Merry Christmas

I hope every one had a very Merry Christmas. One filled with peace, love and tons of fun! I hope you got at least one thing on your wish list and that your children were thrilled with what they received.

Awesome Christmas Lights!

I have lived in the same area for 12 years and I thought I knew all the cool places to see lights. I found out a week or so ago that I was SO wrong. There is a house that apparently goes all out every year. You set your radio to a certain station and then you can see the lights dancing in time with the music. It is so awesome. I am so excited to have found it - thanks to a friend!!! The first video is 4 minutes and a little bumpy with talking in the background but it is still cool. The second video is a little over a minute and not as bumpy lol. Anna was very wiggly and excited! Check them out and if you want to tell me about the lights in your area I would love to hear about it!

Anybody still out there?

Hello?! I have been taking a bloggy break apparently. I didn't realize how long it had been since my last post. I have been a busy girl. Preparing for Christmas takes a lot of time and energy. Here are just a few things I have been doing. I have been making goodies like peanut butter balls and oreo truffles! Yumm! We made homemade ornaments with Anna. Snowman soup for my Sunday School kids. I have also read 3 of the 4 Twilight books. I got sucked in and haven't been able to get out lol. We've had Christmas parties and gone to look at lights. I am going to post a cool video of lights in a little while. I am trying to upload it right now.

Yesterday Anna and I went to the park. She was going crazy cause we hadn't had much fun time lately. We took her "bike" and she rode around the playground numerous times with me "chasing" her. I haven't decided if it is just sad or really great that it is almost Christmas and it is warm enough for shorts. On one hand I love being able to wear shorts but on the other it doesn't feel anything like Christmas should. Well, I need to wrap a few presents before everyone gets up. I will try to get that video up soon. It is worth watching!

Ornament Swap

This is the beautiful ornament that I received from Janet. Isn't it lovely. Anna was so excited to hang a "lollipop" on the tree. I absolutely love it and it looks wonderful on our tree since we use a lot of red and white. Janet you must have been reading my mind! I don't have your blog to give you proper credit so if you happen to read this leave me a comment! Thanks again and I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Oh and thanks smoochiefrog for holding this wonderful swap!

The Candy Cane Story

A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would remind people of the true meaning of Christmas; so he made the candy cane to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.

The candymaker then shaped his cane into the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to the earth as Savior. It could also represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down to to reclaim the fallen lambs who, like sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.

This was copied from THIS website! This is going to be incorporated into a craft I am doing with my Sunday School class. I just thught I would share it with you guys too!

Christmas Cards - which one do you like

I took Anna to a park near here for pictures today and also did some in front of the tree this morning. I want your opinion! Are any of them Christmas Card material?

Now it feels like Christmas!

The weekend was slammed full of Christmas activity. We finally got our tree put up and all decorated. We finished our Christmas program. We went to look at Christmas lights with friends and went back to their place and watched the Grinch! I finally feel like Christmas has started!

Must Be Santa Monday

Stocking Stuffers!

Anna loves gum! I thought this would be the perfect piece for her stocking. I got hers at Toys R Us but I couldn't find a picture of it. She is in here with me so I can't pull hers out to get a picture lol. I also have some chapsticks (or lips as Anna calls them). Some little Santa chocolates. I bought some mini playdoh cups and a little brush. I will also put in some suckers cause my girl loves a sucker lol. I think that will have it pretty full. If not I will add some other odds and ends like nail polish or cookies or something like that.

What are you doing for your stockings? Maybe you can give me some neat ideas!!! For more Santa Monday go HERE!

One Performance Down...

Last night was our first performance for our Christmas Program. It was a lot of fun but exhausting. Anna did better than I ever imagined with it, I think mostly due to her little friend Allie doing it with us. We will see how she does tonight, Allie won't be with us. Next week I can hopefully begin to blog more regularly again. This week has been crammed full of activity preparing for the program. Extra practices, making candy for afterwards etc... I will be glad to get back into my own little rhythm next week. Although I will miss hanging out with my friends and even doing the program stuff because I LOVE to sing! They gave out some really cool toys last night after the show. The kids got to walk through Santa's workshop and pick out one of their choice. Anna got a ice cream play doh set. She is anxious to play with it so after breakfast you know what we will be doing. We are also going to get a tree today YIPPEE! Well I have tons to do before I have to be at church tonight so let me go.

