Post of Pictures that I like

I am not a photographer, but occasionally (by accident) I will take a picture that I really like and am pleased with. I love these 2 shots of Rance (they were taken this fall). Now a real photographer probably wouldn't appreciate them, but I like them and that's what matters.

Maybe someday I can take some photography classes. (I want real photography classes and not photoshop classes - well maybe them too eventually, but I would love to know what to do when I am behind the camera to get a good shot.)



I LOVE this picture of my dad with the 2 little ones. This is Christmas Eve and he is reading them the Night Before Christmas. It is right after bath and right before bedtime. It has become a tradition for us (my dad has done this for about 9 or 10 years).

Homemade Goodies and FREE gift tags

I love giving homemade goodies from the kitchen for Christmas. Everyone has to eat and it shows that I gave something of myself also (time - which sometimes is more precious than money).

There are some free, very cute, downloadable tags for homemade goodies here at butter is best along with recipes.

Homemade Sour Dough Bread is one of my favorite things to make and give during the holiday season. Sweets are nice, but a lot of people give sweets and I feel bread is a reprieve from all the sweet goodness. You can see what I am talking about here and here. (If you were thinking about giving me sweets, go ahead, I won't be offended.)

Here are a few more printable gift tags...
About.com
Gift tags for all occasions at brownie locks
Printable recipe cards with matching gift tags from allfreeprintables.com

Hope this gets you in the mood to make some homemade gifts and while you are at it, send me some to sample.

A New Christmas Tradition and a Christmas song

Two years ago we started a new Christmas Tradition at our house...Santa Bags. Each of my boys has his own Santa Bag (you can see one here). On Christmas Eve, the boys place the bag where they want (under the tree, on the couch, etc.) and Santa puts their gifts inside their bag.

The next morning they open their bag to see what Santa brought. A friend of mine asked me to make her boys Santa bags this year. They are approximately 2 feet by 3 feet, red fleece with a gold drawstring. I embroidered their names in white. I hope they enjoy the new tradition as much as we have.

Now here is one of my favorite Christmas songs by one of my very favorite Country Music artist.

Blanket for a boy

One of my closest friends asked me if I would make a blanket and pillow for a little boy's birthday. She said that he loved John Deere tractors. (I think that he is 4.)



I made a crib size blanket (so it would be large enough to cover him, but small enough for him to carry around) with JD flannel on one side and solid green cotton on the back and I used a yellow satin binding around the edges. I embroidered his name in yellow.


I purchased a travel size pillow and made a matching pillow case for it. The pillowcase itself is the JD flannel, the edge of the pillowcase is the solid green and I embroidered his name in yellow on the green trim of the pillowcase.




My friend intended for Morgan to use it now, but I think his mom is planning on putting it up for Kindergarten next year.

My husband works for a New Holland/Kubota Tractor dealership. I thought he was going to divorce me for making something with green tractors. (Just kidding, but only a little.)

And you thought your week was bad...

...I can talk about this now.

I just had my 40th birthday on Nov. 5. That hasn't really bothered me (I mean it's much better than the alternative). My birthdays have never bothered me, but people do.

On Wednesday, Nov. 3 (2 days BEFORE my birthday), I was in the check out lane of an establishment (who will remain nameless) and the clerk said that my grandson was very cute. [He was my youngest son, Rance, he's 4.]

Me: "Thank you, but he's mine."
Clerk: "Oh! Well, we are offering a Senior Citizen's discount today. Are you over 55?"
Me: "No. It will be awhile."

O.k. I just said that he was my son and NOT my grandson. Then she proceeds to ask if I'm a Senior Citizen?!? How old would I have to be to have him? She didn't even ask if I was 55 (which at the time I wasn't even 40 yet), she asked if I was OVER 55. Did she mean 56? Did she mean 65? I was pretty upset (although, I didn't let her know it).

I went out to the car and called my DH and told him the story. He laughed.

Me: "Did you just laugh at me?"
DH: "What did you expect me to do?"
Me: "I don't know, but not laugh at me."

Note: This is not the first time I had been mistaken for Rance's grandmother. It happed twice last year. My husband and I had discussed this and biologically it could happen. He could be my grandson...and if he were, I would be very proud to be his grandmother, but he's not and I'm not! I am his mother and would love for people to know it.

Well, I then called a close friend of mine (she also chose to have children later on in life and we have discussed the benefits).

Me: "Hey! There are benefits to having kids later in life. Right?"
M: "Which one do you want to kill?"
Me: "It's actually not my kids. It's someone else."

