Happy Trails to you

Hey everyone, I want to do a post on my Christmas and I will. I am down again with my back. I have a bad back and have suffered since college. Truth is , it can be the smallest thing that can tweak it and then down for the count.  Advil, Bengay, and heating pad is my routine lately.

I'm on vacation this week so I'm hoping I can still get my projects done that I've been hoping to accomplish. 

Have any of you regifted a Christmas gift yet? I actually have this week but the recipient knows it's a regift.  See my sweet aunt gave me a large snowman cookie jar filled with candy. I already have 2 large candy jars and quite frankly I don't have the room for another one and I'm not with the snowman decor. I'm mostly with reindeer and Santa.  Yesterday, I texted my cousin on my moms side, And asked her if she wanted it. She said that hers had actually broke and that she would love to take it off my hands.  

I found a good home for it and I can see it when I visit. That counts right? Is it bad that I so quickly regifted? 

Talk to yall later. 

My Christmas HOLLIday party

This past Tuesday night I hosted a "girls night in" dinner party.  Weekends are so crazy with parties, shopping, decorating, and more that I decided to have it on a week night. I just told the girls to come over when they got off work.  I served tacos with a build your own bar with all the fixings.  I had dips and chips for appetizers and my friend Debbie made s crab Rangoon dip for us to try.

A friend had posted on my Facebook page last week a fun drink called The Grinch.  I saved it because I knew it would be perfect to serve at party. I bought all the ingredients the day I saw the post.  It's like a punch. It has juice and sprite in it. It was soooo delicious! 

Here's the recipe from Pinterest.

  I  have a leak in my drink dispenser so we could use it to make the punch but we would have to get it out from the top and not the nozzle. The funny thing was that I couldn't find my soup ladle anywhere.  One of the girls  found my turkey baster and said we can use this.  So we did. Hahaha! It took a while to fill 9 cups but it worked. I bought a ladle yesterday on lunch hour so no more turkey baster for drinks.

 

 We grabbed a Grinch hat from my collection and put it on the jar.
 

My friend Diana and my cousin Jadona both have birthdays this week and so I bought a red velvet birthday cake and grabbed 2 candles for them each to blow out.  They were very surprised that I included their birthday celebration with my Christmas party.  Everyone was happy and thanked the girls for having a birthday so they could have yummy cake. 

I had 8 friends make it so there was 9 including me. 

I made them all a gift bag that included  a mason jar with lid that I put 2 Christmas fortune cookies ( they are red or green and I ordered from oriental trading co), a gingerbread twix candy bar, a cute decorative  Christmas kitchen towel , and a small bottle of booze. I bought the cute airline travel bottles of various kinds and I had some that were in shape of round Christmas balls that were martinis. 

As I looked around the room with all these ladies around me, I couldn't help getting choked up because I'm so very blessed. These gals are so special to me. Some I've known for over 25 years and some I've only known for 2 years but I love them all.  

Since it was a work night, everyone was gone but one person by 8:30 pm.  It was a perfect night with friends and laughs and still able to be home at a decent hour.  It's a huge compliment when my friends texted me yesterday and loved all the rest of the gals. Some of my friends didn't know each other but they all enjoyed each other. 

Everyone got to meet Lila for the first time. Most have already met Jax. He was in someone's lap somewhere when I took this pic.  They are rotten!

Not sure I'm going to post tomorrow. I have a very busy day. A friend of mine is moving tomorrow and Saturday and I'm helping her tomorrow. Then tomorrow evening, I am volunteering at Metro Relief  Toys for the community. I'm not sure what I will be doing but they needed volunteers from 5 to 8.  I already addressed 100 invitations and mailed them out this week for them. 

Have a wonderful weekend and be safe!  Spread JOY when you can. 

Tuesday Tunes- Willie Nelson " The Wall"

Good morning y'all!  How is everyone managing during this hectic holiday season.  We've been so crazy busy.   I'm hosting a dinner party tonight with a few of my girlfriends so I've been working hard finishing up cleaning house and decorating. I didn't get everything done I wanted to but with just a few days left until Christmas, I finally realized its just not going to happen and i'm OK.   I'm serving tacos tonight ( i'm fancy like that) and a cake from where I got my wedding cake made. They are the best! My cousins birthday is Saturday and she's the big 50 and my besties birthday is Thursday so I got the cake for them.  I have a candle for both of them to blow out too.

