My house is all a glow!

This is my front porch decorated for Christmas.
I am getting so excited for this time of year!

Let's put Christ back into Christmas....A neat Christmas Tree.

I saw these at the Festival of Trees in Utah. I want to follow their lead and have a Christmas tree about Christ and his birth one day.

Is your tree up yet?? Not yet for me....but SOON!

Turkey head bands

My daughter made this at her preschool Thanksgiving party. It's an easy and great alternative to the Indian Headband.

It's easy to make you need (as shown):
Feathers, wings, head band, circle turkey head, folded beak, and "j" for the gobbler.

Thanksgiving Turkey cupcakes

My daughter made this cupcake turkey in her preschool class today. Cute huh?

You will need:

Cupcakes
Frosting
Mini Pecan Sandies
Green jell for eyes
Red jell for eyes
Candy corn (broken part for the nose)

Gum on upholsterty!

My kids snitched gum out of my purse and got it on my fabric sofa. I used Thoro spot remover to get it off. It says on the bottle it can be used for this purpose and here's how I got it off.

I used a clean cloth and dabbed it on. DO NOT saturated it.

I used water at the end because I was afraid of a grease type mark. The picture above was when it was still wet. It dried fine! Whew!

Oh and here's a previous post about gum in my daughter's hair and how I got it out. ClickHERE

Please eat your dinner--to my 2 year old!

You do what you gotta do to get them to eat right???I thought it was pretty good on the fly....A carnita burrito with veggies.

Thanksgiving blessing mixes-with recipes

NOTE: This is the one I posted earlier but I finally had time to type it out. Feel free to copy and paste this and use on your Thanksgiving table as "party" favors for your family members. The older kids could help assemble it while you cook.

Thanksgiving Blessing Mix

Bugles: Shaped like a cornucopia or Horn of Plenty, a symbol of our nation's abundance.

Pretzels: Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who founded our country.

Candy corn: Sacrifices of the Pilgrims' first winter. Food was so scarce that settlers survived on just a few kernels of corn a day.

Nuts or seeds: Promise of a a future harvest, one we will reap only if seeds are planted and tended with diligence.

Dried fruits: Harvest gifts of our bountiful land.

M&Ms: Memories of those who came before us to guide us to a blessed future.

Hershey's Kiss: The love of family and friends that sweetens our lives.

------------------------

Thanksgiving Blessing Mix Recipe
Ingredients:

2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks
2 cups small pretzels
1 cup candy corn
1 cup dried fruit bits or raisins
1 cup peanuts or sunflower seeds
1 cup M&Ms-brand chocolate candy
16 Hershey's-brand chocolate kisses
free printable blessing mix gift tag

Directions:

In a large bowl, gently mix all ingredients except Hershey's Kisses.

Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup Thanksgiving Blessing Mix in small cellophane treat bags. Add one Hershey's Kiss to each bag. Close bag with chenille stem or twist-tie.

Print 4 copies of the Thanksgiving Blessings Mix or hand-write your own tags.

Attach one to each bag.

Makes 16 Blessing Mix gift bags.

Using a toilet paper roll for a turkey craft!

An easy craft for the kids while you get ready for Thanksgiving packing or dinner preparations.

Ahead of time instructions for mom:
Mom- Cut a toilet paper roll in half
Mom- Cut the feather back shape as shown
Mom- Cut out the eyes
Mom-Not shown-but cut out the red dangly thing that turkey's have

Kids- Let the kids paint it brown
Kids- Color and assembly the turkey

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sickness (es) go away I want my old self back!!

Life hasn't been a peachy keen around here. We have had colds, fevers, runny noses, coughs, hacking, migraines, throwing up due to migraines, bad attitudes, crappy meals, and short tempers. We don't have the swine flu thank goodness.

