december 31 {happy new year!}

We visited Crystal Bridges today with the family and had dinner at Table Mesa. 

Cool art and Cheap Dates - a perfect day :) 

december 28-30.

{Nana's nativity. I love it}

{back in Arkansas for more Christmas with more family...

we enjoyed the lights on the Fayetteville Square}

december 26-27.

{enjoying extended Christmas with extended family in Kansas.
John, Cheryl and the Bergmans came up to the farm - we missed Debs and Arge this year.}

 {Mum & Dad}

{stocking stuffer from Uncle Mike}

{Brianna helping Poppy}

{pretty tags from Hannah}

{Tanner got some ties/bowties}

{the cousins and the baby}

{funny face}

december 25 {God bless us, everyone}

{stocking}

{she got chipotle sauce in her stocking and exclaimed 'i got hot squeeze!'}

december 24

{we enjoyed Christmas Dinner today}

december 23.

{Kansas Home}

december 22 {sugar cookies}

This recipe comes from my mom's next door neighbor when Mom was a little girl in Tulsa. We've used it every Christmas for as long as I can remember. 

Sometimes (like this year) we use sprinkles and sparkles to decorate the cookies. Sometimes, we used a simple powdered sugar/milk/vanilla icing for them. Either way, they are delicious and festive.

{Sugar Cookies}

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups butter

1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift and measure flour. Sift again with soda, salt, sugar. Cut in butter until fine as cornmeal. Combine milk, eggs, and vanilla and add to dry ingredients - beat until smooth. Chill overnight or several hours. Roll and cut out cookies. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet, preheated to 425, for 6-8 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. Cookies will crisp as they cool. Makes about 4 dozen large cookies. 

december 21.

{Mollie's}

{Matt's. Go Hogs}

{Brianna's}

december 20.

{an early birthday present from my love. he is perfect}

{home for the holidays. Food Network, Christmas mugs, couches}

december 19.

{why not another food post? today we loaded up and left Arkansas for Kansas and Christmas on the farm. first, however, we stopped at Walmart for some Christmas treat ingredients and wrapping supplies. 

i reveled in the glory of such a big store with so many options...all of which are familiar to me! 

oh, it is so nice to be home. i never realized. 

we had our second meal of Chick-fil-A since getting home 3 days ago. 

we missed it so, and it did not disappoint}

december 17-18.

{thoroughly enjoying being with family and in Arkansas. hushpuppies after church at Catfish Hole}

december 16.

8.30am Belfast - Our cab failed to pick us up, so we got the bus on Stranmillis to the Europa station, then a bus to the Int'l Airport.

11:10am Belfast - Big snowflakes started falling after we boarded the plane. We finally take off from a snowy Belfast. Sadly, after only 1 movie, our row's video screens stop working. It made for one loooongg flight.

2:10pm Newark, NJ - We landed in America! We spent an hour in customs and hot, crowded Newark hallways.

4:00pm Newark, NJ - We barely made our flight to XNA. Barely. It proceeded to be the longest flight ever.

6:30pm Northwest Arkansas - Home to Fayetteville. Oh, it felt so nice. Tim and Phyllis picked us up and took us home to a delicious dinner by Nana and early to bed.  So happy to be here.