Brace yourselves....A Domestic Diva is in training!!

I am SOOO proud of myself! Because I am one that I would label domestically challenged (compared to all of my amazing friends), I am thrilled with how my neighbor Christmas gifts turned out. Thanks to my cute friend, Erika, who helped me think of this idea, I actually did it, added my own touches and followed it all the way through... homemade, no bailout from the store (as I always let the store bail me out every year). I coated popcorn with melted white chocolate, sprinkled it with green and red colored sugar, and put it in these adorable inexpensive boxes I found online wholesale. They look so cute! Maybe I'm happy to be poor this year and forced to make everything I give away. Hey, it's actually kinda fun stirrin up some action in the kitchen. I'm not so intimidated by my stove anymore! WOOT WOOT!!

Metal Mania!!

Sadie got braces last Thursday! She has been seeing Dr. Vincent for 2 years and she hasn't been ready to get braces....until now. She was so excited to get them.....she was begging Dr. Vincent all this time to just go ahead and put them on. The night before, we went out and I bought her her favorite candy bar...a TWIX because she won't be able to have one for two years!! You should see how she struts her stuff...it's hilarious but great that it's given her this added boost of confidence for whatever reason. She doesn't even care that her teeth hurt. What a good girl!


Stay tuned for the after pictures...my camera battery is dead!!

Family Christmas Party

The first weekend of December, we packed up the kids and met our family at the cabin for our annual family Christmas party weekend. In Midway, the first weekend of December is very important because they hold the All-Faith Creche Exhibit which displays the Nativity from 90 different countries. They also hold the local Gingerbread House exhibit/charity fundraiser. The town is absolutely packed! Even so, we took advantage of this awesome opportunity and took the kids to these extraordinary exhibits. The weather was amazing and it wasn't difficult to get around with so many kids in tow. We then came back to the cabin for an evening full of crafts, food, and fun! We had an awesome pasta bar, then dove right into the activities. We made marshmallow snowpeople, decorated graham cracker gingerbread houses, made some Christmas artwork and finished off the night with some hot chocolate mixed with marshmallows and whipped cream. Stirred with a candy cane, of course. The kids went to bed that night anticipating the arrival of St. Nick. If you believe and leave your shoe out on the windowsill, St. Nick will come over from Germany and leave candy in your shoe on the night of December 6th. The kids were just ecstatic as they woke up and discovered Christmas candy in their shoes! What a fun family tradition to enjoy this weekend as a family at our cabin each December. I am so appreciative for the things my kids got to see and experience. Seeing the marvel and delight on their faces the whole day is something I will always cherish.