Thankful for What I Have

I was reading a post on Cafemom, titled "Working with what I have" which was in a home decorating group. This made me really stop and think about being grateful for what I have and working with what I've got. It's nice to look at pictures of big, beautiful homes with much more space than mine and with much more expensive decor than mine, but why?


(photo from http://meritagehomes.com)




(photos from http://housebeautiful.com)

They are definitely beautiful, but not exactly attainable by most. Society encourages us to want more and never be satisfied with what we have. If God blesses us with a roof over our heads, why not work with that roof and everything beneath it? I've heard women complain because they were in a rental or public housing and figure there's no use to trying to make it look good because it's not theirs. I've also heard some complain because the house wasn't big enough and they'd rather wait until they get a bigger house. What if that never happens? Why sit around and not enjoy the surroundings you are in? Even though the economy is tight, most manage to get little things that they want from time to time. You can decorate on any budget. Resale shops, Salvation Army, Goodwill, thrift shops, Family Dollar, Dollar General, etc. are all good places to find cheap cute decor. You don't have to hire a decorator if you have no sense of style, either. Websites abound with decorating advice and bloggers galore have great ideas and pictures of what they've done. I've spent hours (when I should be doing something else!) looking at different blogs and HGTV's Rate My Space and enjoying the many decorating styles. What I've really admired is the ladies showing off their living spaces whether small or large, and being proud of what they have. You can live in an apartment, trailer or small house, but it can still be stylish.


manufactured home kitchen remodel from www.hgtv.com/ratemyspace


small living area from www.hgtv.com/ratemyspace

I thank God for blessing my hubby with a good job and for being able to provide us with a beautiful home. That's enough right there to make me work with what I have.


(our house)


(a couple of shots from my kitcen and breakfast area)

It may not be a $1,000,000 home or furnished with Ethan Allen decor, but it's beautiful to me and I thank God for it! Thank God for His many blessings!!! He doesn't have to do it for us, but He does!!!

Be Blessed!

Gone Bye Bye - Part 2

My previous post contained pics from our Christmas celebration! I had a few more pics to share of my decorations, but I didn't want to make that the longest post ever, so this is part two! Maybe next season I'll link to one of the wonderful decoration parties, but until then this is what I put up.

This is our front door. I got my little tree at Belk for only $20! It was $80 marked down to $29.99 and then I got my discount, plus a coupon! I got the wreath at Wal-Mart in San Antonio a while back. I just lurve it!


I didn't put up all the outside deoorations as I usually do, but I think it looks nice with the minimal approach.


Our master bath with a little tree (Garden Ridge) and snowman reed diffuser (Avon).


My Christmas village my hubby bought for me several years ago.


Our tree in all it's glory! I actually took this after Christmas (forgot to do so before), so that's why there aren't any gifts under it.


The mantel and all our stockings! I need new stocking holders, because they were too heavy for the little bears in the middle, which aren't really supposed to be used for that purpose. Oh well, it never hurts to repurpose!


Pink victorian tree in the girls' room.


Cute hat and shoe!


Love the glam shades and purse! I got these on clearance at JcP awhile back.


Last, but not least, is our hall bath. I got that little tree at Big Lots and the snowman soap dispenser is from Avon.


Hope you enjoyed my little tour. I didn't put up all my decorations this year, but hopefully this next season I'll have more energy to do all of it! Be Blessed!

Gone Bye Bye!

Well, January is in full swing and we have FINALLY taken down the Christmas decorations! I'm just a week behind, so I don't feel so bad! After all of this, though, I realized that I never said Merry Christmas to my blogging family! I'm soooooo sorry! I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas! At least I did remember to say Happy New Year! Well, since I'm making up for lost time, I'm going to post my Christmas pictures. I say, "Better late than never!" Of course, they are done in the wrong order, but I REALLY don't feel like trying to rearrange them. Soooo, bear with me!

These were the goodies that I was blessed with! Deondra gave me Godiva chocolates (my favorite) and my aunt gave me a cute Coach purse! And my sweet hubby got me a beautiful ring and some pretty pajamas!



Here's sweet hubby with his key finder! Now he says I need to find one to locate his glasses and medicine! It made a great stocking stuffer!


Darian and Davon are happy campers with their matching robes and slippers!


I think Deondra's smile says it all!


Their stockings were stuffed to their satisfaction! lol


I should send this to Apple, because I think Cedraya is the happiest iPod owner ever!


