It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

We were finally able to decorate for Christmas today. I now feel complete!

There is just something about listening to Christmas tunes and looking at the twinkling lights that makes me so very happy inside. It's really too bad that it is unacceptable for one to keep the  decorations up year round. Christmas in July anyone?

Barkley wasn't really into decorating this year.

One of our "First Christmas" ornaments from last year. Love it!

Part of the front porch. Please notice the snow covered ground..this is our 4th snow of the year!

My homemade ornament wreath!

This was super easy and quite lovely on the front door.

  

Our Christmas card photos...

How do you get into the Christmas spirit?

New Recipes with Friends!

Eric's BFF, Andrew, came to visit a couple weekends ago. They had a blast catching up and spending many hours playing video games. We spent one of the evenings watching football and cooking delicious food! Eric showed Andrew how to make his now famous chicken wings, I made my first ever baked macaroni and Jenn helped me make some amazing fried pickles! 

Baked Macaroni

Fried Pickles

Hot Wings

We made a beer batter for the fried pickles. Here's the recipe!

He's "ghosting" me. This is a normal thing.

Here's the super easy recipe for baked macaroni and cheese!

Eric used a different method for the wings this time. 

He grilled them first, put sauce on and then broiled them for a couple minutes in the oven.

I made my own buffalo sauce, which was much better than the store-bought kind (yes, Pioneer Woman, you were right as usual!)

Hmm, hmmm good!

This was a perfect meal for football and friends!

Caramel Apples!

 

To celebrate the hubs birthday, we made some delicious caramel apples!

We used skewers for the stick and cut off the sharp end

 Dump the caramel in a bowl

 

And add a couple teaspoons of cream and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract

And twist away until the whole apple is covered in caramel!

The stars of the show!

Twist the caramel-ed apple in the candies while the caramel is still soft

Salted caramel apple (my personal fave)

Butterfinger!

Voila! 

Go forth and transform your apples!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

We got our SECOND helping of snow on Wednesday! It's officially winter in Sidney people!

Although winter and I do not get along, I am really enjoying this snow. If it's going to be cold, there might as well be something pretty to look at. 

Plus, the sun is shining, which makes it look sparkly and the roads are clear. So it's all good.

 Have I ever explained how much Barkley loves the snow?

I didn't grow up with dogs, so it might be a normal thing.

But the second Mr. B sees the snow, he is one happy camper.

We usually have major issues with his barking (incessant I tell ya), but when there's snow on the ground. Nope. He romps around, tosses the snow up with his nose, eats it and has a heck of a time out there.