I had a little help in the kitchen tonight. She is completely obsessed with helping me cook these days. Every night when I cook dinner she drags her chair into the kitchen to "help." I made a yummy soup recipe, but the kids don't like it at ALL, so she made Mac & Cheese. My mom taught me to cook at an early age, and my earliest cooking memory is of making Mac & Cheese. Which just happened to be my favorite food back then. (It's no wonder my kids love it!) I will definitely have to document this in my scrapbook. 
So I thought I might share the soup recipe that I made tonight...it's my moms' recipe and it's delicous!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Mac & Cheese
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Teacher gifts...
I was trying to come up with teacher gifts this year that were creative. I know the kids teachers, but I don't really "know" them...does that make sense? I don't know what they like/dislike and I know the kind of gifts that I got as a teacher. Well, it wasn't that I didn't appreciate those things, but how were those parents to know that I am basically allergic to almost all lotions? I had more bottles of lotion and bath salts than I knew what to do with. Maybe there were a lot of Mary Kay consultant mothers?? I don't know. I also did not need one more teacher/apple/chalkboard themed gift...although I do know plenty of teacher who loved that sort of present! So I was trying to think of something inexpensive and something that most women would appreciate. I saw these beautiful poinsettia plants and thought they were perfect! All they need is some cute paper wrapped around them (I was thinking of something with a scalloped edge) and a creative tag or card for the finishing touch. And the price was only $4.50! Perfect! I had at least 3 women tell me on my way out of Walmart how beautiful they were. The best part is that I get to enjoy them at my house for a week or so, until it's time to give them away!
I'll have to share pictures of how they look in the end, right now they have a very ugly plastic wrapper on them! They would even be pretty sitting on an antique china plate. Hmmmm...lots of ways to get creative with these.
Have a wonderful night!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Monday madness!
Is it me or does your to-do list double the first few weeks of December? I have been creating and wrapping and shipping and Christmas card making now for weeks it feels like, and I am still not done. I took some time this weekend to shop without the kiddos, and every other person in my surrounding area must have had the same idea, because the lines were outrageous! At two of the stores I finally just put my items back and headed out the door. I refuse to wait for more than 30 minutes in a line. I guess that makes me an impatient person, huh? Or I like to think of myself more as a time manager...meaning, I know when it's wasting my time to stand in a line for that long all to buy a $5.00 stocking stuffer! LOL. But then I just take a deep breath and think about enjoying this holiday season. I know I can't enjoy it while I'm standing in line at Michaels! And I am bound and determined to enjoy every precious moment of it.
I had worked on getting some handmade gifts finished this morning, (I can't share them yet, but I will soon!) when Tanner walked into my office complaining that his ear was really hurting. My kids only get ear infections about once a year, but for some reason neither one of them has ever complained about their ears hurting. So now you can picture what our day was like around here. Doctor, pharmacy, McDonald's (makes everything always feel better) and chocolate doughnuts.
I finally got all of my Christmas cards out in the mail today...which was an accomplishment in itself! I had ordered the Creating Keepsakes Kit of the Month card kit and had pre-assembled the components...but Becky Higgins (who designed it) is one thorough lady and so they were a little more complicated than I would have liked, but they turned out cute in the end! I included a Christmas letter which I haven't done in a few years (but I always love it when other people include one with their card.) Another thing I did for the first time this year was send a Christmas card to a recovering soldier. I had gotten an email with the address of where to send it to, and thought it was a great idea. It may really touch someones heart even if they got one card from a stranger. I addressed it inside, "Dear Hero," which to me pretty much sums it up. I can't possibly know what whoever receives that card has been through, but I do know that I am eternally grateful for my freedom and for the opportunity to live here. And the fact that they put their lives in danger, and make so many sacrifices, like not spending Christmas with their families, so that I can spend it with mine...well that is honorable! So I will share the address here, and if you think of it send someone a card or have your kids send them a picture they have drawn, all it would cost you is a stamp! It's really the little things that brighten peoples day. Like today picking up Tanner's prescription at Walmart we were standing near the bakery and the poor lady working there was swamped, but she saw my kids patiently waiting for their free cookie and hurried over to give them one. Tanner told her "Thank you, and Merry Christmas!" and all of the sudden her face lit up because of his kindness. It's the little things I tell you, the smallest, tiniest things, that don't cost you a thing to give, that make someones day brighter. 
Here's the address if you want to send a card (or two!)
As we left Walmart, I gave each one of my kids a $1 dollar bill and had them put it into the Salvation army bucket as we left the store. So many times I am trying to tell my kids about doing nice things for people and thinking of others instead of ourselves. What better way than to show them how to do it! They both had the biggest smiles on their faces, because when you do something good, it makes you feel good! And once again it gave me another opportunity to teach them about the less fortunate, and how even a little bit of time or money can make a big difference. Hope you had a blessed Monday!
Friday, December 5, 2008
TGIF...
We had a fun night tonight...it started with McDonalds for dinner (not my 1st choice, but the kids LOVE it!) And then we got to go on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the frosty winter air. Brrrr. It was just beautiful seeing the reflection of the moon on the freshly fallen snow. So quiet and still and peaceful. I took a few pictures but it was pitch dark so they aren't the best quality. I'm going to share them anyway!
Unfortunately I think Tanner is going through the "cheese ball" smile face. Just in time for all the pictures I'll be taking this month....great!
Our horse "Thunder" was giant and the kids loved it!
