A Christmas Trip

There's something to be said about going down south for the winter... It's warm, there's family and... it's warm.

This Christmas Mike and I went to Las Vegas, Los Angelos and Mesa. It was great to see our family in all three places (even if we didn't end up staying very long with any of them).  While we were there we ended up...

Las Vegas
-Seeing the Hobbit
-Buying my Dad a trashcan
-Having Dinner with my Mom, the girls, my Dad and the Boys

Los Angeles
-Seeing 2/3 of Mike's sisters
-Holding Mike's sole nephew, Landon
-Trying Stained Glass Candy for the first time

Mesa
-Seeing almost all my Aunts and Uncles (on my Mom's Side)
-Singing in the Trees
-Seeing Les Miserables (With my Lovely Aunt Micki and her kids)
-Meeting up with my sister and driving her up to Vegas

And with all that we managed to get TONS of photos in Mesa, 1 photo in Los Angeles and no photos in Vegas.

It was a TON of fun seeing everyone and we hope to do so again soon! Love ya'll!

A DIY Christmas

Some things are just too fun NOT to share...

Like these stockings made by yours truly...

               Not too bad for my first time working with felt and stockings!

 These pencils ordered from Explicitly Yours...

Warning: Don't make the mistake of believing that because a pencil has colorful wrapping that the lead is also colorful... You will feel really stupid afterwards. Trust me in this.

and....

THIS SHIRT!

I call it... 

The Chalk Shirt

 It's inception came about as the result of a bad joke after my unsuccessful attempt to convince my husband's friends how cool chalk vinyl is.

To help prove my theory I made the doubtful friend a shirt that I hope will for ever live on in Christmas Gift History.

It was a very easy project and just in case you decide you to ever make The Chalk Shirt yourself one day I'll show you how to make one!

Instructions

First, you need all THESE things:

-1 washed shirt

-Fabric Glue

-Chalkboard Vinyl

-Scissors

-Pencil 

-Chalk

(and something to place between the front of the shirt and the back so you don't end up gluing your shirt shut)

Second, trace out the chalk bubble you would like to appear on your shirt on the vinyl (make sure the image is the opposite of what you want to appear on the shirt)

Third, decide where you want the bubble to go and trace along the outside of the bubble on the shirt (for correct placement after you apply the fabric glue)

Fourth, place protective layer between front and back of shirt and apply glue to the back of the chalkboard vinyl (make sure you take off any backing there might be on the vinyl)

Finally, Set onto shirt and let dry!

It's so cool I might have to make one for myself!

A Christmas Treat

I love coming up with unique, fun presents for my friends and family! 

If I know you pretty well, or we have inside jokes, than you can be pretty sure that your Christmas present is going to be a lot of fun!

This year there is one present in particular that I am really proud of!

But, on the off chance that the individual receiving that gift reads this blog, I'm going to wait to share my genius with you til after the holiday.

However, I would like to share with you a treat I've been sharing with my friends that makes me cry with joy! 

Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears!


They are sooo easy and are delicious to the taste!

Here are the Directions:

1. Buy a bag of gummy bears and a couple bars of Hershey's Milk Chocolate.

2. Start a pot of boiling water then place a glass bowl on top (make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl)

3. Break up the Hershey bar and place the pieces in the bowl (the glass bowl will distribute the heat of the boiling water evenly so that all of the chocolate will melt at once!)

4. Set some wax paper to the side

5. Dip/roll your Gummy Bears into the chocolate and then place them on the wax paper

6. Place the wax paper (with the Gummy Bears on top) into the freezer to set

7. Take the Gummy Bears out, thaw and enjoy!

A small tip

Melt the Hershey Chocolate a couple pieces at a time, that way you use up all the chocolate before it starts to burn

Christmas Time is Here

It's impossible not to feel optimistic during the Christmas Season! 

The music, the lights, the general feeling of good will... It gives one a continual feeling of happiness and gratitude...

And let's face it, we have a LOT to be grateful for!

I don't want to get all mopey on here, but I want you to know that I am seriously grateful for all the ways Mike and I have been blessed (especially over the last couple of months)!

Sometimes I wonder just how much of our lives I should share on this blog and while I would like to just spill my guts and lay it all out there, I'm nervous...

 I don't like to share intimate details of my life with people outside of my immediate family (aka Mike), but on the other hand I wonder, if I don't write them down now... will I ever?

So starting next week I'm going to start writing down all the little things.

My thoughts,  my feelings, small expressions of my heart... Because I want something to look back on, a documentation of how my life was when Mike and I were first married and struggling to make ends meet. That way when times get tough, I can remember how blessed we always are and be able to share my experiences with others (especially my future kids).

So please bare with me... For I'll be opening up my heart to you.

Now, I would like to share a playlist that one of my best friends compiled (I may have added one or two songs) that helps get me into the Christmas Spirit!