Playdough Fun!

Thought I'd share this fun recipe I had for homemade playdough!  It's so great!  We gave it away as Christmas gifts for Miles' little friends this year!  (idea from How Does She- love that site!)

yes, it's almost lunch and we are all still in our pjs!!

I had everything at the house except cream of tartar.  But trust me, you're going to need this.  I looked up why you need cream of tartar, and all I could really find is that it makes it more elastic-y and smooth.  And that makes sense, because I found a recipe that didn't have it in there and it didn't work.  It was more like playing with bread dough- and super sticky!

So here it is:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup of water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 drops of food coloring

Mix all ingredients over low heat, stirring constantly.  We stood there for about 5 minutes.  When it all formed together, I plopped it all in a ball and let it cool for about 10 minutes.  Then we kneaded it lots (partly because it was just fun!)  

When we gave it as gifts, we put some in leftover babyfood containers and small little plastic thingies that I had.  Then I made up some cute gifttags (or look up "free printables" and you'll find a PLETHORA of cute stuff out there!) and passed them out!  Miles' friends and our Sunday school kiddos got some as Christmas happies (we made green and red!)

HAPPY PLAYING!!!  

 a few pictures from us making ours back at Christmas time!  

me and my happy little helper!  and i know you're jealous of how good i look here...=)

and the other one!!

our red playdough...beginning stages!

 

had enough time to go get a bath, then come back and play for a few minutes!
And it's funny...he has those same pjs on today!!

What a fun day!

Well folks....we got it...our once a year snow!  It came a little early- but it did not disappoint!  AND we have another snow forecasted for this coming weekend!!  Who knows?!  And folks...let me tell you--- this southern girl does NOT like to be cold...but I actually bundled up (and looked ridiculous because I have no need for real snow clothes- because seriously- this MIGHT happen once a year!)  I mean...I'm sitting here at the computer wearing my heavy coat and gloves.  A little more time consuming to type with the gloves on...but I am just COLD!

Our morning consisted of running up and down the huge hill beside our house- it's PERFECT for sledding!  And this year- instead of preparing for the inclement weather with oil lanterns- Jared got something we can really use--- SLEDS!  {{{love you honey}}}{{and yes- I know we've used the lanterns...once...}}

Little brother missed out on the first round, but he was up and ready for round two!  And Meme and Jimbo stopped by and brought another sled!  I was glad they came because I am terrible about taking pictures these days!  I don't want to miss out on any of the fun, so I'm right there in the middle of things and not concerned with picture taking!  All of my pics from Christmas this year are mostly from Mom's camera!  I have a few on mine...but if you read the last post you might understand why I didn't have the energy to take pics...

ANYWAY...

Lots and lots of fun....so here's a few pics to show you just how excited we get down here in the south over SNOW!

Merry Christmas...a few days late!

I can't believe it's been a month since I last got on here...WHERE DID DECEMBER GO?!?!

I had all these great ideas for posts as I was going along...crafting away...{{{and still am}}}

OH WELL!  Maybe one of these days I'll post some of my fun gifts I did!!  I was so thrilled to give so many handmade gifts this year!  We still have not celebrated with my mom and dad- my brother came in town just in time for Christmas from being with his fiancee's family, and she will come here tomorrow (okay...later on today because I'm up so late =) so we will be finishing our last bit of celebrating tomorrow night!

Let me just preface the rest of this post with this:  I love Christmas time.  I love everything about it.  The reason we celebrate {{Jesus' birth and God's perfect gift to us}}  I love being with family.  I love traditions.  I love the time off from the daily hustle and bustle.  So I had to say those things before I go on to tell you about how our Christmas went...

((((this is super long....so if you need a few good laughs, just scan through....I typed this all out as a way for me to journal our Christmas events)))))

We started off our season of celebration well over a week ago with Jared's family.  Love them all--- it was just a little early- and it was the day after school finished for the semester, so, needless to say, I was not prepared!  I had barely gotten Miles and Owen's MDO teacher's gifts together earlier that week-- much less presents for everyone!  Now, Jared did do all the shopping for the men-folk, so my f.i.l. was taken care of.  But the day of- I was rushing all over creation looking for the perfect gift for my m.i.l.  Now I knew what I wanted to get her- and it was supposed to be in a certain gift shop-- but it wasn't.  Nor was it in the next 4 places I went with the boys in tow and my mama so she could stay in the car with my sleeping babies!  ANYWAY.  Jared took off work- got the gift- and she loved it.  (a beautiful piece of pottery by a mississippi potter-- there are so many around here!)

