Christmas Recap

Mike opening his bottle opener we got him

Encore Elmo Live !! Another big hit - from Mom Mom & Pops

Lil Mason

Pops & Mom Mom

Rocking Chair from Grandma Henderson

Big Hit gift - $5.99 ball from Walgreens

Lil apron to go with her play kitchen


We had an awesome Christmas!! Maddie was so much fun!! I can't wait for next year.

I have one more post of Christmas pictures from our dinner.

Happy New Year !! Everyone We chilled at home drank champagne and watched the Hangover.

Ooh look what Santa left...

Whew... what a Christmas!!

This is what our house looked like Christmas eve at Midnight!

Santa and his elves slaved over that play kitchen. What an adventure! Two injuries later it was complete. Little Maddie had such a nice Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2009

Havin a ball

Mike (my brother & Lindsey & Mason

My parents with the grandkids (2 of them)

We have always gone to my Aunt & Uncle's house on Christmas eve for as long as I can remember. This year they had it in the barn, which is okay except for the whole left side of the roof was leaking. Which made it slippery. Maddie was running around and it was a chore to keep her out of the water. She was kept busy watching everyone open their presents. She sat so still but got so excited about the ribbons & bows. She would wrap them around her neck and clap & cheer, laugh. My Aunt gave me the best present ever My Grandmothers porcelin doll. It was hers made she was little. I cried and cried.. and still get teared eyed thinking about it. It has to be 70 or close to 80 yrs old. And is great condition. When I picked it up out of the gift bag when we got home it's eyes blinked. Amazing that they made them like that that long along.

Lights by the bay

My favorite

Maddie finally got to see the lights at Sandy Point Monday night., We had taken her on Sunday and they were closed due to the snow :( But Monday worked out much better. She LOVED the lights squealed at the top of her lungs followed by lots of WHOO's & OOH's. Then we ate at our favorite Red Hot & Blue.

Snow day

Snowy walk with Daddy & Grandma

My baby!!

Had to have the little people animals along to play in the snow

Riding the tractor with daddy


Here's a few pictures from Sunday, Maddie got to play in the snow and ride in the tractor with daddy. Which she loved first go around, second time not so much. She cried!! She will not put down her little people they go everywhere with her so they got to play in the snow too. Check out her new snow pants & jacket Grandma Carolyn got for her. It'll probably never snow again now that she has clothes..lol

Etsy shop

Here's a preview of some of Etsy shop items. I hope to get the shop open next month.

Hope everyone is enjoy the snow ! Hoping to take Maddie out for a few minutes this afternoon.

I have enjoyed the time inside to catch up on some stuff. Guess I'll have to venture out tomorrow.

Cinnamon Honey Butter...yummy

Cinnamon Honey Butter :P Yummy!

I made a batch of this for my co workers and friends. It's very easy making another batch tonight. I found the recipe here at one of my favorite blogs.

Here's the recipe

You will need the following:

2 Sticks of butter (room temp)

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 cup of honey

2 teaspoons of ground Cinnamon

Then I used my hand mixer whipped the butter {make sure it’s soft and room temp}. I added to it the powdered sugar, then the honey, then the cinnamon. Whip it good. Scrape the sides. Whip it again

Then spoon it into your precious little 4 oz jars

If you can’t find the small ones, your friends and neighbors would be more than happy to receive a larger jar of it! The measurements above yielded 6 small jars.

I added a fabric scrap and tag!

You can eat it by the spoonful or serve it on English muffins, bagels, biscuits, rolls, or toast… or sweet potatoes… or oatmeal!

Enjoy!!

Photo tip ~ Present opening

I saw a post on one of my favorite blog's Ashley Ann Photography about a photo tip for Christmas Present opening. Thought I'd share. But click on the link above for her post. She is full of awesome ideas, and takes great photos. P.S. I love her house.

Start by picking one or two big presents you think they will be excited to open.

1. Start by taking a photo of the present unopened

2. Take photos of them opening the present from all angles, laying on the floor, standing up above them, just their hands unwrapping.

3. Take some of them playing with the gift.

She goes on to say step away from the camera and take part in the moment. Don't hide behind the camera all of the time. I am famous for that. I am definatly going to follow this rule this year. Santa is bringing Maddie a couple big gifts ! Can't wait to see her reaction.

Vintage Tea Towel Pillow

I have been dying to show you some of my Xmas craft projects, however most of them are for people that read this. So I'll have wait until after Christmas. I did find one that I'm able to share of a vintage tea towel (yard sale find) that I made into a pillow. The tea towl is of the New England states. I love the Red & Yellow together. The backing is yellow polka dot fabric. I love making pillows out of tea towels, weird I know.

I have slowly been making and picking things to add to my Etsy shop (which I hope to open after Christmas) so stay tuned for that. This pillow I actually just sold to a coworker so I am thrilled!! They wanted it to give as a Xmas present.

Spotting the tree

These are a few pictures from the other day, we finally put up our tree after Maddie had gone to bed. And this is her checking out the tree when she got up the next morning. Lots of oohs and wow's !! She has grabbed a few ornaments but put them back after we told her no. She just likes to run over to it and point. I am so excited this year is so fun for her and for us. It's so neat watching her discover stuff makes me think back to when I was a kid. We are hoping to take her to Sandy Point one night to see the Christmas lights. I think she would really be into that.

Thanksgiving

Here's a few pictures from our Thanksgiving which was wonderful!! Tom did all the cooking I assisted. We had a small crowd my pilgrim size dining room table was put to use. Taylor & Maddie played good. We cooked a little turkey breast and mac & cheese, sweet potato fluff. Dad & Lynn made a yummy ham, and yucky orange stuff. We had apple pie and pumpkin pie. num num ! as Maddie would say. Maddie loved the turkey!

We are cooking Christmas dinner too so excited!! Correction Tom is cooking Christmas dinner.

I hope to make some stuff thou. I want to make something in my bean pot and

maybe some Sangeria!

My new blog is still a work in progress, I need to sit down and add the rest of the extras to my site.

Pioneer Woman

Check this out picture by picture instructions

So I got a Christmas present early ! I have been wanting this cookbook for a while now.

Hopefully it will inspire me to be a better cook, let me refrase that. Hopefully it will inspire me to cook !! ha-ha The Pioneer woman is an awesome lady! Mother of four, photographer, ranch hand etc. The book as a ton of down home recipes. Can't wait to try them out.

Under construction..

Stay tuned my blog is getting a makeover.