My Little Loves

The leg...

I just received the coolest ornament in the mail yesterday....

This came after a conversation the day before about two shops in town that have the real lamp in their store front windows.  One is an electrician's shop and the other a typewriter shop....yes, a typewriter shop....I think it's a front for something else.  So needless to say I was so excited to get this ornament.  Thank you Ruth and Don!

Nissa and I have been making a few gifts for our friends.....

If you don't get one of these it's most likely due to the fact that I ate most of the chocolate chips.  Crap!

Me and my girl.....

having a silly time today....

We had a great...

party Saturday night!  It was our third annual Christmas party and you never know who is going to show up.  The guests included a mixed bag of neighbors, church friends, my spinning instructor and his wife, and some of Ryan's friends from work.  I was bummed out that none of my friends could make it (yes, I'm a loser) so I am vowing to have a big summer party next year at a time when everyone can come.

The house all decked out before the guests arrived....

 

When I was decorating, I knew I wanted to add a bunch of greenery to the mantle and above the kitchen cabinets.  I found the best way to do it for free!  All you have to do is go someplace where they sell Christmas trees and ask for the extra pieces they cut off and toss.  I made the mantle swag out of free pieces of christmas tree branches I took from Lowes.  They said I could have as many as I want and I wanted a lot.  I had so many extra pieces that I jammed them into all my empty pots outside.  Now the place looks festive.  Here is a closeup of the mantle swag....

To make the swag I took some chain I got at the hardware store and nailed it to the mantle (underneath the top).  Then I cut and attached branches by tying them on with some old brown yarn I had.  Then just hang some ornaments from the chain and voila!  I love how this turned out.

We made all our party appetizers including bacon wrapped shrimp and cocktail meatballs.  The drinks included my favorite of the night....crantini.  That would be a cranberry martini garnished with sugared frozen cranberries....man those were good.  Drinks also included two kegs of homemade beer.

We had a 'suggestion tree' which my girlfriend Steph does at her Christmas party and I thought it was a fun idea so I stole it.  You take little pieces of paper and hang them on a tree and guests can pick one throughout the night.  We didn't break into these til the end of the night....this game takes a certain kind of crowd to get going....maybe if my friends were there....

It's beginning to look...

a lot like Christmas around here....

 

See that Santa in the lower right corner.  I made him for my grandma when I was a kid.  She gave it back to me this year because she is at that age where she just wants stuff out of her house.  Every time you go there and mention you like something she asks "Do you want it?"  It's pretty funny actually.  Whenever Nissa goes there she knows she's coming back with something.

Yesterday Nissa and I went to decorate a gingerbread house at the local library.  We did this last year with much success.  You just bring a few bags of candy to share and the icing and house are waiting for you.  No mess, no need to buy too much candy and you are done in an hour.  Here's the results...

Today I came down the stairs, walked around the corner and spotted this hanging on the door and had to laugh...

Photo christmas cards arrived today...hooray!   These aren't the pictures but just a few scenes from the shoot.....

I couldn't get one good picture of the two of them together.  Boden wasn't having any of that.  He is not a snuggly boy so anytime Nissa tries to hug him or get near him, well....

Elf on the shelf...

This little guy is going to be making his first appearance in our home this year....

Have you heard about the Elf on the Shelf?  The story behind this guy is that at the start of the holidays, he magically appears (well, you put him out) on the shelf/mantle etc.  His sole responsibility is to watch your kids to see how they are behaving......and then every night he flies back to Santa to report what they have been up to.  Kinda like big brother watching you.  Hey, if this little guy might help my kids be a little nicer to each other around the holidays, what's wrong with that?  Anyways, every morning he returns back to our home in a new location and the kids have to try and find him.  The only thing is that they can't touch him or he loses his magic. 

So I picked up the elf kit that contains the doll and the story at Barnes and Nobles a few weeks ago.  As soon as I got home I opened the box to get a good look at him.  What I really like about him is his 50's panache, long and thin felt body and all around good looks.  Nissa likes how he looks like he has to go to the bathroom real bad.  But then I got a closer look....

Can you not tell me that you don't think this little elf might have had a few problems in his life?  Look at his neck....was he a bad elf and Santa tried to knock him off?  I was a bit sad to see his poor bloody neck and told Nissa that I wanted to exchange him for one with....well, a less 'suicidal' look.....but she told me not to so I guess he's staying with us.  Actually it's pretty funny and I bet it might prove to be a fun trait of his to exploit over the years.

