December Daily

December 1
Wyatt brought home this book from the school library, so we spent all day making planes.December 2

Today we picked up our Elf, meet Puckit.

Our House is all Decorated

I don't have a table to decorate, it is being used for my craft table so I thought I would share my house decorations instead.
The coat rack by our front door. Here is the pom pom tree and ribbon tree I made.

The new bookshelf in my Dining Craft room.Our Tree. Decorated with the pom pom garland I made last year and lots of decorations from my younger years and the boys too.I love my red button tree and I found this cute little gingerbread man at Joann's in the dollar section. He is just the perfect addition to my Hallmark Gingerbread house. My button tree I made several years ago.

My bookshelf.Lots of goodies on here. I love the idea of old pictures from the seasons past. My walmart snowmen, my hallmark tree, candy and the cute little house I got at Joann's.And now my little bit of Vintagey Kitchen. Here is the window above the sink.I just got the little house on the top shelf at St.Vinnies. And my Santa mug from my mom from when we were kids. (love it)My open cupboard.

So there you have it a little bit of our house all decorated. I still have my mantel to do, but I am waiting on some garland I ordered that is being made.

Linking to 30 Handmade Days.
The Lettered Cottage, Between Naps on the Porch,
My 1929 Charmer

Thanks for stopping by.

Featured

ooh very excited. I check out Landee See, Landee Do everyday to see what new things she has posted. And today I got a big surprise and saw my button tree being featured. Make sure you check out her blog it is pretty awesome.

Christmas Crafts

So here are my crafts for this season. I am very excited about doing these. I usually try to do some easy ones and at least one that will take more time. This wreath idea was from BHG site. I went to St.Vinny's yesterday and bought up all their cutters, but I don't think I have enough yet.

You can find the instructions for this one this site. The Jingle all the way had to be ordered from Stampin Up, but I have a friend who sells it so it worked out great and is on its way. YAY!

I love these thumb tack tress. I got this idea from Landee See, Landee Do. I will only make one and it will just sit with all my other trees I have made in the past. (Button, Pom pom and Ribbon trees)


Today I am off to buy as many of the supplies as I can to make these. What are you crafting this year?

Crockpot recipe

We love this recipe, perfect for fall.

Rosemary Chicken with White Beans


6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cans great northern or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
½ cup sliced celery
2/3 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches on both sides. Place the beans, carrots and celery in slow cooker; top with chicken.Combine the salad dressing, rosemary, salt and pepper; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the chicken juices run clear.( usually cook for severl more hours, till the chicken shreds.
Makes 6 servings.`

Linking up to Diary of a Stay at Home Mom: Crockpot Thursday

Advent Ideas

So I searched Pintrest for some ideas on Advent calenders. Every year I say I want to do it, but december comes and goes and I never make one. Here are all the ideas I found, some I know I won't do. but for my brain I had to post them so I won't forget why I don't like it.

This one I think is my favorite, plain and simple. Cute number tags on the envelopes. Make or buy envelopes in different sizes and either put an activity idea for the day or a small treat inside. Here is the link. I thought this was cute, wrap idea around a old thread spool. It would be hard to find enough of the spools. It was also sitting on a cute stand. Here is the link for it.

This is kind of like the first one, but she put the numbers on the clothes pins. Love the different size envelopes. Here is the link.

Here is a cute idea with envelopes, but you actually hang them on a bulletin board. To bad by board is all full. It also shows how you can also add small gifts instead of things to do. Here is the link.

This was a cute idea using magnetic tins. I was thinking you could put them on your fridge if it was a central part of the house (mine is not). She uses just a board for hers. Here is the link.

I thought the trees was a cute idea if I had the room to store them all. Here is the link. She even gives you the tree templates.You probably have seen this one all over, using the pails. I love this ideas, but that is allot of pails to buy. Here is the link.

This is a great low cost one, using a muffin tin. Just cover the tops to hide a surprise. Here is the link. She also shows some other great Advent idea.

All the Small Things has some great ideas for activities to us for your advent calendar.

End to a great weekend

So first we went to a local church's Trunk or Treating. We have gone to this since Wyat was little.

After we went to the neighbor hood down the street and did a little door to door trick or treating.

We had a great Halloween!!!

Halloween Weekend

So this wasn't from this weekend, but it is getting ready for Halloween. We are carving with power tools. Derek said it like it the old fashion tools so no power tools for him.

Friday we went to Wyatt's Harvest Party as school. He has a lot of fun.

Saturday we went to a Halloween Party at friends house. Derek and I dressed as each other. We even won the best costume prize.

No picture of Wyatt on this one he wasn't really to interested and was having more fun playing outside with the older kids.

So tonight we are going Trunk or Treating and maybe some house to house trick or treating. Pics to come.

Meal Planning

So how do you meal plan??

Allot of people have asked that question. I seem to do the same thing every time and I guess it must work for me. And really it is pretty simple.

1. I search my favorite meal plan site, every Monday she has a link party and over 200 people post their menus. I go through lots of the sites and see what ideas I can find, some have recipes some don't. Meal Plan Monday from Orgjunkie.


2. If I have an idea already and just want a recipe with a certain food I want to use I search on All Recipes. They are awesome.


3. While searching I have a piece of paper next to me and write down each meal. Then on the back of the paper as I am looking at the recipe I write down what groceries I am gonna need to buy.
Now I do not give my recipes assigned days. To much is happening and I feel to obligated if they are assigned.


4. I then save each recipe in a folder marked This weeks Recipes in my Favorites toolbar.


5. I then usually if feeling up to it will post the menu on this blog with all recipe links if I have them.


I also have a few favorite sites I go to and see what recipes they have posted lately. Here are a few of them.

