Super quick...

Happy post-Thanksgiving!

We had a crazy post weekend over here...
but happily decorated the casa for Christmas!
Yippee!
Love how cozy the tree and garlands and wreaths make everything feel!
Here are some sneaks of the happy things around here...

I also took advantage of the hubby being home
and whipped up lots of scarves!
Here is a super dorky cheesy picture I took of myself...
you can also see the camera strap cover I made!
Okay...so here are 3 shots from our Thanksgiving...
Here are my pretty curly haired sis-in-laws,
SWEET Baby Anna,
and the straight haired Allikaye and me.

Auntie Katie with her 2 nieces!

Here's the little turkey herself!

Hope you all had a great weekend!
Tomorrow is December!
Love it!!
Oh, and happy advent time!!!
I wrote about our Jesse Tree Advent
Devotions here...from last year!

Follow the star...

This past weekend was the 74th Annual
Castle Rock Star Lighting.
It is our favorite!
We go downtown,
get hot chocolate,
chat with friends and fam,
sing some Christmas carols...
and await the countdown to the lighting of the
big star on top of Castle Rock.

We began with a puppet show at the library...
Notice, Ariel came along, beside Allikaye.
Grandma and Popa were loving the puppet show too..
mmm hmmm.

I love sharing memories with this chick...

Here is mama and girl waiting for the Castle Rock Bell Ringers
to perform...

And here is the star...
lit every year since 1936!
I l-o-v-e stars for many reasons.
During this season it is such an incredible
reminder of the Light and sacrifice that was sent down
on Christmas.

"We saw HIS STAR in the east
and have come to worship him"
Mathew 2:2

Also...
since it is Thanksgiving week...
I made this silly little turkey shirt for
Allikaye to wear on Thursday...

Traced her sweet little hands,
added button eyes and a waddle.

Gobble...Gobble...

Sew What...

Hello sewing machine.
I have missed you.
Even though I didn't even realize it.
I'm sorry for the neglect.
I am a stay at home mom now,
which means I can now be your friend again.

I have youtubed how to thread you.
And really you have opened up a whole
new world of crafting for me.
Is all this in the Mr. Budget?

Here is the inspiration...
Julie at Joy's Hope.
I love this girl!
She has been a great bloggy friend for a bit now...
so when she told us "non-sewing peeps"
to get off our seats and sew...
I said...um...ok.
So I joined her scarf along!!

Here are my nice beautiful cut fabric pieces...
ready for my scarf.
I got the fabric from Material Gal on Etsy.
Oh my...I love this fabric!
Look at the dots and birdcages!!

Our first week of homework was
to get to know our sewing machines.
After some choice words and the youtube videos...
I became a friend to my dusty old Singer.

I went a little sewing crazy!
First I made this easy and cheap and cute
bandanna dress!
eeeee...I love it!

And then I tried out a reverse applique...
and then after this little lopsided 'A'...
I made 3 more for Christmas presents!!

Thank you, sewing machine.
You are going to be a great friend for this mama.

If you know of any easy tutorials
for me...hook it up!
I want to learn and make more!!

Be Pinkalicious!

If you have a girl...
or just love happy colors and PINK...
you have probably seen this book...

Allikaye will tell anyone that will listen...
or anyone that is alive...

"Pink is my favorite color!"

She seriously says that statement 99 times a day.
She actually told THE Pioneer Woman at her signing!

So since we have another
stuck-in-the-house-snow-day...
we decided to make some
Pinkalicious cupcakes!
Let me just tell you...
the Betty Crocker Strawberry Mist Frosting
is awesome!
Awesome I tell ya!

We were very proud of our Pinkalicious cupcakes...
until I saw this online...

And then I saw this...

Our cupcakes didn't even compared!
But guess who didn't care...
and loved them anyways!!

"Are they delicious, Allikaye?"

"No, mama, they are PINKALICIOUS!"

I think I have an idea for Allikaye's 3rd Birthday Party!!
We'll see!!


**Memory Verse time...
I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love,
for you have seen my troubles,
and you care about the anquish of my soul.
Psalms 31:7**

Who doesn't like cinnamon?!

My hubby does not like pumpkin!

There I said it!
I love it...
but unfortunately if I make something
pumpkin-y, I am the one who eats it...
that's bad.

