Happy Thanksgiving

There are so many things in my life to be thankful for but by far these two are at the top of my list. Enjoy every minute with your families over this holiday break!!

Bookmark Freebie

Sharon Rowan has an adorable Etsy shop and a great blog too. I found these on her website and thought they were too cute not to share. They would be a perfect gift with a great book for the reader in your life. Get the *FREE* download here.

She also has a great desktop calendar too. Check it out too!

The Calm Before the Storm

We've been very low key around here lately. To be honest, it almost worries me a little. Ava hadn't been sleeping well and was crabby a lot. We went to her 15 month check up and after talking with the doctor it was what I had assumed. The kid wasn't getting enough sleep. We started putting her to bed at 7 instead of 8 and she still sleeps until 7 the next morning. Since she cut out her morning nap, she is taking about an hour and a half nap in the afternoon. That extra hour of sleep gave me back my happy baby. As a bonus, Steve and I get an extra hour together without the wee one too. Life has been back to normal...calm.

This holiday season is shaping up to be a busy one as always. I love this time of year and want to savor every moment. However, I'm trying to enjoy these last few days of laziness and do nothingness but stick around the house because those days end on Thursday. Thursday we are going to 2 Thanksgiving meals in two different states. Friday, I'm hitting up the Black Friday sales for the first time with one of my friends at 4am. Then I have to come home and do the whole Thanksgiving meal here at our house for my family. Let the craziness BEGIN!!

One Bowl Banana Muffins

"I see you oh yummy banana muffin."

"You look so perfectly golden on the outside."

"I am going to enjoy every bite of you without using my hands.

That is how much I want to savor you!"

"Okay...the no hands things was taking too long and you are

sooooo yummy! I will use my hands!"

My daughter loves bananas so we always have them in the house. Sometimes they start to turn a little too brown for my liking so that's where this super easy recipe comes into play.

Banana Muffins

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup veggie oil

2 mashed bananas

1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a good sized bowl. Stir in egg, milk, oil, bananas, and nuts or chocolate chips (if you're using them). Mix until just moist. Scoop into greased muffin tin or you can also use muffin liners. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

These freeze great after they are baked. Then you can just thaw them out on the counter. You can also make a loaf out of this as well. Bake the loaf for about an hour. I haven't been adding nuts or chocolate because they are usually for Ava. Definitely a crowd pleaser with the little people in my life.

Crazy Good Ideas

I am a sucker for a good party. Not just how great it is to get people together and mingle and catch up but the actual party planning. I know that might be a little weird but I enjoy planning the menu and coming up with table decorations and flower arrangements. I like to make sure all the little things count too. I like to plan how the food will be arranged and what font I will print my food labels out in...like I said, yes, I know that is a little obsessive and weird. I *love* it though. I do have to truly watch what a spend and now that is part of the planning too. Being down to one income does pose a bit of a challenge at times. As I have been planning my little Thanksgiving get together, I wanted to share a site that I have a blog crush on. If you haven't visited The Party Dress please make a stop over there for some great eye candy and photography as you can see above. She covers everything from kids parties to weddings. Love her!!

The Bunny Cart

Ava has been playing a lot with her shopping cart. You know, loading it full of all kinds of random things like stuffed animals, puzzle pieces, books, and the occasional piece of Tupperware. But why stop there!! I had the bright idea to put Sweet Pea in the cart and let her push her around. I lined the cart with a towel and gingerly lowered SP into the cart. I was fully expecting her to hop immediately out but no...she sat calmly looking at us like, "What now?" Ava walks up and attempts to push the cart. If you look closely at the first picture you can see that SP is sitting up and has her paws out the front of the cart. For those of you who have met our darling bunny you know just how fluffy she is. I say fluffy but Steve just says she's fat. Anywoo, as Ava started to push SP, the cart was a little to front heavy and it started to go tumbling down. Hence the second pic where I am trying to save SP from crashing to the floor as the cart topples forward. Needless to say, SP was done with the whole cart experience. Ava however was not. She chased SP around the house for the next 15 minutes trying to pick her up and get her back in the cart. Moments like these make being a mommy so worth it and so hilarious!

Holiday Paper Love

Snow bird cards from Ave 9 River

Nine Tiny Reindeer from Wit and Whistle

Printable Peppermint and Gumdrop gift tags

from Little Paper Dog (only $4!!)

I am a sucker for all things lovely and paper. I have so many sets of cards and stationary just waiting to be used. These are a few of my faves at the moment. I especially love the idea of printable gift tags. You can print as many as you want and use them year after year too. So clever and economical!