Quick and Easy Advent

Looking for a quick and easy (and CHEAP) Advent calendar to help the kiddos count down to Christmas? Well, have I got the project for you!

You'll need the following:

twine
small brown craft paper envelopes (found in/near the scrapbooking section of Hobby Lobby)
small clothes pins (also purchased at Hobby Lobby)
computer/printer

Measure craft bags and adjust paper size on computer. You may want to make a trial run to make sure the paper sizing is right. Choose a font, type the number 1, center and print. Now repeat with different fonts through number 25. How easy is that?!? Of course, I always go here for cute fonts.

I fancied number 25 up a bit with a picture of Jolly Old Saint Nick!

Simply hang the twine, and clip the bags on the twine using the small clothes pins. Finished!

Now, the down side to these bags is you can't really put a large gift in them, so you have to be creative and think of small, light weight items that will fit! A piece of candy (if you are still munching on leftover Halloween candy like we are, it works perfectly!), erasers, stickers, coins, etc. You can also slip pieces of paper in there with fun things like "a trip to the park" or "a cookie at the local bakery."

Tomorrow, we kick the season off with a couple of peppermints!

I have used the Advent bags with the kids the last two years, and they love the count down! I found someone else who loves it too...

That's Georgia the Cat. She doesn't normally get much attention on the ole' blog, so I thought I would show her off! Happy December!!

Turkey Day P.M.

Hope everyone out there had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We were glad to simply survive with these six littles ones running around...

And I thought trying to get a picture of my three was hard! There was no way I was going to get all of these little guys and gals to comply! Don't forget Addi and Frances were around too! We had a house full--16 adults and 8 little ones!

Here's a picture of the "big" cousins (minus William who got away before we could grab a pic!).

Aunt Mak and Uncle Brad got in on the camera action...

And the Tew family did as well (don't think we've had a picture like this in a long time!)...

Getting some love from Pops!

It was definitely a fun family and food filled day. So much so that this momma is t-ired! I'm trying to get myself in gear for a little ole' game that 's being played this afternoon. I may have to grab a nap before then! WAR EAGLE!!!

Turkey Day A.M.

Happy Turkey Day, Everyone! We got started early around the Busbee house! So early, that we were able to work the gingerbread recipe in amongst all of our other Thanksgiving day cooking/baking! I have to admit, it was a success. It's actually very similar to pumpkin bread, so the kids were very pleased.

In other news, if the Christmas card you receive from us this year is plain and simply signed "Love, The Busbees" you'll know why....

These were just two of this weeks' failed attempts to get pictures of these three little ones of mine! Kathryn and Walker were actually cooperating. Of course, I did bribe them with leftover Halloween candy and a trip to the local bakery for a turkey cookie:) I'm beginning to think I may never get a good one of all three!

A Sign of the Season

I brought the first of this season's eggnog home last night! To ring in fall, I normally bake a loaf of pumpkin bread and make a stop of at the 'Bucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latte. But for the Christmas season, it's eggnog all the way!

Unfortunately, I'm the only one in the house who drinks it, so I at least try to buy lowfat so as not to make a complete pig of myself! Surely the organic version makes it healthy for you too:)

Just to mix things up a bit, in addition to eggnog, I think I'm going to add gingerbread (the actual bread version not the cookies) into my holiday routine this year. The kids are begging for more pumpkin bread, but I think I've had my fill (you know you've baked it too many times when you know the recipe by heart!). Time for something new. I think this recipe will do the trick! I hope to try it soon, so you know I'll report back with the results (That is if there are any "results" to show you. I may just gobble it up right out of the oven).

On the Road Again

This past weekend, we made a trip to Camden to visit with Nana and Papa and Cousins Daniel and Beau. We were so glad we were able to squeeze in one more trip before all of the craziness of the holidays settle in.

As you can see from above, Nana and I dressed up Little Miss Frances for her second official photo shoot. Thankfully, she was very cooperative!

The big cousins did a lot of this...