He also is not a fan of caramel and cinnamon!
I know!
He says they make him more thirsty. ?

So I am linking some recipes I have bookmarked.
Recipes I really shouldn't make this lovely fall season.
It just wouldn't be beneficial to my workout efforts...
because keep in mind...I will eat it all!

So here I am to share with whoever reads this!

The first few are from
Our Best Bites
GREAT site!

Easy Pumpkin Crumble
Crumb-Topped Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites
Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip

And here are dos mas...

Pumpkin Pie Bars...from Joy the Baker
Pumpkin Pie Bites...from Bakerella

Let me know if you make any of these!
I will eat vicariously through you.

Since I'm posting recipes...
Allikaye and me had fun with this
edible playdough...
mmmm...
Thankful for that girl!

Oh Star...

A thank you goes out to
Target's Halloween Clearance Section...
90% off...

The best 49 cents ever spent...

Cock-a doodle-doo...

I just might go back and get the
cat jester and the cat cleopatra...

we'll see.

Have a lovely day, lovelies!


Edited to add....
My Allikaye is on Pioneer Woman's site!!!
Check her out...so popular!
Oh, and you can see me too...well my legs...
I have a black belt on...and black sweater!!
Woohoo!

Pioneer Woman...Star Struck!

Oh yes...
I have met...
talked to...
and become bff's
with THE Pioneer Woman!
At least I like to think so.

Here is how it went down...

My Aunt Jeanne and Cousin Anna
(you have to look at her twin boys...have.to!)...
well, they drove out from Nebraska for the book signing of
Ree's new Cookbook,
which was at Tattered Cover in Denver.

We met for some good eats...
Asian Noodle goodness...

Then headed over to the bookstore...
plenty early to ensure our place in line!
Notice that Ree isn't getting there until 7:30.
This pic was taken at 4:30!!

Oh, there is Anna...
holding up a #1...
because we were 1st in line!!
Woohoo!

We had a while to wait...
So we pretended we were famous enough to sign a book...

Just simply posed...

Read some fun books...

Hugged an alligator...

Read some more...

And waited some more...
Check out how many people were there!
It filled up even more than this!
We heard the lady at Tattered Cover get all frantic and say,
"They're lined up all the way to religion!"
It made us laugh...

We huge ginormous heart Pioneer Woman...

AHHH!!
Here she is!!!
She was funny,
pretty,
and normal.
Exactly like I thought she would be!
L.o.v.e her!!

We were first which was so great...
here Allikaye is showing her Cinderella.

I got a little smudgy smudge on my camera...
but we are still loving this photo op!

It's really her!
I kept touching her arm
saying how much I love all her recipes
and her blog...
I am a nerd...
and star struck!

It was so fun and an adventure to be able to meet
The Pioneer Woman!
I am so glad that my Nebraski Jeanne and Anna came out...
it was so fun...and my best friend mama too!

And this cookbook!!!
I have never thought I would, or could,
read through an entire cookbook.
Well, this thing is entertaining...
funny...
and pretty much awesome!
There isn't one recipe I do not want to make,
which never happens!

I have already started my quest to make every recipe.
Three down...
Twice Baked Potatoes
Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich
Macaroni and Cheese

I cherish my SIGNED copy of this cookbook!

Yay for Pioneer Woman!
I'm still waiting for her to call me so we can catch up
and chat about the Ranch!

Bff's!

Anna posted about our time too...
checkety check it out.

Trick or Treating CUTENESS!

Oh my goodness...

I have a new memory
in my top million mom-memories...
and that is trick or treating with my girl!

Allikaye had SO.Much.FUN!

We started on the 30th with
Trick or Treat Street in our small downtown.
The businesses give out candy to all the cuties.

Here we are on the way...
e.x.c.i.t.e.d
kitty cat...

Miss Thang was not so sure about the blonde daddy..

Cat girlz...

I was mama cat...
and here is my blonde beauty...hehehe

Allikaye's pumpkin filled up fast...yummy!

We even got to visit a fire truck!

This was just such a fun event!

Allikaye never failed to sweetly say
"Trick or Treat"
and
"Thank you"
at every stop.
Matt and I were beaming at our
little pride and joy the whole time!

FUN! I never knew seeing my girl in her little cat costume
would bring me to tears, but she is just too much!
Ah I love that kitty!