Christmas Card Carousel

Today I am linking up with Faith for this year's Christmas Card Carousel.
Here it is - the 2013 Family Christmas Card!!! I added all kinds of people in it this year - did you find yourself? If not, you should start hanging with me more!!!

Merry Christmas all!!

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December Graze Box and Christmas Card

My Graze Box for December arrived and here is what was included...

 

I love that they give you the nutrition and exact calories for each item they send you.

 

This is Summer Berry Flapjack...

rustic rolled oat flapjack with berry-infused cranberries.

 

This is Bonnie Wee Oatbakes with a caramelized onion dipper...interesting... red onion marmalade with cheese and chive oatbakes

 

Then I got Tropical Daiquiri...this looks very yummy!

It has pineapple, lime infused raisins and green mango

 

 And finally Raspberry Coconut Muffin...another yum!!This one has amaretti drops, raspberry infused cranberries, almond slices and coconut flakes

I will leave you today with a copy of my Christmas Cards that were sent out today and a little present!!! Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to you all and I wish you all a very blessed New Year!!!

If you have been thinking about joining Graze and have not, you should! YUMMY!!!

Here is a code you can use ANNW9R1FP - so go HERE and use that code to sign up (it is only $6 a box each time they send one every other week) and with that code I gave you your first and fifth box are FREE!!!

Merry Christmas!!! again!!!

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December Stridebox

Stridebox is still at the top of the subscription boxes if you ask me.  It may actually be my favorite (although I love ipsy too).

Here is December's box...this is the list that tells what has been included this month...

 

 I love these little coupons and cute stickers they send each month too...

 

Here are my safety laces...cant wait to put these in my shoes!!! Cute and functional!

 

This is awesome!!! I will let you know once I have a boo boo and try it out...I'm a klutz so it should not take long...ha!!!

 

A yummy chia seed and honey snack bar - saving this for a long run or bike ride...

 

Cant wait to try these during my marathon training sessions!!!

 

Any chocolate is good chocolate, right?!?!??!

 

Another fun thing to try during marathon training...not so sure about the peppermint thing though...may make me sick or head achy??

 

Already used this for aerobic class refreshment...tasted great...not sure if it gave me energy or not but tasted yummy.

 

Did not get to try this :-(  It was open and actually all over the inside of my box when it arrived.  Bummer as I actually love coconut and chia.

 I seriously think if you work out and especially if you jog or run; you will love this subscription box!!! It is only $15 a month and it is like a little present to yourself...and we all deserve a little present each month right?!?! Click HERE to subscribe!!!

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5 on Friday

Stop on by and join in the fun!!

It's time for 5 on Friday at Liz's!!  I hope you will join this link-up along with me. It is hosted by the following Liz, Darci, Natasha, and Christina. Playing along is simple!  Just write a post about five things on your mind today, anything goes really, post the logo below on your blog, and then enter your post address in the link-up section on Liz's blog. It's a great way of meeting new friends and getting more people to see your blog.



Here we go...today at work is our cookie exchange. In the spirit of that...I am blogging about my 5 favorite cookies and including the recipes!!! Whoop!!!

ONE:  Peanut Butter Balls - many people call these Buckeyes also.  Yummy peanut buttery goodness all dunked in chocolate! Delish! I am quite sure you have all tried one of these before - my family dunks ours the WHOLE way...the more chocolate the better!!

 

 

TWO:  Frosted Cranberry Drop Cookies - this was one that we saw in a magazine and thought it looked interesting. It is a new family hit!! I have had so many people ask for this recipe this year alone. If you only try one new cookie this year, try this one - I promise you will LOVE them!!!

THREE: Peanut Butter Blossoms - I think everyone LOVES these!!! Right?!?!? Not just those of us that live in close proximity to the KISS factory in Hershey, PA...right?!?!

FOUR: Oreo Cake Balls - this is a family favorite! We love to get the kids involved by letting them roll the balls...they definitely need supervision to keep hands away from mouths (in sneaking bites and also in just being sanitary ;-)   )

FIVE: Twisted Candy Canes - these are a time consuming cookie to make but so worth it! They are also very delicate...my mother has been known to cuss when making these or taking them off the baking sheets...hee!

 I hope you enjoyed the eye candy and everyone hop to baking!! You can thank me after we have all gained 20 pounds to keep us warm through the New Year!!!

Happy Friday yinz!!!!!

Christmas Link Up

With all the Holiday prep I have had nothing to blog about.

I was sooooo excited when I found this link up.

It sounds like fun and gives me something to say!!! HA

So click HERE and link up if you want to play too with Jake and Holly!!!

Here we go!!!

1. My favorite Christmas was Christmas 1996. I guess I should really say that it was the best and the worst all in one.  I actually entered inpatient rehab on December 9th, 1996 and Christmas was a little shaky that year. At the time I thought it was a really horrible thing but now I know it was the start of an amazing sober life and I am soooo BLESSED!!!

