Caramel & White Chocolate Pretzels Recipe

Ok, I'd love to take credit for this recipe, or even be able to tell you how marvelous it is - but truthfully I haven't tried it yet. My friend Fayette (one of "The Ettes") posted it on their blog and it sounds DELICIOUS! And not only does it sound amazing - but the recipe she typed up is so cute, I couldn't help posting it here. So head over to their blog and let her know if you try them - I'm sure they are going to be tasty.

Man I love those boys!

Man I love my little boys. I'll be honest, there are days when I hide in my closet for a minute of quiet, or pray for naptime to last a little longer.....but then there are days like today when I am overwhelmed with feeling blessed to be called Mom.Today we just had a few sweet moments, a few silly, and a few tender and sweet. I wish there were ways to take you all along for some of those moments. I don't write it all down quite like I used to....and sadly I'm not remembering the moments as well as I used to either....but I really want to try harder. The sweet moments are what life are about - right? Here are a few random thoughts about the boys:

• Hunter has been working really hard at talking lately. We've had a couple of meetings with a local Speech Therapist. She comes and gives us some tips on things we can work on with increasing his vocabulary and helping him speak clearly. He is also going to a Toodler preschool class one day a week for a couple hours. He LOVES it. He loves getting ready for school, loves his friends, teachers and telling us (or trying to tell us) about his fun when we pick him up. It makes him seem just that much more grown up....and when he took his Christmas treat to his teachers last week it was just like taking a glimpse into a few years from now when he'll be taking his 3rd grade teacher a present. Man, life goes by way too fast.

• Today after Gabe got home from school I was talking with him in the couch and Gabe gave me a big hug. Hunter came over, tried hugging me and then looked totally hurt. He said, "No, Hunter Mom's favorite". In his sweet little language and his pouty lip sticking out. So sweet. So I hugged and snuggled both of them extra tight. They're both my favorites - right?

• I was teasing the boys and asked if either of them had a girlfriend. Gabe quickly said "NO!" (which is not the answer he gives his friends - he tells everyone else about his girlfriend Naia) but Hunter called out "YES!" He told us a name over and over again but sadly we didn't understand who it was.....so apparently Hunter has a girlfriend...her name? Not quite sure.

• Gabe had his preschool Christmas program today at school. They sang some really cute songs, made me a sweet ornament with a picture of him for a gift, and made me smile. His teacher made a really cool crayon keeper for them and he was so impressed by it. He LOVES it. He was so cute to hear through the whole day saying sweetly, "Mom, I just love my crayon case." We're so lucky to have a great teacher who clearly cares about the kids in her class, and who Gabe has a great time with. So lucky!

• Today we were driving and listening to Christmas music. Clay Aiken's voice came over the radio singing one of my favorite Christmas carols, "The First Noel". Gabe said thoughtfully, "Mom - did that guy just say 'No elves?'" He's repeated it many times tonight, including singing his version as we sang together tonight.

• The boys were both thrilled to have "Family Game Night" tonight. Apparently the television ads that have been on the last few years about "Family Game Night" have gotten to Gabe because he was beyond excited to play games together tonight. It was fun to all laugh together like that. I look forward to a time when the boys will be ready to play some of our favorites (Rumikub and Uno to name a few). And for the record - I totally smoked all 3 of them at Candyland the first round!

• "Grandma Tammy" (Cory's mom) sent the boys home with a little candle with a list of scriptures to read each night as a family. We're supposed to light the candle and read together. Can I just say that this has worked better than any other efforts we've made at reading the scriptures together as a family? The boys are thrilled to get our candle out and can't wait to help blow it out at the end. I have LOVED the sweet moments we've had together as a family as we've read the scriptures and explained the stories to them. They have seemed to just get it these last several nights. Tonight we read about how the Savior calmed the storming seas (Mark 4:35-41 I think) and had a very sweet talk about it afterwards. I ended up with tears (as I often do when I feel the spirit like that) and Hunter kept telling me to be "happy!". I explained to the kids that I was happy, super happy and that sometimes when I am that happy I cry. A few minutes later we were finishing bedtime preparations and getting ready for bed. I looked at Gabe and his eyes were full of tears. He came over and wrapped his arms around my legs. He said, "Mom, sometimes I cry when I'm really happy too. Like right now." The moments when gospel lessons hit home and it "clicks" are precious.

