I'm Thankful For ......

Thanksgiving is fastly approaching. This year has flown by. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Good food and family. I have so MUCH to be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband that is always by my side. He supports me in all that i do. We have been together for a long time and he will ALWAYS be my high school sweetheart! I'm thankful that he has a job that can provide us with what we need and that i can stay home with our children. I have 2 healthy and beautiful children. I prayed for a very long time for children and God blessed me with 2 of the most sweetest babies ever. And for that i am thankful! My cup runneth over! I'm so thankful that we are able to go and visit most of our family over the holiday. I'm thankful for all the memories of Thanksgiving past....memories of family who is no longer with us. I'm thankful for my LORD! My family and I have a lot to be thankful for.

I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.

New Puppy, Sweet Deal and a Recipe ~

This week has been a week of really focusing and trying to get things done and checked of my TO-DO list. Wednesday my cousin called and wanted to get together. She is a beautician so i asked if she could give me and baby boy much needed hair cut. She said come on down. Yippee!! I so need a new do. I usually stay long but this time i wanted something medium length maybe alittle shorter. I looked online to find someone who had what i was looking for and i found this pic of Sophia Bush.


Our hair is almost the same color and i love the style. I have wanted this hair cut for awhile and have asked for it and NEVER got it. I showed her what i wanted and SHE finally gave me what i want. HELLO new hair stylist. :o) I feel so cute now. Hehe!


Next up my little girl wanted to go to Build A Bear workshop so i thought we would go inside and look around. She said Brother needs this. It truly was so sweet. She lovingly picked out a Puppy dog for him for Christmas. I love how much she loved doing this for him.



I got another Christmas tree up last night. The kids helped me with this one. I call it the "Tree of Christmas Past". It's branches hold ornaments from over the years. So it is a mesh of color and memories. I just love that. Nothing to fancy. I did get some mesh garland to use this year. I'm not to sure i like it. I see beautiful trees with it but sometimes the tree kinda disappears with all that stuff. Know what i mean? Anyone out there use it?? Love it...hate it???

Now i have a great deal to share with you. Snapfish (photo printing) has been having some awesome deals the past few weeks. I just made an order yesterday and got 450 prints for $30.00!! The deal is you spend $10 you get 356 prints free. I of course bought more but you get the picture. 365 free prints is a CA-razy deal!! I think it lasts till the 20th of this month so you have to hurry.

I also have a new recipe to share....it is for pumpkin streusel muffins! One word.....YUMMOLISHOUS!

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

STREUSEL TOPPING:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses and orange peel. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture just until blended. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
For topping, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.



It is friday and this weekend it supposed to be so nice. See you back next week..... have a wonderful weekend!!

Leopard Santa Outfit ~

Today is rainy and cold. Perfect day for building a fort in the living room with blankets and snacking on some popcorn and sipping on hot cocoa. After all the fun the kids went down for their nap. And I went down to sew. First things first. I lined up in order all the unfinished projects I have. They are going to get done! I feel so bad cause a friend of mine asked if i could make something and i said i would try and i still only half of it done. SORRY! I will finish it in the next week or so. :/ I have had several orders to feel the past few weeks and i'm just finishing them up. :) Well first thing i finished today was something that was just needing the finishing touches. I had limited time and this was the quickest. I love making holiday outfits for my kids! And this little outfit turned out WAY TO CA-UTE!! Santa with alittle animal print with some shiny sequins. She is gonna LOVE it!

I can't wait for her to wear this! She may wear it the whole month of December! HA!

I love the santa on this print ....

I do like a small amount of animal print.....

This is the back. The bow is huge but on it looks totally adorable. She has a red turtleneck top that she is going to wear under it. And she also has some red super shiny shoes to go with it too!! :o)

Ok onto other happenings around here. We started preparing the fire place surround for the new tile. I wish you could see the whole room right now....it makes it look SO much better with just the tile "mud"! HAHA! Glad to see some of that red brick go. It just make the room feel so dark. The size of the actual stove is average size....but the mantel make it look smaller. We actually had a fire going last night. LOVE it!!

Here is the travertine we picked out. It is called Rustic Mocha.

Well that is it for today. What are you doing on this wet Monday?

Big Orange ~

Sorry about yesterday. I forgot that the hubby would be off of work for Veterans Day and we spent it shopping for tile. We picked out travertine for the fireplace surround. And he also treated the family to a good Korean Dinner! He took us to a place that he went with his work buddies. I have to admit that i was was nervous getting out of the car and very nervous about going into this "restaurant". But the food was GREAT! I was going to post this last night but oh...around the kids bedtime baby boy fell and busted his lip. I mean split it wide open. Ofter i got him settled down and got it on ice he was doing ok. Not 30 minutes later my daughter bounced off the couch and fell and guess what....she busted her lip! I swear if someone sees my kids in the next day or so and notices that they both have big fat busted lips i might have a visit from child services.



