SeNding WarM WiSheS......

WheW!!  IT has been busy around here.....painters in the basement...smelling up the house! I think I may be missing a few brain cells from the paint fumes!  SHoPPing, WraPpiNg, more shopping.....more WraPpINg....neighbor gifts, Christmas cards you get the idea.....
Just wanted to send out some WARM ChRiStMaS WIshes to all you dear people who read my blog.....I am always so surprised by the reaction I get from those of you who are followers of this blog.....Thank you so much it has been so fun to share ideas and get fun feedback from all of YOU!!
I am really excited about the coming YEAR....I always get excited thinking about starting out anew with a fresh new start!!  I have a goal to get organized in my home this year and I am REALLY trying to get focused on making our home a sanctuary and blessing for my family.  PLEASE join me if you feel like you could benefit from organizing and blessing your family as well.....I can't wait to get started but for now I am going to enjoy my little girls and the holidays....(they are growing soOOO fast) and My sweet husband who always takes time off during the holidays to enjoy his family(LOVE that about him). 
Here is hoping all of you have the MERRIEST holiday Yet and hope that you enjoy all the best the season has to offer!! 
So.... FROM our HOUSE to YOURS....
MERRY CHRISTmas!! 

We {hEaRt} SnOwMen

WE love these snowmen books at our house.....

And to our delight they just published this new one!!

SNOWMEN ALL YEAR

 If you are not familiar with these books they are darling...They take you on the adventures of what snowmen do when everyone is fast asleep and not looking. 

If you don't have these in your Christmas collection they would be a FUN addition! 

HapPy REaDing....

ThRiFting TrEaSures....

So I just have to share a few other treasures I found thrifting the other day.  I know there are alot of you sweet readers out there who enjoy a good trip to the Thrift store as well.....here is what I scored!

First I found the Coolest GREEN bowls.....I think they are hand blown glass??  They spoke to me.....Ha!
I LOVE the shape.....and the best thing was that there were TWO!!

Look how cute they are here snuggled up together......

Way FUN!! 

Then I ran across another matching piece.....this candle holder!

She glows pretty at night!

Then I found a set of 6 china plates....

I loved the shape of these as well....ruffled edge.

and thought hmmmm.......

I could add these candle stick holders and create some fun serving dishes/cake plates......

So with a little E600

I created These!!

These might be fun for treats to be delivered to the neighbors with christmas treats!

If I can part with them.....

Don'T U just love a great day at the Thrift store.....I do!!

HaPpY ThRiFtINg!!

DuTch DoOr

Since I am on the subject of Dutch tradition I sooo want one of these........ A darling Dutch Door!
The Dutch were so innovative....They would use doors like this to let the pleasant breezes blow in while keeping the pesky livestock out!!

Country home has a tutorial here

FiLLinG the WOoDeN ShOes.....

ThE LiTtLe WoodEn shoes were set out last night in hopes that they would be filled.....And to our Delight this morning we found that they had!!  This is such a fun little tradition that I try and do every year with my girls to teach them about their ancestry.  My side of the family is from Dutch Descent and so I have tried to keep a Dutch tradition going with my children of putting out wooden shoes to be filled by Sinter Klaas!

Each Dec 5th Dutch Tradition is that you would set out your shoes and leave some Hay for the Horse and hope that Sinter Klaas would leave you a treat! (We Set out Carrots for our offering)

And here are the little shoes filled with surprises in the morning!

This is such a fun little tradition that my girls look forward to each year!

If you would like to know more about this tradition read my post from last year here

HaPpy ChRiStMas!!

LeT the {CoUnTdoWn} bEgiN !!

Just wanted to share my advent Calendar for this year.....I have such fun memories of advent calendars from when I was a young girl.  My grandma would make each of her grand children a Christmas countdown on poster board and she would wrap little presents and treats and glue them on.   We could not wait to unwrap each little item in anticipation for the BiG DaY!!  It WaS so FUN!  I wanted this same tradition with my family but with my own spin on it!  I am trying to make an effort to give my kids memories rather than"trinket things"  that they will just get bored with so I mostly do activities for our advent in place of trinkets.  A lot of people do treats and I can't bring myself to do a calendar full of treats either. (MUST be because I Have seen too Many RoTTen TeeTh in my Profession} So without further Adieu.....Here is My CounTdOwN!!

I snuck away to the thrift store and found this little mug stand for 1.99 !!

I came home and gave it a fresh new coat of paint.

                                                                           Before

Then I stopped by the dollar store and got these cute little coin envelopes.  I loved that they were such fun colors. (Check by the Teacher section at the Dollar Tree for these!)

I came home and downloaded some free printable numbers and made some activity tickets to go inside the envelopes.

added some fun ribbon and glued the numbers on the envelopes.....

It was such a fun project and Way Inexpensive Too!!  Total Cost: $4.00!!GoTTa Love ThaT!!

The CounTdOwN Has BegUN!!

Can't wait for Christmas.....just need to get my shopping finish!

HapPy DaY!

BaBy ItS CoLd OuTsiDe....

We LOVE HOT YUMMY drinks when it turns cold outside....  Hot ChoColate of course is a favorite but I also LOVE SpicEd Cider!!  Do YOU Have a favorite YUMMy drink you love to sip on cold days??

Here is the recipe I use for the Spiced Cider:

SPiCed CIDeR

1/2 gallon Apple Cider

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 sticks cinnamon

5 whole allspice berries

1 chunk of fresh ginger peeled

3 cloves

8 slices of orange

In a 3 quart sauce pan combine cider, sugar, cinn. sticks, all spice berries, ginger and cloves.  Heat to a simmer and allow to cook 20 minutes. Strain into punch bowl. Garnish w/orange slices.

{SeRvE WaRM}

ENjOy.....

 

I also enjoy a little sprinkle of this mixed with cider if I don't have all the ingredients to make it!

StaY WaRm and come back tomorrow I am Putting some finishing touches on our AdVent CaLenDar!!