A dress to match my nail polish

Its not very often that I wear a dress, actually its almost never. But when I came across a mint green sun dress in my favorite surf shop that matched my favorite nail polish I knew it was perfect for Easter. Even better then new clothes, I bought new flipflops.
 Now I'm really ready for summer.

Dress-ONeil

FlipFlops-Billabong 

Nail Polish-Hard as Nails-Mint Sorbet

Full House on Christmas

Gauge woke up at 6:00am yesterday and I wanted to wait for my mom to get here at 7:00 so we played up stairs for a bit, jumped on Bradley to wake him up and then when my mom got here we got to open up our stockings and gifts. 

here is a short list of favorite gifts

-I got a JoTotes Camera bag from Jason and a new "hat" from Santa

-Jason got camo coveralls from me and a new wallet from Santa

-Bradley got a Super Mario brothers video game from Santa and Jason got him a REAL GUN! {AHHH!}

-Gauge got a 4-wheeler from Santa 

-Both of the boys got giant fish pillows from Santa

Now that I am married with kids Christmas is not what it used to be. I loved spending Christmas morning at my moms house with my sisters and brother but now it seems my house is the place to be! Everyone came over yesterday morning for a big breakfast and to do our gift exchange. We had scrambled eggs and hash brown casserole along with Mimosas! {yes we drink om Christmas morning... I'm not ashamed!} 

Now I have the tiniest house so fitting 10 adults and 5 kids in it is a little crazy but I love it.  

{honey baked ham!!}

I should have gotten a picture of the mess but the O.C.D. in me didn't let it hang out long enough. But here is Gauge after everyone left.

That was just some of Christmas. We are so thankful to have such an amazing family. I hope everyone else had a fabulous Christmas like we did. 

I would love for you to share with me what your favorite gift was.

*TOP SECRET RECIPE*

I shared THIS post with you a while back but tonight I made our family's famous "Christmas Cake" so I wanted to share it again because there is still plenty of time for a trip to the store and more baking. {there is always time for baking!!}

*WARNING* This is fattening and addictive!!

What you will need is

-Gram Crackers {a box but if you find them all ready in crumbs you should buy that}

-A can of sweetened condensed milk

-1 lbs bag of chopped pecans

-1lbs raisins 

-1 jar of cherries

-1 big bag of shredded coconut

All these items come in about 14 to 16 oz size containers. It does not need to be exact. 

 If your gram crackers are not in crumbs all ready go ahead and smush them. I tried this in a food processor and blender but had the best luck leaving them in them the plastic and just pounding them! If you have better appliances then I do them try that, but my stuff is cheep!

And If your pecans are whole chop them up in a food processor.

Slice cherries in half {save the juice}

Get a big mixing bowl and put all the ingredients together and mix them up really good. This is the part when you use your hands and squeeze them all together. If it is not sticky enough add a small amount of cherry juice. {I forgot the raisins}

Get whatever container you want to make your Fruit Cake Christmas Cake in. I find it looks less appetising to people when made into a circle with a hole in it {not sure what that pan is called} so I use a meatloaf dish.

Put a piece of wax paper in the bottom so you can get the stuff out when your all done. Layer the bottom of your dish with your mix. Take a cup, ketchup bottle or whatever else you have handy and pound on it till it is nice and packed down to the bottom. Repeat this till all of your mix is gone. 

If you choose to make 2 cakes just split mix into 2 pans! {I recommend saving one for your self  ::wink::}

Last, place in refrigerator and let cool

When ready to serve to your favorite people flip upside down and remove, slice and ENJOY

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Husband...

Jason's step dad came over to get Bradley for the next two days and take him to Crystal River to go "Crabbing" tonight and my dad came over and watched Gauge for me. I had a few hours all by myself to do my Christmas shopping. {Because you know I haven't even started!}

This is THE first year in a while that I have been able to go shopping and use my debit card and not really  worry about what I was spending. I'm not saying I blew a bunch of money I'm just saying that I was able to buy for everyone that needed a gift and buy our children what they wanted and a few extra things. {and the sale a A.E. got me! I had to buy my self something! oops}

I am so thankful for my hubby for how hard he works. I know he probably doesn't realize this because I don't talk about "feelings" and get all "sappy" with him but he is so wonderful to me and the boys. He gets up every morning and works his arse of for us. This man has like 10 different jobs. He works for his dad doing drywall when there is drywall to be done. He owns his own lawn service, a pressure cleaning business and he does anything that anyone asks him to do. If it needs to be fixed, built and pays he is all over it. The past month has been exceptionally busy. He even worked last Saturday and he hasn't done that in forever. This busy work schedule could not have come at a better time then right before Christmas. Sunday morning can not get here fast enough! I can't wait to see everyone open the gift I picked out for them! 

