Alabama Southern Living

2011-12-24T15:29:00.002-06:00

Happy 4th Birthday, Madison!

2011-10-18T09:57:00.000-05:00

Wow....My baby girl turned 4 today! I can't believe it. I have told her repeatedly since she turned 3 that 4 was it! NO MORE BIRTHDAYS after this one. She just can't get any older!!! ;) She tells me she can't help it. That she can't stop growing! Hee, hee! Although, I am excited to see what her future holds, I would love to keep her this age forever!

We are gearing up for SUPER FUN cowgirl party on Saturday. We can't wait!!!

Happy birthday to my fun, beautiful, smart, sweet daughter, Madison! Mommy loves you to the moon and stars and back a bazillion times and more!

25 Fall Family Activities

2011-09-18T12:59:00.000-05:00

All over blog land I see families creating activity lists for various seasons. I have never created one until NOW! I am so excited for the arrival of fall. It is only 5 days away!!! There are so many things I like to do during that season. So I decided to create a list of goals for my family. I hope we get to mark off every activity!!! I used ideas from lists I found online in addition to my own ideas.

25 Fun Fall Activities

1. Take a Nature walk

2. Collect leaves, identify, sort and do leaf rubbings

3. Decorate the porch and mantles with fall decor

4. Make corn prints and/or apple prints

5. Make applesauce from scratch

6. Make homemade apple cider

7. Go to a fall festival

8. go to a pumpkin patch

9. go to a farm

10. Carve Pumpkins

11. Roast pumpkin seeds

12. bake pumpkin pies

13. Make a scarecrow

14. enjoy a fall picnic

15. Roast marshmallows over a fire

16. HOst a halloween party

17. Ride 4-wheelers at Pawpaw’s hunting camp

18. Read books about fall

19. watch The wizard of oz

20. go camping

21. Bake loaves of pumpkin bread and deliver it to neighbors

22. Make homemade bird feeders

23. Host a tailgating party

24. Go to a football game

25. Check out fall themed books from the library

South Georgia Caviar

2011-09-02T18:59:00.001-05:00

I love Paula Deen's South Georgia Caviar during the summer. It is a nice cold dip that lasts in the fridge up to two weeks! It makes a large batch too. This is slightly different from her recipe. The following is how I made it with what I had on hand:

2 cans black eyed peas (drained & rinsed)
1 can corn (drained)
1 can rotel
1 large green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 oz Italian dressing

Serve with tortilla chips. Yum!

The original recipe came from this cookbook:

(sorry I can't rotate the pic on my phone)

Happy Labor Day weekend!

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Madison's 1st Day of Preschool

2011-08-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

My baby girl started Preschool today. I am so excited for her, because I know she loves to go hang out with kids and she has a love for learning too! Chi-ching! I get to pick her up in a little over an hour. I can't wait to hear all about her day!!!

I have seen this idea all over blogland and I plan to keep it up every year:

We gave a flower arrangement just like this to her teacher last year too. Check it out here. I got the idea from this site.

At school:

Madison and her teacher, Ms. Ashley

Brantley's 1st Birthday Party: Nautical Theme

2011-08-13T16:41:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated my son's first birthday! I truly can't believe it has been a year since he was born. We had such a great time with friends and family. I appreciate them all for coming out to make this a special day. Here are a few pics from the party:

The birthday boy:

Our happy family:

The adorable cake was created by my mother. I showed her some inspiration pics that I found online and she created this two tiered masterpiece!

The food table. We served sandwiches, chips/dip, fruit skewers, pickles & goldfish.

Fruit skewers:

The birthday boy's throne:

The birthday boy with his smash cake:

Yum!

It was such a great time! Now, I need to get off here so I can get ready for my father-in-law's birthday celebration!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T14:31:00.001-05:00

Our day is going great so far! We started it off with an old-fashioned bike parade in our neighborhood.

Then, some of our neighbors came over for a quick swim.
After lunch, my little family headed out to the fireworks stand. My husband is a bit of a pyromaniac. Can you tell? :)

Then, since the local snow-ball stand packed up and headed for the Watermelon Festival, we went to Sonic.

Blue Coconut and Grape Cream-Slushes!!!

Now, we are headed home. The family is coming over in a short bit for a cookout. Then, we will top off the night by going to view the city's firework display.
Happy Birthday, America, from the Guy Family.

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Reversible Bib

2011-06-18T09:34:00.001-05:00

I wanted a project to work on while we relaxed at the beach. So I brought all of the supplies for a reversible bib. Since we are planning a trip to Disney, I appliquéd Mickey on one side. The other side is an airplane. I freehand my designs. The Mickey is an easy one...just find two circles that are proportional to Mickey's face. I drew the airplane while looking at a design online.

Supplies:
Fabric
Felt
Coordinating embroidery thread
Needle
Heat-n-Bond
Iron
Sewing Machine/thread

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May Days

2011-05-26T12:22:00.001-05:00

Hi! I have been MIA on my blog. Sorry! I do have "stuff"to show off, but for now I'll just tell you about our day.

It still feels good outside in May...warm but not too hot. Today has been great. It began with a brisk walk with my neighbor. Then, my lovely niece came over to hang out for a few hours. The girls swam in the pool until thunder forced us inside.

Then we enjoyed a yummy treat. Banana pudding!!! Isn't that a perfect spring/summer dessert?!

Even Brantley got a special (mushed-up) version.

Now the girls are showing off their art skills on the easels.

Hmmmm...the rain is gone. Maybe it is time to get back in the pool! Toodles!

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Easter/Spring Fun-Part 1

2011-04-25T09:24:00.000-05:00

So, I haven't posted in a while. Our external hard drive is messed up and that is where my mac is set to store all of my pics. Since I don't know if enough about computers, I haven't been able to go around this. My husband has been far too busy for me to beg him to fix the issue just yet. So, I finally decided to use his laptop. :)
Here are a few pics from our Easter happenings.

This was a family day. We drove to Fairhope and took pics at the pier. Madison had a small egg hunt by the water (mostly so I could take pics). Then, we ate a yummy lunch while listening to some live music in the quaint downtown area. What a fun day!

This is from our neighborhood Easter egg hunt:

We made Easter cookies with some neighborhood friends. I love the hands on learning of the real Easter story. Madison is old enough now to begin to understand what really happened on Easter Sunday. You can find the recipe here. I completely forgot to take a picture of the baked cookie. Sorry!

2011-03-28T18:47:00.001-05:00

This is what has been going on at our house.

I'm not even going to explain why we are having to get a new pool liner-but I will say it wasn't "time" for a new one.

The water is only at about 10 inches right now in the shallow end, AND the water is FREEZING COLD...but my daughter and my husband think it is time to swim.

I attempted to get a cute pic of my frozen popsicle. First, she gave me this cheesy smile. So, I tried to catch her off guard...

She caught on, and ran !

Happy Monday!

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My Family

2011-03-05T19:53:00.000-06:00

My Hubby's 30th Birthday Dinner

2011-02-13T10:58:00.000-06:00

Time for the truth....I am married to a younger man. In fact, I am a whole 352 days older. Now that we have entered our 30s he makes fun of me for being "old." Well, at least we are the same age for 13 days. We went out to dinner last night with some of our family. Although the service wasn't great, we always enjoy our time together.

Our family of four:

My hubby's grandparents (I tried 3 times to get a pic that wasn't blurry. Oh, well):

My parents:

My hubby's parents:

My grandmother:

Brantley:

My brother and his family (w/Brantley):

Assembling Valentines

2011-02-10T21:26:00.000-06:00

In my last post I showed you my design for Madison's Valentines. So, I thought I would show you the finished product, BUT FIRST.....a few pictures along the way.

My happy helpers:

Handy basket of supplies:

Heart containers (6 came in the pack for $1 at Target)

Items needed for each Valentine:

Finished product:

Madison's Valentine party:

Madison and her good friend, Claire:

Happy Valentine's Day!!! I hope it's a sweet one!

