Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 10

Welcome to the Last day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!

Today's topic is: New Years Eve Memories/Pictures

I unfortunately don't have any pictures of any New Years. I do have memories tho. :) My New Year's are usually pretty simple. I don't think I've ever gone out on New Year's Eve, they are usually just spent at home, watching the ball drop and drinking Champagne with my hubby at midnight. 

 

When I was little my next door neighbor would celebrate by lighting off an M-80 - loudest sound ever!! 

 

I remember that in 2000 I spent New Year's in Utah with a bunch of my friends. I don't really remember specifics about the night but I do remember that I got all dolled up and told myself that this would be my new look for the new millennium. My look has changed since then...lol I am so glad that the world didn't come to an end that night. ;)

New Year's may not be much of a Holiday, but it always reminds me that there is so much more that is coming. It's always amazing to look back at a year and remember all that has happened.This year as I look back - I never would've thought that I would be where I am today. Who would've guessed that I would be the only one with a job at the end of 2011?! No one can foresee the future but it's always amazing how everything always fits together and works out in the end. 

This blog challenge has been so much fun!!! I hope that everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. And I hope all of you have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!!!

 

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 9

Welcome to the Ninth day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: 2012 Goals/Resolutions

Hmmmm, I always have a hard time with this one. I could say that I resolve to lose weight but that one never works. I go on a diet for about a month, and then lose the ambition. So I know, I have a resolution to not have any resolutions!! 

I figure you never know what is going to happen, that is something that is wonderful about the future - you get to have new experiences all the time. Of course new experiences can be scary too. I would much rather live life to the fullest and enjoy my life, than try to stick to these resolutions and maybe miss opportunities that would've made life really great! After all, you only ever live once. Why not enjoy it?!

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 8

Welcome to the Eighth day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: Christmas Wish List

oooooo, Christmas Wish List!!!  How many presents am I allowed to have on my wish list?! Why don't I just link my Amazon wish list and you can buy me presents from there k?! No seriously, I do have a few things that I would like to get, but I really am not all that picky. Last year I didn't get what was on my wish list, but my hubby put a lot of thought into what he got me and it is afterall the thought that counts. :) 

 Here are a few things that I would like to have someday 

1. Kindle Fire

2. iPod Touch

3. Cast a Spell by Lulu Guinness - pretty perfume :)

4. Konad Nail Stamps

5. Nail Polish...lots and lots of it! lol I really want a few collections from OPI (mainly Katy Perry's and the Muppet's collections) 

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 7

Welcome to the Seventh day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: How do you celebrate the holidays? 
Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, etc.

Well, I only celebrate Christmas and it varies depending on the year. My hubby's mom lives 2 hours south of us so some years we go and spend the day with her and others we are just home. Either way, we are always spending time with friends and family and enjoying each others company. This year, my hubby's mom is coming up to us for Christmas so it should be a new experience. 

There is always one thing that is consistent with Christmas and that is the fact that my hubby is so excited for Christmas that we usually stay up late and open presents at midnight, as opposed to getting up early and opening them when we are groggy. Neither of us are really morning people. LOL 

When we have kids, I am sure that will change because how is Santa supposed to leave presents if we don't go to bed first eh?! ;)

 

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 6

Welcome to the Sixth day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: Christmas dessert/treat recipe

 hmmmm, there are so many sweets but one of my favorites and probably most easiest is Peppermint Cheesecake. It is one of the yummiest desserts ever! What's that? You wanted the recipe? Wellll, I guess you can have it. ;) 

Peppermint Cheesecake, in 3 steps

2 pkg Cream Cheese

1/2 C Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

1 C Starlight Mints, Crushed

1 Pre-made Graham Cracker Pie Crust

1 C Cool Whip topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs; mix until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of the crushed mints. 

2. Pour into crust; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the remaining crushed mints.

3. Bake for 40 mins or until the center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Top with whipped topping and the remaining 1/4 cup crushed mints just before serving. 

To crush the mints, I just unwrapped them, put them in a ziplock bag and used a rolling pin or a can of soup to crush the candies.

I hope you like it! It is very, very yummy! mmmmmm

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 5

Welcome to the Fifth day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: Ideal outfit for Christmas

Something pretty and red and sparkly - Of Course!! I actually have a sweater that I wear around the Holidays that is just that. But of course I wouldn't just tell you about any sweater.

