Teacher Appreciation Gift ... Thanks A Latte

Last week was Teacher Appreciation week, but I wanted to finish my post of the Minecraft party so I had to share what we did for the teachers.  The PTF gave suggestions for each day, one day was a handmade card.  I found this really cool FREE printable for Thanks a Latte on Eighteen 25.  As you know I love these amazing bloggers that make these items and give free printable's, in my world they are rockstars!!

What you Need:

White Card Stock

Coffee Gift Card

Coffee Sleeve

Ribbon

Hot Glue Gun (or Glue)

I picked up a Starbucks giftcard while I was grocery shopping so I had to use a sleeve I picked up from target.  I would have liked to use a Starbucks one, but I didn't have time to run there so I used what was handy.  You know me I love my hot glue gun, you can use regular glue but I'm all about my glue gun.  

Print the card, if you have 5x7 paper print on that if not use a regular sheet and cut yourself. If you know me I'm all about no waste and I had some 5x7 paper on hand (you can even use 4x6).  I cut the coffee sleeve in half and trimmed to fit on the card.  I should have trimmed a little more now looking at it, but it turned out pretty cute!  I took the hot glue and went along the bottom and the side and attached to the card.  She tied her's with twine I had some green ribbon left over from a previous project and used it :).  Wrap the ribbon around twice so you can tie in front.  When all dry insert the gift card in the top of the sleeve.  Have your little one write their name on the bottom next to from.

Quick and Easy but so worth it!  Cole's teacher came up to me and said her and her boyfriend thought it was the cutest card she had ever received!!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all

One of my favorite things about holidays (heck back in the day the funnies in Sunday paper too) while growing up was Peanuts.  I just love those guys, I wish my kids would get into them.  I saw this and it just brought me back to being a kid!

Hope you all have a wonderful day, with laughter and lot's of love!  Remember if you can those who don't have as much.  Give to your shelters and churches if you can.  You never know what a simple little thing can do for someone!

God Bless!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving

Pause for Memorial Day

Just wanted to take a moment to thank all of those who have severed our country and all those family that have stood by their sides here while their loved ones were away!  Thank you for your service, so often we forget to Thank those that make it possible for us to have our freedoms like the freedom to write this blog, to say what I want to say with out the free of going to jail.   For our freedom to believe in God or for those who don't for their freedom to not believe.  Just think of those who don't have these simple luxuries we take for granted every day!  Make sure to thank not ONLY today but everyday for those who have fought and many who have given their lives for these freedoms!  Take a 60 seconds pause, only 60 seconds for all they do REALLY is that too much to ask for?

Happy Thanksgiving ... So Traditions and Giving Thanks

First off Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE! I want to say a big thank you to everyone who follows or just takes the time out of there day to read my crazy mind and life. It's because of you that I get going and have found in life that at one time I found very grey and sad. We have some new followers and we want to welcome them to into a crazy thing we call family. Oh you all know you're like my family, better because we actually choose each other ... LOL.

So my friend who mind you once featured me ... yes I actually was featured on a blog once! And she even called me her BBF (Best Bloggy Friend) .... yes my mind never forgets these things! Well she asked us to share our traditions and what we do to get read for thanksgiving. So my BBF Mrs. Cooper here is the answer to your HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AND GIVING THANKS.

So since having kids I try to have everyone at the house for Thanksgiving, it's just too hard to lug us everywhere and then to be on our "best behavior". Now having kids my cleaning style isn't so crazy OCD like it use to be. But whenever I know my mom is coming over I bust my rear ... we joke she'll bust out the white glove. Now don't get me wrong LOVE my mom but she's like the cleaning machine and her house is amazing, mine not so much! Also my grandmother is coming over to and hello she's her mom so what would you expect accept the same type of person. So part of my tradition is hanging on to my sanity while they are both here. My mom means well put she'll comment on the house, my weight, the kids ... LOL I love her to death and know she means well but sometimes my self esteem will wear a little, but I know it's good stuff I really need to work on and that will get me on threw the day. ;)

So now on to the cleaning and the food! Welcome to my world I call Thanksgiving!

First we start with the stove!

Who knew this could get so dirty!

UGH ... all clean and a new liner.

Then the trace that I call boys ...

My floors .. really that was just the bathroom

What is up with the hand prints everywhere?

Then the dinning room/my work area

All clean!

My desk is clean

Bar is clean and you can see the countertop!

And the Table is set!

Floors are clean in the kitchen

Fridge art is up and displayed

(Thanks artist Cole, organizer Caden)

And top of the stove cleaned too!!

Now onto the food making!

On the menu:

* Chuck's Favorite Mac and Cheese

(No clue who chuck is just name of recipe)

* Ham with "The Best Glaze in the world"

* "Smashing" Smashed Potatoes

* Pumpkin Creme Brule

(cross fingers my first attempt)

* Candied Sweet Potatoes

* Grandmother Parker House Rolls

(again no clue who she is just name of recipe)

Mom will bring a Turkey and her famous Green Beans with Bacon

GG (Great Grandma) will bring her cranberry sauce and stuffing!

Rick hates my stuffing .. ;( sorry Martha Stewart your apple stuffing wasn't a hit last year.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day with lot's of friends, family and laughter! I promise to stop by and say hi later today. Right now I have some cooking to do!