We are headed back East for a little over a week to visit with family and friends.  As excited as we are, planning for Christmas with a 1 and 3 year old to shop for has been a challenge.  And I am not sure if my parents are more excited or scared that we’ll be descending on their house for over a week.  It will be so fun next year to host in our new/old home!

From our family to yours, I wish you all a wonderful Holiday and I’ll see you in 2012!

If I can get back to my pans in our storage facility, I plan to make a bunch of rum cakes this weekend.  My mom has a recipe that is to die for and I find them great to give to teachers, friends and neighbors at the holidays.

Instead of the standard bottle of wine, or perhaps in addition, why not surprise your holiday hostess with a chic keepsake.  I cannot think of anywhere better to stock up than at The Zhush.  Here are some of my favorites…..

At this time of year, it is always fun to remember your hosts’ children too….so how about a cute ornament for the tree?

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Or even better, how about putting a few dollars in one of these to keep the kids occupied.  The photo may look tacky but we have a coouple and they provide lots of entertainment for kids of all ages! They make great stocking stuffers too.

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And finally, for ease of packaging during this busy season, I love to buy personalized stickers and name labels.  Slap them on a plain colored bag, add some tissue paper and ribbon and voila….you are good to go.  I love this local Dallas company that does personalized products from stickers to melamine and acrylic and lots in between.

Ok, now off to get to my Christmas lists…..Have a great weekend!

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We are blessed to be spending this holiday with my family….is there anything better than spending time with those you love?  We wish you and yours a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.

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For those who lost their lives that day, who have lost their lives since and those who continue to serve in an effort to keep us safe.  I will never forget.

Nicole Hill Gerulat for Real Simple

We are headed to the neighborhood parade, the pool, husband has plans for his smoker and fireworks with friends.  Hope whatever you have planned, the day is great!

Here is a fun idea for personalized gifts that I did last year.

Personalized Market Totes via The Craft Pantry on Etsy.com

I am not sure about you but I have a growing collection of eco-friendly bags for the grocery store.  I thought these were cute personalized totes that I would have been happy to add to my collection.  I am a sucker for anything personalized and always think it is a nice touch when gift giving. 

I also usually do peppermint bark and rum cakes as well.  I love edible gifts…although my waistline may not benefit from receiving them!  I am still trying to decide whether or not these are in the cards this year…as the movers arrive in just over 2 weeks…we’ll have to see.

How are you making your gifts personal this year?

image via Martha Stewart

We are hosting but with lots of help from family.  We are looking forward to a weekend of fun and laughter, football, holiday movies,  games and too much food.  We have lots to be thankful for!   

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, comment and occasionally even email me offline.  When I started this blog earlier this year, I had no idea of the friendships I’d forge and inspiration I’d gather from a group of like minded people.  I am so thankful to have this outlet and to share it with you.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend surrounded by loved ones!

On Thanksgiving we had dinner over at my parents’ house.  We were late because I waited until the morning of to assemble the place cards I had decided I wanted to make.  My husband was laughing at me as I was stressing over getting these turkey’s just right….but soon was helping me get them done.  He took care of the eyes, and each had an expression odder than the last.  It was fun!

Christmas Eve and Christmas were at our house, easier than lugging all of Maddie’s presents over there.  I opted for much simpler place cards for this dinner.  (Looking at this pictures vs. the one I posted earlier this week makes me glad I sent back these chairs as they arrived incorrectly with nail-heads….which didn’t fit the look of my room.)

So, now I have started to turn my attention to Easter.  And, whether or not you celebrate, the themes are distinctly “Spring.”  I love this collection of inspiration I found, where else, but Martha Stewart.

Knowing my mom, who really is a Martha Stewart, she could probably whip up most of these with items on hand.  The first reminds me of her the most.  I could see doing the cookie arrangement for an afternoon tea party with Maddie’s friends.  Perhaps if the weather is nice we could actually decorate the cookies….on the deck of course!

I am thinking these could be modified to include place-cards.  I think they are so sweet.  Maddie loves to collect sticks…so she could play a hand in this!

photography by Beth Dreiling Hontzas for Southern Living

And how cute is this simple idea for a little favor?  From Martha Stewart, of course!

I was in the mall the other day and noticed that the Easter Bunny is available for photos.  I think we are going to plan a trip this weekend.  Maddie is obsessed with her pretty Easter shoes….

Here she is last year at just under a year old.

And, here’s to hoping it goes better than the trip to Santa in December!

Hope you have a great weekend!