Christmas Parties Everywhere!

Did you know that Carol, at Facing 50 with Humour, is hosting a Christmas party at her blog today? Well, she is! So head on over there and join in the fun!

Deanie attended a Christmas party last night. She sent me a picture of her costume from her phone:

And now, on to the blogshare for today:

While I certainly appreciate all the lovely compliments regarding the various recipes, crafts, ideas, etc. these last nine days, I CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR ANY OF IT!

All of the posts are from other bloggers who are part of the 25 Days of Christmas Blogshare and are not my own.

However, the post this Sunday will be mine!

What I am posting are teasers, if you will, written by the blogger of the day to encourage you to go and check out the rest of their posts on their blogs.

All you have to do is click on the provided links for the entire post!

AND NOW, the featured blogger for day 10 of the 25 Days of Christmas blogshare is:

Smitten by Abigail

A Christmas Tablescape with Thrifty Treasure Finds

Abigail has always marveled at tablescapes walking past them at fabulous restaurants, store displays and of course, the internet. I love all the details, the tiny touches that bring an entire table setting together. They always looked so pricey though. So my big mission for myself was to create a Christmas Tablescape... on a budget of course.

Enjoy!

25 Days of Christmas Blogshare--Day 9

While I certainly appreciate all the lovely compliments regarding the various recipes, crafts, ideas, etc. these last nine days, I CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR ANY OF IT!

All of the posts are from other bloggers who are part of the 25 Days of Christmas Blogshare and are not my own.

However, the post this Sunday will be mine!

What I am posting are teasers, if you will, written by the blogger of the day to encourage you to go and check out the rest of their posts on their blogs.

All you have to do is click on the provided links for the entire post!

AND NOW, the featured blogger for day 9 of the 25 Days of Christmas blogshare is:

Pounds4Pennies

I am so happy to be able to participate in this Blog Share with so many other bloggers. I love Christmas time, because it was always about spending time with my family. It is the one time of the year where we all try to make an effort to get home to mom and dad’s (nana and papa’s) house to enjoy time with each other. When I was a single mom I was able to purchase a set of 3 trees of different heights for my Christmas tree. We now use these trees to put in the three kids rooms. These are their Christmas trees to decorate how they choose each year. They get to place their handmade ornaments on it each year. In order to count down to Christmas we make a paper chain advent calendar for them to put on their trees to count down to the birth of Jesus. Here are some variations on this easy frugal advent calendar.

I'm linking up with:


FOLLOW FRIDAY 40 AND OVER with JAVA over at NEVER GROWING OLD 

AND FRIDAY FRIEND CONNECT with Jan over at Midlife Parenting 

25 Days of Christmas Blogshare--Day 8

Today's blogshare post is from Radcrafter who will show you how to make ribbon stockings! Check it out below and click on the link for more details!

***These posts are not mine but from other bloggers who are participating in the 25 Days of Christmas blogshare at Praga's Junkyard. I will have a post up on December 11th! 

Featured Blog - Radcrafter says:

I did it. Oh yeah, I can cross hang the Christmas stockings off the checklist. Yay! For those of you who read this little blog, you know I mentioned previously that this was a major TO-DO on the Christmas checklist this year. If you're just checking in, you can read more about that here. And, after lots of online oogling and book reading (I'm always reading crafting, decorating books, etc) it finally came to me. My idea was to merge a simple stocking pattern found online with a pillow design that I discovered in an old Martha Stewart decorating book.

 

These stockings are lined, only require
a few supplies and require minimum sewing skills to create. Visit Radcrafter to create your own ribbon Christmas stocking...

Tune in tomorrow for Day 9 of the 25 Days of Christmas blogshare at Parga's Junkyard!

HUMP DAY HOPS!

Good GRIEF! Here it is Wednesday! AGAIN! Too quickly! As it always seems to do!  

If you're here for Chats on the Farmhouse Porch, the 25 Days of Christmas blogshare or Get Wired Wednesday only, then scroll down.

First up is WEDNESDAY HODGE PODGE from Joyce at From This Side of the Pond.  This meme is fun and sometimes even poses a challenge (read: she makes us use our noggins!).   

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay? Yes. Happy. Well, I clean up...does that count? As long as they want to stay!

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 ...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one. I love any of the ones featuring Kurt Russel! I had such a crush on him when I was growing up! OMG- SUCH A CRUSH! But, since I have to pick just one- I'll go with The Parent Trap. I loved that movie then and I love it now! So much better than the remake! Seriously, I've not liked Disney that much since Walt passed. HOWEVER, I do love The Emperor's New Groove. It's my favorite animated one---even though it was made post Walt.

