Hi January! & Hi 2015! --Some News & Help Required--

Happiest of holidays to you! Basically a super late "Merry Christmas" and a kind of late "Happy New Year"!

I have a special little Sunday blog post for you today!
My first ever Sunday blog post!

I had every intention of not taking so much time "off" from Blogland during the holidays, but things didn't turn out that way. I have a really large family, which meant lots and lots of different Christmas get-togethers, my best friend got engaged (see pic below of my excitement), and I've just been soaking up all of this time with everyone. I had mentioned that I didn't feel like I got to enjoy Thanksgiving this year because of my insane work schedule, so I took a little extra time to enjoy everything this holiday break had to offer. However, I've had quite a bit going on behind the scenes of The Best Of Intentions this break and I wanted an opportunity to clue you in and ask for some advice/assistance.

The Best Of Intentions is going to be getting a fairly serious face-lift in January 2015. I'm talking botox, lip injections, implants, liposuction - the whole she-bang! For my 25th birthday I've decided to give a gift to my blog, because that obviously makes perfect sense.

Right before Halloween I had a crazy idea pop into my head and I let it sit in there for a few weeks before I told anyone about it, just to see if I was still excited about it or if it was just one of those things. Mid-Novemeber I finally mentioned it to someone, but I really wanted to let simmer a little longer. I wanted to make sure that I was sure and I wanted to make sure that this wasn't just a crazy idea. It's January now and I've filled an entire notebook with thoughts and plans and excitement. I'm still really excited.

I'm telling you all of that to tell you all of this: I'm going to be changing my blog name (among other things). I never really fell in love with "The Best Of Intentions" and it doesn't quite have what I'm looking for anymore. Since I had decided to change my name, I started thinking about making some other changes as well. Particularly the Blogger vs. Wordpress decision.

From all of you I'm looking for some advice, comments, questions, concerns, etc. The good and the bad!
-- If I do decide to switch to Wordpress, I'm going to need some help/a lot of help - Any recommendations? Any comments at all?
-- When I change my blog name, I want to purchase the domain name. If possible I'd like to stay away from GoDaddy.com. I haven't heard the best things and I'd love some new suggestions. Who did you use?
-- Blog name suggestions? I know that's fairly personal, but I'm open to anything.
-- Also, tips on how to deal with changing my name and Bloglovin? Like how does this work.. ?

Last but not at all least, I just have to say that I wouldn't be putting any of this work in this little piece of the internet if I didn't have all of you. I never thought anyone except my parents would read anything I wrote and I could never have imagined actually making friends via Blogland. Seriously, and from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you and think you're the greatest!

Get ready 2015, I'm comin' for ya!

Three, Two, One..

Three .. Things I Did This Weekend
-- I had my first family Christmas on Saturday! My brother and sister-in-law hosted at their house and everyone chipped in and brought different kinds of soups, sandwiches, and desserts. Very successful, very fun! We played a White Elephant game or Dirty Santa game, everyone has a different name for it. I ended up with this cute IU snowman and some scratch-off lottery tickets.

Overall it was a pretty perfect day. We watched the IU game, we talked and laughed, and we played some gambling dice and card game and my stepdad ending up winning a ton of quarters. Yay for Christmas family fun!

-- My brother and sister-in-law live about 45 minutes away from my parents' house and my parents, myself, and my 2 younger siblings all rode in one car on the way there. Well, in the car we listened to episode 1 of the Serial podcast that everyone is obsessed with. So I am now officially one of the cool kids and I have officially started the series. Honestly, I find it incredibly fascinating that so many people are obsessed with this podcast. It's almost like people forget that this is an actual, real-life murder case and not a story. This has to be a psychologist's dream case-study.

-- My sister, my aunt, and I went to my grandparents' house yesterday to make Christmas candy! We ended up only making peanut brittle and hard crack candy in 4 flavors. My grandma was an overachiever and had already made the cookies before we got there.