Valentines

2011-02-09T08:29:00.000-06:00

This is Madison's first year to exchange Valentines. I have been thinking about them for a month now. I wanted to design them myself so they could be personalized. Here is what I came up with!

I bought cellophane bags which we will fill with candy. The Valentines I designed will be folded over the opening of the bags and stapled to secure them. We are going to assemble them today! I can't wait. Madison is excited too!

Bleh!

2011-02-07T16:06:00.001-06:00

First my daughter, then my son, then my husband and now me!!! My kids had RSV last week, I'm not sure what my husband had or what I have, but I have no energy. Bleh! I'm ready for us all to feel good at the same time, AND I am ready for sunshine and warm weather!!!

Here is a pic of me and my big girl taken a few weeks ago. I can't believe she is getting so big!

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Super Bowl Sunday

2011-02-04T11:55:00.000-06:00

Ok, so Super Bowl Sunday is all about the food and commercials for me. Sure, there is a game on, but I can't wait for the commercial breaks. I use game time to refill my plate, and I make sure to be back on the couch for the 3 minute slots in between! I kid, I kid! I'll watch the game too. ;)
I am having a dilemma over who to cheer for....I immediately said I would be cheering for the Steelers, because I think cheese-heads are SUPER CHEESY! Pardon the pun. However, my husband filled me in on the accusations against Ben. He is the Steelers' quarterback for those like me who didn't know. He has been accused of some very bad things. Innocent until proven guilty, I know, BUT if it is true.....I DON'T WANT HIM TO WIN. I may cheer for everyone on his team except for him, because I still don't think I can cheer for someone with cheese on their head. I'm sorry if any Packer fans read this. I am sure the team is great, and you are great, and maybe it is fun to wear the cheese...I don't know.

I am soooooo off topic here. This post was supposed to be all about the food. We are going to serve a small array of items:

Wings (Wings & photo from Publix)

Jalepeno Popper Dip (photo from My Baking Addiction)

Pigs in a Blanket

Tornadoes

That is it, for now.... What are you fixing for the game?

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2011-01-17T08:14:00.000-06:00

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ingredients:
water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha (shaved with cheese grater)
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda-This can be found in the section with laundry detergent)
At least a 2 gallon bucket

Put the soap shavings in a pot with 6 cups of water. Heat this until the soap dissolves. Remove the pot from heat. Pour 4 cups of hot water into your bucket. Add the soap mixture and stir. Then add 1 gallon plus 6 cups more water into the bucket. Let this mixture sit for 24 hours. It will form into a watery gel mixture. Use 1/2 cup per load of laundry.

Organization Challenge Day 12: Spice Cabinet

2011-01-16T11:26:00.002-06:00

The spice cabinet!!! I extended this by organizing all 3 cabinets in that side of the stove. I have now organized all of my cabinets!!!! Yay!!!!! Now, I just need to finish the drawers. It will happen soon.

Before:

After:

Sooooooo much better!

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Organization Day 11: Freezer

2011-01-13T21:55:00.002-06:00

I know the challenge was only to organize the freezer, which probably meant that the fridge was set for another day. However, I was in the mood+my baby boy was taking a great nap+I might not be in the mood later. Nevertheless-it is done, and I am so happy it is! My fridge was looking pretty bad!

Before:

After:

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No Snow for Us

2011-01-10T16:44:00.002-06:00

While the rest of the country seemed to be getting snow, we did not. It was quite chilly topping out in the 40s today, but no snow-as usual. I would have driven north an hour or two if I had heard of snow there. Oh, well. Since we couldn't make a real snowman, we made our own kind-using cotton balls!

I thought he turned out pretty cute. Plus, Madison really enjoyed making him, and that, folks, is all that matters. After we finished him, Madison wanted to do something else. So, I handed her a scrap piece of paper and told her she could draw a picture. I only expected to see the typical squiggly lines and circles that she has been drawing lately. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! She started drawing us-her family. I was in complete shock that she could draw that well-with so many details! Eyes, eyebrows, teeth, arms, legs, high heels. The person in the center is me with high heels. I guess that is because I always wear them-NOT!!! I am still in shock hours later. This was a hidden talent. my baby girl is growing up too quickly.

Now, I really wish that I had given her a fresh piece of paper. You better believe I will cherish this forever!

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Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

2011-01-10T10:47:00.004-06:00

UPDATE: I did not care for this detergent. It left powdery film on many of my dishes.

I have been meaning to make some of my own cleaners for a long time now. I even had the box of Borax and a huge bag of baking soda waiting on me. A friend of mine just inspired me to actually do it. She had challenged herself to make something new each month that she would normally buy. What a fun idea.

So, I pulled out my recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent an made a batch. I think it took all of 1 minute.
Recipe:
1c Borax
1c Baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Mix together. Use 1 Tbsp plus 1 drop of liquid dish soap with each load. You can use white distiller vinegar for a rinsing agent. How easy!

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Organization Challenge Day 5: Under the Kitchen Sink

2011-01-07T15:58:00.001-06:00

I did yesterday's challenge yesterday, but I have been so busy since then. I may not post pics for this one, because they really weren't that impressive anyway. There wasn't a great transformation on this one, because we had cleaned out that space a couple of months ago. Happy organizing everyone! I hope everyone is staying motivated! I still need to do todays assignment, but I really want to get a couple more baskets first.
TGIF!!!

HollyDays Giveaway

2011-01-06T14:26:00.000-06:00

There is going to be a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate at:

HollyDays

Still Motivated, but Tired

2011-01-05T19:48:00.000-06:00

Wow, this 21 day challenge has been wonderful and exhausting all at the same time. Tasks that should take an hour, take all day for me with two small children (3 years and 4 months). I know I am not the only one in this situation. I am so glad this stuff is getting accomplished, because when the challenge is over, I won't feel so bad if we just sit around a few days and just cuddle and play. Right now, I am spending almost my entire free time organizing and more. When I start organizing, that leads to cleaning because I am seeing cabinets, baseboards, door frames and door fronts up close. I just finished wiping down door frames, doors and baseboards in my very long hallway.

Here is a pic of a tired momma and her sweet girl. Pay no attention to the UNorganized sewing area behind me! You will notice my storage items waiting on me in the background!

Organization Challenge Day 4: Linen Closet

2011-01-05T14:48:00.000-06:00

Vast improvement! I am mostly excited that it forced me to organize my gift wrap.

Before:
Do you see my jumbled mess of gift wrap, boxes, ribbon and tissue paper??? Yuck!

Voila!!!

Look at this beautiful specimen of organized gift wrap! I also have a box on the top shelf that holds all of my gift bags. I want to get one more matching box to hold all of my gift boxes and tissue paper.

My Beautiful Children

2011-01-04T21:36:00.000-06:00

Organization Challenge Day 3: Tupperware Cabinets

2011-01-04T21:29:00.001-06:00

What a feeling of accomplishment! I forced myself to throw away a ton of containers. I had a whole matching set. There was no need for me to keep the others. Take a look at my organized, clean cabinets!

BEFORE:

During:

After:

Yay! I LOVE IT! Check out the organizational challenge:

Organization Challenge Day 2: Desk Top

2011-01-03T22:50:00.001-06:00

I spend so much time at this desk that I should keep it organized, BUT I don't. Take a look at how it was before the challenge:

Here it is after I took everything off (except the monstrous computer) to clean:

This is one of my organizers. It is where I always put the bills that need to be paid, blank envelopes, and mailing labels. Oh, and the large envelope for collecting records for filing our taxes. As things start arriving in the mail, I immediately put them in this envelope. I don't want the hubby having to put out a search warrant for the missing items when he sits down to file our taxes.

This is the final product. I know that some would say there is still too much clutter, but it is just right for me. The organizer on the left holds a clip board, my address book, more labels, and all of the specialty printing papers and labels. The printer sits on a stand just to the right of the desk. So, it is kinda handy to have it there.

I am taking part in the 21 day challenge at:

Christmas Fun

2011-01-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

I know this post is really late, but I thought I would share some pics from the holidays.

