Insta Friday Yo

What's shakin' bacon?

I blame teaching primary grades for my innate desire to rhyme all greetings.

It's really cool with the 7 and under crowd.

Sometimes it's awkward with adults,

but it just slips out...

and I just keep walking...playing it cool

like all adults talk that way.
 

We (as in Andy) put up Christmas lights and hauled out the inflatables this week.

The kids love pulling up to the house all decked out.

It's fun.

I really think Andy should do this next year:

He disagrees.

Party pooper.

I love changing out the season's scent.

I have a thang for cinnamon.

Hello black Friday deals.

 Like my all time fave movie on DVD for $8.

Everyone needs the classics on DVD.

Peppermint tea makes me happy.

I drank a lot of it when I was pg with Brody.

What am I saying...I still drink a lot of it.

It's a staple during the winter.

We put the kids' trees up this week.

My OCD really freaks out when AJ puts 3 ornaments on the same branch.

Basically on top of each other.

I have to count backwards in my head and walk away.

I love Ab's tree.

Her attention span only lasts about 3 ornaments,

and then she runs off spastically with her barbies banging into the walls 

all the way down the hall.

My lil sorella sent me a lovely box this week with this awesome cowl 

and fingerless gloves she knit me.

People that can knit fascinate me.  I cannot do it.  It makes me aggressive.

Finally, after 9 years of hanging onto these snow/ice ball things 

I figured out something to do with them.

I have a thing for candlesticks and mint julep glasses...

and banners...

I went to a Pampered Chef partay this week.

I went for a silicone whisk.

I ordered the brownie pan instead.

Not just any brownie pan people!

It has 12 quarter cup wells...

meaning every single brownie has 4 crusty corners and edges!

I love the edge pieces.

I have wanted something like this forever.

Forget the silicone whisk.  The stainless one will do.

Frisbee, our elf on the shelf, made the journey from the North Pole yesterday.

Because this momma needs all the help she can get 

as my kids wind up in anticipation of the jolly holiday.

He always brings all our Christmas books with him when he shows up.

The kids came home from school Thursday to this spread.

It was fun.

And childhood should be magical if you ask me.

Just in case he isn't creepy enough on his own, I like to help point out

his jail house snitch stalking tendencies to the kids.

For good measure.

Look at this happy box!

I am so excited.

A couple weeks ago I picked up an angel from the Angel Tree table at our church.

Some of the angels made me really sad.  Kids asking for tennis shoes or coats...

things that they should just have, not something they need to request as a gift.

I found an angel for a 12 year old girl asking for a hair straightener and a crossword book.

She has the same middle name as me, 

and any 12 year old that asks for a crossword book should get a crossword book.

So I took her angel.

I still remember the year a kind, generous lady from our church sponsored 

my mom, my little sister and I for Christmas.  

I so clearly remember her coming to our apartment with a big box of food and a wrapped gift for each of us.  I got a barbie doll with a yellow dress and black trim.  

Abby now plays with that barbie and dress.  

I remember going through that box of food.  

So excited to be blessed with a meal we couldn't afford for ourselves.

Some memories pierce our hearts like they just happened yesterday.  That Christmas was one of my most favorite childhood Christmases because I learned that a complete stranger loved me.  I hope this 12 year old girl opens her box and knows that a stranger loves her too.

Random

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. We may break up one day. 

I hate fixing my hair.  Hate it.

I always sit criss cross applesauce to put on my make-up.

I want to see the Northern Lights one day.

The song Love Story by Taylor Swift gives me goose bumps every single time when she sings:

He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

And said marry me Juliet.

I used to peek at my Christmas presents as a little girl.
I thought my mom never knew.

I hate going to bed before 11pm...it just feels like a waste of time.

My most recent purchases on iTunes are:

Some Nights-Fun

Everbody-Ingrid Michaelson

Soul Meets Body-Death Cab for Cutie

Love Life-Andrew Allen

Nothing Ever Happens-Rachel Platten

When We Stand Together-Nickelback

A Thousand Years-Christina Perri

Gangnam Style- PSY

Everybody Talks-Bon Aero

Houdini-Foster the People

Little Talks-Of Monsters and Men

 Egg Nog grosses me out.

I love the look of t-shirts layered over a long sleeve shirt. 
I think only down to earth people can rock this look.

I love Burt's Bees Cocoa & Cupuacu Butters Body Lotion.

Opening stockings was my favorite part of Christmas morning as a kid.
Now I live to see the look on the kids' faces as they turn the corner and see the gifts for the first time.
If I could bottle the world and give it to them I would.

I want to have a girls trip to Nantucket one day
and wear a big floppy sun hat and oversized Jackie O sunglasses.

I love the movie Footloose.  It makes me want to bust a move.  I cannot dance to save my life.

Andy and I danced to Jessica Simpson's version of Take My Breath Away
for our first dance at our wedding reception.
Because our first date was watching Top Gun. 
I didn't call it date until later.

I love Gothic crosses.

There is no good way to end a random post.
So here goes...

Snow Playdough

The natives were getting restless this evening. 

I needed something quick and easy with what I already had on hand... 

something with some wow factor. 

So what else does a desperate mother do

 but go to pinterest?

