Elf on the Shelf

OK so I think we will be adopting an Elf this year! I had no clue about this Elf on the Shelf  thing until I started seeing a few ideas pop up on Pinterest and it caught my attention. Then after this weekend when "An Elf's Story" (an animated Christmas special) was on, I was sold and tomorrow I will be out getting the Elf on the Shelf for my kids! They loved the little 30 minute special, they have watched it over and over again. If you have never heard of this, well, in a nutshell, you "adopt" an elf from the North Pole, you name the Elf so he gets his magic, he watches over your house "observing" and reports back to the North Pole to Santa every night. Each morning he is in a different hiding place so the kids can find him. He is not allowed to be touched as he will "loose" his magic (what a great idea so that the kids will not "love" on him too much) and on Christmas he goes back with Santa till the next Christmas! Sounds like a fun tradition that we will have to start this year! I will keep you posted on how it goes....my only problem would be remembering to move him each night!!!

If you want to know more about Elf on the Shelf go here.

Till next time...
Lynnae

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

A family tradition of ours is the Fashion Island Christmas tree. I love this tradition, it is always a fun night of ohhing and awwing over the tree, then a visit with Santa, dinner and Starbucks of course. I love this night, I look forward to it every year, seeing the joy and excitement on my kids faces and the meekness when they sit on Santa's lap, just makes you see a little bit of magic in their eyes!

I was wondering what he was doing under the tree....

And this is what I found....ornaments hanging underneath....I kept them there...it made me smile!

As for our home, fall stuff is down and Christmas decorations have come out. Our tree is up and the coziness of Christmas is around. I LOVE this time of year, I especially love seeing Christmas through my kids eyes. Growing up, Christmas was so magical and I want my kids to experience a whole month of it! I try and make it very special, each year I buy them and us an ornament, something that reminds me of them for that particular year. It will be fun years from now to look back at all the different stages in their lives. In years from now when they are married, I plan on boxing them all up and giving it to them on their "first" Christmas ( I know I am such a sappy mom like that I can't help it). Tonight we decorated the tree and since I had kids I gave up on the "perfect" tree with all the ornaments in the right place. I do move some but I try to keep them where they put them it makes the tree look "perfectly imperfect".....but Ethan made me smile when I saw him under the tree a few times and I realized he had hung them underneath, such an Ethan thing to do. Being the nice mom I kept them there :)

December I will be doing my December Daily project which I am so excited to share with you our daily activities, so check back for some fun ideas to do during the month of December as we are counting down the days till Christmas! What are some fun things you do for the holidays??

Till next time...
Lynnae

Thanksgiving

My little helpers peeling potatoes

Turkey.....they said it was delicious

My favorite dessert...English Trifle

Homemade pumpkin pie

Place cards made by my kids from last year

Taelor's centerpiece....Apple turkey

Thanksgiving has come and gone WOW!! This year I had the honor of hosting the Williams family at our house (of course with the help of my Mother- in-love....OK she did most of the cooking). Our fun started on Wednesday night baking pies and preparing the turkey. Well let me tell you, I don't think I will ever be able to prepare a turkey. Being a vegetarian and preparing turkey and all the yucky things that come along with that did not sit well with me. So needless to say I know how to do it but doing it is a different story, hubby will have to take that reign from now on! I think I will just stick to baking and all the other side dishes. The morning of started off with french toast and coffee, then it was straight to cooking. I even had my kiddos peeling potatoes and brussel sprouts while the hubby sat and watched hours of football! After a long day of cooking, baking, cleaning, cooking and cleaning some more (I don't think my dishes have ever been washed that many times in a day), we sat at the table 10 minutes ahead of schedule, both Sandie and I exhausted looking forward to that much deserved glass of wine. Dinner was perfect, they all said the turkey was delicious ( I will take their words for that), but most of all I enjoyed the dessert and the great conversation. By the end of the night we were all exhausted and full but most of all Thankful!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving.....the next morning was BLACK FRIDAY (and yes I was up shopping in the wee hours of the morning!)

