another christmas miracle...

I went to trader joes today and out in the front of the aisle was a huge display of peppermint joe joe's. I'm always up for a festive treat, so I picked up a box. I just sampled one & it might as well have been crack! I am wondering to myself...how have I never heard of these before? Or are you all just holding out on me since apparently they sell out every year! Well if you haven't had one, let me just describe the experience for you...

the cookie starts off crisp and clear like a Girl Scout Thin Mint. Then when you hit the creme filling, the crispness gives way to a lush, milky vanilla, infused with bright flecks of candy cane, reminiscent of sparks of sunlight against a fresh snow.

Doubt the power of these cookies? Just try Googling them, and you'll find people who have devoted pages to these inexplicably delicious joe-joes.

I will definitely be going to Trader Joe's tomorrow to stock up on these cookies, and will bring them out to my deprived family in Boise that have no trader joes.

Taking in some of that holiday cheer--Join us!!

Just thought I'd post a few of the fun activities we're going to do in the next couple of weeks to increase our excitement for Christmas (if that is even possible)! We'd love to have any and all who would like to join us. Just give me a call and I'll give you the specifics:

Thursday 12/11--Disneyland! We're going between 3-4pm and they're open until late.

Friday 12/12--Dana Point boat parade (maybe a date night??)

Monday 12/15-- Visit santa and pic at Fashion island--FHE a few years back I learned a secret from the Draeger family that this is the REAL santa-SHHHH. Maybe a little dinne? Food court @ fashion island? We'll probably go on the early side to try & avoid crowds.

Wednesday 12/17- Newport Beach boat parade. This the 100 year anniversary and they're shooting off fireworks at 6:20pm before the parade. We're bring the kiddies.

Saturday 12/20- Christmas at the OC Zoo- 10 am. I guess it's all done up for christmas and santa will be there of course with reindeer! I mean for $2 bucks how can you go wrong with this family outing??


If not with us, we hope you're getting your holiday fix elsewhere!! Much LOVE!!

Much to be thankful for...

(i'm on a roll, huh?) Thankfully Rachel was taking pictures and sent me these or else we would have none! What was i doing the whole night? We had an excellent Thanksgiving at Brian's uncle's house in Glendora. Brian was secretly glad about the morning rain, eliminating the annual turkey bowl football game, thus ensuring him not getting hurt or throwing up because he's so out of shape. (good thing he doesn't read our blog :) My parents joined us as well--it makes it so fun to have it together so we don't have to travel. Dinner was as delicious as ever and we packed it in! I made my dutch apple pie that i do every year, but added a chocolate bread pudding to the menu as well that was super tasty. I figured there is never enough chocolate at Thanksgiving dinner. We have been so blessed in so many ways this past year. We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for giving us such wonderful family and friends in our lives. We love you!!

Yummy turkey!!


Brian's uncle has an enormous hallway leading from one end of the house to the other. It was so fun to watch Ruby and Marie trying to catch Jack as he'd run back and forth
(2million times).



I love marie's face in this picture!



If only you could hear the deafening "CHEEESSSEEE" that Jack added to this picture!