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?  I had to think and think and think and think about this one. But I came up blank. Hubs usually researches things to death before we purchase so, for the most part, we don't have this problem.

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online? Probably about 30% to half. I much prefer it to going out in the middle of all those rude shoppers!

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom? Poinsettia, I guess. Although I have a Christmas cactus that is in bloom right now!

One of my kindergarten teachers gave me this about 5 or 6 years ago for a Christmas gift. Two years ago I had one bloom in February. Last year, same thing. This year---well, there it is!

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this answer an actual item. I want a pair of RED RAIN BOOTS! These, to be exact:

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be? Impatient. I am trying to patiently await the arrival of all the lovelies for the holidays but it's just not working!

8. Insert your own random thought here. I saw these while Tuck and I were walking the other day. It's like yellow heart garland in the woods! Can you see it?

Next up is a HUMP DAY HOP from Patrice at Everyday Ruralty called Chats on the farmhouse porch!

Questions:

1. Have you ever had a blog slump? Only all the time. It's annoying.
2. What's your favorite way to serve hot chocolate (cocoa)? Marshmallows on top? Whipped Cream? A cinnamon stick? Marshmallows or marshmallow cream is excellent. Now though, I have no idea! There's no sugar in our daily diets so....wow. No hot chocolate? We don't need it anyway. It's 70 freaking degrees around this place.
3. How do you handle it when you see someone you think you know, but cannot place? Do you approach them and ask, shy away, or just go home and hope you don't think of it at 2am? It depends- if they strike up a convo I'll either ask them or go along with them and pretend I know exactly who they are. If no convo is involved, I just let it go.
4. What was your position in your family? Were you the oldest, a middle child, the youngest or an only child? I am the most spoiled oldest and really, really spoiled only girl.
5. How do you handle accumulated possessions (stuff)? Are you a pack-rat, a minimalist, or somewhere in between? I used to be a pack rat of sorts- though my MIL and Hubs made/make me look like a minimalist. Now, I am purging though because I hate having all this stuff cluttering up the house. I do still keep all the lovelies' school work, photos, etc. But it's all boxed up in storage bins- a different color for each lovely.

Teaser for today's 25 Days of Christmas blogshare post:

Featured Blog - By the Brook Designs

Here is my mantle currently

I love it!

I wanted to do a little more though.

I love to change with the season and usually add a new sign but I am adoring the silver platter in the middle so I decided to paint it with chalkboard paint so that I could write whatever seasonal saying I would like.

Read the remainder of this post from By the Brook Designs!

Last but NOT LEAST: 

I'm wired are you?

 It's so easy to join!

• Click the button and follow your hostesses- Victoria's Voice and Three Boys and an old Lady through GFC
• Follow our Guest Host Healthy Living Natural Beauty 
  
• Link up at Victoria's Voice
• Follow some of the other great blogs (and leave a comment so they can follow you back!) 
• Copy and Paste the blog hop BUTTON on your blog so others can join in (this is optional) 
• And, while not mandatory, Victoria would love for you to leave her a comment that you joined the HOP!
• AND, if you let her know, you can be a guest host one week! 

25 Days of Christmas Blogshare--Day 6

Join Parga's Junkyard as we Share Christmas with some of the web's best bloggers!

\

The featured blogger for today is our blogshare hostess with the mostest-Sonya at Parga's Junkyard

Here's what Sonya has to say:

Do you either host your own Christmas Parties and/or Open House or attend at least one during the holidays where you feel compelled to bring a dish? Do you like to find something new and exciting or do you tend to stick with the old reliable recipes your mother passed down to you?

 

Let's face it, any Holiday Party is only as memorable as the food served! Well, other than the stories about who drank too much and who sat on who's lap, that is! But what should you serve this year that will be the talk of the town as we round the corner towards 2012? What can you cook that will be any different from the rest of the parties and open houses your guests will be attending this year? Are you looking for some new recipes? Other than the usual and much used party crackers with pepperoni and cheese why not try some fresh new ideas? 

Just click on the link and head over to Parga's Junkyard for more!

Challenge Day!

***The winner of the MyMemories software and today's 25 Days of Christmas blogshare post are at the bottom of this post! ***

Today is the end of the TWELFTH week of Biz's Holiday 2011 Challenge and the end of the ELEVENTH week of Give Yourself the Best Gift and the Christmas Dress Challenge! (All buttons are on my sidebar but you can just click the links to get to their blogs OR click the links above!)

Here we go!

Check-In for ALL CHALLENGES

• Drink 64 oz of water daily: YES!
• Exercise at least one hour 7 days/week: YES! 
• Keep daily calories between 1200 and 1400: YES!
• Post daily exercise and food on livestrong.com: YES!
• Post weekly results: YES!
• No food after 8:00 pm: YES!
• Eat slower: Sometimes.
• Three days of strength training exercises: YES- in the form of getting decorations from the attic and moving the boxes here, there, and everyfreakingwhere.   

Here's the calorie breakdown:

• Monday: 1284
• Tuesday:1391
• Wednesday:1131
• Thursday: 1226
• Friday: 1309
• Saturday: 1281
• Sunday: 1245

Total calories for the week:8867
Total CARDIO for the week: 27.2 miles AND 9.53 hours
Weight total for Biz's Holiday Challenge 2011 week TWELVE: -3 lb (for a TWELVE week total of: -20.5 lbs) *Remember, this is a two week weigh in since the batteries crapped out last week. 
Weight total for Give Yourself the Best Gift and Christmas Dress Challenge week ELEVEN: -3 lb (for an ELEVEN week total of: -18.5 lbs) *Remember, this is a two week weigh in since the batteries crapped out last week. 

Remember y'all: One day at a time!

The winner of the MyMemories Suite 2 digital software is:

Entry #18 Mrs. Claus at Like Christmas Every Day! Congrats!

 

Today's blog post for the 25 Days of Christmas Blogshare is from Lori at Bleak 2 Unigue---

 Gather 'round, grab a chair and join me in making a wonderful Christmas memory...A Christmas ornament that can be made to fit any style or decor using almost any family treasure. Our family has been making our heirloom ornaments for over 50 years, and now I would like to share a tutorial so you can make your own family heirloom for Christmas!  ( Mouse over image below)

A Sample of what you can do!

December Blogshare LineUp!

December 1st - Tots and Me -

December 2nd - Vodka and Motherhood

December 3rd - Your Mama Said What

December 4th - Happy Go Lucky Harvey

December 5th - Bleak 2 Unique

December 6th - Pargas Junkyard

December 7th By the Brook Designs

December 8th - Radcrafter

December 9th - Pounds 4 Pennies

December 10th -. Smitten by Abigail

December 11th - Empty Nest

December 12th - Tiaras and Bowties - Think Smink

December 13th - The Freshman Cook

December 14th - The Bunnies of Christmas by Mary Ellen

December 15th - My Simple Walk

December 16th - Clipper Girls Saving Spot

December 17th - Musings From a Sahm

December 18th - Larissa Hill

December 19th - Coupons for Wisconsin

December 20th - Allergy Free Cookery

December 21st - Liz Finding My Own Life

December 22nd - A is A Family

December 23rd - Lee Me and the Girls

December 24th - My Crazy Bliss

December 25th -Golden Reflections

Merry Christmas to All!

An Early Christmas Gift- of sorts

Working on decorating the house for Christmas with no lovelies at home is just not fun. It almost like work. Yes, Hubs is here but he is working on the outside because we are also getting ready for the Christmas oyster roast. There's LOTS to be done!

And then, yesterday evening, an early Christmas gift arrived in the form of our youngest lovely- DoodleBug. That's right! DoodleBug came over late yesterday afternoon and stayed until 11:00 which translates to a fantastic Saturday evening!

We went to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods (because college students need to eat) and then came back and continued decorating one of the trees--

This picture is just so her oldest sister will know who got to put the topper on the tree...in other words, she's trying to stir up some trouble of the fun, sister variety.

and snuggled with Tucker--

and Daddy--

 and, of course, watched Christmas Vacation. Again. And it's not the last time this season either!

An icky day that turned out perfect thanks to our DoodleBug!

And now- the Christmas Blogshare

All you do, if the teaser interests you, is head over to the blog of the day and read! That's it! 

The 25 Days of Christmas Blogshare post for today is at Happy Go Lucky! where you can find a recipe for MINT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES!

KARA says:

It's the perfect time of year to enjoy any thing that combines mint with chocolate!

Don't these Mint Chocolate brownie bites look delicious?  The mint green icing with red sprinkles make it look so festive ~ Perfect for all those holiday parties your planning and attending this month.

Head over to Happy Go Lucky to get this fabulous recipe.

The hardest part about this recipe is eating just one and you might not want to share!