happy, happy birthday to my twin sister lisa! can you believe we are thirty-nine years today??
you are amazing!! and i couldn't imagine life without you always by my side.
do you remember when??
we got these very cool boots for our 6th birthday! you were always quicker at opening gifts than me just as the picture shows! have an awesome day. happy birthday lisa. i love you lots!!!
happy monday. how was your weekend after thanksgiving? hard to believe but i actually began some holiday decorating on sunday. all of my children's rooms are now decked for the holidays. i love that they wake up every morning and go to bed at night with adornments of brightness and cheer and reminders of the celebration and hope of christmas. in addition, they each have a small christmas tree in their rooms. every night up until christmas, i place a very small gift or note under their trees while they are sleeping. i guess it is sort of like our advent calendar and their countdown to christmas day.
how about you? do you decorate your child's room? or, do you have a special advent calendar or way that you countdown to christmas each year? i'd love to know.
i am hoping you had a very happy thanksgiving. i most certainly did. it was absolutely wonderful. our home was filled with family and many dear friends. i felt truly thankful to be surrounded by the abundance of love and friendship. thankful for my wonderful husband who cooked a 27 pound turkeyand helped throughout the day. thankful for children. thankful for the warmth of our home. thankful my mom could be with us this year. thankful for the food that graced our table.
and in the end, after the last guest left and my children were in bed, thankful for the peace and quietness. it was the perfect time to remember all the things i am thankful for.
p.s. - i'm also thankful for one charming party & their tutorial on how to make this brown paper bag turkey. it was filled with popcorn and the kids loved it!!
i hope you had a great week (and weekend too). i didn't mean to ignore you for a whole week, and honestly cannot believe a week has already gone by. wow!!
last week, i was consumed with several thanksgiving crafts and treats, a special holiday project and one sick little boy. but, i am here now and it's monday again. my children have the entire week off from school and i am thankful to have to have them at home as we prepare and celebrate thanksgiving. i am really looking forward to the week ahead. i am hoping to make it a week i am conscious of the thankfulness and gratitude in my heart. also this week, i plan on slowing myself down a bit and taking the time to enjoy the simplest moments with my family. too often, i find myself busily going through each day.
and so, this morning the kids and i are headed to the airport to pick up my mom. i am thankful she is able to share and celebrate thanksgiving with us this year. i am thankful she will be here to help with the many thanksgiving preparations. i am thankful for the excitement in my chidren's eyes knowing grandma is coming to stay. and, i am thankful for family living miles apart coming together to celebrate gratitude.
i've been in such a cleaning and organizing mood lately. almost feels like it should be spring. i spent most of the weekend cleaning and organizing cabinets and drawers and shelves. it feels so good to be organized, yet i am amazed when i see what i have let accumulate over the years.
maybe it's this time of year. being thankful. again realizing to live simply. wanting less not more. feeling the need to get rid of so many things not used. giving to those who do need. and just living with a lot less.
the weekend is here!! i'm looking forward to sleeping a bit longer than 5:30 am and sitting down for breakfast together as a family. during the school-work week, our mornings are so busy (and sometimes very hectic) as i get the kids ready and off to two different schools.
and so, this weekend i want to enjoy taking it slow in the mornings. keeping our pajamas on a little bit longer. enjoying a cup of coffee with my husband. making waffles and eggs and homemade biscuits. maybe even cinnamon rolls too. sitting down as a family at the kitchen table before our day begins. talking. not rushing off to anywhere. but, just being at home. simple as that.
another friday. it's hard to believe. i'm baking and prepping today for the preschool bake sale tomorrow. have you ever tried a cranberry oat cereal bar? it's a creative version of the rice krispie treat. they are so simple to make (because there is no baking) and perfect to individually wrap for a bake sale. i'll also be making chocolate cupcakes, giant sugar-shortbread cookies with royal icing and oatmeal carmelitas. i'm already loving all the sweet aromas filling the air.... yum!
what a great miniature treat i found at one charming party. it is the perfect serving size for my daughter's kindergarten thanksgiving celebration. the class will be sampling a traditional thanksgiving meal. i will definitely be making thesefor the class and for the kids table on thanksgiving day. i think everything tastes better small!
i love this picture of my little girl sia. i snapped it yesterday as we were heading off to school. just by chance, i had the camera as she jumped when she came running out into the garage.
i absolutely love it!! she looks so happy!
have i mentioned how much she loves to jump?i have pictures of her jumping here and here too!!
i'll sum up my weekend by one word: accomplishment. all of our bedrooms were cleaned from top to bottom. all closets and drawers were cleaned and organized. clothes that no longer fit were bagged up and are now ready for goodwill. i am completely amazed how it can all accumulate. and i often wonder how?
p.s.- i love this sassy pillow by alexandra ferguson. i think i might have to purchase one for each of my children to serve as a little reminder to keep their room clean!
we plan on staying warm and cozy this weekend since the temperature has been really dropping here. the girls and i will definitely be holding warm cups of hot cocoa at slade's baseball game tomorrow. it's gonna be chilly! i am loving that we have to bundle up again. i've missed my sweaters and boots!
so, whatever your plans are, i hope you stay warm and cozy too. and perhaps you'll enjoy some of these things-
i'm thankful for my husband. he always takes it upon himself to complete a task when he sees one that needs to be done. for instance, last night, he was either tired of looking at the ripening bananas sitting on the counter for days or he knew i really have been wanting and meaning to make banana bread for days but i really just have not had the time.
so, while I was on the phone and working on the computer last night... he asked for my banana bread recipe (minus nuts) and the next thing i knew he was beating eggs and mixing flour and smashing bananas and adding vanilla and finally pouring sweet banana batter into three small loaf pans.
task complete. just like that. one i've been wanting to do for days now.... i'm so thankful for my husband and his ambitious nature. and, my children and i were all very happy to have dad's banana bread for breakfast this morning.
rainy, gloomy and gray. i think it's the perfect day for silence and staying at home. it's very rare that i have these quiet moments alone. i do look forward to them every now and then. moments to think, to reflect and time to organize my thoughts. and then gratefully, i can welcome back all the noise and chatter that usually permeates through our home. it wouldn't be our home without it and i am so thankful for the busyness that usually surrounds me. but for now, there is silence here at home and i am enjoying these brief moments alone.
happy monday, day after halloween! my little trick-or-treaters had a great time going door to door in our neighborhood last night. mario, strawberry shortcake and olivia were still filled with excitement this morning as they were getting ready to go off to school. and among their discussions was what they wanted to dress up as next year!
(my girls love cheese balls!)
hope you had a happy and fun halloween night! have a happy monday too!
i'm the stay-at-home mother of 3 and the wife of an amazingly wonderful husband. i am inspired by the simple everyday joy of being at home. i truly love being in my kitchen and find happiness in all things creative. i am often at home crafting, baking, working on a home project or planning a party. it's my life... a place called joy.
happy, happy birthday to my twin sister lisa!
do you remember when??
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