I am a mom to three kids and I was ready to lose it after 14 days of family illnesses and irritability. So, I left the kids with my wonderful husband and went to a church woman's retreat this past Saturday. The topic was Savoring your time with God. I haven't been savoring much of anything and it was a blessing to me and my "psychy" to get out of the house and reflect on my blessings and relationship with God (even if it's been on the back burner). I tried to focus on the positive things in my life among the challenges. If you are struggling out there call out for help from your family and get out!!

Here's the cute craft my husband made with the kids while I was gone out to rejuvenate. I love that man!Turkey hands

Gift Ideas ~ over 300 tags, poems, sayings and ideas

One of my favorite websites based in Utah is www.pinchingyourpennies.com They have compiled over 300 tags, poems, and sayings for the Holiday season. Click HERE
I use the sayings for teachers, Sunday school teachers, bus drivers, neighbors, mommy friends, volunteers, mail carriers, and friends who need a good cheesy fun laugh during the stresses of the holidays. I plan on using some all year round like homemade jam, salsa, & the glade air fresheners I got for free a while back with coupons!

So here's a few of my favorite:

8. Rootbeer - We're "Root"ing for you to have a Happy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year!!

33. Filled Basket - "Wishing you a basket full of Christmas blessings"

34. Homemade Salsa - "Add a little Spice to your Holidays!" Merry Christmas!

72. Muffins or Muffin mix - " You're getting "Muffin" for Christmas!!"

76. Jar of Jam - "Hoping you have a Holiday "Jammed" packed with fun!!" "Have a "Berry" nice holiday season!!" Or "Hoping your Christmas is "Jam-packed" with Christmas Cheer!!"

98. Candle - "You Light up my Life!" Thanks for your friendship! May your Christmas be Merry and Bright!"

Other Gift ideas:
Cooks & Grilling

Barbeque utensils (skewer, spatula and tongs) Cattleman's barbeque sauce with some cheap Barq's rootbeer. Grilling Tools & Weather related items: gloves, hat, etc. Saying: Weather your "grillin" or "chillin" we hope you have a happy holiday.

The pumpkin prayer

Cut off the top:

Lord, open my mind and fill me with Your wisdom and guidance.

Scoop out the yuckies:

Lord, take out all my fussies and frownies and fill me with Your love.

Carve out the eyes:

Lord, open my eyes to see all the beautiful things You have made.

Carve out the nose:

Lord, help me to be a sweet, sweet fragrance for You.

Carve out the mouth:

Lord, help me always speak Your words of love and kindness.

Place in a candle:

Lord, let me be a light to others for you have filled me with Your light.

Author Unknown

From www.Christainpreschoolprintables.com

Informal Thanksgiving...we'll pull up a few more chairs!

Here's my humble Thanksgiving table set up last year. I didn't go all out on decorations because I wanted scrumptious food and I am busy mom of 3 youngins'! My cousin and her new husband decided to take me up on my invite for dinner so we pulled out the 'ole card table and I hosted dinner for 12. A kids' picnic table is off to the side.

I love hosting an informal Thanksgiving dinners. I used the place mats I had to make a "table runners". I bought some fall gourds, used a turkey decoration, put a Family sign out, and had the kids make the place cards. I don't stress it's the food and company I enjoy.

A few things I do to make my life easier with the food-

• I make the rolls the day before and keep in a Tupperware bowl with a lid. They are still soft. They are shown in the picture. I love that huge Tupperware bowl!
• I make my pies the night before- Pumpkin, Key lime (weird but I love it) & banana cream
  
• I make the fresh mashed potatoes in the morning and keep them warm in the crock pot (I add chives and sour cream to them as shown)
  
• I make the turkey in a roaster oven. I plug it in the laundry room and it cooks nicely on the counter top.
  
• I cook the yams in the oven and time it with when the turkey will be done being carved so both are warm.
• While the yams are cooking I make the package gravy.
  
