Valentine's Day

This has been a busy week, and Valentine's Day was no exception! It was lots of fun! I started the day with a special breakfast for Jonathan. I didn't know if this would work, but I tried to make him heart shaped bacon. I put two slices together and then cooked them in the microwave.

It worked pretty well, it turned into this:

I cut toast with a heart shaped cookie cutter and cut his strawberries into heart shaped slices.

It was served on a heart shaped plate ( a yard sale find). I had a big balloon tied to his chair and a small box of candy for him.
Next we were off to school. Our school's MAPS tests scores are much improved over last year's first semester, so the PTA asked us to bring for snacks & desserts for the teachers' lounge. I decided to bring veggies & dip. I thought they would gets lots of sweet things since it was Valentine's day. I made a little tent card to tell them they are appreciated.

We delivered little treats to the office staff and Jonathan's specials teachers while we were there.

Then it was back home for lunch before Jonathan boarded the bus to head to school for his afternoon kindergarten. Lunch was his favorite shrimp and fresh veggies. Jonathan won't eat lettuce, so I call this his "lettuce-free salad". Apple slices were cut in heart shapes. I served his lunch on a heart shaped plate he made at Color Me Mine last year.

Next up was his Valentine party at school. I had already delivered most of the things needed to school, so I only needed to bring the drinks and ice cream at party time. The kids really loved these exploding balloons! I found these last year and his preschool class loved them so much I got them for the kindergarten class (with his teacher's permission). The kids had a great time playing games and sharing snacks.

Packing up and getting ready to come home, with his friend Elise. She lives just down the street, and her mom & I were the room moms for the Valentine party.

Our day is still not over! There was a "Buddy Party" at the karate school and his friend Ryan came to class. Classes were just for fun, really, some basic moves and then fun games and prizes.

As I said, the day was busy but lots of fun! And here you have the reason for all the little extra things I do:

Jonathan insisted I stay in bed until he brought this to me. He said he made it right after Christmas and hid it under his bed until now. As he was getting ready for bed on Valentine's Day evening, he told me he "would always remember this wonderful day he had". Making memories for our children is what it's all about!

My Frugal Valentine

Valentine's Day is just over two weeks away, and we are already starting to prepare our Valentine treats for school. I am gathering my leftover supplies from last year, such as these rose petals from Dollar Tree. They will be used as fillers in small treat bags for the office staff and specials teachers, such as music, etc.

After Christmas, the holiday bags of Hershey's Kisses were on sale at Kroger for $1 per bag. I purchased several bags and separated the red and silver ones from the green. We will use these for Valentine's Day and save the green ones for St. Patrick's Day.

Are you thinking of Valentine's Day yet?

New Year's Eve

I have never been a party person. I think I may have been out on New Year's Eve maybe twice in my life. Jonathan and I had a nice evening at home. We had a few snacks, watched "Cars 2" and enjoyed some sparklers.

Sugar cookies with edible glitter

Pajamas, popcorn and a movie

Welcome 2012--a little before midnight

I am thinking about some goals I'd like to meet this year, some changes I'd like to make, some things I'd like to do. Not resolutions, exactly. I want to focus on my health, my finances and organization around the house. I am hoping I can make some positive changes and will share when I get everything clear in my own mind!

I'd love to hear your goals for the coming year!

Five Christmases

Every Christmas Eve, Jonathan stand on the fireplace hearth. Look at how much he has grown!

2007 age 18 months

2008 age 2 1/2

2009 age 3 1/2

2010 age 4 1/2

2011 age 5 1/2

Our Christmas

I enjoy looking at Christmas pictures on blogs, seeing how each home has their own way of doing things and their own traditions. We were joined on Christmas Eve by my sister, my nephew, and Jonathan's surrogate grandparents. Here are a few pictures from our holiday.
We made and decorated cookies for Santa:

A bountiful table awaits our Christmas Eve guests:

Jonathan tracks Santa's ETA on Norad Santa Tracker:

A magic set is a fun gift:

Friends Edie & Bobby gave him a special gift, a quilt made by Bobby's late mother, and he has slept under it every night since Christmas:

Cookies were left for Santa on another gift, a painted plate from our friend Brenda: 

Christmas morning brings more gifts, these from Santa:

We are so blessed that we had family and friends to share the holidays with us. It was indeed a merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours, wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Busy Week

It has been quite a busy week, as I expected. Lots of time spent cleaning and in the kitchen, but fun things, too.
Tuesday I had a couple of friends over for lunch, as well as a friend for Jonathan. I love using my "Night Before Christmas" dishes! They come out the day after Thanksgiving and remain in use until Dec. 30. The kids had peanut butter & jelly sandwiches which were reindeer faces (my photo of them didn't turn out at all!).