The Polar Express

My family at my parents' house. We took soooo many pics for Mom to put on her Christmas cards

Going to the Nutcracker Ballet with MiMi & Pops

Brunch with Santa

This is Uncle Jason, Aunt Carissa and cousin Quinn

Brantley, Madison & Quinn at Mimi & Pops' house

Beautiful Christmas light display with my family

PawPaw, cousin Sophia, Madison & MawMaw

Christmas Eve-Putting out the reindeer food

Madison and Mr. Jingle

Cookies & milk for Santa

Christmas morning (It just looks like a maid's costume and a vacuum. It is actually an Alice in Wonderland dress and the vacuum that Santa brought.)

Organization Challenge Day 1: Junk Drawer(s)

2011-01-01T20:02:00.000-06:00

The challenge for today was to clean out your junk drawer. The sad thing is that I could count a lot of junk drawers in my house. We have built-ins in the den. Those drawers have been filled with who knows what, BUT I only focused on the more infamous kitchen junk drawers. Yes, I had/have two in my kitchen too. It seems like such a waste of space, but that junk needs a home too. You never know when you will need it, and I like for my junk to be very close by.

Here is the before pic:

Here is the after pic:

A great improvement right? I can't wait to see what we are organizing tomorrow! If you need to be challenged to get organized like me, visit this blog:

2011-01-01T00:06:00.002-06:00

2010 went by so quickly. Here are some highlights from the year.
1. Brantley was born in August!
2. Madison started Mom's Day Out for the first time in September-and LOVES it!
3. Took Madison to Disney World for the first time on January 1, 2010.
4. Brantley experienced his first Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween
5. Took a road trip (Brantley's first) to Orlando for our niece's christening. Who, by the way, was born on the exact same day as Brantley.
6. Found out my brother and SIL are going to have another baby!
7. Madison started ballet.
8. Madison turned 3
9. We took a total of 4 trips: 3 trips to Orlando and 1 trip to Birmingham
10. Vacationed at the beach a couple times

We had a great year, and I can't wait to see what 2011 holds.

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Location:2010 in a Nutshell

My Family

2010-12-29T13:59:00.000-06:00

Every year (or at least for the past 4) on Thanksgiving Day, I make my family take pictures. Hey, why not....we are all together, dressed, showered, and hair is fixed all at the same time. I could do it on Sundays, but we are always rushed to get to church and afterwards is no good. My husband usually grumbles a bit, but that is ok. In the end, we capture memories that will last forever. I especially liked our pics this year. Here are some of my favorites...

I wish that I had captured a more narrow field of focus but what's done is done. More on photography....I want to learn so much more. I took a couple course at South, but that was a long time ago. I found a great blog with great tips. I thought some of you might enjoy it too.
The Bonnie 5

Camera Strap Cover

2010-12-28T15:29:00.001-06:00

Don't tell my friend Kelli, but I have been wanting to make each of us a camera strap cover. ;) Our WONDERFUL, GENEROUS, LOVING husbands bought us each really nice cameras to take pics of our kiddos. I think we need to dress up our cameras with a really cute camera strap. I know that our husbands will NOT want a frilly, girly strap on them when they are using the cameras. So, I want to make covers rather than disassemble our current strap(s). I have been looking on other blogs for ideas. Here are some that I like so far.

Kevin and Amanda: Ruffled Camera Strap Slipcover

the Cottage Home: Gathered Camera Strap Cover

A Small Snippet

I am a lover of ruffles (and polka dots!) so I think they will definitely have ruffles on them! Kelli, I hope you like yours! I will need to get the measurements for your strap so I guess it can't be a surprise. :)

Meeting my Resolutions Face-to-Face

2010-12-28T12:05:00.000-06:00

Ok, I told you about my 3 New Year's Resolutions yesterday. I am trying to get a jumpstart on them.

1.) Being more faithful to read God's word: I am going to call my church and check into a women's bible study. I need accountability!

2.) Lose weight:
Breakfast: will consist of 2 eggs and 1 slice of toast OR a small bowl of cereal with a banana OR yogurt
Lunch: salad and cottage cheese
Dinners: turkey burgers, baked chicken & broccoli, a healthy meatloaf, etc

3.) Get organized: This week's goals are to put away the Christmas decor AND clean out the pantry
Plus, I am going to start the 21 day challenge as mentioned in yesterday's post.

Here are some inspirational pics for me to help me with the pantry!

House of Smiths

The Stories of A to Z

21 Days to Organization

2010-12-27T19:12:00.001-06:00

I have 3 New Year's Resolutions this time around....

1) Start spending more time in God's Word
2) Lose weight (I had a baby in August, and I have about 15 pounds I would like to shed.)
3) Get this home organized!

Sooooooo, when I heard about a 21 day challenge to getting organized, I thought I should try it. If you would like to participate, check it out:

A Bowl Full of Lemons

2010-12-24T22:35:00.001-06:00

I am in bed hoping that I fall asleep quickly as there is no telling what time we will wake up to see what Santa brought for the kids. If Daddy has anything to do with it, we will be awake VERY early. He gets really excited this time of year. I know Madison and Brantley are so blessed to have him as a daddy, because he does everything he can to make everything in life as special as it can be. Christmas is definitely not an exception.

Santa has delivered his goods and everything is set up perfectly in the den. Breakfast is ready to be put in the oven, the table is set and the wood is ready for our Christmas morning fire.

I can't wait for the excitement on Madison's face in the morning. Although Brantley is not old enough to get excited about what the day holds, I am still equally excited for him to experience his first Christmas.

I am so blessed. I love my kids, my husband, our family and friends. I love that our Saviour was born in the flesh on Christmas day many years ago so that he could be a teacher, a healer, an example here on earth. I am thankful that he also gave his life so that we could be forgiven. Jesus, the decorations, presents and hype of Christmas is fun, but we know the real reason for the season. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Christmas Eve

More pics of Tucker

2010-12-21T13:34:00.000-06:00

2010-12-21T07:49:00.001-06:00

Tucker (our beloved pet for almost 8 years)

I just wanted to let you all know that last night my husband and I had to make one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make.
We laid Tucker to rest on 12/20/2010. He had been battling a second bout of a mystery ailment that wrecked havoc on his body. He was left with an extremely low red blood cell count and a white blood cell count so high the machine
could not read it. After spending several days at the vet last week he was sent home with meds on Saturday only to relapse. In his last state he would not have been able to handle much more. After some additional test results
last night and discussions with the ER vet we came to this extremely difficult decision.

Tucker was with our family for almost 8 years and went through a lot of changes with us. He was with us the first day in our first house and for our first child. He moved with us to our second house and saw our second child enter this world. We will miss him dearly, but he will always be a part of our lives and in our memories.

We appreciate all of your love and support during this difficult time for all of us. I have included a couple of pictures I found. He will be missed...

This week:

Last Christmas:

As a puppy:

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Location:Goodbye Tucker

2010-12-19T14:36:00.001-06:00

At the moment I am on the floor
sitting in the middle of all of this...

I have had a sewing nook up until now. Joshua graciously said I could have the office for my sewing ROOM. Sooooo, I am going through all of my stuff to get ready for the big move. I have grand ideas for my room. It will all happen one day. For now, my goal is just to make it functional.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I have the house COMPLETELY to myself right now. I think this is the first time in four months! I actually have more than 5 minutes here and there to get some things accomplished. I guess I better get off here and make the most of it! Toodles!

Caz

P.S. I'll post pics when I get settled into my new space!

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The Christmas Parade

2010-12-11T10:51:00.001-06:00

Christmas is so much fun with kids. Seeing the sparkle in their eyes and the excitement on their faces is priceless. Today we attended a Christmas parade with friends. It is a tradition that is five years in the making. We eat breakfast and watch the parade together. This parade is in a little country town outside of our city. You will see everything from Elvis impersonators to tractors, Santa in a horse drawn sleigh and several marching bands. It is always a fun morning! Here are a few pics that I captured on my phone. (We all forgot to bring a good camera.)

I hope that you are enjoying the holiday season as much as we are!

