Thanksgiving!

I think we are settled back into the swing of things! Jason is playing his computer game, Andy is sleeping soundly, and I am running every machine possible in this house!

We had a great time in Georgia this past weekend. Lots of food, lots of games, and lots of fun! Since we have one set of grandparents her and the other there, we celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas while visiting one or the other. It definitely helps cut down on the traveling!

So, I didn't get to take as many pictures as I thought I was going to - I only got these 3. Seriously. But, luckily we have Dave! Maybe I can get some of those picture from him - I swear he took like 400 pictures. I may not even be exaggerating. He just knows a photo op when he sees it. But they are all candid, of course - which is awesome! No fussing with getting everyone to have their best smiles. That's hard to do with a little kid who likes to go go go!

This is one of the games that we played twice, like every day we were there - Settlers of Catan. I won't lie. I hated this game at first. I had no clue what it was last year...not a clue how to play it. Nothing. I'm not good at strategy games either. So, this game was way way way down on the the bottom of my list. But, now... I don;t know...I just can't seem to get enough of it! And, Justin even showed me a trick of the trading part of it all. Mark and Jason totally called us out on cheating though (jokingly...but hmmm....lol). It's a good game. I'm not really good at explanations so just go here to check it out, if you want.

This is my little man in his version of Daddy's chair. You've probably seen that big blue monster of a chair in some of our living room pictures...ugh. It's growing on me... But I can't wait for the funeral. Sorry, Big Blue. Luckily, the sofa set I chose, had a very tiny hint of blue in the threads. I suppose that is the only reason why it works there right now. Anyhoo! Off topic. This is the BEST little chair in the world! And, yes - POTTERY BARN KIDS!!! WHOO HOO!! I've been waiting for the day to get this chair for Andy. And, Nana saved the day! He really likes it! We watch Toy Story 2 after dinner tonight and he sat in it most of the movie. Such a little man :) Oh! And it is totally personalized - it say "Andrew" of course but with a cute little football embroidered over his name. Awesome. Thanks, Nana & Grandpa!

Speaking of Grandpa - here he is watching a football game with Andy. This might have been the Alabama/Auburn game... I just remember one of the days we were there, Mark and Jason were saying "Roll Tide" all darn day. Really, guys? I don't even think Mark cared too much about that game. And, Jason was just doing that to make me crazy... He claim he really is a Bama fan, but I'm still not sure of that. The world may never know!

I hope your Thanksgiving was just as fun as ours! Everyone done eating until Christmas? Good times, good times! :)

Saturdays Are My Favorite!

I used to like Saturdays because we are all home and had nothing to do (like appts, errands, etc). But, now that Andrew is bigger, Jason plays with him a lot more and I have more freedom. Last Saturday, I did almost all of the Christmas shopping, got my hair trimmed, had lunch with a friend, and listened to my music as loud as I wanted!

But today! Jason and Andrew went out and had a boy's day while I actually got the cleaning done (closets and junk that you never want to do...). Anyway, I signed Andrew up for the Duplo Workshop at Pottery Barn Kids. I had to talk Jason into it and assure him that he would not be the only Dad there... It was hard work! But, they went this morning. I tried to get him to take a picture...I told him that his mom would be very upset if she didn't get to see... But, no picture. Sorry, guys! I even told him that I would call the store to make sure it was done... But, still no picture. It's ok. I even tried to get him to write about it on here. Yeah, right... LOL!

They had a lot of fun though, from what I hear. They built some stuff with Duplos, like buildings and cars. He said that Andrew made it almost to the end. It was time for lunch for Mr. Man. So, they headed back to get his Daddy's tires rotated.

Me, on the other hand...I'm cleaning closets, doing loads of laundry (sheets and blankets that should have been taken care of...ugh), cleaning the bathrooms, listening to the best Christmas music ever, and talking to my MIL on the phone about our trip plans. I had to make a trip over to the Thrift Store to donate some things and on my way back...guess who I see?

Some familiar looking guy pushing a baby in a bright red umbrella stroller heading to McDonald's.

