Baking, Baking and more Baking

Olivia turned 6 today! I cant believe it. She is getting so big. She wanted a ballerina cake. I saw this on on facebook. Another local cake baker made it (Tayor Massey). Taylor is so talented! Thanks for the idea, Taylor!

I made these cupcakes with the leftover batter and icing. Im going to take them to Lifegroup tomorrow. Hope they enjoy them!

I ♥ Christmas!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both! But I have learned that boxes travel much better than the bags. Somehow almost all my presents this year fit better in bags.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving night or the day after.
4. When do you take the tree down? a few days after Christmas. I am normally over it by then.
5. Do you like eggnog? No thanks
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My dog Gumbeaux!
7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad or Stephen's grandparents
8. Easiest person to buy for? my mom-in-law
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Several! I love them!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? definitely MAIL.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I dont know what mine would be but Stephen's would be some matches :).
12. Favorite Christmas Movies? Home Alone and Christmas in Connecticut
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Since becoming a Richards I have learned the art of starting early. I was pretty much finished and everything wrapped before Thanksgiving. I love it! Makes the holiday season much more enjoyable.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Im sure I have.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's cookies she makes when we put up the tree, monkey bread and sausage balls-----def NOT corn and shrimp soup!!!!
16. Color of Lights on the tree? white
17. Favorite Christmas song? I like them all!!!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? depends on if Im working or not. I have loved waking up at home the last few years but am soooooo excited about getting to be in Baton Rouge at my grandparents this year.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Doubt it
20.. Angel on the tree top or a star? A big bow!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?Christmas eve is for sitting around with family. Present are not until Christmas day
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Coordinating schedules so we see everyone and everyone is happy
23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? Red and silver and snowmen!
24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? Depends on which family we are with.
25, What do you want for Christmas this year?To have a great trip to Baton Rouge and great visit with my family !

Pound for Pound Challenge

So I have been trying to lose some weight and have hit a wall. I want to lose 15 more pounds. So in addition to bumping up my exercise on my awesome new treadmill, I decided to make it about someone else. I joined the Pound for Pound challenge. I love The Biggest Loser. I have not missed an episode this season and am proud to say that I weigh over 20 pounds less than when this season started. Wish I had joined the challenge sooner. Oh well, there is still fat to get rid of :) For every pound of weight I pledge to lose, one pound of food will be donated to a food bank in Birmingham. Hopefully I can motivated and get to my goal soon. Please keep me accountable! I need it!!! Especially with all these holiday parties that are coming up :)

SEC Champions!!!

We had a blast tonight watching the Bama vs Florida game! And we are so excited about the results!!! Cant believe how badly we beat Florida! I dont think I will be able to talk tomorrow. My throat hurts so bad from yelling tonight. Cant wait for the national championship!

Merry Chistmas!

Christmas Decorations

Black Friday!!!

So today was Stephen's first Black Friday experience. I was really wanting to buy a treadmill and had gone to Sears earlier this week to figure out which one I wanted and how much it would be. The sales guy told me the price that it would be today. I was so excited! I was getting a great deal. Well our plan was to get up about 6 and head to Fayette to Sears to make the purchase and then come home. Easy enough. So about 3:00 this morning, I woke up and could not go back to sleep. I had been dreaming all night that they ran out of treadmills. So I laid there awhile and finally Stephen woke up. He could not go back to sleep either. So I suggested we just get up and head to the store. I said "Why don't we just go to Columbus cause the crowds wont be that bad this early". Wrong!!! We get to Sears and it is packed and to top it off the treadmill was priced that same as earlier this week. The online price was the same too. I was mad! So we got back in the car and drove (really quickly) back to Alabama and went to the Sears in Fayette. I got my treadmill and for the price I wanted. How two different Sears can have two different prices, I will never know. Stephen said, "While we are out, lets just go to Walmart!". Wrong again!! Oh my word, at the people! We bought a carpet cleaner that my husband has been longing for. I got some plates that I have been eyeing on the Christmas aisle. We were approaching the extremely long check out line when this sweet man came and told us they were checking people out in electronics and there was no line. I have never seen Stephen move so fast! We checked out in less than 5 minutes and were back out in the car as the sun was coming up. We must have lost our minds. Don't know why we did this. Stephen looked at me on the way home and said "Well I can certainly say that my life has been alot more interesting since I married you!" Ha ha oh well! Got to keep him on his toes! So proud of him for making it through his first Black Friday experience in Walmart and handling it like a champ! Truly impressed. Now he is cleaning carpet and I think I am about to crash and take a nap! Night night!!

Stephen's new toy

My receipt for my treadmill. It does not come in until Wednesday so I was sad cause I really wanted to walk off some of the turkey and dressing that I ate yesterday!