Oh my church is actually going to put the video of our performance on youtube after it is done so I will send you links when they get it up.

Wordless Wednesday

Thanksgiving at my Grandma's house!

Last weeks excitement!

Last week we headed to South Carolina to my in-laws. The morning we were leaving my father-in-law called to see where we were and to tell us their house had been broken into that morning. A couple of kids (I use that term loosely) bashed out the glass in their front door and when they couldn't unlock the bolt they bashed in the door. They messed up the entire door frame. Luckily, my in-laws live in a small town where everyone knows everyone and they all look out for each other. Someone noticed that they disappeared around the side of their house and they looked suspicious. They called the cops and the cops were there in like 2 minutes. When he saw the front door he called for back up. Unfortunately, they had seen them come up and had jumped out one of the smallest windows in the house (that is why I call them kids). They only managed to take a radio they had in the bedroom. However, they did royally mess up the kitchen where they bashed the glass and door frame all in the room. They went through all of their drawers and messed up the sheets where I assume they were looking for guns and they had pulled down all of the shoes that my mother-in-law had neatly arranged on the top shelf off her closet.

So to clear it up they walked away with a radio that cost about $40 (bought 4 years ago). They created a mess that my in-laws are still cleaning up. Not to mention costing them several $100's for a new door!

Thanksgiving recap!

Goodness I have missed you guys! Did everyone have a good Thanksgiving? We did, it was crazy busy but lots of fun. We went to my family get together at 1. It was wonderful seeing Aunts and cousins and my Grandma. Anna wasn't very sure about all of the commotion. She really doesn't like chaos. She thoroughly enjoyed riding in my aunts convertible around the house. I don't know which she liked more - riding in the front seat or having the top off. We ate tons of food. Then we left there and went to my in-laws where Anna crashed for a nap. When she woke up we ate AGAIN. I think I gained 10 pounds in just that one day! It was all so yummy.

After letting our dinner settle a little we got a wild hair and decided to go check out walmarts sales. We spent about an hour in there roaming around. Looking at all of the stuff that would be on sale Friday. Anna spent a good 20 minutes looking at all of the blow up Christmas stuff. We didn't make it to bed until almost 11 so getting up early for Black Friday didn't happen. We got up around 7:30 and made it to Target by 8 where my sis-in-law found what she was hoping to get my in-laws. I was honestly surprised they still had some left but hey whatever works lol. I also picked up a few cheap movies for Anna. The Polar Express that we will enjoy now and the REAL Annie for her stocking! Walmart turned into a bust because the sheets we were looking for never appeared and the jacked I was going to get Anna wasn't actually on sale ugh!

We went and had breakfast after shopping then headed out to my in-laws. Anna got in a quick nap and we headed out to a tree farm to get them trees. That was a blast. We got to see reindeers and goats and birds. We got to ride in the back of the truck and we got to run around the trees. It was so much fun. That night we decorated sis-in-laws and Saturday we decorated the in-laws. Memories!!!

Christmas is in the air!

I have been a little bit absent this week. I actually only had like 95 hits this week *shudder. I have been working on Christmas stuff. Family members STOP READING!

Simple Mom was approached by a photo book company to host a give away. They not only gave away 5 FREE books but they also gave her a coupon code to order books for just the shipping cost. Isn't that cool. Oprah and Snapfish did the same thing but I did something wrong and after spending days doing a beautiful book I couldn't get it because I didn't check to make sure I had the credit. Needless to say I was leery when I saw Simple Mom's offer. I decided to give it a try though cause I mean seriously a $30 book for $4.99!!! I did it and I am so pleased that I did. You have to have someone join it in order to use the coupon code but then that person can do one and use the coupon code as well. It is a win win! If you want to do it, I recommend it. Obviously, I haven't seen the finished product but I won't have it before the final date. Hopefully it will be awesome. If you are interested in doing it. I need to invite one more person. Let me know and I will invite you and you can see my book! Oh I forgot the name of the website lol. Inkubook!

If you want a yummy recipe for Peanut Butter Balls go HERE! I posted it over on the Christmas website I blog on. These taste better than Reese cups. At least they do to me!

Wordless Wednesday

Me and my brother!