Davon finally got his "remoco control car" as he called it!


DJ asked to read the scripture before opening gifts.


The boys sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"


Well, in a nutshell that was Christmas! We had a blessed one and I hope you did too! (Part two of this post will have some of my decorations)

Bargain Day!!!

I'm a day behind, but I just had to post the goodies I found yesterday. I went to the bank and I overheard a lady talking about Hobby Lobby having 90 percent off on Christmas decor. Yes, you heard right......N-I-N-E-T-Y P-E-R-C-E-N-T O-F-F!!!! Of course, I figured that there wouldn't be much left, since I rarely find out about a ginormous sale until after the fact. There wasn't a whole lot left, but I was able to find a few goodies and saved a ton!

Aren't the gingerbread men plates adorable? There were regularly $16.99 each. I got them for $3.40 for both! The peppermint candles were regularly $9.99 and I got them for $1.00! One was broke, but there's still five left, so I still did good! The snow globe was a whopping $29.99, but I paid a whole $3.00! The little tree skirt was only $2.99 and I only paid $0.30!!! I forgot to take a picture of the two six foot ropes of garland that were originally $7.99. I got them for $0.80! I plan to use some of the garland on my kitchen light fixture (HGTV idea) next Christmas! I couldn't believe the prices! My total came up to $9.20 and I saved $76.44!!!!



I left Hob Lob and went next door to JcPenney to get the peppermint candy dishes that they had for $3.99. Well, the key word was "HAD" because they were long gone when I got there! Oh well, I at least got a candle that was only $3.49. Next year, I hope to make a tablescape using all the candles and the gingerbread men plates.



Afterwards, I went to Which Wich sandwich shop and scored again! My girlfriend from down the street, told me that there was a coupon in the Sunday paper for any sandwich for 99 cents. After checking it out, I discovered that no coupon was actually necessary, so you could get as many as you wanted! Of course I had to stand in line outside in the cold (with 5 kiddos in tow) for a few minutes and then wait inside for a few more (you know a "few" isn't short, right?), but I walked away with 8 sub sandwiches for $8.66!!! Funny, I spent more on the chips and soda at Family Dollar ($10 for 2 bags of Lays and 3 2-liter sodas) than I did on the sandwiches!!! Anyway, I had a great bargain filled day!

Be Blessed!

Have a Blessed and Joyous Christmas!

I just want to wish all of my blogging friends and wonderful and joyous Christmas! It's been hectic around here with shopping (in the snow) at the last minute and gift wrapping after midnight! Hope everybody enjoys their day and those of us in North Texas, enjoy the snow!!! It'll probably be hot tomorrow! lol

Here's a few pics I took today while I was out last minute shopping. This is a rarity in Texas, so take a close look! Be Blessed!

A Christmas Survey

I saw this cool Christmas meme over at Denise's blog at Organized Homemaking for Christ. I love filling stuff like this in....


About the TREE....
1.When do you put up the Christmas tree? Usually, we put it up the Saturday after Thanksgiving..
2. Real or fake? We have an artificial tree(fake sounds so un-glam!)
3. Lights? What color? hundreds of them in white (clear)
4. Garland? They're actually strands of ivory, rose and burgundy beads
5. Theme or no theme? The main tree has burgundy, rose and gold decorations, but not an actual theme. Some of the smaller trees throughout the house have sports or candy themes
6. What kind of topper? A star with white lights
7. What's your favorite ornament? a beautiful little gold and burgundy church
8. What does your tree skirt look like? burgundy velvet with a gold trim
9. Where do you put your tree? In my husband's office, right in front of the window
10. Who decorates the tree? The whole family
11.What's "under" the tree? Nothing yet
12. Do you put candy canes on your tree? Not on the big one, but on one of the smaller ones (little candy canes)