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Tortilla Soup

2010-12-02T17:14:00.000-06:00

As I told you, yesterday we went to a friend's house for some Christmas fun. She made a delicious soup called, Tortilla Soup. If you like Taco Soup, you will definitely like this one too. They are very similar. Here is the recipe for anyone interested:

Taco Soup
1 pkg frozen creamed corn (or 1 can)
1 can Rotel
1 can yellow corn
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans
1 can refried beans
1 jar of salsa
1 packet of ranch dressing mix
1 packet of taco seasoning
8 oz. sour cream
1 lb. ground beef, cooked

Mix all ingredients in a large pot over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle with cheese and serve with corn chips.

Serves 6-8

Christmas Fun with Friends

2010-12-02T00:28:00.000-06:00

We had a great morning with friends! My BFF, Kelli, organized a nice play date for us today at her home. (I should have taken pics of her home-IT IS GORGEOUS!) I didn't even have to bring anything to this play date. She planned and prepared everything. It was so cute and perfect for our little ones! Our time together started with yummy coffee for the mommas. :) Then, the kids made a Christmas ornament.

Next, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. She made Tortilla Soup and salad. Perfect for the cold day.

After lunch, the kids decorated Christmas cookies. Ok, we did too. They were yummy!

While they decorated their cookies, they enjoyed some yummy hot chocolate with LOTS of marshmallows. Look at the adorable mugs that they got to use!

Here are the littlest ones who were with us this morning. Still too little to participate but just as special.

Thanks, Kelli, for such a fun morning!

Mr. Jingle is here!

2010-12-02T00:10:00.000-06:00

Our elf, Mr. Jingle, is here to stay with us until Christmas Eve! Last year was our first year with him.....and to be honest, we couldn't remember what we named him last year. Madison was only 2, and doesn't realize that he got a new name. Mr. Jingle was the first thing that popped in my mind this year. So, alas, he is now Mr. Jingle. I got the cutest idea from Jessica at Little Pumpkin Grace to do a North Pole Breakfast. I read her post late one evening, and I decided to try to pull it off the next morning. Sooooo, mine is not nearly as cute as hers, but I tried!.....and Madison loved it. Mr. Jingle set the table for our breakfast the next morning.

Mr. Jingle

Letters to the kids from Mr. Jingle

We enjoyed snow covered pancakes. Jessica's elf brought snow covered doughnuts from the North Pole. Unfortunately, we had none on hand, so I had to whip up some pancakes with the small amount of Bisquick that I had in the pantry!

Thank you, Jessica, for the adorable idea!

The Tradition of Christmas Cards

2010-12-01T23:01:00.000-06:00

Although most non-verbal forms of communication have evolved to an electronic format, traditional Christmas cards still remain. Most people still send their cards through the USPS just like it has always been done. However, we no longer have to go to the stationary store and pick up a box set that a lot of others might buy. We get to choose from thousands, and customize them with pictures and personal sentiments. Well, if you love the simplicity of ordering your Christmas cards online like I do... Shutterfly is the way to go. It is easy to use, and you will end up with beautiful, fun Christmas cards! I can't wait to receive mine in the mail!

I have ordered several personalized birthday cards from Shutterfly in the past. I was very impressed with the quality and speed.

Check out some of my favorite Christmas photo card options from Shutterfly:

Snowflake Bliss

Sweet Chocoloate

Joy Ornament

Love 2010: I really like how you can add lots of personal events to this one.

In addition to ordering my Christmas cards from Shutterfly this year, I may order some of these adorable coffee mugs for Christmas gifts.

ATTENTION BLOGERS: Shutterfly is offering 50 FREE Holiday Cards from Shutterfly. Check out this offer here.

Decorating for Christmas

2010-11-27T20:43:00.001-06:00

This evening we put on Christmas pajamas and started decorating for Christmas. Our trees and stockings are up! It's a start. Hopefully tomorrow I can decorate the mantles and place a few items around the house. I'll post pics of the decor later.

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Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T22:17:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you were able to spend the day with some very special family. We hosted the Thanksgiving meal this year. We had a total of 13 people....not too big....not too small. It was great to be with loved ones. I wanted to take a moment and mention a few people/things that I am thankful for...

My Heavenly Father & my salvation
My husband & kids
My parents, in-laws, grandparents and extended family
I get to be a stay-at-home mom for my two healthy, wonderful, beautiful children
My husband's job
My health
Freedom

I am thankful for so much more, but this list would never end if I tried to name everything.

Pants for Girls & Boys

2010-11-17T14:05:00.001-06:00

I am so excited that I now have a pattern for pants for boys & girls. Actually, I took a pattern I had for girls' pants with ruffles and created my own pattern for boys. I simply added enough length to replace the ruffle and create a hem. It is as simple as that! Here are some recent ones that I have made. I apologize that my full length pic of the boy's pants is blurry. I didn't realize, and I have already given them away so I can't take another pic.

I already did a post of the little girl wearing the outift, but I wanted to give some close-ups.

Girl's pants & shirt:

FYI: The frayed edges are intentional! :)

Boy's pants:

No, you are not going cross-eyed. The pic is blurry!

My Family

2010-11-17T13:42:00.000-06:00

We took a trip this past weekend to visit Joshua's brother and his family. Their daughter, Quinn, was being christened at church. After church on Sunday, we all went to their neighborhood festival. What a huge festival!!! I think I counted 9 spacewalks. Plus, there was all the free food you could want...hamburgers, hotdogs, grilled chicken, cotton candy, snowcones, desserts, etc. Plus, they had balloon artists and face painting. I wish we had had more time there. Madison was enjoying it!

Cookie (the clown) & Madison

Madison

Brantley

Mimi, Brantley, Jason & Quinn

Jason, Quinn & Carissa

Grandmother & DanDan

My family & me

Here is a pic from the christening:

Polka Dots Anyone?

2010-11-12T21:49:00.001-06:00

I love, love, love polka dots. I am attracted to polka dots like a magnet. Anything and everything with polka dots catches my eye. Sooooo, when Madison was invited to a friend's birthday party, we decided I should make her an outfit. This friend's momma paints adorable paintings for us, and I sew for her. It is a great trade off!
I went to my favorite fabric store and was drawn to some black and white polka dot fabric like a moth to a flame (Ok, ok, you get it! I really like polka dots!)
Her mom sent me this pic of AK wearing the outfit I made for her.

Isn't she adorable?! Don't ya just love the polka dots?!
Toodles for now! I'll be back to show you more clothes I have been sewing lately!

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Fall treats and Madison's class party

2010-11-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday was Madison's Fall Party at school. I wanted her to give something to all of her friends, and I didn't want to give a bunch of candy. Sooooo, We bought the 6 pack of caramel dipping cups and Granny Smith apples. I packaged them up with some cellophane wrap and cute ribbon. The teacher got a large tub of caramel and several apples. What do ya think? I think I will use this idea again!

For her friends:

For her teacher:

They had fun at their party. We had Chick-fil-a nuggets, chips, cookies and juice. Then, I read them a cute book about picking your favorite pumpkin and carving it, just as God picked us and made us perfect. Then, we did a simple craft. They each got a foam pumpkin and a set of foam eyes, nose & mouth to decorate it.

Madison's class (minus 1):

Did you notice Madison's orange pants in the pic above? I made those! That is going to be another post as soon as I can locate the pics on this computer. I am not sure what happened to them after I put them in iphoto. They seem to have disappeared. My husband says they are probably on the external hard drive.

Check out the pumpkin that Madison and I carved. Daddy was out of town on business, so we had to do it alone! Daddy would have done something much more elaborate, but we were proud of our creation!

Dedication to the Lord

2010-10-25T16:09:00.000-05:00

My son, Brantley is 2 months old. We dedicated him to the Lord at church yesterday. What an awesome and powerful day. We just made a huge commitment to raise him in a Christian home. It is our job to be Godly parents and to raise Brantley to love the Lord. We made this same commitment when our daughter, Madison, was about 4 months old.

When my daughter was dedicated, I asked my grandmother and mother to sew a dress for her. It was beautiful. I wanted Brantley to have a handmade outfit as well, but I didn't want to ask them to sew it since I didn't decide to do it until 2 weeks ago. So, I chose a simple dedication bubble. I used the Creations by Michie pattern #126.

I learned a lot while making this bubble. I had never before sewn tucks or a Madeira trim. The placket was new, as well as hand embroidery. The cross is hand embroidered using a padded satin stitch. The small dots are called French knots. This bubble definitely contains its fair share of flaws, but I am proud of it anyway.

Following church, our family went to lunch. There we were able to meet our niece who was born on the same day as Brantley.

Check out my husband's haircut....I did that! He trusted ME to cut his hair. I thought it turned out pretty good!

Happy Birthday, Madison

2010-10-18T11:29:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday to my beautiful, sweet daughter, Madison. I love you so much....more than you will understand until you have your own children. Thank you for three fun filled years! I can't wait to see what the next 60 years will bring us.

Sorry for the dark pic. We are at Chick-fil-a and she was too busy to pose in a good spot for lighting.

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Circus

2010-10-07T15:16:00.000-05:00

We took our 2 (almost 3) year old to the circus for the first time last night. We didn't attempt to take Brantley. Madison loved it! I'll have to admit, we enjoyed it too. She even rode a pony. I couldn't believe it. We can't even get her to ride a pony on the carousel at the mall. She always chooses to ride in the carriage....but, hey, the princess belongs in the carriage anyway. :) When you look at the pic of her on the pony you will see that she wasn't in her comfort zone.

My brother, Josh, and my niece, Sophia, joined us. Actually, we joined them. It was their idea! Thanks for the invite. My sister-in-law, Elizabeth, wasn't able to join us. We missed you!

The pony ride!

They had so much fun! I enjoyed watching them watch the performers and the animals.

What am I reading?

2010-10-03T08:58:00.001-05:00

I am finally reading, The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian. My mother-in-law loaned this book to me YEARS ago (sorry, Ms. Sandra-I will return it soon!). My BF, Kelli, recently reminded me that Omartian's books regarding the power of praying were great books. So, I am finally reading them, starting with The Power of a Praying Parent. I have only read the first chapter at this point, but I have already gotten several valuable reminders. My favorite so far is, "Prayer is much more than just giving a list of desires to God, as if He were the great Sugar Daddy/Santa Claus in the sky...It's seeking the presence of God and releasing the power of God which gives us the means to overcome any problem." I already knew this, but sometimes it is good to be reminded.

Next, I plan to read to read The Power of a Praying Wife.

Have a blessed week!
Caz

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Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

2010-09-20T19:53:00.001-05:00

I made a roast with potatoes and carrots. It was a simple crockpot recipe that I got from kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com

There were plenty of leftovers. I sautéd some onion and green bell pepper strips in a little EVOO. I added some Worcestershire sauce and broth from the roast. Then, I added some of the shredded roast. After the veggies were tender and the meat was hot, I stacked them up and topped it with some cheddar cheese and white American cheese. I placed all of this deliciousness on a hoagie roll. Oh, my, goodness. It was soooooooo good!

I warmed some of the broth for dipping, but it wasn't needed. The sandwich was perfect without it!

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My Sweet Baby Boy

2010-09-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

Introducing.... Brantley!!!

Big Sister loves her baby brother!

Orientation Day at Mom's Day Out

2010-09-02T16:09:00.000-05:00

Madison will be attending a Mom's Day Out program one day a week this year. This is her first year. She is really excited, and so am I! Today she got to meet her teacher, Ms. Stephanie. It turns out....I know her teacher. We graduated from college together. I volunteered to be the room mother, and I am really excited about that!!! I welcome any and all fabulous ideas.

As you can see, Madison took flowers to her teacher. She got to help me with the arrangement, and she was really excited to give them to her. She walked right in the classroom and said, "Hi, I'm Madison!" The flower idea came from the blog, Little Pumpkin Grace...and Baby Hudson too.

An outfit for Madison

2010-08-11T08:19:00.001-05:00

I am so proud of this outfit. I think Madison might wear it to her first day of Mom's Day Out. I hope to get it monogrammed first.

For those interested, I used a pattern by Bonnie Blue called Hallie. It was very simple to make. There are 2 tops to choose from. Plus, you can choose to make knee length pants or ankle length. I chose the knee length. It actually falls just below her knees.

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I've been sewing!

2010-08-10T10:05:00.001-05:00

Last week I was able to do some sewing! I finished a John-John for my baby boy, an outfit for my daughter and an a-line dress for a friend's niece. I can't wait to show you the outfit I sewed for Madison. I still want to get it monogrammed. She might wear it to her first day of Mom's Day Out. Here is a pic of the a-line dress with a ruffle. If anyone knows an easy way to a add a ruffle to these boogers...please tell me! It gave me fits! I use the Martha Pullen instructions for a basic a-line dress. The same instructions will not work when you want to add a ruffle. There has to be a simple way.

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Perhaps I'm Nesting?...Organizing the Playroom

2010-08-01T13:05:00.000-05:00

With only 16 days until my induction, I think the nesting phase has begun!

99% of the time, the playroom looks like a tornado tore through it. It amazes me that kids will play in a space with little to no walking room......BECAUSE THEY THREW ALL OF THE TOYS ON THE FLOOR!!! I had a very easy storage system in there at first. There were two huge toy baskets and a book shelf. The playroom has an itty bitty closet, but it hasn't been used because there were no shelves in there. Well, instead of waiting on someone to build shelves for me, I decided to buy a cheap shelving system that I could install myself. I went to Big Lots and purchased some toy bins, and I made my own labels. My daughter is only 2 so I needed labels that she could recognize by sight. Therefore, I found images that were very recognizable. You are welcome to use them too.

Toy Bin Labels

Here are some pics of the organized playroom. I wish it could stay like this forever!

Pacifier Clips

2010-07-30T16:42:00.002-05:00

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION:
The following picture shows my original materials. HOWEVER, I do NOT recommend the Snap Plier tool that you see in the pic. It was expensive ($22.49), and it didn't work for me. Maybe mine was defective, but there is a much cheaper/easier tool to use.

I do recommend this tool. It was only $7.49 and much easier!

Cut a strip of ribbon about 17-18 inches....depending on how long you would like the strap to be. Seal the ends of the ribbon with a lighter. Feed one end of the ribbon through the mitten clip and fold the ribbon in half. Use pins to hold the ribbon together. The ribbon should now appear to be about 8 1/2-9 inches. (**You do not have to double the ribbon, but I wanted the pattern to appear on both sides.)

Sew along the edges in order to connect the ribbon together. Make sure that you also sew directly below where you fed it through the clip.

Fold the end of the ribbon over about 1 inch. Follow the instructions on the back of the snap tool package to add the snaps. It is as easy as that!

VOILA!

Check out other DIY projects at

Tatertots & Jello

Tip Junkie

Shelf & Picture Frames

2010-07-26T21:27:00.001-05:00

Here is another little project for Brantley's room. I did not think to take a before pic, but if you can, imagine that this shelf and these picture frames used to be black. My sweet hubby spray painted them a glossy white to match the trim in the room. I decided to add a few embellishments to help them coordinate with the bedding. I can always remove the ribbon and they can be sprayed with a fresh coat of paint when the bedding changes. I can't wait until the frames are filled with pics of my sweet little man. He is due 4 weeks from tomorrow!

Diaper Organizer

2010-07-24T20:55:00.001-05:00

The nursery is ALMOST ready for our baby boy! He is due exactly 1 month from today. The colors in his nursery are navy blue, lime green and white. We painted the walls a khaki color. I have been working on several little projects for his room that I want to show you before I show the finished nursery.

I picked up a couple of wooden baskets at a yard sale several months ago. I put one in my daughter's bathroom and I saved one for Brantley. It started out yellow. I painted it navy blue with intentions of adding vinyl initials or his name to the side. HOWEVER, I found this adorable lime green alligator at Hobby Lobby last night. It was already painted. PERFECT. I simply hot glued it to the side and added a green ribbon to the handle. I think it pretty stinkin' cute! Check out my before and after pics.

BEFORE (oops I almost forgot to take the before pic)

AFTER

Check out other DIY projects at :

Tater Tots and Jello

Book Wreath

2010-07-22T22:22:00.000-05:00

Somehow I stumbled upon a blog yesterday. It is called According to Kelly. Well, she had a featured blogger friend named Lindsay write a guest post on her blog. It was a tutorial on how to make a Book Wreath. The BEST part about this wreath is that it only costs $2!!!!!!!!!!! That's right, folks, TWO SMACKEROOS! If you make it and hate it, you can chunk it and not feel bad about the wasted money. So, I took myself to the Dollar Tree today and bought a wreath and a book. I choose a Christmas novel. I wondered if I might like to read the book, but I figure with a 3 year old and 4 month, I will not be reading any novels around Christmas time this year. So, I gave myself permission to destroy a perfectly good book. I think it was worth it.....what do you think?

I think the only thing I did differently from the original instructions was I wrapped the wreath in pages first. My wreath was green. Lindsay's was white. I figured the green would really show through if I didn't cover it. Here are the photos I took as I constructed my wreath.

Step 1: Gather supplies (wreath, book, glue gun, brown paint)

Step 2: Paint the edges of the book

Step 3: Cover the wreath with pages from the book

Step 4: Begin to cover the bottom of the wreath with folded pages. Check out Lindsay's tutorial for more detail instructions. She even provided a video tutorial.

Step 5: Flip it over

Step 6 (optional): If you are 35 weeks pregnant. This is a good time to stop for a snack! Mmmmm. Vanilla yogurt with granola!

Step 7: Start covering the front of the wreath with the folded pages

I am not sure of the wreath's final destination, but for now....this will do.

Thanks to Lindsay and Kelly for sharing this tutorial!

Giveaway at This Crazy Life

2010-07-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

I am ordering my son's birth announcements from this adorable website called HollyDays. There is a blog called This Crazy Life that is doing a giveaway for a product from HollyDays! I am so excited. You should check them out!

A Day of Silence for Cohen

2010-07-01T07:55:00.000-05:00

A Day of Silence for Cohen

Another Silhouette Giveaway by Tatertots & Jello

2010-06-24T15:37:00.000-05:00

There is another Silhouette giveaway taking place at Tatertots and Jello.

A Giveaway by Rhoda at Southern Hospitality

2010-06-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

Rhoda (Southern Hospitality) is hosting a fabulous giveaway. She is giving away a Silhouette Craft Cutter-valued at $300! Check it out!

Swimsuit

2010-06-19T08:52:00.002-05:00

I love this swimsuit!!! I took a
Sewing class Thursday night and learned how to make this. I love, love, love it! The pattern and instructions are on the current issue of Sew Beautiful magazine. It is really simple to make.

It took me about 5 hours to sew. This does not include the time it took me to transfer the pattern and cut out my fabric. Let me know if you make one too!

Cazra

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Nursing Cover

2010-06-17T13:25:00.001-05:00

I FINALLY got to finish sewing my nursing cover, and I LOVE IT! I can't wait to use it with Brantley...only 9 1/2 more weeks until I am due! For those of you who are curious, I followed the instructions provided by Angel at TaDa! Creations. It was sooooo simple to make!

Thanks, Angel!

Butterfinger Pie

2010-06-05T20:34:00.001-05:00

Yum!!!

My best friend, Kelli, told me about this easy-peasy, delicious pie. You can't mention a dessert to this prego right now without me thinking I absolutely have to have it!
Soooooo, while I was grocery shopping today, I happened to pick up the 4 ingredients just in case I wanted to make it. Well, to be honest, I picked up enough ingredients to make 2 pies. I knew I would love it! Don't judge. I told you I am pregnant.

The four ingredients are:
-Graham cracker crust
-1 1/2 pkgs of the small butterfingers-crushed
-1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
-small tub of Cool Whip

Mix the last three ingredients and put it in the crust. Chill and serve!

Thanks, Kelli, for sharing this wonderful dessert. Madison had fun helpig me make it.

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What a Great Day!

2010-06-04T11:31:00.001-05:00

The day is not even half over and it has been great! My niece, Sophia, is here to play. After a little playing inside, we headed to pick up my sewing machine. (It had to be cleaned.) While we were there I signed up for class to learn how to make those adorable bikinis for little girls. Yay! I can't wait!!!

Next, we headed to Krispy Kreme for our free doughnut in honor of National Doughnut Day.

Then, we stopped at Subway to pick up our lunch which we will eat later. Yay for $5 footlongs!

Now the girls are swimming in the pool.

See...it has been a great day...er, morning!

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Easy Summer Meals: Meal #2

2010-06-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

Corn-on-the-cob, how do I love thee! Let me count the ways. I could eat fresh corn-on-the cob every day! This meal was super easy. Prep your corn and slice the squash.

The menu: pork chops, corn-on-the cob, and squash. You will see some fresh green beans...ignore those. I was trying it out....FAILED! If anyone knows how to grill green beans, please let me know.

I put the corn on the grill first. Turn it slightly every couple of minutes. I drizzled a little butter and Kosher salt on the cobs every once in a while. Be careful, the flames will try to get you when you do this! Season one side of the chops with seasoning salt and garlic salt. Place the seasoned side down. Season the backside. Place squash on the grill and season. Turn as needed.

P.S. I don't always cook pork chops. The package had 6 in it. Three for one meal, and three more for a meal a couple of days later.

I PASSED my test!

2010-06-01T10:12:00.001-05:00

Read my previous post if you don't know what I am talking about. :) Have a great day! I know I will!!!

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Glucose test

2010-06-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

I am sitting at the doctor's office reading this book. I was obsessed witht his book when I was pregnant with my first child, but I have barely touched it during this pregnancy.

It's notthat I am not reading anything. Now that I have an iPhone I have this neat app that gives me a little bit of info every week. The app is calle Baby Bump.
I am waiting to take my glucose test. I really hope that I pass it the first time! I did not pass it the first go 'round with Madison. I had to return for the 3-4 hour test, which is NO FUN! Prayers have been prayed and my toes are crossed (I can't cross my fingers and type at the same time.) I'll let you know how it goes.

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Pottery Barn Look-Alike

2010-05-28T08:11:00.000-05:00

Maybe you noticed all of the lanterns in one of the latest Pottery Barn catalogues. They filled them with candles and seashells. I have wanted something to use as a centerpiece for my patio table and thought this would be perfect. I live on the gulf coast. I need a few seashells in my decor. So, did I order a $50-$80 lantern from Pottery Barn.....NOPE! I took my 40% coupon to Michael's Craft Store (after looking a few other places first) and bought a beautiful lantern for about $15 (regularly $24.99)! I bought a $3.00 candle, and the shells were free from my mother-in-law. I tried to collect my own shells while at the beach last week, but I didn't find any that were big enough. FYI: You can buy a package of beautiful shells at Hobby Lobby....maybe they have them at Michael's. I don't know, I didn't look. I still want to buy a starfish to prop up against my candle.

You can check out their versions here.

Here is my version:

Easy Summer Meals: Meal #1

2010-05-28T07:30:00.001-05:00

I LOVE cooking on the grill in the warmer months. Clean up is easy, and my husband usually does the cooking and I just have to prep the food.

One night last week, we made Asian Grilled Pork Chops. I got the recipe from a Bruno's ad that came in the mail. Check out these YUMMY puppies!

In addition to the pork chops, we grilled some fresh summer squash. I used a little EVOO and sprinkled them with Kosher salt.

I also sliced up a tomato and cucumber for a nice, cool addition to our plates!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the vibrant colors of summer. Now, for the recipe.

Asian Grilled Pork Chops

1 TBSP soy sauce

1TBSP vegetable oil

1/2 TBSP honey

1/2 TBSP fresh lime juice

1/2 TBSP ground ginger

1 large garlic clove, smashed (I used the jar of the minced garlic)

The recipe calls for 8 thin, center-cut pork chops (about 1 3/4 pounds). I used 3 bone-in thin, center-cut pork chops.