My brother passed away roughly 14 years ago. He was 23ish at the time and I was three years younger. I am terrible with dates and years and that time of my life was such a blur. I will never forget that night though. My parents woke me up in the middle of the night and said he had been in an accident. We piled into the car before my eyes could even focus clearly. We got to the hospital and the lady in the emergency waiting room just kept saying they didn't have a patient by that name. I didn't understand what that meant at the time. I guess in my mind she just didn't know what she was talking about. Later, what felt like forever, the coroner came out and told us that he had died in the accident. If you haven't had to experience something like this I hope you never do! I remember Holiday Inn was playing on the tv in the background. I don't remember walking to the car or going home. I called my boyfriend (now husband) and a few other friends and they all rallied around me and my family. I still feel the loss of my brother. Mostly in the daily living. Anna will never get to know her uncle. She will never get to compete with him or play wrestle with him or just laugh with him.

Please don't drink and drive! This holiday season it will be tempting to drink and then say oh I can still drive home ~ DON'T DO IT! Don't let your friends do it either!!! You are to important to make a life altering mistake like that!

Must Be Santa Monday

So we know we are going to give her the Jump-o-lene that I mentioned before. That will be her Santa gift. Now we are trying to decide what we are going to give her. Here is what I am thinking and you guys can help me figure it out lol.



1) Tinker Toys - they are aged 3-7 or something and she loves to build with her blocks. I think she would really enjoy them. Maybe not at first but she would definitely be able to grow into it.





2) An inexpensive baby (cause that s all she is asking Santa for!) and then wood blocks.

3) Any other suggestions are welcome! We need to stay around $30.



For more Christmas ideas go to Be Jolly By Golly!

Update!!!

It has been a busy week. We had our first baking play date that was a huge success. We rearranged Anna's room and put her Christmas tree up. We had another play date at the park so that the girls could ride their tricycles around the little sidewalk. We started working on Christmas gifts! Ok well, when you put it in sentences it looks like not so much lol. Trust me though we STAYED busy. Anna's room seriously took all day. Of course that was my fault cause I wasn't happy with the way I did and changed it like 3 times lol. Anywho, today we have had a nice day. We had left over from scratch biscuits and some grits (cause yeah I am southern like that)! (If you want the recipe for biscuits I will put that up on my other blog in just a minute!) We went to Wal-mart to get some stuff for our Thanksgiving dinner at church tomorrow. I am making another cookie cake. After looking at all of the Christmas stuff and the toys we headed over to the flea market to let Anna visit the puppies. She loves to visit them! After that we went to the Bamboo Farm. I so wished I had my camera. We had fun just roaming around throwing sticks to see who could throw it the further than the others. Chris and Anna had some bonding time which they haven't had a lot of lately and it was just so relaxing. No rushing around, no feeling like we should be doing something else, and just us hanging out laughing and playing! Life doesn't get any better than that! I challenge you to do something fun with no pressures and just work on laughing!

Now if you want to see Anna's room!!!

Sleeping Beauty

Works for me Wednesday

Baking parties!

A friend of mine loves Christmas as much as I do! We have decided to have baking parties for our play dates. We typically get together at least once a week. Now through Christmas we are going to use those play dates to prepare our Holiday treats.

We had our first meeting yesterday. I made truffles and fudge. My friend made butter cookies and peanut brittle. It was much more fun doing it together rather than doing it alone.

Next week I want to start on my specialty of peanut butter balls but I want to try some new ideas too. I am going to start a new carnival over at Be Jolly By Golly. It will start tomorrow, if you are interested in sharing holiday recipes come on over. I will be posting my truffle recipe to get the ball rolling. Oh if you go over there today you can get some great tips for black friday!

Baking holiday treats with a friend works for me! For more great tips go HERE

Tackle it Tuesday

I am starting to prep my house for Christmas. I love Christmas and I can't wait to experience it with Anna this year. She is at such a fun age (3). I had to rearrange my living room in order to make room for our tree. We will get our tree (hopefully) the weekend of Thanksgiving! Here are the pictures from my make over. I still have some cleaning to do and I will have to move the yellow chair when we get the tree but that will not be as complicated as what I did. I had to move our computer and our bookshelf and the chair. I only got the before of my bookshelf.

Before

After

Y'all don't mind the walls. They are in the process of being repaired!

Contest!!!

I have just entered a contest y'all! It is a contest that I am dying to win! Look at this dress

Can't you just see how beatiful my Anna would look in that dress! You can enter to win as well. Just go HERE!

I will take donations so that I can order any or all of the dresses HERE ;) I really love the red dress but they don't have Anna's size *sigh!

