The Infamous Gingerbread Barn Making! :)

Let me tell you, this was both fun and entertaining.  How many people does it take to put together a gingerbread barn...I'm pretty sure it took us way more than it was supposed to :)  Notice the girls are just watching, ready with candy!

Working on a strategy

And the fun begins!

Case snoozing during the fun

It was so pretty looking here :)  It actually looks like the box!  HAHA

I'm pretty sure this "frosting" contained glue.  Notice how hard Chelsea is squeezing the bag!

Bompa and Uncle Jonathan supervising

Patiently waiting to put candy on

Mom is going to "kill me"

Uncle Jonathan, armed with the barn "paint"

Random picture of Piper!

See what I mean?  That is a lot of hands!

Marissa's beautiful windows

Notice we no longer have a roof...

Jeremy's "glue" hands

Jeremy and I are still holding the barn together while the girls decorate.  We have made progress though, we have a roof back on again!

Looking good!

"Quick take pictures before it caves in!"

Just an FYI, gingerbread barns are NOT intended for eatings as I'm pretty sure glue is one of the ingredients.  It sure tasted like glue anyhow!  LOL  I'm pretty sure this or a house is going to be a family tradition from here on out.  Way too much fun to pass that one up!

Christmas at Grandma and Bompa's House!

As planned, we had Christmas at my parents on Friday before actual Christmas.  The girls got up first and woke everyone else up :)

Aunt Chelsea and Madalyn  

Aunt Liz and Marissa

Cristale and Liz went in with me and I made Mom a bag for Christmas.   

She loved it :)

Chelsea had a GREAT idea and got all the girls aprons this year.  The girls' says "Little Chef" on them and my has a monogramed "S" on it and its orange :)

We used them yesterday while making cookies!  I LOVE it!

The girls got Spirograph this year.  

It brought back so many memories, although, just like everything else, it's not made like it used to be!  :(

YEAH for new games!  Mom and Dad had this game and we tried it out...it was fun!

Cast iron rocks!

LOVE this griddle!

Love this man :)

New books!

Ever looking for a great small gift?  Hermie DVDs by Max Lucado are a great buy!  

The girls LOVE them!

BY FAR, the top gift of the season (even though I still don't get it!)  

Fur Real Puppies!  Look at those faces!

HAHA

 We had a blast!  I love family time.  I was super bummed to miss Cristale and Casen this year and of course Caleb is deployed so we didn't get to see him.  Overall we had a great time!  We are soooo blessed :)

1st Christmas Celebrations :)

We did Christmas with Aunt Katie and Zoe first.  I couldn't imagine my life with out Katie and Zoe.  They mean so much to me :)

Doesn't get a whole lot cuter than this :)  <3

Aunt Katie got the girls Doodle Bears!  We have washed them at least 4 times since they got them.  They were definitely a hit!

Zoe with her 1st doll!  She is exhausted!  LOL

Christmas plans???

What are your Christmas plans this year?  

Doug has Friday - Monday off so we are heading to my parents house tonight and spending a few days there.  My brother and sister in law from Buffalo area will be there, along with my sister and her boyfriend, and my sister in law and nephew.  I'm anxious to see everyone!  We are taking up a project to do with the family - a gingerbread barn kit!  I couldn't resist!  

Saturday, sometime during the afternoon, we will head for home and as long as things go as planned, we will head to our Christmas Eve service at church.  Sunday morning, we will wake up a little early and do stockings, head to church, then come back to do the rest of Christmas.  

I can't wait till tonight - 4 whole days with my husband!  

What do you have planned???

I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I look forward to all the Christmas pictures later :)

Random post and pictures of the kiddos :)

We are doing well here in the North Country.  The cold has held off much longer this year than it has ever before (since I have lived here that is).  I'm not complaining, since I will be the one in charge of keeping the driveway clean during the week this year as Doug is gone.  It would be nice to have a white Christmas and the kids are dying to go sledding!  :)  

No real news on the house front.  We have had someone come and see it and were very interested in the place and then we had an open house following.  No real bites yet though.  His timing is perfect and I rest in that truth!   

