Simply Hil

IS SINGING LOUD FOR ALL TO HEAR!  But, if that doesn't work just make these babies! Last Wednesday was my holiday baking day.  I made Andes Mint Cookies!  I'm not usually a fan of the little thin chocolaty mints but these cookies are so yummy.  They are also just a fun holiday cookie!  And yes, I am going to share the recipe with you. Andes Mint Cookies Ingredients: 1 c Sugar 1/2 c Brown sugar, packed 3/4 c Butter or margarine 2 Eggs 1 ts Vanilla 2 tb Water 3 c All-purpose flour 1 ts Baking soda 1/2 ts Salt 6 oz Andes mints Directions: In a large bowl, cream sugars and butter or margarine.  Add eggs and water.  Beat well.  Mix flour, soda and salt well.  Add gradually to egg mixture. Chill dough overnight (it is important that the dough be WELL chilled... I just set mine outside in the freezing cold for an hour). Wrap each mint completely in cookie dough.  Place 2" apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.  B...

I don't know about you, but I am all about procrastination.  I seem to be more motivated to do things the night before they need to be done rather than planning ahead of time.  I think this is the first year that I have all of my Christmas shopping done ... and there are still 12 days before Christmas!  So, since I have nothing else to do between now and Christmas (wink) I am going to give you some ideas so that you can get your shopping done like me! First off, I must say that online shopping is heaven sent.  I did all of my shopping online... mostly Amazon.com because I signed up for their free 2nd day shipping with Prime.  All you have to do is remember to cancel in a month so you don't get charged a fee!  There is also ETSY which is a site where people can sell their handmade/homemade items.  They have everything from jewelry to home decor.  I always end up spending WAY too much time looking at all of the things they have to offer. Ok, now that you know where to go here ar...

Yes, I caved. I am now offering Christmas cards in my shop . They are only $10! All you have to do is email me with your picture attached and I will email the card file to you so that you can send it in to your favorite photo printing place. I sent mine into (cough) Wal-mart (cough) and got 30 of them for $5 with their 1-hour photo! Not too shabby. Now if postage were just that cheap...

The other day my husband came home from work and informed me that his class (he is currently in grad school) was going to have a potluck for their last day.  First of all... this is a graduate program we are talking about and they are having a potluck party.  I thought all of that ended in High School, and even that was a stretch!  Oh well.  I was just jealous. I planned on making my famous chocolate chip cookies until he requested the Chocolate Caramel Bars (a.k.a Carmelitas in our household).  I couldn't have agreed more with him.  These things are deadly.  I am just warning you now.  They have got to be the most fattening, yet the most delicious treat out there.  I knew that if I made these for him to take he would be the coolest kid in class.  What wife doesn't want their husband to be the cool kid in class anyway? Long story short, I made them and they were a hit.  However, we still had a half a pan left (he only has like 15 kids er... adults in his class) so needless to s...

FALALA!  Yes, I am quoting "A Muppets Christmas Carol".  Gotta love it.  What?  You have never seen it?!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING READING THIS THEN?! GET OFF YOUR BOOTY AND GO WATCH IT!  Well, only if you want to.  You will love it.  But finish reading this first because it will be worth it. So, I know you are all thinking, "Gee, I sure wish I could decorate my blog like I decorate my house around Christmas time."  Well guess what?  Now ya can.  Not only that, but you can for FREE.  Want a cute blog like this: Well then, what are you waiting for?  Head on over to Simply Yours Designs and check out the Holiday Layout Freebies !  Yay!  Merry Christmas.  Keep checking back for more.  I'm only gettin' started... I know, I know... I'm a little late.  I don't even have my Christmas tree up yet... how sad is that?!  No worries though because it is going up tomorrow! One more thing!  If you happen to grab a free layout, come back and let me know so I can check i...

I got a new phone recently, due to signing my life away for two years to T-Mobile once again.  It is called the W490, not to be confused by the Razor or Krazor or Lazor or Fazor... sorry I couldn't resist rhyming a few more.  I don't care how much it looks like any of those, it is a W490.  It is such a cute phone and I LOVE that it is pink.  For one, it makes it so my husband doesn't decide to trade me phones because mine "fits in his pocket better" like what happened last time we got new phones.  However, that did work out for the best because he gave me a really great phone that lasted 3 years and is still going strong. The coolest part about my new phone is that I can receive e-mails.  After about a week of having my phone I decided to play around with it while I was waiting to fall asleep one night.  I discovered that it had an application for email.  I knew that in order to receive email you had to pay extra and have it added to your plan and yadda yadda, but...

I have a new found love.  It is WinCo's bulk food section.  Have you guys ever seen this?  Sure, I had heard of it and even passed by it the one time I had ever been to Winco but I didn't understand the complete and utter awesomeness of it.  My husband and I spent a good 30 to 45 minutes looking at all the things they had to offer.  They had all kinds of things from laffy taffy to all-natural-press-it-yourself almond butter.  What the heck is almond butter anyway?  Why would ANYONE not want peanut butter (which happens to be my #2 favorite food, cookie dough being my #1)??!!  Anyway, back to the bulk foods.  We ended up getting all sorts of dried fruit, i.e. bananas, mangos, cherries, dates (that was my husbands pick).  We also got peanut butter filled pretzels (absolute heaven), and a 10-grain pancake mix which we tried tonight and it was delicious.  I couldn't believe the savings.  It was rediculous really, and made me feel stupid for not shopping there all the time!  So,...