Christmas Happenings!!!

So we have been very busy around here. Parties, concerts, more parties, gathering gifts, making cookies etc. I am sure you know the routine! I love Christmas time and all of the festivities it brings, it can be exhausting at times. I did change something up this year and probably will continue with it for the coming years. I normally make all of the baking in one day, which does take up a WHOLE day and can be overwhelming and not fun. This year I decided to make this event to be spread out through a span of 4 or so days. Last Sunday I made 3 different kinds of cookie dough. These dough consisted of being refrigerated for awhile so I thought hmm I could just make a couple batches and then we can pull out the other dough in a day or two and make those so on and so fourth. The girls and I have added pretzel bites to our Christmas giving treats, as well as pretzel turtels mmmmmm!

 Hailey ready for her first official Kindergarten Concert! She did Awesome! 

No shyness from this girl this year!

Hannah at her Christmas concert! So Cute!

As embarrassing as it is I had to show what my laundry room looked like as Logan is home from college and of course did not do a stich of laundry since Thanksgiving! uhg! Like loads this only shows a very little my hallway is lined up with baskets! 

 And I saw these at the store and since it just snowed, these definatley are cozy and stylish! Win Win!! Thanks Honey! :-)

My little reindeer!!

I believe I have finished up my shopping, I also believe I have spent wayyyyyy too much on the kids. I now need to wrap everything...which will probably take a week. 

The girls were supposed to have their last day today however school is closed and it was pj day and they both were bummed. So they will be having their pj day at home and watch The Polar Express (favorite Christmas Movie, besides Miracle on 34th street). 

Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas Tree and other fun festivities!!!

So we went to get our Christmas tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving, since Logan was still home and we normally take our Christmas card pic by the tree we have chosen. It was a fun adventure as always. I wanted a certain kind of tree that had a certain look, and Bruce and Logan were looking for the biggest tree possible as if we had alllll the room in the world for a tree in our home! I really tried to talk Bruce out of getting a real tree and purchasing a nice fake one and then compromising with putting it up every other year. That idea failed, as the kids started whining Nooooo, we like the real ones. Darn Bruce, hes got power with that army of his! Anyway here is some pics of our festivities!

Sisters!!!

 Having hot chocolate after getting the tree!

Here is the end result! Its very nice! I added some gold ribbon after the fact. 

I recently had a favorites party! I read about this over at sunny side up .

It was a fun night, everyone thought it was a great idea and I plan on doing it again next year, but before Thanksgiving, since some ladies could not make it due to other holiday events occurring. This time of year can get so busy. I forgot to take more pictures of everyone's gifts they brought. There were cozy socks filled with chocolates, scarfs, night cream, small bottles of wine, lotion, and I placed candles from bath and body works. We ate, had some wine, talked and laughed, it was a fun night. It brought in the beginning of Christmas festivities. 

I am almost done with my shopping, alleluia! Now I just need to start wrapping everything, as staying up on Christmas Eve till 2:00am is no fun! I am in the spirit, and awaiting Jesus Birthday!!!!!! 

Thankful

I am thankful for so much in my life! First and for most for my children. I am thankful for each one.

Logan

 He brings this family so much fun! He is one of the funniest people I know. 

He is very personable, smart and charming man. He is going to be such a good Dad one day.  He is the best brother a sibling could ask for! He has so much love to give to those around him. Thank you Lord for giving me this special young man to call me Mom!

Hannah

 She is our little California girl! She gets such a glow in the summer! She is a little angel, very smart and mature for her age. She makes my heart melt when I listen to her talk about her day. She enjoys telling me every detail. She has the biggest heart for animals. She has one of the best smiles you will ever see! Thank you Lord for sending her into our lives and letting her call me her Mom!

Hailey

She is our little ham! She loves her blanky. She cracks us all up with her goofyness! She adores her siblings, and is a very determined little girl. She likes things a certain way if not its not happening! She has a contagious laugh! She is soaking up the world around her while you have no idea! Thank you Lord for letting her be apart of our family and letting her call me Mom! 

I have a wonderful life, and am so Blessed! Thank you Lord!

Getting Ready for Winter....and Christmas!!!!

Okay I'm getting really excited about Christmas! I am sooooo ready to start putting up the Christmas tree and I should also note that I may have or have not started to listen to Christmas music....
I bought the girls new Christmas pjs and have let them wear them and we have also placed a few new Christmas movies to our collection. I just cant help myself. Christmas comes and goes so fast and in those 25 days its just not enough time to start to enjoy the season! I put on Christmas music, lite my Cinnamon and Clove Candle from Bath and Body Works the other day and danced  raced around the house cleaning, it was a glorious day!!! The house smelled like the holidays.  I love when my house is really clean, I was able to deep clean, awesome!  Then we raked leaves, people when I say leaves you really have no idea! Here is a pic however we were about 3/4 of the way done I forgot to get a pic of the yard before we started. The girls had a ball because Bruce made a HUGE pile and they would swing off the tire swing and jump into the leaves crackin up!

