Christmas Decor Part 2.

We are having the best time decorating the house for us and in preparation for having family over for Christmas & New Year's. I could decorate the closet if I could but then I would want to buy even more stuff and I think Jack is over my spending on everything Christmas. How fun is it though? I never thought I would love it this much. Jack and I always talked about it "When we have our house we will do this and that" and now we can! Guess who has been taking full advantage of that?

With that said, this weekend was full of shopping (oops!) for decorations and we even got some gifts out of the way. I love love love shopping for all the little ones in our family and would buy them the world if we could! Now we have a little of our very own and trust me, I would spend my whole pay check on him! Jack, close your eyes on this sentence. 

I am almost, aaalmost done and I couldn't be happier with how it's turning out. I made this garland (all while listening to Christmas music) with the silver glitter tape I got for one dollar at Target and some yarn to keep things in the theme. I taped them folding them over the yarn then cut them into different types of flags. Glitter tape, that's all I have to say.



I knew I wanted fresh spruce and went to Home Depot. I saw bundles for like fourteen bucks then saw a cart full of it outside of the tent where they sell the Christmas trees. Jack asked if they were selling the clippings and they told him they were free ninety-nine. Mama went to town and I'm still going back for more! You guys weren't lying. It smells amazing. It really makes the mantel pop.

I added this garland to the tree that I made with silver letters I got at Target for one dollar as well and used a needle and white thread to sew through them. 

Jack and I have been looking for.e.ver for a napkin holder for everyday use. I swear we have been to every store and never found one we liked or one at all. Who knew these things were not as common as I thought? Then on a trip to Target, we had the greatest idea to use this little wooden tray along with a clear plastic tumbler for straws and napkins to keep on the table including my cute salt & pepper shakers I got years ago and was never able to display them.  

The table I kept simple once again, I added two extra red candles and tons of spruce in clear glass jars and mason jars. I got the elf hat napkin idea from Pinterest and they were super simple to make. I still want to add a red cranberry at the top for a backwards Santa hat. I want little stockings as silverware holders, another Pinterest idea and I thought it looked so cool and cute and cozy.

This wreath is the same one I've used for all the holidays just added some spruce, the bow, candy canes and some white yarn of course ;) It might look a little wild and may require some taming but I like it!

As I said, spruce everywhere!

We are having some major cold weather over here and Button is ready for it. 

Stay warm everyone! 

Check back for part 3 of these series ;)

Our Thanksgiving.

I hope everyone had a great and happy Thanksgiving and that your tummies were/are as full and happy as ours! One holiday down two to go!

Were you as excited about yesterday as I was? I loved setting the table, preparing the turkey and all the other goodies we had. I loved the entire day of getting up early, prepping and even cleaning the house a little bit.

We woke up and I made some chocolate chip pancakes and some peppermint bark iced coffee to go with them. Call us crazy but we listened to Christmas music most of the morning. We love love love this CD. If you love Home Alone as much as we do this time of the year go get this one. It has the best of the best classic malt shop songs heard in the movie along with other great ones. We were singing and dancing and Button probably thought we were completely nuts.

I had marinated the turkey the night before and by ten-thirty the next morning it went in the oven to be ready by three.

We took most of the family pictures with a real camera and I don't have any of them! I did however, snap away at my tablescape with my phone. I kept it somewhat simple but pretty and comfortable enough to still be able to eat without having decorations in our way. We needed to be able to get to that food without interruptions ;)

I spent zero money on this since I had all of it already in existence. Well I lie, I did purchase two more of these really cool white candles at Target. So inexpensive but pretty!

I cut some twine I had left over from some other decorations and tied the silverware with it. Everything else was mostly purchased at the World Market including these beautiful napkins we have had for a while but never used! We decided to be fancy and use them in lieu of paper ones. They are fall-ish enough right? I couldn't believe how well my mini pumpkins held, not one of them has rotted!

The house felt so serene as if it were ready for all the festivities. It was such a beautiful day.

Remember those lit branches I got at Target? I went back for more to add as a centerpiece and light up at night. They looked so pretty.



Our family came over early to prepare everything with us and to be able to spend the whole day together. Our menu consisted of turkey (of course) which I marinated with orange juice, lots of garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper & olive oil. I also injected it with this marinade and it turned out so juicy and delicious! I also made a salad with a spring mix, strawberries, pecans, jicama & a raspberry vinaigrette. My sister and mom brought jalapeno cornbread, and they made chipotle mashed potatoes (the bomb), queso with the best homemade salsa, I made stuffing from a box, my mother in law brought yams & deviled eggs (the best) and for desert we had pumpkin pie, vanilla ice cream and a jello that my mom makes with a layer of lemon and condensed milk, which takes ordinary jello to a level I cannot even explain.

The food was set up on our kitchen island with a sheet of craft paper under all the food for presentation and easy clean up! And some fun writing on it.

Elliot couldn't wait for us to start digging in. He loved the turkey and steamed potatoes I took out before my sister added any spices for her chipotle mashed potatoes. He is a potato lover and now an official turkey boy! He asked me for seconds!

I had to dress him up for his first Thanksgiving and this is one of the very few shots I was able to get of him in it! It's getting harder and harder to catch this little one still. I got everything on sale at the Children's Place. He looked so handsome. :)



What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? After all of the ruckus of the day, a slice of this goodness was the best way to end the night. I am so thankful to have the best family I could have asked for and the best husband and son in the world!! Elliot loved having all the family around! He had a great time and didn't even want to take any naps and went down hard at the end of the night. This day was all about family, enjoying a day full of laughter and fun and happy bellies. Couldn't have asked for more.

After cleaning up and putting all the leftovers away, Jack and I hugged and thanked God for such a wonderful day. Then high-fived each other for doing such a good job and having everything turn out exactly as we had planned or better. ;)

P.S. I had a major realization just yesterday, I took Elliot's ten month pic with Christmas lights & a Christmas hat. Did anyone care to tell me we are in November and not December? I laughed so hard yesterday at this total and major fail. To Do: retake Button's pic with Thanksgiving gear NOT Christmas. That's supposed to be his eleven month pic! I think I was so excited to put up the tree and decorations that I was so in the spirit and failed to think straight. Ha!!

Happy Friday! :)