I have so much to do and I such little time to blog about it so I wanted to keep it simple today by posting a song I am really enjoying.  I love love love Willie Nelson and just bought tickets last Friday to see him in April in concert. Woohoo!  He's released 2 albums this year , one being just him and his sister Bobbie (released last week).   I know Willie isn't for everyone but growing up in Dallas - he's a classic that takes me back to good memories.

This is off his new album Band of Brothers and is called The Wall.

Y'all, have a Blessed day. 

My junkin' weekend

Last weekend I went to a junk show in Keller, TX hosted by Mistress of Junk.  I grabbed my brother-n-laws girlfriend Paula on the way there because they live a few minutes from where it was.  I was really excited about going because 2 of my most favorite junkers in the world were going to be there.  I've mentioned both of these ladies before on my blog because I do try to support them as best as I can , even if its just word of mouth.  Robelyn's business is Redneck Chic and Debbie's is Talking Trash.  They are both so crazy talented and can make the biggest heap of junk look like it came out of a magazine. 
The bad thing about this post is that I didn't take many pictures.  People are kinda funny anyway about taking pictures of their booths. Unfortunately, people go home and try to duplicate their work and then sell it as their own.   I bought a lot of stuff and Paula bought a few things so it was a success. It wasn't very big so it didn't take too long to go through all of it.  I bought a vintage metal reindeer to go in my front yard and an awesome wood Christmas tree. I will be stringing lights on them tomorrow.  There was a taco food truck and it was so yummy. Paula and I both shared some nachos with Carnitas and dang it was delicious.
I borrowed these pics from Mistress of Junk facebook page. A few of them are from Redneck Chic and Deb's booths.

Talking Trash
 

Talking Trash

Redneck Chic

After we left the Mistress of Junk show,  we stopped at a few thrift stores and some antique stores. 
We did really good at the thrift stores. Lots of stuff for just a few dollars.  Funny thing is that I bought a small antique Santa mug for 4 dollars. I already have a large one and so I wanted the little one to go with it.  I was happy of my purchase (and still am) but then I went to the thrift store and they had 2 of them and sold to me for .25 cents each.  SCORE!!!

Here are some pics of my Christmas decorations so far in my home using SOME of my great finds. I forgot to take pictures of everything in my great haul that day.  I bought some vintage bottle brush Christmas trees , a fake poinsettia arrangement in a cute red bucket, and few ornaments that aren't shown.

In the third square picture, My lovely friend made those JOY pillows. Arent they the cutest ever?!! I love them so much. Jax also photobombed my pic which makes it doubly cute.   Notice my 3 little Santa mugs?  The metal wine sign I bought last spring in Warrenton. I bought the reindeer doll from Hobby Lobby and the vintage plastic Merry Christmas piece came from a thrift store. The chalkboard stand was only 4 dollars at the thrift store.  One of my favorites is the Deer basket that also resembles the Loch Ness monster. We have named it the Christmas MonsDeer.   Those boxes of old vintage ornaments came from Woolco. Remember those?  I got them for 1.50 total.  I also bought 2 antlers at the junk show for 4$ a piece. I am going to be dipping the tips in paint and glitter for my table centerpiece.  The wood tree and deer are my favorites. I have 2 smaller deers that I bought off Craigslist and added them to the spot.
It was also the first time I spent all day with my future sister n law since she moved to Texas. We had such a great day and very similar tastes in the junk. She's a keeper!
 Gotta go now- Have a great Thursday yall.

HodgePodge

Good morning, today i'm back with From this Side of the Pond for the weekly Hodgepodge.

1. What is one new holiday tradition you'd like to establish, or one you've established recently, say in the last year or two?

 A few years ago I went to new york for macys parade. I went into Tiffanys and the only thing I could afford was a snowflake charm. I went to macys and bought a chain.  I wear it now every year from thanksgiving day until day after Christmas sometimes until new year.

2. It's the second week of December. Have you sipped a cup of eggnog yet this month? Wrapped a gift? Opened a gift? Kissed someone under the mistletoe? Lit a candle? Eaten a Christmas cookie? Seen Santa in person? Watched a Christmas movie or special? Read scripture relating to the birth of Jesus?