Hmm...Jason just said they are going there. LOL.

Yes, I jumped in on their boy's day. But I left them after a quick bite to eat to finish up before they got home. :)

Good times. I love Saturdays. This may be a new thing for us. They get Saturdays together. I get some freedom!

Friday Night

Yesterday, Andrew helped me pick out some fabric for some things that I wanted to make. He liked holding on to the bolts of fabric and those fat quarter bundles. He looked so funny with all of those things. But, he wanted to help. He even picked out a fabric that I didn't see. He found Thomas the Tank Engine, of course! Well, I had to get it and make something from it... Luckily, I have been wanting to make a crayon roll. I am not good at putting crayons back in the box. I never was. I'd shove 'em in and they would break. So, this should help us both out! He gets to see this surprise when we get to Nana's and Grandpa's house (Jason's mom and dad).

I think he will like it. He like to try coloring and he loves Thomas :) YAY!

Almost Done!

I set myself a goal for November - to get all Christmas shopping done before the end of the month. And, I'm going to make it!! We just have 1 more person to shop for and 1 more gift to add to another person. YAY ME!! Ok, fine - yay Jason, too. But, he just said, "yeah, good idea" or "how about this" or "ok whatever." So, I don't know if he counts at the moment. Maybe just a tiny bit.

Anyway, since it is now down to a few more things to get... It is time to work on the stockings!! For the longest time, we just had them hanging up and we never did anything with them. But, since Andrew gets to open up his own stuff, we are so doing the stockings.

Since, my hubby reads this from time-to-time, it would be my luck that this is the one post he reads this month. Not telling anything about his gifts! Sorry, honey!



But for those of you with toddlers or younger, and you are in need of ideas... Here are some things that I am working on. No, I'm not doing everything! These are just some ideas, people - LOL!

• Those extra sets of Fisher Price Little People/Weebles/Etc that go with the playsets already owned. They fit perfect in a stocking!
• Mini containers of play-doh
• Slippers
• Stickers
• Crayons & coloring books
• New movie (holiday or not) to watch together after the gift extravaganza has settled
• Bubbles
• Holiday candies (my Mr. Man loves to eat M&Ms!)
• Beanie Babies or those Sing-a-Ma-Jigs (apparently these are the cool new thing - I dunno. A friend of mine showed me them while doing some Christmas shopping. But, they would definitely fit!)
• Mini Duplo Set
• Expandable washcloths - they are super tiny and then poof! they get to normal size during bathtime. 

Some great tips - read blogs for freebies! Go to the $1 section at Target! Go to the $1 Store! Save your prizes from Happy Meals! Get these items on clearance if you can or use any coupons available.

Tis the season for sharing - so share your stocking stuffer ideas with The House! If you found any great deals, we wanna know about that, too! Happy Christmas Shopping!

Playdough Fun

Last weekend, I made some homemade playdough. I have been on the search for some activities for Andrew to do when it is the "4 o'clock witching hour of fun." Apparently, he is old enough to play with playdough and I didn't realize this. I wasn't even sure if he would like it. And, I was not about to go buy some when I had all the ingredients right here.

Need:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp veggie oil
1 tbsp cream of tarter
1 cup water

Boil it all together. Stir contantly until it become stiff. Place on wax paper (or shiny side of freezer paper) and let cool. Knead the dough until smooth. Knead in food coloring, if you would like. The dough will last in airtight container for a few months

Andrew is learning about the colors yellow, red, and blue this month. So, that is what our playdough colors are right now. He had a lot of fun with each of them. Plus, it made the last hour before Jason came home go by much faster!

Yellow :)

Red :)

Blue :)

If you are having trouble viewing, please click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiqzDeOWzSk

Turkeys

We are on Week 3 of Nick Jr's "We Are Thankful" Lesson Plan, and it is all about Turkeys! It has been raining all day. I don't think it has stopped even for a second. So, this morning after breakfast we made a Gobbling Turkey Hat. I cut out the pieces and he "helped" me stick everything on. He was actually excited about this hat. He is NOT a hat person. But, this one he enjoyed :)

Wanna make one, too? Here are the directions for this project (it says use foam, but we used construction paper). Have fun! Gobble, gobble!

