Christmas Lists-*reposted & added to*

Mary

1. Meredith Andrews, The Invitation.
2. English Breakfast Tea
3. Irish Breakfast Tea, from Walmart Twin something or other brand
4. Gift cards to Forever 21, Target, Hobby Lobby, Walmart.
5. subscription to Good Housekeeping or Better Homes and Gardens.
6. Cowl Neck Empire Tunic, 12.99, size medium from Forever 21
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=21%5Fitems&product%5Fid=2069597961&Page=1#
7. Grey boots, size 9
http://www.target.com/Michelle-Journee-Slouch-Boots-Buckles/dp/B001P5VRXS/ref=br_1_21?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=370189011&node=370189011&searchRank=pmrank&searchPage=1&searchSize=90&id=Michelle%20Journee%20Slouch%20Boots%20Buckles
8. Gooseberry patch cookbooks, any of them except the Fall Family & Friends b/c I already have that one.
9.


Ben
1. guitar case - 335 style
http://www.music123.com/Epiphone-335-HARDSHELL-CASE-540804-i1151313.Music123
2. money for the guitar he already purchased. :o)
3. Gift cards
4. Electric socks... aparently such a thing exists?
5. Bogs boots size 11
http://www.endless.com/dp/B000TH90IM/179-2846644-0588064?ie=UTF8&creative=380333&linkCode=asn&ref_=asc_df_B000TH90IM980632&tag=googlecom09c9_endless-20&suppressRedirect=1&creativeASIN=B000TH90IM
6. Rock band game for playstation 2, just the game none of the accessories




So I realize there isn't much on here. I'm trying mom. I'll keep updating it if I think of anything else.

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas Tree

Today we went out and walked around a tree farm and picked out our real, live, full-sized Christmas tree. I am sooooo excited!! I can't believe Ben actually let me get a real Christmas tree this year... and it's a grown up tree! Over 6 feet and all! :o) It's a good thing we got it too because I went a little crazy with the 75% after Christmas sales on oranments at Target last year. It looks amazing and I'm super thrilled about it. Ben was awesome, he never complained about walking around the ENTIRE tree farm looking for the perfect tree... which we found pretty much where we started after walking thorough it all. ;o) It only took us 35 minutes though... probably some kind of record for me. Plus we both actually agreed on a tree, both saw it from far away and walked up to it and decided it was the one... and it most certainly didn't have anything to do with the fact that it was 4:40 and we needed to be at the clinic to do chores at 5. :o) Nolan loves it, of course, and Kimber has already knocked off 4 ornaments with her tail. I think Ben's going to have fun with those two for the next few weeks. Anyways hope you enjoy the pics... now I just need to actually go shopping so we can get some presents under that tree.

* searching around for the perfect tree*

*checking for a straight base, Dad taught me well*

*woo hoo, we found it!*

* my two boys got it up and straight, Nolan was a big help*

*mid decorating shot*
*Nolan's new favorite activity*

* watching dad hang up ornaments*

* Ben was making fun of me for setting the timer to take candid shots of us... jerk. :o) *

* I heart him*

* Grandma Stewart's ornament, I cried a little I miss her so much*

*the impossible family infront of the tree shot*

*Ta, Da, our beautiful tree!*

Thanksgiving Holiday Pictures

* My very pretty Thanksgiving Table*
*The Harvest blocks I made*

*The Dessert Table*

* Kimber decided she needed some pumpkin pie too*

*Kimber helping open our Christmas presents*

*Nolan being a goober*

*Last night together*

Turkey day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so grateful to God for all of the blessings he's given me in my life so far and those that are still to come. Today we are truly blessed to have both of our parents here visiting as well as both of our brothers! It's going to be a wonderful day of visiting, cooking, napping, and enjoying eachother and our many blessings. I am so thankful to have such an amazing, generous, caring husband who works so hard every day. I'm thankful for wonderful parents who have always supported me and loved me. I'm thankful to have a brother who I am appreciating more and relating to more as we get older... no longer is he the pesky little kid always bugging me and getting me in trouble. :o) I'm thankful for the rest of my family who love both Ben and I and are always there for us and thinking of us and praying for us. I'm thankful for Kimber and Nolan.... most days. :o) While they are an enormous handful they bring a lot of joy into our lives when they're being good. I'm thankful to have a house, and that Ben has a job, and that we're healthy and loved and blessed in every possible way. Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and don't forget to count your many blessings today, and everyday.

