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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Reindeer Food!

On Christmas Eve Eve Ryder & I made reindeer food!  I knew Ryder would love this & really get into it & I was right.  This is something my aunt did for us every year growing up & it was so fun to go & sprinkle it in the front yard on Christmas Eve night, to make sure the reindeer wanted to stop at our house!  
{Ingredients}

Bowl full of dry quick oats

Couple of spoon fills of sugar

As much glitter as you think the reindeer will need to see the food in the grass!  ;)

MIX TOGETHER & SPRINKLE ON YOUR LAWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE!
I think he seriously looks like such a big boy in these pictures...scooping & pouring everything all by himself!
{That's some serious concentration right there...}






Our finished product!  He was so proud of his work!  ;)  I look forward to doing this every year with little man & I hope it's something that he looks forward to as well!

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Movies with Pop Pops...

A few days before Christmas Eve Pop Pops called us & asked if we wanted to go see the new Chipmunks movie with him.  I hadn't even thought about taking Punkin' to see this movie.  Of course we decided to go...luckily we didn't have anything else going!
This was Ryder's second movie to go see...the first being The Lion King!



He did GREAT during the movie.  We had to get up to go potty a few times, but other than that he sat there & watched the movie & drank his icee.
I'm so thankful that Ryder has such a wonderful Pop Pops that takes him to do fun things like this!
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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Our Christmas Card


Even though being with family & eating lots of yummy food while enjoying your company & lovely new gifts, don't forget the TRUE meaning of Christmas during this crazy, yet exciting time of year.

As a mom, I want more than anything for Ryder to grow & understand that it's not about what Santa brings, or the presents underneath the tree, but the Savior that was born in a manger, on that cold winter night. That little boy would one day die on the cross to save OUR sins--THAT'S the true meaning of Christmas!  It's a celebration of His birth & we can't forget that!

Ryder & I are wishing you & your 
families are VERY Merry Christmas!
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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Card Blessing Ring

I wanted to share a quick & easy little Christmas craft with you guys!  I first saw this on Katie's Keepers after Katie made one for all the cards that they received after the passing of their daughter Reese.  I made one with all of Ryder's baby cards that we received & have a stack of birthday & holiday ones waiting to be made into another special blessing ring!

It's quite simple & all you need is a 5" metal necklace from the jewelry department at Hobby Lobby that snaps closed at the ends with two hooks.  Looks like I got this one for $1.47.  You'll need some ribbon of your choice to go along with the season/occasion of the pictures/cards of your choice & the pictures/cards you want to hang on your blessing ring.  
{necklace}
{super cute Christmas cards of friends & fam}
{Punch all of your cards/pictures with a hole punch from where you would like them to hang.  PS aren't Sarah & Greg the CUTEST lil couple!?}
{I slipped all of my cards/pictures onto my ring, but you can still tell it's need a lil something more!}
{I just took random left over ribbon from my ribbon stash that were Christmas colors & tied them on my ring every 3-4 cards & WAH-LAH!  You have a super cute blessing ring!}

I think I'm going to try & make one for every year & keep in our Christmas decorations & pull them out every Christmas to look back on!  How fun!?
Here is Ryder's baby blessing ring that still hangs in his room today...
These can be made for any occasion & is such a better way to keep cards, then throwing them all in a box! Happy blessing ring making friends!  =)

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if he wants you...

I wish I could take full credit for this...but I can't.  My middle school yearbook teacher posted it on FB & I clicked over to read it which I normally don't do & I'm glad I did.

Even though I've only really "dated" one person my whole life I feel like I learned a lot from that one relationship.  I learned to think more about myself most importantly.  People often times come to me for advice & I wonder why, after how my relationship & marriage turned out, but I do believe that I have a lot of good things to say & advice to give, when I never thought I really would.  No, I don't have everything figured out, but by making mistakes yourself, you learn SO much more...& I have a "story" that I learned so much from.

Every day & every new relationship I encounter, new things that I "learned" in my passed relationship is brought to my attention & I am so thankful for that because I definitely don't want to make those same mistakes again.  I still have to deal with things because of the mistakes I made, but I know that I was put in that position for a reason & am truly a better person because of it.  I think that because of what I've been through, I'm a better mom & I will one day be a better wife because of it--& I am thankful for that.

It's easy to look at the bad & be bitter about things & how your "life didn't turn out the way you thought it would", but I just try to look at the good that did come out of it & stay positive, & like I said...learn from my mistakes!  I believe that that is what I've done & I strive everyday to be a better person because of what I've been through.

Now...if your a girl.  A single girl.  READ THIS!!  It is all so true!  A lot of the things I've thought about before & realized, or even repeated to my friends--which is why it struck home so much to me--& then some of it is new stuff I hadn't ever though about before & am now glad it was brought to my attention!  I saved it on my computer, & I think reading it over & over will drill these thoughts & ways in my head to prepare me for future relationships-what to look for, & what to look out for!



If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
If he doesn’t want you, nothing can make him stay.
Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.
Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
Stop trying to change yourselves for a relationship that’s not meant to be.
                                                                    Slower is better.


Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.
If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve
then heck no, you can’t "be friends."
A friend wouldn’t mistreat a friend.
Don’t settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.
Don’t stay because you think "it will get better." You’ll be mad at yourself
a year later for staying when things are not better.
The only person you can control in a relationship is you.

Avoid men who’ve got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women.
He didn’t marry them when he got them pregnant,
Why would he treat you any differently?
Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.
If something bothers you, speak up.
                                  Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.


You cannot change a man’s behavior. Change comes from within.
Don’t EVER make him feel he is more important than you are...even if he has
more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god.
He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
Never let a man define who you are.
Never borrow someone else’s man.
Oh Lord!  If he cheated with you, he’ll cheat on you.
A man will only treat you the way you allow him to treat you.


All men are not dogs.
You should not be the one doing all the bending...compromise is a two-way street.
You need time to heal between relationships...There is nothing cute about
baggage. Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.
You should never look for someone to complete you. A relationship consists
of two whole individuals. Look for someone complimentary, not supplementary.
Dating is fun; even if he doesn’t turn out to be Mr. Right.
Make him miss you sometimes. When a man always know where you are, and you’re
always readily available to him—he takes it for granted.
Don’t fully commit to a man who doesn’t give you everything that you need.
Keep him in your radar but get to know others.
Share this with other ladies.
You’ll make someone smile, another rethink her choices, and another woman prepare.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate
them, a day to love them, and an entire lifetime to forget them.

I hope you can take this to heart & even share it with your friends & the ones you love!

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