The Thanksgiving Report

This is a little late in coming, but it's better late than never, right? We spent Thanksgiving in San Antonio this year, and this time, it didn't pour rain the entire weekend and nobody had to wear a pilgrim costume. Don't think I wouldn't be showing that picture if it weren't taken a zillion years ago and my scanner wasn't broken. Alas, it was before I was a digital convert. Anyway, here are my favorites from this year.

 Giving Daddy a butterfly kiss.

 Injecting the turkey.

 Me & Aidan

 Building a gingerbread house.

 Big cheese. It's too bad the camera focused on that chair behind them. Grr...

 Eating "nim nims."

The finished project.

Support a Small Biz

As Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach, I'd like to encourage you all to support small businesses whenever possible this holiday season. I've put together an Etsy treasury with some of my favorite things I've stumbled upon while lost in Etsy-land. This photo isn't clickable. Please click here if you'd like to view it. Happy shopping everyone!

Oh, and if you'd like to support Neely Bug Boutique, you can visit my shop here. :)

Yarn Wreath Tutorial

Even though Thanksgiving is still a few days ahead of us, we're already getting into the Christmas spirit around here. We'll be spending our holidays elsewhere this year and wanted to be able to enjoy our own decorations for a little while. Over the years, we've built up quite a collection. I only add/make one or two new things each year. This year, this wreath is it.

I've seen some nice yarn wreaths on Etsy, and they range in price anywhere from $20 to $100. If you'd rather buy than make one, there is sure to be something you like. I just searched "yarn wreath" and turned up 728 choices. If you want to save a little cash, you can make your own! 

All you need is a foam wreath form, yarn, scissors, hot glue, and whatever adornments you want to add. I thought it would be fun to use white yarn, as a change from the traditional green wreath. 

To get started, just put a little dollop of hot glue on the back side of the wreath form and secure the end of the yarn to it. To avoid burning my fingers, I actually laid the yarn across the glue, held it in place until it dried, and then trimmed the end of the yarn. Now, get to wrapping!

I wrapped about an inch worth of yarn (15-20 times around the form), and then I'd secure the yarn with glue again. You don't want the yarn to slide around and expose the wreath form.

Just keep wrapping...Just keep wrapping...

It took me about the length of Peter Pan to get this finished, so...a little over an hour? Does anyone else measure time in children's movies?

Now, it's time to decorate! I bought one of those silk poinsettia bunches. I think it had five or six flower on it. Just yank those bad boys off. It will leave a little pokey end about an inch long on the back of the flower. I just stuck that into my foam wreath and voila! Cute yarn wreath adorned with poinsettias that I don't have to worry about anyone eating and getting sick. You can decorate yours however you like. You could glue pine cones to it, ornaments, tie a bow around it...the sky's the limit!

And since it is still November and Thanksgiving is just days away, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Christmas Photos: Part Deux

My experience so far this year trying to take photos of my kids for our Christmas cards is making me exceedingly glad that I'm not paying someone to do it for me. It's fairly easy to get a good photo of Aidan. Neely is a horse of a different color. Within the last few weeks, she has decided to act like a full-fledged, demon-possessed two year old, complete with random hissy fits. Want to see one? 

Neely was fairly uncooperative all morning, but when we decided to race back across the bridge, she was all for it.

 Running is fun!

 Hooray!

 Wheee!

 Come on, Neely!

 I'm gonna win!

 I don't think I want to race anymore.

 No, I do not.

 I think I'll lie down.

Right here on the bridge, in my pretty Christmas dress. Arg!

I've got one idea left, and if it doesn't work out, I'm using that silly picture from our first attempt. :)

Funny Faces

Oh, the things you get when you're trying to take a Christmas card picture of your own children. This one doesn't make the cut, but it was too funny not to share.

Operation Christmas Child

It's not yet Thanksgiving, but it is time to pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. National collection week is November 15-22. You can visit their website for details about packing boxes and drop-off locations.

This year, I used Operation Christmas Child as an opportunity to teach the kids - mainly Aidan - about giving to others. He and I took a trip to the dollar store and filled the cart with things to put in our shoeboxes. He did really well. He only asked for one thing for himself, which is a feat considering all we looked at were things for kids.

 We bought enough to fill four boxes - two for girls and two for boys. Equal opportunity shoeboxes here.

 Aidan really got into sorting things into the boxes.

 Neely preferred to play with everything.

 I made them take pictures with the finished boxes. Neely cheesed it up.

I told the kids that I plan on putting a picture of them in each box, to show the children who get them who their gifts came from. Aidan decided that he'd like to draw each of them a picture, too. He's a sweet one, that Aidan. Have you made your shoebox yet?

More Halloween

Here are the last of our Halloween photos. Yes, I went as DJ Lance Rock of Yo Gabba Gabba fame. I lost count of how many little ones had to wave hello or stare at me in awe at the Trunk or Treat we went to. It was fun. I'm also including a photo of the pumpkin Pop and Aidan carved. We never got around to buying another one. Aidan drew the face, and Pop carved it.