Merry Christmas...TO ME

This morning...

It didn't start off too hot.

Emily doesn't like jeans much...

says they are stiff and prefers cotton leggings.

This morning was no exception.

Little Miss said that her jeans were so tight and stiff...

Oops!

I gave her LANEY'S jeans!

Still quite tired,

she managed to get her own jeans on.

Much better!

Yep, I get the MOM OF THE MORNING award! Geesh!
*****

But...things were looking up!

We actually had snow flurries this afternoon!

The temps went down, so I puffed out my winter gear! Yippee!

AND....

I finished MY Christmas gift!

For several years now, I have created artwork for moi!

This year's creation....

A hand painted framed CHALKBOARD!

*****

Last week my little helper (who obviously dressed herself) and I got to work!

I chalked out my piece.

Laney and I brought out Jon's handy level...just to keep it all straight.

A bit of red paint...

two coats of chalkboard paint...

and a ton of chalk to coat the whole board.

PRESTO!

I just finished today!


I will update it daily.
It's located off of the kitchen and mudroom area...
first thing you see when you walk in from the garage!


If Mr. Cutie Pie (who is sporting quite a loaf head look) could read, he would love it even more!


So, here's to a gift that keeps on giving!

*** And a little gift to you...

Here's the recipe to the GIANT GINGER COOKIES that Laney and I made yesterday. Oh so yum! (the link is acting weird...they are from BETTER HOMES and GARDENS)

With Sugar On Top

The tree is up...

and Christmas song stations have been programmed to play.

It's not even December,

but I am having a bit of fun...

celebrating!

*****

This afternoon, Laney and I made some GIANT Ginger Cookies!

Jon requested them over the weekend.

So, when Henry was down for his afternoon nap, we tried it out...

our first EVER time making them!

I am a wee bit of a control freakozoid....

and I KNEW that Laney was ready and willing to help out.

It was hard...

but I gave her the reigns.

She's such a pro!

Of course, at 5, she already loves Giada and Paula D.!

Laney even prepared entertainment while the cookies were baking!

And she even ASKED...BEGGED to clean up after!

The cookies were a HIT!

And, since I baked cookies, Jon brought home a little surprise for me!

Growing up, I always had a real Christmas tree.

NOTHING is better than the smell of a real, live tree!

Not even my tree scented candle!

Enter Jon and fresh garland!

I may string it inside (smell)...

or it may go outside on my front porch (mess).

All I know is how amazing that smell is...I might even put some on the table beside my bed!

It would give me wonderful dreams...

I might even dream of having a real Christmas tree inside our home.

WAIT...no thanks. Three kiddos, two cats, one dog....a real tree would definitely max me out.

It would shoot me up into the sky further than a bottle rocket.

Needles here, needles there...needles EVERYWHERE!

Okay...off to enjoy my GARLAND!

Finishing Up Thanksgiving Break

Oh how I love breaks....

any kind...

My favorite times...

when my whole family is home together.

Just relaxing and enjoying each other and time.

We really enjoyed the second half of our Thanksgiving break ....

Yesterday morning, my SIL and I took the four girls to see this movie.
TANGLED.

It was much better than I expected.

A must see.

Suzanne and I even thought that boys would like all of the action takes in the movie.

The girls loved it.

If you are a mom...you will tear up. I promise.

My girls...ready to go to the show!

A tree shot...

Henry is in love with the tulle....grabs it and runs! UGH!

Emily...READY FOR THE SHOW!

Cousin Megan, Cousin Madison and Laney!

Last night we hosted my wonderful friend Kristen and her family!

Nothing better than spaghetti and meatballs...

a lot of talking...

and a lot of laughs!

And WOW...the children had a ball playing!

*****

This morning, we opened a package that Henry's Great Aunt Karla sent him!

She is an amazing artist....

Love the gift tag...made from a milk carton!

Henry received all of Cousin David's old dinosaurs!

How special that David passed them down to Henry....

Guess guys in their late 20's aren't into playing dinosaurs anymore! Ha!

Henry was a bit excited!

Yep...just a wee bit excited!

Today we are just reeling out projects.

Baby dolls are busy in every room,

A bit of crafting is going on too.

We may sit down and watch a little family movie as well.

Just making the transisiton into reality....school and work.

It's been a great break...

I cannot wait for the next one!

Thanksgiving Break...Check!

Thanksgiving Break...

BUSY!

Going to Laney's preschool Thanksgiving feast ...check!

Watching my little Indian sing...check!

Watching my little girl write her last name for the first time...check!

Sweet Laney being THRILLED because her daddy and little brother also came...check!

Taking the children to the annual high school basketball game against two rivals...check!

Loving it that the game was only a mile away...check!

Watching my little boy down two boxes of popcorn at that game...ugh...check!

Jon and I meeting many, many friends for drinks and laughs after the game...check!

Hosting my parents and grandma for a nice Thanksgiving meal...check!

So proud of my oldest daughter for the lovely table setting...all by herself...check!

Traveling ten minutes to Jon's parents for a wonderful evening meal...check!

