oh yea, i had a giveaway winner that i needed to announce...

first, i need to apologize. actually, summer should. she dragged me all over the salt lake valley yesterday. we hit savers, orsen giggy and some chinese store that had dead birds hanging up in it.

i must love her.

and we had some drama. we were looking at ugly sweaters for one of summers daughters because of an 'ugly sweater dance' coming up. here is what we found...

it doesn't look bad until you realize that the little deer is sniffing the big deers butt.

really-would you want your teen girl wearing that?

then there was the sweater that summer picked out.

and please remember that this wasn't for a ugly sweater dance, this is because she LOVED it!

if you don't know summer, she isn't as old as this sweater suggests!

she CLAIMS that she will make this into a pillow.

i think she will wear this around town with a big sign that says 'ba loves my sweater!' just to annoy me.

and that, my friends, is why i didn't post the winner yesterday.

so the winner was picked by my almost 10 year old parker (because nate wanted to play star wars on the xbox instead of helping).

so congratulations trish!

she said...

I'm thankful for my taste buds. They bring me great joy.

i actually know trish and will be dropping this by (hopefully) today so you can get as much use out of it as you can this holiday season!

i'll be thrifting for christmas. you can count on me!

i hate to admit this, but there are actually a few board games that my kids DON'T have.

how are they functioning in society?

(don't answer that if you really know them!)

on a recent trip to deseret industries, i went down the toy isle.

let me stop there...i ALWAYS go down the toy isle. i have gotten legos and star wars toys on amazing deals. just like any thrifter knows, you never know what you will find!

this particular day, i

found...

and

this...

 for $1.50!

now, the packages are always taped shut, but believe me, i always untape them.

i stood in the toy isle and put perfection together (without the timer on!).

i have trained my kids to put all games pieces back into the baggies on all games.

i realized not all moms are as perfect as me.

(insert laughter here!)

but both had all the pieces. so after i scrape the d.i. sticker off and put all the pieces in baggies, i'm wrapping them and they will be under the christmas tree in 40 days.

and my kids will never even notice.

i love pasta fagioli soup. it is espically with the fall weather, a nice warm soup hits the spot. and with some crusty bread on the side, HEAVEN ON EARTH I'M TELLING YOU!

my mother's family's last name is 'martin' (we think it was originally martini but they changed it to not sound so italian! wtfreak!?). and this is a martin family recipe.

(image is of nana, some of her sisters and friends at the jersey shore. notice, no fist bumping.)

except it is from this martin family...

oh well...he must be family, right?

i got this from a book that dean martin's daughter, deana, wrote a few years ago. i have made it and it is yummy!

Martin family* Pasta Fagioli

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2, 15 oz cans cannelloni beans

6 c water

Dash of salt and pepper

¼ t ground cinnamon

8 oz tubetini pasta

¼ c grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pan and saute’ the onion for 1 minute. Add beans and water. Season with salt and pepper. Add cinnamon, cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 mins then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Check now and ten and add boiling water as necessary. Add the pasta and contine simmering until pasta is done. Remove from heat and service with grated cheese.

*this is actually the Dean Martin family’s receipe for Pasta Fagioli, not that Pat and Mickey Martin family

girls go crazy for a sharp dressed man...

my nathan is adorable!

he is turning 7 today and can not wait. in fact, for the past month, he asked me to tell people that he is 7 because 'i basically am'.

at church, i used to put himin a golf shirt and tan pants and call it good.

that is no longer working for mr sharp dressed man. he needs a tie.

i made him one awhile back here and he alternates between the one i made and the christmas one.

the last trip to the thrift store i knew i needed to find a new church shirt (his was short sleeved and we are getting to long sleeved weather here in utah). well not only did i SCORE on a $4 arrow, wrinkle free shirt but this cute tie as well!

if you can't tell from the look in his eyes, he is a child who will cause me lots of trouble.

but he will be well dressed doing it!

oh and ps...dont forget my giveaway!

what are we thankful for? (plus a giveaway!)

every november, we get out this old, laminated tree that i made 7 years ago and stick it to our back door. then leaves are made and we spend one monday night naming what we are thankful for.

here is this years...

(yes that is a tree and NOT a bush!)

there were the usual answers...family, friends, food...

then the not so normal answers...kyle (whittingham. coach of the u of u football team. that was chris's idea.), world peace (that was nate. he might be a mr. usa in training.), america (this is parker. he has a man-crush on stephen colbert.), computers (i will blame the kids for this, but im thankful for them too!)...

im really in the giving thanks mode right now.

 i love fall and all the beauty it brings.

i love that all 3 of my boys were born this month.

i love that we can put on the fireplace when it is cold.

and of course i love all my readers!

so i will be sending this amazing necklace to the person who is thankful for the weirdest thing.

and yes, this is a christmas necklace, but by the time send it, it will be time to wear it!

and yes, i will have a chain by then!
you have until sunday midnight people!

i may be knee deep in birthday month...

our family has 15 birthdays in november.

now if it was just nieces and nephews, that wouldn't be so bad.

but that also includes both boys and my hubby!

(and my father in law, sister in law, nephews, brother...the list goes on and on!)

but im ready for christmas anyhow!

mostly because i start early and don't really have a choice.

now if you remember franny, well she has a big sister named jojo.

jojo is one of the only people i know who can use a 'claw' machine and actually win!

now THERE is a marketable skill!

i actually gave her a roll of quarters one christmas so that she will continue to win stuff for my kids!

this year i wanted to be crafty so when i found a boring wood bracelet at hobby lobby, i had my starting point.

(i thought i had a photo of the before but oh well, i guess you will have to use your imagination)

i used my can of chalk board paint painted away.

then 2 weeks 24 hour later, i chalked all over it and wiped it off.

then so that jojo would 'get it' i got a box of chalk and wrote all over it.

i think it is awesome amazing.

lets think an 18 year old does too!

today i am grateful for nate!

i had totally forgot that i had got this cornucopia at savers ($2.99!) last spring.

well, forgot until nate comes upstairs wearing it as a hat.

and then blowing it like a horn.

now that looks like fall!