What I decided to do for today was a re-cap of all the outfits I have done in 2013. I've only been doing this series since October, but I have quite a bit of outfits documented.  I like re-cap posts because they give me the ability to reflect on how far I have come and where I want to go with things in the future.

 I will start the series back up after the first of the year.  Since it's the holidays, we are gearing up to be pretty busy the next two weeks, so I need to focus on all the holiday hubbub that is coming soon.  This will also give me a chance to recharge and reflect on where I want the blog to go in 2014.

I have about four to five more posts planned for the year, so make sure you pay attention to Facebook for those new post announcements!

Welcome everyone!  It's Wednesday and that usually means that it's time for another recipe from yours truly! :)  This week I have a super easy casserole to share with all of you.  We will get to that in a minute, but first I need to cover a couple of things:

1.  This will be the last recipe for 2013.  I won't be posting recipes until after the first of the year.  I'm giving myself a break for the holiday season and to replenish my recipe stash. ;)

2.  I have quite a bit of end-of-the-year things to wrap up that are blog related.  I have posts planned until January 1st, so I need to get to cracking on new material!  Is there anything you would like to see on the blog?  Leave me a comment and tell me!

Now that business is taking care of, let's get to talking about the subject at hand....


This recipe came about after rummaging through my pantry in hopes of finding something to fix for dinner.  It was cold and snowy and I didn't want to venture out to the store.  After doing some quick Google searches and pantry rummaging, I discovered I had everything I would need to make some Cheesy Tuna Casserole!

I can't believe it has already been a month since we last talked books!  The time has just flown by!  I'm back again today for Literary Junkies Link Up and most of you know the drill by now.  If you are new, you can go here or here to find out more!

Since we've been getting into the holiday spirit around here, I've been trying to come up with things to keep L busy indoors.  (It is freezing here in the Midwest!) I decided to check Pinterest and was suddenly reminded of all the Christmas crafts I used to make as a kid.  Reindeer hands, paper plate snowmen, Santa with the cotton ball beard....there was so much....and so many different variations!

Hello everyone!  Happy Thursday and welcome to the seventh week of Operation: Get Out of Yoga Pants!  If you are just joining us, you can go here and find out what this whole thing is all about. For those of you that are frequent readers, this week is going to be a little different.

I hit a snag in my outfit planning....

I got bored.

So, immediately recognizing what was wrong, I decided to give myself this week to re-focus.  How am I going to re-focus you ask?

Does anyone else's child go on food strikes?  L will do good for a while and then she stops eating everything she loved the previous few months.  As frustrating as this can be, all kids do it.  This is why I have back up recipes in my arsenal so I can avoid the fighting and the tears at meal time (from me, not my child...I kid, I kid!  Okay, well, maybe a little...)

When L denies chicken fries, these are some of my go-to recipes for her.  And, hey, they are actually pretty good for Mom, too!

 Well....this post was supposed to go live yesterday, but life kind of happened and the blog post didn't.  So, anyway, I am joining up with Tawny from Tawny's Tid Bits and several other bloggers to do a 12 Days of DIY Ornaments!

And there you have it folks!  A cute and simple Christmas tree ornament that is fun and easy for all ages!

Also, please head on over and see Morgan's ornament since she is the one that is supposed to be in the limelight today and not me.

I don't know about all of you, but one of my favorite things about this time of year is the treats.  The cookies, the cakes, the brownies, the Hershey Kisses....(um, actually, that last one is all year...).

Anyway, I have started making my way through Pinterest and trying to decide what I want to make this year.  I don't go crazy because it's just the three of us, but I love to bake.  The Hubbs loves cookies, so I usually do a cookie or two, but I always try and find something different to do.  Then you have the holiday parties to bake for, too and it can get a bit overwhelming, right?

Well, fear not!  I have come up with a little round up for you all of some of the most delicious looking holiday treats I have seen.

Dear December,

Here we are-the last month of the year.  You are one of the busiest, most stressful times of the year and sometimes December, you get a bad rap.  I know, I know, you didn't choose to host Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year's Eve.  I know you didn't intend to have your days and weekends filled up with shopping, errand running, or holiday parties.  It's a lot to take on, I know.

You see, the thing is December, I think sometimes we take advantage of you.  Since you mark the end of the year, a lot of us go into overdrive and think we have to cram every single thing that we need to do before the new year gets here.




We find ourselves saying things like:

"Oh man, I haven't reached my goal for all the books I wanted to read this year."

"Well, another year, and I still haven't lost that weight."

"We're still in debt..."

And lastly, and most commonly....

"Oh my!  Where did this year go?!" 

December, just because we crab about you and we stay constantly busy, doesn't mean we don't care about you.  Nooo, see, we love you.  We enjoy this time with our friends and families.  We love the holiday's you bring.  We love watching kids get all excited on Christmas Eve about the Santa Tracker and then, the next morning, when he has arrived and the walk out to the tree and see, yes!  He came!  Santa came and this is the BEST DAY EVER!  Oh man, he ate the cookies!  Oh look-are those his footprints by the fireplace!?

So, you see December, it's all good.  We welcome you with open arms despite the fact that you are so chocked full of things to do and people to see, but we get moments.  We got small moments that remind us of why you are the last month of the year.  You send us out with a bang!  We start the new year so full of love and joy and happiness and you did that, December!  You give us full hearts to start a new year with.

Thank you, December.  I don't know if anyone has ever said that to you, but thank you now.  Thank you for allowing me to have time with my family and my friends.  Thank you for allowing me to have moments with my child that remind me of what it is like to be a child when I desperately need it the most. Thank you for filling my heart so full that I can't help but be optimistic about the next year.

Thank you, December, and may your heart be full now, too.

Sara