Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas!!! I hope everyone had a great and peaceful day with family and friends. I myself had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed every moment of watching my children's faces when they saw the wonder of Christmas morning. We attended a great mass at 4:30 at the new Senior Center here in town. It wasn't exactly a traditional church service, but since Katrina we've been gathering in a modified skating rink and we're no worse for wear. So, anyway, Secilia slept through the whole thing and snored her britches off. Samantha was her angelic self, singing and acting very reverent when she thought people were looking. We then took them (the girls) out to eat at the local casino...did you know there is nothing open on Christmas Eve except The Waffle House and casinos? And although I like a good scattered, smothered,covered and chunked breakfast, I just felt that the occasion warranted something a bit classier. It was good and the girls really enjoyed themselves,they love all the noise and lights at a casino, plus they thought they were cool when they realized kids aren't normally allowed. We then went home and prepared for Santa..
On Christmas morning it has been tradition (since the babies were born) for everyone to come to our house for breakfast... And what a breakfast it was! I tried a new recipe that called for cooking a casserole in a crock pot for 10-12 hours...guess what? DON'T EVER COOK EGGS FOR 12 HOURS!!!!! Luckily I looked in at midnight to check on my concoctions and realized these babies were gonna be a big ole' hot mess in a matter of minutes. I turned them off and just kept the warmer on them and they were fine in the morning. Bacon and hashbrown casserole, ham and hashbrown casserole, grits, biscuits, stuffed strawberries, and cinnamon rolls were on the menu....yummo!! Such a great morning with the family and I truly love moments when everyone gets along and is kind to one another...
Everyone loved their gifts, Mike was extremely pleased with his Saints tickets that I gave to him...not so much with the Saints clothing I bought for him to wear when attending the games, but he really loved the fact he was going to see them. He would have painted his chest in gold with my name in big black letters had I made that a stipulation.
He did a great job too...I received the most breathtaking Baccarat Crystal necklace from him and the girls. It truly is one of my favorite things I've ever received. He also gave me a Cricut, which I have wanted for years; a new Hero Android phone, of which I know nothing about, but I'm loving every moment of learning and of course a box of Hickory Farms (long story that I probably will never share with anyone, but trust me, it's hilarious). All in all it was a great holiday, I'm looking very forward to 2010 and what may be on the horizon for me and my loved ones. I truly wish all my friends and family abundant blessings and love in the upcoming year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My new Baccarat Crystal necklace

Spa Party...did someone say chocolate?

So today was Samantha's 7th birthday...I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday she was toddling around, sucking her pacis and singing at her Backyardigans 3 year old party...Sometimes I miss those days, but these days she is independent and is a girl who knows what she wants and likes...guess what? She likes spas!! I'm in so much trouble...everything she does now involves polish, makeup, smelly stuff galore. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact she is such a girly girl, but the expense is killing me and she isn't even wearing the stuff for real. This years party was a toss up between a party at Bath Junkie with ten of her closest friends or a spa party at home with many more friends and mom doing all the work. She chose the home spa party. I made invitations from a template I found at Martha Stewart online. They turned out so cute... I decorated with mainly a white and pink theme. I found some cute baskets at Hobby Lobby and filled them with pink bath puff, a headband, some rose petal soaps, a monogrammed washcloth that I made with my trusty embroidery machine and washcloths from Sams Club, and a sack of bath salts that we scented and colored at the party. We smeared the girls with a chocolate mask that was made from cocoa, honey, sour cream and oatmeal, it smelled awesome and looked like a thick chocolate frosting. It probably tasted good too, but I was too afraid to try it. I printed each girls name out on paper to mark their seat and added a charger with a white candle surrounded by silk daisies to each table. I covered the tables with a white paper tablecloth that I purchased from Sams Club, then added white hand towels that I also purchased at Sams, at every girls seat. The basket went on top of the hand towel and I added a clear plastic bowl and a popsicle stick for preparing the bath salts. I think all the girls truly had a great time, and I had a fantastic time planning it, but then again, that is my favorite thing to do...I'm a party girl!!! A party girl that has a four and seven year old and goes to bed at 9:00 every night! Anyway, the party was great, my sister made the most fantastic cake (if you ever need a cake you should really look her up at Iced and Sliced), and my baby had a great birthday. My girls are loves of my life, I want them to have memories of their childhood and birthdays. I want them to be able to share those memories with their children and remember how much fun they had. But most of all I want them to know how much they mean to me and that their mom would go above and beyond to make them feel special. Happy Birthday Sami!!!!

Shower caps for kids

My kids love to wear a shower cap...I don't know what the fascination is with these plastic head wraps, but they are the biggest fans...So, I thought to myself this year for Christmas I would buy them one of their own...They have been wearing mine, it is huge on them of course, but safety pins are a fix all for all things big. Anyway, much to my chagrin, there is no such thing as a child size shower cap...yeah, yeah, I know what you are thinking, sure there is, you've probably seen them hanging in the dollar store, but what I meant to say is there aren't any "really cute" shower caps for kids....So what's a crafty gal to do....make her own!!! I found fabulous caps for kids in the UK...but who knows how to purchase something from over there and honestly I just don't understand the whole money conversion thing...I'm sort of math challenged. I can't even do my six year olds first grade math, much less change euros into American money...but I did find a website belonging to our British neighbors that had stylish and fancy caps. I scoped out the design and went to my favorite store, Hancock Fabric, and wouldn't you know it, they had satin fabric on sale for 50% off...it was meant to be...a deal!!! I bought all the notions and accessories and headed home to venture into the unknown...I cut out a pattern from old wrapping paper (it was the biggest thing I could find) and used a shower curtain liner that I hadn't opened for the inner lining. They turned out FANTASTIC!!! I have posted pics here and on my Facebook page and wouldn't you know it, I've already gotten an order for one...I think I might try and sell them...you never know this could be my fortune...I could be the "Shower Cap Lady"...hmmm...we'll see, my friend Denise says they are awful...it's a good thing I like her or I would make one for her kids for Christmas...I know they would love it...her youngest would probably want to wear it to school!! Happy showering everyone.

Fleur de Lis Shirts

The new Mardi Gras Fleur de Lis shirts are in....have a look and let me know if you are interested...I can still order Christmas shirts as well...They are high quality long sleeve t-shirts with beautiful rhinestone and rhinestud designs....$20..
email me a gunz1963@cableone.net....Enjoy!!