Busy Crazy Life

Christmas Trees

Here are some of the trees we saw this year.

This had to be my favorite.

Babcock Ranch, America's first solar powered town. Fort Myers, FL

Tree on the porch.

Edison Ford Estate, Fort Myers, FL

Living Room of Thomas Edison's Winter Home

Edison Ford Estate

Bromeliad Christmas Tree

Holiday House of Fort Myers and Fort Myers Christmas in the Park.

Christmas at the Dirt Track

Epcot

Poinsettias that I found at Costco

An Ivanka Trump Ornament a gift from a friend. Stunning.

Well that's it for this holiday season.

I wonder what good things 2018 will bring.

Happy New Year!

Cheesy Mini Peppers

A simple and tasty appetizer showing off the holiday colors

8 ounces softened cream cheese spread, such as Rondele, Alouette or Boursin

4 mini red bell peppers, halved and seeded

4 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded

Chopped chives, for garnish

Smear the cream cheese spread inside the hollowed-out halves of the sweet peppers and jalapenos. Sprinkle on chopped chives.

Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond

Yum

While You Were Sleeping

Lyrics

Oh little town of Bethlehem

Looks like another silent night

Above your deep and dreamless sleep

A giant star lights up the sky

And while you're lying in the dark

There shines an everlasting light

For the King has left his throne

And is sleeping in a manger tonight

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

For God became a man

And stepped into your world today

Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping

Oh little town of Jerusalem

Looks like another silent night

The Father gave his only Son

The Way, The Truth, the Life had come

But there was no room for Him in the world he came to save

Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today

Jerusalem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping

United States of America

Looks like another silent night

As we're sung to sleep by philosophies

That save the trees and kill the children

And while we're lying in the dark

There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky

For the Bridegroom has returned

And has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping

Will Jesus come again

And leave us slumbering where we lay

America will we go down in history

As a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping

Songwriters: John Mark Hall

Casting Crowns

May we not sleep in 2018

Party Poppers

Spicy two-bite appetizer stuffed with chicken-cream cheese filling and wrapped in some hickory-smoked bacon.

12 medium jalapeno chiles

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

12 hickory-smoked bacon slices, cut in half

24 wooden picks

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut each chile in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes.

2. Stir together cream cheese, chicken, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons chicken mixture into each chile half, spreading to fill cavity. Wrap each half with a bacon piece, and secure with a wooden pick. Place poppers on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven until bacon begins to crisp and chiles are softened, about 25 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil, and broil until bacon is crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Southern Living

Yum

Sausage-Cream Cheese Crescent Bundles

Hot pork sausage and cream cheese, sounds like a perfect combine for this bite full of goodness.

1/2 lb bulk hot pork sausage

1/2 cup spicy jalapeño cream cheese spread (from 8-oz container)

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dough sheet

or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain.

Unroll dough on work surface. Press into 12x9-inch rectangle. If using crescent roll dough, firmly press perforations to seal. With pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares.

Place about 1 rounded teaspoon sausage on center of each dough square. Top with about 1 teaspoon cream cheese. Bring 4 corners together to overlap slightly in center at top of each bundle. Twist and pinch to seal, leaving small gaps between seams. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Tips

Garnish these sausage bites with a dollop of sour cream and a cilantro sprig.

Too spicy? Substitute plain cream cheese or garden vegetable cream cheese spread for the spicy jalapeño cream cheese spread.

From Pillsbury

Yum

You

I thought this was fitting as we make our New Year Resolutions.

Last year my New Year Resolutions was Simplicity and I kept it! It was a working progress through out the year and something that I will still carry out in the new year. But this year my New Year Resolution is all about Health.

Healthy Choices - Healthy Lifestyle

Now that doesn't mean I can't be bad. It just means I need to be more aware of what I am putting in my mouth day after day and being more aware of my physical activity. I will still eat what I crave and have those days that I just need to hold the couch down, but I need more good days to fill this coming year.

How about you, what is your New Year Resolution?

Penterest