Happy New Year!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year!

The 21 days to getting ORGANIZED challenge!

I'm going to do it!

I definitely need it and its a great way to start off the New Year!

Let's go, I'm ready to take the ......

blurb from Toni's blog .....

"Starting on January 1st and lasting 21 days (except on Sundays)... Every morning I will post a daily challenge for you to do.  You will then have until the next day to complete the challenge (or longer if you need), and then check back here and link up your post to my blog for everyone to see (lots of pictures are a plus).  Thats it!  Simple eh? I promise they will be easy challenges.  It's only 3 weeks... you can do it! You will be so happy you did."

 feel free to head on over to Toni's blog and take the challenge too!

Happy Holidays!

Sorry, I know I have been missing. We were home visiting family this past weekend and we have been spending time together and getting ready for Christmas. I have lots of stories and pictures to share and will probally be back next week. I miss you all.

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!

I am leaving you all with some Christmas cheer....

and for Tatum ...

all pictures via

Its here & holiday plaid cuteness

( sorry for the cheesy phone pic)

The necklace I won is here and oh so cute! The stones are a really pretty olive color.

Thank You Mara from M Loves M

In my house, we have been sick all last week and this week too.

The sickness, plus bad weather with two hour delays at school has put me way behind.

Petey had his Christmas program at school last night, it was great, he sang his heart out. ( I'll share pics soon.)

 Also, I realized that in two days we will be leaving for a weekend of family Christmas parties. I must finish wrapping presents and doing laundary today!!!!

so I leave you with some cute plaid from Lands End Canvas.....

wouldn't this be fun to wear to a holiday party?

Lego League has come to an end.

Last night was the awards banquet for the Jr. Lego League.

The boys enjoyed Lego League so much and are sad that it is over. 

They also can't wait till next year to do it again!

Here is their team, minus 2 kids.

the team and their coach

Van and his trophy.

Petey and his trophy.

The boys had lots of fun. A police detective fingerprinted all of them and showed the team how to dust for fingerprints. ( I think that was their favorite night.) The team used microscopes. Their theme was simple machines and how they help the human body. The team learned all about simple machines and they made them out of legos. It was very interesting, and amazing all that you can do with legos. 

Baked Potato Soup

I think that I have posted this before, but I made it last night and was asked for the recipe, so I thought that I would share it again.

 Baked Potato Soup

~3 cans of cream of potato
~3 cans of cheddar soup (Campbell's makes it)
~1 cup of sour cream
~6 baked potatoes cut up in to bite size pieces
~bacon bits
~scallions

~ shredded Cheddar Cheese

Mix soups, sour cream, and potatoes and cook in crock pot until heated through (maybe 2 hours). Top with bacon, shredded cheese, and scallions and serve.

Tip: fork stab the potatoes and wrap in foil. Cook in crock pot over night and they will be ready to use for the soup in the morning. (You can also do that during the day for baked potatoes for dinner). You could also boil them on the stove. Also, I found it way too thick so I thinned it out with milk.

Baby its cold outside!

It has been in the teens all week and it feels like the single digits!!
....and this cold weather has got me thinkin' about what else........ coats!

These coats from Ruche are super cute as a button!

however, as cold as it has been this week .....

something from Lands End may be more appropriate!!!

Help!!!

at any given time, my refrigerator looks like this ...

all important school papers, things I need to fill out and send back to school .... all those fun little reading contracts that the boys have to fill out every week.... are put up on there.

I hate it. I hate how cluttered it looks.

I dream of something that looks like this .....

or this ...

I dream of using things like these ....

problem?

the only wall in my kitchen I have to utilize is around two feet wide.

but, my little mind is thinking about something .......

any one have any thoughts or ideas to share of their own?

pictures via Pottery Barn

The trees

We put up two Christmas trees last Sunday.

Both real this year. ( first time since '05 that we put up a real tree)

This is the tree upstairs.

Instead of putting personal ornaments on one tree and having a theme for the other ( which is what we usually do), this year we split up the personal ornaments and put them on both trees.

I kinda like it.

( as for themed trees, we have had John Deere and red, white, and blue in the past.)

Here is the tree down stairs.

Van feels Santa will stop here because this tree is by the fireplace.

I have plenty more decorations to put up, but I have not done so yet.

are all your trees and decorations up by now?

Its done!

This quarter is over with, done.

I am so happy.

classes over, papers turned in.

NOW, its time to get caught up on house cleaning and laundry.