The fashionista inside...

My new fashion-y style blog is now online!  Just click on the little button on the left....yep, that's right, just click on my backside....

 
This is a place where I'll share about all things fashion because, well, it's a part of who I am and just something I've always loved.  Please join me there if you also love clothes and shoes and pretty things.

Self portrait Sunday...

 I think we all feel like this sometimes....

Airstream (click to play)

Sometimes I wish I lived in an Airstream
Homemade curtains, lived just like a gypsy
Break a heart, roll out of town
‘Cause gypsies never get tied down

Sometimes I wish I lived on a mountain
Drank from a stream instead of a fountain
I’d stay there, top of the world
But I was born a red dirt girl

Unbridled or tethered and tied
The safety of the fence or the danger of the ride
I’ll always be unsatisfied

Sometimes I wish I lived by a pier
In a lighthouse with a chandelier
I’d watch everybody’s ships come in
And then I’d sail away with them

Unanchored in the storm
Or safely on the shore
If this is all I need, why do I want more

Sometimes I wish I lived in an airstream

Homemade curtains, lived just like a gypsy

(Song by Miranda Lambert)

(airstream photo by prawnpie ....photo-shopped myself in....yes, I know I need practice)

Like a helicopter....

Look at this little mischievous face......

 

Usually when I'm driving in the car and Boden starts getting fussy, I rely on pretzels, juice, milk, and animal crackers to hold him over.  Other times I hand him a book or small toy to play with....and yes, this is all while driving.  I actually think having a baby....or rather a crying baby....in a car is more dangerous than driving with a cell phone.  Many times I've found myself swerving while trying to reach for something or someone in the backseat....yeah, I know that's not a good thing....but you can't tell me that hasn't happened to you.  Anyways, sometimes neither of those work and I'm desperate so I end up giving him my cell phone to monkey with.  He's quite handy with it I'd say.  About a week ago I hear some tune pumping in the backseat.  It had a catchy little beat...obviously a rap song....and I turn to see Boden kicking his little legs, grinning ear to ear and pretty much just shaking his money maker.  Hey, cool, I'm thinking....I don't know how he did it but he's having a great time jamming out...that's until I take a closer listen and hear something to the like of taking off your shirt and twirling it around like a helicopter.  Hey, that's my son.  Yeah the lyrics were pretty explicit but I just let it go so I could make it home.  I later looked at my cell phone and saw that at some point he had downloaded pac-man and some other song as well.....not a raunchy one this time though.  That prompted me to contact Verizon to put a block on purchasing anything on there....now he can push buttons freely and not upload another song by T-Pain.

Self portrait Sunday...

The importance of hobbies and some muffins...

Indian summer is upon us and this weekend should be amazing.  With just Boden and I around the house, I plan to get some stuff done.   I finally picked out a lace scarf pattern so I can use this gorgeous silk yarn that I bought a few years ago....the colors remind me of the beautiful golden leaves I see when I'm driving around my town.  The hank went onto the winder yesterday and Nissa helped me ball it.  I'm so excited to get started!  If I remember correctly, I don't even think I picked up the knitting needles last year.  I was talking to a friend earlier this week about hobbies and how we never seem to have time for them.  It made me realize that if you don't make time for them, they easily fall to the wayside.  When that happens, I think you begin to lose a part of yourself....and that place fills up with, well, life and work and whatever else can easily seep in to replace it.  It is so important to do the things you love.  It makes you a happier person...a better person.  I'm ready to reclaim a part of my joy....

Today I have been baking and going through my recipe book looking for some good fall recipes.  One recipe I have been wanting to share with you was my favorite vegan muffin recipe.

Best Vegan Oat Bran Muffins (adapted recipe)

1 ½ cups oat bran
1 ½ cups unbleached white flour (don’t substitute wheat…it’s too earthy tasting)
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp. flax seeds (ground finely) with 6 Tbsp. water (this is the egg replacement – mix separately and let sit for about 5 mins before adding)
1 cup applesauce
¼ cup safflower oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease muffin cups.  Blend together dry ingredients.  Add flax seed mix, applesauce and oil.  Mix until well blended.  Spoon batter into muffin cups and let stand for 10 minutes.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

These are a staple around my home.  You will love these....I promise.

And I'll leave you with this sweet picture of my little man.  I bought some yummy honey crisp apples the other day and he wanted to have a bite....