WARNING: GRUMPY ALERT! DANGER!

WARNING:  GRUMPY OLD LADY! BEWARE! DANGER!  BAH HUMBUG!


Don't say I didn't warn you.... 

I feel like I've been eaten by a Holiday Monster.  I cannot seem to FINISH the Christmas decorations, baking, shopping, wrapping, crafting, etc.  Everything seems to be half-done and I'm stuck.

Just to put it in perspective, this is what I started with on the day after Thanksgiving.

This does not include the main tree or the outside lights. Oh.My.Gracious!  Once again, I've gone with the "More is More" theme for the holidays.  I do not know why I do this to myself.  

Don't get me wrong, I L.O.V.E. Christmas, but this year I'm finding it really overwhelming!

Other than having too much junk stuff, I'm stumped by two new things I bought this year.  I bought  two gorgeous red cut class vases/candle holders at Hobby Lobby and these two fabulous white reindeer at Z Gallerie.

I want to use things like this in my holiday decorating, the problem is that these are chic and cool and everything else that I have is NOT. 

Normally, I can get a "vision" of how I want my table, mantle, whatever to look and then make it happen.  I have no vision this year, and I don't want to work on anything else (baking, wrapping, cards, blah, blah, blah) until it looks like Christmas and the mess of the empty boxes is put away.

On the upside, the "big" tree is finished, the nativities are in place, and I think I made some good progress on everything else last night. 

I swear, I do not care if it harelip's the governor, I WILL finish the decorating TONIGHT!  Whatever doesn't get done tonight is just not going to happen.  


Is anyone else struggling with this as much as I am?

Who Doesn't Love a Flash Mob?

I saw this on Susie Davis' blog here.  Love it!!!



I wanna be in a flash mob! These videos just make me happy. 

Merry Christmas!

Best Mom Ever's Advent Calendar

When Chicken Little was, well...little, I made an advent calendar with small paper mâché boxes that I'd covered in wrapping paper and wall paper scraps.  I didn't have enough small boxes, so I improvised and the collection grew to include various decorative boxes that found their way into our Christmas decorations.  Here's a bit of the collection that I cropped from an OLD picture (the pink striped one is an example of how it started):

Every year I'd fill them with small gifts - mostly from the dollar store - or candy. I'd also include fun Christmas-themed things like pencils with designs on them, ornaments, or supplies for Christmas crafts.  As she got older, we continued the tradition and the gifts changed to things like lip gloss and earrings (vintage clip-ons from eBay at $1 or less/pair), with a few ornaments and candy still thrown in the mix.  I had as much fun figuring out what to put in the boxes as she did opening them. 

As I started to think about Christmas this year, I knew it was something we would both miss.  While this is a year of big changes, it doesn't mean we have to go cold turkey on everything.  I decided to ease our transition.  Even though CL's not home, I still wanted this to feel like Christmas for her (and, honestly, I'm not quite ready to give up on this fun tradition yet either).

This year, I bought some small tags and got crafty with some mod podge, scrapbook paper, rhinestones, and stickers.

Using stencils, stamps, stickers, and some freehand, I numbered each tag, 1 - 24.

Then I made a trip to the $1 sections at Target and Michael's...

...ok - so not all of this is from the $1 section, but you get the idea.  (I already had the little metal stocking and I have no idea where it came from.) 

Using envelopes, recycled boxes and wrapping paper scraps, I wrapped everything up, and attached the tags.

When it was all ready to go, I squeezed it all into a flat-rate priority mail box with some red and green tissue paper.  While she was home during Thanksgiving, I mailed it so it would be waiting when she got back to school.

As I'm sure you know, it's not about what's in the packages - it's mostly just junk - it's really about the tradition and having a bit of home with you when you're far away - and knowing that someone cares about you.

When my big, grown-up little girl checked her mail, she called me a wee bit teary-voiced and crowned me the "Best Mom Ever" - thank you very much.  ;-) 

I L.O.V.E. Christmas!

Linking up here and here and here and here - come on over and get inspired!

Gratitude Friday

I know I'm a little late to the Fall party, but that's just how we roll 'round these parts.  The trees are finally hitting their stride with their full color display.  This will last about 32 minutes.  There will be a hard freeze soon and all of these leaves will immediately drop to the ground.  Contrary to popular belief, we do have four seasons in Texas: Summer, Summer, Summer, and Winter.  Winter will be here soon.  Look at that gorgeous blue sky!

