The Time of Our Lives

Just one more thing....

2010-01-01T10:30:00.006-05:00

What a blessed Christmas we had! It was just the right mix of harried and restful; chaotic and peaceful. And I think it was all because I was decorated by Thanksgiving with gifts bought and wrapped a week later. (OK, hate me.) We did the baking thing (too much of it), had friends over for dinner several times, attended parties, saw several local church Christmas pageants, enjoyed driving around to see all the lights, had several game nights with just the four of us, and I have to say, I'm so sad to see December go.

But before 2009 becomes too distant in the rearview mirror, I wanted to share a couple of snapshots of our son who played Joseph in the Creation Museum's "Bethlehem's Blessings" live nativity. The night our family went was cold and snowy....and yes, beautiful!

This is him in character.

And this is him AFTERwards laughing at his silly mother taking pictures! (Pulleeze, do they ever get too old??)

So, farewell, 2009; hello 2010. Thank you, God, for your blessings, and for being our guide and our strength for each day. And as we step into a new year, we trust you with all our tomorrows.

"Fear not tomorrow, for God is already there!"

Ornament Wreath

2009-12-14T15:23:00.014-05:00

Yes, I tried it, and I liked it! I saw how to make an ornament wreath here , and thought it looked like something easy I could do. (And sure enough, it was something easy I could do.) I recently redecorated the living room with colors in brown and gold, so I wanted to try decorating for Christmas this year with browns and golds. I love how the wreath turned out. I then bought a little feather tree, and below it I placed the white nativity that my husband bought me about ten years ago now. I've always loved how simple it is.

Then I made a swag with the same brown and white ribbon for over the living room entryway.

I found some bronzy colored glass candlesticks at HobLob for half price that continue the same brown/bronze theme.

Added more of the brown and white ribbon to the living room tree and some brown and bronze colored ornament balls added to the hodge-podge of all the other ornaments I've collected over the years.

I will post pictures of the kitchen and dining room soon. No brown there, though. Just lots of red.
Merry Christmas!

...'Tis The Season!

2009-12-12T21:25:00.004-05:00

You know it's really the Christmas season when everyone pulls out their best of the best sweets...cakes, cookies, pies... (Like, be honest, how many pieces of fudge have you eaten this month??) Anywho, we are having some out-of-town friends for dinner tomorrow, and I wanted to send them back on the road with some munchy treats. They have about a 6-hour drive after leaving our house, and ... 'tis the season after all. So, I made a batch of what I call my Christmas candy mix. I make it every Christmas to give out to friends, teachers, and neighbors because it is so easy, and it makes a ton! Plus, there are so many festive and creative containers to put the stuff in. Easy, peasy.

Here's the recipe:
1 10 ounce mini twist pretzels
5 cups cheerios
5 cups corn chex
2 cups salted peanuts
1 lb plain M&M's
1 1/2 lbs. white chocolate almond bark

Mix all the ingredients together (except the chocolate). Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, and then pour over the dry mixture. Mix all together until cereal mixture is all coated in the white chocolate. Pour it out onto wax paper and let it cool/harden. Break it apart in medium chunks and put in ziplock bags or containers to give away.

The First Noel

2009-12-11T10:20:00.004-05:00

We so enjoyed the Christmas Concert last night at school! Hearing the beautiful band and chorale music put our focus on the real reason for the season ~ Jesus! (OK, except for that very adorable Grinch song :) And can I just say, totally unbiased of course, that the seventh grade band ROCKS! Woo Hoo! Here's one of the songs the seventh grade band played: The First Noel. Mackenzie is on the front row, second from left, with the flute. And, not to worry, the video starts off dark, but the lights come up when the band starts to play! (Enjoy. And Merry Christmas!)

Eye On The Prize

2009-11-21T13:03:00.007-05:00

Kenzie played today at her first JME Competition at NKU. She was nervous, but excited to play the piece she had worked on for so long. (See previous post.) Her hard work paid off, and she was awarded a "Superior" blue ribbon, the highest rating!! You go, girl!

Now, it's off to spend the rest of the day decorating for Christmas! Toby is already in the spirit of things, with his festive and very smart-looking scarf! Enjoy the day!

The house is alive with the sound of ......

2009-11-11T08:11:00.005-05:00

MUSIC!
Mackenzie has been learning a piece for a JME competition this month. It's called "Starry Night" by Randall Hartsell. We so enjoy listening to her music fill our home every evening. Such a joy......

Something to "crow" about!

2009-10-30T15:05:00.007-04:00

I took advantage of the warm few days we've had, (it's 78 degrees outside right now!) and I decided to paint our front door a nice black (Behr Forever Black) before I put the new "welcome" sign on it that I won from Wight House Gifts. I LOVE it!!

Then I added a few crows (Dollar Store) to my wreath.....even though they are kinda creepy. But, hey, it's that time of year!

And, it looks like this little scarecrow can't seem to keep crows away either!

Happy October!!

Fall Fun

2009-10-28T20:19:00.008-04:00

Don't you just love this time of the year......the colorful leaves, crispy sweater-weather, comfort food, all the decorations, and Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner.

I only managed a few fall decorations this year, but today I was inspired to get together some goody bags for Kenzie's teachers. This candy mix goes together quickly and is pretty yummy, too.

Lots of sweet and crunchy all in one bite.....

Here's a few more pictures of my kitchen window and then the foyer table.