Kitchen painting...

The painting is done!! Don't you just love it? I do. It makes the kitchen look a million times better in my opinion. We still need to do the floor, and put up the moulding along the ceiling, and re-caulk along the countertops but I'm in love with it so far! Too bad we're going to be gone from this house in another year and a half and I will never get to fully appreciate it. :o) I'll post pictures again once we finally get it all finished.

trying not to freak out

I am trying, very very hard not to have a major freak out because this is the current state of our kitchen at the house in Beloit. Yep, that is the refrigerator in the middle of the room as well as the stove and dryer in the middle of the kitchen. Argh. I can not wait for this remodel crap to be over and done with. I am now certain it won't be complete by Thanksgiving, unfortunately, since we're having a housefull of guests. Oh well. I'm pretty sure both of our parents have learned to live with the mess at our house by now. :o)

My first neuter- Augustus

Here is the link to the Lawerence Humane Society's page for my surgery dog this week.
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15015492
He is a SWEETHEART!! So cute and sweet and he's going to make a wonderful pet for someone (mom & dad)! He's a lab mix and is a little chunky right now... he's only 5 months old so he's got some growing to do but he's already about 40 pounds.... and as of today he's neutered! yeay! He will be going back to the Lawernce Humane society Friday and can then be adopted... or I could get the paperwork going now mom & dad. :o)

It's Snowing!

I'm so happy for so many reasons. First of all I am FINALLY done with my two weeks from hell. All the tests are over, don't know how I did on all of them but I'm just excited that they are finished. I do still have two surgeries before Thanksgiving Break, one of which I am the surgeon for, but hopefully it won't be too bad and they won't grill us too hard. Secondly, IT'S SNOWING!! I love snow, it makes me so happy and puts a smile on my face for no reason at all. Thirdly, I get to see my husband at the end of this week, and I'm going to skip school on Friday so I get to spend even MORE time with him. What else does a girl need?

I'm just sitting here wasting my days away

Here's my two favorite boys, looking all tough and too cool to smile for the camera. :o) I still love them anyways.

So I have once again been crafting instead of studying. I know, I know... but honestly I'm exausted of studying. My mind can not take in anymore information. I'm done, spent, finished, kaput. I have had five tests over the last two weeks, the last of which will be on Monday morning and my body has pretty much shut down. I can't focus on my lecutre notes and I can't make myself study anymore... so instead of studying and taking breaks to craft(can you use craft as a verb?), I craft and take breaks to study. It works for me. So I have all these ideas floating around in my head and I haven't been able to actually put any of them into action and it has been driving me bonkers. Therefore, yesterday and today I took a break, or several, and made a couple of signs. This is the only one I'm done with so far...
What do you think? My painting skills are obviously sub-par. My hand isn't that steady while I'm writing with a paint brush but I think it looks pretty good none-the-less. I'd hang it up in my house! :o) Which I probably will be doing, if I don't give it to someone as a Christmas present. Oh yes.... don't be suprised when you recieve a handmade Christmas present this year. I can't keep everything I make!

Cake Recipes

This is an e-mail I got from Grandma... just thought I'd post it on here so that other people could enjoy it as well. :o) All of the recipes themselves can be found on http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/ along with other recipes for cookies, fudge, pies, breads and more.

