last minute Homemade Christmas ornaments

On Saturday (which was my bday) all I wanted to do during the day was make ornaments and cookies with the kids. I guess when you get older your choices change on how to celebrate lol. Anyway, I found these pretty handmade beaded ornaments here. To make things less stressful this Christmas season I even ordered the supplies from amazon! No having to fight the traffic and crowds at Michaels or Hobby Lobby!! It was super easy to do and the kids had fun.

Supplies:

4 mm x 7mm small pony beads  OR a bucket of these perler beads 

6mm x 9mm large pony beads  OR a bucket of these perler beads 

metal Christmas themed cookie cutters 

hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

bakers twine 

cookie sheet

parchment paper 

All we had to do was lay the beads inside the cookie cutters and bake for 15 minutes in the oven. Easy peasy!

After making the ornaments we baked our Christmas cookies. If you remember from this post I bought pre cut Christmas cookies from GFS! Holy crap was I super impressed and so glad we went this route. To bake you simply took the cookies from freezer to cookie sheet. Only had to bake for 10 minutes and once cool we decorated. These cookies are so yummy!! I will probably do this every Christmas.

I love doing things like making cookies and ornaments with the kids each year. I hope this is what they remember as they get older. Hope everyone has a merry and bright week leading up to Christmas!! It's a busy one 'round here. Mere has her Christmas program this week and lots of little things to do to get ready for the big day. We are celebrating Christmas Eve on Thursday and Christmas Day on Christmas Eve. The joys of being a fire family. Nick has to work Christmas day. I can't wait until Friday. We are going to surprise the kids with Polar Express tickets!! Nick and I are super excited for this too!!

xoxo,

Tracey

Christmas cookies and more

This is your friendly PSA! Run do not walk to you local GFS. You're asking why would I go there . Well upon asking friends and duh,  google, I found sugar cookies that are already pre cut in Christmas shapes . That's right friends these cookies only need popped in the oven to bake. Then they will be ready to decorate with your kids. I have tried buying the dough and using cookie cutters but they just never turn out right. Plus I am saving so much time and energy ya'll!! I can't believe I am just now discovering this!! I am super pumped to bake cookies Saturday with Mere and Max ! I told nick that's what I wanted to do for my birthday .... make cookies and ornaments in the } ! Oh and maybe have a coffee from Starbucks (hint hint Nick)! Then probably the hardest request I have for a gift from nick and the kids are good moods all weekend!! Hmm buying a gift may be easier ! What do ya'll think ?!

Does any one else have dreams of a slowed down Christmas season? One where you aren't running all over creation for this and that ? One where you can enjoy your kids more and not feel so stressed out ? It sounds like a Christmas miracle haha. But I am trying to be more intentional during the coming days leading up until Christmas . I don't want to lose my cool 10 times a day and yell at my kids constantly. I really do this when I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed . So to cut down on this my goal was to have all of my Christmas shopping done by my birthday . This is a yearly goal. Most of the time I come close. This year I will have it all done except getting a gift card and trying to still find the hubby a Nintendo Nes along with everyone else who wants one ! I still need to wrap . I have plans of doing this in spurts . Wrap a few here and there . I also want to make ornaments with the kiddos so instead of running to a crowded Hobby Lobby or Michaels I ordered my supplies from Amazon ! Time saved! No driving in the horrid traffic to Florence or Newport. I know I am behind the times when it comes to clickList from Kroger where you can order you groceries online and schedule a pick up time. I think Christmas week sounds like the perfect time to test this baby out. I have already made my list. Just waiting to schedule since it is over a week out. The last thing I want to do after working all week next week is spend hours at the grocery. No thanks! Problem solved.

I mean talk about the perfect way to grocery shop!!

So tell me what are some of your ways to make this time less stressful and put more cheer in your eggnog ?

Breakfast with Santa + White Christmas Parade

The kids and I had a busy Saturday, but a fun Saturday. We started off with Breakfast with Santa at the firehouse. This is a yearly tradition that is organized by the Covington Fire Ladies Auxiliary. They do such a great job. Our kids have so much fun from getting to sit in the fire trucks, do crafts, and of course seeing santa! We may or may not have had to bribe Meredith do get a picture with him. I guess at 8 yrs old she already thinks she is too big. But Max wouldn't do it without her. Oh and we thought we were done Christmas shopping but they told santa one thing that they wanted him to bring.... skate boards! Thank God it wasn't a hatchimal. Skate boards were not on their original list. I have a feeling the big guy will come through though and the kiddos will have skate boards under the tree. Nick was working but was able to be there.

