For Chandler's class Christmas Party he is to bring the non-food

treat.  How does someone who enjoys her food so much make

something that doesn't involve a little somethin somethin to munch on?

While reading one of my all time favorite blogs The Crazy Farmers Wife

(I want to be just like her when I grow up, the funny part of that is when I

was a teen I always said I would NEVER want to live on a farm when I was

 older) anyways back to Non-Food Treats, I was reading her blog and she had

shown these popcorn snowman.  I could not wait to make them...I made

the wrapper on printshop, chalked cheeks, cut out a nose, and drew on eyes

 and mouth, and last used a pair of gloves as the hat.  I think they turned out

so cute.  Thinking we might have to make them for Sunday School Classes. 

This years Singing Christmas Tree was nothing but amazing once

again.  "While You Were Sleeping" the story of Christ's life was

told through Nathanael's son Joseph.  Joseph was staying with his

Uncle and Aunt whom did not believe that the Messiah had come

yet.  The story line was of a couple who missed what God wanted to give

 them; who looked at events around them with open eyes, but saw nothing. 

Could you miss Christ even when he is all around?  Don't let the things of the

world keep you from Heavenly Father.  Don't be one who is sleeping, but be

awake and aware and receptive for all God wants to give us. 

A great message for us as we go into the Christmas Season. 

I am so thankful we have made this family tradition to go to the

Singing Christmas Tree, not to only see a baby in a manger but the

work of Christ while he was on earth, his death, and resurrection.  It is

important to me that my boys understand the reason Christ, the Son

of God, came to earth.  It was for each one of us.

Today we woke to the ground covered in beautiful fluffy snow, and Daddy

was on his way home!  It was a perfect day to go get our live Christmas Tree.

We have not had one since the famous "Fallin Tree of 2003" ok so maybe it

was push over by a little boy-but we won't name any names.  Right RILEY!

We went out to Hines Pines Tree Farm just outside of Cozad. 

I am so thankful that this was the weekend that worked best for us,

with the fresh first snow of the year on the ground.

 I have so many great memories of going out in the field and getting

our family Christmas Tree growning up.  Oh Christmas Cow...a classic

Chandler Family Song or sledding and hitting a tree...Mom flying off. 

I want to be able to make these kind of memories with my boys.

Though there was so many great choices this was THE ONE!

After blog surfing my night away (I should really be looking for a program

and get help) I found how to make lotion and had to try this for myself-lotion

for REALLY dry skin.  We have that issue in this house between the dry

weather, cracked feet, and a few of my daycare babies with eczema. 

The gal said that it was so wonderful she uses it even as her night cream. 

It sounded to easy and figured if it was not any good I'm not out anything. 

 1-20 oz Johnson's Baby Bedtime Lotion

1-13 oz Petroleum Jelly

8 oz Vitamin E Skin Cream

Dump and mix altogether really well. 

It ends up being super fluffy and light. 

This lotion is WONDERFUL, no joke...now I just need to go find a

pretty jar to store it in.  This would be great for a baby gift or for a child

to make for Grandma for Christmas, just remember to take a little off the

top for yourself, you are going to LOVE IT!

This was the first year that Riley got to carry his gun and shoot his own

Turkey, this was a big deal for him and I have to admit a little scary for this

 mom. (I am a worry wort what can I say)  Ry got TWO turkeys with one

shot, they where standing one in front of the other and when he shot

they both went down.  What a great first hunt story!

 We actully love Wild Turkey-I took the smaller one and boiled

it with just salt and pepper till it was falling off the bone.

 then cleaned it off the bone and shred,

mixed 1 can Cream of Chicken, 6 oz Sour Cream,

3 Tablespoons Milk, and 1 Tablespoon Onion Onion

(or drided onions)

 spread in a baking dish than make 1 box of Stove Top

Stuffing (we like Chicken) and spread over top.

Bake in oven at 350 till bubbly hot.

Supper was very yummy and nothing can beat a proud child!  Riley was so

excited that this dish was his turkey.  At supper he said "I am proud to know

if my family was starving I could make sure there was food on the table"  Melted My Heart! 

F.Y.I.-You do not have to go out and shot a Turkey for this tasty dish,

use leftover Turkey or even sherdded Chicken works great!

Chore Award...

My boys are very good at getting their chores done and I don't have to get

 after them much for not getting something done.  Joe and I choose not to

give our children an allowance (we all work together to keep a nice home-

if they want money they can work for it in other ways).  So we try to have

 an award system here and there to give the daliy chore list a bit fun. 

For some time now we have had a ticket system where each chore was worth

 X amount of tickets, each ticket was worth 1 minute of video game time

during the school week.  I found this cute Lotto Ticket idea and thought

it would be fun to do something new!  You can adjust it to fit your needs.

 first I made my cards and then cut them apart

than put a small piece of contact paper over the number

next mix a small amount of dish soap with silver metallic paint

paint over the contact paper-it took 3 coats and dries fast

Now you have your own Lotto Ticket-boys get to chose one after they are

finished with chores.  They may collect their minutes or use them right away.

Over at I {heart} Naptime she is giving 50 Christmas Craft ideas and I loved

 this Noel Bunting Banner a free download from Sugartotdesign.  I made it

last night and put it together this morning.  It is a gift for our piano teacher

but of course I am going to have to make one for myself!