Two .. Apps I Downloaded Last Week
-- Trivia Crack

My sister's friend got me and my sister to download it last week and we've all been pretty obsessed since then. It's very similar to the board game Trivial Pursuit. It is ridiculously fun and addicting. If you download it and want to play me, I think my username is kstoll129? Or search for "Kristen Stoll" and my photo will be a picture of me and my sister.

-- Rookie

One of my new favorite picture editing apps! I still have a soft spot in my heart for VSCOcam, but I do love Rookie. Tons of great filters and possible edits! Highly recommend.

One.. Regret I Have This Morning
-- I have a small tray in my bathroom of perfumes and body sprays that I use on the daily. I have my favorites though and so I always tend to use the same scents over and over again. This morning I decided to try a scent I had never worn and I didn't buy and it wasn't a gift, so I'm not actually sure where it came from. Instead of doing the normal thing and sniffing it before spritzing it on my wrists, I just spritz. Instant regret. I hate the way it smells. And it is STRONG. And awful. And now I'm sitting at my desk and it's the only thing I can smell. I have no idea why I'm sharing this with you.

Happy Monday, people!

CAN YOU BELIEVE CHRISTMAS IS THIS WEEK?!

Lots Of Laughs For You! (Vine Part 3)

I spent 2 hours working on a post last night and then realized this morning that I didn't want to post it yet because I didn't have a photo to include in the post. I'm ridiculous.

Then this morning I was scrambling trying to think of a post I could write quickly and include a photo or a gif or something that I already have. So naturally instead of being productive I got on social media and started wasting time. BUT THEN I opened my Vine app and all was right in the world and I decided on a post for today!

Previous Vine posts: Part 1 here, Part 2 here. I recommend them, a lot.

A special message to all my Christmas music haters. CHEERS! 

Dying.. THIS IS ME IN THE CAR.

This isn't funny at all, but I can't stop laughing.

The wig. His brother popping in. All of it. LOL

I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING! "I don't even drink coffee!" HAHAHAH

Wait for it.. Wait for it.. Dare you not to laugh.

Merry Christmas, Haterz!

But this is serious actually.. Ain't nobody got time for you 200 second long Snapchat. Stop.

"It was raining CARBS!" LOL

FREE IT! 

My sister hates this Vine because she says it isn't funny, but I think it's hysterical and I quote it to her all the time. Anytime my sister does something annoying I say "BETHANY! I MADE BISCUITS!" And then I laugh and she rolls her eyes.

YOU.
ARE.
WELCOME.

I Need Holiday Baking Help

I didn't blog yesterday because I was trying as hard as possible to pretend that Monday didn't exist. It didn't work, but I might try again in the future. Oh, to update everyone on my work life - We're still moving offices. I knew it'd be a mess and I prepared myself for stress and a lengthy process, but ugh. I'm ready to not have to deal with this anymore.

To update you on my personal life - I did 5 loads of laundry yesterday.

On a happier note, I've made plans with myself this Friday!
My momma bought herself an early Christmas gift in the form of a shiny, new, red Kitchenaid stand mixer! So guess who is getting an early birthday gift (my 25th birthday is in january) in the form of a gently used, white Kitchenaid stand mixer? This girl.

I've decided to break in my new-to-me Kitchenaid stand mixer by making a ridiculous amount of Christmas cookies! I informed my sister and naturally she said "well, what are you making?".

Uhhhh…

So, my new plan is to ask YOU guys!
Here are a few of my ideas..

Some classic chocolate chip cookies? A Buzzfeed article told me these cookies in this recipe were really, really good.

via Host The Toast

These cute iced thumbprint cookies! I could make them all festive and what-not, right?!

via recipe for crazy

I was definitely thinking I could whip up my Nutella No-Bake Cookies! My sister is a Nutella-acholic, so that'd go over well..

But I want to make something else! Something different! Something NEW!
Help me.
Send me your favorite cookies recipes.
I'm going to put everyone's recipes together into one blog post and parade it around all over Bloglandia next week AND let you know who's cookies I chose to make!
HELP ME, HELP ME!!