Buckeyes

Or other wise known and Peanut Butter Balls. These are hubby's favorite and I couldn't resist making some for him. He will have to eat these in moderation of course because of his diabetes, but I know he will love them. I even used "his" peanut better that comes from the organic food store. It was a little more difficult to roll them because it didn't have all the added oils that is found in store produced peanut butter, so I just made sure I was really careful when I dipped them into the chocolate. YUMMY!!!

Isn't this the most beautiful sight?

While I was at my mom's, I went to the local nursery and bought one of these beauties. Where I live, I haven't found a local nursery that is even remotely like this one. And I live in a BIG city compared to where mom lives. And this size was only $4.99!!! I loved the sea of red with a little mix of white and pink. I couldn't help taking a picture of it. So Christmas-y don't cha think????

Christmas Cookie/Sweets

Saturday afternoon, I traveled to my mom's to make Christmas sweets. Such a yummy project! I ended up staying Sunday night and traveling home Monday morning at 6AM to be back home in time for hubby to go to work. We made my 3 batches of my grandmother's famous Nut Cake, one batch of Chinese chews, and 3 batches of fudge. We also had lunch at IHop, did some shopping, checked out some scrap book goodies she had bought online, and just had some wonderful girl time. I have needed a break from the kids and this was a perfect opportunity! Don't get me wrong, I love being with my kids, but the constant bickering and fighting gets the best of the SAHM who has her children since school got out December 2nd, and 24/7. I loved ever minute of it and wouldn't change a thing, except just a little more time so I could help her wrap some of her Christmas gifts. Check out the last one. It is a piece of May Arts Ribbon we used because the oven was a little full and wouldn't stay shut. We fixed that!! LOL

May Arts Burlap Challenge

Back on November 1st, May Arts posted a challenge using their burlap ribbon/string. Only 25 participants were allowed to enter. I was one of the lucky ones able to participate. I received my ribbon and it sat on my table for a little while. I knew what I wanted to do, but I had teacher gifts and student gifts to make before I could give my full attention to the MA project. The project was due on Monday, December 12th, so I knew I had a little while to complete it without stress. Well, I was finally able to create my project and I really like the simplicity of it. I started with an 8x10 canvas and placed my LOVE first in the middle. I should have moved it a little to the right to make it smack dab in the middle, but this is a handcrafted project so I was okay with it. I did the PEACE next. I couldn't get the glue just right on the canvas and kept wiping it away, but finally I got it the way I wanted it. Next was the JOY. Earlier, I had cut a strip of the string, it was a natural color first, and placed it in a baggie with some of SU's real red re-inker. I took it out and let it dry overnight. I think I should have heat set it before I used it because once I put it in the glue, it started smearing. So I was very careful in how I placed the burlap. It was so much fun and I really like that it is just simple words that mean so much at this time of year. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Thanks to May Arts for allowing me to play once again. If you go to this link, you can comment on any of the amazing projects and possibly win some of their beautiful ribbon. I just love May Arts and hopefully I can participate again in their next challenge. 

RACK - neighborhood goodies

The kids and I made banana bread and oatmeal raisin cookies for our neighbors. This was another one of our RACK's (Random Acts of Christmas Kindness). We packaged them up with ribbon and ties and off we set to deliver to our neighbors. We have 22 homes on our street, yes that's the whole neighborhood!! So we set out and delivered 18 of our homemade goodies! Not to bad if I say so myself. The next day, I had the kids deliver the others to the neighbors that weren't home. They really had a great time delivering and each took a turn going to the door to hand the neighbor the treat. Everyone was so receptive and it was another great experience for the kids in their giving! I even got a Christmas card from one of the neighbors thanking me for the cookies and wished us a Merry Christmas. Wonder what is on our agenda for next time. LOL This is a dark and blurry picture of this one, but you can see the basket holding the goodies. Hope you enjoyed this RACK!