So fast forward a few days...past the migraine...///ugh\\\and we get to Christmas Eve Eve.  We decided to make arrangements with Jolly Ole St. Nick to make a stop by our house a night early because we planned to head to my extended family down in the Jackson area on Christmas Eve.  The night went good- we had a yummy supper (courtesy a generous City of Olive Branch citizen who brought Jared a honey-baked ham =)

***nevermind that I had bought a shrimp cocktail at the grocery, only to get home and realize it's frozen***thankgoodnessforham

So we ate, read a precious children's book based on the first 2 chapters of Luke, and put the boys to bed.  The next morning was such a sweet time for us to be together!  Then our parents and my brother came over for brunch (we had this yummy french toast)(minus the pecans---and I just used sandwich bread).  Then it was supposed to be a calm morning of getting packed and ready to go to Canton.

Then Owen was left unattended for just the shortest few minutes....and he found the stairs.

There's no good way to type this out...(I've tried)...he fell down about 4 or 5 stairs- had a pretty big bruise on his head, so we decided we needed to take him to the minor med.  {Remember it's Christmas Eve}  Miles ends up in the car with my parents (who luckily hadn't gotten on the road yet) and off we go to not one, not two, but THREE minor meds (finding an open one and one that would see a 10 month old).  We finally get him seen and I'm sure there is a little red dot next to our name in the Methodist Healthcare system...but he was fine--- no need for any tests or scans.  (Praise the Lord!)  So off we go BACK home to pack and get down to Canton (we've already missed one good meal at my grandfather's (mom's dad)).  Hubster was grumpy about driving at night (the same one who goes to bed at 8:45) and I was exhausted from the adrenaline rush of getting baby boy seen to!

So we get to my grandparents (dad's parents).  My grandmother is feeling terrible, poor thing.  We go to bed- sorta- Owen woke up several times because, oh yeah, they gave him a breathing treatment while we were at the minor med for his cough- so that wired him up good!  Plus he is my little homebody and knew that he wasn't in his bed!  So once we get more than 20 minutes of sleep- my dad comes in and tells us not to get out of bed.  In our sleepy stupor, we realize that there's half an inch of water everywhere!  (And yes, my sweet big boy was sleeping on a mattress on the floor in the other room!!!)  They have finally come to the conclusion that the hot water heater burst in the night.  So we pack up, head next door to my all too gracious cousin's (dad's first cousin) home (they live in the house my grandfather grew up in).  Miles is upset because he isn't at "mawcharlotte's house"---the first thing that I could think of to tell him was that it was dirty?!  So all weekend, that's what we heard.  (Made me feel bad for saying it like that!)

We eventually have Christmas with my grandmother (mom's mom).  I kicked butt at Just Dance 2- man-- that's fun!!!  Miles was hilarious watching him dance to it, too!  That was fairly uneventful.  We make it back to my cousin's house for Christmas with all of them.  Everything's going smoothly- until Owen throws up all over Jared.  Poor baby!  And he cut a tooth while we were gone!  So as I'm getting Owen cleaned up- Jared goes to take a shower (meanwhile ALL the family is still there!), Miles has a little tee-tee accident.  So all my boys are getting baths, we're getting laundry going, trying to clean up the terrible mess...

Then all four of us end up making it to bed- in the same room.  I ended up with the giggles over all of it.  Owen woke up several times screaming and crying over the teeth and everything else.  {of course, I had given him the last drop of Tylenol I had and left the oragel at home!}  Luckily Miles slept like a baby through it all!  At one point- Jared said we were going home--- then.  In the snow.  And if you are somewhere where snow it normal--- you aren't from where we were!  We close schools around here if it gets too cold.

