Old Fashioned Candy/Cookie Exchange

Recently, our church had a Candy/Cookie Exchange.

It was fabulous.

I felt like I was on It's a Wonderful Life or some other old holiday movie...

maybe one with Doris Day.

Oh, how I love Doris Day.

ok...focus..

oh, yeah, the Fabulous Candy/Cookie Exchange.

These were my Truffles. I won tastiest candy/cookie.

crazy...people are crazy.

We even had a Christmas attire contest.

We have some ladies that should be models!

This was my prize! Isn't it the sweetest basket of holiday fun.

Cute kiddos...

Yummy treats!

Beautiful babes...

Fun fellowship.

Sugar and more sugar.

It was a grand time.

My Moma was able to go and it was a memorable day!

these days...

We've been:

saying goodbye to autumn and autumnly things...

watching Christmas movies and programs

finishing Christmas presents

while enjoying the pretty lights on the tree

reading while snuggled up on the couch

finishing up on Christmas decorations

trying to stay warm (it's finally gotten really cold now)

Hope you guys are enjoying the holidays!

My first Pecan Pie...

Pecan Pie

A southerner's "go- to" pie.

I wanted to FINALLY make one. I was feeling less like a Southern woman because I've never made a Pecan Pie.

So I called the best pecan pie bakers around.... Moma and Daddy.

Daddy knew the recipe by heart. He makes one every week for his fella's fish fries.

Yeah, my Daddy has fellas. You know the men he fish and scallywag around town with.

It turns out that Pecan Pie is easiest pie around.

All you do is mix Karo syrup, vanilla, and eggs together.

oh and lots o' butter.

Then add in the pecans.

unfold the pre-made crust from the pillsbury box : )

and bake at 350!

cut and serve

enjoy the smiles it brings to your father-in-love's face!

and one last thing...

be proud to be a southern woman.

Who would do this?

Look at this gorgeous (dirty) floor.

Someone thought it would be a grand idea to cover it with this carpet.

And even better...in the hallway, they thought this would be better.

So over Thanksgiving break, we decided to pull it all up. The man worked so hard and my mom helped. It was all a little discouraging.

And then Rachel brought us coffee/pumpkin spice and came to help us out!

Scruffles likes the new floor.

I can't wait for them to be finished and all to look like this.

I'll show pictures of the after when it's finally "after". For now I'm off to stuff Christmas cards with the man.

Wedding Bells...

So I've only done like THREE weddings. Mainly, because they are soo intimidating to me. I mean it's like only one of the most important days of your life. No biggie, right? So I was nervous about accepting Scott's cousins wedding on as the photographer. Then I remembered how gorgeous and very fun this couple was!

two rings...

One Love

Aren't these two just plain beautiful!?!?

Gotta love the details..

Below is one of my favorites. It's just so romantic.

After the ceremony where two become one!

Classic

Lovely...

And super fun!

Although weddings aren't my forte, I'm so glad that I got to be apart of your fabulous day.

Congrats Andrew and Jackie!

November Rose

November was such a weird month here...

really warm weather...

I became an aunt again...

flew by really quickly...

and it was well, just weird.

One good thing (besides becoming an aunt again) from this November, because it was so warm just recently the last rose of the season bloomed. It was gorgeous and matched the last of the leaves hanging on the trees.

Sweet sweet blessing from the Lord.

Scruffles got a new sweater. He's so cute and rotten all at the same time!

I told you the rose matched the leaves. These are our baby trees that my cousin planted for us last year. They were too new last year to follow the autumn suit of the other trees. But this year they decided to blossom or um.. what ever you call it when tree's leaves change color before falling off. : )

We stayed pretty busy in November, but also enjoyed quiet moments of nothingness. I love nothingness moments.