(Ooops - I just noticed that one picture is repeated twice. Oh well, I guess I liked that one.  I took all of these with my phone.  I may or may not have been driving at the same time...just sayin'.) 

This week I'm grateful for:

1.  Quiet
2.  Rt. 44 sized diet cherry limeade at the happy hour price
3.  Taking the day off tomorrow
4.  Stretchy pants
5.  The Christmas tree is "done"

Have a great weekend!

Punkin' Eater

While she was home last week, Chicken Little asked me if I had ever heard of squirrels eating pumpkins.  "No way," I said, "squirrels eat nuts." We've put out pumpkins for 20 years and have never had evidence of squirrel pillaging. 

Hmmm.... 

We have a yard full of acorns, but apparently pumpkin is a squirrel delicacy.  Who knew? 

On a different note, I've been absent for a few days because I've been so busy!  I still have a bit of decorating to finish for Christmas, but hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll be done and then I can share.  :-) 

Ooops! Gratitude Friday on Saturday...Again

I've been having so much fun this, that I forgot to post yesterday, and I am thankful for that!  :-)  Here's a I quick one so I can get back to it!

This week I'm thankful for:

1.  Chicken Little is home for Thanksgiving and when she leaves on Tuesday, it will only be three weeks until she's back for Christmas.

2.  Thanksgiving was great.  It was a small group of 10, so we were all able to eat at the same table together.

3.  My dear husband who did a wonderful job cooking a gorgeous bird and a fabulous feast for all!

4.  An early Christmas miracle:  we found a "small" Walmart tucked away from the crowds yesterday.  We were able to park close, shop and walk to an EMPTY register to pay.  A-MA-ZING!!! 

5.  Christmas is coming!  I L.O.V.E. Christmas!  It's my favorite, favorite, favorite!

I hope to be back Monday with some of my Christmas decorations.  I haven't even started, so we will see... 

Have a lovely rest of the weekend. 

Traditional Thanksgiving Dessert

Pumpkin, shmumpkin.  Who needs pumpkin pie when you can have banana pudding?  We're having this for dessert at my house on Thanksgiving (we'll be having pie, too, but this will be the star). 

And I make a mean banana pudding, even if I do say so myself!

I decided to share the recipe after I'd already made it, so I'll I've got is the "after" picture. 

As with most of my recipes, I wing it, but I've tried to give you some exact measurements below.  It's hard to mess this one up, and it's so quick and easy. Give it a try the next time you have have to bring dessert.  Make it the night before your event so that all the flavors have time to mingle and set up.

Banana Pudding (this amount will make 3 layers in my Pyrex bowl)
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding (it's actually better with the pudding you cook but who has time for that)
6 cups milk (any % will work, as long as it's not skim)
2 tubs of Cool Whip (8 oz)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 boxes Nilla Wafers
6 - 8 ripe bananas

Cover the bottom of a large bowl with Nilla Wafers and sliced banana (usually 1.5 - 2 bananas and 1/2 of the box of wafers).

Mix 1 box of pudding with 3 cups of milk (according to directions on the box), add in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 tub of Cool Whip. Blend until both are fully integrated. 

Pour pudding over the first layer in the bowl until the bananas are completely covered.  You will probably not use all of the pudding to cover the first cookie/banana layer.  Add another layer of Nilla Wafers and sliced banana.  Pour remaining pudding over the 2nd cookie/banana layer.

Mix 2nd box of pudding the same way as the first.  Finish covering the 2nd layer of cookies and bananas.  Add one more layer Nilla Wafers and sliced banana. Cover this last layer with what remains of the 2nd batch of pudding.  Make sure the bananas are completely covered by the pudding so they don't turn brown.  

Finally, top it with Cool Whip and any crumbs that are left in the bottom of the cookie box.  Cover it and chill it in the fridge for several hours (preferably overnight) before serving. 

Yummy!!!  I get tons of compliments on this every time I make it, and it takes me about 10 minutes to throw it together.  After you make it one time, it's all anyone will ever ask you to bring.  If you're brave and make it with the pudding you cook, keep stirring that stuff while it cooks so the bottom doesn't burn.  Then, layer it while the pudding is still warm. I LOVE it warm, but again, it's more banana-y after it chills for a few hours. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!