Lets train

This past weekend was so fun and busy!  Not only did I have a pageant send off party for a friend, and a baby shower for another friend, AND took a quick Christmas card photo with Lindsey Koch Photography, but out came the Christmas boxes!  I work at a small business that I love, but one of the downfalls is that everyone is required to work on Black Friday, AKA no long Thanksgiving weekend for this girl.

No worries, however.  That just means I decorate the weekend before Thanksgiving!  Down to the basement I went and began grabbing the five (ahem, and growing) bins of decor.  I absolutely love dragging them upstairs and taking over the entire floor deciding where to put everything.  I usually start with the tree since my collection of ornaments takes a lot of the space.  Since my mom turned me into a Christmas fanatic early, I have been collecting ornaments for decades.  Some of my newest favorite ornaments are the personalized ones that Nate and I get every year!  We got our first one after only six months of dating.  I knew he was a keeper if he supported my Christmas obsession.

Another favorite ornament of Nate's, the Adrian Peterson ornament, next to one of my favorites, the Rockette ornament!

Since I used my old tree topper on my cupcake tree, I started looking for a new tree topper early.  Almost instantly I found the most perfect tree topper that I am pretty sure was made for me!  I have been drooling over this dang thing for almost a month now, and decided I couldn't wait for the sales.  It is mine!

I thought my tree looked so cute, stepped back and took a photo.  Something seemed to be missing.

Then I remembered I bought a cute whimsical spray from Michael's.  Duh!  Such a fun accent on the tree.

I am so happy with how it turned out!

One thing I am not so happy with is my sideboard.  This time of year is the whole reason I wanted one!  I had visions of a cute Christmas scene, houses, fake snow, or something magical happening.  Not so much.  It pretty much became the island of misfit decor that I couldn't  figure out where else to display.  I am in desperate need of the perfect table runner and need to edit the contents on the table.  Rats.  Definitely in progress.

Can you believe it?

We built another well!!!
$5,130 raised in a week.
Lives will forever be changed because of YOUR donations!!!!
AMAZING.
Thank you, Thank You, Thank You!
I have to admit, I wasn't sure we were going to pull it off again this year.
After the first day, I wasn't very optimistic. And, by Friday we hadn't even reached half our goal.
But God had a plan & he surprised us once again & moved in Big ways.
The donations came flooding in this weekend & by 7 pm tonight, the well was fully funded.
I am humbled, I am in awe. Lives Changed. To God be the Glory!

Did you know that Project 320 was named because of the verse Ephesians 3:20?
"Now glory be to God! By HIS mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope."

This verse spoke SO loudly to us this year.
Thank you from the bottom of all our hearts for joining in with us this year!
Thank You for Giving water this Christmas.

And, I have a winner for my bundle!!!
Congrats, Jonnique!

I want to leave you all with the 2011 Advent Conspiracy Video
(turn on your volume)

[AC] Promo 2011 - International Justice Mission from Advent Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Make these last 6 days of the Christmas Season count.....
Spend Less on Christmas.
Give more Presence.
Love like Jesus.

I made Pam's Cheesecake for Christmas dessert.

Recipe {HERE}

And, I made Peanut Butter Ritzies.
“In the spirit of full-disclosure, I’ve partnered with Hormel Foods as part of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. Throughout the year I’ll be receiving product, coupons, giveaways and promotions. However, no payment was given or expected for posting about the program, and as always, all opinions given here are fully my own."
 I make Peanut Butter Ritzies every Christmas and Valentines Day. So yummy & so easy!

The Sunday before Christmas we had Larson family Christmas with Kevin's family.
Larson Family Christmas always starts off with gin fizzes. Yum! 


Kevin's mom LOVES Christams and goes all out. Here are all our stockings:



 Growing up we opened all our presents on Christmas Eve, so with our kids, that is the night we celebrate Christmas with my family & we still open up all our presents that night as well.

It isn't Christmas Day if we don't watch A Christmas Story:

 
 We ended the night by watching Home Alone 2. I love this movie :)

 The next day was Decebmer 26....in my opinion one of the most depressing days of the year.
It is the day I take down Christmas & pack it all away.

A few weeks ago, I was browsing Pinterest & saw 2 super cute Christmas treat/snack ideas.

I didn't pin them, but made a mental note that I wanted to make them with the girls.

Our Christmas Break starts late this year...December 21.

Usually, I have a week off school before Christmas & I look forward to that week so that the girls & I can do Christmas Crafts & Baking. Since our break starts so late this year, I making sure I do some crafts/baking before hand. Our first activity was yesterday!

The first snack called for my favorite...powdered sugar donuts.

Donut Snowmen!

  Here is what you need:

 -mini powdered donuts, wooden shish kabob skewers, fruit by the foot, mike & ikes, apple o's, peachy o's, gum drops, mini chocolate chips & black (or brown) cookie icing.

I love these powdered donuts...Can we have a moment of silence for Hostess going out of business?

Take 3 donuts & put them on the wooden skewer.

Add a peachy O or Apple O & then a gum drop for the top hat.

An orange Mike & Ike for the carrot nose.

Use other colored Mike & Ike's for the buttons.

Use mini chocolate chips (or the icing) for the eyes & mouth.

 The fruit by the foot is the scarf.

Viola! Powdered Sugar Snowmen!

 The girls had a fun time making (and eating) these.

They were cute, but they were MESSY.

Powdered Sugar everywhere. EVERYWHERE.

Also, make sure you get powdered sugar donuts that have small holes...the Entemenn's brand wouldn't work as well because the donut hole part looked WAY too big & candy didn't fit in there. I used Little Debbie. Hostess would have been perfect also, but RIP Hostess.

I saved the leftover candy for our Gingerbread Houses that we are going to make next week.

 The second snack we made was:

 Mini Chocolate Donuts, Pretzels, Red m&m's, Black Cookie Icing

 Break off pieces of Pretzel to make antlers, stick a red m&m in the hole to make the nose & add the eyes with the frosting.

I don't like the way chocolate donuts taste (I know, I am weird) but these were just too cute! 

Here are 2 things I made last year for the December Pinterest Test Kitchen that were cute & that I plan on making again.

Homemade Snow Globe Gift Card Holder:

Christmas Tree Brownies:

Click HERE for the step by step of each project.

Linking up with Jess: