I tried a couple of NEW recipes this past week...

This Frito Chili Pie was a huge hit with the family. It was really simple to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand : )  Win, Win and WIN!

Molasses Krinkles (cookies)  

My kids really enjoyed the cookies. I am not a big fan of molasses but we had some leftover from another recipe and I decided to make these cookies. They sure did make my house smell lovely!

Miss me yet?

HEY GIRL!

 

Ok, I will say it...

The elves need to go back to Santa (as in yesterday!)

Something that started out so "cute" has now gone above and beyond ANNOYING!

Yeah....

We've got elves baking donuts...

We've got elves peeing in the milk just to turn it green...

We've got elves climbing walls and even driving cars.

YES, one elf managed to get in a car and drive it DOWN THE ROAD, PARK THE CAR and LEAVE IT UNTIL MORNING. 

uhh...

Our elf did a few OVER THE TOP things in the beginning but then became rather lazy.

Anyone feel like all the elves were trying to ONE UP the others this year?

Umm Hmm...

Another something that's become quite obnoxious over the past couple of months?

Those DARN "HEY GIRL" photos (Ryan Gossling and now everybody and their grandpa)

I can't log on to to the computer without seeing "HEY GIRL" or a flippin' elf.

Can we move on to the next obnoxious OVERUSED "Something or Another"?

PLEASE???

Last minute neighbor gift ideas

Last minute shopper ahem CRAFTER like me?

Here's a couple of ideas for gifts : )

Gingebread Playdough 

This stuff smells AWESOME and everyone that walks in your house will think you have been baking all day.

I finally caved in and made the "Rolo" turtles too !

Yep, they are just as good as everyone says they are.

Rolo Pretzel Turtle Candy recipe

Our magazine trees....fancy decorating Y'all : )

Our tree has a paper chain on it. It also has handpainted ornaments from my kids. Ya know what else is on the tree? A handprint TURKEY! Yep, he's just placed right up there by a paper snowman that someone colored.

It's probably the prettiest tree that I have ever seen.

I didn't spend all day decorating it nor did I spend a small fortune on decorations this year.

My babies decorated it with paper and glue.

We took memories and formed a masterpiece.

Here's some other things that we have made over the past two weeks . . .

thumbprint reindeer ornaments (click for video tutorial)

magazine christmas trees (click link for tutorial)

A teenager, a 7 year old and our 14 week old cutie pie

September ---Kennedy was born

October --Mommy had a birthday

November --Meghan turned 13 (a teenager...ugh!)

December --Reagan turned 7

That's a whole lotta birthdays, folks : )

thumbs up (Christmas decor ideas using your thumbprint!)

We have been using our fingerprints a lot this week by making Christmas ornaments.

We made reindeer, christmas trees, snowmen and christmas lights ones...

The kids had fun, made memories and mommy got a cute little keepsake.

WIN WIN WIN!

(We made these a couple of years ago. Full handprint snowmen)

Need a little more inspiration?

Try these handprint/thumbprint Christmas ideas!

(Click photos for more info)

Have fun : )

How to make a reindeer hair bow for Christmas

Here's another fun little hair clip just in time for Christmas . . .

Meet Rudolph the Reindeer's GAL PAL (We shall call her "Rita") :

**Not to be confused with Clarice.

Wow, Rudolph is a busy little reindeer.

Anyhoozle, here is the tutorial :

Here's an idea . . . Add your reindeer clippie to a hair bow. 

Christmas hairbow tutorial can be found in the post below this one.

Need a little inspiration? Christmas hairbow idea

Fa La La La.....HUH?

Yeah, that's what happens to my brain during the holidays. It seems I'm being pulled in a million different directions. My creativity goes OUT THE WINDOW.

Does this happen to you too?

Here's a little design inspiration for ya in case you need it.

Christmas hairbow tutorial

How to make korker hair bows

Blake the elf says "Can you see me NOW, John Cena?"

The kids woke up to this :

OH BLAKE!