Visiting Santa

Our first visit to Santa this year was last weekend at the Festival of Trees. To some people this may not be a great photo but all FOUR of them are looking at the camera -- that is HUGE to their mommy!

For Aunt Keely

Once he discovered the fisherman outfit, he was all about it. He even took it to bed and came out the next morning wearing the hat and carrying the fishing pole. "I love fishing!" he proclaims.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

around here. The *new* advent calendar I made is up.

It's just various little stockings with number tags added held up on a ribbon with clothespin. Each day there is a note in the stockings that lead us to an activity or small prize. Our first day was getting reacquainted with our elf, Elfie (he had also brought us a little treat too).

He watches us and reports to Santa each night. Each day he's in a different place although this morning he must have overslept because Caden could have sworn he was in the same place as yesterday when he went downstairs with Daddy before work. Then he crawled back in bed with me and when he work up the second time he was sitting on the tree .... hmmmmm ... puzzling.

Reese and I put up the tree and lights yesterday and our advent calendar told us to decorate it. They did such a good job.

I really didn't have to do much. I have a lot more decorations to go through. I don't put everything out every year.

I just pick and choose what I am really liking at the moment. I think I may do something with our dining room table and our light.

We are all in sick mode right now. Some strange one day, throw up thing. First Caden on Tuesday, then Aaron missed work yesterday and started to feel better just in time for Reese to start throwing up and Addison stayed home today and almost threw up. So just Ethan and me to go. I sure hope my weekend isn't spent sick. I have a lot of sewing projects and other Christmas things to get started on.

TWO!

I can't believe Reesey turned two yesterday!



We had a little family party .... a pink puppy party because she LOVES dogs so much and it had to be pink because I could make it girly.

It was fun and all 11 of her cousins made it.

We played games that made my kids cry ... but I think they had fun. Pin the tail on the Puppy was a hit! Musical dogs maybe a little too stressful for the 5 and under crowd.

We had hot dogs and chili and puppy chow and scooby snacks and pink cherry fluff.

I made paw print cupcakes and a pink puppy cake that looked like a pig for a while before it was all finished. Opening presents was crazy and very LOUD, my MIL said it sounded like there were 40 kids there not 10. I would have to say Uncle John is the hit of the kids party with every kid even ones he's not related to.


She got the cutest tulle tutu skirt from Aunt Monica and family and she got 3 baby dolls, one almost as tall as she is. Of course lots of cute clothes and other fun toys.

She was so excited for her Puppy Birthday and I think she had a great time! We love you, Reesey!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was great!

I did almost all my cooking the days leading up, a couple things everyday so there wasn't much to make except the giant turkey my MIL bought. She got some super deal, a 19 lb turkey for about $8.

Of course as normal I realized that 5 days is not enough time to defrost a giant turkey even when it spent 3 hours in a cold water bath to speed up the process. Next year I'm adding 2 days on to my defrost time. So even though I added 45 minutes on the cooking time that was recommended it still took an extra 45 minutes to cook so we ate late.

But we ate and ate.

It was just us, my in-laws, and my dad.

I made a ton of food and my kids as normal at next to nothing, they're wasn't much left except lots of turkey.

I thought I must have read my mashed potatoes recipe wrong thinking maybe it said serves 6 when I rechecked it said 12 so we just stuffed ourselves silly. My pies turned out good and my inlaws couldn't compliment me enough.
We wrote little cards to tell why we were thankful and I want to make a little book to put out next year (add that of my list of leisurely projects to do ....) It was a great day with NO stress and I love to cook especially when it turns out yummy.
I'm grateful for these four little turkeys:
:
and this big one!

(the husband not the actually turkey ... although I do love turkey!

Sweet as Pie

I made my first pie ... crust and everything. Aaron sure was impressed but well see once he tastes it, how he feels about my skills. I've been busy little bee with Thanksgiving and Reese's birthday preparations. Trying to do a little everyday so it all comes together easily in the end. Yesterday I made sugar cookies (after searching for the cookie cutters I bought for an hour!), the pie, goodie bags, and did a little impromptu photo shoot with Reese. Today I'm making mashed potatoes, cranberries, and decorating the rest of the cookies. Wednesday is the green bean casserole, jello, and a pumpkin pie. Thursday will be turkey and stuffing and bake Reese's cake. I feel like it's all under control but I do want to get some cleaning done too but time is limited since we have a hearing aide appointment today in Peoria and 2 eye appointments tomorrow in Rock Island. I hope your holiday plans are coming together.

Inspiration Roll

I get a ton of ideas from people's blogs. According to my husband, my laptop should be called a hiptop since he thinks I'm attached to it. I love all the ideas I find, just wish I had more time to create. Today was a creative day:
We made four of these turkeys for table decor for our Thanksgiving table:

I made four of these headbands (well the headband part still needs to be made):

then I made 68 of these meatballs and they are so good and I normally do not like meatballs. I can't wait to try some of the recipes that go along with them.

Then I made a little pink dog from a pair of gloves. No photo, mine didn't turn out as cute but Reese will be getting it for her birthday later in the week.

Now I feel like this: