Cinnamon Spread

I decided that with over 900 pins, I ought to be getting more accomplished from the ideas on my pinterest boards than I have so far. So last week, when it was rainy and cold for the better part of the time, I modified something I had seen among my oh so fun pin-ups. When I first saw this idea, I immediately imagined it tickling my taste buds with a cream cheese base instead of butter, so that is what I used.

Here is the recipe to what our family is now calling:

 Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread

1 cube 8oz. cream cheese

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup honey

1 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

                Mix all ingredients together in mixer until well blended. Refrigerate un-used portion in jars or air tight container. Makes 2 pints.

I served this with soup and banana bread one night for dinner and our family thought they were in heaven! When the bread ran out, we started spreading this goodness on bagels. I found them that much more delicious topped with pecans.

Definately a comfort-food-keeper in our recipe book!

Mmmmmm...

The Lucky Ticket

Don't we always think things are going to slow down, and just when they seem to be, we find ourselves so busy we feel like we hardly have time to come up for air? The month of January, in comparison to December, definately does slow down a tad for me, but I'm always surprised at how little. There are SO MANY things I need to share, but for now, I'm just going to share this fun Birthday gift I made for my son that just turned 16. It was an idea my sister gave me in giving a gift that was big, but not something you could really wrap. They were tickets to see his (our) favorite comedian Brian Regan, who is coming to Eugene in March. This was a tough one to keep a secret. I was just as excited about it as he was going to be! I started off by buying 5 different candy bars and rewrapping them with foil oragami paper:

Then I printed off these fun wrappers and hid the tickets in 3 of them:

each bar indicated a chance to find some "winning ticket":

Then we wrapped them all up in a fun package. Using the "gift on a gift" technique, of course!

(a bow tie made with one of my other son's oragami skills)

And that Birthday boy was so excited!

 You should have seen his reaction when he found those tickets tucked so cleverly in each wrapper.

And unfortunately you can't, because the batteries in the camera died.

No lie.

*sigh*

Happy 16th my adorable boy!

WIWW-{on Thursday}

It's been really cold this week. Funny how the sunshine brings with it a stark chill. The up side of this?

Boots! I love my boots. I have around 5 pair and think I need more. But see these cozy ones here?

...they were marked at a yard sale for $10...which I snagged up ASAP. It gets better though... when I went to pay for them, the lady insisted I only pay 3 DOLLARS. Really?

Are you kidding?! Why? Fully willing to pay the $10, I was practically talking her into making me pay the  full $10. These boots didn't appear to even be worn. Seriously.

Love a good bargain! 

 

 Vest & jeans: Dress Barn

Long Sleeve top: Gap

Purse: local boutique...the snowflakes are removable pins. The fleece is cozy to cary. LOVE it!

Gloves: who knows-probably wally's

Hope to see you link up soon at:

The Pleated Poppy

and Momma Go Round

Pretty Bow-day Gift

Today my son was asked to be the one chum allowed to tag along in celebration of his little friend Audrey's birthday. After buying her gift, which without hesitation he chose to be a "Tangled" barbie doll, we wrapped up her little treasure. Well, I love topping a gift with a gift. A little something I learned from my mother *smile*. It's so fun to get a gift that you think can't possibly be as wonderful as the one on top! So my cute boy beaded her a bracelet and made her a card... (which I regretfully don't have a picture of!)

 while I made a hair bow that would also be the topper on the gift. We just tied the bracelet to the ribbon of the package, then clipped on the hair pin:

Voila!

We were really pleased with how it all turned out. Apparently the birthday girl did too, because she wore them all. day. long!

 SO PRETTY and FUN.  AND-this way the bow can be used again, and again, and again, or regifted.

Why didn't I think of this before?!

Happy Birthday Audrey!

Goal #1

SO, I don't think I ever really shared my goals for 2012 with you, I know I indicated one of them in my WIWW post. But not truly. So here is one of them since I'm thinkin' it might benefit and motivate at least SOMEBODY out there that actually reads my most magnificently amazing blog (hahaha!). So here goes! After I had baby number 7, I immediately lost all but the last 10lbs. gained using the Weight Watchers plan. I have loved this program because it is easy to understand and use and works for me. I had used it after joining with a friend after baby number 6 and lost all I needed to use. The bonus of it, was that my husband's work reimbersed us for it. But after baby number 7, the company started only paying 1/2 and I just simply didn't want to pay for it anymore. There are so many other needs when you have a large family. Well...my baby will be 2 in April and I haven't lost that last 10lbs. in all honesty (and I shamelessly admit) that over the Holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, I have done nothing but enjoy the foods of the season. Pie is by far my biggest weekness and if I could eat it 24/7 without any long term side effects, I would say, "Give me a blasted FORK". Needless to say, I gained weight. 7 more lbs. of it. But, the reality of it all is, I value my health and need it in order to care for my family. So in the end, I just want to feel good and be moderate in my physical habits, enjoying exercise and food as a means to enjoy life. So here it is! I have been seriously struggling with lack of motivation. Then my Mother said something on the phone the other day that struck a chord in me. She said, "When people don't feel motivated, it is that they need a plan." That is when I realized that THAT was EXACTLY what I needed. A PLAN. I immediately thought of something a friend of mine was excited about and shared with me a few months ago. That's when my plan began. It involves this AWESOME site: (No I don't get paid or any credit whatsoever by them to share this information-just purly excited)

 (click on the picture to visit the site)    

I have been using this program now for 3 full days and am happily motivated. It is just a wonderful as  Weight Watchers, but it's free. And truly, who doesn't love FREE?! And now I don't have to think this way:

 

and I KNOW this to be true:

 

and I'm inspired because:

and

So I keep telling myself:

Cause, if I can resist pie, that's saying something about strength!

So if your goals have anything to do with mine, know that I'm with you!

Because one thing is true. Friends do better when encouraged by friends.

HuGs!

the Dangers in blog hopping

I was just blog hoppin' today when I stumbled across a new site that has me wrapped. This little site has some lovely things. Since they are not easy to pin, I'm posting them from Blessings Unlimited, and ooh-la-la-hold me down!! I'm SO wanting a few items. I know, we just had Christma, so I'm posting my wish list early. and dreaming.  One thing at a time, right? and no, I'm not becoming a consultant to sell, not even hosting...there are certain things I just don't do anymore. Here are the items that I'm pining for:

                                                                   For the Entry Hall:

 

For the kitchen:

For the Front Door:

I saved my favorite for last. If I have to drop the rest of the wish list, I would be satisfied with this one.

 SO LOVE IT!

Yes honey, you can divide them between birthdays and holidays. That will take patience, but I'll wait. Thank you very mucho!

HUGS,

WIWW

Since I'm extremely busy catching up after the holiday madness, cleaning and organizing,  I decided I could at least throw up a What I Wore Wednesday post since I actually did wear clothes, (Hehe) and this just seems to be my default outfit of the week. Do you do that?  Please tell me you do!

cami-motherhood (i know, don't say it. I'm not!)

cardigan-forever 21

skirt-friend

boots-target

necklace-shelstring boutique

extra 5 lbs-thanksgiving through Christmas

If you've never joined one of these parties, I encourage you to give it a shot. I don't do it because I love to take pictures of myself, much less post them for everyone to see. However,  I do it for a few reasons:

1. to see how I can change what I'm wearing

2. how i can revise the old to make them new

3. what i can add and look for when shopping next time

4. realize things like the entryway needing to be swept daily

and last but not least

5.  confirms why one of  my new year's resolution is a valid must...

That's right, this year I'm working myself back up for the races. Turkey day's 5K...I'm comin' back next year! YEAH! Unless I decide to go for the 8K. *wink*

It's gonna me a great year, don't ya think?!

;)

linkin' up with

The Pleated Poppy

Momma Go Round

New Year Capsule

This Year's New Year party/get together, was very enjoyable. I'm so grateful for such wonderful friends! While we live so far away from family, it is such a blessing to have friends that are just like having family close by.  My decorations were minimal this year: 

 But the food and games are usually the focus anyway. We always enjoy pizza and chips, Sprite fruitpunch,

a seven layer dip, and anything guests want to bring to share...

    munching as the night progresses over a game of Rate Your Mate, Taboo, Gestures, or Apples to Apples.

This year our family and guests started a New Year Capsule tradition.

I thought of this idea when I was thinking about how I would have each of us write out our resolutions. The thought of just writing them out is nice, but whose to say they will ever be opened or recognized next year? In the past, my husband and I wrote out our goals for the upcoming year, sealed them in an envelope, and read them a year or so later. We wouldn't always do this on New year's Eve, or even in January, but it was neat to see how many of our goals we would accomplish. The danger in something like this was that one year we found our latest envelope from 3 years or so previous (oops!). It's easy to lose a paper or envelope.  Even with my husbands amazingly organized filing skills. But, every year we do decorate for Christmas and enjoy our beautiful tree. That's when I thought of the ornament and it's ability to hold things inside.

So with a silver paint pen, I marked the last name of each family and the year of the goal on one side,

and the significance of the ornament on the other.

 My hope is that each year, we will pull out the past year's ornaments while decorating and create a new ornament for the next year. It was always fun to look back and see what areas we had improved on, whether we had fulfilled our goals, or dismissed them altogether.  Won't it be neat to look back at previous resolutions and see where we are in ten years?

 We had a lot of fun doing this while donning our New Year headbands (doesn't our friend's little girl look adorable in hers?!)

(If you've never made one of these, you've got to try it! They're so much fun, anything goes.)

 many wishes for a

 Happy New Year!

Love,