Nutty Neighbor Christmas Gift

Are you looking for an easy & quick neighbor gift?  I whipped up a batch of Cinnamon Sugar Pecans today in my crock-pot to deliver to our neighbors tomorrow!  They were fairly simple and tasted delish!

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

2 egg whites

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 ½ cup white sugar

1 ½ cup brown sugar

3 Tbsp. cinnamon

5 cups pecans

In a medium sized bowl beat or whist your egg whites until they are foamy. 

Add in vanilla and give a stir.

Empty pecans in a bit at a time and coat with egg white mixture.

In a separate bowl combine sugars & cinnamon. 

Mix well.

You can combine your sugar mixture and pecans using either of these two methods:

 Pour pecans in a freezer size ziplock & add in the sugar mixture.  Seal and shake.

OR

Add sugar mixture to bowl of pecans a little at a time stirring to coat.

{We are completely out of freezer ziplocks in our house so I went with the bowl mixture}.

Place coated pecans in your slow cooker and cook on high for 2 ½ hours stirring every 30 minutes. 

When finished “cooking” set out on a cookie sheet and break up any big clumps of pecans.

Place in cellophane bags and voilà!

You will find a free printable to add before delivery here!

Merry Christmas,

Christmas Simmer Mason Jars

I work with some of the most fabulous people!  My hallway houses three kindergarten classes {myself included}, three first grade classes and our fabulous K-2 Interventionist.  When I began brainstorming ideas of what to do for Christmas gifts my mind kept coming back to something that would be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional.  I decided to make “Christmas Simmer” in mason jars to pass out to these sweet people I spend the majority of my time with.

You will need:
Quart sized mason jars

Navel oranges or clementines

Fresh cranberries

2-3 cinnamon sticks per simmer

Whole Cloves

Nutmeg

Small bag to hold spices

tip: order your whole cloves off of Amazon, they will be much cheaper than the grocery store variety.

Add 1/2-cup cranberries into the bottom of the mason jar.  Pop one citrus fruit in the jar and add 2-3 cinnamon sticks.  In a small bag or wrapper add one-tablespoon whole cloves and 1/8-teaspoon nutmeg.  Seal the bag and drop into the jar.  Screw on the lid of the jar and attach the printable.

The gifts were easy to assemble and filled the house with the smell of Christmas.

You can grab my printable here.  {I printed two per slide for a smaller tag}

Countdown: Day Three

We’re down to three days!  B & I have begun planning our meals, shopping spots and logistically how many Sonic Happy Hours we can squeeze into one long weekend.

Here is my third favorite picture of us!  It was my wedding day captured by the fabulous Popography Team of Leaha & Jeff.  Bre was the bestest of MOHs and I love that this picture captures us in our element.

Countdown: Day Four

We’re down to only four days!  I am so excited to spend a long weekend with my best friend.

Let’s look back at Homecoming last year for another one of my favorite pictures.

Mrs: December Goals

It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year!  As I write this, it’s 42 degrees outside with rain falling, Christmas music from the Ella Fitzgerald Holiday Station playing, puppies are playing tug with their Santa Sock Monkey, Coach is napping, tree is up and lit and my heart is just so full!  We began the Advent season at church and I was reminded that God is good & God is faithful.  His words to Jeremiah resonate deep in my heart

“Thus says the Lord: If I have not established a covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.” Jeremiah 33:25-26

As long as the fixed order of the heavens and the earth are continuing the Lord will fulfill His promises to us.   As Tim said, as long as the sun rises and the sun sets He will remain faithful.  What hope we have in the Lord.  This is a season of hope, expectancy and celebration in our Lord coming to Earth.  It just makes my heart sing. 

Before I look forward to December a quick check in of November goals.

run the Zoo Stampede 5K

read 3 books 

(Silent in the Graves, Persuasion, the Silkworm)

continue Christmas shopping

only have two more gifts left to purchase! 

clean make-up brushes

finish family room projects

this is 90% finished.  we still have to create the scrabble letters for the wall but it rained nearly all Thanksgiving break & CH couldn’t cut the pieces for me

organize teacher table materials

Operation Christmas Child box

December Goals

finish & send Christmas Cards

family photo session

cookie decorating with three special littles

clean out closet/organize closet

finish year in review family album

Angle Tree gifts

clean blinds in the house

continue family tradition of Christmas play on opening night

bake bread for our neighbors

plan family focus for 2016 with Coach
clean out kitchen junk drawers