My Christmas {in pictures}

As much as I was dreading Christmas (YES, I was a complete Grinch this year!), I had a fantastic weekend, and I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. Instead of going into lots of details, I will just share a few pictures from Saturday and Sunday.

My sweet Nanny on Christmas Eve

Sister and B-I-L on Christmas Eve and Nannys.

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

"Close Knit Sisters 2011" Hallmark ornament from the sis

Nanny apparently drank more than egg nog.

And then it knocked her out.

My amazing parents on Christmas morning.

"Is this how babies wear bows?" asked my brother in law.

"I (heart) my Auntie." Yep, I'm going to be an aunt!

Me and sister

Hope your Christmas was amazing!

Poppa's Mexican Hamburgers

I always miss my Poppa, especially during the holidays. He was honestly the best man I've known; kind, giving, sweet, loving, and such an amazing example of what a Christian man should be.

Poppa Tracy- Taken about 5 weeks before he passed.

As I was looking through recipes to find something to cook to take to our family Christmas get together, I found his recipe for his mexican hamburgers. He didn't cook often, that was Granny's job of course, but when he did, it was always these mexican hamburgers. When we would walk in the back door on Sunday after church and saw the crockpot on the counter, we knew he had been cooking! I thought it would be perfect to make these for the family.

He loved my Mia, and Mia definitely loved him.

After 2 hours of thawing out frozen hamburger meat, cooking and mixing over the stove, and transporting to my crockpot, I was finally finished. I had so many compliments on these burgers, and I was so proud to say that the recipe was Poppa's.

Poppa and Mia

Even though he is no longer with us, and wasn't there Christmas night, I was happy that part of him was there...his 6 kids, 13 of the 14 grandkids, and numerous great-grandkids...and of course his mexican hamburgers. :)


Poppa's Mexican Hamburgers
2 lb. hamburger meat-- browned and drained
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp salt

After meat is cooked and drained, mix all ingredients.

If you try these, I would love for you to come back and let me know what you thought. Enjoy!

Day After

Good morning, lovelies! I hope each and every one of you had a fantastic Christmas! I, for one, had an amazing one spent with family, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. I was definitely spoiled these past two days. ;)

My family on Christmas morning.

Well, ladies, I'm off to round up some after-Christmas deals.

Have a great day, sweets!

Merry Christmas!

Need Gift Ideas?

Are you a procrastinator? Still have some Christmas presents to buy? I've taken it upon myself to help out all of you crazies out there that still have some shopping to do before this weekend! Apparently, many of my bloggy friends like to wait until the last minute to get it done.

Here are a few items that I would love to receive (so I'm sure your recipients would as well). These can be bought in a store and are great ideas for the gal on your list!

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I love Tervis Tumblers and they have so many cute designs. I would love to see this one addressed to moi!

Source: tervis.com via Melanie on Pinterest

This movie is such a good chick flick (but the guys secretly like it too). If you feel extra spendy, buy the book to go with it!

Source: walmart.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Oh my...y'all this would be the best gift. I'd already finished shopping for my sister before she decided she liked these. Otherwise, I would have bought them and she would have been ecstatic to find them under the tree. Maybe for her birthday!

Source: toms.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Is your gift recipient into a certain tv show? I think tv on dvd is a fantastic gift. Most of the time we want to own these, but rarely buy them for ourselves!

Source: walmart.com via Melanie on Pinterest

If your girl is a girly girl and likes to stay in the know of fashion, this would be such a good idea. While I'm not a huge LC fan, the girl does have style. I'm dying for this read.

Source: barnesandnoble.com via Melanie on Pinterest

This is the ultimate go-to gift item. I mean really, who doesn't like a cute scarf?

Source: oldnavy.gap.com via Melanie on Pinterest

You can never have too many candles. This one, Woodwick in Cherries Jubilee, just happens to be my favorite. Again, I normally don't buy myself candles, so I would love getting this!

Source: virginiacandle.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Finally, you can't go wrong with some cute jewelry. How cute would these be with a little red bow?

Source: raincollection.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Hope this has given you a few ideas. And if you have already finished your Christmas shopping, buy a little something for yourself....or me!

Happy holidays, ladies!

Christmas Survey

Not sure where I found this, but play along if you'd like.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?Wrapping paper for sure. I love wrapping presents, and one of my favorite things to buy is fun wrapping paper each year.

This year's paper! It's my favorite!

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial. I've never ever had a real tree; I mean what if there was a squirrel inside like the Griswolds?

3.When do you put up the tree?
Usually the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving!
4. When do you take the tree down?
After New Year's Day.
5. Do you like eggnog?
It's ok.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I can't think of anything in particular....I do remember (and still have) a denim sleeping bag that had neon paint splotches. I also got some New Kids on The Block stuff that year. It was a good Christmas!

This is it!

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I don't
8. Hardest person to buy for?
Mom and step-dad They don't really have any hobbies and need for nothing. Usually it's gift cards for them, and they like that.
9. Easiest person to buy for?
My sister
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail Christmas cards. I love receiving them!