Here's the candy recipe if you'd like to try it:
1 box of peanut butter Ritz minis
1 bag of mini-pretzels, any shape
1 large jar of roasted peanuts
1 bag of m&m's
1 bag of candy corn
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. butter
2 Tb. vanilla extract
1 t. baking soda
1 c. sugar

In a very large, sprayed roasting pan or cookie sheet, mix together the pretzels, crackers, and peanuts. In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, butter and corn syrup. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the baking soda and vanilla. Pour the hot mixture over the pretzel mix and stir to coat everything. Heat in a 250 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring at 15 minutes. Pour contents onto wax paper immediately upon removal from oven. Let it cool for just a few minutes, and then start breaking apart the pieces that are stuck together. Let it cool completely. Put into containers (or I used cellophane bags) and add in the m&m's and candy corn. Keep in an airtight container for several days. (Yea...right!)

LOL

2009-10-05T07:51:00.005-04:00

We did a lot of LOL-ing this weekend at a Tim Hawkins concert. This guy is hilarious, and we laughed for the entire 90 minutes. His biggest fan is Mackenzie.......

....so, of course, we had to stick around afterwards to get a picture with him. I think she has watched his entire collection of youtube videos.

So, if you have a minute and want a little laugh, view Cletus Take The Reel.

"A merry heart does good, like a medicine!" (Proverbs 22:17)

Quickies

2009-09-11T17:27:00.005-04:00

I thought I'd share two quick, little projects I did in my office/scraproom that I just love. On the wall above my desk, I added a vinyl rub-on: "Family Is Everything" I bought from Upppercase Living. I just scooted around the photos and centered the wording above the shelf ~ within minutes, it was on the wall...eazy, peazy, and I think it added alot! (Yesterday, I received an email from Mandi over at White House Gifts. I am the winner in a give-away she was doing!! (Yay for me!) So I will soon be receiving a "Welcome" vinyl for my front door. I will be sure to post a picture when I get it put up. Thanks, Mandi!!)

Then I found some 12 x 12 scrapbook paper in a cool black and white design at Hobby Lobby for half price (30 cents a sheet), and I just glued it to the back of my bookshelf. And ta da.....an easy transformation, and I love it.

Oh, and then I can't forget about the cute rug I found at Walmart...

That's all for now....happy nesting!!

A Time for Family

2009-09-10T01:27:00.006-04:00

And how was your labor day weekend? We spent ours with family...at a picnic in the park to be exact. The weather was glorious, the food delicious, and we welcomed this time to reconnect with family. We hadn't seen alot of them in over a year, and some of the "cousins" had grown a foot. We are now promising ourselves to make this labor day picnic a new tradition...so we can keep in touch, keep involved in each others lives...knowing that family is so important to who we are.

Other things may change us, but we start and end with family. -- Anthony Brandt

And now, fall, here we come..........

Back-to-school Blues...

2009-09-01T00:09:00.003-04:00

for me!! School has started back, and my little one is in jr. high school!

Every year when school starts, I go through a "blue" phase.....I guess I always find it hard to let go, especially after a wonderful summer where we spend so much time together. And, wow, Kenzie has certainly blossomed the past few months. A new hair cut and contacts, along with a newly found confidence, and she seems to have matured not just a couple of months, but a couple of years! I'm pretty sure it was only yesterday that she was in kindergarten!

So, Kenzie, here's to a great year! I love you, and I pray that you will learn, grow, laugh, make new friends, study hard, pick yourself back up when you fall, determine to do right, have fun, trust God, try your best ... and continue to be just as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside!

"...And clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." I Peter 3:4

Say cheese, please!

2009-08-29T19:45:00.003-04:00

Tonight for dinner I made a favorite, yumm-o, meal of my family's...teriyaki chicken, twice-baked potatoes and corn-on-the-cob! My fam loves the potatoes so much, they stand in line to kiss me!!*smmmmack*

The potatoes are a Paula Deen recipe that I thought I'd share with you .. I promise, your family will adore you, too.

I've used this teriyaki marinade for so long, I don't recall where I found it. Anyway:
Blend together: 2 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp ginger, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup pineapple juice, and 1/2 cup saki (I've never used the saki when I make this). Divide in half. Use half for marinade (2 hours) and put 1/2 in saucepan and heat. Thicken with cornstarch and use for sauce while grilling. Oh, and use fresh chicken breasts (so much better than frozen).

ENJOY!

Summer...how I love thee!

2009-08-28T00:23:00.011-04:00

What a great summer we've had. Busy and fun! It's hard to believe it's over.

We've (ok...my DH) worked hard in our yard this summer. Putting in new beds, a retaining wall, and a privacy fence. But I added the flowers! I planted zinnias for the first time in our little berm in the front yard. I was amazed at how well they did. They certainly are hardy things and grow so very tall. (Note to self: plant twice as many next year!) I also planted daisies, vinca, impatiens, the standard petunias, and knockout roses. Wow, have we enjoyed them. But as beautiful as they've been all summer, they are now starting to fade. There is a definite crispness to the evening air now, and fall is gently, but steadily strolling in. So I am breathing in the sight and scents of my flowers while I can, because they will be gone too soon. Good-bye, summer ... Welcome, fall!

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."

Skater Girl

2007-12-31T01:45:00.001-05:00

Kenz turns double digits with the big TEN! How excited this girl was to get a pair of heelies for her birthday. She was flying around the house in no time.