Good morning, my fabulous friends! Christmas is almost here and I’m officially home for the holidays! It feels so good to be at my parents’ place and we’re picking my grandma up at the airport late this morning.
Ryan and I had a great weekend together and made quite a dent in our December to Remember list. We spent all day on Saturday Christmas shopping and then after dinner, we piled into the car with Sadie and headed out to look at Christmas lights around Ocala. It was such a nice evening and it felt great not to have any commitments other than soaking up the holiday cheer around us.
On Sunday morning, Ryan and I attended the 8:30 a.m. church service and then enjoyed a coffee and doughnut date!
If you’re a doughnut lover and happen to find yourself driving through Ocala sometime, you must stop at Tas-T-O’s for an apple fritter. If you hate it, I’ll give you a billion dollars.
And here’s a quick tip for those who like eggnog and want a treat: Next time you go to Starbucks, order a chai latte with eggnog instead of milk. It’s fabulous!
My other go-to drink at Starbucks during the holidays is a half vanilla, half peppermint cappuccino. Yum!
Once we arrived back home, we went on a four-mile hike with Sadie before I headed to Jacksonville and Ryan met up with a friend to golf. (Ryan will be meeting me in Jacksonville as soon as he gets off work early on Christmas Eve!)
I headed to Jacksonville early because I wanted to be here to take my mom to the hospital today for surgery. (To respect her privacy, I’d rather not share details, but I will say that her surgery is unrelated to her previous battle with breast cancer and she will be released on Christmas Eve.) I’m glad I can be here to help and spend time with her!
My mom is a trooper and last night I set her up with Netflix so she can start to watch Scandal if she cannot sleep while she’s spending the night at the hospital tonight. Ryan and I signed up for Netflix last week and I’m officially addicted to Scandal. It totally sucks me in and I know my mom will love it, too.
After I told my mom that she needs to watch Scandal, we started discussing our holiday menu for the next few days. My mind seems to gravitate toward sweets first, so we started talking about Christmas cookies and my favorite monkey bread that we eat for breakfast every Christmas morning. Both are on my “must make” list this week!
Just in case you are in need of some inspiration for some festive sweet treats this week, here are a few of my favorites:
I hope your Monday flies by!
Question of the Morning
- What holiday treat are you looking forward to enjoying this week?
On the top of my list is monkey bread. It’s the BEST!
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apple fritters are the BEST type of donuts!!
Bellamy Young who plays Millie is one of my cousin’s best friends! She is my favorite character on that show. Oh, and I would KILL to have every item in Olivia Pope’s closet…just saying
No way!!!! And yes, Olivia’s clothes are amazing! She’s gorgeous!
Julie, praying for your Mom. May the grace of God be with her, the doctors, and all those caring for her.
Thank you so much for this sweet comment, Ashley. 🙂
Keeping your mom in my prayers this week!
Thank you, Jenn!
Ah! Scandal!! I totally got sucked into the show.
Your mom now won’t sleep just to find out the source and culprits of the citron card!
Ah! Scandal!! I totally got sucked into the show.
Your mom now won’t sleep just to find out the source and culprits of the citron card!
Best wishes to your mom! I wish her a speedy recovery! I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.
Wishing your mom a quick recovery!!
Crinkle cookies are hands down my favorite 🙂
Have a great holiday and sending <3 to your mom!
Those apple fritters sound amazing! And I have never tried eggnog, it’s not something we drink in Australia, and I have been in Turkey the past 5 years, and they don’t have it here, either! Unfortunately this will be my 5th year away from family for Christmas, and it’s kind of a non-even here in Turkey. Bit bummed to be away this year as I have a 2 month old baby 🙁 Hopefully in the near future we’ll have a Christmas in Australia.
Scandal is basically a drug, it is so addicting! Every single episode ends in a twist so you just -have- to keep watching. I used to make fun of my boyfriend because he watched Breaking Bad in its entirety in two weeks(totally left me in the dust!) but according to him I’m just as hooked on Scandal! Olivia is my spirit animal.
Also I just signed up for Stitch Fix! After seeing it on your blog and deciding that I want to look cute again I took the plunge!
Hahha! Love the “Olivia is my spirit animal.” 🙂
Hope you and your family have a very wonderful Christmas. Here’s to a speedy recovery for your mom! What a gift to have her home by Christmas Eve!
Monkey bread is my favorite! It’s also a tradition for us to eat it on Christmas morning!
Prayers for your mom Julie. Scandal is awesome, I hope she enjoys it!
I got Netflix and flew through the first two seasons of Scandal! Currently I’m binge watching Friday Night Lights. Never watched it when it was on, but I’m addicted now. Definitely recommend it once you’re all caught up with Scandal. Merry Christmas to your family and happy thoughts to your mom!
Hope everything with your mom is okay.
I need to start baking so I can start eating all the delicious treats. I’m dying to make a bunch of different cookies this year, so tomorrow will be a busy day.
Can’t wait for today to be over so Christmas can be here already.
I’m definitely looking forward to Apple Crisp Christmas morning but after only a couple, I think I’m already over the Christmas cookies (how bad is that?!). ha! 😉
Sending good thoughts to your mom!
I have to tell you – that picture of the donuts you put on instagram yesterday was the sole reason my husband and i went on a donut date after church too! so worth it.
Enjoy being home, and I hope your mom’s surgery goes well! I am making sausage ball and white chocolate popcorn and pretzels today!
My sister made peppermint bark last Sunday, though she used a different recipe. It was so good, and we actually made it last until Friday. Though, it mostly got eaten at my parent’s small group Monday night.
