Hunt and Cut - 2011

My FAVORITE Montana tradition is cutting down a Christmas tree

(my California trees were usually purchased at Target).

We call this wonderful day

"Hunt and Cut"

and this year I made a special treat for the event....

Candy melt pretzel trees on coconut cupcakes!

Here's how to do it...

Gather all supplies- pretzel sticks, Candy Melts, a small zip-lock, and cupcakes.  

1. Prepare the Candy Melts according to the directions and place it in a small zip-lock bag.
Then, cut the tip off the corner of the bag (better to start with a small snip and make it bigger if needed).

2. Make a small strip of candy melts on wax paper (a little over half the length of the pretzel).

3. Place a pretzel rod on top of the candy melt strip. 

4. Starting at the top of the pretzel lightly squeeze the bag and create "branches".

5. Cross over the pretzel to the other side and....

6. Create "branches" on the other side.

7. Let the trees dry.

8. Place tree in a cupcake (I made coconut cupcakes to look like snow) and TA-DA!!

A forest of trees!

These would also be fun to decorate with sprinkles and other colors of Candy Melts.
I kept them all natural... just like the tree I chopped!

THE Pioneer Woman and ME!

I. Met. The Pioneer Woman. 

Ree Drummond (insert SCREAM here)!!!!!!

Just for the record, I'm NOT a person who gets star-struck. Seriously. 

I could meet Brad Pitt tomorrow and not really care (ok, slight exaggeration), 

BUT you get the point. 

However, when we decided we were going to make the 4 hour drive to Great Falls, MT

to meet Ree Drummond and hear her speak

I was so EXCITED and NERVOUS!!!

Here's the story.....

Back in March (SUPER late post, I know),

(photo by Mary Tepas)

.... A group of us girls from church who all love Ree went for a fun road trip.

Car 1 = Kelly, Chelsea, Me, Elisha and Andrea.

Car 2 = Amanda, Sarah, Crystal and Cary

4 hours of Driving, munchies and then to Macaroni Grill & shopping.

 

Now, if you know me, you know that I am competitive.
This came in very handy this weekend.
I was DETERMINED that we needed to be there EARLY 
and get the BEST seats possible.
Well, we not only got there early, we were the 1st ones there!
The FRONT row seats were officially ours 
(after some investigating, scoping out, waiting in line and bribes... ok, no bribes).

There she is!
See NO ONE in front of us. 
She did a great job of sharing her story and afterward she signed books. 
The line to get our books signed was super long, but SO worth it.

Ree and I!!!!

I don't really remember what I said because I was SO nervous. 

I said something about wanting to ask questions during her Q&A,

but was too nervous. I encouraged her in her public speaking skills 

(friends encourage each other)

and told her that I'm from Cali living in Montana and can relate to some of her stories.

OH and I told her how I adore her. Yep, It was AWESOME!

Then one by one, all the girls got to chat with her and get something signed

(Elisha had a rolling pin signed... genius). 

She loved us... obviously. 

AND Ree requested a picture with all of us 
(even though we were planning on it anyways).

The 10 Kalispell gals with Ree!!! 

(Elisha, Crystal, Me, Chelsea, Andrea, Cary, Sarah, Amanda, Kelly and Mary)

After we met Ree and went to dinner, we went back to the hotel and 
I wrote Ree a note on her facebook page.
The next day she wrote back!!!!!!!

 She is so sweet and fun and I'm pretty sure some day we'll be BFF. 
I did email the picture above (thanks Tim for taking it!) and invited her to Kalispell. 
One can dream.
All in all it was a SPECTACULAR time with friends 
AND getting to meet some special.

The End.

Vintage Whites Market

Have you ever found something that you were so excited about that you wanted to tell everyone? But on the other hand you didn't want to tell a soul, so that you could keep it all to yourself? Well, that is exactly how I felt last month after visiting the Vintage Whites Market.

My dear friend Sara called me and told me about it and asked if I wanted to go and I'm so glad I said yes!!! We woke up super early, well for a Saturday, packed a breakfast and headed to Somers. The line had already formed, so we quickly jumped in and waited till 9am when the market opened.

Pretty sunflowers in the neighborhood.

Ella eating scones.

Peaches. Emma is such an intense eater, it's adorable.

Sara saw an add for the market on craigslist and there was a $20 gift certicficate to the market for the 1st person in line and a fabric rosette for the next 9 people. We weren't 1st, but we didn't even care anymore once we got there and found out the girl who got there 1st had been there since 7:45. We were 4th and 5th :)

Here's the line of people.

The market is at an adorable house.

They also sell yummy baked goods.

They have a white truck parked on the highway directing people to the market.

Here's me and my treasures! I absolutely love everything I purchased (an old Pepsi bottle crate, a glass jar with wooden aqua lid and a white pedestal bowl).

Needless to say we couldn't wait to go back next month (they only have it once a month which I think is genius!)!!!

The days and weeks passed and Sara and I laughed at how excited we were to go back and how if we were going to buy something we would weigh it against buying something at VWM. Basically we're obsessed.

So this past Saturday we woke up early and headed to Somers, but this time with friends. Yes, we told people about it, we're such good friends ;-)

We had quite the crew and we even braved the rain.

This time I only purchased a new jar, but it was still so fun to go!

Oh, I also purchased a cookie for Sara and I since last time I purchased cookies for us, they mysteriously disappeared... seriously.

Afterwards we all went to Buns by the Lake for breakfast. It was a gloomy, but fantastic Saturday morning.

Counting down till next month!!!