Quick Easy DIY Christmas Bow Hair Pretties and Matching Necklace for Christmas

 Looking for a quick easy way to feel more festive? How about a gift that is inexpensive and fun for all ages? 

Check this out!

You will need:
 Hair clips (we used some ribbon lined alligators we happened to have)
bails
ball chains
glue gun 
glue sticks for the gun
tiny christmas bows
modge podge sealer
buttons with a flat back

Spray the bows with 4 to 5 coats of sealer so that they will be safe to be in the weather etc. 

 Glue the bail to the back of your flat button. (please forgive the blurry pics. I have no idea what was wrong with my camera but it did not want to take a nice picture this button and bail. These are the best I could get. Boo.

Finally glue one bow to the hair clips and one bow to the button. String the ball chain through the loop in the bail. 

ALL DONE!! 

Need some bails??

GO here!

LOVES

Emily

FREE Christmas Printable (and a bonus printable!!)

This is my Gabrielle Lily or Gabby for short (which is fitting because she is super short LOL!)   She is a wonderful girl that I feel humbled to be the mother to. In her 14 years she has accomplished more than some twice her age and I am so thankful to have her be a part of my life! She is the creator of the printables on our little blog. She graciously lets me give her ideas and she lets me "work" with her but really she does the hard parts and I am amazed by her!! She is working on building a printable business on etsy and has even had some sales!! WOW! Please accept the gift we offer you this Christmas in these free printables and if you are so inclined when she expands her printable business come and take a gander. You can bet I will be shouting it from the roof tops so you won't really have to worry about missing it. LOL!

In the mean time feel free to download and print these (in the size you desire) for your personal use whether it be for decor or to give in a frame etc. (please only for personal use. Thanks!)

Click Here to Download The Elf Code
Click Here to Download Come Let Us Adore Him

Our Christmas Daily Advents-Making the Christmas Season More Memorable

A long time ago we were having the talk we always have with our kids to discuss last years Christmas to discover what worked and what didn't. (PS if you don't have this little talk you should!! It is amazing what is important to them and what we as moms and dads are doing that isn't necessary and can relieve stress by letting it go.) It became clear that when we discussed the presents/gifts they couldn't remember most if not all that they had received. This was less than a year before!! (in their defense  they were little but still....)

BUT

They could remember with some awesome clarity the things that we did together. 

Welcome to the birth of our

DAILY ADVENTS
(this is what we will be doing this year)

Nov 28: Decorating the house and tree

NOV 29: The Family Thanksgiving Dinner

NOV 30: Wisemen still seek him (FHE)

DEC 1: Make our advent calendars

DEC 2: Sign Christmas cards and Hot cocoa bar

DEC 3: Sibling shopping and Crazy candlelight  dinner

DEC 4: Read our fav Christmas stories

DEC 5: St Nicholas Shoes

DEC 6: Ward Christmas Party

DEC 7: First Presidency Devo and munchies

DEC 8: Northpole breakfast for dinner

DEC 9: Sing along

DEC 10: Make gingerbread houses

DEC 11: Eggnog and popcorn night

DEC 12: Ho Ho Someone or Toys for Tots shopping

DEC 13: The Forgotten Carols and dinner

DEC 14: FHE Lesson w the grandparents and   Christmas dinner

DEC 15: Elf on the Shelf Arrives (all 30 days was too much)

DEC 16: Make and deliver neighbor gifts

DEC 17: Random acts of kindness day

DEC 18: craft night and plant candy cane     seeds

DEC 19: jingle bell jaunt

DEC 20: baking and treat making day

DEC 21: Family Christmas Party

DEC 22: Saran Wrap ball

DEC 23: Jammie movie marathon and pizza party

DEC 24: Lunch out and movie, family puzzle           building, make cookies for santa.             finger foods, open jammies and a             family devotional.

There you go...What do you do to make the season memorable?? If you have questions on what any of these are feel free to comment!! We love nice comments from nice people!!

LOVES

Emily

The BEST Mint Brownie Recipe!! (uses a cake mix!!)

I love this recipe! I have taken some of this recipe and that recipe and developed this delightful Mint Brownie recipe that is exactly what our family loves! Its has just the right enough mint to make it the perfect chocolate mint mix AND a wonderful fudgy frosting that is so good its bad!! The browning isn't too fudgy or too cake like. Perfect I tell ya!! (atleast for what we are looking for :)) You are going to love this one my peeps!!

Mint Brownies

1 Devil’s Food Cake Mix 

 6 TBS butter (cooled to room temp)

3 eggs

Pre heat your oven to 350 and lightly spray a 9x13 cake pan.Mix cake mix, butter and eggs together. Spread the batter into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes Be careful and keep an eye on these. You don't want them to be over done. Let cookies cool completely.

Peppermint Frosting:

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 Tablespoons milk

2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

6-8 drops of Green food coloring 

Mix together all the ingredients (add more or less powdered sugar until you get the consistency you like). Spread on top of the cooled brownie

Chocolate Frosting:

2 C. Milk chocolate chips

1/2 C +2 TBS butter

Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a double boiler OR slow and low over the stove Spread melted chocolate on the green frosting.

DIY gift round-up

Is it way too early to be thinking about Christmas gifts? Christmas is only like three months away! Three months. So really it is perfect timing, especially for doing handmade gifts! As a matter of fact I was hoping to DIY some little gifts for the ladies I work with. Below are a few that I found that I love. There will be other posts like this in the future because there are a whole lot of great tutorials out there. And I am crazy indecisive! 

Soap on a rope from A Beautiful Mess

Tiny neon pots from I Spy DIY

Cute jewelry dishes from I Spy DIY

DIY tea bags from Miss Renaissance

Instant Mocha mix from Something Turquoise. Although cocoa would probably be more my ladies style. 

DIY sugar scrub cubes from Rustic Escentuals

Those are just a few of a million different choices. What would you recommend? What are your favorite gifts? Maybe a Starbucks gift card will be the gift of choice!

Getting Organized for Christmas-5 Things I have started on

I don't know if I have mentioned it before but I love Christmas!! I am that lady that bugs everyone else talking and planning etc long before the rest of the world believes I should be. Sorry not sorry. :) I love everything about it! I like to focus on Christ's birth and I have no problems with the big man in the red suit.  In  fact, I believe they go hand in hand. What I do not like is the stress and unhappiness that comes when I am unprepared and unorganized. Luckily for me there are ways to ease these problems. I want to share some of the things I do to make things easier and less stressful.

1. I joined smarty pig. Smarty pig is a savings club that will withdraw my decided amount on the days I ask it too with out me having to think about it.  It is a life saver!! It allows me to save enough that the expense doesn't become a focus.  You can read more about it here...

2. I plan  to stalk up the freezer for those busy days and nights when there just isn't time or maybe desire to slave over a hot stove making dinner. Another added benefit is the fact that theses meals are "prepaid" if you will and can free up a little extra cash for all that little expenses we sometimes forget about. Not to mention the savings of not going to the fast food joint down the street too.

 PS Be watching for posts with some freezer meal ideas and recipes and freezer meals for those who don't have a bunch of freezer space coming soon

3. I have a definite budget already written  and I do my best to include everything we may possibly need to spend money on. Not just gifts. Think decor updates, fun activities, parties we may be throwing, charity giving, etc. You get the drift. Jason and I always base each category on a percentage of our wages. Better years we have more to spend.  Leaner years we will pull our belts in. 

4. I try to come to a decision on neighbor gifts, handmade gifts and our Christmas card list and get to work on them ASAP. Anything not finished by Thanksgiving will be set aside for another time. (read go gentle on the handmade items and only go for those things I know I can finish in time) I refuse  to relive those Christmases where I have been behind the 8 ball sweating and stressing on Christmas Eve trying to finish all my projects.  I feel like at some point it needs to be the moms holiday too and I should relax and enjoy. Besides, when the mom is stressed no one can really enjoy their time either.

