Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice-box Cake

So today for Family Night I made this heavenly dessert. It was seriously so easy to make and it tasted so amazing! I just had to share. It is from Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine, which is my all-time go to mag for recipe ideas!!

• 2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter (not unsalted)
• 1 box (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups cream with sugar until soft peaks form. In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter until soft and smooth; whisk in 1/2 cup cream until light and fluffy. Fold peanut-butter mixture into whipped cream until incorporated.
2. Dab the bottom of 6 cookies with a very small amount of cream mixture and arrange in a circle on a serving plate; place 1 cookie in the middle of circle. Top with cup cream mixture, spreading outward to cover all but outer edges of cookies. Repeat process five more times (staggering the cookie layers), ending with cream. Cut 3 cookies in half; decorate top of cake with cookie halves.
3. Refrigerate cake at least 8 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

I refrigerated mine for about 6 hours, and then put it in the freezer about an hour before I served it! Enjoy!!

College for Crazies

Last month the boys school had a college bound day, they were encouraged to wear something from their favorite school. So it turned out to be a 'wear your parents alma mater day' and all of our kids dressed in BYU blue! Although BYU is a fantastic school, I don't want to claim that as my own. I attended the more 'prestigious'(not) Southern Oregon University or SOSC (southern oregon state college, in my day)!

Could they be any cuter??
(and yes, I did talk to my boys about the weird camera face, what does that represent?)

On a side note, the boys came home the other day saying 'ducks rule, beavers drool', I am so glad they are learning important life lessons at school! If I had to choose an Oregon team, my vote is for the Beavers, because their colors are orange and black, and we all know how much I love Halloween!

How Sweet is Six?

Yesterday the twins turned six!! I sure do love those little guys. They never cease to amaze me with their wit, they are a comedic duo those two. We are sure in for a crazy ride when they get older! They are so inquisitive, and have a zest for learning. They are kind, and think of others, and love to help around the house. Aiden learned to load the dishwasher just this week! They are so imaginative, and come up with the funnest home-made games. Life just wouldn't be the same without them. We are blessed to be their parents, and look forward to the many years of wonderful memories we will create. Happy Birthday to the two most handsome twins I have ever seen!!

Too Cool

Anden didn't break his model pose the whole time, we were cracking up!

Anden

Aiden

Aiden

Anden

Brothers for life

My favorite photo of all time.

Roaming Santa

We loved finding this jolly old fella on our door step this season. Kudos to whoevers brainchild this was! The kids were so excited, they wanted to keep him forever, and who could resist a three foot tall plastic Santa?? After I read the corresponding note, and took some memorable pictures, Ashden literally picked him up and ran him over to our new neighbors house. I am sure they were more than thrilled with this housewarming gift. However, after five straight nights of Santa not moving an inch from their porch, we had to take matters into our own hands, and send Santa on his way. So Ashden swept him away and we descended upon another unsuspecting household. I pity the family that gets to store him until next year!! Enjoy.

Here is Ashden ready to run!

Happy Holley-Days and a New Year too!

I just can't seem to get that last batch of Christmas cards out! I ran out of stamps, and haven't had time to go and get more, so if you haven't received your card yet, maybe you will get it sometime next year! Here is a glimpse of what you missed! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. This year was such a magical one for us. We feel so blessed and loved. Thanks to all of you who sent cards to us, it was a record year. I love to hang on to them from year to year to see how much everyone has changed.

Merry Christmas

Ryan-Continues to excel in college, and is on-track to graduate in Fall of 2011. He enlisted in the National Guard and is set for boot camp this coming spring! We are so proud of his decision to serve our country.
Kari-Enjoys the triumphs and trials the children bring, and knows that these precious moments are fading way to fast. She enjoys her time volunteering at school and church, and is thankful for the blessings she receives.
Aiden & Anden-Started Kindergarten this fall and are doing fantastic, thanks in part to wonderful teachers and staff! Their little eyes just sparkle with delight each time they learn something new. Aiden wants to be a scientist, and Anden wants to be the guy who pays for everything! I’ll let you know as soon as we find out what that might be!!
Ashden-He is my little Jekyll & Hyde. One minute he is just the sweetest thing on the face of the earth, and the next, he has started the microwave on fire!! He will certainly give us a run for our money, or spend all of it on repairs!!
Adeline-Has turned into quite the little lady! Her vocabulary grows every day, and her favorite word is ‘baby‘. She is Miss Sassy Pants, and knows that she has all of her brothers (and Daddy) wrapped around her little finger!!

You can check out all the latest and greatest moments of our lives at www.thejollyholleys.blogspot.com! We hope this card finds you healthy and happy, and full of joy for what 2010 will bring. Please keep us in your prayers, as we keep you in ours.

Love, The Holley's

Ashland Extravaganza

This parade kicks off our Christmas season each year. It is always the Friday after Thanksgiving, and we haven't missed one since the boys were born! Parking is crazy, it is freezing cold, and the line to see Santa is about an hour long, but in the end, it is so worth it. The parade is super short, I think there were only about 14 entries, but they pass out good candy, they always give away books, Starbucks gives out free hot chocolate down at the plaza, and Santa is good for a few candy canes, so there is plenty of fun to go around. We love it and we hope you will too!

Waiting for the parade to start!

Gingerbread man from The Nutcracker.

Carolers
(These ladies also did the "Ten Virgins" for our church this past spring)

Cutest Snowmen ever!

The kids thought this guy was so funny, and can't wait to make a snowman so they can put a ton of carrots on his head!!

Jolly Old St. Nick!!!

(This picture is courtesy of the Mail Tribune, but it just shows you the sheer number of people that end up at the plaza to watch the lights turn on in Ashland!)

A Reason for the Season

Before I start with my annual montage of Holley-Day Hodge Podge, let me share my favorite Christmas song, along with a fabulous video I got off of You Tube last year. (Pause my playlist to enjoy the music with the video).