Warning: lots of pictures are in this blog. : )
First, I would like to ask everyone to say a prayer for one of my little babies, Diesel. He has recently been diagnosed with heartworms (even though he has taken medicine since he was born). He had to stay overnight at the vet last night and get two very painful shots to try and kill the worms. He is my baby boy and he is totally a momma's boy. Is it weird that when I went to pick him up from the vet today I was nervous??? I thought maybe he would be mad at me since I took him to a place that caused him pain. Haha. I'm a dork, I know! He did do a little bit of pouting, but then I gave him a treat and he was ALL better. He loves his mommy!

Last week, my husband and I went to a Christmas cookie party! I wanted to do something a little different and creative, so I found these two recipes:
here and
here!
The first one is called pretzel kisses.

You will need:
Pretzels
Your choice of hershey kisses
M&M's

You put the kiss on the pretzel...bake for 4-5 minutes...

Then top with a M&M and chill for a few minutes.
YUMMMM! They are delicious!
The second recipe is homemade thin mints...they taste just like the girl scout cookie!

You will need:
Ritz crackers
Dipping chocolate
Peppermint extract
Sprinkles (optional)

I forgot to use wax paper, so they stuck to the cookie sheet a little and broke, but ya'll, they are SO good!!
My hubby and I before the cookie party!

Another thing that I have been doing this week is wrapping...and wrapping...and wrapping. Normally, I just stick it in a bag and go, but since I am a wife this Christmas, I feel like I should have cute presents to take to the in-laws! Is that normal? Please tell me that that makes sense to someone??

It definitely takes a little bit more time, but the presents are SO much cuter!



Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I have to work 7a-7p. YUCK! However, I have some of the very best coworkers who are like sisters to me! The hubby is gone to the deer camp tonight, so I decided to cook up some yummy treats to take to work tomorrow! I made the pretzel kisses again, but this time I just used regular kisses. They are still delicious!! The salty pretzel and the rich chocolate make a perfect pair! They must be soulmates! : )
I decided to make oreo truffles...found
here!
You will need:
Oreos
Dipping chocolate
Cream cheese
First, you crush the oreos. I put mine in a plastic bag and crushed with a big can of green beans. (Classy, right?) It worked pretty well. However, when I dumped my bag into the bowl, I felt like they still needed to be crushed more. I put my big brain to work and decided to use the pizza cutter!

Yes, I did do this. AND IT WORKED!! Pizza cutter, aka oreo crusher!

Then, you mix the cream cheese in and make little balls. This is veryyyy sticky!

After you chill the balls for an hour, you dip them in the chocolate and chill them again. I used white chocolate to drizzle. I also dipped a couple in white chocolate and left a couple undipped because I wanted to see how they tasted. And yes, I tried all three of them! : ) YUM!
Whew. Are ya'll worn out? I am! I must say though, that I truly LOVE the shared creativity that blogging brings!! It's so neat that someone way across the world can make a cookie, I can read their post, and then I decide to make the same cookie! Ya'll...we are truly linked! Blogging is such a great outlet and release, yet also a great source of information! I'm having so much fun getting to know a few blogs and their writers! : )
On to my last topic of the day...gift bags. While I was wrapping last night, I realized that I had three presents that were too big for boxes. My sweet hubby volunteered to go to Walmart in the morning to pick up some extra large gift bags for these three loners since I had to work at 7 am. What a sweetie, right?? (Just wait....)
So I just had a short day today and I got off at 11am. I was SO excited that I had nothing to do and my plans included home, pajamas, snuggling, and lunch. I called the hubby and said, "Hey, did you get the bags?" He said, "No, Walmart didn't have any big ones left. They only had small ones." I really wanted to scream when he said this, but instead I thanked him for looking and decided to swing by Michael's. I got to Michael's - no big bags. I decided to try the Dollar Tree, which was right next door. I stand next to the bags for about 5 minutes, trying to squeeze past the 57 other people who apparently realized they needed a bag at the same time I did. And ya'll, these people, they just stare and stare at the bags, as if they're hoping that new and cuter ones will appear. Well guess what, they aren't going to! Move out of the way and let me in! (I only thought this, I didn't say it!) I see: tons of small bags, a few medium sized bags, and only ONE big bag.
THIS:

Now don't get me wrong, it's not the ugliest bag in the world, but it's certainly not "my" style! However, it's big enough and it's $1. I'm sold. I check out. I'm happy. : ) Then I decide the whole thing about making treats for work and I decide to swing by Walmart to get the oreos and such. As I'm walking in, I happen to pass by the gift bag aisle. What do I see? Oh, just big bag after big bag. Red, green, blue, snowflake, Santa. I call my hubby...and say...(politely) "WALMART HAS TONS OF BIG BAGS!" His retort? "Oh, I didn't see them."
Oh dear sweet hubby. There are times I love him and times I want to strangle him. : ) I decided not to strangle him though, because my bag was only $1 and the walmart bags were $4.
Anyway, I tried to make this bag as pretty as I could, but still, it's rough. Sorry sissy! Remember that I said I needed three bags? Well, I only bought this one. My plan is to steal two really cute bags after Christmas morning at Grandma's, so that I can take them to Christmas with the in-laws! I'm a genius, I know!!

It's not that bad, right??
(PS: I hope no one reading this bought this bag because they loved it! Ha!)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
THANK YOU JESUS!