Stuff and more stuff about stuff.

I've been neglecting this blog. Big time. I am not sure why. I have tons to say, tons on my mind but some things I just don't know how to put into words. Other things I chose to keep private and some things I fear will be taken the wrong way. I've got to learn to get past the fear of how my thoughts and feelings will be perceived by my family and friends. Soon I hope to be able to do just that with this blog. Use it as an outlet to get things off my chest.


On another note, a late note we had a fun Valentine's day around here. Little Man was so happy to get a couple of new matchbox planes in his goody bag along with some cookies and a DVD. We had some fun with streamer that I had left over from some failed craft projects. It kept him busy for quite a while.

We decorated the windows in our dinning room with some wax hearts that were inspired by Pinterest.

and we decorated cookies.

I also decided to turn one of the walls in our kitchen into an art display for Little Man. I've been finding art canvas' on sale like crazy here lately and get them as often as I can. I'll give Little Man the canvas, some cotton balls or toy cars to paint with. I've even cut an apple in half and let him use that as a stamp. He loves to paint, and I love to watch him.

I even had a little fun with the paint too!

I do hope it wont be another month before I update again. But until then...

hugs from me and Little Man

Quick treats for Holiday parties!

This past Friday evening I held a Mommies Night In for a local group of moms. I found some inspiring menu ideas on Pinterest and got to work. 

These hummus filled cucumber cups were so easy. I purchased a couple of English cucumbers and randomly peeled the skin off in places. Then I used a decorative slicer I've had for years to cut the cucumber (as you can see, they are not uniformed sizes). I then used a small melon baller to scoop out the middle, leaving a small amount in the bottom of the cucumber. I put some roasted red pepper hummus into a zip-lock bag, snipped off one of the ends and squeezed out the hummus into the cucumber cups. These cups would also be good with chicken salad, spinach dip or even cream cheese- the possibilities are endless!


Pinterest also inspired these easy holiday desserts. 

These marshmallow snowmen were super easy to make. I just skewered 3 marshmallows onto a cake pop stick and stuck a rollo candy on top to make a hat. Using cake decorating gels I embellished the snowmen with eyes, noses,  buttons, mouths and arms. One had a scarf. This would be a great no bake dessert the kids could help with as well. 

The reindeer were easy too. I just skewered 1 marshmallow onto a stick and dipped in melted chocolate candy melts and (attempted) to tap off the excess. I let them harden in the fridge for a while then pulled them out to decorate the faces with the gel. I used pretzels for antlers (this was tricky, some of them fell out of the marshmallow- I should have put the pretzels on before the chocolate hardened). 

To display the yummy goodies I used some floral foam blocks from the dollar store, wrapped them in wrapping paper and then stuck the sticks into the blocks. Really cute display, and really cheap too!

Some of the reindeer's eyes became a little droopy after a while, I would suggest putting the decorated deer back in the fridge for a while before serving!

I love cooking, baking and spending time in the kitchen this time of year. All the parties and planning mean I'm going to spend time with family and friends! So if you are hosting a party soon do some research on quick and easy dishes and desserts to save yourself some time, or look for kid friendly recipes you and your Little One's can do together. 

This is what Christmas is to me. Being with the ones I care about most!

The adventures of Nokie the Elf

We recently received a visitor from the North Pole. An Elf, named Nokie (pronounced No-key). He was sent by Santa to keep an eye on Little Man to make sure he's on his best behavior in the days leading up to Christmas. Every night he will fly back to North Pole to give his report and reappear the next morning.  


So far he's just been hanging around our fireplace with the snowmen and penguins, and today he was hanging above the dinning room table from our light. I get the slight feeling that this little Elf has a mischievous side... I can't wait to see what kind of trouble he gets into around here! 

I'm going to update every few days on Nokie's antics, so check back often!

Count your blessings

Times are difficult for so many people in the world right now. It's hard to peek towards the future to see the clouds break up for a hope of some sun and the struggles to end. Right now, more than any I ask you to take a moment... or a few and think really hard about all of the things you have to be grateful for. While it may not be easy to do, they are there. Maybe they are blessings in disguise, and you are just not realizing the plan. Or maybe everything is going wonderfully and there are too many blessings to count!


After the tough year my family has had I search for blessings. Once you begin to open your eyes to them, you will see them pile up. I decided to take on the challenge of a friend's and come up with a blessings list. 100 things I am grateful for, blessed with right now. Anything counts, anything goes, no order needed. 