This particular one was my grandma's (her name is really Mom-mom). Mom-mom passed away in 2009 and when she did, I ended up with this pretty sweater of hers. It wasn't until a few years later, when I was going through some pictures, that I realized that the pretty sweater that I got was actually the same sweater that Mom-mom wore to my wedding.

So I wear my pretty, red, sparkly sweater around the holidays and remember my dear sweet Mom-mom, so in a way I still get to spend the holidays with her too. :)

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 4

Welcome to the Fourth day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: Favorite Holiday Movies/TV Specials

Well, I could say "Charlie Brown Christmas" but I think that is probably a lot of people's favorite shows at Christmas, so I'm going to go with the movie Prancer. For those of you who haven't seen it, the movie is about a little girl named Jessica who finds one of Santa's reindeer - you'll never guess which one ;) Of course, it's Prancer. :)

So first of all, I already relate to the character simply because she shares my name. But the Jessica in the movie is also a little girl who LOVES Christmas and could listen to Christmas music all year round. My mom used to say that the movies little girl Jessica reminded her a lot of me. 

I unfortunately don't own Prancer so I haven't actually watched this movie in years. But it is one of my favorites. My mom told me that she just bought Prancer recently so she's going to have to watch it for me this year. :)  

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 3

Welcome to the Third day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: Holiday decorations/decor

I love the Christmas tree, it is my favorite decoration. My hubby has been putting ours up every year but I am there to help. I help him string the lights - yay for artificial trees that you can spin ;) But my favorite part is hanging all of the ornaments.


This could fall under tradition too, but every year we get each other an ornament. That is a tradition that was passed down from my family - my mom did that for my brother and I when we were little. So every ornament that I hang has some sort of memory attached. I love reliving the memories and it helps make the Holiday that much more fun! :)

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 2

Welcome to the Second day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's Topic is: Favorite holiday tradition, new or old

 There are so many to choose from!! Well, I am a sucker for the holidays so I am going to go with going to see Christmas lights. This is one from my childhood. (There aren't many Christmas lights in Arizona) 

When I was younger we used to go and see Christmas lights every year. One year in particular we went up to a neighborhood in Salt Lake City, UT and they had a whole block of houses that were decorated. You drove through the neighborhood and each house had a sign up that was part of the Christmas story. So by the time you went through the neighborhood you were able to read the whole nativity story. I wish they had something like that here in Arizona. I would love to go and look at lights like THAT again. :)

Holiday Blog Challenge - Day 1

Welcome to the First day of Amber & Neely's Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!!  I will be blogging about one Holiday themed topic everyday for the next 2 weeks!! (11/28 -12/9)

If you want more information, or want to join the fun click HERE for more information.

Today's topic is: Favorite gift EVER received

There are so many to choose from, the one that pops into my head first is the Karaoke machine that my parents bought me. I honestly can't remember if that was Christmas or birthday tho because the two are so close together. But I loved that karaoke machine. It has fun memories attached. I don't think I ever really used it for real karaoke but I remember using the mic to sing songs with my friend Rachel. :) 

Another gift that is closely tied to the karaoke machine was the blue Sapphire necklace and earrings that my hubby got me the first Christmas that we went out. :) 

Amber & Neely's Holiday Blog Challenge

First of all, I must say I am so very glad that one of my blogger friends finds all of these fun challenges!!! Thanks Julie! I have decided to follow in Julie's footsteps (again) and am linking up with Amber and Neely for the Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge for two weeks. 

It begins on Nov 28th and ends Dec 9, and you can link up too! I would love to see your holiday themed posts. Just click on the button above to go to their post on it.

Here is the schedule of post topics:

• Monday November 28th: Favorite gift received EVER
• Tuesday November 29th: Favorite holiday tradition, new or old
• Wednesday November 30th:  Holiday decorations/decor
• Thursday December 1st:  Favorite Holiday movies/tv specials
• Friday December 2nd: Ideal outfit for Christmas/New Years Eve festivities
• Monday December 5th:  Christmas dessert/treat recipe
• Tuesday December 6th: How do you celebrate the holidays? Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, etc.
• Wednesday December 7th: Christmas wish list
• Thursday December 8th: 2012 goals/resolutions
• Friday December 9th:  New Years Eve memories/pictures