New Place to Play

A bit longer than the other movies, but he tries to talk and does some funny things :)

If you are having trouble viewing, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTrAYoA6ai0

Finger Painting

I knew for sure that Crayola made those paints that are the Color Wonder kinds - it only goes on the paper and no where else. Well, I found it!! Go me! Yes, I almost did a dance in the aisles at Target, too. This is the most amazing thing ever! And, it may say 3 years and up - whatever! Andrew totally loved it!

Welcome to Finger Painting, Andrew!

Before :)

During - Finger Painting Part 1

If you are having trouble view, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amw6qwgojNU

Finger Painting 2

If you are having trouble viewing, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08fZfKBIKhc

After! What a masterpiece!

Impromptu Outing

Andrew and I took a quick trip over to the Botanical Gardens on Tuesday. The weather was a perfect 70 degrees and it was the late afternoon. Normally, I take him in the stroller, but we decided to just walk around together. He loved it!! He liked all the rocks, the flowers, the trees, the pond. He really enjoyed it - but then, again, he very much the outdoorsy type (yay!). Here's a few pics and a video for you! Enjoy :)

Found a leave to enjoy at the Southern Living Secret Garden.

Going through a big doorway at the Japanese Gardens.

Having a seat on some rocks near the Tea House.

Leaving the Japanese Garden through a very large gate that he is a bit unsure of at the moment.

It's ok, he got over whatever that was :) Maybe he was making sure I was going to follow him!

Playing in the fountain on our way out. He wasn't really interested in this at first. But, then, he found out that water came out of the squiggles.

If you are having trouble viewing this, please click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh-xn_35IPo

A Busy Day with Thomas

Andrew got his very first Thomas the Tank Engine play set on his bithday and I have been trying to get a video of him with all of it. Well, finally! He always takes everything out of the basket and puts it all on the table. Then, he comes get me to help him put it all together. I figured this would be my chance to take the video. Ok, grandparents, here you go!

If you have trouble viewing this, please click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsFYXM638rw

Holiday Shopping

Courtesy of Bing Images

It is that time again (unless you planned ahead and you already started - stinkers!) for Christmas shopping! How about doing all the shopping at home? How about getting some money back? Yeah...

Well, you can. Just sign up for ebates and you will get a bit of a bonus before starting. You haven't heard of ebates yet? It's ok. The House forgives you. Ebates is great for all of your online shopping. Once you are all signed up, search for the store of your choice and then click on "shop!" A new window will open and a tracking ticket for that store will be saved. Any purchase made will earn you a percentage back. It's just like filling out those mail-in rebates, but saves you a few steps and time. Try it out and see how you like it! Click below!

My Little Turkey

This week, Andrew and I are doing Thanksgiving crafts :) He's old enough now to actually want to do them. Last year, for Christmas he put up a bit of a fight. But he just laughed tonight when I put the paint on his little hand. He was even patient during the time we counted to keep his hand on the paper (1...2...3!). And that cute little hand that gets into everything... Well, it makes quite a cute little turkey!

What crafts are your kids doing for Thanksgiving? Do tell! :)



Christmas Cards

OK, people. It is November. You know what that means - CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Get your shopping plans together! Grab those coupons! Order your Christmas cards!

WHAT?!

You didn't pick one out yet? Well, how about some amazing cards from Shutterfly? They have some fantastic designs this year. Modern, traditional, colorful, black & white. You name it - they have it.

If you have not had the chance to use Shutterfly, now is the time. Just get a great picture, upload it, chose a fabulous design...VOILE! Awesome Christmas card for all of your friends and family.

How fantastic is the Mod Snowflake Card?!

Colorful snowflakes with a modern twist. Love it!

If you are would like a more traditional one, how about the Berry Cascade Holiday Card? The reds, the greens, the script. Gorgeous!

Find your holiday card here! You can choose from folded greeting, flat stationery, or flat photo cards.