Ok back on track. I will start by saying that i'm a huge germaphobic! And it has got worse since i have had kids. I have had some horrifying experiences the past few years with my kids. I'll give you an example: I remember this like it was yesterday...i took my 4 week old daughter to TJ Maxx with me to do some shopping. And this lady was admiring my sweet little girl. She then proceeded to pull out her pacifier and touch ...TOUCH her mouth and hands before i could stop her! WHAT!! What are people thinking!! You don't touch a strangers baby! Not the hands...NOT the mouth. Don't get me started about people taking my kids pacifiers out of their mouth. Ok ....you get the picture...i hate germs and people touching my kids with their germs. So long after my son was out of his car seat carrier i started seeing these TENT like things on other peoples carriers. I knew i could totally make one of those (they run $35-$40 on etsy). My friend asked me if i could make one for her new baby so i said yes. I knew she and her hubby were huge Tennessee VOLS fans so i wanted this to reflect that. :o) And here it is.....Car seat carrier Tent!

Love the orange polka dots! :) It not only keeps other peoples hands away from babies face it also keeps baby safe from airborn germs. Wish i had made one of these for my two.

Here is baby tucked sweetly inside. I took these pics at church cause that was the only chance i had to take a pic with it on a carrier. She was so glad to get it. And i was happy to make it for her.

Happy Friday!

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas ~

Nothing like being sick to steal several weeks out of your life! I'm so behind on EVERYTHING! Just when i thought we might be out of the woods.... more sickness.

My mother came down last week and stayed thru the weekend. She came with goodies for the kids. She made little boy a knitted boggin and little girl got a matching one and a scarf....and mommy (me) got a scarf to match little girls. SO STINKIN CUTE! Here's a pic! :o)


She also brought baby girl a White Christmas tree. Little Miss Priss has been asking for one for weeks now. She saw one at Hobby Lobby and couldn't stop talking about it. So grandma to the rescue! She brought it in and....YEP, we decorated it.

I took this picture at night with no flash...sorry it looks so gloomy. But here it is in all it's glory! It makes me smile everytime i walk into her room. Little girl is crazy about it.

Mr. Snowman!

Fairies.....

Giant Silver Butterflies.......

Beautiful reindeer.....

The glitter silver ornaments are so girly......love, love, LOVE them! What little girls Christmas tree wouldn't look cute with silver princess shoes?

And a key to the castle!

Huge pine cones....
Cute little bow at the top....
And as my little girl calls them....cup-e-cakes! :)

Isn't it absolutely just to cute!!?? The silver and pink goes well with her room. So ....I guess you can say we have officially started decorating for Christmas around here. This year i plan on having 4 trees. Two of which are only 3 and a half feet tall and are in the kids rooms. I will share when we start to put the rest of them up.

Yesterday i finally got to sew a little bit. Be sure to check back tomorrow...i got something for all you Tennessee fans....hehe!

Happy Wednesday!!

Tuesday Retro ~

Things are looking up and the kids are atleast napping today. Still not feeling 100% but better! I even got a chance to fiiiinally make these!



This is by far my favorite fall treat! Caramel Apples! I like to tweak mine and add crumbled up Heath bars and white chocolate bits and all kinds of other goodies! :o) DELISH-E-OSO...as my daughter would say!


On another note. I have been looking for some fabric to make curtains in the Bonus room. I want a bold print and preferably something retro. The rest of the house is so traditional and i want this room to be F.U.N! These are all Amy Butler. They are all my most favorite prints and colors. Remember the room is Jalapeno GREEN...the built ins are white and the counter top is charcoal grey. I'm wanting to bring out that charcoal grey. And the first one would do just that.


This one would match the shade of green on the wall.

This one is more subtle but still gives me a retro vibe.

Again....this one would bring out the green.

Now this one would not only bring out the green....but it would also go with the grey. I adore the pattern!

This last one makes me smile. For some reason it makes me think of my childhood. I'm guessing someone i knew when i was younger had a couch or chair full on in this pattern! HA! BUT i also love it cause of the shades of grey and green in it.

What do you think? Which do you love? Or do you think i'm just crazy!! HAHA!! I think by the end of the week i will have chosen one and have it on order. Possibly next week having them actually hanging in the bonus room. :o)

Lately.....

Wow! Been away from here for some time. Lots of sickness going around. TIS THE SEASON! Stomach bug, runny noses, mysterious fevers lasting for several days, sore throats and coughs! Just nasty. No fun to be had around here these days. Lots of sick germs and gross laundry. I feel like our house needs to be put under a giant tent and Lysol pumped into it! Only good thing i can think of coming out of it is that hopefully we will have had everything before the holidays and we can be sick free during that time. It has hit us hard over the past week.

Before we all got sick i did have a few things lined up to do in the ol'craft room. So as we get better i will try to get that going and post a few things later this week. Till then i hope everyone is feeling WAY better than we are! :(