Just Can't Get Enough...

Lately, we've been looking for some healthy munchies to keep around the house. We've always kept cookies or candy around to munch on. It's good, but not good for us. Time to make some changes. So, here's a recipe of something we just can't get enough of lately. It's got sweet and salty. It's just right and actually has nutritional value. But, watch out! You might find your 4-year-old just picking out the M&Ms!

Homemade Trail Mix

1 large container of salted (or lightly salted) roasted peanuts

1 medium-sized box of raisins

1 medium-sized bag of plain M&Ms

In a gallon-sized ziplock bag, pour all ingredients. Close bag. Use hands to mix ingredients together through bag. Use trail mix for: school lunches and snacking on around the house. And, if you use seasonally colored M&Ms, I think it would also be a cute gift idea.

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Tonight was Monday Night for the Master. It was my turn to bring dessert for everyone. I looked through my old recipes and found one for Key Lime Cake. I got the recipe from a co-worker that I was at WRMS with. She won the bake-off with this recipe the year she brought it. I took it tonight and everyone raved! So, here's the recipe (slightly modified) from what I was given. I don't really believe in homemade frosting. I have no patience.

Key Lime Cake

Ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix

1 1/3 C. vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 (3oz) pkg. lime jello mix

3/4 C orange juice

1 container of cream cheese frosting

3 T. lime juice

Directions: Cake-Preheat oven to suggested temp. on cake mix box. Grease and flour a 9x13 in dish. Mix cake mix, jello mix, oil, eggs, and orange juice. Pour evenly into dish. Bake according to cake box directions. Allow to cool completely.

Frosting-Put cream cheese frosting in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-35 seconds. Add lime juice. Stir together. Spread on cake.

Redneck Sleigh Ride

Ummmm...I don't think any words are needed to describe this...

Today was a SNOW DAY!
But, this wasn't very fun snow. It was hard and icy. Not really snowman-making, snowball-fighting kind of snow.

But, that doesn't mean Allyson can't find some fun!

Looking all grown up!

But, Daddy has quite an imagination!

So much fun sliding down the ditch when you're only 4!

And, guess what! We get another snow day tomorrow. Looking forward to sleeping and staying cozy, but these days will have to be made up. :(

No Place Like Home for the Holidays

We had a wonderful Christmas 2010. It was nearly perfect!

Here's our tree with all of Mommy & Daddy's gifts on Christmas Eve. We exchanged our gifts first thing on Christmas Eve morning.

Mike gave me lots of nice things. I guess I've been good this year. I recieved an iPod Nano and a large storage ottoman. And, Mike has been good this year, too! So, I got him a Wii with lots of games and accessories. He said he was surprised. And, he LOVED it!

Allyson got to open one gift.
A Princess Snugii!

Then, it was time to make our gingerbread man.

We put hime in the oven.

But, when it was time for him to come out, he was gone! We looked all over. Allyson looked outside from the window and found him on Daddy's car. I had to go out and grab him fast before he ran away again!

Then, it was time to decorate him.

Allyson arranged the M&M's in a pattern.

And, what do you know! This gingerbread man is actually a girl.

That night, we went to Gray to my parents' house. My sister's family came, too. We had a tasty dinner of deli sandwiches, boiled shrimp, chips, and hot dips.

We all took turns having pics made in front of the tree.

Robbi, Brad, Caleb, & Carlee

My parents, Phyllis & Glenn

My mom found this cake at Publix. Too cute!

When, we got home, we put out the cookies and milk right after we sprinkled magic reindeer food on our front lawn. We put some red sugar on the milk and it turned pink. Santa still enjoyed it. :)

And, then Allyson was off to bed while Mike & I stayed up until a very late hour playing Wii. :)

The next morning, Allyson found lots of gifts that Santa had left just for her!

Someone at our house is a tiny bit Tangled crazy!

Having breakfast at her new Princess table.

Later that day, we went to see our friends Jody & Melissa. We had a gift for their baby Piper.

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New Year's Eve

Mike was off on New Year's Eve. So, we had a family day and went to lunch and to the Museum of Arts & Sciences in Macon. It was a fun and inexpensive day.

Digging for fossils

There's a mini zoo.

And, we came home to get ready for our annual New Years bash at church. There were lots of yummy goodies and we played games until pretty late. Allyson was determined to welcome the New Year, but she fell asleep in my arms around 11:50. I was just glad my husband was home for a kiss!

Happy New Year 2011!

This was so funny! Allyson got to take a bunch of balloons home from church the night before. She rode her trike around our driveway saying, "Balloons for Sale! Balloons for Sale!" I had to grab the camera!

This was such a great Christmas! Everything was so magical for Allyson. Four is the perfect age for believing in everything. I wish she'd stay like this forever!

Happy New Year!