The Christmas season is here! Time for shopping, baking, ugly Christmas sweaters, and our favorite Christmas carols.
I’m waiting for the first time when I hear Mariah Carey’s song “All I Want for Christmas is You” on the radio. This pretty much kicks the season off for me, but my husband has to be with me. It’s OK if it comes on before; it just gives me time to practice. But when I hear the first few seconds of the opening, I prepare myself for the long “I” to kick it off. As soon as Chris hears the opening, he looks at me, and I give him my big cheesy smile. He knows what’s coming and starts bracing himself. Ba-haha!
I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is youuuuuuuu
(I really slay the ‘you.’ I get into er’)
Last year, it came on in the car, and the kids were in the backseat. They knew what was coming. It was perfect because my hair was down, and I had a cute beanie on my head with my big, fancy long fur jacket. (Yes, I know, Andrea owns fur!? What!?) It’s my coat I splurged on when I had lost all my weight. It just has brown fur around the neck and down through the chest, then the rest is tan and long with a wrap around the waist. I feel pretty darn bougie in this thing. Fancy schmancy. I get so many comments when I wear it. But when I wear it and sing this song, I mean, I pretty much feel like Mariah herself. I use the fur to really work the song while I sing it to my man. Adds a touch of somethin’ somethin’ when I am singing my heart out to Chris about only wanting him for Christmas. I don’t use a fake mic or anything. I have a fur coat, so I don’t need one. I’m Mariah, duh! *Insert a large cheesy smile here*
On the other side of things, I’ll rock the crap out of an ugly Christmas sweater. I used to think they were so tacky until I went to my very first ugly sweater party years ago. I didn’t have one and didn’t feel like spending thirty bucks on one, either. I remembered my Momma had quite a beauty and thought I’d ask her to borrow it. I always teased her about it because it had all these white cotton balls-looking things on it for snowflakes, but she had it for years. Way before ugly Christmas sweaters were even a thing. When I asked her if I could borrow her snowman sweater with the big snowflakes for an ugly Christmas sweater party, I think I kinda offended her — even though I (and my brother) had been teasing her about this sweater for years. It was worth asking, though, because guess who won first place for the ugliest Christmas sweater!? Yes, ME!!! First place for the most awesome snowman big snowball sweater you ever did see! Momma never wore that sweater after that. I asked her, “Hey, where is your first-place snowflake sweater? You haven’t worn it at all?” When she told me she got rid of it, I kinda felt bad for two reasons. One, she really did love that sweater and wore it through the winter. I felt bad that she felt so bad that she got rid of it. Two, that baby took first place! She got rid of a first-place sweater that could have won at more ugly Christmas sweater parties! That baby was still in its prime! Haha!
So, it’s that time, y’all. Bust out the bougie fur coats and, sing Mariah, and borrow ugly sweaters from your Momma because the holidays are here!!
Christmas Crunch Cake
Ingredients:
• 16 Nature Valley crunchy granola bars oats ‘n honey, crushed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8 oz.) container extra creamy whipped topping
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla
• 1/3 cup Christmas sprinkles
Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together crushed granola bars, melted butter and sugar until well mixed. Press half of the mixture into a 9 by 9-inch baking pan that has been generously sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
In mixer, beat cream cheese, condensed milk, whipped topping and vanilla. Fold in sprinkles, reserving about 1 tablespoon for the topping.
Spread whipped mixture on top of crust. Top with remaining granola bar mixture and sprinkle with the rest of the sprinkles. Cover and freeze for 4-6 hours.
