rescue scene

I don't usually actually get holiday decorating finished on time, let alone early.  Usually, it is either put off until the last minute, or not done at all.

Halloween?  Nothing. (except last minute costumes) (that were pretty great if I do say so myself) (I think I work better under pressure..)

Thanksgiving?  Nothing.

But, for Christmas, we already have our tree up (undecorated, but up).  I have the cinnamon scented pine cones out, and I have finished re-doing a wonderful Nativity Scene that I picked up at a thrift store last spring.  I'm thinking it's a pre-Christmas miracle that it lasted through a move and sat in my garage until now and didn't get broken.  Yep, it's a miracle.

Here are the before and afters...

elf on the shelf

Meet Christopher Popinkins.

gee whiz collection

Here is a tip that I know you are dieing for me to share.

We were having cheap frozen pizza dinner last Tuesday night.  We like to doctor them up a bit.

My hubby adds mushrooms and olives to almost everything.  Pizza is no exception.

I knew we had canned whole olives at home and didn't buy sliced olives thinking I could just slice up the ones I already had.

It got a little tedious and then I had this idea...

redeemed

Do you remember the project spray paint fail?  

The bleeding through?

The pinkish hue?

I do.

I had to fix it.

what happens in Vegas...

Just a little sunshine for those of you having cool or cold Thanksgiving holiday weather...

 We were invited south for Thanksgiving day feast with my brother, his family, his wife's family my sister and her family, my dad and his wife. 

South means VEGAS baby!!!

hand washing saves lives

Meanwhile, back at the infirmary, we've been battling everything from bronchitis, to the flu to pneumonia.

We just can't seem to get on top of it.

So, I woke up one morning feeling the need to sanitize everything, buy more hand soap for the kids' bathroom and even break down and get some hand sanitizer.  I went to the store and bought several bottles of bathroom hand soap and one bottle of hand sanitizer.  I put several bottles of hand soap in the kids' bathroom.  Do you think they will get the message?

rebel without a clue

I've been away for awhile.

I've had plenty of projects under way.

Just none that I really wanted to show anyone.


 Sometimes I get a wild hair and think I'll do these projects all by myself.  Translation: without a pattern.  Without following instructions.

 I'm a rebel...

max mix--guest post

Do I have a treat for you.

A friend--an ollllllllllddddd friend from the good ole high school days, is guest posting for me today. 

canning season ramble

I won't bore you with all the details again, but suffice it to say, canning season is here (to stay for awhile). 

We've canned Elderberry Jelly, Plum/Elderberry jelly (the best!), peaches and tomatoes this year so far. 

 We have friends with an orchard that just gave us a ton of apples.  Yes, I'm quite sure that there are one ton of apples in our house...

I'm tired just thinking about it...

dutch oven bag

Do you go camping?

Do you cook with a dutch oven?

Do you cook with a dutch oven while camping?

Do you hate the black, dirty mess you get when you pack away your dutch oven?

Well then I have something for you...