I just want to tell him thank you and that I love you for all that you do. 

                                                                                                       -Katie xoxoxo                                             

DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments

This morning my mom and step sister came over so we could make glittery ornaments! We had a blast. This is a great project to do with the kids so I saved a few so Brad could work on some when he got home from school.

Here is what you need.

-Glue

-Glitter

-Paint Brushes

-Plain Ornaments

-A wooden rod 

First paint the glue on your ornaments. Fee free to write names, draw a snowman or make zig-zags.

Then Sprinkle your glitter on the glue.

The put on the wood rod and let dry

-I think some sealer spray to so the glitter stays longer... but I haven't got that yet!

Easy peasy!

So that was fun right?! We tried to tape sections off to make lines... but it didn't work to well. But it was a fun simple craft to start the day off right!

Share some photos with me when your done!

{Happy Hump Day!}

And for your shopping pleasure a FLASH SALE!!!

enter "LOVELOVE" at check out in the SHOP for 30% off today only!

This is the biggest and the only time I will offer such a discount... so take advantage!!!

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

         I have been a very good girl this year. I just thought I would give you a small list of things I would like.

I would love this totally awesome Jo Totes Camera bag in Teal. {before my camera breaks and Jason kills me}

Source: jototes.com via Katie on Pinterest



I would love this in my living room.

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

along with this

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

How freakin great  would this look in my kitchen?

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

This company would be great to support and I <3 their items {this one is great!}

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

Sew Beastly makes the cutest stuff!

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

Every girl needs a Gussy headband

Source: shopgussy.com via Katie on Pinterest

And a tote

Source: shopgussy.com via Katie on Pinterest

This personalized necklace would be nice to.

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

Thank you for your time Santa. If you can't get all of this please notify my Hub's. 

Love,

Katie

Enjoying the Holidays

I think what I really want to call this post is...

Surviving the holidays 101

Source via pinterest

If you're family is kinda like mine then these tips may be a little useful. Today I link up with Gussy. She asked us to share some tips on "enjoying" the holidays. O.k. well really I don't need to "survive" the holidays... but sometimes it can be a little hectic having kids. If you have them... and your married, then there are really two families involved... actually 3 including your own little family {You, Hubs, Kids}. 

People want you here at this time and there at another. It can be really stressful. I have got to say.... I married my sisters... husbands... son.... {weird yeah?....o.k. just a little} So our family has kinda got it together. We all know whose house is more important for certain things.

 Since I'm the baby of the family, and for a while the only one with kids my parents kinda flocked to my house for Christmas morning. And I love it! I feel like we are starting a whole new tradition. Its so much fun to make my mom's "Christmas Eggs" and all crowd together in my tiny living room and open presents. Just talking about this makes me happy!

Source via Pinterest

So here are my 5 tips for making you holidays a whole lot sweeter.

-Remember what Christmas is really about. Do not get stressed about money. People will love you even if you didn't buy them some fabulous gift or not {and if they don't...well....sorry but screw them!}

-If you don't want to be at a relatives house when they want you there because you have your own thing going on at that time.. do not cancel your plans to make them happy. It will only leave you unhappy.

-Enjoy the faces on the kids when they open the present they have been wanting!

-Take lots of pictures!

-Wear something festive. Its the perfect day to put your shiny make-up on and even that sparkly shirt you have.

Source via pinterest

Hope some of these things prove useful to you.




And if you'r new here I still have a giveaway going on! Check it out HERE

Giveaway time!!

Happy Cyber Monday!




