Party Planner

Homemade Christmas Traditions

Laurie9 Comments

For Talk To Me Tuesday over on Tip Junkie, we’re talking about homemade Christmas gifts.

We have several homemade Christmas traditions in our family that I’ve also made and given as gifts. Here’s a few of them:

Felt Nativity Hand Puppets: Several years ago I made these hand puppets at a Super Saturday craft day at my church. They were so easy!! We don’t have enough people in our family to act out the Nativity – so this is our alternative.

Laminated Finch Family Nativity: This is my favorite Christmas gift to make for friends with small kiddos. Print out the “Away in Manger” project in the The Best of Family Home Evening CD on card stock, cut, and laminate.

Since I have a terrible voice, I made a CD of all the songs to go with it. I put wrote the corresponding songs and CD track # on the back of each one as well as a Velcro dot. My boys pick a Nativity character and we sing along with the CD. You can also print out all the words to the songs here.

I’ve used this for soo many things: Family Home Evenings, singing time at church, play group activity, and as a lesson help.

My mom made me this beautiful Stamped Christmas Advent Calendar several years ago. I put it on my fridge but you could also put this on a cookie sheet as well. Make it for your family or for a friend as a gift.

What are some of your Christmas Traditions?

Mother of Boys

Grandparent Post

Laurie3 Comments

I can NOT believe it is Thanksgiving already! Where did October and November go?

I met the boys for their Thanksgiving feast at school (last Friday). They loved it and it was the perfect way to start our week of family time. Drake even ate some turkey. (I know, I was shocked too.)

I finally gave in and decided to host Thanksgiving here at my house this year. {{sigh}} My sister, Lisa, and my sister-in-law came early so we could have some quality time with them and the kids. Samantha is my newest niece at only 4 months old. Drake did NOT appreciate me holding her. 😉

We took the opportunity to take the fam to the Dallas Aquarium. It was a really cool experience and the boys loved it!

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tease Lisa a couple times during our excursion. (ha ha)

Not only is my mom in town but I have agreed to cook. Needless to say I’m stressing a little. 🙁 I’ll be much better on Friday when it’s been confirmed that no one got food poisoning from my cooking. (I’m NOT joking.)

What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving? Family – Food – Travel – Counting my Blessings

Small Talker

I’m Thankful For…

Laurie4 Comments

I had fully intended on doing this last Friday but all of a sudden it was Monday! oops. 😉

Friday Fill-In #46

1. The things I give thanks for this Thanksgiving are an eternal family, good health, and fabulous friends.
2. My Thanksgiving traditions include a fun kiddie dessert like this one, a craft with my boys like The Tablecloth, and a Gratitude Tree.
3. The best part about Thanksgiving is the food.
4. My favorite Thanksgiving food is pumpkin pie.
5. ______ was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me on Thanksgiving. (I block out everything bad and embarrassing. ha ha. I really have no idea, Davis probably broke something valuable at someones house. 😉
6. After the meal, I clean up. {{bummer}}
7. Tonight I’m looking forward to organizing my house top to bottom getting ready for company, tomorrow my plans include buying new sheets for my guest bed and Wednesday, I want to take my family to the Dallas Aquarium!

Happy Thanksgiving Ladies!! I hope you all travel safely and have a wonderful time with your families. If you want some fun Thanksgiving decor, food, and tradition ideas – go over to Tip Junkie.

Business Owner · Shopper

Wondering What I’ve Been Up To?

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I feel like I haven’t stopped moving since I got home from Utah. It’s been a fun and crazy week. Besides getting ready to host Thanksgiving here at my house, I’ve been uploading TONS of new products onto Executive Homemaker.

All kinds of fun stuff from Bitsy Blossoms.




There are so many new products, click here to check them all out. Keep your Christmas shopping list in mind. Let’s support these Mom-prenuers and fellow bloggers!

Small Talker

How You Know…

Laurie16 Comments

…when you’re done having kids?


(From the Ugly Baby Contest – Crying)

10. When you’re in the store and your sister says, “Isn’t that baby so cute?” You look at the baby and can honestly say no.

9. When you won’t tango with your man while you’re ovulating. 😉

8. When you see girls at church that are unkempt, and you no longer have to fight the urge to grab them and do their hair.

7. While planning future family events – you only have the current kiddos in mind and it feels right. (No more planning around pregnancies.)

