Santa Baby!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. My kids all wanted to go to bed at 8 p.m (even my 16 yr old) just so Christmas would come already. I love the excitement Christmas brings..I could hardly sleep. I enjoy watching my children open each present with so much excitement they can barely control themselves. It's priceless.

Santa was very good to me this year. I am so excited to start crafting with this fun new toy.


Yep..A SILHOUETTE!

And I can't express to you how excited I am about this new lens.

I hope Santa was good to you!

Now I am a crazy woman organizing every room in my house. It happens every year, I get this bug to clean everything! I have several bags that are ready to be donated to Goodwill and closets that are looking spic and span.

Spreading Christmas Cheer

My favorite part of Christmas is our secret Santa project. Even when we were starving students we would pick a family who we thought would need a little Christmas cheer. Gifts were simple, goodies and handmade items. I will always remember our first time, a single mom who lived in our apartment complex. I often watched the kids for her when she had to run errands or go to school. We decided to do a 12 days of Christmas theme for her and her little family. Each night we would deliver treats on her doorstep and hide. It was such a small act of service that I didn't really understand the impact that we had made until one day at church she rose her hand in our Sunday school class and told everyone with tears in her eyes of a secret Santa that was leaving small gifts on her doorstep every night and how much joy it brought to her and her children. I will always remember her reaction to our very small gesture of giving.

For me this is Christmas.

This year through my husband's work we picked two families that were truly in need. One family had lost a young mother of 4 and the other family the mother was severely injured in an accident.

On our anniversary get away we took that time to shop for gifts for these two families. It was so humbling and so fun to pick out little gifts for these children who will truly be excited on Christmas morning to open their gifts from Santa.

Here is what our table looked like before the wrapping started.... most of the things on their list were things like warm sweaters, shoes, and diapers, we took care of those needs plus a little extra. :)

After:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Little Get Away

My husband and I had a little anniversary getaway last weekend. We stayed at the cutest hotel. This building was actually my husband's office building from a few years ago that was turned into this neat little hotel in downtown Sacramento. I loved the way the rooms were decorated that I woke up this morning talking about these rooms. Even amongst all the Christmas hustle and bustle I've pondered calling the hotel to ask for paint colors! Am I crazy?

Gray, ivory, black and red, pin striping, stripes, and hounds tooth! I think I might have a little change of plans for our own master bedroom.

Neighbor Treats

I am finally done with all my neighborhood baking. I've spent the last couple of days in the kitchen. I've still yet to make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning and rolls for Christmas dinner. We are hosting Christmas dinner this year which means I will be doing the majority of the cooking. By the time I'm done I won't want to see my kitchen for a few days.





I've made toffee, peanut butter kiss cookies, our famous Gessell Chocolate cookies, pumpkin cookies, marshmallow pops, and fudge. I think I've gained at least 5 pounds just looking at the stuff!



My favorite part of the whole baking process is putting together the pretty little packages for delivery. It's simple, as is my taste, but I love the way they turned out.

What did you bake this year?

17 Years Ago

17 years ago on a very cold and windy day in Oakland, Ca. I woke up excited, sick to my stomach (due to nerves) ready to marry this man! The past 17 years have been really incredible.

I am a VERY lucky girl. Happy Anniversary Doug! (The poofy arm thing was in back then..so be nice!)

Gift Ideas

This years gift for the teachers were simple....

We got these little popcorn boxes from Cost Plus World Market 4 for $4.99. Put a couple of microwave popcorn packets, movie size Junior Mints, Licorice, and movie tickets. Wrapped with cellophane and tied with a ribbon. Gift tags are from here. It's so nice that so many blogs have freebies...means I don't have to make them.

For a chocolate lover we put all kinds of good chocolate like Cadbury and Toblerone into a basket. It's hard to look at this one with out wanting a piece!

A Baby Changes Everything

My new favorite Christmas Song! Try not to cry!

My Weakness and My Christmas Wish List

Now I have many weaknesses many of which have to do with chocolate and fudge is on the top of the list. Its a sad state of affairs when your children ask you what your favorite part at Disneyland was and you reply " The Fudge." Yes, I know I have issues.

With Christmas just around the corner I can justify having some good ole' fudge. Here is a simple recipe that we love. My sister gave it to me years ago and it's our go to fudge recipe.

Disneyland Fudge

See's Fudge

First:
In a large bowl mix:
2 pkg chocolate chips
1 pkg peanut butter chips
7 oz. marshmallow whip
1 cube butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Then:
In a pan on the stove:
Mix 1 large can evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups sugar
Boil for 11 minutes

Next:
Pour milk and sugar mixture over the chocolate chip mixture and stir well.

Pour into large buttered pan. Cool at room temperature. Makes 5 lbs.

Great for neighbor treats!

Do you make a wish list for Christmas or do you have a very intuitive spouse or significant other who is simply aware and does a great job shopping?

My sweet husband has always done a very good job during Christmas, I am spoiled. This year though I had a few things that I really was hoping to cross off my list. Have you've heard of Amazon's Wish list tool? Oh my...it's SO fun! I've been adding things like crazy!! (which means trouble)

Here are a few things that I hope "Santa" brings...

Poetic License Delish Mary Jane Pump

Bella Wrap Top

Silhouette

Cannon EF 50 mm f 1.8

A Very Little Christmas Present

To arrive mid June!

And because everyone loves a belly shot and I've never done them. Here you go...

12 weeks

(I'll try my best to post pics of the ever growing belly..but no promises!)

A Gingerbread Decorating Birthday Party!

We just had a blast throwing my daughter a Gingerbread decorating party. It started with these great invitations:

Here is the simple set up before the cutest little girls arrived.

I made a Gingerbread version of pin the tail on the donkey. I love that little girls still love playing these simple birthday games.
They decorating gingerbread cookies and a gingerbread house. The house smelled divine!

Thank goodness for Betty Crocker easy cookie mixes!

They sang Christmas carols around the piano as my daughter played. I thought this was the cutest thing ever.


And they were so cute in their gingerbread aprons and hats.

Party bags were filled with all kinds of gingerbread goodies and the girls each got a cute gingerbread apron to take home.

Little Christmas Trees

I've had my eye on these little trees from Shanty 2 Chic and wanted to make one or two or three for my own home.

Beginning to Look Like Christmas

Christmas around our home is cozy, simple and traditional. I love traditional red and green, this year I added a little bit of classic black and white with polka dot ornaments and ribbon.

In this picture the tree looks like it's leaning..I better check on that!


Simply add berries to normal decor and viola it looks like Christmas!


Pier 1 reindeer pillow Love it!

This sign is on a shelf as you enter our home...it's the first thing my family sees.

More simple decorations to make things feel festive!

Christmas Mantle (almost complete)

Here is my work in progress. I am waiting on my live garland and I fiddle with my decor constantly..am I the only one? I am loving the cozy feel..I've had the fireplace going all week! It's been chilly here in Nor Cal.

(aren't you jealous of my Starwars inspired fireplace! haha, I'm learning to live with it!)


There are a lot of pictures.

Candles spiffed up with some polka dot ribbon. You are going to see more polka dots soon!

Wreath hung by this cute little hanger from Rodworks that I got in Utah years ago on a girls trip. Needing a another one of those very soon!

Linking up to Layla's Mantle Link Party.