Christmas Baking

This month we have done lots of Christmas baking - I love this time of year! Ambs really does enjoy it too, well, as much as she can lol

The other day Mom came over and we made her famous Buck Eyes - they're amazing!  We're giving them to our neighbors for Christmas.  Little monkey in her apron with powdered sugar on her face lol

trying some of the mix....she didn't like it

Recently she's been getting into her toy hamper all by herself - she will just sit in there and play

 our brown eyed girl

in there again

 We've also made Smores cookies - to die for - thanks Jamie for the recipe!

 And little snowmen!  They didn't quite turn out how the pic looked lol

Sunday we went to Devoni's to build a Gingerbread house {easy way out, from a kit} and made sugar cookies to practice for 4th Annual Bake Fest at our house on Thursday with the girls!

Ambs all ready to bake!

Ambs and Grandma

she loves shaking the sprinkles

Where's Monkey?! lol

stirring away

While everything was baking we took her outside to help grandma put up more lights - Ambs was obsessed with the neighbor boy playing basketball, she got the biggest kick out of the ball bouncing....she was giggling so much!

She went over and said hello and stole his ball lol  He was very nice to her

"Want to play Amberly?"

Our finished house....it took forever it felt like to decorate the house....

Ambs admiring the house

our finished cookies.....LOVE the new message cookie cutters from Williams Sonoma, so fun!

Ambs is over it and heading into the Gator room

When we got home Sunday I decided to open a stocking stuffer and use one....we got the Crayola bath color tabs and used the blue one.  It was so much fun!

And since it's been so cold here lately, little girl has had quite the problem with static......

ALOHA!!!!

Friday night we met our good friends Ryan and Cara, and Julia and Adam for dinner in Rice Village.  Before Adam and Julia got there, Ryan asked Danny to be his Best Man at their wedding in June in Hawaii!!!  Danny was SO surprised!  He was even more surprised that I kept a secret like that from him for months haha!!!!! 

Danny and Ryan have been bffs since they were really young.  There's the cute Wardlow boys {Danny on the right} and Ryan in the middle.

Ryan went to Singapore and visited Danny while he lived there and they traveled all over.  I think this is Cambodia, not 100% sure though....

He's been to Florida to see Grandma/Grandpa with Danny, and he went to Puerta Vallarta with us last year

and he caught the garter at our wedding!

Ryan proposed earlier this year in the cutest way - and I took this pic from Cara's fb of them in Italy - they're so cute and we couldn't be happier for them!

Danny and Ryan at dinner Friday night

Danny pinky promising Cara there won't be any naked ladies at his bachelor party lol

They're getting married in Kauai in June; flights and hotels are all booked.  The whole Wardlow family is going as well as Grandma and Grandpa!  It's going to be an 8 day, 4 different island adventure and can't wait to get Ambs on the beach in a little hula outfit haha   We are so happy for you Ryan and Cara and can't wait to celebrate with you guys and all the other Holloways!  

xoxo

not what I had in mind....

Monday morning I wrapped Ambs up in her red coat and dress and set out to get a Christmas card photo.  

It was 38 degrees that morning, brrrr....we were both freezing and Amberly was just NOT into it!  

I tried everything; hiding behind things, sneezing, "I'm gonna get u" usually works every time, but nope, not that day!  So here's what is NOT our Christmas card photo.  But good news, I went with old pics and the cards should be hitting mailboxes tomorrow!

 This is about as good as we got.

bye mom see ya later

Wardlow's Village

The day after Thanksgiving Elaine, Devoni and Mom came over and helped me set up my Christmas Village for the first time!  I was SO excited!  I love all the village houses and shops!  Elaine has a village too so she knew what she was doing and was so much help. 

Getting everything out of the boxes!  Lots and lots of boxes!

Elaine working her magic

Ambs loved the boxes

The complete village

The car dealership, christmas shop, baby shop, pet store, a house and the church

The football stadium and field takes up half of the table

Our weekend was so relaxing for a change!  It was wonderful!  We got our lights hung outside, watched Eat Pray Love and I worked Sunday.  Which I am continuing to love by the way!  

I hope you all had a great weekend!

my 1st sewing class

A few weeks ago Mom and I did an applique sewing class.  It was when I was getting over being sick so I felt like death but I was so glad I went, it was so fun and I was so proud my tree didn't turn out to be a big ugly mess!

our project

adhering everything together then we ironed them to make it stick {pardon my lack of technicality here lol}

everything lined up and ready to adhere to the backing

almost done....now we had to sew around all the pieces....I actually sewed myself {except the star, that was a bit much for a 1st timer}

all finished!  The kit came with the cute light hanger too

see all the stitching!  I was pretty proud of myself!  :)  I can't wait to do another class!

Thanksgiving and Things

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving week!  I know we did and I am still full from all of that food! 

The week before Danny told me I could not buy frozen pies....gasp!  I have never made a pie in my life....

so Tuesday before Devoni came over and we made 4 pies.  Pumpkin, Apple, Cherry and Pecan.  We split them so we would both have some for our dinners.  It was fun making them!

Here's our table ready for dinner {we dont have a big formal table yet so we improvised and put both together....}  My dad's bff is in Houston from Colorado until January for prostate cancer treatment at MD Anderson so he and his wife, their daughter and grandson were all at our house for Thanksgiving.  I never thought I would actually use all of my stemware we got for wedding gifts lol

Dad and Jim enjoying the great weather and talking about old times

Charlie and Amberly playing

All of our food - it was SO good!

We just knew Amberly would LOVE all the food...as she never turns down anything...but she surprised us and hated everything except the turkey

"Can you get down?"  Charlie asked lol 

The only time Ambs will ever have a boy in her room

friends for over 40 years

That night we went to Devoni's for the UT vs A&M game and we took our house divided flag with us.  Ambs is in the dress mom made for her last year - it actually still fit but was just a tad bit short.  Danny was an absolute crazy man after the game....he was so excited for the ags!

Friday we had the Wardlow's over for the afternoon and a game of LCR....look at Ambs, already drinking and gambling :)

Granddaddy and Elaine; Uncle Mike was here too

We also got out all of my Christmas Village things - and Devoni and Mom gave me my early gifts - a Wardlow Village would not be complete without a football stadium and a Christmas store {I love my village and will post more pics soon}

Ambs playing in the boxes {in Danny's old Gator shirt he wore as a baby}

That night we went over to Danny's parents to watch the Florida vs FSU game....we determined my shirt is unlucky since both times I've worn it we've lost....lol  Sweet baby watching the game

In their Gator room there's 2 pics of Danny and TJ in this Gator outfit when they were this age, so we put Ambs in the same outfit to add her pic to that shelve.  The elastic in the pants is out lol so her pants kept falling down. 

Watching 5 Little Monkeys with Dad - she loves this

such a diva!

playing peek-a-boo with Grandpa

In other news, last week I started a new job!  I am now working part time {about 15 hours a week} at Pottery Barn!  It is SO much fun helping people decorate their homes and Christmas trees and having adult conversations :)  However, with the 40% discount it is kind of dangerous!  I am hoping to stay on longer than the holidays as so far, I really like it!  

I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving and I promise to try and blog more!