it's the MOST wonderful time of the year!

This day has gotten away from me!  WOW!  At 7AM, we were at Kneaders.  Quayd treated us to breakfast because he thought it might be his last day with Braces.  However, he has one more month.  We're scheduled for the removal in January.  He's slightly happy about that!  We had ortho at 8, then I raced the kids to school, did some dropping off and picking up and raced home to be here when Denise picked me up for lunch at Firehouse.  We ate, did an errand or two, then she dropped me off at ShopKo where I met Carol and we ran until just now.  I've walked in from this wild day and will make a quick dinner before we all race off in different directions tonight.  PHEW!  CRAZY DAY! My foot is more than ready for the hottub tonight.  My foot is also ready for Christmas to get here.

Thankfully, I'm done shopping for the kids!  Done with Doug!  Just a few cash cards to mail and I'm done!  I'm ready to stop shopping and start relaxing with movies and cokes and cards and games for the rest of the month!  Well... aside from several YSA activities, a family party, a company party, donut night, a Relief Society Social and a few other things.  HA!  I'll rest on December 26th!  Have I mentioned that this is THE most wonderful time of the year!?

Oh my word!  The weather!  This morning, during my early phone call with my mom, I told her that the skies were just as dark and ominous as could be.  We talked for about 45 minutes and I opened the curtains and said, "The skies have cleared and it's beautiful blue and perfect outside!"  While Carol and I were in Best Buy, it was still lovely, but, a wind had blown in like no other.  We came outside 40 minutes later and the skies looked like this... It was 4:00 and looked like 6:30PM.

Let's talk Christmas! 

a great idea!

While shopping, Carol and I ran into her niece, Lindsey, who has two adorable little girls.  She was at the store to purchase red and green balloons.  Here's the cutest idea I've ever heard!  She said that her girls keep changing their mind about what they want Santa to bring them.  She needs to lock them down, especially since she's already bought one of the big items.  So, tonight, they will write their lists on balloons, then go outside and let them go into the sky and fly off to the North Pole, where Santa will receive their list and know exactly what to bring them for Christmas!  Is that fun or what?!  Love it!  AND I'd never heard of it!

a great recipe!

This was the cheeseball at my little gathering that was such a hit!  OH MY, how delish!

Pomegranate Jeweled Cheeseball

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
6 ounces freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup pomegranate arils
crackers for serving

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once it's sizzling, toss in the sage leaves and cook until crispy - flipping once and cooking about 1 minute per side. Remove the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel to crisp up a bit. Set the butter aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, mascarpone and cheddar cheese. Beat until combined, then add in the almonds, sage leaves, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and the bottom if needed. Take the cheese mixture out of the bowl and mold it into a big ball as best you can. Roll it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the arils on a paper towel and pat them completely dry. Let them sit out while the cheese is chilling to remove as much liquid from them as possible. This will keep the cheeseball pretty!

After 30 minutes, mold the cheese into more of a smooth ball. Add the arils to a plate or baking sheet and roll the ball through them, using your hands to press arils into all the cracks and crevices. You will need to gently press so the arils adhere to the cheese. At this time, you can serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge until ready to use. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can rolls the ball 1 to 2 days beforehand. I'd wait until the night before or morning of to add the pomegranate arils, and you may need to let the cheese come to room temp a bit so it's sticky enough.

And last but least, a little Corbridge humor...

 I've been changing things up a bit this year.  The kids never know what to expect during the holidays.  I do their names differently on the gift tags each year.  I do different traditions differently each year, but, I like to change them up for fun. This year, I've not filled the advent calendar with candy. I really didn't think that they even cared.  They are all off and about so much, I didn't think it mattered.  At dinner last night, Quayd said, "Mom.  You owe me ten treats."  I asked why and he explained that was for each day of the month in the advent calendar.  I said, "I didn't think anyone cared about the calendar anymore."  I got three resounding, "YES WE DO!" responses.  They reminded me that it's Quayd's last year before his mission and I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed to give them candy because they always have candy.  Tonight, they'll find that every pocket they've missed is full!  I'm current and fully repented!

So, this year, I've mentioned nothing about stocking stuffers.  Grace said this morning, 

Grace: I can't wait to get new jewelry in my stocking this year.

Me:Who said you're getting jewelry this year?

Grace: We always get jewelry in our stockings. 

Me: I don't think we're going to do stockings this year.

ALL THREE OF THEM:  WHAT?!?!?!?!!?

Zee:This is Quayd's last year home!  We have to do stockings!

Grace:  What is up with this!?  First, no candy in the advent calendar and now, no stockings?!  What's happening to tradition?  I live for our traditions!

Me, teasing: Well, you all know that Santa isn't real, so we don't really need stockings anymore. 

ZJ:  Wait! Santa isn't real?!  You're telling me this now?!?!?!  I'm devastated!

Quayd:  Mommmmm!  Really?!?!?  You're killing Christmas!

Grace:  Mom!  You always have to fill our stockings - even when we're adults.  Like when Liza comes home, you always make her pretzel salad.

Me:  You'll be grown-ups.  You can fill your own stockings, but, when you come home, I'll make you pretzel salad.

Grace:  I don't want pretzel salad!  I want my stocking full!  Sheesh!  What is this world coming to!?

I laughed all day long over this conversation.  It was almost as good as the one where I told them we were not going to have a tree this year.  We don't have a tree.  We have four.

Yeh, that pretty much sums it up around here... we're all about the stockings.  And yes, of course, she's getting jewelry in her stocking.

Oh my word!  I just went to the front door and it's snowed this much in the past thirty minutes!  This storm may really amount to something!  It sure blew in quickly!   That's my sweet neighbor's yard!  WOW!!! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

Make the cheese ball.  You'll love it! Life is good!