Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Fortunate

I think that this time of year we can get so caught up in the stressors of life that we miss some of the fantastic things that Christmas has to offer. The beginning of this week was full of class holiday parties and the arrival of my parents.
On Monday, I had the car loaded with goodie bags, teacher gifts, backpacks and my schedule for the day... which is quite full on Mondays.
Boomer was to sing at a nursing home with his Preschool class... a school that does not have transportation so it meant running back and forth a total of 4 times that morning.
I wouldn't have missed it for the world. The patients at the nursing home were so thankful to have them there and I started to think about my own grandparents and, slso, the Mr.'s grandmother. It has to be so difficult to be in the same surroundings day after day and the thought of any visitor would be amazing.
Boomer sang very well and made me quite proud.
Goosie had ballet that same night and her teacher invited us into the classroom to see her perform a Nutcracker doll dance. She amazed me with her skill and beauty.
This is all I could have dreamed of for Christmas... healthy, beautiful, amazing children.

Repurposed Shutter

I have seen a few people take an old shutter and use it in new ways. Well, the Mr. found a shutter for me to use to display Christmas cards and the best part... it already had some green paint! He used a wire brush to weather it and remove all the loose paint. Then, I used a burgundy paint and brushed over the shutter in spots to keep it looking worn. With some clothes pins, we now have a way to display our Christmas cards!

CAKE! Because we truly appreciate teachers!

Well... during the "ice day," I was able to complete 5 large bundt cakes and 5 little cakes as well. They are devil's food cake with white chocolate and mint milk chocolate drizzles. There was a wonderful aroma in the house yesterday!

Snow Day!!! Um... I mean, ICE DAY!!!!

We interrupt this blog for a nice coating of ice on the roads and little babes snug in their beds! I'll be baking and entertaining my children... see ya'll tomorrow!

Tutu order... a Christmas gift

One of my dear "customers" had ordered a tutu this past Summer for her niece. When the girl's little sister saw the tutu she asked, "Where's mine?" So... that very special Aunt asked me to make a tutu in the little girl's favorite colors: pink and orange!

Holly, Jolly Hairbows

16 hairbows, to be exact. All ready for a ballet Christmas party...

Baking... Round 2

I am imagining a rather plump, motherly figure walking around a kitchen stadium carrying a "2" sign instead of some hot, young chick as a "ring girl." We... well mostly the Mr., baked again today.
He was on a roll... chocolate chunk cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies and two types of fudge. I managed to make two quiche for the freezer and finish a tutu order for Christmas. I am so ready to tuck myself between the sheets and settle for a long Winter's nap! We have had snow, high winds and terrible wind chills... we should have bought the electric mattress pad we were contemplating!

Baking Round 1...

Okay... the holiday cookie menu so far:
peppermint bark
toasted almond chocolate bark
peanut butter blossoms
oatmeal craisin cookies
M&M chocolate chip cookies
and... more tomorrow
I barely sampled any... burp... excuse me ;)

It's beginning to look a lot like...

CHRISTMAS! I promise I'm going to work harder at updating this blog! Happy Holidays to all of you

Hallow's eve....

Have a Happy Halloween! Our house is glittery and I love it! Goosie and Boomer are so excited to go Trick or Treating tomorrow!

My beautiful, Goosie

Hello! Yep, I'm alive ;). It's been a tumultuous ride here lately with activities, appointments and emotions but I believe all are in check.
I wanted to write about my beautiful daughter and what I witnessed in her classroom yesterday... bear with me... I'm bragging.
I was fortunate yesterday to have a sweet neighbor babysit Boomer so that I could attend Goosie's classroom Halloween party. Oops, I mean Fall Party... forgive my political incorrectness.
It was a fun time with the kids going from station to station. I have to say, it was nice talking her classmates and laughing with them. After all the activities were complete, the "end of the day" madness ensued. Backpacks, agendas, goodie bag distribution... so much to do when you are 6 years old.
The teacher instructed the kids to write in their agendas to indicate to parents there was a new newsletter and spelling words in the agenda. I watched Goosie write down the information, turn her agenda sideways, and help the boy beside her write the information down in the correct spot. This was the same boy that pointed out Goosie's drawing in a mural we did for "Fall Party" and state to me, "She never gives up, she always keeps working at something and never gives up."
I. Love. Her.

Day 16... playing a game

the kids were playing a game with the Mr. and I caught Goosie's excitement over a great move!

Day 15... rain on the windowpane

Day 14... a taste of Fall

Pumpkin spice scones for breakfast

Day 13... life

homework

Day 11... waiting

they are either waiting for food or soap...

Day 10... a pic from Labor day weekend

Okay, so I cheated... I took this over the holiday weekend. It was one of my favorites. No editing or even cropping... just straight from the camera.

One of the best days ever...

This Friday morning was so lovely and it just kept reaping the benefits all day long... the Mr. took Goose to school and it totally made her day.
Then, he went to the assessor's office and he applied for our tax exemption that our county gives for returning from places such as Iraq and Afghanistan... totally made my day!
He came home and sat and played games with Boomer! Boomer beamed with joy (say that 10 times!). I was able to sneak in some photos of the two... what made it twice as gorgeous... Autumn winds blew through the open windows of the house. It was an amazingly cool day!
Then, the Mr. packs a big lunch for him and his girl and heads off to the school for lunch. Yes, he makes me smile... in case you were wondering.
The best part of the day... we all go to pick up the Goose from school and just drive.
We found a bakery... awesome and cheap and proves that for those prices... man CAN live by bread alone! (and unfortunately (wink, wink...Boomer left his thermos there so we are heading back tomorrow to get it)
We found some wonderful sights and drove through many a brown stalked corn field.
We found that our favorite orchard is open in the afternoon and they had our favorite cider in the cooler!
We found a small restaurant that had great steak and the Mr. found stomach utopia!
We did come home to take a stroll and found a snake in the yard (no worries... the Mr. did what Mr.'s do and I left the scene of the crime for the walk)
But, best of all, we found ourselves upstairs with everyone tucked in and no one headed to Iraq on a plane which is exactly where we found ourselves last year.

Day 9... Autumn Wind

curtains blowing in the breeze... I love Fall!

Day 8

hidden mischief

Day 7... tea time

edited tea cups and saucers that my grandfather gave me years ago... they were some that my great grandmother had and I love the simple flowers.

Day 6... always a project

Day 5... a tarnished spoon and a beautiful story

A woman met with her pastor to discuss her final wishes, as she only had a very short time to live. After they discussed the plans for the funeral, she remembered one final request that was very important to her. She said, "I want to be buried holding a spoon in my right hand." The pastor gazed at the woman, at a loss for words. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. "You see, Pastor, in all my years of attending potluck dinners, I remember that when the dishes were being cleared, someone would lean over to me & say, 'Keep your spoon.' I knew then that something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie...something wonderful to end the meal!" As the pastor listened a smile came upon his face. The woman continued, "So, I just want people to see me in the casket with a spoon in my hand & I want them to wonder, 'What's with the spoon?'" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your spoon--the best is yet to come." The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged her good-bye.

Day 4... she's amazing

She's six... and I love to read her stories

Day 3... a savior of sorts

Coffee saves me on Tuesdays... and most days, in general.

Day 2... photo a day challenge

Fall=apples

A photo a day for 30 days

I am going to challenge myself to take a photo a day for 30 days. Enjoy!
So here is Day 1

Picture Day!

The first full week of school... and they are already taking pictures... uh. oh. There was a request to look fabulous. The request came from Goosie and so... I let her run with it. I let her pick the items for a headband. What a DIVA!