6. When you give all your baby stuff to your sister and are so excited to have the extra attic room!

5. When you come to terms that the ache you feel for wanting a daughter IS the trial, not the process of raising one.

4. When you no longer linger in the girl clothes department.

3. When you see other mothers and daughters together you think of all the problems you won’t have to deal with instead of all the experiences you’ll miss out on.

2. When you find the words “Honey, it’s time I get snipped.” from your husband the most romantic words, and you fall in love with him all over again.


(Old picture)

1. When you look at a picture of your 3 boys and feel content that your family is complete.

Girly Girl

Cougar & Kitten Luncheon

Laurie13 Comments

There are so many amazing 38+ women at my church that I want to get to know. I’ve lived in this house now for almost 2 years, and I realized a while ago that if I want to become friends with these women, I’m going to have to MAKE the opportunity. That’s when I hatched the idea of the “Cougar & Kitten Luncheon”.

Did any of you see that TV show ‘Age of Love’ where the 30-something dated women in their 40s (Cougars) and 20s (Kittens)? Anyway, it’s that concept. I invited my friends and Jolyn (pictured above) invited her friends. It was so much fun!!

For the party favor, I made these party cones and filled them with chocolates and an inspirational bauble magnet.


I made this runner and these simple centerpieces.



It was potluck (of course), so the food was so yummy! Jen hooked me up with one of her recipes. Thanks Jen!

It was important to me that when the lunch was over, I felt like I got to know the Cougars better. So, I had each person write down a question they wanted to know about someone in the room. We shuffled the cards and then each choose one. One person read their card at a time and then we went around the room and each person got a chance to answer that question.

I also invited my good friend Julie so she could get to know these amazing Cougars as well. Let’s just say, the cougars at her church are not having the same experiences that she is. 😉

It was a BLAST!! I learned so much about these women in 2 1/2 hours that I normally wouldn’t have ever figured out. Even though I’m still exhausted from my Utah trip (Lisa and Melissa wore me out!) It was so worth it. I feel like my world has oppened up just a little bit more and now I have these amazing women to learn from. YEAH!

Small Talker

Caramel Apples

Laurie26 Comments

I’m ending my Utah trip posts with my Lindsay Lohan impression at the Cirque Lodge. It’s just a few blocks from Melissa’s house. HA HA HA!

Melissa insisted on taking us to the Mountain something or other for caramel apples dipped in white chocolate then sprinkled with apple cinnamon. They were yummy! I’ve never been a caramel apple fan but I was converted.

Our conversation turned to the fact that Melissa has a friend (or two) who are stingy and won’t share their secret recipe for caramel apples, where the caramel actually stays on the apple. I assured her that if I knew anyone that had such a recipe, I’d find it for her.

So here’s my plea! If you have the coveted caramel apple recipe please share with me and put poor Melissa out of her misery. Apparently she’s been attempting the impossible with several failed attempts.

If needed, I’m fully willing to barter for the reciepe with a secret one of my own. {wink}
Blogger

Blogger Lunch

Laurie13 Comments

Top: Martha, Laurie W, Heather, Me. Bottom: Leslee, Annmarie, and Lisa came to the lunch. My friend Melissa, who I was visiting, took the picture.

What can I say about the blogger lunch? We had a BLAST!!! These ladies are amazing! I would hang out with any of these ladies in real life, any time. They’re fun, gorgeous, engaging, and most importantly real. I obviously felt like I already knew them, but I was even more excited when our connection in real life was instant and comfortable.

We didn’t have any problems filling the conversation. We laughed, talked seriously, got to know each other better, were LOUD, and 2 hours later when the lunch was over – I realized I hadn’t even asked any of the questions I had planned.

At one point in the conversation someone asked me if I regretted posting about Heather being my Blog Crush? I knew immediately the answer was No. I never even imagined that I would have had the opportunity to meet her, and because I took a risk by putting myself out there – look what happened! {giggle}

Can I tell you that Heather’s just like she is on her blog. She’s outgoing, funny, warm, confident, and fabulous! My only regret is that I didn’t have a couple more hours to spend with these ladies. I didn’t get one-on-one time with each of them like I would have liked. {bummer}

Thank you ladies for taking the time away from your families on a Saturday to meet. I felt honored to have met you and loved every minute of our lunch. You far exceeded my expectations!

If you ever have the opportunity to meet any of your blogger friends – DO IT! I’m so glad I did. You know I couldn’t let everyone leave with out a party favor. So I made everyone a beaded bookmark in my current favorite color – turquoise.

Tip: Keep these in mind this Holiday season as a small gift idea or to add a personal touch to a book you’re giving.