• I have celery and pimento spread on hand for hungry tummy's and hungry cooks.
• We make our garden frozen corn in the microwave.
• Stuffing is Ms. Cubbison's brand because I don't care about stuffing personally. Yuck!
• I do a green bean casserole in another crock pot

Whew that's a lot of food. I am glad I am bring a side dish and a pie this year to the in-laws! :0)

Food for thought....Pipe in on SIMPLE LIVING!

To know me is to know I LOVE a deal...but lately I am bored with it. I think I am just bored with couponing, shopping, and buying stuff. My kids play with my make up brushes way more than the Barbies (etc.). So, I have a food for thought today on simple living and a quote for you today.

"Living in a way that is outwardly
simple and inwardly rich."

— Duane Elgin, author

Duane also said, "What Is Simple Living? Simple living — aka voluntary simplicity — has just about as many definitions as there are individuals who practice it. Simple living is not about living in poverty or self-inflicted deprivation. Rather, it is about living an examined life — one in which you have determined what is important, or "enough," for you, discarding the rest."

My mind has been on simplifying my personal life lately. I just feel cluttered with stuff in our house lately-it all started with the fall clothes rotation & toys. AHHH too many kid clothes from relatives. So, I made a hefty donation this past weekend to a rescue mission. I am just NOT into shopping or bringing more stuff into my life....I might not even go on Black Friday shopping. How about you, can you relate? Share!

Thanksgiving-Blessing Mix

I think this is a cute Thanksgiving treat idea to hand out to loved ones, a Christian based preschool, Sunday school teacher, or neighbors.Click photo to enlarge the poem. Happy Thanksgiving

Gobble Gobble...

If you haven't made these Oreo Turkeys yet with the kids....you need to this year. They love them. Sorry it's a bad photo from last year. It's a pretty self explanatory project.

• Two double stuff Oreos (more stuff for the candy corn feathers to stick on)
  
• Whopper turkey head
• cut candy corn for the nose
• Frosting for the eyes
  

Happy upcoming Thanksgiving!

Make your own maple syrup...It's EASY!

I saw this recipe and plan on making it soon. I am sick of all the High Fructose corn syrup in EVERYTHING! I hear it's easy too.

It uses real sugar as opposed to High Fructose Corn Syrup.
This recipe makes a light tasting syrup, that is delicious served warm over pancakes, french toast, waffles, etc.

Homemade Maple Syrup
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Maple Extract or Mapleine Imitation Flavoring

*Bring water and sugar to slow boil over low heat, stirring continually.*Remove from heat before it comes to a rolling boil.*Stir in maple extract as it is cooling.*Serve warm.
The best part? It costs approximately 20 cents to make!

Homemade Christmas gift ideas for mother-in-law, grandma, and grandparents!

I saw this and thought...If you choose to you Staci, YOU can make this frame (or the just make the Home Depot free tile trivet craft from yesterday's post and use the wording on this frame). I like the grandchildren picture on this one: Photo in black and white, ariel view head shot, and close up. Great for the hard to buy mother-in-law and grandparents!For the mother-in-law (grandma or aunt) who loves to cook make this....recipe holder. It's a magnetic sheet metal cut to fit on a block. Just ask your local hardware store to cut it to the right size for you. Paint and use vinyl lettering for the wording. Wahhhlaaaa a neat gift.

What are you giving to the hard to give ladies in your life?

What were you for Halloween?

My husband and I were bikers this year for Halloween. We enjoyed the double take looks from the neighbors and parents at the school carnival. The tattoo sleeves and mullet wig were fun. My daughters were: A witch, bride, and a bumblebee. What were you?

Goobye Halloween HELLO Thanksgiving and Christmas!

I love Christmas....I love the religious part, food, decorations, outings, the parties, the thoughtful gift giving, and togetherness. So, I really don't spend much energy on Halloween. I like somethings about it but it's just not worth my energy. I am starting to make gifts NOW for Christmas. I want to be lovingly frugal this year. I want the gifts to be meaningful and not crafty crappy. Know what I mean? So, I am going to share some fresh ideas with others who might be interested in tackling a project this month. Honestly, I have been planning Christmas since Jan 2009. It's just what I lovingly do.