This is remarkable & just in time for the holiday baking season! Even if you have no particular interest, please pass on to the bakers in your life. Just click on the name of the cake and bam the recipe appears!
'Night Before Christmas' Coffee Cake
'Real New York Style' Cheesecake Supreme

A Cake That's Fit For A Queen
Amaretto Italian Sour Cream Cake
Amazing Tropical Fruit Cake
Apple and Nut Cake
Apple Cake =
Apple Cake
Apple Sauce Cake
Applesauce Fruitcake
Apricot Nectar Pound Cake
Baby Cheescakes Baby Cheesecakes
Banana Cake
Barron Family Cheesecake
Baumtorte (Tree Cake)
Becky's Pumpkin Cupcakes
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
Broken Angel Cake With Chocolate Chips
Candied Fruit Cake
Carmel Coffee Cake
Carrot Cake with Hot Glaze
Carrot-Pineapple Cake
Cherry Cake
Cherry Cake Sauce
Cherry Cheesecake Cups
Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake
Chocolate Angel Food
Chocolate Browny Cake
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chocolate Cookie Sheet Cake
Chocolat e Éclair Cake
Chocolate Ice Box Dessert
Chocolate Logs
Chocolate Lovers Heaven Triple Threat Chocolate Di
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Chocolate welington fudge pudding
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cake
Christmas Cake
Christmas choclate cake
Christmas Mixed Glace Fruit Loaf
Christmas-Comes-But-Once-A-Year-Chocolate Cake
Cinnamon Morning Delight
Coca-Cola Cake
Coconut Cake
Cookie Pizza
Cream Cheese Icing
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Cream Puff Cake
Creamy Chocolate Cupcakes
Creamy Chocolate Layered Cake
Decadent Chocolate Cake
Decadent Fudge Cake
Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars
Dream Cake
Dreamcicle Cake
Drizzle Cake
Earthquake Cake
Easy Cocoa Snack Cake
Easy Coconut Cake
Éclair Cake
Edie Ching's Cherry Cheesecake
Eggnog Cake
Extra Moist Coconut Cakes
Festive Pumpkin Gingerbread
Flower Garden Cake
Fruit Cake
Fruit Cocktail Cake
German Chocolate Upside-Down Cake
Golden Bacardi Rum Cake
Gooey Butter Cake
Gum drop cake
Heavenly Pecan Cake
Hedge Hog Cake
Holiday Cake
Holiday Poke Cake
Holiday Rum Cake
Honey Bun Cake
Honey Cake
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Hummingbird Cake
Ice-Cream Chocolate Roll
Jewish Apple Cake
Johnny Appleseed Cake
Lemon Cake
Lemon Poppyseed Cakes
Lemon Pound Cake
Linda's Yule Log
Mama's Homemade Banana Cake
Mandy's Cake
Microwave Scottish Pudding
Mini Fruitcakes
Miniature Cheesecakes
Mississippi Fudge Cake
Mississippi Mud
Mock Lemon Meringue Cake
Neiman Marcus Cake
No Bake Fruit Cake
Norwegian Gold Cake
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake
Old Fashion Pound Cake
Old Fashioned Light Fruitcake
Orange Date-Nut Cake
Orange Slice Cake
Oreo Cheesecake
Peanut-Topped Devil's Food
Pecan Icing
Pennsylvania Dutch Pastry
Pineapple Heaven
Plum-Nut Cake
Pound Cake Pound Cake
Pumpkin Cake Roll
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin log
Pumpkin Nut Roll
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Pumpkin Roll
Queen's Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Reese`s white cake
Reese's Brownie Cupcakes
Refrigerator Chocolate Cheesecake
Russian Tea Cakes
Russian Teacakes
Santa's Breakfast Cake
Self-Filled Cupcakes
Shirley's Chocolate Sheet Cake
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Southern Apple Cake
Swedish Nut Cake
Tiny Christmas Fruitcakes
Toll House Carrot Cake
Triple Chocolate Torte
Turtle Bars
Turtle Cake
Warcake
Watergate Cake
White Christmas Loaf
World War I Cake
World War II Cake