Instead of buying things today lets WIN some stuff!
I told you when I reached 50 followers I would do a little giveaway. 
{and as of this morning I'm at 60! yey}

I want to give 2 lucky people 3 braided headbands just because it's fun to give as

 much as it is to receive.

That's right! I said 2 of my sweet followers.

I just listed some of these things in my shop.

I'm not sure who will get what color but it should be fun to open 

you'r package and

get a nice surprise. I may even throw a flowered headband in it just to give you a little extra surprise!

Winners will be chosen next Monday and be shipped in time for Christmas

-Must be a follower of my blog via google friend connect  +1 entry

-Follow me on Facebook HERE  and leave me a comment when you get there +1 entry

-Visit my shop and tell me you'r favorite item HERE  +1 entry


-Share this giveaway on facebook and tag "party of four" so I know that you did   +1 entry

-Tell me what you want for Christmas +1 entry

Leave a comment for each thing you do.

p.s Today is you'r last day to get 25% off in the shop.
Enter  "SUPERSALE" at check out!

DIY tree garland

I know most of you have probably decorated your Christmas trees 

all ready, but if you haven't here is a fun little craft 

to do to put on your tree.

My mom made us do this every year when I was a kid, I'm not even sure where she got the idea from but doesn't take long, 

it's cheep, and you can do it while you watch t.v.,

My kind of craft. 

Home made garland

Here is what you need 

-Needle and thread

-Fresh cranberries

-Popcorn

Big list right?

Now that you have what you need,

take you thread and unroll about 5 feet, then put you needle on it.

Make a pattern how ever you want with the popcorn and cranberries. I used 4 cranberries and 2 popcorn. 

Fill up your 5 foot of thread and then drape it onto your tree.

Repeat till you have enough to drape allover the whole tree. I have a 5 foot tree this year and I needed to do about 4 of these strings.

{bad bad pic of me}

That's it! So easy right? Good thing about this is when Christmas is over you can hang it outside for the birds to eat.

Have fun crafty mommas and put those kids to work!

A country Thanksgiving and my week in photos

Sunday


I went to visit with my niece that I don't get to see very often at my sisters house and had a yummy breakfast
Then Bradley needed a sticker for his 4wheeler so I took him to 
Gander Mountain
I put these fun hats on the baby while Brad played with the toy guns

and then caught up on some T.V. that night.

Monday

I woke up thinking that "today is the day I will get skinny!" Go here to 

read more about it

yes... I realize it is upside down... I'm lazy and don't really want to fix it.


then had a P.B & J {seems healthy...I dunno}

And made yummy stew in my camo crock pot and then crock part cracked...ugh.

Tuesday


I went to the park with Mary and Gabby

and she helped me shoot my W.I.W.W outfit pics

Then went to the store to get apple pie stuff for Thanksgiving only to eat it that night. {so much for getting skinny right?}

OH and I washed my hair!! Go me!

Wednesday 


It was play time all day

I even took the chair off the base so Gauge could roll around in it

Thursday


I know I mentioned it before but we went to Live Oak to spend Thanksgiving with my husbands family. We had a 2 hour drive to get there but it was totally worth it to spend a few hours with his wonderful relatives. Here is a mix of cell phone and my regular camera pictures. Be warned it's a picture overload!!!

a airboat was in front of us for a while and my son Bradley is 

obsessed with them

MMMMM Deep fried goodness!

We have so much to be thankful for this year.

we put gas in my car 3 times... I think my gas gauge is busted.

Friday

My sister Amy and I went Christmas tree shopping!! I decided I needed a tiny one to put on my end table so Gauge wouldn't tear it apart.

Of course Amy needed a BIG tree and I decided instead of strapping it to the roof we should shove it into my car. haha. Well my car still smells good.

Saturday

I woke up thinking about a new Yankee candle would be pretty sweet so I convinced my man that we all should go to Cracker Barrel for breakfast that way I could buy one.

Then it was time to get that tree into the house and onto my end table

I really like to put the retro bulbs on my tree.

YOU can buy that sign behind my tree HERE and use coupon code 

"SUPERSALE" to get 25% off till Monday night

whoops blurry

See that boy all ready trying to grab it!

And that is that. Another fabulous week! And don't forget to come back Monday morning. I will be doing another Giveaway!!!