Out of Hiatus

I know, it's been forever since I last posted. I'm sure you've been wondering what I've been up to…

1. I wish I had been doing this all that time…

Instead I decided to read more, journal more, pray more, exercise more, enjoy quality time with Husband more, and chill out with my girlfriends more. :)

Husband and I commiserated together over the Badgers loss… :(

2. I've also started tackling our sunroom (aka the computer room, the music room, the dog's room,) I ripped out carpet and padding and was going to paint the concrete floor until I realized the owners before us had glued some of the carpeting directly on the floor…soooo, now I will have to put in flooring (and eat the cost of all of that because I am not even going to try to scrape heavy duty adhesive off concrete!)

Speaking of the sunroom, I really, really want to add wainscoting or board and batten on my own, but I'm scared to tackle such a project all at the same time! I also want to paint the paneling, but can't decide on a color, so basically, I'm in a state of DIY paralysis!

3. One of my previous clients has become a friend and I'm excited to read the book she is working on (if you are wondering who she is, all I can say is she used to write for major primetime television shows and she is awesome! Stay tuned on all of that!)

4. I once wanted to start selling my cheesecakes and I'm dabbling with the idea, again. So I've been baking. This weekend I made key lime cheesecake, it must have been good, because it's all gone!

5. Husband and I continue to travel and learn about the nano/micro brewery business, we've attended a few local wine and beer tasting events and are planning more trips within the next three weeks! Woohoo!

6. One of my best-est friends Christina and I have reconnected and are playing worship music again! We are looking forward to this event:

In the upcoming month I will celebrate my birthday/mother's day, chaperone a third grade field trip, try to get away with Husband for an advance anniversary trip, have a garage sale, sing and play for offertory at church, meet my magazine deadlines, attend our children's softball and baseball games and basically try to enjoy any day where the weather is 50 degrees and above!

A Christmas Guest Post and Giveaway

I'm over at Steph's blog today guest posting about Christmas traditions. Stop by for your chance to win a Target gift card for your last minute shopping needs.

This is my little way of saying thanks to all of you who have visited my blog. May your house be filled with love, peace and joy of the season. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cookies: Peanut Butter Blossoms

Every Christmas I make these cookies, I've been making them since 2000! You don't have to use Hershey kisses, you can use any star-shaped chocolates that are available. Please note that I doubled this recipe (because I have a lot of people to bake for!) If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you'll love these Christmas cookies.

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS

MAKES BETWEEN 55-60 COOKIES

1 C shortening
1 1/2 C peanut butter
2/3 C granulated sugar
2/3 C packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
extra granulated sugar to roll cookies in

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and peanut butter in extra large bowl until well blended. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, milk, vanilla and beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into PB mixture.

Shape dough into 1" balls, roll in granulated sugar, place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately press chocolate piece into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges.

Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks to cool.

Enjoy!

Last Minute Christmas Stocking Stuffer Gift

Santa always has good ideas. This year instead of the usual candy and sugary treats or the little toys that will break in a day, how about stuffing that stocking with some money?

Here is an easy DIY gift idea for any age.

1. Get a roll of quarters or dimes from your bank.

2. Wrap with wrapping paper.

3. Cover with clear cellophane, twist ends and tape with clear tape.

This is a cute and easy gift for when you're scrambling at last minute. And seriously, who wouldn't want a little money for all those post-Christmas deals...

Come back on Friday for my pre-Christmas giveaway...

Dashing Through The Snow...

I've been really busy this month with our kids' activities, workload and preparing for the Christmas season. My thought process was if I get everything done early, I'll actually be able to sit and enjoy the pre Christmas festivities. So I've been:

Decorating inside and outside of the house with lots of lights and candles…(since this photo was taken we've gotten a lot more snow and the temperature has dropped considerably, brrrr.)

Shopping for presents, for everyone and myself…

Wrapping those presents…

Baking for our daughter's cookie decorating party tomorrow after school…

And writing my guest post about Christmas traditions (and planning the giveaway!) for Steph's blog on December 20th.

I hope that your season has been especially merry and filled with the wonderful spirit that only comes this time of year!

Christmas Decorating Trends 2013

Usually way before you are even thinking about Christmas, I've already been decorating for the season. Decorating for several of my clients, that is. Because I have many clients that are retail stores, they insist every year that Christmas go up before Thanksgiving. (I'm just the messenger people.)

And every year, as I teeter on ladders and spend hundreds of dollars on Christmas decorations, people will say, "Christmas before Thanksgiving? You've got to be kidding!"

No kidding here.

It doesn't bother me too much since Christmas is my favorite time of year. The benefit of decorating and shopping early is that I get to see what the new trends are for the season. Pinecones are still the rage and look beautiful in the above blue and white wreath.

This year, with all our DIY efforts, we've taken to getting creative, like with this simple, but tasteful twist on the advent calendar from Real Simple magazine:

Pottery Barn embraced the cloche trend and turned it into a Christmas ornament; if you like more traditional ornaments, you'll love Ballard Design's mercury glass ornaments; for us decorating fanatics who love to try new things, we'll give these adorable owl string of lights from Anthropologie a try.

As much as we're willing to try something new, we might still long for items that remind us of our own childhood Christmases like this Santa ornament from the tree (and blog) of Kelly Ash.

I remember this kind of felted Santa from when I was a kid! How adorable!

Whatever your style, there's something for everyone out there in the Christmas decorating world. And if you can't find it, then make it!

How are you going to decorate this year? What's your decorating style when it comes to Christmas?