Christmas Eve Eve Tradition

Last year I decided to start a tradition of making homemade cookies with Symone for Christmas. After eating the dough, we made what was left for Santa and family.

Earlier this week, Symone asked "Mommy, when are we making cookies?". It melted my heart.

Here's a recap of what we did last night, including the recipe I used both this year and last.

Step #1 - Apply flour make-up. Fabulous!

Easy Sugar Cookies from allrecipes.com

Keys to this recipe:

* The butter must be completely soft...almost mushy.

* I suggest a lower oven temp than 350 degrees...325, maybe even 300 degrees.

* Put rack in middle of oven.

* Use parchment paper on cookie sheet and cook no more than 8 min.
Cookies will firm as they cool.

Now...the photos of batch #1 - Black Raspberry thumbprints (inspired by a cookie I fell in love with one summer in India) and Hershey Kiss sugar cookies.

Symone creaming butter and sugar with vintage mixer I got at an estate sale. Perfect for a little one.

We tired of it quickly and switched to my electric hand mixer.

After making the dough, we rolled into small balls. For the raspberry thumbprints, we smashed with our thumbs and spooned in a dollop of seedless black raspberry preserves.

Is it me or does my thumb need botox?

As I did last year, I put the cookies on a sheet too big for my oven and had to transfer to a smaller one.

While the cookies were cooking (too long AGAIN), the remainder of the dough gets wrapped in saran wrap overnight for cook cutters tomorrow for SANTA...yea!!!.

Once removed from the oven, the plain ones get topped immediately with a single Hershey kiss then all get showered with powdered sugar by way of a sifter.

After that...eaten (6 of 10 gone in 3 minutes flat) -- so no pretty plate shot LOL

Here's wishing you and yours happy holiday traditions!

Fab Find (Shoes!) - My Latest Love

Last week, while perusing Endless.com, a fab site for shoes that does FREE overnight shipping and FREE return shipping and found THESE...

wait for it...

BAM!

*sigh* Don't they take your breath away!

I polled my team of fellow shoe connoisseurs and debated on them a little too long. When I decided to go for it, my size was sold out (ALL sizes sold out).

Well, guess what's back in stock today! I have decided to indulge.

They MUST go with me to NYC in January. Ordering via Amazon with an Amazon gift card I got from work, so nothing out of pocket. JACKPOT!

Note: While it sucks that Amazon doesn't offer free overnight, it does have free regular shipping and I'll take that.

What is your holiday (any day) indulgence?

Question of the Day

Don't ask me what the craze is about these toys...

Zhu Zhu Pets

Personally, I think parents are more crazy about them than kids because they are just $9.99. Well, I, too, have been trying to find these and think ToysRUS has been teasing parents just to keep you coming back.

My childhood memory:

I remember my mother doing the same thing for Transformers for my brother when I was a kid. She slipped a guy $5 (which was worth more in the early 80s) and he gave her one he was hiding in the baby section.

What I did:

WELL, I follow Toys on facebook and saw this morning that they posted they will be having Zhu Zhus in-stock online off and on for the next two days. I checked out the site 10 minutes after the post and they were not there. Checked 5 min later and THEY WERE.

I got one of every color...the question is WHY? I guess I can bless someone else with the others

Question of the day?

Do we really get into the Christmas toy hunt for our kids or for the hunt itself?

What can I say...I am Type A.

Happy 5th Birthday to Symone!!!

Five years ago today, at 1:25 p.m. my life was changed forever. My precious daughter, Symone Camille, was born.



She's her grandparent's baby girl (look at my daddy's socks LOL):


She's Mommy's biggest fan:

AND she's a little fashionista in her own right:

She is not only the namesake of this blog -- she's the fuel that keeps me going. We had a great weekend with friends and fam.

I savor every moment with her and love her fierecly. She's a true blessing.

Isn't it amazing how deep our love runs for our kids?

Garland Mother Load & Pretty Wings - Long Post

Who conquered another fear yesterday...is me.


The Big Bad Attic - so scary!!!

Annette hyped me up and I went up there BY MYSELF!

I knew I had some more Christmas stuff and hit the GARLAND MOTHER LOAD!

I used two straight nails over each side and hooked garland over top. I put it everywhere...haven't added to it yet.

Remember the bare mantle?
I added more garland.

This is the space where my new sofa will be...this is for you LD. Check out my scrap fabric tree skirt a la Annette's tip.

This weekend I will work on a post of my entire home holiday decor for Nester's party.

Part II - Pretty Wings

Let It Shine - our neighbor and fellow blogger (read about how we met here) did a post a few weeks ago on some angel wings she made. Well, somehow they got someone's attention and she was asked to do some for an art gallery! Read about it here.

Congratulations to Shine! She is amazing!

Check out what she did with the mirror I gave her (it is in the Dining room before pic from yesterday's post).

Lindsay's Back

Living with Lindsay is the first blog that inspired me to blog and do-it-myself. Somehow, she's been on hiatus, but she's back.

Today, she's having an impromptu, no theme McLinky party, looking for inspiration - it can be a funny story, DIY, you name it.

It's a genius way to let people know she's back, as well as get visibility to some of your older post.
Check it out - Lindsay's Impromptu Party

Reality Has Set In...

Nothing like confirmation that family is coming over to shift you into over drive. Those unfinished, undecided, incomplete projects -- either get done, get a band-aid or get put in the garage.

My mama, daddy, favorite cousin and aunt are coming over Sunday for dinner for my parent's 49th anniversary. The day after Symone's 5th b-day. Can you say ooo-weee?!

Symone and I are home sick, but I went into overtime to get his house into shape!

Dining Room:

Before

In Between:

with crooked curtains

Now:

The curtains are 108" long and for a change are too long. I did this with some stretch stuff out a sewing supplies bag I got at a resale store and pinned to the wall with an upholstery tack. I've seen them do this at fabric stores. Not sure which I like yet.

The table was done based on inspiration from Centsational Girl's sidebar.

Nothing close...but inspired nonetheless. This table is one of my favorite pieces in my house. Loving the turquoise and gold.

Also, updated mantle, changed front door wreath (you see the original one is now in the diring room), changed entryway table and rearranged living room.

Tired - will post more tomorrow. As always, what do you think?

It's Ready!!! My Couch, that is...

The upholstery company called and said my couch was ready and we need to schedule delivery. I snuck over there at lunch and took some pics.

Here's the original post for background.

$75 couch

Here's where I selected fabrics for my living room. Remember, I got the sofa fabric from fabric.com for $3.99/yd (it is a neutral mini-chenille).

And, now, without further a do...

I'm on my way to something like this.

What do you think?