So here is my blessings list today:


1. Little Man
2. Hubby
3. all of my family
4. all of my in-laws
5. friends
6. my house
7. my car
8. food
9. sweet tea
10. great neighbors
11. laptop
12. DVR
13. health
14. a busy calendar
15. nap time
16. cell phone
17. to be able to open my windows on beautiful days
18. comfy couch
19. internet
20. books
21. my boots
22. my camera
23. coffee
24. blogging
25. having great friends to meet up with for drinks every now and then
26. making new friends
27. my faith
28. strength of my family, especially when I feel like my own strength may be failing me
29. music
30. cheese fries
31. memories
32. laughter
33. warm socks
34. comfy jeans
35. fireplace
36. old pictures
37. sun shine
38. rainy days
39. being a Mom
40. special moments between Little Man and me
41. pie
42. diet dr. pepper
43. hopes
44. writing
45. park days
46. Japanese cherry blossom lotion
47. chapstick
48. lip gloss
49. over sized old navy sweatshirts
50. my hooded jacket
51. humility
52. humor
53. day dreams
54. Target
55. crock pot
56. leaked black friday ads :)
57. on-line shopping
58. home made cookies
59. Christmas music
60. You Tube
61. FB
62. CM
63. hobbies
64. gift cards
65. pjs
66. Little Man's closet full of clothes
67. purple nail polish
68. cheap wine :)
69. electricity
70. water
71. heating
72. a/c
73. moon roof in the car
74. stars
75. the moon
76. candy
77. feeling loved
78. hearing CJ say "i love you momma"
79. fans
80. warm towels
81. tooth paste
82. creativity
83. art
84. warm showers
85. soap
86. washing machine
87. dish washer
88. frozen pizza
89. fresh fruit
90. our Christmas fund
91. leaves
92. movies
93. medicine
94. pillows
95. comforter
96. lottery tickets
97. sunglasses
98. dinner rolls
99. clocks
100. ability to feel blessed


So... I ask that you take the challenge. Write down 100 things you are thankful for, blessed with right now at this very moment. Even if you are having the worst day ever, whatever you are going through you can and will find blessings. 


I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We love this time of year...

This is my favorite time of year. The chill in the air, the beautiful colors of the trees and activities to keep us busy until the real cold hits. 

We've been spending a lot of time outside enjoying the the sunny cool days. Little Man spends time digging through leaves trying to find the best to add to his pile. 

He has been loving his remote control cars he received as gifts for his birthday. He likes to the jeep off-roading through the grass and over the little bumps in the yard. It gets stuck in mud sometimes though... 

We pull out the red wagon and CJ will ride while we go for walks. Or Little Man will put things in the wagon, like his Buzz Lightyear or all the pumpkins from our porch and take them for a walk.

We didn't make it out to the Pumpkin patch this year, but the hardware store had lots of pumpkins to choose from. I think Little Man had as much fun looking at all the Fall decorations and the Christmas decorations they already had out as he would have at a pumpkin patch. We let Little Man hand paint 2 pumpkins, then he decided to paint himself as well!

He also enjoyed helping his Daddy prep another pumpkin for carving. We thought he'd be excited to reach in and pull out the "guts" of the pumpkins- but he wouldn't touch it without a spoon!

We  have been making home made decorations, like pumpkins to go in the windows, witches and spooky spiders hanging from the arches in our kitchen. 

Little Man also enjoyed decorating the house with some things we've had on hand since before he arrived.

CJ received a Buzz Lightyear costume as a present and we have been working with him on saying 

"Trick or Treat". 

We also went to see Yo Gabba Gabba! Live, and wow... what a show! Little Man had such a good time, he loved the confetti flying through the air and dancing around to some of his favorite songs. We made him a shirt to wear to the show since I had a hard time finding toddler sized YGG apparel online. 

We are heading out to a Halloween carnival this afternoon and visiting with some family in from out of town tonight. Then it will be trick or treating on Monday. Busy time of year, but it's all fun... making decorations with your children, going on leaf hunts, baking treats, and just spending time with family. I think this is why this is my favorite time of the year!

Last post of 2010

2010 was a big year of firsts for my family. Little Man's 1st tooth, 1st steps, and 1st birthday. Our 1st Thanksgiving and Christmas in our home as a family. This Christmas was the best. We are so blessed with such wonderful family who helped to make it special beyond our imagination. 

Yes, 2010 was a great year. So why am I so ready for this year to be over? Well- I have big plans for 2011. Some of them I don't want to reveal just yet in fear of jinxing said plans. But I have some typical goals like most people. Get back into shape, eat healthier, exercise. I also resolve to make better financial decisions. Take a family vacation. Get my house organized. Be more social. I have become a bit of a recluse over the last year and have no idea why. Rest assured, this will change!

So 2010 while you were good to my little family, we say good-bye. It's time for you to get out of the way and let in 2011- the year of big plans! I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe New Year!

An update on us

It's been a while since I've updated the blog. We've been so busy and with Christmas only a couple of days away we've been getting last minute presents, baking lots of yummies and wrapping gifts. I hope that your preparations for the Holidays have been smooth and you are enjoying every minute of it!

