a year in photos 2011

We had an amazing 2011, and look forward to what 2012 has to offer. 

May the New Year bring you all the things you deserve!

♥ BJ

New Year's ideas

Not all of us have the ability to celebrate New Years with a room full of other adults.  We have graduated to the pleasure of ringing in the New Year with our precious little ones, some of which were products of New Year's Eve.

I searched the internet for adorable ideas that are family friendly, or can be used for adult parties.  Here are a few of my favorites!

I think that this is adorable!  

 As if the drink table would be hard to figure out, but there are other cute ideas on BHG.

Here are some free printables! Click on the photo or find more here or here

DIY decor!

Click on the photos more.

Don't miss out on some of my finds last year, there are recipes for food and drinks!  

Check them out here

Whatever you do, be safe and have an AMAZING NEW YEAR!

♥BJ

New Year's drinks

Yummy cocktails for the old and one for the young to enjoy this New Year's Eve!  

Cheers, 

and be safe!

Midnight Martini

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 oz vodka or coffee vodka
• 1/4 oz coffee liqueur
• lemon twist for garnish

Directions:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Stir with a bar spoon.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The San Francisco, TGI Friday's

Ingredients

• 2 oz. sweet and sour mix
• 2 oz. Rose’s lime juice
• 1 oz. cherry syrup
• sparkling soda

Directions

Fill tall glass with ice. Add first three ingredients. Top with soda.

Kiddie Holiday Juice

Ingredients

• 1 (64 fluid ounce) bottle cranberry juice
• 4 liters lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
• 3 oranges, sliced into rounds
• 8 cups crushed ice

Directions

1. In a large punch bowl, combine cranberry juice and orange slices. Pour in the lemon lime soda and crushed ice. Serve immediately.

Passion Fruit Mojito

Ingredients

   

•         2  parts Passion Fruit Mojito mix
•         1  part white rum
•         Ice
•         Club soda
•         Mint sprigs
•         Lime slices

Directions

1. Combine in a pitcher 2 parts Passion Fruit Mojito mix, 1 part white rum, and ice. Mix, then pour into ice-filled glasses. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime slice.

New Year’s Sparkler

Ingredients

• 1 oz. SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit
• 1.5 oz. Pomegranate Juice
• 3.5 oz. Champagne
• 5-6 Raspberries

Directions

Combine SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit and pomegranate juice in a chilled champagne flute and top with champagne. Garnish with raspberry tree.*

*Slide 5-6 raspberries onto long skewer and place vertically in champagne glass.

New Years Recipes

With the New Year days away, I thought I would share over the next few days New Years recipes, drinks,  ideas and traditions.  So to start off, here are a few recipes to enjoy.

I found this recipe years ago, and have enjoyed it ever since.

Black Eyed Peas Salad with Basil

1 cup drained black-euyed peas rinsed
1 med onion, halved
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp fresh basil 3/4 tsp dried
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp sugar
 1/4 tsp ground pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 ribs celery 1 small red pepper

combine the peas and enough water to cover 1 inch.
Boil high heat then 1 min. remove, stand 1 hour
Drain, return 2 with fresh water 1 inch Add onion halves.
Bring to boil, reduce to low, simmer 45 mins.
*Last 10 mins add 1/2 tsp salt
Drain, discard onion halves, drain, rinse, let cool
In small bowl, whisk, vinegar, basil, garlic, sugar, 1/4 salt, and pepper
Combine all ingredients

Here are a few new ones I found that sound delicious!

Apple Pork Chops

Click on the photo for recipe

and a little something sweet for breakfast

Chocolate-Drizzeld French Toast

I hope you have a delicious New Year!  Enjoy

Christmas Day

Good morning friends!  I hope you all had an amazing Christmas/Holiday!  I know I sure did.  The joy and excitement of Christmas through my boys eyes is all I needed this Holiday season even though it was 5:30 AM.  The look and joy on all of my boys faces made the past few days, even months worth all of the work.  I thought I would share a few pictures from yesterday.

How easy do you think it was to get all 3 to cooperate for this photo before opening presents?  

Not too bad, our secret, they opened a few prior to this photo.

My little Space Ranger trying out his new Buzz Lightyear pillow.

This boy has a style all his own.  Love the tie and NY Yankee gear.

Baby's first Christmas.  Hard not to want to put bows on his head.

Finally, who thought a box would have been the most popular thing.  

This would have saved a lot of time shopping. 

 I can hear the post office now, "Anything liquid, fragile or perishable?"

Me: "No."

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and we're wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Here's to 364 more days until Christmas!!!

Steve & Bobbi

Skinny cookies and drink for Santa

I came across a couple delicious recipes in my Biggest Loser cookbook that I thought would be great for the "Big Guy" or for you (wink)  I know I feel guilty with some of the things I eat this time of year, and when better to start watching what I'm eating than at Christmas.  Why wait another week for New Years?  So here you go.

Peanut Butter- Oatmeal Cookies

What you'll need:
 12 Pitted Dates
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter

Place the dates in the bowl of a mini-food processor fitted with the chopping blade.  Process until the dates are very finely chopped and stick together.  With a spatula, transfer to a small mixing bowl.  Add the oats and peanut butter.  Using an electric mixer fitted with beaters or your hands, mix well.

Divide the mixture into 4 equal amounts.  Shape each into a ball.  Place one ball between two sheets of waxed paper.  Flatten the ball to a 3" diameter cookie.  repeat with each ball.  Serve immediately or stack between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight plastic container.  Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Iced Buffed Mocha

What you'll need:
1 tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1 cup light chocolate soy milk
2 tablespoons fat-free, artificially sweetened vanilla yogurt
1 package sugar substitute
8 ice cubes
2 tablespoons aerosol fat-free whipped topping
Cocoa powder

In a small microwaveable cup, combine the water and coffee powder.  Microwave on high power for about 20 seconds, or until hot.  Stir to dissolve the powder.

In the jar of a blender, combine the milk, yogurt, sugar, reserved coffee mixture, and ice.  Blend on high speed or ice-crush setting for 30 to 60 seconds, or until smooth.  Pour into a large glass.  garnish with whipped topping and dust with cocoa, if desired.  Serve immediately with a straw.

I love the Biggest Loser Cookbook, (the original one)  It has several yummy recipes, and I highly recommend it if your going to start a New Year's resolution soon!

If you need a couple more cookie recipes or a shot, check out these yummies!

Happy Eating or Drinking! ♥ BJ

Reindeer shirts

This is one of my favorite crafts that I have come up with.  I even pulled D's shirt out and he wore it to school again.  I wanted to make one for little man, but it's been crazy busy around this house, so it will have to wait until next year.  I hope if you have little ones, you will love this shirt as much as I do!

Grab the steps here, and happy crafting! ♥ BJ