As you can see we have to burn them, we have 3 acres and were only able to do the back yard. It can be fun because we are doing it all together, well we missed Logan, boy did we miss Logan!!! The weather held up and we felt good that we were able to get it done. We were getting so tired we had to talk each other into finishing it. I told Bruce don't you here the Rocky song in your head? He said No I hear a Lala bye, funny man! Anyway we did good! Then went and rewarded ourselves with going out to eat! Now we need to do the front yard...uhg! 

It was a good weekend, the winds were so bad yesterday though, we started talking about what would we do if a tornado came. Crazy! I remember growing up and never fearing a Tornado in November, just shows you how much our earth is changing! Went to church and the girls wanted to bring there friends!

They look just like them! The girls have been trying to think of how they could earn more money (instead of doing more chores), this is what they came up with! 

The picture is sideways sorry, but they drew pictures and have placed price tags on them! Yes very creative children don't you think???  Needless to say they each earned a buck! We are suckers!

Anyway I am ready for Christmas and am going to go listen to more Christmas music!!!! 

Happy Monday!

A long awaited recipe!

So I have made this dip for parties/BBQ's and my sister and girlfriend have been waiting for me to post it, (sorry Kim and Kelley).  It is a big hit whenever I make it, its the first thing to go! And it is soooo easy!

Thats it three ingredients! I saw this at Erins blog; its an 8oz of cream cheese, maraschino cherry juice, and marshmallow creme!

Let cream cheese soften, mix cream cheese and marshmallow together, and add 1/4 cup of maraschino juice.

Various ways to serve! Of course not with veggies just trying to give the kids better food options.

This recipe is great with fruit such as cantaloupe, honey dew, pineapple, apples, or any fruit you prefer. I normally chop the fruit into chunks and place the fruit dip in a bowl next to fruit and just place some toothpicks nearby for easy dipping.  The kids love this and its not too bad for them! 

Do you have any easy recipes that you like to make? Please share!

New Boots and picture dump

So the new season is here and I had to get a couple things....

Actually I took this pic and sent it to my husband asking if I could get them, since I am a shoe addict i have to ask my sponser!  So as I am awaiting his response, I decided not too.  He finally txt me back saying go ahead! I felt compelled to turn around, but needed to go get my girls from school, so I said if you would like for me to have them they are at TJMaxx in size 7.5, he came home with them!!! Love that man! 

So then I was walking through JCPenny looking for Christmas dresses for the girls when I happen to walk passed the shoe/boot section and I heard something.....it was a "hey look at me", "pick me up", "put me on", and low and behold we have new family member. (these did not need my sponsors approval!) 

Aren't they pretty?  I cant wait to wear them! They go with everything!

Anyway, here are some October pics I forgot to post!

Bruce carving the pumpkin with Kitty and Taylor Swift!

 Here is the end result, a kitty face! The girls could not decide what kind of face to have carved out. They finally decided on a kitty face!

Bruce going as a race car fan! Love the hat with mullet wig! (Nothing against mullets hat came that way!)

Babysitter painted the girls nails, aren't they beautiful!  

Thats that Happy November!

Catch Up!

Ok so I have not posted in awhile, in like a month! October was busy! Still trying to work with school schedules and work and extra curricular activities, and signing papers, and more papers! Anyway here are some pics of our fall happenings.

At the Cider Mill! It was a beautiful fall day!

Painting Pumkins!

 Played Nail Salon

 My Little Kitty!

And Taylor Swift!

 Girls made a fort so Sasha could not get in!!! So creative!

Hannah wanted to bake something so she made a pumpkin cake and it turned out awesome! My little baker.

Shes really starting to want to help cook and bake or help with laundry, getting so big. :-(

Haileys drawing of the Marquette Lighthouse! Looks just like it! The girls get their creativeness from their father! Hailey has learned so much already in school, it just amazing! I have been reading to her every night and she is showing definite signs of reading on her own soon! I bought her the Bobs Books for Christmas.

 We went up to Saginaw for the day to see Logan and his girlfriend Taylor, went bowling and out to dinner! Fun Day! Love these kids!

Mustaches were grown after we went bowling! Hilarious looks on their faces! 

So that was our October, it was good and I'm ready for Christmas!!!!!!! Gotta get through Thanksgiving first! 

Hannah turns 9!!!

Well my Hannah turned 9! I cant believe it, it was just yesterday she was 1! I have said it before and Ill say it again, its so sad. Why is it that we (well at least I do) feel so sad when you notice that your children are growing older and you get that desperate feeling of trying to keep them little! Well it has to happen, and she is a wonderful little girl! She is the sweetest, nicest, smartest little girl! We Love her sooo much! Happy Birthday my sweet Hannah!

She loves her Birthdays!!! Love you!

Shout out to My Wonderful Sister Karin for a Happy Birthday too!!!!