A Good Appetite
Two Novice Chefs, One Tiny Kitchen
Full Bellies, Happy Kids

Casserole Week

So casserole Week was a success. Yes I know they aren't the healthiest for you, but I promised my husband a week of them and I think I succeeded. His only complaint, to much chicken not enough beef ones,LOL.

-Cowboy Casserole (otherwise know as Tater tot Casserole)

-Chili Dog Casserole

-Dorito Casserole

-Cheez wiz Casserole

-Pizza Breadstick Casserole

Now I need to figure out next weeks menu. OY does it ever end, haha.

Fall Decorations

So I love decorating the house, every holiday and even seasons. I think it stems from liking to change things up and since I can't move furniture around whenever I want I have to change the decorations. I will probably change things around a little bit when Halloween is over to add new fall stuff I make or get and to take down the Halloween stuff.



So far I am loving the mantel so far. The skull I got at Target for $5, the orange lantern flowers are from Micheal's (they were on sale for $1.99 each) and the owl is from World Market $5.99. After the holiday I think I am gonna spray paint him white to keep him around all year.

And I would like the thank my sister Jenefer for the use of her mirror. I looked every where for a cheap one, just couldn't see spending $45 for one when I was gonna change and use my Ikea cherry blossoms prints after the new year.The Halloween Subway art was free from eighteen25. The crow is from the dollar tree and I must say it stands up better than the one I got for $5 at a local craft store. And as you saw in a previous post I got the idea from the spider plate from Crap I've Made, using Martha Stewart glitter paint. One of my favs I made I think. And just added a little moss also, which made a mess I must say. I did two shelves on my bookcase with Halloween stuff. Top shelf I added pictures of past Halloweens of the boys. candy corn in jar and a few nick knacks. Bottom shelf I added some art I got from The House of Smiths. The skeletons in the jar are from Micheal's and the jar is from Dollar Tree. The spider shadow box idea I got from Bee in our Bonnet. (love her site)So I also had to share this cute pic of our puppy, Dasher, he wasn't sure who the other doggy in the mirror starring at him was. It was pretty funny to watch him.

I linked this post up to Clean & Scentsible

Menu Plan Monday

So the first two meals I didn't get to last week so I will try again this week. The Chicken with Gravy is more of a stand by. If we never get to it it is no big deal. So again these should get us through next weekend. If you are looking for more great menu ideas visit the OrjJunkie.

Chicken enchilada pasta

Chicken w/sauce, mashed potatoes, creamed corn

Fajita, Mexican rice

Homemade Chili over noodles (Cincinnati Chili)

Crock pot Tilapia, Gnocchi, broccoli

Roll up chicken, Succotash, 7 up Rolls

So this all turned out awesome. A few things I did differently to the Succotash was I did 3 T butter instead of 1. Did 1/2 C water and 1/2 sour cream (you could use cream too) instead of 1 C water.

My Crafty Day

So I am really bad at wanting to make a craft and never doing it. And it always holiday type ones. This year I am making myself do them. Here are a few I did this last tuesday and below are the links of the lovely blogs I found them on.

Spider Plate

Spider Shadow Box

Pumpkin Jars

I have one more jar to do, but just haven't emptied it out yet, LOL. I am linking this over at Thirty Handmade Days.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is my menu for the week. One night we have friends over for dinner and to watch Sons of Anarchy so I am not sure what we will have that night, but otherwise this will feed us till next week. YAY! So glad I have been keeping up on this menu planning thing it just makes my brain feel less stressed. LOL

Sunday BBQ side dish needed- Best Black Beans

Chicken w/ Mushroom Gravy, mashed potatoes, creamed corn

Chicken Enchilada pasta, small salad

Crockpot Broccolli Beef w/ Rice

Meatball Hashbrown Caaerole

Saturday Night BBQ at friends

I always put this up early, but it is cause Saturday is my plan and shop day. If you want a thousand other ideas check out Org. Junkie's Menu Plan Monday Link Party.

My First Grader

First Grade
Mrs. Bathgate
Pine Crest Elementary

Can you believe he is in first grade? He did so good this year, no crying and he actually wanted to be there. LOL.

Put on paper for the world to see

So it is that time of year, time for change not only am I changing my living room, but I think it is time for change in my life.

I am tired of feeling in the rut, with my weight, eating , tiredness, crafting, etc. I am not sure if it is the new school year that makes me feel like a new routine, kind of like the start of a new year.

My hubby made a comment yesterday that sparked some of this. He said that some of his t-shirts were to small. And I weigh more now then I ever have, but just have no motivation to do anything about it. So with him bringing it out there also I think it means our eating habits need to change and change now. So starting are next meal plan we will be eating healthier. Shh but don't tell him. Also my drinking habits too. No not alcohol, soda, coffee, etc. Time to switch to water and diet drinks (cause I don't know if I could give up my Dr.P).

I am hoping putting it here will help get me started and maybe if I start blogging more it will help. So I will be seeing you alot more I hope. (haha) We will see how well I do.

Change

So I am changing the living room around. Not furniture wise, just color. This house is really dark and I know with fall and winter coming it is time to lighten things up a bit.
The wall is a blue, but I noticed from when my sister lived here they seem to lighten up a bit with lighter objects in the room. So I will be adding white, pinks, and hoping some birch wood. I am adding the birch to maybe keep it manly so my husband doesn't feel like he is walking into a single girls house. LOL. Plus I really myself don't want it to be to girly, but more outdoorsy.

Here is the living room now.



These are my pictures in my room I got from IKEA, I will be moving these above the mantel.Here are a few things I will add to the room. White frames, some birch accents, and pink items from IKEA.
So stay tuned and I will show you when it is all finished, just have to get a few more items before I can switch it around.