Less Stress Christmas Season

This year I am trying to savor the season a little bit more and not fall into the Holiday Crazy trap & get caught in the hoopla.

Let’s face it I can’t rewind time and have this little cutie back

He is growing like a weed  & I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

So this Christmas season there will be More:

Building trains with Dad

Christmas movie time as a family

Wrapping at leisure while watching Christmas specials.

Baking yummy treats instead of shopping all day every day

Snoozing by the tree

Basking in the sunshine..Since our state is the only one that did not get the memo it is winter

& just spending time feeling blessed for my little family

& maybe getting a updated picture made .

I hope you are all having a very Happy Christmas Season !!

Happy 70th Birthday Dad

Today is my Daddy’s 70th Birthday.

We celebrated early and had a big fiesta with lots of yummy food, presents and cupcakes yesterday since everyone had to return to work from the big holiday today.

Happy Birthday Dad. I hope you have a great day today .

Time For Leftovers

Yesterday was a great day full of family and food.

Started off with me finishing up some cooking and getting the turkey prepped for the hubby.

↑ Poor Turkey

Then my sister, brother n law and nephews came over for a bit to visit before heading to my brother n laws families house.

Then it was time to dig in to all the yummy food.

We were so full the only one who ate dessert was Bub, but I will make sure I eat some today.

Everyone was in a food coma after so we all just sat around watching the parade rerun on TV or napping.

No Thursday shopping for me yesterday. I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving Day and for that matter I don’t get up at the crack of dawn on Black Friday to be around a bunch of sleep deprived grouchy people looking for a deal. No Thank You!!!

I usually will venture out sometime during the day and will pick up some of the things that are on sale the whole weekend which most of the sales always are so I have never seen the point of the big early morning rush unless you want that TV/Video Game they only have two of and everyone is gonna fight over. Hello run on sentence. 

But if it’s a tradition in your family or that is your cup of tea then more power to ya . Do you shop on Black Friday?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and has a safe weekend.

Let The Cooking Begin

Soo this morning we made a quick run to the grocery (again) for some stuff I forgot & the collard greens. Seriously I would rather do laundry all day then go to the grocery store the day before a holiday and that is saying a whole lot cause laundry is of the devil, but my son thinks it is not a holiday unless there are collard greens served at the meal . He absolutely loves them & my hubby has mastered the art of cooking them to perfection so we aim to please.

I decided to start on a couple of items when we got back so we were less flustered tomorrow.

First up was homemade cranberry sauce. This was my first time making it and I don’t know why I never have it is so stinkin’ easy.  I used this recipe: Easy Cranberry Sauce by Recipe Girl

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Next was the chocolate pie my son has been reminding me to make for Thanksgiving for 2 weeks. This recipe is so simple and it is all done in one dish and the best part is it is cooked in the microwave. It is seriously soooo good.

Chocolate Pie Recipe:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup flour (any kind)

1/4 cup cocoa

2 cups milk (any milk you like)

2-3 egg yolks ( I usually use 2)

You will also need 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 stick of butter for the end.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in microwavable bowl making sure there are no lumps then add the milk and egg yolks and mix well. Cook in microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Take out stir and put back into microwave for an additional 4 minutes or until thick.
Remove and whisk in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 stick of butter. Pour into baked pie shells and chill.

That’s it easy peasy lemon squeezy!!!!!

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Then it was on to appetizer cheese balls.  I made a Ranch & Bacon Cheese Ball. Then I made a Dried beef cheese ball. I got both recipe’s from food.com. You can see them here & here.

The Ranch & Bacon Cheese ball

& The Dried Chipped Beef Cheese “Ball”.

I turned this one into more of a dip. I added real bacon instead of chipped beef and also added some onion powder and diced olives to the original recipe which made it kinda hard to form into a cheese ball. No worries it still tastes yummy!!!!

Then it was time to wash up the mess I made in the kitchen & take a break….& do laundry.

I hope everyone has a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Makeup Monday

I received The Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara in my Influenster Rose Voxbox  to test out for free a couple weeks ago.

It has cute black & white packaging. Very Retro Glam indeed.

I just curled my lashes and applied two coats & this was my result. Pretty good if you ask me.

On the website it says “It’s Retro Mania! Bold, Wide-eyed false lash look!” I must say I agree. It gives your lashes lots of volume and length making it look like you have on false lashes. My lashes are long to begin with so it doesn’t take much. Going by my experience I would definitely recommend this mascara to friends & family.

Makeup Monday - Ipsy & Ulta

My Ipsy bag came in on Saturday & I got a few things from Ulta today.

Click Here ↓ to see the video

Ipsy Bag & Small Ulta Haul