Thanksgiving prep...

The family has begun to arrive...and I couldn't be happier.

My younger brother is currently driving from Sacramento with his wife and adorable 4 year-old. My older sister has been here for a few days. And my youngest brother came up to hang out for the next couple days...he spent today doing this...

While we...

made some cornucopias (ala Martha)...

wait till you see how cute they are filled with reeses pieces....

and then we made these...mostly because I think they are so cute....

not that we need more junk to eat (thanks again Martha)!

(I just searched for the webpage, but I can't find it) We made them with Keebler striped cookies, turned upside down, some leftover orangish frosting to attach a peanut butter cup and then stuck an orange tictac on the front.

My cousin Mackenzie came over to help us make pies...

I've never made a pie before (not without a frozen pie crust that is). I guess we really won't know until tomorrow how they turned out...but here's a preview or our apple and berry pie...

I tried to do the criss cross thing on the berry pie...guess I should have braided it, not just laid it on top of one another...oh well...they were my first!

Then we started working on the center piece for the table....

can't wait till it's all done and I can light the candles:)

Now I just need to finish cleaning my house...and then I have to make dinner for everyone (you know that whole not eating out thing is going to be very difficult this weekend)!

Hope your Holiday prep is going well!

100th post....My Etsy shop is open!

Sort of...

All, and I mean ALL, of my jewelry is still in Seattle with my sister. On Saturday it will be at another boutique in the Federal Way/Tacoma area, and then next week it will be attending to "bag parties" with my sis (it's like she is my very own broker:). Because of this, I could only list one item, so far....

Hopefully, I will get any remaining jewelry back mid-december, and will be able to put up more stuff. Or maybe, after Thanksgiving, and the family leaves, I will have time to make more. Either way...you can head HERE and see what I am selling. Or go HERE, and see what other types of jewelry I make and will eventually get up in my ETSY shop!

By way of my blog...what a fun couple of months this has been...getting to know people, being inspired and learning A LOT! Thanks to everyone who has visited my blog...become a follower...and left such awesome comments. I am so very appreciative!

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving...I can't wait to take pics of my first ever Tablescape to share with all of you...and for all of you to see pics of my fabulous family!

Advent Calendar

Lil D is REALLY into shapes right now...and numbers. I am going to brag for a minute...this kid amazes me...he is 2 1/2 and knows ALL his shapes...and I mean more then your basics...square, circle, star...he also knows heart, oval, rectangle, and diamond. Sure, you say...many 32 month-olds know those. Okay...but do they know octagon, decagon, polygon and parallelogram? Do you know what a parallelogram is?:) It's hilarious to listen to him say some of those words. Anyway...I can't take much of the credit. My mother-in-law bought him a puzzle that matches shapes with their names...and he loves to play with it. You point at the shape...he'll tell you the name...and then find the matching side with the name of it (or at least a piece with the first letter of the name on it...he isn't reading yet...not that amazing:)

He is the same way about numbers...on a good day, he counts to 15. He always wants to "discuss" which hand is on which number on the clocks (and I'm serious about the "discuss" part). He also knows that he isn't supposed to wake us up till 7am...funny thing...his internal clock wakes him at exactly 7 every morning...he'll come happily into our room announcing that there is a 7 on the clock...no going back to sleep at that point...

Okay...so what does all that have to do with my title "Advent Calendar"...well...this:

After seeing lots of holiday countdowns in blogland...I decided to jump on that idea train and make one for Lil D. I found lots of different shapes at Robert's Crafts...

Gave them a good twice over with the spray paint (Rustoleum Heirloom white)

added some magnets to the back...

some vinyl numbers (cut on my cricut)

Stuck them to the magnet board I found at The Wood Connection (sides already folded back so no sharp edges and 2 holes in the top for a ribbon).

Added some treats (I need to have a daily treat too:)

more vinyl!

and we have a countdown...

I decided to get a bigger box for Christmas Eve, so I can put a little bigger treat inside.

Lil D is loving "his" boxes and shapes...we'll see if the candy stays in each box until the appropriate day. He may be smart...but he LOVES his chocolate!

I'm linking to

DIY day at ASPTL

Toot your horn Tuesday

Celebrate the Holidays at It's So Very Cheri

Meal Plan Monday...Thanksgiving style!