I had one more thing that I just had to share. I found this little video while I was catching up on my blog reading last night. I love this! It absolutely hits the nail on the head for me concerning my perspective on the holidays. BUT for some reason blogger is fighting with me about uploading it...and I have tried 3 times! So here is the link. It's called the Advent Conspiracy and it is such an awesome message! Make sure you check it out. Have a wonderful weekend! Thursday, December 4, 2008
Decorations!
Here's some holiday goodies around the house...did I mention how much I love this time of year?
These are my Ali Edwards inspired advent boxes. I made these last year and my kids looked forward to opening them each day. Instead of trying to fill them with MORE presents, I decided to fill most of them with small ornaments that they can add to their Christmas trees each day. Of course I had to add a few pieces of candy and toys. But I like that this is becoming another family tradition! The great thing about these boxes is that you can paint them any color to match your other decor. I had to add a few stickers also, just for some visual interest. My kids are also being introduced to the written numbers along with the number symbol. (The teacher in me likes that!) So they are learning at the same time, and talk about good motivation!
Here is yet another Ali Edwards inspired idea...the button trees! Seriously...could they be any cuter? I had so much fun making these, and decided I liked them so much that I made them for gifts last year. I am thinking of trying my hand at a few Styrofoam balls covered in buttons as ornaments. I also love the look of them using only white/off-white buttons. So darling!
Isn't that old red deer great? She was an antique store find last year, and I just didn't get to enjoy her for that long, so I was super excited to pull her out of the box this year! My "HO, HO, HO" blocks are also a favorite and could be made easily with felt and a blanket stitch. The Santa's are connected with a piece of string to the inside of the pocket, so they don't get separated.
And the last little picture is of my red wooden boxes that my dad made for me several Christmases ago. They sit on my kitchen counter. My mom brought me those darling stacking cups for a little Thanksgiving present. (Thanks mom, you are the best!) Aren't they the cutest things ever? Oh Anthropology I miss you! Add a little green mini sized tree and you have added a winter/holiday touch!
Okay, this post must officially come to an end since I have said the word "cute" at least 20 times! Hope you have a great night!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Snowy days...
It's been a snowy week here. Just in time to get us into the holiday spirit! The kids were yelling when they woke up and saw it had snowed! They were so excited! They ran all over the place making snow angels and trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues.
I also had to share our family coloring contest tradition. We almost always color this same page. It's so fun to share this tradition with the kids now. We colored this page together, with them helping and also choosing the colors I could use.
There is nothing like a fresh box of Crayola's! My kids love art and drawing and pretty much anything that has to do with paper. Gee I wonder where they get that from?? LOL.
Awww...look at Chloe's "Cinderella at the ball" hairstyle on Thanksgiving. It took me about a half an hour to it, but it was very cute in the end, and she was so excited! Her wish was my command!
Tomorrow I plan to share some holiday projects that I have up around the house. I love this time of year, I pretty much have the house decorated (Thanks Mom!) And it is getting me in the Christmas spirit even more! Hope you have a great night!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Thanksgiving and a newsletter...
Well there is just so much to share around this time of year. My whole family headed home today...and they will be missed greatly! I always cry when they are pulling out of the driveway. I don't know why I get so emotional at that exact moment, but I think I was just so blessed to be with them this week! We had so much fun together.
Remember how I had posted that Tanner thought when Papa got here he was going to "go out to the dark forest and hunt for a wild turkey to cook for our Thanksgiving dinner?" Well being the great sport that my dad is...he took the kids on a wild turkey hunt in the woods behind our house the day before Thanksgiving. My mom rummaged around and found him some turkey hunting necessities...like a cool hat, a satchel, and a tall walking stick. The kids decided to wear hunting hats and put on their backpacks for the big adventure. It was hilarious! My brother went down and hid in an old pile of brush and was making the most realistic turkey/bird calls I have ever heard. In fact they were so real, we thought there might have been a real bird around. (I couldn't make a bird call to save my life!) So my dad made some more calls to see if my brother would answer and he did. The kids were excited, but a little nervous I think. Would the turkey have teeth? Would he be bigger than them? Would he bite? We got right to where my brother was hiding and my dad yelled "We've got one and it's BIG!" Then my brother jumped out of the bush and the kids I think were secretly relieved that it was just Uncle Jake, and not a real turkey. We were all laughing hysterically!
Here are the turkey hunters posing for me after their expedition. (Yes I have a giant bronze buffalo in my yard and his name is Abe.)
And now onto the newsletter...Think that one of our kits would be the perfect gift for a friend or crafty family member? We would be happy to ship, wrap, and personalize your greeting for you. We can either ship it directly to you, or to the recipient. So bring on the season of giving!
I am so excited to share our December kit with you!! “Decked Out” is flying right out the door (literally.) I made my first mass shipping this morning! So don’t wait to get your hands on it.
It is packed with fun colors and just a touch of holiday themed products, so it is very easy to use for many different occasions. (I wrapped a birthday present with it!) You will love the gallery and all of the inspiration you’ll find. Just look at these darling ornaments that our designer Jaime Warren made. I will definitely be using this idea!
This is the last month that Nicole Eshelman will be designing for us. She has filled our gallery with inspiration for the past few months and I have just loved working with her! Thanks Nicole for everything!
We also have a super talented guest designer this month, Chataqua Yardley! You have to see her gallery!
Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support of Freehand Scraps and all of your kind words and emails. I pray that you have a very blessed holiday season! Heidi
