Around the house

I went to Hobby Lobby with a gift card that I received for Christmas. I found some new things for around the house:
2 plate racks for the kitchen (I put 5x7 framed pictures of the kids in them for Christmas)

I also found these prints on burlap for the kitchen at Hob Lob.

See the "sugar tongs" above (top utensil in the bottom print)? Our boy calls those the "evil claws."

See below how they're on burlap...love that stuff!

Here's how it all looks by the window in the breakfast area of the kitchen (kinda dark, but you get the idea):

On another note, I've said before...since I'm a Kindergarten teacher...I want a portrait of each of our children in Kindergarten. We had a 20x24 print done on canvas. We got it framed and hung. When I bought the frame, I went ahead and bought two frames-one for each of our children. Well...I wanted the frames to "wear" the same...so I wanted to hang them both at the same time. So...as you can see...I had a 20x24 poster print made of our girl (that explains the difference in appearance below). Hubby and I attached the poster to foam board to put in the frame. Now....when she gets in Kindergarten, we'll just take the poster out--and put the canvas portrait in it's place!

Oh...and look at the CUTE frame that my sister gave me for Christmas-love it!

My sister said..."This was the quickest photo I could put my hands on for the frame. I wanted one of just the kids, but I guess you and (Hubby) can be gifts too!" Oh me!

All the decorations are snug in their bed---except...

Well...the Christmas decorations are all back snug in their bed--in the attic. No sign of Christmas decorations around here except...
All the Christmas cards with pics above our doorway:

All the non-picture cards on a card wreath by our back door:

I can never bear to take down the Christmas cards that we receive. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas card time. I love checking our mailbox all December long, and now...I'll leave the cards up to enjoy them a little longer! Hubby usually makes me take them down by....ummm...February.

4801 jingle

When I was growing up, there was a muffler shop (or some kind of car repair business) that had a jingle for their commercial. "That's 48-0-1, that's 48-0-1, that's 48-0-1 Buuuuuuuuuuu--ford Hiiiiiiiigh-way." Well...today we drove by 4801 Buford Highway...so I had to take a picture.

We had the kids singing the jingle over and over too. It's just that kind of jingle--the kind that sticks in your head years later, and you can't forget it no matter how hard you try! We were in Sam's Club, and our boy was singing it over and over. Another guy overheard him singing and said..."I haven't heard that in years."

How about it...does anyone else out there from Atlanta remember that jingle?? I have a feeling that 4801 Buford Highway has seen a lot of changes since the last time I heard that jingle on the radio:

Christmas Day Music

I'm posting 2 videos of ways we spent Christmas day with music in our family.
Our girl organized 4 generations to dance to "Almost There" from "The Princess and the Frog"...great-grandmother, grandparents, aunt, and our girl!

Our boy played a few Christmas Carols on the piano for everyone:

Secret Santa Treat

At school, the faculty could participate in a Secret Santa Gift Exchange. We did three $5 gifts and one $20 gift at the end when we revealed ourselves. My Secret Santa surprised me with Bulldog stuff and lots of fun stuff to do with the kids. One of the gifts was a Snowman Rice Krispie Treat Set. As soon as I showed it to the kids, they were ready to start making them--especially our boy. So...yesterday was finally the day to get going on them. Here are the results:
They even came with edible watercolors! Well--they look cute, but they tasted...um...interesting. Have you cooked up anything interesting lately?

Christmas Fun at "The Fishy Place"

Today we took the kids to the "The Fishy Place" for free Christmas activities.

Cookie Decorating:

Car Racing:

Laughing with reindeer--how fun is this picture?:

Checking out Santa at his work shop:

Not bad for free!

Fruit Salsa Recipe-Yum!

I had this fruit salsa at a party last week---yummy! Try it:

Fruit Salsa and and Cinnamon Chips

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious Apples, peeled, cored, and diced
8 oz. raspberries (I used frozen)
1 lb. strawberries (can use frozen)
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. white sugar
3 Tbs. Fruit preserves, any flavor

Chips:
10 ten inch flour totillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

Directions:
-mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, both sugars, and fruit preserves; cover and chill for at least 15 minutes
-preheat oven to 350.
-cut the tortillas into slices
-coat one side of each tortilla slice w/ butter-flavored spray, arrange on cookie sheet and sprinkle with desired amount of cinnamon sugar, spray again with cooking spray
-bake for 8-10 minutes, allow to cool for at least 15 mins.

Ready for the Tooth Fairy

Tonight I was out getting a few gifts for people at school with our son. Well...
*L*O*O*K* what we found...

It's the PERFECT Tooth Fairy Pillow for our dog-loving boy! Can you believe it....it's a dog with a pocket on the front?!?!?! OK tooth...you can come on out now...we're officially ready for the Tooth Fairy!

On another note, check out these CUTE ornaments that we're giving to special people around school:

Here's how I wrapped them...clear bags, red paper stuff, snowflake decoration, red/white polka dot ribbon. They make me happy to look at them!
OK...last day of school before Christmas break...here we come...we're ready for you!

Finally

Our boy finally has his 1st loose tooth! He'll be 7 soon, and we were beginning to wonder if his teeth would ever fall out!

Tonight he wanted me to help him floss his teeth, and when I did I saw one of his bottom-front teeth sticking out slightly further than the other. I reached...wiggled...smiled...and said..."You didn't tell me you have a loose tooth." His eyes got big with surprise and he said..."I didn't know I had a loose tooth!"

Now that boy is seeing dollar signs...he's been hearing about this Tooth Fairy...and he's ready for her to leave some cash under his pillow!

HO HO HO

Merry Christmas!

Rotten Egg v. Chew Toy

Our son LOVES dogs--real ones and toy ones. So...recently he's come up with a new saying..."Last one there is a chew toy!" So...here's a question for you...would you rather be a rotten egg or a chew toy?...something to think about!