So far today....

Not much of anything has gone according to plan.  My hubby had lots of plans to get major things accomplished this weekend....woke up at 4 am with the "bug" that he believes he got because he stepped foot in the daycare room yesterday.  Regardless, his plans were shot.  Emily and I were getting her pictures made, going to the bank, and a few stores, getting groceries and going home.   Pictures went wonderfully, I'll put a few of my favorites at the bottom.  Will still need to do Christmas pictures, but isnt the best backdrop the one that God made?  Anyway, after we get done with that we are heading to the bank, less than  five minutes away.  "Mommy, I need poot poot...NOW"  followed immediately by "Mommy I poot poot my panties"  Uh oh.  So at the bank parking lot we get all cleaned up, she says she feels fine and so we go over to Big Lots, where they have a sale that if you spend $15 on Disney Princess or $15 on Barbie you get a $20 toy free in the mail.  Yeah, wasn't impressed with their selection, and what we really don't need are more toys!  Anyway, so we arrive at Big Lots and start getting out of the car, "Mommy I need to pee pee"  Ok, surely they have a public restroom.  We hurry.  Hurry, carrying her to try to get to the bathroom quickly (I'm thinking her stomache is upset), and I came across a pot hole.  I didnt see it.  I twisted my ankle and said "Ouch" evidently much louder than I thought cause another lady came over to see if I was ok (at that point I wasnt sure) and then I decided I was and she went and got me a cart.  Meanwhile, "Mommy I need to potty".  Ok, so I hobble into the store, wondering how badly I sprained my ankle, and we get to the bathroom on time.  Ok, maybe we should go home.  But the best deals at Kohls end at 1.  Must keep going.  From that point on the day improved.  Great deals were to be had at the salvation army (perfect princess cups for a Christmas tea party, a cute cardigan for me for a quarter, a pretty dress for fifty cents), got a couple things at dollar general, and then went on to Kohls, were I scored!  Tennis shoes, tights, princess lipgloss, total less than $3.  Went to the grocery store.  Saved $56.  Spent slightly over $100.  In this day and age, that's not too bad.  The ankle is tender but I can walk.  Groceries are in teh cabinet...yes, the day is improving, I think:)  At least its warm, even if the wind is approaching those blow you in front of a bus strengths!  So here are a couple of my favorite pictures.  Now to clean a little and finish the apron set I'm making for a little girl I watch.

the great Santa debate

I didnt sleep well last night and while lying around I started thinking about none other than the jolly old elf himself....Santa Claus.  You see I don't remember ever believing in santa, although many kids I know did.  As an adult, we've had fun with Santa with my nephews.  But the fact remains, there is no Santa.  We have our children write letters to him, leave him cookies, and makes requests, hoping on Christmas morning to find a tree spewing forth all of their wants and wishes.   And while it can be fun, I question it as this season we are faced with the reality that if we start he Santa thing it is ours for years yo come, until that day when we have to look Emily in the eye and say, "yes sweetheart we have been lying to you about Santa now for your entire life.  That guy in the red suit you saw at Bass pro doesnt live at the north pole, he probably lives just down the street."  Ok, so there lies problem number one....we asked our children to believe in something with their whole hearts only to crush there sense of faith whenever they are old enough to realize Santa just won't work."   But lets say they come to this conclusion at the age of 8.   Slowly losing that innocence, we swipe a security blanket out from under them.   Meanwhile we've also been teaching them all about God, how to pray, and the story of the nativity and  christ dying for us.   Do you know an 8 year old?  If you disspell the Santa myth, isn't it going to make them question the very roots of their faith....in the important things?  Each night as Emily lays down to sleep, we talk to God.   Mostly she repeats after me, but she's learning about this awesome God of ours, how he cares about even the smallest little detail in our lives, down to the number of hairs on our heads.  Whythen do we feel as though we must attempt to make our children believe in something that will subsequentl break their hearts when they learn the truth?  I wan Emily to enjoy the holidays, and the "fun" part of Santa, but more importantly I want her to know how to give and share, not so much to receive.

Which brings me to my next train of thought.  As you probably know I enjoy following Ana White's blog.  She has great woodworking plans on sher site that she graciously shares for FREE!  She had a great idea this holiday...and has issued a challenge to all her readers which I'm passing on to you...the challenge.  Make something homemade this Christmas for someone you love.  But don't stop there.  Make another identical item (twice the product..but not really twice the work since you'll be using all the same tools/supplies) .  Donate your extra item to someone in need, whether it be a family you know to be struggling this Christmas, or through an organized charity.  For those of you near Joplin....finding a recipient won't be hard I'm sure.  For those of you in the Kansas City area, I don't know who all accepts homemade gifts however, Emily and I will be delivering our homemade rag doll to Children's Mercy.  They sounded very excited about the prospect of getting homemade cuddly donations.   So will you, join me in accepting the challenge?

Necessity is the mother of invention....right?

It is entirely possible that I will be required to go to the store in the near future, like tomorrow more than likely.  For dinner tonight we are having....we'll call it a Lori Special.  it is something similar to a bbq chicken pizza, however since I've never had one of those, I really can't say.  I was going to make loaded tortillas, a yummy recipe I found a while back.  and a throw together so fast Rachel Ray would be proud kind of dinner.  Well...what I thought was a package of flour tortillas is really a package of corn tortillas.  ok not exactly what I had planned, but should still work.  next step....refried beans.   oh yeah, we ate the last can two weeks ago and I havent been to the store.  I've made my own before, but the only kind of beans I actually have are dried, not ready to be smooshy on my tortilla shell in a couple minutes.  ok, next idea.  Pizza sounded good.  No mozzarella cheese, and weel, cheddar cheese just wasnt what I was wanting.  I had already thawed the bacon for the tortillas, we had a couple grilled chicken breasts left over, and cheddar cheese would go good with chicken and bacon, right?  well, I thought about rice, pasta, bread...oops out of bread and macaroni too.  I still had the pizza idea, and I could make pizza cruat.  but I would need sauce.  ranch would go good but i really dont like rancch...same goes for ho ey mustard.  then like a bolt of lighting I thought Barbecue sauce.  Perfect!  Of course I'd run out of that the other day too.  Not to be easily defeated, I had ketchup....and a computer with recipes galore...kc bbq sauce.  sounded like the perfect solution.  so a cup of ketchup and a few ingredients later I had bbq sauce.  So pizza crust, homemade bbq sauce, bacon, chicken and cheddar cheese.  sounds good.  I hope it is.   It is still cooking, I'll have to let you know.
I was very excited to have found a crockpot for $1 through facebook the other day....it arrived today, so tomorrow its looking like vegetable soup for dinner!  I think I have vegetables.....I also received my barbie I paid $2.36 for.  she has a couch, laptop, cell phone, all the necessities you know.  And I know a little girl that just might like something like that for Christmas.   And this weekend I need to go to Kohls.  I think I can get her a pair of shoes fo $2, and then I have the $25 from disney that I'm going to use on a 'punzel dress, costing me a total of $1.50.   Wouldn't it be cool if I could get all my shopping done for under $10¿  ok no idea how i turned the question mark upside down.  but now i must go eat dinner.

Better Late Than Never

I haven't gotten the video on the computer yet, and I'm done for the evening.  Actually considering making her dress that I told her I'd get made SOON!  Anyway, here is a little Rapunzel...the $5 version, not the $35 one!  She liked it, so all was well.  And it had a castle hat.  All princesses neee a castle hat:)