Ornaments to Remember

I feel like my need to decorate sometimes makes me lose out on things that are memories. All the things the kids made in school have never ended up on our tree..because they didn't "go". The kids thru the years have told their teachers "my Mom won't put this on the tree"--how embarassing. The kids seem alright with it though because they know I am a perfectionist. They forgive me. So I have decided to try to start making memorable ornaments that do go.

This one I  recently made for Janae because she is so in love with her pups and I know she wants to remember their first Christmas.

I found this little frame at Goodwill--it was brown with a little fake pinecone attached. It wasn't too cute then, but it is so Janae now!

Then to my surprise in Gage's backpack was wrapped up a little ornament that he "made" with help from his assistant, and it looks so lovely on my tree and I love seeing Gage's little smiling face. I will admit, it had a red ribbon on it that I had to change to white..but otherwise..perfect!

I feel like I am not blogging hardly at all lately--and either is anyone else! I guess we can all understand why...but since I am a new blogger, does this happen every year?  I am anxious to get back to regular blogging after the holidays are over.  I am actually beginning to miss posts about chalk paint! haha

I hope everyone is having really happy holidays!

Maggie's Peanut Butter Pie

I have been wanting to post this recipe for several weeks now. There is a lady in our town who owns a little restaurant called "Maggie's Buns" and has a catering business. All I have had she has made has been DELICIOUS! I love to go to local weddings when she caters them! She posted this recipe in a little holiday section of the newspaper and I consider it a holiday gift. This pie is like the type of pie you buy in a fancy restaurant and pay like $8 for a tiny sliver and then realize it is worth every cent!

Okay, I cut this slice not knowing how rich it is.  Wyatt and I had to share this slice. Of course--a couple hours later I wanted to have it again!

Maggie says she suggests this recipe for when last minute holiday guests arrive. Guests? I wanted to eat the whole thing myself.  Here is the recipe...

Maggie's Peanut Butter pie

Pre-made Graham Cracker crust

Pie Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup peanut Butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 T. Butter

A good swig of whiskey, bourbon or vanilla
(Cool Whip)

Pot de Creme:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup half and half

topping: Reese's Peanut Butter cups or peanuts

Beat pie filling ingredients until creamy. Add 2 cups Cool Whip and beat until incorporated.

 Pour pie ingredients into pre-made graham cracker crust and set aside.

Melt chocolate chips and half and half in microwave for 2 minutes. Beat with a fork until mixture is very shiny. Pour over the top of your peanut butter mixture.

To add a little flair to your pie you can chop peanuts and/or peanut butter cups and sprinkle over the top. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Thats it! So easy and so delicious. Posting this recipe is making me crave it so bad--I want to make it right now! Of course, I have to limit myself because it is so good that if I make it often I would have to have one of the kids roll me over to the computer so I can do blog posts!

Enjoy!

Holiday Tea For Mom

Today I had a holiday tea for my Mother and a few of her friends. These ladies for years have taken an exercise class from my Mother. They are an inspiration that at their age (one of them told me she turns 80 and 1/2 today) that they are still exercising and going go to coffee together.

I love to put together a pretty table so this was fun for me to do for my Mother.

I made my "famous" chocolate cookies and pumpkin bread from a wonderful recipe I found from another blogger. We had coffee and tea and it was a lovely little get together. 

(edited to say : My Mom is the one in the black shirt with long white hair)

Last night I took a picture of the beautiful sky and I thought I would share it..

Enjoy your day!

12 Blogs of Christmas

I am so honored that I was chosen to be one of the 12 blogs of Christmas over at Designer Gardens. You can click here to see my guest post. Janae will be featured later in the week.

Hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays!

Christmas Deer

This has been the year of the deer for me as far as Christmas projects go! I was so pleased with my other little deer project here and this is deer project #2. I found this golden deer at Goodwill for 1.99. Chantel convinced I needed to get it and give it a new look. This is how it turned out...

Isn't it amazing what a little white paint, glitter, ostrich feathers, ribbon, and pearls can do!

This is how it looked in her 1.99 state...

It even had a broken antler...but no more!

Another Christmas decorating project that I am pleased with!