And I found this by Ten Kids and a Dog:

 I have to admit, I'm not a playdough fan...

but this stuff is from the land of pixies where it rains glitter and unicorns frolic.

They played with it for hours.

Hours I tell ya!

Every child I know may be getting snow playdough for Christmas.

Simply Magical

Today Abby and I dawned our tights, fancy dresses, dress up shoes and lip gloss.

We curled our hair like princesses...

and went on a special girls outing to see The Nutcracker 

with special friends.

This was Abby's first outing of this kind.
It was a big day in her little world.

She looked at herself in awe in the mirror 

and giggled as she ran downstairs to leave.

The ballet was at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in downtown Denver.

Which is absolutely beautiful.

It was fun to be a part the hustle and bustle of all the holiday theater goers

and see all the girls dressed up in their glittery puffy dresses.

It was special to see Abby walk proudly among the crowds, taking it all in.

The kind of special where you kind of hold your breath and get a little teary seeing your little girl growing up and experiencing a new part of this great big world for the first time.

Abby was mesmerized watching the dancers...
occasionally asking loud questions like when are they going to talk
or when is she going to get dressed out of her pajamas
or if they were fairy ballerinas or just ballerinas.

 

She felt empowered and in awe of the entire experience.

She was dancing and twirling, carrying her program around all evening at home.

Even dancing as she brushed her teeth and ran to her bed tonight.

It was a magical day.

For both of us.

Custom Superhero Capes

Super excited about this custom order. 

I might have to make my kiddos some capes for Christmas!

Insta Friday

Hi peeps!

I can't believe it's Friday.

 

It doesn't feel like Friday.
Yesterday didn't feel like Thanksgiving.
Time is a weird thing.

Ab has been practicing writing her name.
I thought girls were suppose to like doing this kind of stuff better than boys.
Not this chick.
She wasn't easier to potty train either.
And she calls our every bluff.
We are in for a ride with this one.
But we love her.
She definitely keeps things exciting.

Breaking Dawn Part 2

with my BFF.

It was a fun night.

Loving all these great photo gift deals...

Love getting these orange packages...

Love getting an early jump on Christmas gifts...

Still feel overwhelmed by Christmas...

This kid puts the happy in happy hour I tell ya.

It was just water.

 But man was he happy to be drinking it.

Andy and I have been playing cards and board games after the kids go to sleep.

We haven't played games like this in years.

We have laughed a lot.

It's become one of my favorite parts of the day.

This child can make a mess in seconds flat.

But he's pretty stinkin' cute doing it.

I love love love snuggling up and watching Christmas movies.

And I have an addiction to Sonic drinks.

I made pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving.

I thought about making these fancy pumpkin pies from pinterest.

Then I decided to get real...

and used store bought crust and the recipe on the back of the Libby's can.

 

Off to supervise the hanging of the Christmas lights.

Have a great weekend!

Cubby Bear

AJ was over the moon last Friday

to bring home his V.I.P. poster and Cubby Bear.

Cubby Bear lives in his Kindergarten classroom

and gets to go home with the class V.I.P. over the weekend.

AJ has been blessed with a simply amazing teacher this year.

She is compassionate, but firm when she needs to be.

She develops a good rapport with each kiddo in her class.

She knows her stuff.

She has inspired AJ, 

helped him grow in all areas, 

and fostered a love for learning in him that I hope lasts his lifetime.

The kid came straight home and worked on his poster for 2 hours.

Because he wanted to.

He was on a mission.

He had already been planning activities to do with Cubby Bear

weeks before Cubby Bear came home.

They played Legos.

They rode AJ's scooter.

Thank goodness for zip ties and a $1 basket from Target.

They played at the park...

and played at the park.

They went to church.

And they went to Krispy Kreme.

AJ even shared his orange juice.

Then AJ eagerly wrote a sentence for each picture in Cubby Bear's album to bring back to school.

Kindergarten pretty much rocks.

Insta Friday

Yay for Friday
and easy Insta Friday posts!

Hop on over to Life Rearranged and join the fun.

Christmas presents have started arriving in the mail!
 I'm so excited for the holidays this season,
   I can hardly contain myself!
 

Don't be a hater,

 but our Christmas cards are almost ready to go out.

Crazy I know.

I'm never this on top of things.

Don't worry...

I realized that after addressing several,

I had the envelopes upside down. 

Yup upside down.   

This is how I roll.

Just when I think I'm rockin' something, 

I'm humbled.  

AJ is reading!

So excited to see everything fall into place that makes reading possible!

It truly is magical.

I took a picture of this because this never happens.

All the dishes clean and put away.

Never. Ever.

It lasted only mere moments.

Then a kid wanted an afternoon snack.

I'm not gonna lie, I was tempted to tell them no.

But I didn't.

I just made them eat it on a paper towel instead.

I made some super yummy and super easy potato soup from

Plain Chicken this week.

Perfect for a chilly evening at home.

I like this recipe way better than the one I posted last winter.

AJ asked for bacon bits.

Then he wouldn't eat his soup...

because it had bacon bits.

I don't get children.

 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Make some potato soup.

Don't put bacon bits in your child's soup.