Strange place for suntan lotion

The kids have been making their "club house" out in the back of the woods and I ventured out there to see what they had done and honestly, to check on them. They had rehung one of the tire swings, made a drum set out of buckets, fixed a driving area for little bits Barbie car who's battery is dead, and something called their bathroom (only for the boys though). We won't go there because I immediately told them to get rid of it. But as I was walking around the woods, I came across this and thought it was a little out of place. BUT I do like how it looks like it has a thumb holding it just so. It really was a strange sight to see but kind of cute as well. You just never know what kids will find in the woods! And did I mention, it still has suntan lotion in it???

Sugar Free candy - OH MY!!!

I left after dinner to do a little Christmas shopping, the kids are tracked out because of year round school, and I ventured into the candy aisle at Walmart. I stumbled onto this WALL of sugar free candy and was in awe!!!! Hubby is a diabetic and really isn't suppose to eat sweets, but Reese's Peanut Butter cups are his weakness! I took this picture and sent it to him. His response, "WOW!!" I know I have seen a few candies that are sugar free but this WALL just made my eyes bulge!!! Don't tell the hubster, but I got him a bag of the sugar free Reese's Peanut Butter cups to put in his stocking. He knows who loves him. :)

RACK - Vending machines

So today we had to pick up a prescription at Harris Teeter for the hubby and we had to wait about 15 minutes since they were on their 30 minute lunch break. We went outside and the kids tried to wait patiently. Once the 15 minutes were up, we all went back inside and got the medicine. On the way out of the store, the kids wanted a quarter so they could get something out of those 25 cent little vending machines. I told them no, but wait...and I fished out all the quarters I had in my purse. I think I had 6 or so and we decided to put them on top of the machines for others who wanted a little treat. The kids were bummed at first because they didn't get anything, but we had the talk again about giving and not receiving. That stopped them immediately! I have been so impressed with the kids as the for the most part are enjoying our RACK's. :)

RACK - Library fines

Today RACK (Random Act of Christmas Kindness) took us on a trip to the library. The kids have been watching a little to much TV since track out started and I decided we needed to get some "new" books from the library. Once all our books were selected, we checked out. It was then we told the lady at the desk what we were doing. We wanted to pay as many over due fines as we could with the money we brought. She was unable to do a check to see who was over due so she suggested we leave the money in an envelope and when someone checks out with a fine, she would get the money from the envelope. Sounded like a plan to us. She asked we put our family name down in case someone asked who donated the money. I gave all the credit to the kids. She then tells me that last night she ordered some take out food and when she got to the restaurant to pay, she was told someone had already paid for her meal. She was surprised that someone had done this nice thing for her. We left and everyone had smiles on their faces at the nice gestures we had both received. No pictures for this one.

RACK - candy cane day

Today was another RACK (random act of Christmas kindness) and the kids passed out candy canes. We went through 2 boxes of mini's for a total of 60 minus 2 that Ian dropped and broke into several pieces. They loved eating the broken pieces. We took missy to preschool so she missed out but we went to Dollar Tree (didn't pass out there), AC Moore (passed out a box), Lifeway Christian Bookstore and Michael's (they combined a box between the two). Emma asked if we can do this again next year. I really think they enjoyed their selves! I told them to say excuse me, ask if they wanted a candy cane, and then say Merry Christmas. Some took the candy, some didn't, and one young man told Ian, "I don't know you." So happy to hear that from that young man because it was true! Ian gave one to a little girl and I told him he needed to ask her mom first. He did and it ended up she couldn't have one. When people looked at me with that look, I told them I was trying to teach the children it was better to give than receive. Andrew didn't pass out any (he was having a bad morning because he didn't go to bed when he should and was tired), Ian didn't really understand, but Emma sure did! 1 out of 3 ain't bad, I say!  Tomorrow we are going to the library and pay a few fines that other's have racked up. I wonder what the library worker will think of that?!? We shall see... :-)

Emma's 1st Choral Performance

Friday night, Emma had a chorus performance at Barnes& Noble. It was originally said they would sing on the escalators, but they ended up putting the group on the second floor way in the back. I was filming with the video camera so I didn't see if they had people stop and listen to the group. They did an amazing job!! Emma decided to join chorus and they meet before school on Wednesday mornings. Worked out perfectly because the hubby could just drop her off on his way to work. Even our school teacher daughter left school to listen to her little sister sing. Chorus was a huge part of big sisters life and she really didn't want to miss it! So glad she could hear her sing. Yep, I cried seeing my oldest daughter watching my middle daughter follow in her foot steps! Yep, I am an old sappy one!

