Peace Out 2010!

So long 2010, Welcome 2011!!

Geez Louise!!  I really can not believe that 2010 is almost over and we will be starting 2011.  I still feel like I'm trying to plan for last years Halloween and Christmas festivities at work...I just really have no idea where the time went. 
2010 has been a great year, sure it had some ups and downs...but another year of being completely blessed by family and friends...you just can't go wrong with that.  Other friends have done a Recap/Year in Review and it sounds like fun...I guess it's kinda like those long Christmas Letters you get with Christmas Cards, only blogged about.  I just decided to do this just tonight, so I will probably forget so many things...but oh well!

So here's my 2010 Year in Review

Rang in the New Year in Dallas with friends from college

Even though it was a lose, got to go to the Cotton Bowl to see the OSU Cowboys play Mississippi

It was awesome to see the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium while we were there!

Casey left for Japan

Mike tricked me into getting HBO, free for 3 months...guess what we still have it and I threaten to cancel it, but I really like it too much!

I purchased my 'Big Girl' Camera!! Canon Rebel T1i with an 18-55mm lens

Got a new lens for my Camera 50mm 1.8

Welcomed a 5th generation cousin to the family!

Celebrated our 11 year anniversary of being together!  WOW! Over a decade...are we old or what!

We purchased a new Dell Laptop Computer

Supervised Therapeutic Recreation Intern Students

Created a new flower/shrub bed in the front of the house

Started a blog

So excited to find 1-800-PetMeds.com. AMAZING, saved us over $200!!

Mike and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary

Started an Herb Garden

Mike goes to Vegas!

Started my Project 365---taking pictures everyday for a year...I've been mostly good with some cheats :)

Found Red Box...Love it!

Enjoyed more family at the Carpenter Family Reunion

Joanna and I celebrated birthdays at The Hunt Club

Went to the Balloon Festival

Got another new lens with birthday money 70-300mm IS USM!  I. LOVE. IT.

Learned how to capture Star-Trails

Went to Yankees/Royals Game in KC to celebrate our anniversary with Derek and Kacy.  Go Yanks!

Went to the Season Opener for OSU Football!! Go Pokes!

I become a 'psuedo' aunt to Jackson, my best friend from college, Julie's baby boy! 

Went to Borger Texas to meet him.

Road trip on Old Route 66

Saw a 'Full on Double Rainbow'!

Enjoyed some Kick-Ass Cowboy football this season!

Mike turns 30!!

I started swimming at 5:00 in the morning!  Only last a month and a half

Created Art Work with my pictures, gave as Christmas gifts (pictures to come)

Had my High School 10 Year Reunion

Casey leaves for Afghanistan

Went to a few weddings

Talked about having babies...that was all.  Talk is good though :)

Attempted the Gratitude Challenge

Was successful at having the kids at work complete a rendition of the Gratitude Challenge

Went to the Bedlam Game! 

Got to meet and take a picture with Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman

Enjoyed Thanksgiving with family - Rick and Mel came for a week!

Got Licensed as  Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

Mike winning big in Poker.

Went to meet another sweet baby boy, Breken

Had Rick and Mel stay with us for Christmas!

Hosted Christmas Brunch and Dinner at our house

Went to see OSU beat TU in basketball at the BOK Center

Found out my Best Friend Amy is PREGNANT, gonna be another 'psuedo' aunt!!  YIPPEE!

Got to talk to Casey on Christmas Day!

Going to celebrate the last day of 2010 at work and then headed to a friends house for some celebration sippee!

What will 2011 bring us?  Who knows, I guess the Good Lord does.  I am excited to see what He has in store for Mike and I in the new year.  Some things that may be on the list is going to LOTS of weddings, maybe a trip to Alaska to see Julie and Luke, getting the office in order so it actually looks like an office, Mike and I are starting P90X (anyone that's done it, we'd love some pointers), hopefully some more baby talk, maybe another puppy in the near future if there's no babies, I'll be 30, trying some new recipes, eating healthier, trying some new resturants, more photography, travel-maybe far maybe near...