Till next time...
Lynnae

Christmas Card Wreath

Usually sunday evenings I am posting Sunday Sweet's however this week hubby wanted pre made store bought just bake cookies  (really boring). So I decided to craft instead....I found the idea on pinterest for a wreath to hold christmas cards. Basically you need clothes pins and a needwork loop. I bought the loop at micheals for 1.49 and the clothes pins I had and I also had the green paint handy too.

Paint the loop and the clothes pins add a pretty ribbon bow and a little hot glue

Finished and hanging on the wall.....waiting for the first christmas card of the season!

<3 Rosette

Birthday Banner

Since getting my first cricut about 2 years ago now ( thanks hubby) I have loved to make decorations. My friend eneyda is celebrating her daughter first birthday next week and she asked for some help with jaydens birthday banner...she picked out the paper and what she wanted it to say and then cricut and I did the rest!

happy birthday jayden!

<3 rosette

Counting the days till Thanksgiving

At the start of November my kiddos kept asking "is Thanksgiving tomorrow?" so I decided to do a Thanksgiving count down flip book. It originally didn't start as a flip book, I was going to make it be a banner that we add to each day, but I didn't realize how long it was going to be and I would have no where to put a long banner. So after the help of my kiddos I let them glue leaves on card stock and numbered each page, punched two holes on the top, cut a strip of cardboard and folded it in half (this isn't so pretty but again I was not planning on making a flip book, next time I will make it a little nicer :) put two metal rings and a "Today I am thankful for..." paper on the back of each day. Easy, and I think this is a great idea for any holiday or anything you want to have a "countdown" for.

My favorite part is the day I took these pictures, Ethan was thankful for bananas... cause what would the world be like if there were no bananas or milk (which he was thankful for a few days later) or better yet "toys" as Taelor was thankful for.

I hope you have all had a fun month of being Thankful. Now only 3 more days and they can stop asking when Thanksgiving is!! Except next will be Christmas....

Till next time...
Lynnae

Sunday Sweet's

This week I found hubby's sweet in the June 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine ( which I totally love)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge....

14 oz can sweetened condensed mil
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
2 pinches of salt
2 cups peanut butter chips

This is a very easy and quick....simply line 8 inch pan with foil...brush with melt butter combine 3/4 cup condensed milk  with the chocolate chips and a pinch of salt in a  saucepan then in a seperate saucepan combine the remaining condensed milk and peanut butter chips with a pinch of salt put both pans over low heat and let cook stirring occasionally until they are both melted and smooth. Then spoon the chocolate and peanut butter into pan cut 8 inch piece of parchment paper with butter and place over fudge and press down lightly to fill in gaps and eliminate air pockets. refridgerate 45 mins.

I think next time I will swirl the chocolate and peanut butter rather then spoon....might more evenly distribute the chocolate and peanut butter...however still was rather tasty..

<3 rosette

Holiday Memories

As the weather gets colder in lovely CA its feeling a little more like the holiday season..and I say holiday because its begins with thanksgiving ( my favorite ) and doesn't end until the New Year!!
This weeked while doing our thanksgiving grocery shopping. I came across chestnuts....my most favorite memory from the holidays. Every year begining with thanksgiving we had them in our house growing up and my dad would roast them in the over on 350 for about 15/20 mins. Then he and I would sit at the kitchen table and peel them eating while we worked ( they are the best warm). They are a aquired taste I tired to get hubby to peel and eat with me but is his words " they taste like dirt"

cut small cross at the tip before baking for easy peeling

allow to cool slightly before peeling away outter shell to reveal golden center

enjoy!

<3 rosette



Heel Friday!

Its back..I missed last week it was a long work week and by friday I just wanted my uggs...however this week I brought out the heels. These are a super cute Betsey Johnson heels....I bought them a few years back and I love them because they a a mix of a very feminine rose pattern and then they have studs and a metal bow!!!!

                                                                          <3 rosette

Disney on Ice Tickets

I follow OC Family on facebook and I was so excited to see one of the blogs had a giveaway to see the Disney on Ice -Toy Story 3. Of course I entered and so can you. Go over to OC Family and enter to win a 4 pack of tickets to see the Disney on Ice. How happy would your kiddos be to see this, mine would be ecstatic!!