I am proud to say that I am still "clean" of eating out...22 days and going strong (only 1 week left...but I'm not counting).  To be honest, my sister (who is currently visiting) flies out on 01 December...guess what we are doing before she heads to the airport...going out to eat:)  I kinda feel like I owe it to her...after having to eat my home cooked meals 3 times a day...we're just saving money:) (and I'm down 3 pounds!)

This week isn't going to get any easier...my brother and his family arrive on Wednesday...I'm pretty sure my brother, sister-in-law, and Mr. T will be hitting Cafe Rio at least one time (I'll just stay home and enjoy leftovers...again).

So on to what I WILL be eating this week: Mostly just digging through the fridge, as I didn't really plan much!

Sunday: creamy crock pot chicken, rice and jello salad (courtesy of my awesome cousin Hydi)

Monday: Chicken caesar salad

Tuesday: My sis is taking 2 friends out for dinner...I'll be eating dinner/snacks from home and shopping during their dinner date. Mr. T and Lil D will have to fend for themselves.

Wednesday: Whatever we can find....leftovers!

Thursday: This is going to be a shocker....Turkey dinner

Friday: Next day turkey soup

Saturday: lots of snacks and leftovers while enjoying the BYU/UofU game

Creamy Crock Pot chicken:

4-6 chicken breasts (boneless/skinless)

1 pkg. italian dressing mix

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

Place chicken breasts in crock pot and sprinkle with italian dressing.  Mix cream cheese and chicken soup together and pour over top.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Serve with rice....yummy!

Thanksgiving feast:

Breakfast:

sticky buns (also called pull aparts)

Breakfast struedel

Snacks:

Veggie tray and dip

Hot artichoke and spinach dip

chips and onion dip (family fav)

cheese and crackers

Dinner:

Turkey (stuffed with herbs, head of garlic, onion)

Bread stuffing

Mashed potatoes and gravy

Fresh green beans with red onions and garlic

cranberries

"yummy pink jello salad" (courtesy of my cousin Mackenzie)

rolls

Dessert:

Apple pie

Berry pie

(sorry...no pumpkin pie lovers here)

HAPPY FEASTING!

I'm linking up to Meal Plan Monday

Frustrating...but I'll survive:)

I was all excited yesterday that I finally had time to "get my craft on"...I have 3 projects that I was trying to get done...but nope...all three all stalled.

#1---a magnetic countdown...guess I mis-counted my boxes...so I get to hit Joanns (again) tomorrow for a few more:)

#2---a Target "look-a-like" glittery tree....I am sure I have green glitter, but it is no where to be found...add that to the Joanns list.

#3---an FHE board...I just need Mr. T to drill me some holes....but he was busy reformatting my "new" computer so he didn't have time. (I am NOT complaining...I'm very excited about that)...I know, I know, I could probably drill it myself...but the holes don't go all the way through and well...I don't want to mess it up.

Yesterday was finally the Meeker Bazaar in Tacoma...if you remember, I had spent the previous few weeks pumping out some jewelry to send to my sister.  Here are the pics from the show:

My sister sells sunglasses...

and handbags...

She did a great job setting it all up...the frustrating part...we didn't sell much:( She said that there were a lot fewer people there then she remembers in previous years...and even though people liked it...they weren't buying.  I sold some stuff...I was just hoping for more!

The good news...a friend of hers is having an "in-home" bazaar next weekend and she is going to see if she can get my jewelry in that.  Plus, she has 2 "bag parties" the week after Thanksgiving that she is going to take my stuff too.  Hopefully, I will get more of it sold!:)

Even more hopefully...Monday will be a more productive "crafting" day...

But for now...it's time to get up and ready for church...:)

Some many projects...just not enough time...

My sister came in to town to be with me...we are doing lots of fun things...it is leaving me little to no time to blog...I am not sad about that:)  I'm excited to show all the fun things we are creating...

Today we went to a holiday boutique/bazaar in a ladies home...we didn't buy anything...but I got even more fun ideas of things to try to make!  

Our crafting list just got longer!

Stay tuned!

PS...my jewelry arrived safely in Federal Way, Washington this afternoon...my heart is resting easy...and I am ever so thankful to my oldest sister for taking on the selling of my stuff this Saturday.  She sells fantastic bags/purses if you are interested in purchasing one...or if you live in her area...you could have a party!  Go here to see!

PPS...still on the no eating out...19 days and going strong...even with a visitor here!

Last night we had Reuben sandwiches and tonight homemade pizza...see...I'm feeding her good!

Room Remix giveaway!

PK's is doing an Amazon giveaway for her followers. 

Go here if you want to enter!