Insert above story here.

M: "Where are you at?"
Me: I told her.
M: "Give me 15 min. and I'll be there."
Me: "No, you don't have to come. I just needed some re-assuring."
M: "Yes, I am coming. We are going out for consolation ice-cream."

We went and I whined to her and then we laughed about it and I was in a much better mood after that. Aren't friends great?!?!

I told my DH what she had done and then I said, "See, that's what you were supposed to do. Console me, not laugh at me."

Wait! Don't stop reading yet. The story is not over. It gets better.

Our anniversary was on Sat., Nov. 13 (a week and a day after my birthday). Some friends of ours volunteered to watch the boys and let them spend the night so Frank and I could have a date night on Friday night (for our anniversary).

Friday (Nov. 12) Rance and I were running errands while the other 3 were in school and another lady commented on how cute and sweet my grandson was (just 9 days after the first incident). After I picked up the boys from school and dropped them off and Mr. & Mrs. B's house, I called Frank and said that I was going to be late meeting him for our dinner date.

DH: "Why? Did something happen?" (I think he was thinking, car trouble or something minor. But it wasn't minor, it was MAJOR!)
Me: "Someone mistook me for Rance's grandmother AGAIN! I am going to get my hair cut."
DH: "Do you think it is your hair?"
Me: "I don't know, but that's where I'm starting."

And, after letting my hair grow out for a year. I got it all cut off.

Side note: When in doubt...DON'T! If you even think it is someone's grandchild, don't say it. Call it his/her child. If you are wrong and it is their grandchild, you would have just made them feel better and possibly made their day. If you are correct and it is their child, then no harm done. P. S. Same goes for being pregnant. When in doubt - DON'T!

That reminds me. A week before the above incident took place, a lady asked me when my next baby was due. I am NOT pregnant!!!

Please pray for my husband...he is married to a pregnant Senior Citizen. Talk about hormones!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Disclaimer: This part is a joke, I am not pregnant nor am I a Senior Citizen.)

Friendly Napkins

I made these napkins for a friend's birthday. My inspiration is from Purl Bee (see my inspiration and a tutorial here). [Molly makes napkins for Thanksgiving every year (for her big she-bang) - scroll to the middle of the page from the link above to see her past napkins.]

I used a linen look fabric and a chocolate brown fabric (neutral tones). Then I embroidered the first initial of her last name in one corner in chocolate brown.

I would love a bunch of these for myself in the beautiful, vibrant, fall colors that Molly from Purl Bee made. My husband's family is large and we rotate having holidays at each other's houses. If I start now making a few each year, I will have enough by the time it is my turn to have Thanksgiving here again.

I think (even without the embroidery) they would make great hostess or wedding gifts. Maybe even Christmas gifts. You could make a set of 4 or 8 in red this year for a friend and then next year make her a set in green. She could mix and match.

You could make a bunch of these to have on hand for a last minute birthday gift, hostess gift or whatever. [A friend of mine used to buy dish towels from the Dollar Store. She would buy one or two every time she went and kept them on hand as a hostess gift. Even if she just went over for coffee, she would take a dish towel as a hostess gift. She never went anywhere without taking something for the hostess. She kept the dish towels displayed in a basket in her home until she was ready to give them.] You could do the same with these napkins.

"Tote"ally Terrific Teacher

O.k. I have had all kinds of ideas for Anthony's teacher this year, but my timing has been all wrong (at least I've had a plan - I usually have good intentions, but wait until the last minute and don't get anything accomplished).

I had a plan for Teacher Appreciation Week and gave it to her early (didn't have too, but it went so well with the theme - now I still have to come up with something for Teacher Appreciation Week). I had an idea for Christmas (more about that later on in this post), but found out Anthony's teacher's birthday is Saturday of this week. So she will be getting her Christmas present for her birthday instead of Christmas (and now I've got to come up with something for Christmas).

Background info...
The school's mascot is a 'bee' image and has green and gold for their colors. Anyway, it is very hard to find any thing with a bee that is in green and gold, but very easy to find bees with black and gold colors. So that's what I went with.

I made Anthony's teacher a tote bag (you know, for grade books, papers to be graded, etc.). I used a black fabric with a white polka dot. I embroidered her name in a yellow-gold.


I lined the bag with a yellow fabric that has bees on it.


It's not too big, but not too small. I made the handles long enough to go over her shoulder (you know that teachers have enough to carry already) so it might free up her hands. I used a black nylon webbing for the handles (should hold up really well).