And on another subject..I always say Janae has her hands full, but this is ridiculous...

Now that's an armload of puppies!

To end I will add a picture of the lights my husband put up on the house, which make the kids so happy...

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Pier One Angel Wings

I love angel wings. They are just the sign of peace for me. They make me feel good. When I saw these Angel wings on Sissie's blog (Sissie's post here) I immediately went to the Pier One website and looked for them. They are only 1.99 each! I was thrilled. They are the perfect little size to hang on the tree, tie on a gift, and all through the year I can just imagine all the crafts and gifts I could use these for.

I am so pleased with the customer service at Pier One too...I just listed online how many I wanted (Janae wanted some too) and my husband picked them up the next day after work. I was so delighted because every thanksgiving my Grandparents give us some Christmas money so I was able to spend it on something I really wanted..and will remember! Also, I love pier One...every year I drool over their ornaments and I love their commercials (you know, find something that speaks to you..at Cheer One).

I have decided from being influenced by other bloggers trees that I also want to add feather boas as garlands next year. Just can't have too much white fluffiness! 

Slowly but surely I am getting a gift here and a gift there done. I hope everyone's holiday preparations are going well!

Our Pets on Parade!

Well, it is finally time for me to join the pet parade!

These are not all living at my house but 3 of them belong to Janae and just visit "Grandma and Grandpa's" house. This is Dafney, Bella, Lacie, Little Bunny FuFu, Big John, Daisy and Duke.

The only one not pictured in the group photo is Sassy. She did not want to sit with all the other animals and as you can see was not too happy about the whole idea of wearing a Santa suit. Of course, who could blame her. She is a 16 year old silver tabby. We got her in front of a grocery store when the little girl who was trying to give her away told me her Dad would kill her if she didn't find a home for her. Janae was 5 at the time and pleaded with me, "please Mama please!".Sassy has been a part of our family ever since. She had to put up with years of Janae dressing her up and playing house with her. On her first birthday we had a party with like 7 guests and a cake with her portrait on it. I guess I am to blame for a lot of the spoiling that Janae does with her pets now:) Pets are people too in our family.

Jerry and I went to a wedding on the night that Janae, Chantel and Wyatt took these photos of the animals. Thanks kids! Dafney is the reindeer suit was born at our house when Chantel was a baby. I used to breed Yorkies. Chantel was obsessed with Scooby Doo and that's where the Dafney name comes from, though I decided to spell it in a original way. She is about 4 lbs..her father was only 1.5 pounds (his name was Itsy Bitsy). She is really starting to show her age..her Father had the same problem..no matter how much we cared for her teeth she keeps losing them. Bad teeth genes! Now the poor little thing lets her tongue hang out half the time. She is Daddy's girl--when my husband goes to bed I always hear him whistle for her to come to bed and she runs in and gets under the covers with him. Duke is our male Shih tzu. We got him shortly after getting Daisy. Jerry bought him as a surprise (I had a good idea we would be getting a friend for Daisy) and Wyatt said the day we got Duke was the best day of his life. Duke was one of the cutest puppies I have ever seen. He is 5 years old now. Everybody loves him. Not the worlds smartest dog but very lovable! Big John (the cat) was also born at our house about the same time as Dafney..when Chantel was a baby. I used to show Silver Persians besides breeding Yorkies..nuts, I know!

Daisy is my girl. From the moment I saw her I just bonded with her. She is a very mothering dog though she has never had puppies. She is always in charge of all the other dogs and shows concern about everything that happens in our household. She is totally connected to our disabled son, Gage, and if he starts to show signs of getting upset she will sit next to him and howl. I have never had a dog before that howled. If you don't immediately come to Gage she will then go looking for you and howl and go running back to Gage. She is a very special dog!

This is Coco. We had one litter of Chinchilla's once quite by mistake and Coco is the one we kept. She has such adorable markings that we had never seen on a chinchilla before. She is so soft.  She spends her nights running on her flying disc and her days sleeping. Her and I are both night owls!

Thanks for stopping by our holiday pet parade. Be sure and stop by the party at Bunny's (link in upper left hand corner) and maybe post your pet too! I love seeing everybody's furry babies!