My nephew and his wife are expecting a baby, due in December. Friends of theirs gave them a baby shower which I attended. It was so much fun!
I noticed that most of my niece’s friends are pregnant which makes it really nice that their kids will have lots of friends the same age. The moms and dads can find comfort in each others struggles and triumphs. Now, at my age, I say, misery loves company but I am sure these kids are enjoying this stage in their lives.
The baby shower was low key with a few games and opening of gifts. I was impressed by the food. There were little chicken salad sandwiches, fruit and vegetable trays and of course the cake. The theme for the nursery is farm animals and so the hostess made a barn cake. Around the barn she had placed cupcakes decorated with a variety of farm animals faces. So cute!
My son and his wife are so sweet. They bought me a wonderful mother’s day gift. Now, I am not complaining because they really should not have bought me anything but they waited forever to give it to me! I am not good at waiting but this was worth it. Aren’t these pretty?
I love it when I hear that a guy has a plan. He makes a list of things of which he has truly given some thought and goes on the hunt. That would be my husband today. He left this morning and I could tell by the look in his eye, he would be searching for those special spiderman cuff links while under the pretense of finding me something I would ooh and aw over. You see, Spiderman is revered in this house.
Did you know that Spiderman was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko? Spiderman first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962). The sixties were the years that my husband spent curled up on the couch with his dog, Spook, and read comic books.
So, when my husband comes home this afternoon laden with packages, I will be looking for small boxes. No, diamonds aren’t what I will be expecting. I will be happy with the satisfaction he experiences upon, finally, finding those elusive Spiderman cufflinks.
I’ll be honest. I have never shopped at Sephora but the opportunity to save money gripped me in its claws. Do you ever buy something just because it is such a good deal? I am not even getting paid to write about this! I am not getting paid to write about how Jon, as in Jon Gosselin, gave his soon to be ex-wife Kate flowers. Thank goodness I am not getting paid to write about it because I am not writing it!
This is the time of year when I shop for other people. People who shop at Sephora! Sephora has fragrance gifts, skincare gifts and best of all, great stocking stuffers. It looks like I have been sorely missing out by not shopping at Sephora.
For a limited time only, get FREE SHIPPING on select holiday gifts at Sephora! Enter the code HOLIDAYSHIP when you check out and you will not be charged for shipping. Awesome.
Again, I am not getting any money or free product to write this. I just like to share a good deal when I see it.
I talked on my Winding Threads blog how aprons have made a big comeback. I love to wear an apron especially since I run our business from our home. An apron can save many spots from appearing on a good blouse or pair of pants.
One of the best websites I have seen for cute aprons at affordable prices is at Apron Frenzy. This mother daughter duo has been sewing up a storm. They make half aprons, plain aprons, fancy aprons and kids aprons. They will make an apron especially for you.
Do you have a favorite color or fabric that you envision in an apron? Apron Frenzy will whip one up for you. Aprons make wonderful gifts. Surprise your mom this Mother’s Day with a new apron. You could pick her favorite flower or cartoon character fabric and have an apron made specifically for her! Show your friends how much they mean to you by having a special apron made just for them.
Aprons make perfect bridal shower gifts. I can think of some beautiful fabric that would make a lovely gift for a bride. You could pack it with a recipe book and a set of measuring cups to make a wonderful gift.
So, what did everyone receive for Christmas this year? Did any of you receive a Wii Fit? I sold mine. I didn’t want to feel that dread every day when I saw the box sitting there unused. I admit it. I am an exercise drop out.
I wonder what the most popular gift was this year. Was it perfume or replica watches? Most families give practical gifts like pajamas and socks. Dads receive ties and moms receive earrings. Is that how it is at your house? What was the most popular gift for toddlers and preschool aged children? Not having any that age, I feel out of the loop.
I know of families who don’t exchange gifts at all. They donate money to a charity or they buy gifts for a family and make their Christmas brighter. So many people barely have money for food and utilities. It is nice that their lives are made better if only for a moment.