Success ROCKS!

Today was my most successful Yard Sale EVER!!! I made a grand total of... Are you ready for it... Can you handle it???

$113.00

Yay ME!!! It is all going straight into Christmas!

Good Times and Hard Work!

Yesterday was a whirl wind of fun! We had a play date in the morning. It was with my 2 pregnant friends. I love watching them grow and blossom. I hate to admit I am a little envious too but mostly just thrilled. Anyway, the kids had a blast. They ran themselves until they were exhausted. Anna had a fabulous nap and then we primped and prepared for our girls night out on the town! We went to dinner at our friends house and then headed downtown to see Disney on Ice! It was awesome!! I think I enjoyed it more than the kids lol. Here are a few of the highlights of the night!

Today I was inspired. I started preparing our house for Christmas lol. I know it is early but is it every TOO early to get ready for CHRISTMAS? No I didn't put out decorations but it is only a matter of time before I do that. I did clear out things and move around furniture. I am getting excited as Anna would say. I will post some pictures but probably not until next week. We have a busy weekend ahead of us so I probably won't be around again until Monday. So have a great weekend and keep your fingers crossed my yard sale actually happens this time!!!

Works for Me Wednesday

Toys are overrated. At least that is the way Anna acts. We have a house full of toys and 3 toys have kept her attention.

She got this little 4 wheeler for her first birthday. She didn't really get interested in it until she was about18 months old but she still loves it! I think they cost around $60 and you can get them at walmart. They even have a princess one now!

She got this kitchen set when she was about 16 months. She loved it instantly and still loves to play with it at 3. We have it in the corner of my kitchen and she cooks when I cook. It was $20 from Dollar General. I would love to have gotten her a more elaborate set but she doesn't really know the difference and is very happy with it.

She got her rocky horse last year so she was a 28 months or so. She loves it and as you can see it is great to play with friends on lol. She use to play on her friends horse when she was a little over a year and is still very happy to have her horse now. This one came from Home Depot and I can't remember how much it was but I think somewhere around $60.

There are a few others that work for her as well but those are the major ones. She loves all of her babies and books. She still messes with one of her push toys she got for her first birthday. She loves to color and do play dough. I think the important thing to remember when buying a gift for a little one is to remember:

1. Do you have have a place to put it?
2. Will it inspire creativity or laughter?
3. Would you want to play with it? (Cause we all now we end up playing too!)

For more gift ideas go HERE!

Wordless Wednesday

This Year
Last Year!

Baking from scratch!

I have really gotten into baking. I have this awesome cookie recipe that I turned into a cookie cake to take to say farewell to our friend Jason at church. For the first time ever I used icing to write something. I think I did ok for a first time and it tasted fabulous. I got the biggest compliment of all by not having to bring any home.

Last night we had him over since he was leaving early this morning and we had speghetti and I tried my hand at homemade brownies. He loves brownies and I forgot this at the store and thought well I will just try it by scratch. They turned out yummy! I don't think I cooked them long enough because they were a little gooey but the recipe said numerous times DON'T OVER COOK! So I got paranoid lol. They were very good though goo and all. I think I might start a recipe blog since I seem to be putting a lot out there right now so look for a link soon.

Menu Monday

Tonight is our friend Jason's last night with us. He is going home to his family. We are glad they will be reunited but we are going to miss him terribly. So in his honor we are having speghetti with freshly grated cheese on the side and some garlic toast and if I can manage I might even do him some brownies.

Tuesday - breakfast night! We will have bacon, homemade biscuits, grits and eggs

Wednesday - I will bake a chicken. After church we will either have the chicken in sandwiches or something.

Thursday - chili

Friday - hot dogs and home made fries

Saturday - I am hoping for pizza! $5 from Little Ceasars yummm

Sunday - left overs!

I got a huge compliment at the grocery store! I checked out and I had a good amount of food for $40.00. I was excited I pulled it off and cashier said wow you are a great shopper. Not many people can come in and spend $40 and walk out with this amount of groceries. I did save almost $10 by using my MVP card!

Anyway, for more great menu ideas go HERE!

Yay its OVER!

It was fun while it lasted but boy I am glad it is done. We had our carnival at church last night. We had a huge crowd and everyone seemed pleased. Check out my pics!

oh and Anna won a prize for the children's bake off!!! Go Anna!!!