Valentine's Day Advent Calendar

I am all about starting traditions with my family and when I ran across this advent calendar on another blog, I KNEW it was something fun I wanted to do each year with my kids to celebrate Valentine's Day. I wouldn't have been able to complete this project without the help of my fabulous mom! I will admit, it was a little more work than I anticipated, but so worth it in the end! I cut the pink heart out of about a yard of felt and then cut 4X4 squares and arranged them first before sewing them on. That's where my mom came in! She has a new sewing machine so we put it to work, or actually, I put my mom to work! She's amazing. I'm including some close-ups of some of the cool stitching that it produced. I still need to cover and trim the dowel rod and then I need to also figure out what I'm going to put in the pockets. I have all my cute Valentine's Day paper ready, but I am not sure what I'm wanting to put on it! I'm thinking a fun activity to do that day like going to the indoor playground, baking cookies or cupcakes, having heart shaped pancakes for breakfast....I don't know. I'm still thinking. Or I might put a cute poem or phrase or even a Bible verse....again, still thinking! I'll let ya know what I decide!

LOVE THIS SITE!!!!

You must go check this site out if you are looking for things to do with your kids!!!! http://familyfun.go.com/ I have gotten so many cool Valentine's Day ideas that I cannot wait to try them out with my two sweet peas! I'll have to post pics of anything we do from this site. AND-- I'm working on a Valentine's Day advent calendar to count down the days until the holiday of LOVE. I can't wait to start this new tradition with my kids!!!

New Cookie Recipe

So, after doing lots of research looking for how to make cute cut-out cookies, I came across the blog, Bake at 350. She makes ADORABLE cookies and has lots of instructions on how to ice and bake cookies. I tried her sugar cookie recipe and royal icing recipe today, and I must say, they were the easiest cookies ever to cut out and then transfer to the cookie sheet! I learned that first you pipe the icing on, then you have to "flood" it to fill in the rest. So, this was my first attempt at flooding cookies, and it went OK. I don't get quite yet how to get rid of those air bubbles. I'm hoping after they dry for 24 hours they look differently, but my hopes aren't too high! As far as taste goes, they're pretty good. I think I'll stick to my butter cookie recipe though, I like it better, just wish it cut out cookies as well as this recipe did! I must also say, I had some very cute helpers today, too!!!!

Jillian's 2nd Birthday

I did a combination of Princess/Purple & Pink polka dots for Jillian's 2nd Birthday this year. I think it turned out pretty stinkin' cute! She had a banner hung from pink and purple boas, pink and purple polka dot balloons, a Barbie princess cake, purple iced strawberry cupcakes, a super cute pink and purple tutu I made and a princess shirt that my mom helped me out with on the sewing. I made cotton candy favors that had a magic wand and a note that said, Thanks for coming to my party! Love, Jillian. She loved it! (And that's all that matters.)

1st Annual Cookie Exchange

At the last minute this holiday season, I decided to host a cookie exchange with some of the ladies at church. (As if I didn't already have enough going on!) But it turned out so nice! We had a bunch of cookies and other appetizers to munch on, as well as some yummy homemade hot cocoa, topped with whipped cream!!! I am ready to do it again next Christmas!!!