2 scallions, chopped (I used green onions. I don't know the difference.)

Preparation:

Combine soy sauce, oil, honey, lime juice, ginger and garlic in a large zip-top bag. (I must admit, I didn't read carefully, and I add my green onions to the bag. Oh, well.) SMUSH it all together. :) Add pork chops, squeeze air out, seal and turn to coat pork. Chill for 15 minutes (I prepared them about an hour ahead of grilling time). Prepare a grill or grease a grill pan and place over medium heat. When hot, add chops and cook until nicely marked and just cooked through, about 7 minutes total, turning once. Transfer chops to a platter and let stand for 3 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with scallions.

Bow Hangers

2010-05-26T08:15:00.000-05:00

I have made a couple different styles of bow hangers. The first one I made was for my little girl. I made it before she was born. I used the inner hoop from a small cross-stitch hoop set. I wrapped it with ribbon, securing it with hot glue. I used about a yard of ribbon for the "tail." I did no sewing. Everything was done with hot glue. You can't see much of the hanger, because of all the bows. My grandmother used to make them for me, but I have figured out how to make them myself! I'll show you my bow making method in another post. What I like about this style is that you can hang it on a door knob or anywhere. We currently hang hers from her curtain rod. I know that sounds weird, but she can't reach it, and that is a good thing. Otherwise, I would be picking up bows off the floor all of the time!

I recently made this one. I used an unfinished wooden cross from Michael's Craft Store. You will also need a sheet of scrapbook paper, paint, brush, Mod Podge, some sort of hanger and a hot glue gun.

Materials:

I forgot to include my hangers in the initial materials pic. You will need a hammer if you buy this kind of hanger.

First, paint the sides and back of the cross. Wait for the paint to dry.

Lay the cross (or initial or whatever you chose) FACE DOWN on the back of your scrapbook paper. Trace as close as you can. (Please ignore the yucky looking spot on the back of the paper. That is where the bar code was. I tried to remove it. Bad idea, I guess.)

Cut out the shape. Cut just inside the pencil line. Lay it on the object and see if it lines up perfectly. You may have to trim in certain areas. You don't want any of the paper to hang over the object.

Brush a layer of Mod Podge on the unpainted face of the cross. Carefully lay the paper cross on the wet Mod Podge. Brush a layer on top of the paper and the sides of the cross. I let the first coat dry and applied a 2nd coat of Mod Podge to the top and sides. Then, use a hot glue gun to attach the ribbon tail. Use a lighter to seal the end of the ribbon to prevent fraying. Attach your hanger to the back. VOILA!

I've Got My Toes in the Water

2010-05-19T15:18:00.001-05:00

I've got my toes in the water,

My toes in the sand,

Not a worry in the world,

A cold (rasberry) tea in my hand,
Life is good today. Life is good today!

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Mother's Day

2010-05-10T21:40:00.000-05:00

I now have two reasons to celebrate Mother's Day.....Madison who is 2 1/2 and Brantley who is still incubating. Madison gave me a radio that I can use with my iphone. Brantley gave me indegestion. I loved both gifts just the same, of course, because they came from my children. I LOVE my job as a mother. I would not trade it for any amount of money in the world. My husband and children are such a blessing to me.

Madison & Mommy

Brantley (18 weeks)

Mother's Day was a great day. It started with a yummy breakfast cooked by my darling husband: biscuits, eggs and turkey bacon. YUM! Then, we went to church. After church our family met at a yummy restaurant downtown. We took pictures in the square across the street from the restaurant.

Daddy, Madison & Mommy

My wonderful family

My wonderful in-laws

Madison fell asleep as soon as we got home. So, I threw on a swimsuit and enjoyed some time by the pool. I took with me a Pottery Barn catalog and my leftover strawberry tea from lunch. aaahhh....nice! My hubby did some yard work while I relaxed. When Madison woke up, she joined me. We stayed outside until almost 7:00. It was a wonderful day! Thank you to my amazing family for making it so great!

I hope all mothers had an amazing Mother's Day. Be blessed!

Testing, testing, 1,2,3

2010-05-09T16:30:00.001-05:00

I just installed BlogPress on my iphone. I am curious about how it works. Just playing around right now.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Check out the Giveaway

2010-04-21T14:49:00.000-05:00

Check out the giveaway at Linda's blog called Coastal Charm. That vase is just my style!

Family

2010-04-16T14:12:00.002-05:00

My growing family....Joshua, Madison, Me (& Brantley-in my tummy)! This pic was taken on our way out the door headed to church on Easter morning.

Swimsuit Cover-Up

2010-04-16T13:55:00.001-05:00

FINALLY!!!!! I have been meaning to make a post for a while, but I keep letting days slip by. Some of you may know that I am 21 weeks along with our 2nd child. We are having a boy, and we are naming him Brantley! That is enough of an excuse for the lack of posts, right?

Well, we made our first beach trip of the season this week. Sooooo, I wanted Madison to have a cute cover-up. I used an inexpensive towel and some ribbon I already had to make this. It probably cost a total of $7 to make. I really like the way it turned out. The only thing left to do is have it monogrammed.

Check out other DIY projects at A Soft Place to Land.

Giveaway at Little Pumpkin Grace...and Baby Hudson Too!

2010-03-10T08:27:00.000-06:00

Check out the giveaway at Jessica's blog Little Pumpkin Grace...and Baby Hudson Too! She is giving away an adorable doll and pattern! They are too cute!

Giveaway at TaDa Creations!

2010-03-06T09:39:00.000-06:00

Check out this adorable dress made by Angel at TaDa Creations. She is so talented!

Who's 30?

2010-02-25T13:18:00.001-06:00

So, WOW, it has been such a long time since I have made a new post on my blog. I have a project I am working on, and I can't wait to post pics. For now..... I am admitting that today is my birthday, and I am

30!!!

Really, honestly, nothing feels any different. I could still be 22. Why do I say 22 and not 20, because I probably do feel a little different from when I was 20. At the age of 20, I was still in college and I wasn't married yet. Ya know? My adult life started once I moved out of the parents' house, got married and entered the real working world as a teacher. My life is so good. I am truly blessed to have a wonderful husband, a sweet daughter and another baby on the way!

Coasters, coasters, everywhere coasters!

2009-12-29T08:57:00.003-06:00

I wanted to give some homemade presents along with the store bought gifts this year. Last year I made aprons and gave them to a few girls. This year I am giving coasters. They are so easy, and I think they turned out great!

To do this project you need:

tiles from a hardware store (These cost 16¢ at Home Depot.)
scrapbook paper (I love the black and white toile from Hobby Lobby)
a printer
Mod Podge (I used glossy)
Acrylic spray sealer
Sponge brush
Scissors or a paper cutter

Follow these easy steps:

Print initials on the scrapbook paper. I was only able to get two per piece of paper. I printed one initial in the top left corner and one in the bottom right corner. Do a test page first.
Make a pattern from the tile. You want the pattern to be slightly smaller than the tile.
Cut out the scrapbook paper.
Paint a layer of Mod Podge on the tile.
Lay the paper on top of the wet Mode Podge.
Paint a layer of Mod Podge on the paper.
Let that dry 15-20 minutes.
Repeat with another layer of Mod Podge.
Wait 15-20 minutes.
Take the tiles outside and spray with the sealer.
Let dry 5 minutes.
Spray another coat of sealer.
The can says to wait 24 hours before handling. The smell will be strong at first. Give it some time to air out.
Add sticky felt dots to the back.
VOILA!

I did a simple packaging job. I used clear cellophane and red shredded paper from the Dollar Tree, white toole tied it all together, and I added a handmade gift tag. I created it in Word. (The tag instructions came from Life in Grace.

Check other DIY projects at:

A Soft Place to Land

Today's Creative Blog

Aprons for the girly girls

2009-12-29T08:35:00.000-06:00

My friend, Kelli, asked me to sew some aprons for her to give to a couple of little girls for Christmas. She picked out the fabric. I think they turned out sooooo cute!