I love them - a lot!

Dollar Days @ Elemental Scraps

Today is Dollar Day @ Elemental Scraps website - so head over and pick up some digi-scrap goodies. Here are a couple of layouts with some of the fun products released today.

My Boys

Template: A Very Girlish Christmas (coming soon)
Kit: Homemade Holidays by Bella Gypsy

Silly Kids

Template: Liftin Kellie by ChrissyW
Kit: Homemade Holidays by Bella Gypsy

Storybook Parade

Template: Freebie Template #35
Kit: Right Jolly Old Elf by Bella Gypsy

FREEBIE CALENDAR - all 12 months available today only!

Hey guys - I've been telling you the last few days about the calendar freebies "The Ettes" had been offering on their blog. They were offering a page of the 4x6 calendar each day for the last 12 days. Several people had emailed me, or contacted The Ettes about wanting to download some of the pages you may have missed over the course of the last week and 1/2. Well here's your chance! As they said on their blog:

By the last day of our countdown,
The "Ettes" had heard from many of you.
You missed out on some of our freebies,
and cried "boo hoo", it's true!

So we're taking pity upon you.
Download the whole calendar for FREE today.
But, you'd better do it quickly,
'Coz to get it tomorrow, you'll have to pay!

Today only you can download the entire 2010 calendar from their website for FREE! So check out their FREEBIES section TODAY.

As of Sunday you can purchase the calendar on the website too - and it will be 1/2 price till after Christmas. So grab it for FREE on Saturday, or if you miss it - you can catch up by purchasing it.

Also if you spend 10$ in the store you can get the "Celebrate" kit FREE!!! Totally worth it!

This month is such a special one....

....it's birthday time for The Ettes!

So excited to say a great big "Happy Birthday" to some of my favorite digi scrapbook designers with The Ettes & Company. Fayette & Annette are amazing - seriously amazing designers (not to mention the sweetest gals!) I'm excited to be able to work with their designs and create with their beautiful work.

So head over to their blog today for lots of fun goodies. There are new kits, new fun stuff - LOTS to check out - including FREEBIES all day long!! You won't want to miss out on all they have going on - and keep checking back as there will be updates.

Here are a couple of my favorites (although I love all of them!) - Celebrate & Barnyard Friends.

Scrapbooking and a FREEBIE!

Just a reminder to check out the FREEBIES @ http://www.theettesandcompany.com/ through the 12th. Each day you'll get a FREE calendar quick page to help create a 4X6 calendar. Check them out and get ready for The Ette's 1st birthday celebration - starting on the 13th.

All of these other layouts are created using Bella Gypsy and ChrissyW products and templates.

Scrapping layouts

Kits:

• Christmas Carols by The Ettes
• Hard Candy Christmas by Bella Gypsy
• Trim the Tree by Bella Gypsy
• Every little thing by Bella Gypsy
• John Dough by Libby Weifenbach

And remember to check out The Ettes blog for the daily freebies. Check back daily and by the end of the 12 days you'll have a whole calendar! PLUS - every day there will be discounts as well - so it's definetly worth checking out!

Birthday Celebration

I am so excited for one of my favorite digi-scrapping companies "The Ettes & Company" - they are getting ready to celebrate their 1st birthday!!! In addition to the fun stuff they'll have in honor of their birthday later in the moth - I've teamed up with them for a great gift for YOU!

Every day from December 1st-December 12th there will be a gift available for you on their website. You won't want to miss out any of the days because when you add all of them together you'll have a perfect Christmas gift to give to others!

Enjoy!