I thought it was pretty funny that my sister just took it outside and kept it on the hood of my dad’s Mustang to solidify. One of the benefits of living in the Midwest when you don’t have enough fridge space!
Just made a chocolate ganache tart!!!! Hope you have an awesome Christmas!
Your grandmother’s sugar cookies have officially become a family tradition in my house! I don’t usually like sugar cookies, and these fit the bill perfectly. I can’t wait to make them tomorrow!
Best wishes to your mom!
It is only day 2 of our vacation and I have already had too many sweets but tis’ the season right!? Enjoy your time with family! 🙂
I’ve heard Scandal is a great show, but I’m almost hesitant to watch it because there’s only two seasons to watch! I feel like I’ll get all into it and then it’ll abruptly stop until the next season comes on Netflix. I guess that’s how they all happen though, right? LOL.
Oh my, I adore sweets too. I want ALL the cookies, and ALL the pies, and ALL the cakes… 🙂 Unfortunately we’re not “home for the holidays” this year, so there aren’t nearly as many treats around as there usually are when we’re in AZ. I guess I should fix that!
Best wishes to your mom! She will never get to sleep if she starts watching scandal.. that show has unbelievable powers to suck you in!!!!!!!!!!!
So true!! Maybe it wasn’t the best recommendation for someone who needs rest… 🙂
Sending positive thoughts your moms way! She’s lucky to have you home with her. I hope you all have a marvelous Christmas!
UGH those donuts look so delicious! I’m craving one right now thank to ya ;). I’m a huge sucker for bakeries and baked goods- especially donuts!
Great roundup for cookies as well 😀
Thinking of your mom this week! Hope all goes well. If you make those chocolate crinkle cookies, you should try adding a dark chocolate kiss to the center right when they come out of the oven. It’s out of this world! Those cookies are on my list every year. I don’t make them with cake mix, though, I think I get the recipe off of Hershey’s site.
Sorry to hear that your mom needs surgery and I hope she recovers quickly. I think monkey bread needs to be part of my Christmas too!
PS My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago (chemo and radiation), so I know how hard that can be. 🙁 She is doing great now and I hope your mom is in the clear as well.
Thank you, Linda! So glad to hear your mom is doing so well!
Two words: Crack Bark. (aka, salted chocolate/caramel pretzel bark). It’s the most addictive thing I’ve ever eaten- and the perfect combination of salty and sweet. I can’t make it without eating half the pan, and it’s incredibly easy! Praying for your Mom Julie!
I’m embarrassed to say that it only took me about 2 weeks to watch all of Scandal available on Netflix. SO addicting! Hoping that all goes well with your mom’s surgery!
OMG those white chocolate dipped oreos look incredible. Thanks for the sweet treat ideas, I have a lot of family coming over and I know they’re going to love the oreos especially. Also, great thinking with the eggnog-chai latte, sounds like the perfect combination of spicy and eggy-noggy. Glad you’re home safely and merry Christmas!
I’ve never tried monkey bread, I guess I need to try that everyone seems to love it! Scandal is so addicting, I need to catch up. Prayers for your mom.
I’m keeping your mom in my thoughts and prayers!
Best wishes to your mom for a quick recovery! My mom made monkey bread for breakfast yesterday morning and it was so so good 🙂
I will definitely keep your mom in my prayers! My mom has been going through some medical problems too lately and may have to have surgery. Have a Merry Christmas!
That half vanilla half peppermint cappuccino sounds super good! I might have to try that this week ;). Yum!! Cake crinkles are the best!! They are always so chewy, or at least the ones I have. I had totally forgotten about those too haha it’s been a couple years since I had one. I’m looking forward to having some cupcakes and ice cream!!
I’m actually making OhSheGlow’s Chocolate Torte for my family this evening. Last time I made it no one even imagined it was made with avocado. 🙂
It doesn’t matter what it is… I’m saying a prayer for your Mommy! Glad she will be home for Christmas. 🙂
Hope your mom is feeling great and enjoys her Christmas Eve back home! And by the way, what is monkey bread and it is a secret family recipe or could you share? Our house could use a good Christmas morning recipe!
i’m praying that your mom has a speedy recovery! <3
i haven't started watching scandal yet, but i've heard such great things and plan on starting season 1 asap!
I made some peanut butter blossoms and white chocolate dipped pretzels, but white chocolate dipped oreos sound amazing! I’ll have to try that someday!
Looking forward to my moms home made pies, and ALL of my aunts amazing home cooked food! Also, a glass of wine or two with family!
Those cupcakes are so cute! I can’t wait for my Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies. Loving being home for the holidays.
Netflix is basically the greatest invention ever. I also started watching Scandal (literally…I’m on season 1 episode 3) but so far I love it! I hope everything with your mom goes well, and that you and your family have a happy holiday!
Such a great show! I just finished the 2nd season and hope the 3rd will be added to Netflix soon!!
Praying for a speedy recovery for your mom!! A good TV show is just what she needs to keep her mind off any pain or discomfort but after all she has been through she sounds like she will be just fine 🙂 A very Merry Christmas to you and your family!
BTW I am drooling over that peppermint popcorn! I must make some tonight!
ALL those treats look SO perfect for the holiday!!
And sending your mom and family a ton of happy healthy vibes! She’s such a strong lady, I’m sure she’ll do just great!
My in-laws have an old family recipe for homemade Toffee, and it is to die for!
I made your peppermint bark for the first time last year for BOTH my family get togethers and it was such a hit. So I just made a double batch for this year :)! Sending well wishes to your mama Julie!