Elfa SALE, Go NOW...


Anytime, I am on any sort of break from school, I always find myself cleaning out and organizing! I probably get rid of things sooner than I should, but I can't stand living with clutter. I have always been that way. Heck, I clean to relieve all. my. stress. My friends call me to help clean out their closets for goodness sake.

I mentioned a couple posts ago, that I am working on a little nook for myself. There is a closet in the nook and I wanted to hang a gift wrap rack on the door. My gift bags and wrapping paper have always set on the floor just taking up a lot of space. We actually do not have much of an attic and this closet stores all my Christmas decor, including the tree. I really needed to get the gift supplies off the floor to make room for Christmas and other holiday items that I will be accumulating over the years!

The Container Store saved the day!!! 


They have this amazing gift wrap storage rack by elfa ANDDDD it just so happens all elfa products are 30% off RIGHT NOW. Find the gift wrap rack HERE. Find pictures of mine below...


top basket: everyday ribbon
2nd basket: boys/mens gift bags
3rd basket: girls/womens gift bags
4th basket: holiday ribbon
bottom basket: holiday gift bags and rolls of wrapping paper



The very best part of this whole thing, is I did not have to put any holes in my door. This was a really important feature to me! I also liked that you can customize the rack to be perfect for your space and need. The ladies at Container Store really help you plan your space. 

Check out these other gift wrap options at Container Store. I really just needed the very basic option, BUT I do have some friends who could probably invest in the more expensive versions with all the gift wrap they have!


I mean really??!! How do they perfectly coordinate all the colors of their gift wrap. That is not real life. Mine is definitely not as pretty, but works for me!


LOVE that ribbon dispenser!! 



Find all the elfa gift wrap storage solutions HERE.

Need to organize your office, garage, kitchen, pantry or closet?? Find all the elfa options HERE. 

The Container Store also has model closets and other spaces set up in the actual store to see in person. Even if you don't buy anything, it is fun to look around. Seriously, think about taking advantage of the elfa 30% off sale! I really think it is worth. My brother in law and almost sister in law are taking advantage of the sale and getting storage for their master closet! I can't wait to see what they do with their space using elfa. 

...and I can't wait to see how my house transforms with elfa purchases in the future!

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Go Tell It On The Mountain!

Luke 2:10-14

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
                
14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Insert choir here:

"Go, Tell It On The Mountain
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born."

During the Christmas Eve service at Watermark, Todd Wagner reminded me that one day we will see the miracle that lies in the manager. We will see the coming of Christmas and ALL of His glory. All it takes is us realizing we live in a wasteland and that Jesus can make all things new. 

What can we do with the truth that God brings through Christmas? Go tell. We all have the responsibility to tell. 

In 2 Kings 6:24-7:17, God is reminding Israel that the Lord is the provider and protector and that He has their best interest at heart. Go share this truth with others and see how God works in your life!

Have a blessed Christmas!


I will leave you with the 2 recipes Matt and I will be cooking for Christmas morning. We are preparing both tonight. In the morning, we are putting them in the oven to bake. Easy Peasy!

The recipes came from Mix and Match Mama's Christmas Morning Menu HERE. I can't wait to share the results. 

1. Butterscotch Monkey Bread


2. Sausage Breakfast Casserole





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Day 2 of Break


Did anyone else LOVEEE the rainy morning we had?! This is literally how dark my living room was at 9:30 a.m. 



Perfectttttt movie watchin' weather! Cleaning and watching movies is how I would love to spend every morning. I am so thankful for this time I had to myself. 

I finished the movie "Christmas Cupid" from yesterday and started "Holiday and Handcuffs" - also on Netflix. 


Again, incredibly cheesy. But that's what I loved about it. 

During my relaxing morning, I cleaned (my favorite) and lit  the Twisted Peppermint candle that I have mentioned previously on my Friday Favorites! Seriously, this stuff makes your house smell of Christmas. Find it HERE. Currently the candle is only $12. In-sane.


My favorite part of the day was seeing my Patti. Patti teaches Kindergarten with me. I like to think of her as my school mom (because she could be my mom). Patti would rather I think of her as my sister. Really though, the woman takes good care of me and I love her for it. She just bought a house this summer and has updated me through every step of making the house her home. 

Something you need to know about me--- I LOVE houses. I LOVE looking at other homes. I am obsessed with floorplans and home decor. If I was a sales person, I would be a realtor. It's that job I aspire to do but would never really do. I mean let's be honest, winter breaks and summer breaks are the BEST and I love my kinder babies.

Anyways...Patti says she just "threw" her Christmas decorations up, but she doesn't give herself enough credit. I am so excited to share some of her decor with you because let's not kid ourselves...you enjoy looking at houses too! Enjoy the "thrown" together Christmas amazingness. 


I love a good cookie jar!



The santa ornaments hanging on her tree. I could probably be a photographer. Ha!


Her A-MAZ-ING fireplace. She's coming to my house next year!





Seriously, how do people tie bows like this? 




Incredible, HANDMADE stocking #1.


Incredible, HANDMADE stocking #2.



Incredible, HANDMADE stocking #3. If only you could see the intricate details. Unbelievable. 


I don't even know what to call this, but it's adorbs!



Her little Christmas village.


The stair decor (that she doesn't like and wants to redo for next year). I mean reallllyyyy??! It's perfect. Aren't those huge ornaments spectacular?

I hope you enjoyed Patti's Christmas decorations as much as I did. What a talented friend I have. 

