On the Twelfth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

As soon as I found out who my swap partner was I started drooling. Drooling because the woman is a baking fiend! Sure, she is a fantastic person for other reasons (a mother of three little men, a criminal law officer, a cancer survivor, a runner, etc), but her blog is overflowing with yummy recipes complete with step by step instructions and pictures.

I thought for sure she would fatten me up this holiday season, but everyday I opened my packages and...no goodies.

Until the 12th day!


A whole bag of candies, cookies, and tasty holiday treats! We skipped what I had planned for our Christmas Eve dessert and dined on these goodies.



Thank you Colleen for being a wonderful swap partner! I hope you enjoyed your 12 days as much as I enjoyed mine! Merry Christmas to you and to all you other bloggers and swappers out there!

{Eleventh Day} fuzzy socks
{Tenth Day} toasty toy
{Ninth Day} Glade candle
{Eighth Day} slippers
{Seventh Day} facial supplies
{Sixth Day} onions and salt and pepper shaker
{Fifth Day} bear
{Fourth Day} Milano cookies
{Third Day} ornament
{Second Day} hot chocolate
{First Day} blanket

And thank you to Sami for hosting this fantastic swap of 12 days! What a marvelous idea! Head on over HERE to see how the other swappers fared.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

When Jeigh opened this she proclaimed "It's a RUG!"

Haha! Not quite Jeigh! This is better!

Much MUCH better than any rug! Aaaaahhhhhhh!

This made me laugh...

It almost sounds like a Public Service Announcement... "Only YOU can prevent cold toes!" Hahaha!

Thank you Colleen! From me AND my very happy toes!

{Tenth Day}
{Ninth Day}
{Eighth Day}
{Seventh Day}
{Sixth Day}
{Fifth Day}
{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Tenth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

Dee is home from school for Christmas vacation today so he got the honors of opening up the tenth gift.


He could NOT figure out what this was supposed to be. He had all sorts of funny theories about it though.

It's a...a...You know...I'm not sure what you call it, but it's one of those things you can microwave and place on your neck or cold buns or whatever parts needs a little toasty TLC. And it smells wonderful!


Thank you Colleen!

{Ninth Day}
{Eighth Day}
{Seventh Day}
{Sixth Day}
{Fifth Day}
{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Ninth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

Another two-fer!



Yum! A candle and a plate! Can't wait to try these out!


Thanks Colleen!

{Eighth Day}
{Seventh Day}
{Sixth Day}
{Fifth Day}
{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Eighth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

Warm happy tootsies are always a good thing! Thank you Colleen!

{Seventh Day}
{Sixth Day}
{Fifth Day}
{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Seventh Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

Wow. The timing on this gift couldn't be any better. What a crummy Mommy day. Now if there was just a masseuse in the box to apply these for me...Haha!

Thank you Colleen! How on earth did you know how today was going to go??

{Sixth Day}
{Fifth Day}
{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Sixth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

After how well the 12 days gift went over yesterday {sigh}, I distracted my little helpers with some puzzles and ever-so-quietly opened up my sixth day swap present all by my self.

Today's package was a two-part gift! Woohoo! All the more to open up, my dear.



Onions and...


...a salt and pepper shaker set.


I've never seen these onions before; I bet they would be yummy on some soup or a salad. And the salt and pepper shakers I'm pretending are the two turtle doves of the 12 days. Thank you once again Colleen!

{Fifth Day}
{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Fifth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

The 12 Days of Christmas Swap has been going swappingly...until today.

I have been letting the girls help me open gifts and for the most part they have been excited to do the opening and hand over my prizes. Not today.

See how loving everyone is BEFORE we see what is in the package...


I tried. I tried to get a picture of the girls holding this cute little fellow. But that is difficult to do when one is crying and throwing a tantrum in her room and the other is gloating about not being sent to her room.


Looks like I may need to use this little guy as Colleen intended sooner rather than later.


Thanks Colleen...I think. ;)

{Fourth Day}
{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Fourth Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

***Remember to sign up for my Snugalicious Giveaway before Wednesday, December 15th at Midnight!!! THAT'S TODAY! GO HERE to enter!***


Elle's turn to help today...

She was much more genteel about opening the package than Jeigh was. There were many "oohs" and "aahs" before the first layer was even off.

Milano Cookies?! These are just like the gourmet hot chocolate flavors. I NEVER buy them, but I confess...I have found my self and my grocery cart stationed in front of them for several minutes considering it. These yummy cookies look rather absorbent; I bet they would be up for a little dip into a hot cup of cocoa. Looks like I have another date tonight!

That is IF they last until tonight... Milano Cookies for breakfast? Don't mind if we do!

Hidden goodies?? Colleen is so my kind of mom. Thank you so much Colleen!

{Third Day}
{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Third Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

***Remember to sign up for my Snugalicious Giveaway before Wednesday, December 15th at Midnight!!! GO HERE to enter!***


The guilt got to me today. Three sets of eyes watching me open my 12 Days of Christmas gifts for the past couple of days was too much to take. I gave in and let Jeigh help today.


A Nebraska Huskers Christmas ornament!


Methinks it was not such a good idea to let her help now. She's already asking repeatedly if it's time to open the next one yet. As if the temptation wasn't enough already!



Thank you Colleen!

{Second Day}
{First Day}

On the Second Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

I just can't resist a good hot cup of cocoa! I have one...or two {ahem}...daily. Thanks for feeding my habit, Colleen!

I can't wait to try the French Vanilla! I always want to try a new flavor other than traditional chocolate, but I have commitment issues. I just can't buy a whole new canister of an original flavor for fear that I'll hate it and have a whole canister of something sitting around going to waste.

French Vanilla, you and I have a date tonight! Thank you Matchmaker Colleen!

{First Day}

***Remember to sign up for my Snugalicious Giveaway before Wednesday, December 15th at Midnight!!! GO HERE to enter!***

On the First Day of Christmas My Swap Partner Gave to Me...

The First Annual Holiday Swap hosted by Sami and myself has officially begun!

I've been back and forth in my head about when to start opening my goodies in the HUGE box Colleen sent me. Should I start Sunday or Monday? Sunday? Monday?

The box that I set under the tree a few days ago has been calling out to me like Marley's ghost.

"Ooooooooooppppeeeennnn meeeeeeeee!! OOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEENNNNNNN MEEEEEEEE!"


How could I resist that? Sunday it is.

On the first day of Christmas my swap partner gave to me:


A blanket!


Which is a perfect by the way. Every few Christmases I seem to remember to get the kids new blankets and totally forget about my own chilly shoulders and lap. I watch my children all cuddly and warm under their soft fuzzy blankets and grow a little Grinch-green with envy. Problem solved! Thank you Colleen!

I loved the way she "labeled" the gift with a recipe card! Colleen is a Christmas baking fiend and it was a fun little personal touch. See how she wrote "Serves 1"? Take that kiddos! It's official! This blanket is all Mommy's!