After Breakfast with Santa we drove to Augusta for the White Christmas Parade. We got there a couple hours early so I made vegetable soup for all of us. It hit the spot since it was freezing outside. The kids and I just hung out at my momma's until it was time to walk down for the parade. This is one of the things that Augusta puts on yearly that is a can't miss. Gets you in the Christmas spirit!! There was some awesome floats , some wonderful singing of classic Christmas carols, and 2 Santas!! The parade started at 5:30 so the kids and I walked from my moms to Main Street to find the perfect spot to stand around 5. Augusta really is one of those neat small towns. How I didn't appreciate it growing up. But now I so do.

It's Santa!

Oh did I mention there were fireworks after the parade??

What's everyone else been doing to get in the Christmas spirit? We have a busy week ahead but IT IS MY BIRTHDAY WEEK!!! Can you believe ONLY 13 more days til Christmas?! yay!!

5 on Friday

Yay for Friday!! I am ready for the weekend. But yikes it's almost Christmas. Luckily I have only to buy for my momma and then I am finished. My goal every year is to be done by the beginning of my birthday week which is next week!! It's time for ME by then haha. Thought I would share 5 things on Friday with ya'll.

ONE

Nick started RCIA classes to become part of the Catholic faith back in September. This past Sunday, he along with the others in the class, had to attend church for the Rite of Acceptance. This was the first stop on the road to joining our faith. I am so excited for Nick and our little family. It means a great deal to us that he will become Catholic for us as well as for himself. I know how proud my dad and grandmothers would be as well. I was a little teary eyed Sunday.

TWO

We got our pictures back from my friend Denise this week. Let me just say she didn't have much to work with that day. It was freezing and windy. We did them at the fire house. Nick is as bad as the kids when it comes to getting our pictures done. I lose my head several times just in us all getting ready. But man oh man. I LOVE them. My heart might have stopped on a few of them. If any one is need of a wonderful photographer you should check out Denise and her photography partner's website here.

THREE

Nick had the opportunity to purchase UK basketball tickets from one of the other fireman's who has season tickets. He asked me if I wanted to go but would have to be part of my bday present. They are lower arena tickets and the best seats. I told him this was the one and only time that it could be for my bday/Christmas gift. But only for UK tickets!! There can be no other reason to combine the two occasions lol. Having a birthday exactly one week before Christmas is tough. I am obsessed with KY basketball. We had a great time. I even made a new friend. The seats beside us were also season ticket holders who just happened to probably be in their 70's or 80's . When you think of Southern class it defined this lady to a T. But with all the class that she oozed, it didn't stop her for screaming for her Cats. She even high fived me on one of the dunks. Let's just say I have a new idol!! Oh and of course my boys in blue won!

FOUR

St. Nick arrived at our house this week. He brings the kids new Christmas pj's and an ornament....every single year! They also got a few small items. Growing up my sister, brother and I left our socks for St. Nick. They were always filled to the brim with little goodies.

FIVE

TGIF. This has felt like the longest week ever for some reason. We have breakfast with Santa tomorrow and then headed to Augusta for the White Christmas Parade and ending with fireworks. The kids and I are excited. I picked up Sunday to work. It starts my birthday week. That's right folks. When you have a December birthday and one the week before Christmas you get a week to celebrate!!

Beauty Society giveaway winner

Winner! Winner! Chicken dinner ! Well not really a chicken dinner haha!! But I am excited to announce the winner of my first ever blog giveaway! Drumroll please..................Bobbi Jo! Bobbi has been a customer since day 1 of my Beauty days! Bobbi be on the look out for your prize pack from Carissa and I ! Ladies it isn't too late to take advantage of the Holiday Specials for yourself or if you must a gift !! Head over to my website at www.mybeautysociety.com/traceyb

Bobbi Jo, Carissa was mailing your prize out today!!!:)