Unfortunately, the time change blues continued at the river. The big kids were up each morning between 5:00-5:30 a.m. On Saturday, they were begging to go outside by 7:00 a.m.! We may have been a bit sleep deprived, but we had a fabulous weekend topped off by a HUGE win from our Auburn Tigers. War Eagle!

Three Turkeys

Have You Heard?

They are turning this book...
into a movie, and I can't wait! You can read more about it here. Let's just hope this cast of actor/actresses get their southern accents right. There is nothing I hate more than "overdone" accents. Sometimes true Southerners even overdue it a bit. I'm thinking Reese in Sweet Home Alabama and Julia in Steel Magnolias. I guess I'll just have to wait until next August to find out!

Small Steps

Make that tiny steps, in decorating that is. Those who know me best, know I love to decorate. Let's just say I've had three little excuses for not loving it so much lately. Well, let me rephrase that. I still love it, I just don't have the time or energy to A) be inspired and B) get anything done.

Well, on Saturday, I bit the bullet, and at least tried to accomplish one project--hanging art in Walker's room. I'm going with a fish/nautical theme (although I hate the word theme, even in a kids' room) for Walker's room. His room is VERY dark. Only one window, and it's a dormer, so it doesn't get much light. Enter the dark wood furniture and khaki walls that were a decent enough color they didn't make the premove painting list, and well, it's just so dark in there.

I thought these cute little prints helped brighten it up a bit...

The best part of it all is the price...each print (frame included) was $25. I found the frames on sale at WalMart for $7. And the art pieces I found in this Etsy shop for $18 each.

Other pieces that I would eventually like to add are a fleece blanket from here in the pale gold color shown in the far left of this picture...

This rug from Pottery Barn (I had been looking at Dash and Albert rugs but couldn't find anything with the right colors. The color on this rug works and the price is even better!).

And a painted bedside table similar to this one (sorry for the phone picture)...

Like I said small steps! Maybe one day, I'll have a completed room to show you!

The Time Change Blues

Yes, this mama is singing the time change blues! Why? You might ask. Didn't we gain an hour? Why, yes, we did! But that means my children who already wake up early, now wake up even earlier.

Let's do a recap of last night...

3:30 a.m. Frances wakes up!
4:00 a.m. Baby is fed. Go down stairs to slip into bed only to find Walker snuggled up to his daddy. Take Walker back upstairs only to hear a little voice saying she needs to go potty.
4:15 a.m. Finally, back in the bed. Listen to Miss Frances "talking" through the monitor. Fall asleep. Or at least I think I do:)
5:30 a.m. Frances still talking. Make that crying now. Hurry upstairs to put paci in her mouth before she wakes up the other two. Success! Back in the bed and back to sleep!
6:00 a.m. Big kids are officially awake and hubby's alarm has gone off about three times.
6:30 a.m. EVERYONE IS NOW AWAKE!!!
7:00 a.m. I've scrubbed/cleaned all the bathrooms.
7:30 a.m. I've dusted AND rearranged the furniture.
8:00 a.m. First cup of coffee.
8:30 a.m. Breakfast and this post. A nap would also be nice:)

I leave you with this picture of Frances....

In case you can't read her shirt, it says "I love the night life."

A Sweet Sunday

Much to the kids delight the big candy/dress up day finally arrived! By Sunday afternoon, the Black Cat decided she would prefer to be Minnie Mouse! So Iron Man, Minnie Mouse and their sweet friend Wendy (aka Katie-Ruth) took off through the neighborhood.

We had heard that trick or treating around our 'hood was a big deal, but we really couldn't grasp it until when coming home from church earlier we saw neighbors with full "living rooms" set up in their front yards. These people are serious, my friend! There were golf carts and large trailers (hayride style) being pulled around with kids and parents everywhere!

Here we are before setting out on our candy gathering adventure...

Frances the Flower stayed behind with Tula to pass out candy at the house!

This is our neighbor, Caroline, the cutest little cavegirl you ever did see! She is also my babysitter in training!!

The kids did pretty well in their candy collecting! So well, that about half way through our walk around the neighborhood, they handed their bags off to me because they were too heavy!

Here's hoping your Sunday was just as sweet!