28 days!

Oh Christmas twee, Oh Christmas twee...

How handsome is my hubs?

My favorite time of year is OFFICIALLY here. I can now listen to Christmas music, drink hot chocolate, sit by our non-existant fire, and... I get to celebrate my first Christmas with my love! Couldn't ask for more. What are you excited about this Christmas?

Here's a recipe I can't wait to try for the Holidays from Southern Living...

Nutty Oatmeal-Chocolate Chunk Cookies (family favorite)


2.5 cups uncooked regular oats
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 or 4 (1.55 ounce) milk chocolate candy bars, chopped
1.5 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Process oats in a blender or food processor until ground.

Beat butter and sugars at meduim speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla; beat until blended.

Combine ground oats, flour, and next 3 ingredients. Add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate candy bars and pecans.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool... yield: 6 dozen.


Happy Holidays!!

I'm thankful for...

1. Let's state the obvious first. My husband, Family, Jesus Christ, and my Friends. Couldn't do life without any of 'em. (Well maybe some of the family... KIDDING!)

 (Paul singing sweet, sweet music to me I'm sure!)

 (I'd be jealous too of my awesome friends)

(doesn't get much better than family at Thanksgivin'!)

2. my ability to have never cooked in my life, to becoming a professional chef. Okay okay... not "professional" but pretty darn good. I make my own bread now, that's got to count as being a good cook right? I mean, I went to a professional cooking class with mom once...

(I mean... just look at that look on my face. It tells it all..(aka: sheer terror))

3. Getting to stay in the Everswick's house. I know I just talked about them, but it is dreamy living under their roof. I feel like we should just change our last name to Everswicks, and we are automatically awesome everywhere we go. (They're a pretty big deal around here)

And lastly... I am thankful for my freedom, my job, and for all the blessings that I have!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING... or as Paul said at the end of his professional phone interview... HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!

My Mom's Sundried Tomato Dip

I think it's been over a week since I've written in here? Waaaay too long.

Soo this is one of my favorite appetizers that my mom would make. I love eating this with fritos, but you can eat it with raw veggies as well (I always automatically go for the unhealthy, but who doesn't?). I made this recipe on July 4th for our friends, Rachel and Matt Solik, and I must admit... it was not as good as mom's. (But I guess that's just the way it is) Enjoy!

Mom's Sundried Tomato Dip

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
8 oz. of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 Hellmann's Mayo
10 dashes of Tabasco
1 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, Tabasco, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse 2 or 3 times. Serve at room temperature with Fritos or raw veggies.


ALSO, I don't know if you've noticed but at the top, lefthand of my page, I have a tab for recipes if you wanna check them out. Thanks!

Only Jesus walked on water, right?

So get this! There is this group of guys that have started a new sport where you RUN ON WATER.(yes, you heard me right). Now, I know Jesus was literally walking on water, (and no human will ever be able to do that), but never thought I'd see the day for running on water...

Watch this and be amazed!!

quick post

soo randomly searching northmetro church, I stumbled across a friend of mine's, Matt Solik's, video. Wow. Get a box of tissues ready!

Engaged, 1 year later

1 year ago today, I got engaged to the love of my life, Paul Michael Stippich aka PMS.(best initials ever)

What an incredible blessing he has been. I feel like after we got married I really got to know him, REAL fast. ;) Here are some of my favorite things about Paul:

(I love this picture!)

1. Well I am sure most of your remember that the summer of 2009, Paul went to China for over a month, and wrote me a letter for everyday he was gone. I love that even today he STILL surprises me... whether it's bringing home flowers or my favorite candy (he just brought me some sour patch kids!), or writing notes all over our apartment, or giving me a foot massage every night (I know... I am one lucky gal!)

2. He is the most selfless man I know. Always putting me and others before himself. He is a true servant at heart. I am learning all about how to serve, through God and through Paul.

3. Paul is my best friend. I mean... if you walk in to our place, you will find us laughing or just having fun together. He makes me laugh like nobody else can. He is also caring, and drops everything for me. Prime example: I usually fall asleep way earlier than Paul (Yes, I am an old lady and if you know me, you are fully aware of this), he always lays down in bed with me until I fall asleep. After I fall asleep, he goes in the den and plays "Call of Duty" (my least favorite game in the entire universe) with all his buddies online on the PS3. If I call his name at all, no matter what he is doing in the game, he stops immediately to come to my rescue. He is my hero :)

(Wasn't too thrilled that I looked like a little boy when he proposed, but still so THRILLED!)

Ok, I could go on for hours, but I'll stop there. If you know Paul, you know I married a one of a kind, and a truly loving, great man that loves Christ and me more than anything in the world. A year ago today, I had no idea what I was getting into, but man... I sure am glad I did. Being with Paul has been the happiest time of my life.

Did I mention we live in a basement?

I love our second family, The Everswicks (or as Paul likes to call them.. the Ever-so-slicks) upstairs, aren't they precious?

(Rick, Emily, Max and Riley livin it up in East Asia baby!)

I just have to brag on them because they play such a huge role in our marriage. What an incredible influence they've been in our lives. They are always setting a great example of the lives we want to lead, which is a life full of love, living for Jesus!

Here are some of my favorite things about living in their basement.

1. Emily's delicious baked goods. She is always baking (she's one of the one's that's helped my decision to bake bread). And she always shares her goods with us :)

2. Hearing Max play guitar above our bedroom. I mean, I love it. It's just so beautiful.

3. Getting to relive my days of "sleepovers" with Riley. I still love all that little girl stuff, and I get to relive it again. duh. love it.

4. I don't know if you know the Everswicks, but they are known to be the "near perfect" family. I mean, I hope to just take away an ounce of their amazingness.

and lastly, 5. We get to be a big part of these wonderful kid's lives, and I couldn't ask for more.

(on another note, am I an old woman for watching Monk? That show is my obsession. Anyone? Anyone at all?)