Our Crazy Cat

He's so much fun!

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Cinnamon Honey Butter

2 Sticks Softened Butter
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Honey
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

Using the whisk attachment in your mixer, blend all ingredients until it is smooth and has an even consistency. Occasionaly scrape down the sides of the mixer with a rubber spatula to ensure even mixing. Fill a jar or small container for gift giving.

I saw it *here*.  Isn't her site amazingly beautiful?

How I enjoyed this day

• Waking up early (dry sore throat) & going back to bed
• Snuggling with my kitty
• Taking my time getting ready for the day instead of the 10-15 minute rush that it usually is
• Going to breakfast with Damon & Brett
• Finding two nice jean skirts at Goodwill
• Getting a few groceries for this weekend, next week & for someone in need (even though the store was insane)
• Enjoyed a raspberry mocha, non-fat/no whip from Starbucks on a gift card
• Chatting re: day care with a friend I've come to know via Facebook, although I'm not sure we've ever met
• Dropping off some fudge & visiting with some special neighbor friends who have two cute little girls
• Getting Brett's repaired DS in the mail
• Considering a sweet thought for the future but not knowing if it will work out
• Looking forward to being with family tomorrow
• Loving knowing we have *no plans* for Saturday or Sunday
• Thinking of special company coming on Monday night
• Making some Cinnamon Honey Butter
• Discovering & enjoying music by Michael Buble  Especially these two Haven't Met You Yet & Feeling Good. Oh, and Everything too!
• No cleaning, no cooking. Just doing whatever sounds good.
• Appreciating quiet unbusy time

Clipboard #2

This one's for me. I use one on my desk everyday for attendance.  It may as well be pretty!  I started this one for the piano teacher but I had to seam it so I'll start over on hers & use this one myself.

Finishing Up

A couple more picture tiles - 2 of this one, one for each parent.

And one of this cutie...I'm really going to miss him when he leaves which sounds like soon.


Gift bags:   I liked the look of the snowy wrap idea so this was my version.  The gift tags are a free printable from Living Locurto.

Rudolph hand print cards I helped the kids make. Idea from The Mailbox.

Fudge - this year instead of trying to cut it all into squares, I just cut it into large chunks, saran wrapped it and then again with foil.  Labels are a free printable, printed on sticker paper from Fresh Picked Whimsy. Love her stuff!
Homemade marshamallows

Claimed

Look who claimed my chenille throw & basket I received last night from Sam's family. I had to come back & add this picture:

Definitely claimed....

Special Delivery

Yesterday this arrangement arrived from one of Damon's work associates in North Carolina.  The roses & cinnamon smell lovely & the mixing bowl/spoons are just adorable. Such a treat.  The pictures don't do it justice. Thank you so much Dianna!

Putsy but Cute

Decorated Nutter Butters for day care treats. They are supposed to look like the last picture (on the cover of Quick Cooking Nov/Dec 03) but Damon must not have found any cookies that shape because this is what he came home with. Of course he didn't know what I was doing with them but it worked. I made them a few years ago & thought they were so cute.

A is for Airplane

Brett made airplanes out of colored craft sticks for the all kids today.  Each one chose the color and then Brett wrote their age on their plane so everyone knows whose is whose.

Jolly

"Mom, right now I feel pretty jolly."

Lovin it

Stormy is enjoying his new toy from Grandma!  He took it under the bed last night & carried it out this morning to play with.

There was also cake

that Mom R. made. And beautiful chocolate dipped strawberries.  Thank you!

Stormy Kitty

Wonderland Express

Saturday we went to see the Wonderland Express exhibit with Damon's Mom & Dad at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Beautiful! Amazing to see Chicago landmarks recreated with bark, moss, acorns and leaves. Brett loved the trains! It even "snowed". Amazing details and gorgeous plants.



1. Obama Kenwood Home, 2. Wreath, 3. Bungelows, 4. Gingerbread, 5. History Museum, 6. Navy Pier, 7. Ferris Wheel, 8. Us, 9. Flower balls, 10. Greenhouse, 11. Orchids, 12. 750,000 Lights, 13. Chicago

See all the pictures on Flickr: Wonderland Express

Busy Making Stuff

Clear glass ornaments with paint inside. They are prettier than pictured with all the glitter & swirling. These are parent gifts.



Jingle bell necklaces. Beading is always great for little hands!

Glitter gingerbread men. I liked last year's better but had to do something different and kids love glitter (me too!)



Tree picture frame magnets. This was a kit that someone gave me but they turned out so cute! The parents really liked them.





Triangle tree collages. Brett's school made similar ones for their tree by the office.



Cornstarch clay handprints painted with watercolors & pearlized paint for parent gifts.



Cornstarch clay ornaments - also parent gifts.

Out Shopping

Sometimes when we're out shopping Brett will spot something he likes but we're not going to buy, so I take a picture with my phone & he's happy.  I love these pictures.


The first time he saw a cheesehead hat & I explained what it was about.



Sword & shield at Dollar Tree. No weapon kind of toys with day care in our house...it doesn't go over well with other parents (me either) and it encourages agressive play. But a kid can dream!


Great baseball stuff at Target! Maybe sometime soon...



Playing Wii at Best Buy while waiting for us to buy a camera last December. He figured it all out right away (enough to entertain himself anyway!)

Save Even More

Don't miss the big sale at Wal-mart!!  Janesville Wal-mart Thursday evening.

Teacher Gift

Brett took this gift to his teacher today.  I decorated a clipboard & notepad. Included is a Mark-It marker and glass bead magnets. Auntie Julie got one nearly the same as part of her birthday present.  Hopefully they are as fun to use as they are to make!

More Picture Tiles

These photo tiles are created by gluing a photo to a square slate tile (from Home Depot). The photo is covered with Modge Podge to protect it and it gives it a textured look. Then I used scrapbook paper and embellishments to decorate the tiles. These can be propped up on a shelf, layed on a surface or set on a picture easel.



The baby's says "Frogs & snails and puppy dog tails".  I have a couple more to make but I need to pick up some more slate tiles.  These go together really fast & it's so fun!

Picture Tile

Here I am up late tonight to make a project. After some errands I had to "start" this which led to finishing it and working on several other things.  I was inspired to try this after seeing it on Little Birdie Secrets.  I decided to use a tile because I like the look & it appears to be less work!  I plan to make several more with the day care kids' pictures.  I think I'll get a small picture stand to put it on.

Brett's Holiday Concert

Brett's holiday concert was this afternoon.   Thanks to a wonderful neighbor to fill in at day care for an hour I was able to go. THANK YOU BETTY! Thankfully the kids made her job easy and slept the whole time. First the kindergartners sang, then 1st grade. The kindergartners always make me cry! They're so cute. Plus I know several of those kids, including one that I took care of from birth-5 yrs. The 2nd & 3rd grade concert is tomorrow.





Happy Holiday song

Here We Come A Caroling:  Brett's on bells - the microphone wasn't working so the teacher was taking care of that. The little girl was embarassed to keep checking the microphone but did a great job! : )  Our son is showing off....I'll dare to show it to you anyway.  He was so excited!  And now I feel really bad...G & G Ransom are not so far away (but on vacation) so they may have liked to be invited today and I didn't even think of it until now!  Sorry!

Winter Page

I had to make another page using the "winter mask" freebie from Creative Memories.  The other set is Brrrr! from Shabby Shoppe.

Snowstorm

We had a great snowday!  I had the same number of kids as usual, just different kids with school being out.  Brett & A stayed outside after the rest of us came in - for over 2 hours! They were having a snowball fight with all sorts of rules and stipulations.  Both came in quite windburn.  Back to school tomorrow but there's a 2 hour delay.