Tomorrow begins a new week. I hope to get my Christmas decorations put away.
For months I have been working on buying gifts that would make each recipient smile, thinking of groceries I needed to buy and beds to get ready. All too quickly it is coming to an end. Wow. We had such a nice time visiting with the kids and the rest of our family. We worked hard to remember my brother in-law’s passing on Tuesday yet not let it cast a black cloud over our moods. That is what Doug would have wanted. He really loved Christmas.
We opened gifts last night while Stacy, our daughter, was on the webcam. It felt as if she were right here with us. She took her turn opening gifts right along with us. She didn’t get to share our Chinese food but I heard that her ham was pretty tasty. She takes after her dad and is a great cook.
It sounds like all we do is eat and I think that might be because we DO eat all the time. Today we had a terrific brunch with a breakfast casserole, cinnamon rolls, bacon, eggs and toast. Our nephew and his girlfriend joined us. After we ate we watched a home video that was filmed around 20 years ago. OMG! We laughed so hard. I want to get out all of our videos and watch them. I need to find a way to put them on DVD’s.
This afternoon was spent trying to nap and working on a quilt. I hope that everyone had a blessed holiday.
One of my most favorite things to do during the holiday season is to bake cookies. I have a wonderful recipe for cut out Christmas cookies. I have accumulated many cookie cutters over the years and it is fun to get them out once a year. It is like greeting an old friend. Okay, maybe not that sweet but it is fun. LOL Buy.com has a whole set of Christmas cookie cutters at their website that you might want to check out. Their sale prices are unbelievable. That set would make a great gift for newlyweds and is only $16.50!
Here are some hints that I have found that make making Christmas cookies a simple and fun task.
Cookie dough is much easier to work with after it’s been refrigerated for at least half an hour–and the cut-outs will hold their shape better if the dough is cold.
* Keep cookie cutters from sticking to the dough by misting them very lightly with cooking spray.
* If you’re cutting out delicate or large shapes, roll out the dough on parchment paper, lifting off the scraps; slide the paper directly onto a baking sheet.
If you need to mail your cookies:
When making cut-out cookies for mailing, choose fairly sturdy shapes without too many pointy edges.
* Pack decorated, dry cookies in a flat, sturdy container with a tight-fitting lid. Line it with parchment or waxed paper.
* Pack a selection of cookie shapes in a single layer, fitting them together as closely as possible. Now pile more cookies into the container, stacking same-shape cookies on top of each other.
* When the container is full, put wadded-up pieces of wax paper or unbuttered air-popped popcorn into any empty spaces, then seal the lid. Wrap the container in bubble wrap, and pack it into a box. The cookies should arrive fresh, beautiful and full of home-baked love.
I had so much fun watching my friend’s daughter cheer at her junior high ballgame. It tickled my heart to see that she loved the bag I made. It got me to thinking that perhaps you parents of teens are looking for something special to give to your tween or teen this Christmas. When all you see at the mall are sexy corsets that are inappropriate for your teen, it is nice to have an alternative. I have 3 bags left and I am selling them for $15.00 each plus $3.00 shipping. Let me know if I should package one up for you.
Don’t forget to check out my Mommy and Daughter purses at My Opinion Counts.
When I have Thanksgiving dinner at my house I have a lot to plan. I like to plan my menu and then buy the groceries. I make sure the beds are ready for guests who are staying all night. I like to have movies and games for everyone to play.
My great nieces range from 2 years old to 12 years in age and I try to have some things for them to do. I try to have toys that they can sit and play with so they aren’t bored. MEGA Brands has the toys I like because they are made of tough sturdy materials that last. They are the types of toys that kids like to play with for long periods of time. That gives us adults plenty of time for card games and naps.
I think that the thing I like best about MEGA Brands toys is that they encourage kids to use their imaginations. From the piano, described in my video to the Disney magic found in the Princess Enchanted Gardens, kids learn from these toys. They are learning language skills, colors, numbers and how to make things work.
MEGA Brands has an awesome selection of toys that all members of your family will enjoy for many years.
