Cranberry Sauce Dessert

Here is another crowd pleasing recipe that is a holiday staple around here. Beware though, you may find yourself needing to call Jenny Craig in the new year if it makes you greedy (me). Christine, this one's for you! :)

Christmas Yams

When this time of the year rolls around I think of many good recipes, but one of my all time fave's is my mom's recipe for yams. Mmmmmmm! If anyone needs a great recipe for a holiday gathering this is IT! Thanks Mom for the great recipe, and Tony, this one is for you! :)

Some of My Favorite Things

Here's my tree all dressed up with those ornaments we made last weekend. Awww, don't you just love gingerbread men and Christmas stars? I love it all lit up at night. Now if we just had a fireplace (and had enough cold weather to use it).

Here are two ornaments that my friend, Christine, got for me several years ago and man does she know what I like. Thanks girl! :)

Mmmmmm, Sugar Cookies

Best sugar cookie recipe in the world. This one comes from a long time family friend. Love ya, Bev! :)

Emma loves her reindeer cookie cutter...here she is in action.

Ooops, she decapitated Rudolph! Guess he won't be guiding that sleigh this year! Poor Rudolph.

Yummy! Thanks for the best sugar cookie recipe in the world, Mom! :)

Christmas Van Gogh?

We have had a crafty day here at the Thompson home and we are loving every minute of it! Here the girls are painting some wooden figures that their grandma got for them. I have a couple of Van Gogh's here...without the epilepsy and suicidality, of course. :)

Organizing Frenzy

Kaela's school basket is one of the few places in our home that stays cleaned up because it is just THAT important. I wish I could maintain that frame of mind for the rest of the home. Oh, if there were just less books to read in the world!


I wish you had seen it before I started tossing and reorganizing everything but, look how pretty! It makes me smile every time I open the cupboards. :)


Our newly done "junk drawer". I used to have one of those plastic organizers for miscellaneous junk but it doesn't fit into these shallow drawers. We live in an old military home from like the 40's when people had much less stuff crammed into their homes...ah, the good ol' days.

I am still in organizing mode around here and boy does it feel good to purge the junk! Who knew Dr. Phil and Peter Walsh ARE right?! Now if I can find out where Walsh gets his amazingly crafty spectacles...

What Month is It?

Yes, we know...it's November. And yet we have put up our (gasp) Christmas tree. To be honest, too much of being conventional is a bit (yawn) b-o-r-i-n-g. Four weeks is much too short to celebrate the greatest season of the year (and, of course, the greatest person ever), so we lengthen it to suit our home. Look how sparkly! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...pass the hot cocoa. :)

Getting In the Spirit

Yes folks, it is that time of the year. The time where we start thinking about what crafts we can make for friends and family for Christmas that will also give us a lot of joy making! This year we are making those wonderful cinnamon gingerbread men ornaments. When they are drying they make the house smell so yummy and homey...mmmmm. Here the girls are painting what looks like icing on the little guys. Weeks of fun ahead for us!

For the best mom

Mom, this bouquet is for you. I know flowers are therapeutic for you so hopefully they will do the trick...along with your medicine, of course. I love you! :)

Party Time!

Look at the loot these girls brought home from trick or treating! Now it's time for our annual Halloween party, which this year doubled as Emma's birthday party.

The birthday girl with her candy and her new NeoPet "Sprite"

Time for CAKE!!! Wow, Kaela sure seems enthusiastic doesn't she? If she gets any more excited she may fall asleep!

Huff, and Puff and...

blow the cake down!

Bobbing for apples. With such a simple activity you'd think lots of kids would have done this but the girls have never had a friend over who have had the pleasure so it ends up being a huge hit every time.

Trick or Treat

Ah, Halloween on the base...so much fun! The girls had fun but sad to say that Dad had the most fun. Michael made that costume himself (we're very proud of him) and he just loves going out and having about every parent in our neighborhood take pictures of him with their kids. Good times!