Lastly, I know this might come as a shock to most of you, but I cooked dinner tonight! Woo hoo! I have been reading Mix and Match Mama blog. On it I found Christmas morning recipes and dinner ideas. 

For tonight, I made a Broccoli and Sausage Ravioli recipe found HERE. Shay, the blogger, caught my attention when she used adjectives like easiest, heartiest, crowd pleasing, simplistic and delicious. 

You should definitely try it, Matt and I really enjoyed it. My favorite part was the panko breadcrumbs on top. Golden brown yumminess!!



Tomorrow, I can't wait to share with you what Matt and I are cookin' up for Christmas morning. 

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Day 1 of Break


I woke up this morning bright and early for a 7:30 a.m. dentist appointment. WHAT was I THINKINGGG???!!!

Since I was done by 8, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to go ahead and bring my car in for maintenance. However, me and the rest of the world all had the same idea! Sooooo I had to get a rental car because my car will not even be looked at till tomorrow afternoon. THANK goodness Matt works for Enterprise! You're the best honey!!!

I had to go home soon after to wait for a mattress delivery. I got in my pjs and settled down for a day of Netflix!

First off, if you don't have Netflix, you really should! For only $9 a month, Matt and I can both be watching different shows, on different devices. I will say when we originally got Netflix, AT&T Uverse had really made us mad for the 5th month in a row. We were going to boycott ever having AT&T and just get rid of them. We thought we were going to try out Netflix for fun but ended up LOVING IT. I'll save the details about our Netflix choices for another post, but together Matt and I have probably watched 6 different seasons of shows in 3 short months. 



On Netflix today, I searched for Christmas movies and picked out the most cheesy, romantic ones while Matt was at work all day. I thoroughly enjoyed them ALL of course!!!

1. 12 Dates of Christmas



2. Holiday Engagement


3. Christmas Crush


4. All I Want for Christmas


5. Christmas Cupid



You know you wanna grab the chocolate and get on the Christmas movie train marathon! 
www.netflix.com...you're welcome.

Between each movie, I started decorating a little space for myself. In our house, there is not a room we call the study. Neither Matt or I really want that kind of space because we would not use it enough. We do have a cute little room upstairs that has a guest bed in it that also has the perfect space for a tiny nook. I've really been wanting to do something with this space. 

Sorry about the lighting, but you'll get the idea. Here is the side with the bed. 


Here is the little nook I am going to be working on the next few months. I want to add a chair and ottoman. Maybe a wreath on the closet door. Right inside the door, I am going to hang a gift wrapping station. I also plan to change the knobs on the cabinet drawers and add frames to some of the art prints. It's very much a work in progress.












dachshund tape dispenser is from Target

black burlap frame with flower accents (was made by my friend Kathleen) but the frame is from Hobby Lobby

8x10 art prints from Paper Source HERE

initial mug HERE

wooden desktop storage unit HERE

rustic wire letter sorter HERE

rifle paper co. botanical garland HERE

rifle paper co. flower calendar HERE

I can't wait to keep working on my space! Hope everyone enjoyed their day!


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Friday Favorites


Today I'm linking up with Andrea at Momfessionals and Erika at A Little Bit of Everything for some Friday Favorites!!!



Also linking up with these ladies!



one

Since the winter season began, I have been using Bath and Body Works candles everyday. I've tried several of their holiday scents and definitely have some favorites. My absolute favorite has been "Mint Mocha Bark". I also enjoyed "Merry Cookie". Neither of these two are available online right now. If you got them at the beginning of the season, lucky you!!! 

I bought these candles for my teacher friends and even some family members. Right now you can get them for 45% off online, making them $12. They are regular $22.50. 


Click HERE for the Twisted Peppermint. 


Click HERE for Winter Candy Apple.


Click HERE for Cinnamon Caramel Swirl. 

I noticed online that "Frosted Cranberry" got really good reviews. I haven't had a chance to get that one, but the reviews might have convinced me! When it's not the holidays, I am normally burning "Stress Relief" found HERE. 


two

A couple days ago, I purchased my new 2015 planner. After doing lots of research, I decided to go with the Kate Spade Large Agenda for 2015. There are 4 different designs to choose from. 


Honestly, I loved the gold polka-dot but read a lot of reviews that said the dots get scratched and rub off easily. I also noticed that when a pen or fingernail scratches the black and white one, it leaves a noticeable mark. Finally my eye is not naturally drawn to green, SO- I decided on the bookshelf print. I love the uniqueness of the cover. I am enjoying the planner so much, that I am hoping to write a blog about it soon! All the stores around me were sold out of the agendas except Dillards. That is where I walked right in and purchased mine! Tonssss of places sell them online, I just didn't want to pay or wait for shipping. 

three

I started collecting Tervis Tumblers. I recently purchased two Texas Tech cups and LOVE them. These tumblers are A-MAZ-ING. They are big and perfect for work. I have found myself buying different tumbler brands from Target and Walmart, but none of the others have stood the test of time as well as Tervis.


four

My friend and I were at Target tonight shopping for an Angel. We came across these adorable booties. It was love at first sight!!! Target didn't have my size, but I will be ordering them immediately online. They fit my teacher budget and they were the perfect shade of brown! This picture does not do them justice. Since I am on my feet all day with the kids at school, I prefer to wear shoes with little to no heel! These are great at only 1.5 inches. 


Find them HERE!!!

five

And last BUT not least, Old Navy leggings!!! I can't get enough of them. Some of my favorites are not currently available online, but they still have several to choose from. Click HERE to view them all. 




Enjoy your weekend! 


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