About the FOODS....
1. What's your favorite Christmas cookie? sugar cookies with decorations on them
2. Do you bake cookies and give them away? I bake them, but have never given them away. I might do Denise's jar idea this year.
3. Any "special" foods or candy that you only have at Christmas time? I have a recipe for candy made from almond bark and peanut m&ms, that I only do for Christmas time
4. What do you eat Christmas EVE? a light meal
5. What do you eat on Christmas day? Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, biscuits or pastries and juice; Lunch: really just a snack because dinner is early; Dinner: Ham, turkey, tamales, green beans, dressing with cranberry sauce, mac and cheese abd deserts galore!
6. Do you like Eggnog?? I love eggnog, eggnog ice cream, eggnog lattes from Starbucks....
7. Do you like candy canes? I love peppermint, which was my daddy's favorite
1. Where do you hang your stockings? Fireplace mantel
2. Do you put lights on your house? Not yet; hopefully one day when I can afford to pay someone to hang them (lol)
3. Got any outside lawn decorations? I have a porch tree that I just got at Belk, and small Christmas trees with lights, snowmen path lights and lighted gift boxes
4. Do you put up a nativity (crèche)? Not outside, but I have a small one in the house
5. Do you hang mistletoe over the door? No, but I might do that this year
6. Got a wreath on your front door? Yes, a big, beautiful gold one
7. How long does it take you to decorate? Most of December! The year we moved in, I decorated on Christmas eve (we moved in on the 22nd), because I was determined that the kiddos would have a semi-normal Christmas!

About the movies/show
1 . Favorite Children's Xmas TV show/cartoon? Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
2. Wonderful Life/Miracle on 34th St/A Christmas Carol (Scrooge)..Miracle on 34th St.
Favorite Christmas movie?? A Christmas Story, we watch it as a family ever year and crack up laughing every year!
4. Have you ever seen the Nutcracker Suite Ballet live? No
5. Ever been to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show?? No
6. Ever gone to the movies on Xmas Day? No

Other Christmas things....
1. Favorite Christmas book or story? The story of Jesus' birth
2. Do you stuff your stockings with any types of food? For the kids? We do little toys and candy and jewelry (for the girls)
3. Do you go to church on Christmas or Christmas Eve? Depending on what day it falls on, we usually have a Christmas program and if there's a Wednesday night right before, we usually omit bible study and have a service
4. Have you ever gone Caroling? When I worked at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, we went caroling on base
5. Favorite Christmas Carol? The First Noel
6. Do you believe in Santa? Yes, I'm married to him!
7. Do you leave Santa cookies? No, because Santa is a diabetic (type 2) and doesn't need to be enticed!
8. What about Rudolph...what about him? I can't single him out, without doing for Donner, Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, etc.
9. What was your best Christmas gift? My Dooney & Bourke giraffe print "June" bag, that I got last year!
10. What was the worst/most odd gift? Hmmmm...
11. Do you go to a "work" Christmas party? Since we moved to Fort Worth, we haven't. My husband's job usually has a luncheon at Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant and only I go with him. My job doesn't do one since we're at a store and nobody's ever off at the same time.
12. Do you hate going? No, it's okay
13. Do you send Christmas cards? Haven't in a while, but hopefully we'll get a few out this year
14. Do you make a "list"? Yes
15. Do you check it twice? & thrice & etc...Yes
16.When do you start shopping? When I have money
17.Do you shop on Black Friday? I had to work it this year, but I have before
20. ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS? I'm always ready for Christmas!!! My favorite holiday ever!

TAG! You're it.
I Tag:
All my blogging friends! I would love to see what you put for your answers!

I'm Thankful!

I find it amazing how we jump from Halloween to Christmas and hardly even acknowledge Thanksgiving. The store that I work in has literally shoved the fall items in a corner, placed them 50% off and prominently displayed the Christmas stuff back in late September! Don't get me wrong, because Christmas is my favorite holiday, but Thanksgiving is next in line and I celebrate it just as much. I know that we should be thankful everyday, but that in itself should be even more reason to make a big deal out of the actual day. God has given me many reasons to be thankful and I have no problem celebrating the holiday! Yeah, turkey is wonderful and being around family is too, but just to think of what God has done in our lives is the reason for the holiday (in my opinion). I'm thankful for my husband, children and extended families (including in-loves and godparents and their family too. I'm thankful for all of my blogging friends and the awards that I've received. I especially want to thank Gloria from Gloria's Blog Viva la Vida, who is so sweet about giving me awards that I don't even feel worthy of receiving! I'm very thankful that God chose me to be one of his children and for watching over and protecting us daily. He is such a good and loving God and He is worthy to be praised!!!

I know I haven't posted much, but I'm still around and reading and enjoying a lot of blogs! I've got a lot to do in the coming week and a half. I have a to do list of things to make ready before Thanksgiving when all the relatives converge on our home! Lack of money will probably cut the list in half, but cleaning and small projects (i.e. hanging curtains and room decor) will definitely keep me busy! Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! I do hope to post some pics of my fall decor this week. Until then, have a blessed week!