood for Christmas lights
*My little Jakey's first Christmas!
*My little Jakey's first steps!!!

I have had a wonderful and very blessed year, I pray this next year is even better! I only have one resolution this year and that is to grow closer to Jesus. More focus on Him, less on the world. Hello, 2012.

I am going to leave you with with this awesome picture of my little man walking!!!

Yep. I am feeling much better now!

oh yes...this happened

Giant marshmallows dipped in dark chocolate, then rolled in crushed candy cane. Oh yes.

my gift to you...

Since my computer has crashed, I rarely get to upload pics let alone blog about anything...sorry blog world. This will be the first of many blogs I have that were supposed to be posted throughout the holidays...but hey, better late than never.

Oh, how I love the holidays. The Christmas lights, the family gatherings, radio stations devoting their airwaves to holly jollies and rockin' around Christmas trees, Jesus is the reason for the season, peppermint mocha everything, cool crisp weather (thank You, Jesus, for that!), and of course, the Christmas crafting and baking! This year, with a little one toddling around and a move on the horizon, I kept the baking to a minimum. In true Christmas tradition, I did however manage to make my hot cocoa cookies that the family waits all year round to sink their teeth into. So here's my gift to you:

HOT COCOA COOKIES:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/4 cup flour
4 packets of hot cocoa (the one I use is a secret, sorry)
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup each, white, milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lay out parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Cream together both sugars and the butter until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in the dry ingredients, in stages, scraping the bowl each time. Stir the chips into the dough.

Chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Drop cookie dough in tbsp size balls onto the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes. Let cook on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. ENJOY!