  I don’t drink eggnog. I have put gifts in gift bags ( I don’t wrap), I did open a gift , I haven’t found any mistletoe, I light candles every day when I get home from work, I had a Christmas cookie exchange at our pastors wife this past Sunday and had my share of cookies, I saw Santa in person also at church, I‘ve watched a few Christmas specials- the Rockefeller Tree lighting and Santa Claus is coming to town cartoon, I read scripture every morning.

3. Do you think it's better to be an adult or a child at Christmastime? Explain.

 A child. The delight and joy and wonderment of the lights and the tree and the presents is so wonderful. There's no stress of having to provide gifts like adults have

4. It's often said, 'Good things come to those who wait'...agree or disagree? Why?

  I absolutely agree. I waited for 46 years to find the one and only man that God intended for me to have as my husband .  I had family give up on me because I had never married and was an old maid. Haha

5. What's the last sweet thing you baked? Did you keep it, take it to a party/event, or give it away?

 I baked cookies for the cookie exchange mentioned above. I will admit that they were premade frozen cookie dough that all I had to do was pop in the oven.

6.  This question comes to us courtesy of Jhona who blogs over at The Red House at the End of the Lane. Everyone hop over and say hi to Jhona this week!  Here is her question... "I heard an actor talk about how he makes a conscious choice to talk to people in elevators.  He chooses to connect, make eye contact, and converse. Do you talk to people/strangers when you're in an elevator or any other place where you might have to wait together? Why or why not?"
Depends on where the elevator is.  When I travel for work, I try not to be too chatty in the hotel elevator. Safety reasons I guess but I just don't want anyone knowing I'm alone , out of state on business.  If I'm in an office building , I do talk to others because you never know who you're riding with. It could be the CEO of the company or  manager that you're there to see. 

7. Are you on the naughty or nice list this year? What put you there?
Depends on who you ask. Hahaha.  My husband tends to catch the side of my grumpiness and bad moods and so I feel naughty sometimes from the way I act.  I do try to volunteer and help my church and community as much as I can which helps me go on the nice list.  I try my best and I'm far from perfect.  

8. Insert your own random thought here.

 I'm starting to feel the holiday stress creep up on me as we approach closer and closer to Christmas.  I've GOT to mail my families package to Montana or else they won't get it until close to New Years .   We had Christmas cards made and I never sent them out.  Deep breaths- breathe in , breathe out . Oh and last night was the finale of the show Sons of Anarchy. I am really bummed that it ended. I got attached to those fictional characters. LOL

My annual Grinch table

Good morning yall! Happy Monday.  I had a great weekend and will tell you about the Mistress of Junk sale sometime this week.  I had to also get busy finishing my Christmas decorations because I'm having a dinner party next week. My priority was to get my Grinch table together. I haven't found one thing to add to my collection this year. Where is all the Grinch stuff at? 

I've even added a few things after I took this picture that I found later in another tub of decorations. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Music moves me!

 

Happy Thursday y'all!! Its been a very busy week for me at work and its flown by. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday.  This Saturday , i'm going to a Junk sale and going to see a few of my sweet friends that are so creative. I cant wait!! 

I think I've mentioned before that Todd is the drummer for our church band. He loves it and I love him doing it! There is a church that shares our same building but has their services on Saturday nights and their band is called No Regrets. They are such a great band and have a few CD's even. Todd really likes them and had mentioned that if they ever need a backup drummer , to consider him. Well, this Saturday he gets to fill in. The original drummer is out of town and they called Todd. He's so excited!  Then he has to still play 2 services on Sunday for our church. He has a lot of practicing these next few days.

 

Do you have anything fun planned this weekend? 

 

I'm posting today about music because I just simply cant live without it. I play music every morning while I get dressed for work and put my makeup on, I listen to more when I get in my truck on way to work, and I listen to it from my laptop while at my desk. Right now, i'm watching the Tv show The Voice and so I even get my music fix in the evenings.  I love that I have such a wide variety of songs on my ipod and that I can listen to a hard core rock song and then next song is a Christian song.

I post a lot about music because its who I am.

 

 

 

 

Sparkle

Hey y'all,  hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I put up my Christmas tree this past Sunday and it was 80 degrees out here in Dallas.  It was hard to get in Christmas mood while wearing shorts and flip-flops but luckily we got a cold snap over the night and its been chilly here the last few days.
With my tree looking pretty and sparkly , I wanted to post some fun Sparkly quotes.