I love free things...$30 FREE

I was checking up on the blog How Does She and I came across her post a few days ago that was giving away a $30 credit towards ANY purchase to everyone from Paper Coterie. WOW did I love all their products they had to offer. They offer journals, photobooks, calendars, memory boxes, cards and more. So this momma ordered a photo book and with the $30 towards my purchase I only paid $6 and some change for shipping! I can't wait to get my book. So head over to How Does She to get the coupon code, but you better act fast it expires on Wednesday the 16th (TODAY!!) (Sorry I wished I would have seen the post earlier). I hope you get a chance to order a book or journal. I can't wait to order a 2012 journal from them!

Until next time...
Lynnae

Sunday Sweet's

This week's sweet comes from the Food Network...Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Minis..my hubby loves cheesecake and peanut butter...

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham craker crumbs ( i just crushed graham crackers I already had)
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter ( half a stick)
12 bite sized peanut butter cups (I used reese's)

Filling
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (room tempature)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

preheat oven to 350
place cupcake liners in pan

to make crust, in a bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until crumbs are moist press crust in bottom of each muffin cup. Put 1 peanut butter cup into the center of each crust.

to make filling, beat cream cheese with mixer until fluffy, add sugar, flour, and vanilla best well. add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each. Spoon cream cheese over peanut butter cups.

Bake until just set, about 20 min.




Allow to cool completly before serving

mmmm yummy!

<3 rosette



Friend Friday's

Almost every other week a group of our friends get together for dinner on friday night, it's usually to try a new resturant or somewhere we havent been in awhile. This week Buffalo Wild Wings was the place choosen, and this might seem odd why a chain wing place....well they have a "Blazin Wing Challenge"


wall of fame

Paul and Matt signed the consent forms and then they brought out the wings

12 wings in 6 minutes  no drinks no carrots or celery and no ranch

Paul doesn't look so happy at the mid way point

Hubby didn't even want to look up he was doing work!

Victory!! and a Free Tshirt!

Buffalo Wild Wings will never compare to our "Wings and Things" Huntington Beach however for those who don't want wings and have no interest in burning your insides with this challenge. They do have really yummy soft pretzels and a beer that tastes like fruity pepples.

<3 rosette



Birthday Treats...



Oatmeal Pancakes from Biggest Loser Recipes



Strawberry and Blueberry Mini Tarts

Yummy!!!

Happy Birthday my love!

Last weekend was the hubby's birthday and of course I had to make sure he had a wonderful day! We made him a birthday banner which he loved. I made breakfast from a recipe I found on Pinterest of course, Oatmeal Pancakes (they were so delicious and healthy too!) As for dessert he wasn't up for a cake (which I was thrilled about because I personally am NOT a cake lover) so he wanted a fruit tart (which happens to be my personal favorite). Even though my hubby doesn't like making a big deal about birthdays, it was a perfect day for him. If it was up to me I would have thrown him a surprise party, but him and I are very different and so I always make his day special for whatever he wants to do, as it should be!

Oatmeal Pancake Recipe (from Biggest Loser)

Ingredients:

6 egg whites
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle. Flip when they start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batches, spraying the griddle as needed. Makes about 10 pancakes

Number of Servings: 3

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
181 Calories, 2.7g Fat, 10mg Cholesterol, 361mg Sodium, 20g Carbs, 2.8g Fiber

Mini Jam Tarts (Paula Deen recipe)

Filling:

1 (8oz package cream cheese, softened)

1/2 C sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

**Mini Tarts- I bought the pre-made tarts from the store (I know I should have made them, will do next time)

For the filling and topping: Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Spread over the crust. Cut the strawberries  and blueberries and arrange on top of filling.

Till next time....

Lynnae





National Signing Day

My friend yvonne has a highschool senior and today was "national signing day" basically senior's sign letters of intent to College. This process is new to me and I never quite understood what it meant....( I went to a small high school and I wasn't atheltic...I was a nerd) Anyway she asked me to help her cut some letters for inviations....well then my cricut died...and she has been so patient and understanding I decied to create her a little frame for her desk...GO OSU

ikea wood frame 3/$1

A little black/orange paint and some cricut lettering and tada!
<3 rosette