Sweet baby ends up falling asleep (in the bed with me of course-- Jared gets kicked out because it's a double bed) and the next morning is pretty uneventful-- as is the rest of our trip- THANK GOODNESS!

Fun thing that Jared and Miles got to do-- they rode the train home from Jackson!  They took the Amtrack from Jackson to Memphis (believe me-- I know this is where they went because Miles talked about it nonstop for a week!!!  Isn't it funny what they get fixated on?!)  So luckily, they didn't fall asleep on the train and end up in Chicago.  They had a great time!!!  Clif rode home with me and we first stopped at my cousin Sarah's new house {which is decorated beautifully!  she is SUPER crafty- frames, staining cabinets, shutters, Lowes-- she has no fears!!}  And she had the BEST supper going- so she invited us to stick around!  Crock pot chicken (chicken, cream of mushroom, onion soup mix, dale's seasoning- DELISH), mashed potatoes, italian green beans.  Just what I needed--- a couple hours of normalcy!  We stayed so long there that Jared and Miles actually made it to Memphis before we got home!

Now we're home- I'm still up to my eye balls in a mess--- sewing machine, paint, crafts--- then there's the laundry!  Ah!  It all has to get cleaned up and put away soon---we're having a party over here New Year's for Clif and Lauren!

I'm so glad that even despite my best efforts---that God gave us His Son to take away all of those efforts and give us His grace freely.  I'm so glad that it's not up to me to get myself to heaven.  I'm so thankful that He gave us His Son Jesus and that all we have to do is trust in Him--- because I tell you what-- I'm just worn out reading what all I wrote!  Believe me--- I failed so many times over the weekend---


Thank you God that I don't have to work out my salvation by works---but continue your good and perfect will in my life that my faith in you would produce good works in my life solely based on your goodness in my life-- not any of my own efforts.  


So....how was your Christmas?!  {said in a sing-songy voice}

And I promise that one night when it's not this late I'll post pics!  I think I took some in the madness!  If I didn't, I know my mama did!

Now it's time...

...time to start the Christmas planning for gifts, parties, meals, and cards!  Who doesn't love getting Christmas cards??  Plus, for us, Shutterfly is one of the retail partners with our favorite store so that gives me even more incentive to buy PLENTY when I buy this year's cards! (because let's face it, I never order enough and always have to order a last minute pack of 20 from that store I try not to go to! {not Target...the other one})

I think this is my favorite

 AND my good friend Sara drove up earlier this fall and took us to the park for a photo session!  She took some great pictures-- I haven't decided yet which to use, so I may have to use a card that holds multiple pictures....

I did just order a photo book for Owen...poor thing- Miles has 2 and we barely have any pictures even printed out of Owen!

So what photo gifts do you plan to buy for folks this year? 

Are you ready for Christmas?!

from Southern Living's Holiday Home Ideas

Well, are you?!  I know I'd love to say MY tree looks like the above picture...but it's still in it's box...it's grand and glorious 10 foot box.  I may or may not have blogged about this last year, but Jared bought a 10 foot tree last year with his birthday money.  I love it...but this year something I had not even thought about was Owen and Christmas decorations!  Besides the fact that it's not even Thanksgiving yet...that may be the reason I have been a little hesitant to put up our decorations just yet!


Now, I'll be honest.  At the beginning of November, I made a mental note that I would take this month to remember to be thankful.  But this month has flown by and all I can remember is being grouchy!  Ugh!  I guess with the hustle of birthday parties, teaching, soccer wrapping up, and everything in between, I have gotten caught up in being bothered by the "busyness" and not taken the time to be thankful.  So here's my goal for the week----

pause.

every day.

{breathe}

give thanks to our Lord for His wonderful blessings in my life.

I have so much to be thankful for...{so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much (clap) to be thankful for}

And this shouldn't be a hard thing...I have the whole week off.  No teaching.  Just a dentist appointment (for myself that is...taking Miles with me so he can see it's not so bad), Miles MDO feast (which I have already gotten my assigned meal item for .check.), and getting our house back in working order from the "busyness" of the month!  And all I have to have ready for Thanksgiving meal is green beans!  How easy is that?!


Then, maybe I'll think about Christmas decorations!