The Letter "M"

2009-12-17T13:36:00.001-06:00

I found some letters in the clearance section at Walmart a couple of weeks ago. There weren't a whole lot left to choose from, BUT they did have an "M"! It was destiny, I had to buy it for Madison. Then, I had to decide what to do with it....paint it, decorate it, Mod Podge it, YEAH! I had a piece of scrapbook paper that mimicked the black and white tile in Madison's bathroom. So, I followed these simple steps!
1. Trace the M on the back of the scrapbook paper.
2. Cut out the paper.
3. Lay the cut-out on top of the letter. Trim where it is necessary.
4. Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge (I have glossy) on the top of the letter using a sponge brush.
5. Lay the paper cut-out on top of the moist Mod Podge.
6. Smooth out any bubbles.
7. Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge with the sponge brush.
8. Allow to dry 15-20 minutes.
9. Paint another thin layer of Mod Podge. Allow to dry.
10. Find a special spot for it!

I LOVE IT! I can't wait to make more!

I just thought I would throw in some additional pics of her bathroom. I love her curtain and her shower curtain!

Check out other DIY projects at A Soft Place to Land

Christmas Decor 2009

2009-12-07T12:49:00.001-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Ev'rywhere you go;

Take a look in the five and ten glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Toys in ev'ry store

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be

On your own front door.

Merry Christmas! Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Check out other homes decked for Christmas at Southern Hospitality.

Banner: play

2009-12-05T15:17:00.002-06:00

UPDATE: I found out where I saw the clothespin idea....Shanty2Chic. They reposted it in their favorites for 2009.

I am trying to complete the new playroom. I got an idea from a blog to use the giant clothespins from Hobby Lobby. With the advice from _______ (I don't remember which blog I saw them on), I painted the clothespins and distressed them. Then, I made a banner using scrap fabric and felt to make the word play. I hung the letters from rustic looking rope. The look still isn't finished, but here is what it looks like so far.

Check out other DIY projects at A Soft Place to Land.

My Latest Applique Design: Football

2009-12-05T15:00:00.000-06:00

I am having sew much fun with the applique designs! Here is my latest. It was a birthday present for a close friend! Happy Birthday, Will!

T-Shirt Applique

2009-11-24T14:00:00.001-06:00

I am so excited about learning how to sew appliques. I have now done several t-shirts. Here are a couple that I have created. My latest is a Christmas t-shirt for my little girl. I can't wait to try it on her when she wakes up from her nap!

This first one is a cross with two different fabrics. The bottom one is obviously a tad bit larger. I did not use the iron on paper for this because I really wanted the fabric to be able to fray. I sewed an outline around the two pieces at the same time. I think the more I wash/dry this shirt, the more it will have the rugged, frayed look that I want.

For the Christmas applique, I did use Heat N Bond. I also used a straight stitch on this applique. I printed my M from Pages (Mac software-equivalent to Word.) Remember to print your letters/images in reverse. I free handed the Christmas tree. You might recognize the fabric from my Christmas apron.

So, what do you think? Check out other DIY projects at A Soft Place to Land and Today's Creative Blog.

Picture Frame

2009-11-17T08:51:00.001-06:00

I bought this picture frame at Goodwill for less than $1. (Yes, I did go to Goodwill. I heard about people finding great things to refurbish. I found a couple of items that I have worked on. I'll show more later.)

It had a blue bow at the top that I ripped off before I took a pic. I had to scrape off the hot glue that held the bow onto the frame. Next, I sprayed it with an off-white paint.

I painted 2 of these decorative wooden pieces that I found at Hobby Lobby for less than $1. I mixed gold and brown for this color.

Boo hoo! When I went to bring the frame inside, I dropped the glass! Oh, well. I guess I didn't really need it anyway! Next, I glued the wooden decorative pieces on with Gorilla Glue. Voila! I am not sure if I will use this to hold a picture or an initial stenciled on some burlap. We'll see!

Check out other trash to treasure reinventions at REINVENTED.

Christmas Apron

2009-11-12T14:58:00.003-06:00

YAY! I have wanted a Christmas apron since I saw an adorable one at the Junior League of Mobile's Christmas Jubilee last year. This year, I made one for myself! I love it! I can't wait to bake cookies in it. I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!

No, I did not bake these cookies, BUT I would love for mine to look like this. :)

My Christmas wish list:

I wish the radio stations would start playing Christmas music on November 1st.
I wish it wasn't crazy for me to put up Christmas decorations already...cuz I am gonna do it really soon!
I wish my husband had the whole month of December off to spend it with Madison and me. We could do all kinds of fun Christmas stuff together.
I wish all of my family lived near. I want to get together every weekend to sit by the fire watching Christmas movies and drink hot chocolate while the kids play. :(

Check out other DIY projects at: A Soft Place to Land and at Today's Creative Blog

Cazra

Flower for My Hair

2009-11-03T13:05:00.000-06:00

Do you remember the flower I made for the picture frame? Well, I decided to make one for my hair. We were invited to a Halloween party and I wanted something snazzy for my hair. So, I whipped up another flower in like 5 minutes with some leftover fabric. I just hand tacked a pony-tail holder in between the bottom two petals. Don't ya love it? (Ignore the straggly hair.)

Travel Tissue Case

2009-11-02T13:37:00.000-06:00

Looking for a "happy" to give your coworkers or relatives? Need some stocking stuffers? The travel tissue case is so cute and easy to make. They are great to stick in your purse, a diaper bag, locker or desk.

All you need is coffee (well, it was first thing in the morning), fabric, scissors, and thread. I am working on an order for 20 cases. I used my rotary cutter and mat to speed up the cutting process.

I had three selections of fabric, which I ordered from Heather Bailey. Each piece was 1/2 yard (1/2 yard of 44" fabric will make 7 cases). First, I cut the fabric into 6 inch strips. This means my strips were 18" x 6". I took the strips and cut 3 pieces that were 3 3/4" x 6" and 1 piece that was 4 3/8" x 6 inch.

Actually, I took a short cut. One set of the 3 3/4" x 6" pieces were cut on the fold. That means when it was open, it was 7 1/2" x 6". I did this because it saved a cut, and those two pieces are staying together anyway as the bottom of the case.

Next, I ironed the pieces. Take one of your 3 3/4" x 6" pieces and fold it in half as shown below. We teachers like to call that the hotdog fold. Do the same thing with the 4 3/8" x 6" piece of fabric. I ironed the last piece to make sure the fabric was smooth.

Lay one of the 3 3/4" x 6" pieces wrong side up on your table. Lay another 3 3/4" x 6" piece on top of it-wrong sides together. (Or-if you took my shortcut, lay the 7 1/2" x 6" piece on your workspace folded with wrong sides together so that it looks like one 3 3/4" x 6" piece facing you.) Take the 3 3/4" x 6" piece that you ironed in half and lay it on top of those two pieces. Then, lay the larger piece that you ironed in half on top. Make sure that the folds are facing the center of the case and line up the corners. The two top pieces will overlap in the center. Pin these together.

Sew around the edges and clip the corners.

Turn the case right side out and pull out the corners. Iron. Insert the tissue pack. VOILA!

Let me know if you try this out! I enjoy getting your messages! Let me know if you have any further questions.

Check out other DIY projects at A Soft Place to Land.

Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz

2009-10-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

I love to sew, but I have yet to attempt to make a Halloween costume for my daughter...maybe next year. This Dorothy costume was a hand-me-down, and I LOVE IT! Madison wore it to a Halloween party a couple of weeks ago, and she will wear it again Halloween night if it is not too cold. If it turns cold, she will be JoJo the Clown (another hand-me-down).

This next picture is from Halloween 2008. Madison had just turned 1 on the 18th of October, and she started walking on the 28th. Obviously, Madison was a pumpkin and her older cousin, Sophia, was JoJo the Clown. (I had never heard of JoJo the clown, and I don't know if I am spelling the name correctly. I apologize to all of the JoJo fans.)

You can check out other adorable costumes at Kelly's Korner.