Wednesday we met a friend at Jump Zone for playtime, pizza and gift exchange. They had been jumping on inflatables about 2 hours when this photo was taken. Talk about sweaty hair!

In the early evening was a karate class, then my older son stopped by to bring and pick up presents before heading to Chicago. Dec. 30th they will be in town for good!

Today has been spent doing last minute grocery shopping for Saturday's guests, baking and making these cute "reindeer noses" for a few special kids. They are eight malted milk balls and a red cherry sour for Rudolph's nose! I may make these for Jonathan's class next year.

 Still lots to do before Saturday! How are your holiday preparations coming along?

Countdown to Christmas

Only one more week! Christmas is almost here! It is sure to be a busy week, but hopefully a fun one, too. I will try to post glimpses of our holiday each day.
Jonathan is out of school until next year. He had his party at school on Friday. The kids decorated their own cookies (I baked 5 dozen sugar cookies Thursday night!), had a snowball fight with tissue paper rolled into balls, had a book exchange and more.

With his teacher

Snowball fight!

Hot potato book exchange

 After Jonathan's basketball game yesterday morning, we stayed home. I cleaned all day, then last night we had our Family Room Camp-Out. The couch in there is a sofa bed, so we pull it out, pile it high with quilts and pillows, order pizza, pop popcorn, watch movies, and play games by the glow of the fireplace and the Christmas lights. This is one of Jonathan's favorite traditions. Then we do this:

Here are a few glimpses of the decorated living room. I love this antique Christmas quilt! It is beautifully quilted and is a true work of art. It comes out to hang on the wall each year. The Santas along the ledge were given to me by my cousin when she pared down her collection.

 More Santas and Christmas books, as well as some greetings of the season on the shelf.

 Pictures of Jonathan with Santa each year, it's fun to see how much he has grown each year.

I hope your week is filled with crazy fun as you prepare for Christmas!

A Little Something For The Elves

We help our kids decorate cookies for Santa, leaving cookies and milk for him on Christmas Eve. We make sparkly reindeer food as a treat for all the reindeer. But what about those forgotten, hard working elves?? I never thought about them, until I saw this post from Six In The Suburbs.
I think we will be doing this Christmas Eve!

Community Christmas Walk

Saturday was our little town's annual Christmas Walk. What fun! The weather co-operated beautifully and there were record crowds in attendance. We had such a fun evening!
The festivities started with a parade thru "downtown" (we don't really have a downtown!). This was the first year for a parade and I was quite impressed with the floats. Jonathan, my parade-loving boy, enjoyed it so much.

There were luminaries lining the streets, fire pits everywhere, hot dogs, hot chocolate, cookies and candies, balloon animals, dance recitals at the local dance academy, hay wagons to ride, a live nativity and so much more! I loved the display of quilts at the bank. This beauty was all hand quilted.

Jonathan loved it all!

Petting zoo at the live nativity

Classic Christmas movies playing all evening

Cracking nuts with the very traditionally dressed St. Nicholas

A Victorian era house was open for a home tour---lovely! I really liked this idea and may have to try it at home. I've never seen these vinyl wall words outside before and they were so neat around the inside of the (beautiful wrap-around) porch. I'm not sure you can see them very well in the photo.

Click picture to enlarge to see the vinyl wall words

We truly enjoyed our evening, even if we were tired from all the walking! Total cost for everything: $0. Memories made: Priceless!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for "Southern Living Christmas Cookbook 2011". winner announced Dec 11!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

I've been decorating for the holidays this week, and I realized there is no theme to the decorations! It may be a little jumbled, but it's fun and it makes me---and Jonathan---happy! Here's a few pictures of the kitchen.
I love these vinyl wall words, I have used them in the kitchen for the past three years. They peel right off after the holidays.

A little something in the kitchen window, I also love this "Milk for Santa" bottle.

A few winter berries up high:

Here is the kitchen tree. The crocheted red and white runner is a vintage estate find, and the folk art Santa is fun..

The little tree could use a few more ornaments. I'll add some if I happen upon any that appeal to me and fit in with what I want on the tree.

I love looking at blogs to see how everyone decorates for the holiday season. I see so many creative ideas,even though I am rarely able to duplicate them.

How do you decorate your home?