Having an awesome day BLACK FRIDAY shopping with my SIL and MIL...check!

Putting up our Christmas tree...check!

Managing to get only a few not so great camera shots of the past few days...check!

*****

Yes...checking a lot of fun things off of my Thanksgiving Break list...

having a ball...

and there's still more to come!

I hope everyone had a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving!

Save The Best For Last: Painted Stool

Four stools...

what all started out like this...SAD!

After years of storing these ugly beasts,

last year I finally got a vision.

I painted the first stool for a church auction (HERE).

Then, this summer, I pulled two more stools out of storage.
Painted these babies black and added some ribbons...

PrEsTo!

My artroom now has some fun stools!

AND...

an order came for the very last stool.

A gal who bid on the very first stool last year!

This year she wanted it as a Christmas gift...

to herself!

*****

I started out the project with white, white, white towels and buckets.

Not so white anymore.

And my paint palette?
I just kept loading paint on top of paint.

Hours and hours of painting...

...and now it's FINISHED!

Yep, the paint is still wet!

This baby does NOT have one millimeter of non-funkiness!

The requested quote on top...even painted some sparkle paint around it!

And I didn't even forget to polka dot underneath the seat!
Yep...every single millimeter is PAINTED!

Now to sign and hand over this gem.

So, what started out as 4 poor stools...

Extreme Makeover...Stool Edition....

They all have great homes now.

First Slumber Party...What I NOW Know

The invites were sent out...

making it official...

Emily had her very first slumber party last night!

Four wonderful girls came for the night.

It's definitely nice that Jon and I are friends with all of the girls' parents!

*****

Upon arrival, the girls were whisked downstairs.

They had the whole basement to themselves...bathroom, kitchenette, living, beds...

And they worked on decorating pillowcases!

*****

Then the PIZZA came!

Jon and I gifted the girls with matching pajamas...

Oh how they all looked adorable...

AND...they LOVED looking alike!

Soon, it was time for a little birthday dessert!

Then the REAL fun began...

watching American Girl movies, popcorn, laughing, singing and

oh goodness...the silliness!

All were out by 11Pm.

...didn't hear a peep out of them until 7am...

But I love the fact that they all said that they stayed up until 2am! Ha!

*****

And breakfast...fruit and donuts for the party girls!

And WOWZERS...

baby brother enjoyed the whole party too!

Laney was spending the night down the lane with cousin Madison..and boy did they have their own party!

So...were there any surprises?

ABSOLUTELY!

1. I had no idea how much five 7-9 year old girls eat! Pizza, cookies, 4 bags of popcorn, yogurt, and a 2 pound bag of animal crackers...and they begged for more! Whew! Note to self: BUY MORE FOOD NEXT TIME!

2. Messy piggies! I've been picking up food trails all over my home! What in the world! Crazy girls!

3. I knew that the girls would have a ball at our home. I also knew that Laney would have a ball down the lane. But Henry? I had no idea what a BLAST he would have. At one point I went downstairs. There he sat between the girls, eating popcorn and loving it all. When the girls would laugh, he would laugh...just like a little girlfriend!

4. A slumber party....much easier than I thought. Better that I didn't plan out every detail. They were great girls and we all had a lot of fun.

And the after effects of a slumber party.

She's been like this for 2 hours!

Eight Is Great

Happy 8th Birthday, Emily Caroline!!!!!
Yes, yesterday my baby turned 8.

Crazy how time flies!

She was up and ready by 6:30am....

so excited for the day!

Sporting her oh so adorable birthday shirt from HERE!

Laney and I decided to surprise Emily at school...

And YES, she was pleasantly surprised!

We ate lunch with her...

This was a first for Laney.

I'm so glad, since she will be eating her kindergarten lunch here next year!

Emily's friend Jenna and cousin Megan joined us!

After lunch, the older girls BEGGED Laney and I to go out to recess with them.

Emily's other friend, Morgan, joined in the fun!

Oh how these girls paraded Laney around like she was Queen Bee!

(Yes, Laney LOVED the attention!)

Grandma came down for Emily's birthday dinner.

And right after dinner, Jon's sister and cousins Megan and Madison walked in singing...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
We all enjoyed grandma's cherry pie and ice cream!

Then it was time for PRESENTS!

Emily's first present was from Jon...

A camera...with video!

The girls were all OOOHHHH and AHHHHH!

So much fun!

Then, my gift to my girl.

I painted a mirror for her room!

And finally, our family gift to Emily...

a digital keyboard!

WOW did all three swarm to that gift!

It's everyone's BFF!

Such a lovely birthday until I noticed what looked like WWF in the living room while I was cleaning up in another room.
Yep, the kiddos were beating the snot out of each other trying to get to that keyboard!
JON to the rescue...
he took it up to Emily's room.
And for some reason Em decided to bring it back downstairs...
and dropped it...
there it went 1/2 way down the stairs!
JON to the rescue again!
All is well...
The mirror is ready to be hung in Emily's room...
and shhhhh...what you don't see....Henry is playing the keyboard right beside me!

What a happy, happy birthday to one of my favorite people in the whole wide world!