She is the one in the front with the black dress on. After looking at all my pictures, I can't believe in all but this one, she has her eyes closed! Thank goodness for taking multiples!

RACK's or Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

One day I was on Pinterest and saw a friend's pin about RACK's. I was intrigued and had to check it out. I loved it! For 25 days, or Advent, you pick a project and do for others. All about giving and not receiving. Thought it was an awesome idea and thought the kids would enjoy it. The kids really aren't so hot and heavy into the ME, ME, ME at Christmas time, but I wanted to try and teach them something besides receiving all the time. Give to others! So first on our list, we chose 4 tags off the elementary tree for children's wishes at Christmas time. We got 2 boys and 2 girls. The boys wanted a football and a remote control car. The girls wanted color books and crayons and a pair of jeans and a shirt. We are happy to say, we provided all and the kids actually helped me wrap the presents too. When we got to the school to drop off the presents, I was surprised at how many gifts were under the tree! When we took the tags, there was only 1 gift under there. People are so generous! This is why I love our school! Next, we plan to paint stones with inspirational words and pictures, then place them throughout the mall when Emma does her choral performance at B&N. I know we will do a candy cane day and I have 2 boxes of mini's ready to go. They even liked the suggestion of paying for 5 peoples past due accounts at the library. We shall see. We do have coins in the jar we have been collecting, on the counter. May use that to help pay those fines. Let me know if you decide to do something good for someone else this Holiday Season.

Teacher gifts

Aren't these watering cans the cutest?? They are ceramic, found them at Dollar General when they were getting rid of all their summer stuff, and the cost me $.10! Yep, a WHOLE DIME each!!!! I couldn't pass it up. Wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but when it came around to thinking of what to give the teachers, this was perfect! And cheap! They each contain a bag of potting soil, 5 Dutch Iris bulbs, and 3 Daffodil bulbs. They can plant these right away and they will come up in spring. I figure I spent a whole $.60 for each gift. Not bad huh??? I usually give a handful of handmade cards but this year I decided to do something a little different. They will probably get those at the end of the year. :) One of the teachers asked if I painted them and I was like "no way!" Maybe I should have said yes (scratching chin). But I couldn't take credit for that, could I?!?! I did put one of the Snowman made earlier into the cans as the kids wanted to give one to their teachers too.

Little office worker gifts

I wanted to give the office workers at the Elementary school a little something. I made these using my Stampin' Up top note die, cut around the edge of the patterned paper, scored it and then tied it up so it would stay closed. My hopes were to put Hershey kisses in them, but they wouldn't fit!! Onto plan B...I put the snack size Hershey bars and they fit. Funny though because when we passed them out, they kept falling out. Yeah, I forgot the glue dot to hold them in place. The ladies really seemed to like them and that they were homemade. That was the plan, Stan!!! As for the Herskey kisses...they are in a Christmas jar on my work table. Let's see how long they last in this house with 4 kids who have sweet teeth, not to mention mom and dad! :)

A new month - a fresh start

Here it is the first day of December. Can you believe it? Welcome December!!! In the next couple of days, I will be showing you some things I have made for my kids friends, their teachers, and the office workers. My children track out Friday, year round school, and won't be back until 2012. So this mama had to get her Christmas gifts done early this year.

First is the little candy holders I made for the kids friends. With 3 in elementary school, I made 60+ of these. And my goal is to make some for my daughter who teaches Kindergarten so she can give them to her children. But thankfully, I have a little time to be able to do that! Aren't they cute? I got the idea from Dawn Griffith. She made these back in 2008 but they were so cute, I had to do them for myself. I am just so thankful for so many talented women out there! Hope you like them! And I hope the children do too! :)