A few days ago I was getting the girls ready for the day and I got specific instructions from Madalyn to do her hair like this.  I don't know where she got the idea from as I have never put her hair up like this.  It was cute though, so I had to nab a picture!

Then I had to take one of Marissa at her desk, doing her school work.  I can't believe how grown up she is!

While Doug is gone during the week I try to fill up my days best I can.  I have started babysitting during the day.  I had a two year old here for a while but his Mom got laid off so that ended.  Now I have a 3 month old baby boy named Josiah.  Sooo cute!

Way over due!

November 10th was Doug's birthday.  He took a personal day on Friday so he was actually home for his birthday in the evening.  Plans however didn't go as we desired.  Doug called me around 3 or 4 telling me that he was in the hospital with kidney stones.  Thankfully my brother and sister in law were already on their way to our house and had to pass through the town where he was at.  Once he was released they headed for home but it was late by that point in time so all birthday plans went out the window.  Besides the fact that he wasn't feeling the greatest :(  Poor guy!  I did have our Pastor's wife make him a cake and remembered to take a picture of it.  It was perfect!  

We are skipping out on actually sending out Christmas cards this year.  However, thanks to Blogger, you can still get yours! :)  Merry Christmas!!!!

Pictures of our decorations will be going up soon I promise. 

 I loaned out my camera and the pictures are on there!

Homemade laundry soap

Ok, so I know what you are all thinking - "This lady has really gone off her rocker now!"

I had my reservations when I first heard of it to.  That being said, I did some research and found out that I would be saving a ton of money!  It costs me .71 cents to make 2 gallons worth of soap and that calculates out to about .01 cents per load!  Awesome right?  Wait, there is more!  It's soooo easy to make too!  Ready to find out how to make your own?  Here goes ~

You will need - 

1/2 cup of Washing Soda (not to be confused with Baking Soda)

1/2 cup of Borax powder

1/3 of a bar of Fels-Naptha

All of the ingredients can be found right at Walmart, all together in the laundry isle in between the bleach and the fabric softener.

You will also need a 2 gallon bucket.

First grate your Fels Naptha soap and put it in a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap melts.  Add the Washing Soda and Borax and stir until it is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Poor 4 cups of hot water into your bucket.  Now add your soap mixture and stir.  Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.  Let the soap sit for 24 hours and it will gel.  Use 1/2 cup per load.

***The finished soap will not be a solid gel.

***This soap is low sudsing so if you are someone who checks your laundry while its washing, don't freak if you don't see bubbles.  Trust me, your laundry is still getting clean!

***This soap has a natural clean smell but for those of you that may prefer scent to your laundry you can add 1/2 to 1 oz of essential oil to scent.

Enjoy!!!      

Scentsy!

It's time for Christmas shopping and we all have those people that are just tough to buy for!  Every thought about a Scentsy warmer?  They really do make the perfect gift!  This is November's warmer of the month....

and the scent of the month is Midnight Fig - 

(Tread softly across the threshold of a forbidden garden-an eden of infinite beauty and pleasure.  Earthly, ripened figs and golden berries tempered by mushy woods will open your eyes and captivate your senses.)

This is December's warmer of the month - available December 1st

Comfort & Joy is the scent of the month for December-  

(The best gifts combine the anticipated with the unexpected—just 

like Comfort & Joy. Spicy, familiar woods marry with surprising 

white florals, pure citrus, and just a nibble of gingerbread for a 

winter fragrance that’s anything but ordinary.)

Scentsy is a wick-less system that uses a night light bulb to melt wax at a low temperature.  It's a safe alternative to candles.  

We have so many other products to...Buddies for kids with a scent pak zipped inside for a great smelling stuffed animal, room sprays, fragrance foam (hand sanitizer), travel tins (for the car), as well as  80 different scents for melting, and a ton of burners in 3 different sizes.  

Visit my website to take a peak at all of our available products for everyday or the holiday season!