Halfway There!!

Last week was a very busy week, preparing for this week. I have lots of pictures to share of the house decorated for Christmas, but that will have to wait until next week when I have normal internet connection again.   Right now I'm posting from a KOA outside of Fredericksburg, VA.  We are about half way to Parris Island, SC.  We are headed to my oldest son's graduation from the Marine boot camp!  Saturday he officially became a Marine after making it through 54 hours of the Crucible, but he doesn't actually graduate until this coming Friday.

We were getting a bit worried because we hadn't received a letter from him in almost 2 weeks(though his last one did say that he was going to be very busy).  Then  yesterday(Sunday), we were outside working on the Christmas lights' timer and my 12 yr old comes running out of the house with the phone in his hand saying that it was Cameron.  Now, we were anticipating this call because we knew after he became a Marine on Saturday that he would get his first Liberty on Sunday and would have some on base freedoms(he at subway, go to the bowling alley, socialize, and make phone calls home for the first time in 12 weeks).  However, I was totally unprepared for the huge emotions that would overcome me at that moment. My son handed me the phone, but I couldn't speak and the tears started to flow, I had to hand the phone to hubby.  After a few minutes I was able to speak and I was so happy to hear his voice.  He sounded good and told me all about the crucible and how he is looking forward to seeing all of us.  He said he may be able to see us on Wednesday during our tour, but if not, we have him for the day on Thursday for Family day, then after graduation on Friday we get to bring him home.  Because of the holidays, he gets longer than the normal 10 day leave, so he will be with us until Jan. 3rd!!!

I'll try to post from the campground on the base(we get to stay right on Parris Island) and share some pics of graduation.

Thank you all for the sweet responses to my gingerbread party, it really was a nice time and you all should throw one next year for you family and friends :)

Proud mommy,

Tiff

Gingerbread House Party !!

Last night I hosted my first ever gingerbread house decorating party.   Step inside and I will show you how the evening went....

The kitchen was ready....

 Houses were baked and assembled, ready to be decorated....

 Candy cups at every seat....

 The houses were attached to plastic trays that I found at the dollar tree. I also found the red placemats there but I jazzed them up a bit with some ric rac.

 I made every one a gingerbread apron and stuffed in the pocket is a homemade template of the gingerbread house so that they can make one next year.

 Getting the food ready on the island....

 Hot cocoa warming in the crockpot and vegetarian chili simmering on the stove(btw, it was my own recipe and came out great).

 My youngest daughter decked out in holiday attire...

 My girls hanging out by the food.

 And the decorating begins!!!.....

A picture in their aprons...

 I joked that I was going to put each of their houses on my blog and have you all vote for your favorite, with the winner getting a small prize....  But why joke, let's do it.....  Cast your vote by leaving your favorites' number in a comment :)   Here we go, gingerbread houses on parade.....

House #1 Front

 Back

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House #2 Front

 Back

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House #3 Front

 Back

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House #4 Front

 Back

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House #5 Front

 Back

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House #6 Front

 Back

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And the whole village.....

I had a great time and I'm so glad I did this. I think everyone else enjoyed it too.  I hope you liked your glimpse into my gingerbread party :)

Have a wonderful day,

Tiff

Lots Going On...

My hubby asked me if I was on a blogging hiatus because it had been awhile since I posted anything. It was not intentional, it's just a busy time of year and we have lots going on.  (and I still need to respond to emails, so sorry if you are waiting to hear from me).

Ok, so this is a little bit of what I have been up to...

I wanted to add something to our outdoor Christmas decor, but I wasn't sure what. So I did some searching online and then pinned a couple of things.  A couple of weekends in the garage and we ended up with a beautiful wood Nativity display.  Next year we will add an angel, camel, and some other animals.

 And for the first time, I added colored lights too.  This weekend we are going to hang a lighted star in the upstairs laundryroom window and it will complete things for this year.

 Here is the porch. I still need to go cut some fresh greens to add a nice smell.

 This Saturday I am throwing a gingerbread house making party for some of my neighbors(it's a mommy only thing, no kiddos).  So I needed to make a prototype before the party.  I made the house template myself, baked it up, put it together, and royal icinged it.  I didn't have any candy in the house, so it is just icing, but I will have lots of candy for the party. My first time using royal icing and I love it!! It hardens so nicely and is easy to use.

 And this picture doesn't look like much, but there is a lot of working sitting there. The December bulletin boards for the school need to go up on Friday so I had to get them made this week.  It's a gingerbread house theme, as if you couldn't tell.

 Little miss Zoe loves to sleep under the tree. Surprisingly, she leaves the ornaments alone :)

I just finished baking the 6 gingerbread houses for Saturday, tomorrow I will assemble them and then they will be good to go for the party.  I am officially sick of baking gingerbread!!

I'll post about the party on Sunday and show you all the wonderful creations!!

Less than two weeks till we see Cameron again!!!

Tiff

Magazine Sale.....

I'm clearing some stuff out and trying to set up a new sewing area in the basement. The first round of things to go are some magazines.  If anyone local is interested in them, leave a comment. I'm selling them in bundles by type or name, need to get a little extra money for the graduation trip in December.

First group is all Country Home...9 magazines(good condition, except two that are more worn) $6

2nd batch, 9 Victoria, 1 Mary Janes Farm, and 1 Mother Earth News. $9

 3rd batch, 7 Cottage related magazines... $5

 4 batch, 13 magazines of flea market, decorating, and kitchen type ones. $5

 5th batch, 20 Family Fun magazines. $10

 6 batch , 27 Home Companion magazines, not all have the paper dolls in them. $15

 7th batch, 2 Halloween books and 5 Halloween magazines. $5

 8th batch, 3 Semi Homemade and 8 Better Homes and Garden Magazines. $5

 9th batch, 12 Christmas magazines. $5

 10th batch, 7 crafting magazines. $5

Tiff

One evening....

I thought I would do a post just about an evening in my life....so here is a piece of yesterday evening...

I first found the kitten sound asleep nestled into Mason...

 While making dinner my 6 yr old walked into the kitchen, hopped up on a chair, and asked what was for dinner.  I told him "sloppy joes".  He looked at the plate of onions, bell peppers, and celery that I was chopping, and didn't say anything for a bit.  Then he announced... "I don't like those things but I do really like sloppy joes. I guess that is a good way to get me to eat those things, isn't it?" Yes, yes it is :)

 While I was cooking I glanced over at the doorway to the gameroom (which was originally the dining room and has been a playroom, craftroom, and bedroom). We turned it into the game room months ago because I was tired of the gaming equipment and cords and mess in the family room. Then about a month or so ago I moved all the book shelves in there and put all the books in the house in that room too.  It has slowly transformed into a den/mancave/gameroom.  I didn't much care for it at first. But after cleaning it yesterday and turning on a table lamp in the afternoon(it gets dark here early now) the room is growing on me.  It's actually kind of inviting and cozy.  It doesn't look like a magazine room, but more of a room that has grown over time.

 The next tow pictures are dark because I didn't turn on the overhead light and was trying to capture the cozy feel of the lamp.

 Mason had to get in and pose...

 And looking the other direction while at the stove... I took down my Wandering Jew plant that was in the enamel bucket above the sink because the thing kept growing so fast that its tendrils attacked us while we were at the sink!  I replaced it with one of my Christmas cacti(which are all starting to bloom).  I also cleaned off the window sill in preparation for Christmas decor.

 And when hubby walked in the door from work, he had a pretty rose and card for me :) Thank you my love!

Have a lovely day,

Tiff