Merry Winter

Yes, I have started switching over Christmas to Winter/Snowmen/January. Every year at this time I usually make tons of crafts...the kids are out of school and we spend a lot of time at home. This year is no different, I have been decorating and crafting and watching movies and having a great time with my family.

I made myself this new mitten...it's cutest ever.

Floating candles...my new FAVORITE. Every late afternoon I turn them on to make the house look and feel so pretty.

It's Been Wonderful

Our whole weekend has been so nice. I made these festive Christmas pillowcases for the kids. I love how they enjoy things like this. The Christmas pillowcases made them sleep super good Christmas Eve.

We made peppermint bark, molasses/gingerbread boys and 2 other kinds of cookies but these M&M cookies were our favorite. I just used the recipe off the back of the bag of the mini M&M's.

Ben is one lucky little boy. He got his own laptop and NBA tickets for Christmas. It's the Kings opener tonight against the Lakers. Ben got 4 tickets...so look for us on TV.

Ben's Christmas Concert

Last night was Ben's first band concert. It was wonderful. They played 10 Christmas songs. It seemed extra special to me because it was December 15th...my grandpa moseley's birthday!

Yummy Frosty

One pan down two to go. We are taking these to all our Christmas parties. I found the idea on Pinterest. Even the middle schoolers get a Christmas party on Friday...I am so excited. I was afraid when Ben started middle school this fun stuff might be over but his teachers said "Bring it on!"

Christmas Crafts

I love sweetwater. They have a style that is me. Every year I order a few of their 12 Days of Christmas projects. I did order a couple this year and love them. The other day I made this sign with Harmon on it...I dig anything with and H or Harmon on it.

This weekend I made the most beautiful dishtowel. It has a Christmas theme so next on my list is one just like but one I can leave out throughout the year. The towel is so gorgeous I can only use for display.

I have the sweetest kids! They enjoy doing some of my craziest fun things with me. The other night we decorated some oranges with whole cloves and they loved it...both of the kids did. I use to make these as a kid.

My kitchen carried the smell of cloves this whole week. MMM!

I have never cared for the color purple very much. My daughter will choose the color purple for anything and everything. I am such a nice mom I agreed to let her pick the colors of paint she wanted in her bedroom and of course she chose 2 shades of purple. But when Steve's mom was here she got me started crocheting granny squares. On my own accord I fell for a perfect dark plum yarn and a cream to go with it. I am beginning to create quite a stack of squares.

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas

My house feels so warm and cozy all dressed up for Christmas.

When we were over at Lake Tahoe over Thanksgiving the main thing I wanted to get was the beautiful HUGE pine cones they have all over the place. I put these in my German dough bowl but still have more...any ideas on what I could do or make with them? I LOVE them.

We have this balcony that over looks in to the living room, that is how I took the picture above this one.

Madi's Christmas shirt. I just cut 3 triangles and stacked them...EASY! Of course we got some red & aqua in there but check out the gingerbread trunk.

My favorite Christmas pillow I made all the way back in 1999...I dated it. I need to do that more often. I like looking at my things and remembering what was going on in my life then.

It's All In The Packaging!

A few years ago my friend amber picked up these same cute bags from Target for $1. I loved what she did with them. So when I saw them after Christmas for 90% off I picked up 20 of them for $2! I made some little gift bags filled with divine smelling peppermint soap accompanied with one of my crocheted wash clothes.

For this years wrapping paper theme I picked out red, cream and grey. They look so pretty to me...

...but Madi has thrown a wrench in the whole thing. She found these hip Justin Bieber Christmas tags. She asked me to get them to use on her gifts. I did and I even got the purple wrapping paper to go with them. As long as she is happy it's okay.

Christmas Pictures...2011

I LOVE them!!!! We went outside to the orchards behind my house. I took a chair, quilt, the numbers and my two little ones.

December 5, 1996

Today is my 15th Wedding Anniversary. What a 15 years it has been. We have the 2 sweetest kids in the world. Our life is never boring....in the last 15 years we have lived in 9 different states/countries. It's been crazy fun.




My kids thoroughly enjoy the Christmas Countdown I made them. Today...December 5th...


We are going out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary and then from the countdown, it is our turn to go to Starbucks for the kids favorite...white hot chocolate to drink while we drive around town looking at Christmas lights. So I better hurry, I need to fold laundry, go run and then change before my kids get out of school at 1:30. I can't wait until tonight!!!

Grinch Pills

Have you ever known anyone to spend over $30 on tic-tacs? If you are reading this you have now. But the second I saw these I knew Madi and I would love to make them. This is what Madi is giving her class for Christmas....I know, no reindeer poop?

Christmas From Around The World

My favorite thing the military has given to us is the chance to live/travel the world. Steve's mom is still here and together we made this "forest". One tree has my old german ornaments I picked up at a flea market in Germany. The smallest tree shelters the most precious Korean ornaments I got on a fun shopping trip in Insadong, Korea. The big tree has lots of flags from countries we have visited. And I made the ornaments that say New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Paris, Prague...I just love it. Ben and Madi want me to make some that say Atlanta, Philadelphia, Orlando and something else but I don't remember; so I guess I can make a few more. Steve's mom leaves tomorrow. I love the way she cooks for us, cleans up after us, does the laundry for us....we can't wait until she can come back.

Christmas and a Snow Day

We spent Christmas Day with the 607th Weather Squadron family.

Our weather men grilled our Christmas Dinner in 10 degrees?!?

The kids played lots of games. Here Madi just won at Hungry Hungry Hippos. Our favorite game was Pictionary...the whole squadron played..it is now Madi's favorite game in the world.

It's been snowing off and on all week. The kids went on level 2, aka our back yard, to play.

Tuesday even Steve got a snow day. Work called and said not to come in. We went SLEDDING!

Madi just about had a crash.

After sledding we went to the beautiful Drangon Hill Lodge to warm up and eat dinner.

The snow is so pretty to watch from out house up in the sky. See Steve's new book on his nightstand. We have been laughing at some of the stories George has to tell...like the time he killed his sister's fish because he filled the fish bowl with vodka.

MY FAVORITE!!!

I made these beautiful handmade Christmas placemats. This just may be my favorite project I have ever made. These will be treasured and joyfully used every Christmas. For me, things like this that I make, fill my heart and home with such a warm feeling. The other day the moda bake shop had this project on their blog. Now I am ready for Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Spritz cookies

The other day I made my Grandpa Kiehl's Spritz cookies. My Grandpa Kiehl was a Chemist who graduated from Columbia University. He was one of the chemist that worked on the very first atomic bombs...he made yummy cookies.

1 cup softened butter
1 1/8 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Chill until stiff enough to work well in cookie press. Bake on greased cookie sheet; 325 for 8-10 minutes.

My kids LOVED using the cookie press/gun.

Madi has been sick for 2 days. She had a fever of 103.1. She has had keytones off and on for the last 2 days along with high blood sugars. I sure hope she gets better quickly in time to enjoy Christmas. She told me she would have to be better by Christmas because remember she was super sick on her birthday last summer and it wouldn't be right if she were to be sick on two of the best holidays. We got a box in the mail today from one of my friends. So Madi looks so cute wearing her new Nice/Naughty tee with the cutest Christmas knee high socks...she is a sight. But her new stuff makes her feel better :-)

PLAID

These are the world's best homemade gooy frosted brownies, topped with a Christmas plaid. We are ready to go to the Christmas party.