So long 2010, it's been great.  Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Year celebration!  Welcome 2011!!

Christmas Day!!

Merry Merry Christmas!

After a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner, Church service, visiting with Melanie, and messing with Rick while he was asleep (aren't we so nice to mess with him on EARLY Christmas morning??)  We had everyone over for Christmas brunch with WAY to much to eat and presents.  Mom and Dad Estep, Mom and Dad Evans, Grammy, Grandpa, Granny, Joanna, and Sara all came over.  We had Biscuits and Gravy, Breakfast Casserole, Quiche, Pigs in a Blanket, Coffee Cake, Monkey Bread, Muffins, Fruit Salad, and probably some more goodies that I just can't remember.  We had SOO much food!

Here are some pictures...of course...

This was one of Mike and I's first ornaments after we got married in 2007.

 Remi's ornament from Santa Grandparents!

 Granny, Grandpa, Grammy, and Sara

 Rick and Mel

 Mom, Dad, and Granny

 Joanna, Me and my Goober Husband, Mike

 Remi with a new hat from Aunt Judy and Jack.  The hats are for Mike and I, but Remi is a fabulous model!

After Brunch, people headed home for some rest and then Rick and Mel wanted to host Christmas Dinner.  So we had everyone back over for a yummilicious traditional dinner with turkey, dressing, green beans, corn casserole, pies, cake, and appetizers....again...WAY TO MUCH FOOD!

Meet "Tom"

 And isn't he just beautiful?!

 Mike learning how to carve a turkey for the first time...



Overall, Christmas weekend was wonderful.  It's times like these that remind me of how blessed I am.  I am so lucky to have such an amazing family and friends.  I believe my favorite Christmas gift was getting to talk to Casey!  He was able to call from Afghanistan and say Hi to everyone.  It was a wonderful Christmas blessing to get to talk to him. 

I hope everyone had a blessed and wonderful Christmas weekend.

Now back to the real world of going to work...boy do I miss the college days of getting a month off for Christmas break!  I'm excited for New Years and getting to see Julie, Luke, and Jackson next week!

Enjoy your last week of 2010!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, I was able to take the day off and do some final cleaning, picking up, and preparing food for Christmas morning brunch.  Mike slept in and did some last minute shopping. We went to my aunt's house for Christmas dinner and it was fantastic!  Family and food are my favorite!  The younger kids opened some presents and the big older people played with the kids toys!  One of them got the Find It Tube.  It's awesome!  I have one at work and the kids love it.  So the adults were trying to find all the hidden treasures.  Lots of fun.

After we left my aunts, we headed back to Tulsa, where we thought we were gonna meet up with Mike's parents at the Chalkboard.  But they were taking forever and they told us to head on home.  Thankfully we did, cause I forgot to pick up eggs for Melanie.  So I went to pick up the eggs and went back home.  Then I headed to the 11:00 Candle Light Service at Boston Avenue.  Mike wasn't feeling well so he stayed home waiting for his parents to come over. Mike's parents stayed with us this weekend and it was so much fun! The service was beautiful and I got some pictures as well. 

At the end of the service, we sang carols as the candles were lit around the sanctuary.  It's one of my favorite church services to go to.

These are the same pictures, just playing around with some of my new PW actions!  I love them!

Million Dollar Fudge!!

Merry Merry Christmas Eve!

I really love this time of year, not only because I get to be with family and friends and celebrate the birth of Jesus...but I love getting to eat all the goodies too.  One of my personal favorites is my Granny Mackie's Million Dollar Fudge!  This recipe has been around FOREVER!!  This is the only fudge that my family makes.  Granny Mackie is my great-grandma.  I asked my Granny if it was her recipe or if Granny Mackie found it somewhere.  Granny said that it is from Public Service over 50 years ago.

So, I've made 2 batches in the past WEEK!  We had a Christmas Party at work last Friday, so I made it for everyone.  Then a co-worker said we doing snacky things on Wednesday, so I made it again and had enough that we will have some for Christmas Dinner. Everyone loved it! Because it is the best, of course!

Here are some pictures of the Million Dollar Fudge...

