You've Got Mail

We started a fun tradition this morning in early celebration for the month of LOVE. :) Our Best Bites had the idea and it so cute! Got 3 mailboxes from Target and all you do is print off their little notes that they have already designed and write down something about each child every morning. Stick it in the mailbox with a piece of candy, and done! I even got some cute little erasers and pencils and non-candy stuff to add some of the days. Can't wait to see the girls faces when they come down today! My sixth grader gave me the reaction I expected, so it's up to them to redeem their brother. In saying that, I know he will look back and at least remember his mother tried. She really tried. Really. Ha. Just kidding. I love him to pieces. I really do. I just hope I make it through the next 6 years.

Holidays!!

We had the best time this Christmas. Family came to us! I didn't have to pack one bag, print off one boarding pass, or stop at one roadside gas station. Now that is a true Christmas miracle. It was nice to stay home and entertain and make food and watch kids run around. Loved it. A lot. It was a relaxed kind of week with family coming and going and LOTS of eating going on. Ugh. But man was it all so yummy. My mom is the best cook, and I'd like to think I'm gleaming a little from her every time we make our traditional yearly recipes. We are blessed. And thankful. And we got snow!!! That was kind of cool.

A caroling we will go....

We had our first annual neighborhood caroling party this week. It was so fun! And so windy. :) Was great to see the kids sing and their sweet voices were the best. A group of us newbies in the neighborhood decided to kick back up a tradition that was done years ago here, but stopped as kids got older. Well, there are new kids in town....and LOTS of them. So we did a progressive caroling party and our house was the last stop otherwise known as the "dessert house". More cookies and cupcakes then your eyes can imagine. And I think at this point in the season, I'm hitting a slump on cupcakes. Never thought I could say that, but it is true. It will be cookies from here on out. No more buttercreams in this house until 2013. Kids had a blast and it was great to meet some new neighbors whom we'd never seen before. Great time! Hooray for caroling.

Sugar Rush

don't ask - ;)

We hosted a cookie exchange at our house last night. So much fun!! I am in amazement and feel so blessed to have made friends so quickly this move. God has provided some great friendships, and whenever I have people over, or hang out with the lot of them :), I am reminded again and again how unexpected and wonderful it is. All of our kids can hang and play and it's wonderful! So Drew and I had about 7 families over last night, and it was sugar heaven. I don't think I've ever had that much sugar in my kitchen before just for my family. Wow! Great start to the holiday week as we head into our last few days of school and family starts getting into town.

Snowball Fight!

Yep. This month is obviously going to be all about elves. Sorry people. But I have to say this is my favorite one yet. And pretty easy to clean up, believe it or not. Thank goodness for an ample supply of marshmallows in my pantry at 11:00 at night.

Snap, "Buddy, Pop

Sooo behind on this little blogie poo. My intentions were to write way more this month. Way more. But, all I can seem to get posted are pictures of elves. Not very fun. Haven't even posted about our wonderful trip to Texas for Thanksgiving (this weekend I will...really), and life in Tennessee (it's wonderful!). Going to get on it this weekend. There may be like 40 posts this weekend. Look out!

Buuuuut, back to Buddy and Holly. They make me happy. Can I just say that? I love our little elves. Love that they add a little lighthearted fun around here. Obviously so not what Christmas is really about, but the girls love it. Which makes me love it. Who knew I would be obsessed with little forms of anything anywhere I shop?! Hobby Lobby today had little trees. How cute is that?! So now Buddy and Holly have a camping trip coming up in the near future. Even found little deer ornaments at Target that will look great in my fake "woods". I mean really. Does it get any better than this?! I clearly need to get a life. ;)

Cupcakes

Last month I brought some cupcakes up to Caleb's school for a teacher's luncheon. Agreed to help serve and clean-up, and left with 2 cupcake orders. Who would have known?! This is the first one. Becca turned 7 this weekend and wanted roller skating cupcakes. Had so much fun making them and shaping fondant into little skates. And she requested purple and pink. I think there was lots of that!

Next order is in a week or so for holiday cupcakes. Look out! Momma is bringin' home the bacon now! Well, not really....but I did pay for my own gas for my car with the money. Very wise spender don't you think?! I'm having fun. Fun playing with fondant, fun doing something that makes me happy seeing other's happy, and fun playing in the kitchen with new things. Seeing where this goes this time in TN, and ready for whatever comes my way.