2011 favorite things

~*~*~My 2011 Favorite Things That I Encountered~*~*~

My first niece Alysse Evaline (isn't she beautiful)

White Chocolate Mochas

Movies:
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Just Go With It
Gnomeo and Juliette
No Strings Attached

Music:
Adelle
Bruno Mars

Straight A's

Summer baseball with the boys

Date Nights

Couponing (I'm addicted!)

Books:
Uglies Series
Hunger Games Series
Matched Series
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Starting a book club

Cabin Trips with the besties!

Baking and Canning

Happy Healthy Family that I LOVE SO MUCH!!!



What are some of your favorite things from 2011?

Wilson

Hello, I would like you all to meet Wilson!

Wilson is our family elf (from Elf on the Shelf). If you haven't heard of Elf on the Shelf you should really look it up!

The boys have fallen in love with Wilson and here is why.

Every day, Wilson sits in a new place, watching the boys.
Every night, Wilson magically flies to Santa to tell him if the boys were naughty or nice that day.Every morning, the boys wake up to run around the house wondering where Wilson will be that day (he sits in a different place every night).
The only rule is that the kids are not allowed to touch him or his magic will go away and he wont be able to get to Santa, thus putting the boys on the naughty list.

This thought was especially upsetting to Wyatt, so he is sure to remind us all that we are not to touch Wilson.

This is such a cute idea, and I especially love it because if the boys start to get crazy I just say, "Remember that Wilson is watching you," and they are little angels from that moment on!

They also when we get home from school go stand in front of Wilson and tell him about all the nice things they did that day (and Wyatt always throws in "Now go tell Santa I'm on the good list, and to put Adam on the Naughty list!")

So if you don't have an elf in your family, you really should get one. You get to name it yourself, or the kids do anyway. It's a really sweet tradition that we are loving being started this year.

Christmas slacker

I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas (most of my fam and friends know this already) but I love the holiday season. The music, decorations, lights, and yummy food I LOVE. I know that probably sounds like an oxymoron. But I really do love getting the house all decorated and pretty for the season.

But truth be told, the last two years (this year included) I have felt like a serious slacker. The day after Thanksgiving is usually the day I break out all my decorations and spend the day getting the house all ready.

Not lately.

It's not that I don't want to, I just have ZERO motivation to do so and TONS of homework and housework that seems to be requiring all of my attention and energy.



I do have my tree up (sans ornaments). But at least it's up and the kids don't mind if it isn't decorated. Maybe when school is done in about 2 weeks? Oh and don't forget the lovely nut cracker in the background, it was in the same box with the tree so it didn't really require any extra effort (especially since Adam brought it over to me!) So anyway, happy decoration-less holidays so far! I will eventually get around to it. Maybe.

Name what you are Thankful for!

Almost being finished with school
Love I feel for my family
Love I receive from my family
Inspiration from all around me
Snuggling with my boys
Opinions
New shoes :)

New friends
Ice cream
Cocoa to keep me warm
Old friends
Laughter
Extended family

Teachers
Online shopping
Late nights playing games with family/friends
Mocha's
A roof over my head
New adventures to come!

The Most Wonderful...

Usually around Thanksgiving my mindset is in "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" mode. NOT THIS YEAR!!!

I don't think I have ever had a semester with so much work/tests/papers/state exams all due either right before, during, or directly after Thanksgiving. I think this is going to be more difficult than finals week this year. Actually I know it will be.

So here's to my sanity, or what little I have left. Wish me luck!

Single Moms

There is nothing like a mother. I was lucky enough to grow up with both of my parents present in my life, and couldn't imagine it any other way. But there is something so amazing and inspiring about a single mother that I admire so much.

I admire their...
Creativity
Strength
Heart
Love
Will
and much more!

I am not a single mother, my husband is amazing with our children and a great support system for me too. But with his new job, I get a taste of what a single mother has to go through on a daily basis, although I'm sure it is about 10x more difficult for them. So this post goes out to all of the amazing single mothers out their that raise their children to be amazing, strong, independent, and wonderful people. Especially my mother in law Laurie who raised her three sons (my hubby included) to be just as amazing as she is! Thank you for the inspiration!

Book club or bust!

Well last night was our first official book club meeting. When I say us, I mean my friend Keshia and myself. Most people canceled that they were coming just hours before the party.

Unfortunately for me, I had already done all the baking, preparing, shopping and setting up for more people. My house/ food sort of felt all dressed up and nowhere to go so to speak. It was sad :(

These are the yummy Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Chocolate Glaze that I made for the girls (that nobody ate)

These are the incredibly yummy Autumn Apple Grape Medley's that I made.

Keshia and I had a good time though. We were able to catch up, establish some rules or norms for the book club, eat and drink wine, talk about the book (wishing we had more people to discuss with), and picking next month's book.

This will be our next book for December and Keshia (and hopefully the other girls will be too) are so excited to read this book. It's about a woman who's mother is mentally ill, and how she learns about herself and her mother through diaries that her mother had written. I think. We are hoping for a better turn out next month, if not, then at least Keshia and I will enjoy it while it lasts and read a few good books out of it.