JCP Buttons

 

I use to be a really big fan of JC Penney's then they took away their coupons and changed their pricing and like many other shoppers I just stopped going.  Over the holiday weekend my mom wanted to look for something in there and I wanted a few buttons.

 

I became a winner the first button I entered and now I'm hooked.  I have won 40% off  the time I entered.  You don't have to purchase anything to get a button.  Not only do I love the prizes I also love the little buttons and can't wait to make a craft out of them after the Christmas.

 

JCP thank you for helping me save on Bo's Christmas presents this year.

Our Christmas Vacation House

 

Bo & I decorated for Christmas early.  We usually wait to decorate the week after Thanksgiving, but we never really get to enjoy the decorations.  Not this year, we are going to enjoy our decorations.  I can't tell you what a relief it was to come home from visiting the Fam to have it all done.  Before we left for the farm, Bo's cousin came by our house to follow us to the farm. When he saw our house he started calling Bo -Clark.

Our version of a Griswold Christmas.

 

All of this talk of Clark Griswold made us want to watch Christmas Vacation, which we did.  This movie is a classic.  I have always said that I've never seen it and then when I watched it I started to remember it.  I think I've seen parts of it in passing, and I will watch it again.

 

By the way our doesn't look like the Griswold's house, YET.  Bo fell off the ladder and messed up his knee so the rest of our lights will have to wait until next year.

 

Happy Decorating!

Life of PI

I enjoyed my little break & I hope all of you did too.  We spent time with family, eat to much, and shopped a lot.  But what was most of the ordinary for a Thanksgiving weekend - Bo and I went to the movies.  Boo stayed an extra night with his grandmother & I had won some movie tickets so we took this opportunity for a date night.

Let me just tell you for a Thanksgiving weekend there wasn't a lot I was doing back flips over to see but Bo and I came to an agreement on the Life of PI.

This was an excellent choice.  We saw it in 3D which wasn't necessary but it was the time we wanted and it was free.  (As Dad used to say, "if it is free, it is for me.")

Bo and I didn't really know anything about the book, Life of PI, and the commercials for movie were rather confusing.  Actually, the commercials don't tell you anything about the movie. 
Now, I know why because I'm having the same problem trying to tell you about it.  I can say it is amazingly shot and Bo and I were so taken in by the movie that neither one of us even ate or drank during the movie.  We never even thought about checking our watches to see how long we had been in there. The theater was silent the entire time except when someone walked in the wrong theater talking really loudly and it woke us from our trace of this amazing movie.

I'm so glad that we choose this movie & it was the first time in along time that I left the movies satisfied. 

The Life of PI was an amazing move & I would go see it if I were you.

Have any of y'all seen any good movies lately?

Happy Thanksgiving - Early

I'm going to start my Thanksgiving Holiday early. I have baking, shopping and plenty of other fun things planned. Hope y'all have a great time with your family and friends. See you on Monday.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is one of my favorite charities and it has been for years, but this year it was even more special because Boo helped.  I know he didn't get it all, but at least we are starting to lay a foundation giving. I think OCC will be the most relatable charity for him. 

 

How he has helped...

1. He has approved items for in the boxes when we went shopping.
2. He helped pack and unpack a few items in the boxes.
3. He was going to carry a box into church this morning, but when given the box he wanted to eat his cookie instead.  What can I say the cookie won out.

 

Sometimes it seems so overwhelming as a mother to teach your child everthing you want to, but sometimes the simplest things make the big difference in our child's life.

 

Remember this week is Operation Christmas Child drop off week.



Christmas Wreath

So I have some created juices going.  Here are two more wreaths that I made a couple of weeks ago. Hope to make a few more soon.

Wedding China

I know what your thinking - "Didn't she just show us her Christmas decorations?  Why is she showing us Valentine's Day Pictures?"

 

This post was inspired by a friend who let her Facebook friends know that her wedding china was for sale.  She thought it was time to sell because she hadn't removed it from the gift boxes in the almost decade she has been married. 

 So this got me thinking a few things:

1. The Guest -  How sad for the guest who took the time to go pick out a gift just for this couple.  In the end it seems like they wasted both their time and money
2. The Couple -  How sad for the couple for not enjoying something that was purchased for them for their special day and now they are getting rid of it. How could something so beautiful live in a box this long.   
3.  I'm thankful for all the people who thought of Bo and I on our wedding day.  We were overwhelmingly blessed with wedding gifts almost 7years ago. And every time I pull something out that was a gift I'm reminded of that special day in our life and the people who shared it with us.  But I am a Fool In Love.

Okay, I'm off my Soapbox and back to Valentine's Day. 



 

 Breakfast for dinner.  Doesn't milk look so much better out of fancy glasses.

 Cupcakes on our dessert plates.

I made this heart decorations for a little added touch.

 

So if you have some china sitting in a cabinet collecting dust, dust it off and make a regular Tuesday night dinner something special.  It is what I plan to do this evening.

All Wrapped Up!

Before - I painted these pictures several years ago.  This week I got an email from Better Homes and Gardens and it had Christmas decorating ideas.  The following is one of them:

 

 After -  I wrapped my pictures in Christmas paper and added  a bit of Christmas to this area of the living room that usually doesn't have any decoration.

It has kind of taken Boo a little bit of time to get used to them.  Because he loves my paintings. 

Alabama Wreath!

It is football Saturday, so I guess I won't get much crafting done today.  We were suppose to go to the game today, but as lucky would have it Bo & Boo came down with a terrible cold/sinus infections.

Roll Tide!

Thanksgiving Wreaths

Okay, I have joined the mesh wreath making club.  Our church had a ladies craft night one night and I learned to make these wreath.  I made the one that night and hadn't done it again, until this past weekend.  You see may aunt had a stove that I wanted and she was willing to trade it for some wreaths. Once I made hers, my mom had to have one too.  All I have to say is that making these are fun accept they dry out the skin on your hands.  I would love to sell some, but it seems that this market my be over saturated. 

Vote

Go vote, and then take a nap to rest up for result coverage.

Trunk or Treat - Chef Mickey

Boo was so happy that he found a winning sucker.

 

 This year for Halloween Bo and Boo went as Chef Mickey.  They wore these costumes when we went to Disney World's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and to our church's trunk or treat. 

 I made the pants from a Big 4 pajama pattern and the apron is also from a Big 4 pattern just cut down to size for Boo.  The applique is from the esty. 

The best picture I have of them together.  It was cold this night so they have on jackets.  The costumes look much better with red shirts. This was a fun, easy costume to make.  I have to thank my mom for helping me come up with the idea.  She is great at helping me make my ideas a reality.  I would still be sewing the costumes I had in mind. Thanks Mom!

Simple Delicious Chili

It is really really hard to take a picture of chili and make it look good.  It taste better than it looks.

For a cold day this chili is a great easy dinner item to make. 

It is as easy as 1, 2, 4...
1 lb. hamburger meat -browned ( you could add an onion if you like)
2 bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce
4 cans of Bush Pinto Chili Beans in Mild Chili Sauce
Place items in a crock pot and eat when it is hot.

I got this recipe from my mom, but she could have gotten it from one of her sisters or one her friends so I'm not taking credit for it.  Just passing it along.