Today's Promise

Brought to you by : Dove.

My newest Christmas tradition. Grabbing a box (or two!) of these:

 and opening up one each day to reveal a little "Promise" message. Like one's own little advent calendar/fortune cookie all wrapped up into one small decadent indulgence! I'm sooo loving this new little tradition. Each daily dose of inspiration and reflection. Please Dove, don't stop making these little morsels of chocolate + peppermint goodness!


So, I have saved the daily "Promise Messages" and placed them in this little envelope. I will save the remaining wrappers for another repurposing later in my DD.

This clearly needed to become a part of this year's December Daily, so I took it upon myself to once again "repurpose" packaging. (I think it was too pretty not to!) Please note white balance and lighting are obviously off on these pics but since it's nighttime-it's the best I could do with what light I did have.

Ok, so I brought another lamp over to my scrapping station and the light is a little better now.

Joy. Dove. Love.


Looking forward to tomorrow's "Promise Message. Maybe if I just hold off til 12:01AM, I can have it tomorrow! ;-)

Handmade Ornaments

Made these are few days ago and can't wait to put them up on our tree! Lots of October Afternoon papers mixed with a few others as well as American Crafts, Making Memories embellishments, buttons, vintage music paper, Baker's twine, ribbon and miscellaneous other embellishments. Fun to make and I repurposed ribbon containers for the base of the ornaments. (I don't like wasting anything). TFL.

December Daily 2010

Update on my December Daily. I haven't had the opportunity (yet) to put my journaling in (although I have taken notes) but here are a few before and afters:

 

So, I'm thinking I'll place a few ticket stubs or receipts in the Starbucks holder as the month goes on-use it as a kind of pocket.

 

My growing collection of handmade ornaments for the tree this year.

Can't wait to get the journaling down for Day 2. My youngest son's bd and my oldest son's first "true" rock concert and it was his favorite band (Skillet + Toby Mac + Sean Lock)with VIP backstage passes! Woot!

Special Day

...in lots of special ways.

First off, someone special has a special day to day. Here's a clue as to whom it is:

Birthday Boy #9 awoke slightly before 7am and opened up a few gifts pictured below.

 After a breakfast at Village Inn, where he indulged in "The Villain" breakfast (which consisted of a huge pancake with blueberries for eyes and scrambled eggs for the hair and bacon strips for the mouth)
AND then...he indulged in a free Birthday Boy Slice of Chocolate Lover's Delight pie! Needless to say, he hasn't been hungry for lunch yet and it's 4:15!
After breakfast, we went to his piano lesson at Mrs. D's, then it was off to ToysRUs where it was announced that "Ethan is here with us today celebrating his 9th birthday. If you see him wearing a birthday crown and holding a birthday balloon please tell him Happy Birthday!"
There was much parading been done through the aisles. There were many well wishes. Many smiles. And thank yous. After we perused the Lego aisle (and a few others) and picked up the BOGO 50% off kits, we checked out and made it out to the vehicle before I checked the receipt and realized I didn't receive the 50% off the second kit. Turns out, the special wasn't good for The Star Wars sets OR the Harry Potter sets --of which I had purchased one of each. So, we went back in and got a refund on the two kits. I'm sorry, but this Momma does not "do retail." Ethan was very good about it, so we set off to Hobby Lobby and then Target.
At Target, we purchased The King's Castle for $69.99. Seriously good deal! Retails for $99 at Target and $129+ online.
(He's currently constructing by my side as I type this and is enjoying the moving mechanism of the drawbridge and the security gate dropping down (I'm sure there is a better word for this part of the castle but I'm currently at a loss for the correct medieval term).
After Target it was a quick stop to Michael's and then it was decided (since neither of us was hungry) to opt out of Steak n Shake lunch and to head for the bank and then home.
Daddy/Mick was there when we arrived and stumbled in with our packages of holiday organization bins, gift purchases and supplies. Ethan immediately, tore into his next gift, which Daddy happily helped remove from the packaging and began playing with.
This was the next gift:

Actually it was a larger set, but this picture will do.

 I think Mick and I both are thinking to ourselves that these beanz are like the Now Generations idea of our "Vintage" Weeble Wobbles. We are holding out our judgment until we see how much play comes from the collection of these little beanz. One thing is for sure, Hugsley has taken after them as his latest and greatest cat toys-he was especially fond of the "Ultra Rare" Chili Beanz!! Definitely going to have to  put them up when not actively being played with!

Lots more pictures will follow but I just realized my DH has taken my camera to the Skillet/Toby Mac concert that he's taking Ian and his friend to tonight. They got VIP passes so are totally stoked (and have been for weeks) to attend this event. Special day. Special night.

One other special person who's birthday fell on this day, my beloved tennis partner and friend, Ben Birdsong, who passed away (on the very courts we played) on Tuesday, July 20 of this year. He is missed deeply but remembered fondly!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's new home. Excited to see their new place and their fancy schmancy new Clubhouse that they were fortunate to reserve for the special family get together.

 Here's a little closeup of the spoon pilgrim place cards that Ethan and I made for the big Day of Gratitude. We worked on these for homeschooling art project that was done while studying the Mayflower, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria as well as early discoverers to America.

The kids kept busy drinking Capri-Suns, playing hide and seek, volleying balloons around the rooms, and watching the Annual Macy's Day parade.

As I was taking these pictures, I couldn't help but think to myself, how do these little ones rate getting top notch eating accommodations when "we" adults spent our childhood Thanksgiving days confined to the "Kid's Table" in the kitchen of Little Grandma's house, separated from the Big Kids (the adults)?Truth be told, we loved hanging out in Grandma's kitchen. All of the hustle and bustle and holiday happy-making occurred there. We spent hours swiveling around on the barstool chairs while singing songs, creating artistic masterpieces with crayons and pencils and snacking on a few of Grandma's Santa Whisker cookies. Lots of fond, wonderful memories there. Oh, the nostalgia! My, ow times have changed!

Note the plate in the foreground? Yes, well, that would be mine...Did I ever mention that I a card carrying member of "The Clean Plate Club"? Yes, one of my proudest accomplishments in life. (Major bragging rights on that one. To this day!)

And here's what it was doing outside...

 Ethan and Livvie decided on an impromptu snowball fight...sans jackets!

 A little help from Uncle Mike/Daddy.

 The only pic of me for the day. LOL Don't ya love the shadows? Can't see any wrinkles. I'm likin' it!

Other things I want to remember about Thanksgiving Day:

Joshie calling me repeatedly "Aunt Mike" and Mick "Uncle Susan" all. day.long. Here's to three-year-old humor!

The triplets running around climbing into the laps of the bigger cousins to catch up on some much missed together time.

The sangria. Oh, the sangria.

My new recipe for sweet potato casserole-deleesh.

Mick telling me my candy apple pies were the best batch--ever.

The sudden snowfall with snowflakes falling down in the largest blobs of snow I've ever seen. (And this soul has seen a lot of snow in her lifetime!)

Bill saying the blessing.

The bass blasting on the enormous wide screen TV and Mick using a flashlight to try to balance the sound. Joshie then proceeding to take over control of the said flashlight.

Maddie and Livvie's Thankful box and all the reading of each blessing. Then guessing to place the person with the sentiment.

The guys tryptophan crashing in the TV room while the ladies cleaned up.

The guys pitching in once they awoke from their slumbers to help out.

Ethan playing his festival piece at the baby grand piano several times over-without any adult (parent) requesting him to do so.

Lots of giggles, chuckles and squeals of delight as family members of all ages enjoyed the celebration of freedom, family, togetherness and gratitude.