THIS YEAR'S HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS GIFT...

was almost non-existent!

But Pinterest came through for me and I found something that could be done in about 30 minutes.  Six gifts, that's 5 minutes each.  Just what I needed!  It wasn't without a FAIL, though.  I bought the wrong kind of glue and it dripped all over the ornament, so I went back to HL another day and got the  right kind.  SUCCESS!

Kinda pretty, huh?  Maybe I should decorate my laundry room in gold shiny balls all the time.

IT'S GETTIN REAL, FOLKS...

Christmas was pretty low-key around here...but wedding is getting REAL.  I picked up the programs the other day from the printer and almost cried.  It just hit me how beautiful they were (designed by my son) and that this event is really happening!  You'll get to see those later.  Here's a few other sneak peeks:

Two kids pretty pleased with themselves!

Learning to make boutonnieres and all that good stuff!

Sewing some table runners...

Staging some tables...

Wedding has taken over the dining room 

and is threatening other parts of the house!

  

Good thing this is happening in a week.

CHRISTMAS MYSTERY GIFT...

We've had a family activity night close to Christmas for several years now, and it's always a mystery to our kids what will happen...this year our boys both brought their girlfriends and our daughter, of course is in another state.  We missed her, but still had fun!

After eating dinner at Saturn Grill we went to the Tunnels of OKC - I had heard about an interesting art show called OKC 125 in the red and blue tunnels and wanted to check it out.  They were all kind of thinking we had lost it when we parked and started walking toward a sketchy parking garage (I think they had walked through the tunnels once when they were little).  

 It was pretty cool, actually, and FREE.  So it didn't really matter how good/bad it was...

 But it was kind of a fun detour on our way to Bricktown to go...

 SNOW TUBING!

After that we headed back toward The Cheesecake Factory for a little late night dessert.  It was a fun evening with our changing family!

CAMO CHRISTMAS...

 Oh, goodness...did we laugh!

We had a frog leg eating contest (gummy frogs)...

ring toss reindeer games

 duck call contest with straws

even camouflage plates!  

My sis puts on a pretty good party!

MY NEW FAVORITE CANDY RECIPE...

I tried this recipe from Pinterest this fall and immediately fell in love with the salty and sweet flavors!  It's so easy, too.  Then I entered it in a contest where all you had to do was tack on a name to a recipe that reflected one of the Broadway shows coming here soon, and I won!  I'll be getting three pairs of tickets for shows and autographed posters!  Anyway, I was getting ready to make a batch and realized I never shared it on here... so, ENJOY!

I forgot to mention that I vary the chocolate chips sometimes - do what you want - I like to put in 1 cup of semisweet and 1 cup of dark chocolate chips. 

A WEDDING, A GRADUATION, A BABY SHOWER...

This weekend had it all for us - except Christmas parties!  Pretty funny this time of year.  The wedding was for a good friend of mine's son, and it was really beautiful!

Our girl is the next bride coming up!

Her fiancee was in the wedding party.

Here's a few beautiful decor pics!

The Graduation Party was for a young lady that Son #1 spends a lot of time with...she graduated from OSU this weekend with a degree in Architecture! I couldn't help but take a picture of this "building" with edible windows!(They were like cake balls, only rectangles) She made it with her Dad.  Pretty cool!

I don't have any pictures from the baby shower, because I didn't go to it...my husband did!  He really knew the couple more than I did.  They are baristas at the Starbucks he frequents and some friends from church that are also Starbucks addicts wanted to do this for them.  They all went to Starbucks and surprised the mother-to-be with the gifts!  So all I did was buy and wrap the gift but I loved the gesture!

THAT'S WHAT BROTHERS ARE FOR...

Got some engagement pictures from our wedding photographer...she did a great job capturing some sweet moments!

 I may have not told you this, but her fiancee MADE her ring!

So you're probably wondering what this post has to do with her brothers?

Brothers are for taking perfectly good photographs and...

THE BEST SMELL EVER...

is this Holiday Scent!  I received this as a hostess gift last year, and loved it!  When my daughter's wedding shower time came, we wanted to do this for our hostesses too.  But be warned:  everyone in the house will come asking what you are cooking that smells so good!!

Holiday Scent

Quarter an orange, lime, and lemon.

Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water.

Add a few cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and bay leaves.

Simmer and let the scent fill the air!

(Add water as needed - lasts about 10 days)

I didn't take a picture but we put tags on each one with the instructions for using it.

Mmmmmm....had to make an extra for myself!

PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THINGS...

I learned this lesson long ago but sometimes I still need to be reminded!  I vividly remember being in the church nursery and hearing one of the nursery nanas saying that in her conversation.  I thought that was so wise and had never heard it put so simply.  But it's so true and has come to my mind time and time again.  This week I got the chance to get away from wedding preparations to meet my great-niece from Texas for the first time, so I took advantage of it.

I had a lot more pictures than this - forgot how many it takes to get a good one!  

But aren't these cousins CUTE???

SHOWER TIME...

Sunday was a big day for us - my daughter and her fiancee were given a wedding shower from the church!  The parlor was beautifully decorated with her green and gold colors and they were blessed with a lot of things to get them started in their life together!  So thankful for sweet friends and sisters in Christ willing to do this for us!

Our hostesses!

 Thankful speech

 Hot cider

Guest sign-in

 A monogrammed cutting board!

 This little one made her a colorful bracelet!

 Le Creuset!  She's excited!

His/Hers aprons!

 Embroidered pillow cases from one of our oldest members! Sweet.

Picnic basket from family members with a hand-made quilt! 

I put all her special Christmas ornaments through the years in a large vase. 

(I admit a few of them are staying at home on my tree!)

Not much room left for the bride!

Sorry about all the !!!!!  It's an exciting time!