Here's some ideas for anyone willing to take on a creative challenge this month. I am not making these this year but maybe another year possibly.

1. A foam core doll house

2. A door way puppet theatre

I am making THESE toile tutus for my girls.

Aren't they so cute? Toile tutus. They are so cute when they are short and poofy! I hear they take about 45 minutes to make one.

Items needed:

5yds of Tulle (2-3 colors)

2 ft elastic

Anything you want to decorate

• Cut the elastic to the desired size. Remember it will stretch so measure your daughters waist with our her knowing what you are doing.
• Sew the two sides of elastic together making a circle
  
• Cut the Tulle into approx 4" strips. Use the whole length of the Tulle don't cut it in half where the fold is when you buy it. The strips need to be very long!
  
• Keeping the Tulle folded in half Length wise tie it onto the elastic with a loop knot. Pulling the knot very tight and each piece of Tulle close together.

I have more ideas coming those are just a few! Stay tuned.
I NEED YOUR HELP! If you have something neat for mother in laws & grandmas who have everything leave me a comment. I am looking for those always.

What are your Halloween plans?

We are planning on trick or treating at the old folks home on Halloween before it gets dark. It really touches my heart when my cute kids smile and make someone else's day. It's not all about the candy is it?

Then ya know......Trick or treating around the neighborhood. Here's our house all a glow last year! I will post a picture later from this year.

We grew our own pumpkins, carved them with template from the internet, and put up some of our dried garden corn stalks on the railings. Ewww spooky.

Have a great week of various Halloween celebrations. I am going to take the week off from blogging. Have a Happy Halloween everyone. Staci

Cute frames from my shopping adventure

I thought these frames were neat.

I think you could make the concept pretty easy out of wood and use white vinyls or free hand paint the flowers. Don't forget to choose a complimentary background color to go with your home decor. I like the silver bird in the window on the right.

Plate collage

Decorative plates make unique home decor. I am attracted to plates displayed in a unique way.....AN artistic way. This grouping caught my eye. (I am not in love with some of the plate color combinations--but the grouping is GREAT!)

Now if you have a welder in the family he/she can make you this sturdy floating plate rack.

One day....One day.

My Interior Design help giveaway winner announced!

AND THE WINNER....pulled out of my witches hat is.....

ABC cakes and with 4 entries she had great odds of being picked!
(Sorry for the delay I was tied up with family things)
She is asking for help with her front room. Congrats to you so now you can start taking the 4 pictures of your room and send them to me soon to my email address designingmotherhood (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Canning grape juice

I thought canning was over...NOPE! My mother in law called me to tell me she has grapes on strong. I have always wanted to make grape juice. So here's the easy peasy way to do it.

1. Pick grapes then wash and pull off stems
2. Put grapes in hot sterilized quart jars 1/2 full
   
3. Add HOT tap water and leave head space
   
4. You can add a smidgen of sugar but I didn't add any.
5. Seal with lids and rims.
   
6. Put in hot water bath canner for 25-30 minutes. Check your altitude
7. When they are cooling watch the grapes float to the top.
   

THAT'S IT! I can't wait to taste it.
NOTE: I will strain out the grapes and seeds in a colander when we are ready to drink it. I might add a touch of sugar if it needs it. That is easy to do IF if needs it.

I cut my husband's hair outside-Saving $$!

My cute hunting husband came back with an huge Elk and in desperate need of a haircut! In our almost 10 years of marriage I have been his barber. I think I do a good job for being an Interior Designer instead of a barber. Then I pay myself the $15 dollars and go shopping. :0) Do you cut your families hair? So far I only cut his hair. The kids and I go to a lady with a in-home salon in our neighborhood. She charges $1 per age for the kids; ex 2 years=$2. Then I get a cut for $20. Not bad!