December 10, 2013
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

12 Days of Christmas Tradition ~ Day 1

One of the reasons I love the Christmas holiday is the traditions.

I love reviving old family traditions, and making new ones. I love remembering fondly the things that I did as a child at Christmas time and the things I couldn’t wait to do again.

As an adult, I get to make sure our family has our traditions and make new ones.

What Christmas would be complete with out a Christmas tree?

The past couple years we have been lucky to be able to get our tree from our friends property. Which means we get to go hang out with some great people all day.

This year is was cold. Like 15°F cold. But the sun was shinning, which is not always the case up here in the PNW.

The kids got to run around outside burning off all the energy they got from eating candy canes.

Sid couldn’t last more than about 15-20 minutes outside at a time. His coat is too big for him and he kept falling down. Once down, he had some difficulty standing up again. Yes, picture Ralphie, kinda like that.

But boy would we laugh and laugh until I helped him stand up.

Hubby picked out our tree and drug it back. Our friends had a bonfire and the kids got to roast hot dogs for dinner.

We had to bring the tree in the house that night because Ian was very concerned about leaving it on top of the car overnight. But we waited till the next day to decorate it.

The boys were of course very helpful.

Sid’s favorite thing is the lights. He gets so happy when he sees them.

The whole time I was putting the lights on the tree Ian kept reminding me to put the star on top. So this year he got to do it. I had to take a break in light hanging to let him top the tree.

After Sid went down for a nap, Ian and I hung the ornaments. Well, at least on the upper half of the tree.

I think next year I will be able to put out all my ornaments and I will be able to utilize the whole tree.

Happy Decorating

What are your Christmas Traditions?

December 2, 2013
by Dawn Marie 2 Comments

Menu Plan Monday Dec. 2

Happy December!

Do you ever feel like the Monday after a long holiday it excruciating? Ugh! I can’t get anything done!

This was Sid’s first eating Thanksgiving. He was only a couple of months old last year, so he didn’t try any of the food. He still won’t eat mashed potatoes, neither will his brother. What is wrong with my kids?

Now that Thanksgiving is over and everybody is (hopefully) getting over whatever cold/illness they have had. (all my boys were sick over the holiday, some worse than others) I can officially start planning all our Christmas events! Boy is it hard work!

This weeks meals will probably be quick and easy, I am talking casseroles and the crock pot. I have a lot of shopping/wrapping/things to do! The next few weeks menus will probably be the same way. Hopefully this weekend I can get them all planned out so I won’t have to think about them again, until it is time to cook them.

Menu Plan 12/02-12/08

Mon: Take n’ Bake Pizza

Tue: Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne (Chicken will be cooked in the crock pot)

Wed: Sloppy Joe’s with potatoes and Tater Tots

Thr: Crock Pot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (but sub canned soup with homemade cream sauce)

Fri: Leftovers

Sat: Kitchen is Closed

Sun: Pork Roast (didn’t make it last week)

Happy Cooking

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Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie

November 24, 2013
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Seven Days of thanks ~ Week 3

I want to give daily thanks in honor of Thanksgiving this year. Instead of a new post each day, I will recap what I am thankful for at the end of the week. It is a great way to reflect on the little things in our daily life that we should be thankful for.

First I have to give thanks to you readers who are going to forgive me for not posting this days ago. I forgot to schedule it, and didn’t realize it. oops.

7 Days of Thanks Nov 15-21

Nov 15
The ability to easily make friends. This boy can and will make friends with anybody where ever we go. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes the other kids don’t realize they are friends or that Ian is playing with them, but he is. It allows him to have fun and be carefree where ever we are.

Nov 16
Family get togethers. I have a wonderfully amazing family. And we try to find any excuses to have a party. Even if it is only to try out some new coffee. Which then became a birthday party, but alas I didn’t take pictures of the actual people there.

Nov 17
Fearlessness. OK, so sometimes I am not really thankful for it, because he gives me a heart attack like every thirty seconds. But I am thankful that he is adventuress and has the drive to figure things out. He couldn’t reach the door handle, so he pushed his chair over.

Nov 18
Our fume hood. Stinky thiols are horrible to work with, and I am so thankful that I have a working fume hood to keep them.

Nov 19
The things this kid says. I try really hard to write down what he talks about, but sometimes it is so much and so funny, I can’t get it all down. I really need a recorder in my car, or better yet, just attached to him. He is constantly making me laugh.

Nov 20
The treadmill. I know sick right? But if it were not for the treadmill, I would be out walking/running in the very cold wet yucky weather. Plus I can use it, at the gym, after the boys go to bed without fear of running in my neighborhood. This way I am able to stick to the C25K program that I just started.

Nov 21
Another thing I am thankful for at work is these auto-tip fillers. Could you imagine refilling this by hand? That is like a million little tips to fill the box. Maybe an exaggeration, but not if you are filling them by hand.

What are you thankful for?

November 18, 2013
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Menu Plan Monday Nov. 18

It’s time for menu plan Monday again. And there is less then two weeks until Thanksgiving. Meaning December and the Christmas season is coming up soon.

Are you ready? I must confess, I am not. I thought I would be, but nope. Not yet.

Ian is. Everyday he keeps asking if it is still November. And telling people it’s gonna snow next week. I think he is looking forward to Christmas.

I am looking forward to Sid being able to participate in Christmas this year.

Baby Sid loves tomatoes. I mean LOVES tomatoes. He has consumed a whole tomato before. I absolutely hate them. They make me sick. But now I have to order my food with the tomatoes on the side.

For him.