ONE LAST THING

5. I do my best to go with the flow...if something isn't going the way I planned, I do my very best to roll with the things that are working. I remember one Christmas Eve in particular that was chock full of  planned activities including a scavenger hunt, a full Christmas dinner with ham and all the trimmings and a movie with fast food lunch. It was too much and I ended up nearly in tears, feeling like I had failed until I noticed the happy faces on my kids who could care less if every little detail was done.  They were so excited to just be in the moment. Soaking in the giddy, little kid, Santa is coming feelings. I have since simplified my vision of the day and month, we have the dinner the Sunday before etc and I just eat up being with them. (we never did a scavenger hunt again on Christmas Eve BTW) I ask them what they want to do and love hearing what is important to them and what they would consider tradition. 

Bottom line: It is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Not the most stressful time of the year. We can do this! What do you do to get ready and organized?? We would love to hear!!

Loves 

Emily

Salted Marshmallow Fudge cookies-An easy semi-homemade idea!!

Looking for a quick easy party food? Need something fast to take to a friend in need? Bridal or baby shower coming up? Bake sale? Why not Salted Marshmallow Fudge Cookies? 

 This is a super quick way to fancify your fudge marshmallow cookies and it super duper easy!!  You will need a package of the marshmallow fudge cookies (ya know....like the ones that rhyme with twinwheels?? OR Great Value makes a great (haha get it?? GREAT) version too and they are less than half the price and neither is free from the cracks on the surface of the fudge so go for the cheap I say) You will also need a torch and a sprinkle of kosher salt

BTW this little torch was found at Harbor Freight for $9 full of fuel AND he is refillable.

 Pretty great deal!! (if you are in the market for a torch) :) 

All you do is wave the torch over the top of the cookie until the chocolate gets shiny and sprinkle a little bit of kosher salt over it. Let it set (re-harden) and serve. YUMMY!!

 NOTE-keep in mind that the end of the torch stays hot for a while after the flame is off so be careful with it until you know it is cool.

 ENJOY MY FRIENDS!!

Christmas is Coming! Are you getting ready??? Come see how!!

It is approx 6 months until Christmas!! 

I am so excited! 

I should tell you that as you get to know me better you will discover that I am a Christmas nut...I really do love the entire holiday season and Christmas is the entire month leading up to the actual Christmas day for me. We do daily advents and focus on quality time and family togetherness.  All of this takes money and can really break the bank if you are not prepared.  

Awh...now on to the reason for this post....

My husband and I made a vow when we were first married that we would not ever go into debt for Christmas. We felt like having to pay for Christmas for the year if not many years after would steal the joy the gifts etc were given for in the first place. This would require putting money away. Savings.  Not an easy concept for us until recently. I discovered a company called Smarty Pig a few years ago and it has been life changing. What is smarty pig you ask?? It is a set it and forget it savings website that will help you set a financial goal (it isn't just for Christmas) and will come and withdraw money for you (when you ask them to) and put it in a savings account for you. They are FDIC insured and secured with VeriSign which is the strongest encryption available so you can trust that you and your money are safe. SO... I now decide on a budget in Jan (see I told you I'm a Christmas nut) and I do my best to make sure I have thought of everything we may need money for. Including parties, special foods, like our Christmas Eve munchies, decorations that need some updates, neighborhood gifts etc etc etc. Then divide it by our paychecks coming and wah la I know what amount my withdrawls need to be.  NOW... I know it isn't Jan but every little bit helps. YES? We still have 6 months to get a little nest egg started and every little bit helps right?? 

Go check them out HERE! 

PS. I am not being paid or receiving compensations from Smarty Pig. I just found a great thing and want my friends to know about it. Cool? :)