For those families that are spread all over and are found far and wide, a Holiday Story Card would be a wonderful surprise in the mail.

A "Through the Seasons" card would be perfect for our family and a great card to send out for the New Year. Highlight all the great memories that your family made during the year and add a great picture!

For my friends that became mommies this year, show off that sweet little face with some Birth Announcements. There is a wonderful selection of holiday birth announcements, too. Like this one:

Shimmer Sparkle Shine OK, technically, this is a Holiday Card, but can easily be changed up just a tad to make a wonderful birth announcement. Who can say "no thanks" to that little angel in the picture?

If you are expecting, like me... And are dying to know what you are having... And are trying to find a fun way to let everyone know what you are having... Maybe a special holiday birth announcement is just what you might be looking for. Just add in a picture of the ultrasound, the parents, the brother/sister/pet... You get the idea :)

Maybe we are having a boy?

Maybe we are having a girl?

There are so many ways to wish someone a happy holiday and Shutterfly does a great job of helping us share pictures with friends and family. We are definitely going to share our year of memories with a holiday story card! It is going to be so much fun to go back through the pictures and tell the stories across the country. Or, maybe we will share if Andrew will have a brother or a sister? Not sure just yet :)

Happy Holiday Card Hunting!!



Andrew's New Friend

SOMEONE has decided that they like my baby from when I was little. Yes, I did have him sitting in the rocking chair in Andrew's room... But, I didn't think Andrew would care for him since he is not an elephant. Well, I was very wrong. I'm not too sure what I think about it either. I love that Andrew loves Lambykins. I really do. But, he is mine. LOL. I tried to give him up at one point to my youngest brother, but I about died that day. That was a serious crime to do that to my Lambykins. But, now, it is my favorite little boy (unless I'm having a boy then I will have 2 favorite boys) that loves my favorite thing from when I was his age. I'm trying very hard to be ok with someone else loving him. I know. This is crazy talk, isn't it? The thing with Lambykins, though, is that he is the ONLY thing that I have from my Grand-daddy. He is older than me and, honestly, I am surprised that he hasn't fallen apart. I think I can let him go, though - especially when I see this picture:

This picture makes me smile sooooo big. He really loves Tusker the most, but to see him give Lambykins a kiss is just the best!



Side note on Lambykins: Yes, his feet are Christmas colors. He did at one point have a scarf and hat to match those fancy feet. But, I wanted to wear them. Don't worry. I did let him wear a sweater that Mom made for me (and she does have that sweater still).

Giving Thanks

I love this month! Great food! Family! Friends! Great food! I said that already, but so? It is true :)

We are definitely ready for this month's festivities. Halloween decorations are all taken down and put away. Thanksgiving decorations are up. This year, is our first year doing Thanksgiving-ish decorations. I had a bit of a hard time with it, too. But, luckily, we have Dora the Explorer. Yep. Dora.

Those of you that watch Nick Jr. with your kids always hear about Moose talking about monthly lesson plans and activities. We've been doing a few here and there, but this month looks like a lot of fun for all and can actually get the whole family, even friends, involved.

Click here to see this week's lesson plan!

Picture courtesy of NickJr.com

This week is all about giving thanks. For older kids, they have thank you cards. For the whole family, there is a charity bank. Yes, Andrew is too small to really understand most of this, but we are going to teach him "thank you." He's been "talking" to us is his own little language and he says about 6 or so words (mama, dada, mmhmm, yes, ok, and go). But, with these activities there are different skills that the kids learn.

Now, where does Dora fit into Mommy's Thanksgiving decorations? This week, Dora has a Thanksgiving Thankful Tree. You print out the stuff she gives you and you make your tree. On each leaf, your child writes down what they are thankful for. How awesome is that?! So, I made a tree and now we just need to add the leaves. That's where family and friends fit in to the decor. Write what you are thankful for and add it to our tree. I think that this is our new tradition. HA! I think that this is our first tradition, too, as a family.

No, it isn't a tree tree, but it works for the season :) Just wait and see what happens to the tree at once it starts "growing" its leaves.

Happy November!!