Christmas picture from last year.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
My poor Nanny used to get us the worst clothes. I mean I was a teen and she (and my aunt) would buy us clothes they would wear. Nanny also would get us random figurines. It's the thought that counts though, right?
12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Christmas Vacation and Home Alone

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
The summer
14. Ever recycled a present?
All the time
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Breakfast on Christmas morning.
16. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree?
Definitely clear. I hate colored lights with a passion.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
Oh Holy Night or Beautiful Star of Bethleham
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
All of my family lives in the same town.
19. Can you name all of santas reindeer?
Nope
20. Angel or star on top of the tree?
Always had an angel at home, but when I moved out, I bought a star. Since then, I've used a bow of some sort, and this year have a bunch of picks up there.
21. Open the presents on Christmas eve or morning?
With my dad on Eve and Mom on morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
This sounds awful, but seeing the family you don't like. It's the only time you see some and there is a reason for that. I also hate how hectic it is and trying to schedule everything is a nightmare.
23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color?
I have a separate tree for my personal ornaments. My main tree has browns, golds, and animal print.

24. What do you want for Christmas?
A GPS and a memory foam mattress topper

Pinterest Project: Ornaments

This was obviously a crafting weekend!  I tried another pinterest find: mod podge ornaments.

Inspiration:

Source: Uploaded by user via Melanie on Pinterest

I had seen these ornaments on Pinterest, and knew I had to try them. I love all things animal print, and this looked so easy and cute! I had put some green ornaments on my tree, but  you couldn't see them. They blended in, and when I mentioned it, Mom stated she hadn't even noticed there were green ornaments. Instead of buying some clear ornaments, I just used these green, since I wasn't happy with them.

Final Product:

Materials:
- Set of clear ornaments (I used some I already had.)
-Mod Podge
-Foam paint brush
-Tissue paper

Instructions:
1. I took off the top hook, so I could get as close to the top as possible.
2. Paint mod podge onto ornament.
3. Cut strips of tissue paper and put onto mod podge.
4.  Put a layer of mod podge onto paper after each strip is applied. The edges won't lay flat, since the ornament is rounded, so this helps to keep things smooth as you go.
5. Let dry 2-3 hours.
6. Put hooks back on and hand on tree!

Last thoughts: I'm not sure how they got the paper to look so seamless on the ornament, but I absolutely love these on my tree!

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree...

Hey y'all! We survived NYC...and I promise sometime in this lifetime I will upload some pictures and share some details about our trip! We really had a great time, but man did we wear ourselves out! Ha! 
So for the past 2 weeks I've had this sad little 5 ft. tree (which is a crock! It might be 5 ft if it was sitting on a 2ft. box...whatev'!) sitting undecorated in our living room. I am a Christmas tree LOVER...I mean for goodness sakes I decorate them as a part time job, but this year I couldn't get into it..I couldn't make myself drag out the 7ft tree and the 14 tubs of ornaments/mesh/ribbon/topper and construct my usual masterpiece. This is last years tree, it was super fab, if I do say so myself...I had lots of help from one of my best friends Cody...

I was in love with this tree, I didn't want to take it down!!

My adorable little elf!

This past weekend I made myself decorate the sad little tree, I didn't go to storage and get any of my usual ornaments, I just made it work with things I had around the house, but I really love the way it turned out. I can't wait until next year. Hopefully Nate and I will be in a new house and I can have 7 trees :) But for this year this is the Hix/Hall family Christmas tree...

It officially feels like Christmas now, and I can't wait to celebrate with friends and family! Do y'all have your Christmas trees up? Do you decorate traditionally or over the top with the mesh and huge toppers? Obviously I'm not a fan of seeing tree...lol

Happy Tuesday Y'all!

Top Ten Tuesday (3)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. 

This week -- Top Ten Books to give as gifts

With the holidays drawing near, the time to search for the perfect gift is running out. Fortunately, there is no better gift than a book. A book is so much more than words printed on a page and a fancy cover. Books are adventures. They are escapes from the ordinary world into a realm of make believe. Young or old, girl or boy, adventurous or hopeless romantic -- there is a book for everyone. 

1. For the little kid (ages 0-9).

2. For the kid who is ready to read

3. For a girl who loves romance

4. For the fan of paranormal

5. For the fan of fantasy

6. For your mother, aunt, grandmother, etc. 

7. For your father, uncle, grandfther, etc. 

8. For the fan of the classics

9. For the fan of Dystopian

10. Best YA books of 2011 (in my opinion)

 

What books are you giving as gifts this holiday season?

A few more wishlist items...

I must be greedy, because I've found a few more things I want for Christmas! You ready? Take note!
A monogrammed scarf in KY blue! I need to be prepared for game days, y'all!

Source: marleylilly.com via Melanie on Pinterest

I love everything that Marley Lilly has to offer, but these crossbody bags may just be my favorite. I'm dying for the brown one, with my monogram, of course!

Source: marleylilly.com via Melanie on Pinterest

This color is fantastic, so fun and cheerful! And look how comfy these Ugg slippers look.

Source: uggaustralia.com via Melanie on Pinterest

I'm loving big sweaters these days, and this is perfect!

Source: net-a-porter.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Obviously I'm on this fuschia/purple kick. So fun.
This Tory Burch clutch would come in handy!

Source: marylandmasonjars.tumblr.com via Melanie on Pinterest

You can't beat a nice pair of flats, and this color is great with everything!

Source: polyvore.com via Melanie on Pinterest

I'm loving tights and leggings now, (who woulda thunk it?), and these are so festive!

Source: lulus.com via Melanie on Pinterest

How cute and feminine is this gray bag with the bow?

Source: saksfifthavenue.com via Melanie on Pinterest

Sequins! I can't get enough of sequins and this Coach purse is amazing!

Source: coach.com via Melanie on Pinterest

I love all things infinity, and how cute is this gold rhinestone one?

Source: shop.kimmeehan.com via Melanie on Pinterest

So what do you think about my list? Yeah, some items may be a little pricey, but I think wishlists can hold anything. It's called a WISHlist for a reason, right!