Here's what ya need:
Cups of Sugar                           Hershey's Chocolate Bar                         Chopped Nuts (I used walnuts)
Evaporated Milk                       Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Butter                                       Marshmallow Cream

Combine the Sugar, Evaporated Milk, and Butter till it starts to Boil, then boil for ONLY 5 minutes!! Be sure you have a big enough pot, it will overflow, like mine did!

 Keep stirring the mixture while boiling.

Then combine the rest of the ingredients in a LARGE pot... 

Don't worry about the mess, you can clean it later.

The Yummy Marshmallow Cream...Mmmm 

 Then after your mixture has boiled for 5 minutes, pour it over the yummy goodness of chocolate, nuts, and marshmallow cream.

AND STIR LIKE CRAZY!  Your arm should be tired and you should not use a plastic spoon...I forgot and broke mine! 

 Then once it's all mixed and melted together, pour into a butter greased jelly pan. 

Be sure to lick the bowl clean...I mean refrigerate the pan until it's cooled and then cut and put in cute Christmas tins to serve!

Make sure you only boil the mixture for 5 minutes....It will still turn out fine...at least that's what the work people said, but I let mine go too long the first time and it was SUPER SUPER thick and not as creamy as it should've been.  But co-workers said the second batch, that I paid more attention on (Because I was taking pictures), was even better.

Enjoy!

Million Dollar Fudge (made by Granny Mackie for SO many years!)

4.5 cups of Sugar

1 12 oz. Can of Evaporated Milk

1 Stick of Butter

12 oz Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar-broken pieces

3 cups of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 pint (10 oz Jar) Marshmallow Cream

4 cups of chopped nuts-pecan, walnuts...

Combine sugar, milk, butter in saucepan. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Place chocolate chips, bar, cream, and nuts in large mixing bowl.  Add hot syrup. Stir until well mixed.  Pour into greased 15x10x1 jelly roll pan. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

What are some of y'alls favorite Christmas treats?

Thankfully I got to take the day off today, so need to get my bootie in gear...Some things I need to check off my list today...

I am in the midst of making Deviled Eggs for Christmas Eve Dinner tonight at my aunts house. 

Make Breakfast Casserole and in the fridge before we leave. 

Put up my mountains of laundry that have literally been sitting in baskets for weeks...maybe months...it drive Mike nuts, but thankfully he loves me anyway!

Do any other laundry that needs to be done.

Project 365 update.

I want to take Remi to get a bath, but may not, because she will go over to see her friends when we leave for dinner and they stink even worse than she does...so she may just get a fabric softener bath tonight.

After dinner Mike and I will go to the 11:00 candle-light service.

Then pick up Rick and Mel, since they are staying with us this weekend!  So excited!

Merry Christmas All!

Christmas Light Spectacular

Christmas Lights!!

My friend Alayna and I went out to Rhema Church to get some pictures of Christmas Lights.  Rhema does a spectacular job with their Christmas Light display.  They have Santa there, hot chocolate, snacks, even handwarmers for sell.  Along with the light display, they have Christmas music playing that you can here as you walk around.  I just love Christmas music!  So here are some pictures of what I got.  I post quiet a few, because you know I have 20 GB of space that I paid 5 bucks for, so I may have gotten outta control with all the pictures...but oh well, tis the season...Right?! 

Enjoy!

I'll probably be posting some more of Paragon Industries in Sapulpla...drove by tonight and it was amazing!!!  You gotta get out there.  I'm gonna have to find some parking across the street somewhere so I can get out and trespass walk around to get some pics.

Also, some of the pictures here are more artistic than my usual pictures...stepping out of my shell a little and learned something new from Alayna.

 Isn't he cute...he was getting his picture taken, but looked at me instead.

 A heart that I turned black and white to go with all my letter pictures!

 These reminded me of the little birds I learned how to draw in like kindergarten...

Abstract...

These are some of my favorites coming up... 

 This is my favorite!

Well theres my Christmas Light Spectacular...Maybe there will be more if I get out again.  I'm so excited for Christmas to get here!

Thanks for stoppin by!