This morning I made Cinnamon Roll Waffles for breakfast, I figured...why not...so simple-just spray waffle iron and place one roll on each plate, close, and cook.  Of course

Cream Cheese Icing was in order too!  They turned out great!!!

This in no way will take place of a yummy cinnamon roll hot out of the oven but for something

different for the kiddos for a hot breakfast it was fast and easy.

I also made Cheesey Vegetable Soup-it is the perfect snowy day for a bowl of my

Grandma Laura's soup and homemade rolls!  This is a creamy soup with tons of veggies

 and the kids don't even realize what all they are eating :)

First wash and cut: a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower, 5 large carrots,

1 medium onion, and 5 stocks of celery.  Put the raw veggies in the food processor until

they are chopped fine.  Then shredd 5 large potatos (like you were making hash browns).

Put all your veggies in large pot of water with salt and boil till they are cooked, then drain.

 this is what your cooked veggies will look like.

In a large stock pot make the cheesey broth, put 1 large can of Chicken Broth,

1 Half & Half, and one box of Velveeta cubed.  Melt it all together to make a creamy broth.

Add 3 cups of cubed cooked Ham

Put Veggies and Ham in broth and Enjoy!

For about 9 years I have made my own cleaning supplies and in the last 6 months I have been making my own laundry soap and dishwasher soap.  It is amazing how much $ is saved just in making them myself (money saved for my trip to France).  I can honestly say I like clean and if they didn't work there would be NO way I would use it-but I have been so happy with the results.  Today it was time to make more dishwasher soap and thought I would share...1 cup Salt, 1 cup Baking Soda, 1 cup Borax, 1 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, and 1 bottle of Lemon Shine (I use white vinigar also due to our hard water)  Mix altogether and use 1/8 cup in every load of dishes.  

This cost me under $5 and only have to make it about every 2 months.

Remember I have a daycare and run my dishwasher ALOT!

For supper tonight I thawed out Pork Loin not knowing what I was going to do with it this morning

and not having a whole lot in my cupboards to work with...I had one McCormicks

Chipotle marinade packet, so I added 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1/4 cup honey mix in

 ziplock bag and let pork marinade for the day.  Put on the grill. 

As we like to say in the Books household "it's so good it made me lick my eyebrows TWICE"

It was so YUMMY spicy and sweet!!!  Need to create recipes more often.

So it doesn't take much to make me happy...I love dishes!  Really I love anything that has to do with my kitchen but dishes might be one of my favorite accesories.  When I came across these beautiful dishes I had to have them and even better they where 70% off which made them only $12.88. 
Joey says my crazy love for dishes reminds him of his grandmother-whom had a set of dishes for all occasions...if I had more cupboard space I would have a set for my every mood :)

I also wanted to share this beautiful fall gourd arrangement that my sweet boy made me.  Chandler came home from school with all these gourds that his teacher had given him.  He wanted something to make with them-so I suggested that he put them in the wooden bowl with a candle.  I got him a candle and ring and he washed and dryed all of his gourds and placed everything the way he wanted them.  I LOVE IT and he is quite proud of his work!!!

Just a sneak peek of my newest project...

Today I made birthday cupcakes for a little girls

8th DIVA Birthday Party! 

I designed the cupcake toppers to look like the napkins and decorations.

I am pretty proud of how they turned out!

I had been asked by my friend Kelli to donate a handmade bag for her 

Art in the Bag benefit

that is held in Omaha, October 15th 2011.  A silent auction of

handcrafted bags-live music and proceeds goes to benefit Cancer Awareness.

I was honered to be asked but was a little worried as

 I am not much of a patteren follower...

so I have been looking and thinking what can

I use to make a different and fun bag???

While cleaning my craft room I had come across burlap that

 I had bought for a table decoration. 

Then thought I love my new sling bag I had bought from New York-

so I just went for it who needs a pattern anyway???? 

Ok Maybe me-but I don't have that kind of time.

So this is the cute bag I came up with today while the kiddos were napping  (I may need to change the name of my blog to "While they were Sleeping") 

http://www.artinthebag.com

Burlap Bottom

Jute Button Loop

 Fun Button-from Prairie Point Junction

 Large over the shoulder bag

I might have to make myself one!

A Whole New Light...

For some time my friend and I have been thinking we would like to

'Renew' our light fixtures.   

Last Friday as Chandler was home sick I did a little blog surfing and had come across a gal who had made a neat candle chandelier out of her old kitchen light (which had looked very similar to my hideous gold fixture above my kitchen table)  I just wanted to get to redoing mine right away-I could not wait much longer I was very close to flippin the breaker myself. 

So this morning Joe took down both fixtures

 in the kitchen and I began painting. 

 After getting them down and clean, I covered the light
socket with painters tape.

Than spray painted Black, I had to do three coats.  I also tried antiquing it with white around the edges but I did not care for i-so painted it back all black.

 Once it was dry Joe hung it back up!

I am pretty pleased with how it turned out-best of all it cost $6.98

for the paint and now I have two new fixtures!!! 

Julie it is a MUST!!!

CAKES...

 

I was asked to make Hannah's 8th Birthday Cake.  I had never used fondant before but I was

so excited to try it.  I am so happy with the way it turned out and even better the cake was tie dyed!



In the same week I also was asked to make Dylan's 4th birthday cake and cupcakes.

The Buzz Lightyear was tie dye and cupcakes where chocolate.