We put up our tree a couple of weeks ago while Little Man was sleeping. It was beautiful. Something about a Christmas tree, with bright lights bouncing off the red and green ornaments is so calming and always induces a happy mood for me! When CJ got up the next morning he went to inspect the tree. He poked an ornament and looked back at us, not sure what to make of it. He poked it again and laughed. Then a frenzy began. He started to take off every ornament his little hands could reach, and brought them to his Daddy one by one. He thought this was the funniest thing in the world (so did we). When CJ had taken off every ornament within his reach we redecorated the tree. Here is the result- Little Man proof:

Yes, our tree is only half way decorated now. And you know what? It's the most beautiful tree in the world to me! We have many special ornaments on this tree. I would like to share one of my personal favorites.

I also attempted to save money this year by doing Little Man's Christmas pictures at home. Silly, silly me. I wanted pictures of CJ in his Christmas PJs, Christmas outfit, and a special "all I want for Christmas in my auntie" shirt. All I managed was his PJs and did not exactly get the results I was hoping for! However the pictures I did get I think are adorable and capture my Little Man's pure spirit!

In the midst of all the chaos going on around here the last few weeks I did send out those wonderful Christmas cards from Shutterfly. I was thrilled with how they came out!

It's doubtful if I will update again before Christmas. So I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope that your holiday is filled with warmth, love, peace and joy!

Fun Friday!

 It just doesn't feel like Christmas time until Linus makes his speech...

Fun Friday... Very Superstitious?

While putting out some of our Christmas decorations a few days ago, I became curious as to how some of these traditions came to be. Bringing in a tree, decorating the home and Christmas dinner. I did a little research and found a very interesting article on Snopes.com . As it turns out, many of the traditions we have today were started due to superstitions people had (or so this article says). Either way, it's a very intriguing read.

Snopes Holiday Christmas Superstitions

Here's to hoping your first visitor on Christmas is a dark haired man! (read the article and you will know what I mean!)

Turkey Hangover

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Countless days prepping, checking shopping lists and trips to the grocery store for a meal that lasts 20 minutes. But it is well worth it to me. Bringing family together to laugh and enjoy each others company. Little Man was so exhausted with all the excitement and he didn't want to nap, as you can clearly see in our Thanksgiving family portrait below. He did enjoy the sweet potatoes and banana pudding though! It was a great day.

This was my first year hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house. Luckily, I divided up the menu throughout my family so I would not have to cook everything by myself. The turkey came out beautiful. I took a bit of Sandra Lee's recipe: Food Network Sandra Lee Butter Herb Turkey . I didn't use the onions, garlic or vegetables, but I did use some orange zest in the butter and stuffed the turkey with some as well.

This is the 2nd year I've made this turkey and it always comes out so moist. You can also use this recipe with a chicken. We have been feasting on turkey and all the fixings since Thursday. Last night I decided to use up all the left overs in a turkey pot pie. I used this recipe- All Recipes- Easy turkey pot pie . I threw in some left over mashed potatoes to make it a bit more thick, as well as some poultry seasoning for extra flavor. It came out pretty good.

I think it's pretty safe to say though, we are all suffering from a turkey hangover now. Spaghetti is on our menu for tonight.

I hope that you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving as much as I did!



Happy Halloween!

Thanks to www.picnik.com for the picture editing tools. If you haven't checked them out yet, you should!

So, let's say your door bell rings tonight, and there is a group of trick or treaters there. You hand out your candy, say the usual "great costumes" and they all turn and walk away... but one. He just stands there, staring at you. How would you react? Take a look at this video to see how other people did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoSSvLpXWpM

Hope you all have a great, safe Halloween!

Holiday to-do lists...

The end of October always brings about a bit of stress and to-do lists for many. Plan Thanksgiving dinner, start shopping, have Christmas photo taken, make list of people to send Christmas cards to, etc. Last year after Little Man was born I never had the chance to do the Christmas photo card, so I just sent this picture out with general holiday cards.

Yea, I thought it was cute too. But, this year my plan is to have a family picture done, dogs included!

I used Shutterfly for a photo book for our Nana earlier this year and was pleased with how simple it was to use, and thrilled with the book when it was done. So no question I will use them for our Christmas cards this year. Shutterfly.com has a great selection of cards to choose from. The most beautiful Christmas and Hanukkah cards. My favorites though are the Holiday story cards. What a great idea! This one is my favorite.

That would be a gift itself for some of my out of state family that I have not been so on top of sending out pictures for! So there is 1 less thing off my 1000 to-do's for the holiday's this year.

Here is to hoping that you sit back and relax this holiday season, and not let the stress get you down. Be jolly, be merry, and be blessed. Oh yeah, and be happy eating lots of Christmas cookies!

Disclosure: In exchange for writing about Shutterfly's holiday cards, I will receive 50 free cards of my choice

Pickin' Pumpkins!

We took little man to Hodges Dairy Farm this afternoon to pick some pumpkins. We all had a blast. CJ saw horses, pigs, goats and his favorite- a chicken. I was very warm this afternoon so we didn't do the maze, maybe another day when it's cooler out. But we did get some awesome pics.

He loved this wagon! (Added to Christmas list)

We got a lot more pictures, but until I can figure out how to re-size pictures on this new laptop, so it doesn't take 10  minutes to load one- that is all for now!