2. The worst Christmas I had was Christmas 1996 also. Like I said above I was really sick and shaky and Christmas was really rough but what I did not know was that it would be the beginning of an amazing stretch of my life and AGAIN I am soooo BLESSED!!!

3. That one gift that made me scratch my head and say, "Hmmmm" was a snail cut out of tin and painted horrendously...purchased from the dollar store (by an adult mind you- had a child given it to me I would have loved it for the thought - hee)  If you cannot afford a gift then don't give one at all...I would rather that than something horrendous!

4. One year I

5. I think the worst gift to give is something that you just grab up and requires no thought.  I love thought out gifts that either mean something or apply to that specific person.

6. At Christmastime I typically always smile!!! I love the holidays and the holiday prep and the holiday decorations and the holiday songs!!! How can you not smile!!?!?!??!?!

7. Typically, family Christmas ROCKS!!!

8. If I could change one thing about the Holiday season I would not! I love everything as it is!!

9. It is so hard to buy for bosses.  I never know what to give my bosses so I usually opt for homemade candy and cookies.

10. My favorite Christmas tradition is baking Christmas cookies with my family and all of us meeting up at my parents house for the holiday.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS YINZ!!!!

Weekend 'O Accomplishment

What a weekend so far!

This is my snack for the weekend! I spent three hours in the snowstorm Friday night cleaning three HUGE pomegranates. YUM!

This was pretty much my entire weekend. I made my holiday hard tack candy for gifts this weekend and my fingers are sooooo sore from breaking the candy! I remember now, this is one of those times it is nice to have a man to help....hee!

Here are the ingredients...

Here are the wintergreen and clove completed. This is a photo of two double batches of both flavors. This was done Friday. Then on Sarurday I did two double batches of cinnamon and anise. Yum!

Here is a photo of the last cinnamon batch while I was breaking it up.

This is the completed product! So glad to be finished...I love making this every yes rand it feels so good when others actually like it. My two aunts ask every year if I am making it or not....hee.

Here is a close up of the label I made this year. Everyone always wants to know the flavors so I figured I might as well make a label this year. Love it!

This is my score from Jenna and my trip to the Strip District in Pittsburgh this morning. I got Hummus, Tabouleh, lobster mac and cheese from Wholeys, huntsman and lemon Stilton cheeses from Penn Mac, peanut butter chocolate popcorn from Pittsburgh Popcorn, Pita chips and Spanakopita from Stamoolis....we are talking SERIOUSLY good food. I see a Greek or Mediterranean theme today...hee!

Well, that is my weekend recap.

No workouts at all. I will make up for that tomorrow with some cardio hip hop and a run outside if possible.

Happy Weekend yinz!!

 

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Hobnobbing with the Rich and Famous

Oh what a night!!

Last night was amazing!

You can access the article that the Steelers wrote about the fundraiser HERE.

Following is MY version of what happened - hee hee!

It really was an amazing night out with a great friend from work (shout of to Kathleen) and a wonderful group of people that support and run the Cystic Fibrosis fundraisers.

This is the view from inside at McFadden's which is where it was held.  This bar/restaurant is located right by both Heinz Field and PNC Park on North Shore Drive in Pittsburgh.

 

This little doosie pulled up as we were waiting for the event to start! It is awesome outside but is even cooler inside!!! 

 

This is a shot of me with the owner inside the bus.  The bus was created and paid for by this private owner and he brings it to all the events and tries to encourage the players to sign it...it is pretty amazing!!!!  Shout out to Jeff!!! Hope to see  ya soon!  He was so much fun to chat and hang out with!

 We had an awesome buffet and the opportunity to bid on a bunch of amazing memorabilia and then it was time to get our balls signed.  Everyone paid $200 entrance fee to get your ball and admission. Then you get to take your ball through the lineup and get every player there to sign it.  AWESOME!!! Below you can see how it was all setup.

This is a shot of all the guys that signed last night... they included Brett Keisel, Troy Polamalu, Cameron Heyward, Heath Miller, Ryan Clark, Maurkice Pouncey, Ziggy Hood, Steve McLenden, Al Woods, Hebron Fangupo and Brian Arnfelt from the practice squad! Awesome night!That is them below in no particular order...

Here is a shot of my completed football - this is going to my brother-in-laws man cave as payment for all the work he does on my car free of charge...thanks Steve!!! At least he will love it and appreciate it (I would just stuff it in a closet and never look at it - HEE).

 Finally, my favorite part of the night...I got to get a picture with Brett Keisel of the Steelers. He was so nice! There were so many people waiting for pictures and he GRACIOUSLY accepted all requests for pictures - he really was so nice about it.  Here is my friend from work, Kathy, and I with Brett.

 And here is just me and Brett...

ANNNNNNNNNND zoomed in as this is my new profile picture...

 I am so grateful to my friend Kathleen for inviting me to this awesome event and as you can see it was an amazing night and time...

TGIF!!! Hope you all have an awesome weekend!!!