Penny's Passion

Monday, December 15, 2014

December Giveaway -- Enter Now!

Hey everybody -- I'm participating in a Christmas giveaway.  Join in the fun and enter below!  Not only could you win some cash, but look at the ADORABLE additional items.

I'm not exactly sure what could be better than a big ol' giveaway to start off the week.
Especially right before Christmas.



Not only do you have the chance to win $170 via paypal,
{aka, super speedy payday}
but you can also win a darling 5x7 print:



AND as if that's not already enough... there's more.
Size 6-12 month Hello Moccs.
Best giveaway ever?
I think so.
It might just be your best Christmas yet.

Aren't those gals up above all lovely?
Show them some serious love.
And don't wait any longer.
Get entered in this awesome giveaway now!



Sunday, December 14, 2014

Weekending - December 12, 2014

Boy -- the weekends remaining in 2014 are getting pretty slim.  And so are the weekends before Christmas!  I pretty much dedicated this weekend to getting ready for the holiday, with a little fun thrown in.

On Friday night, Ian and Kayla came over for dinner.  Like many of you with grown children, you know how happy it makes you when the kids come home!  Dinner was fun and it was great sitting down to chat and catch up.  Ian finished finals last week and now he's officially half finished with law school.  We are so proud of both of them!


Saturday morning we got an early start -- lots of shopping to complete.  If you read my Five on Friday blog, you know I was getting a pickle to hide in my tree.  We had to check a couple stores, but Eric eye spied a winner pickle ornament at Target.  We're ready for someone to come over and find it hiding in the branches of our tree.  Speaking of tree, on Tuesday I'll be joining some other bloggers for the Christmas Holiday Link Up party.  Come back to see what the trees in my house look like.


I really "need" a new work bag to carry my computer and files to and from work.  For all my life I've carried a conservative black briefcase-style bag.  I'm thinking about changing it up a bit and adding this Fossil bag to my wish list.  What do you think?


After a hard day of shopping, we settled down to pizza and watching Frozen.  We hadn't seen it yet (I know, you're doing that "You haven't seen Frozen" thing).  No, we hadn't seen it -- but now we have.  Very cute movie!


There was a message during our church service on Sunday that I think is worth sharing here -- it came when the advent candle was lit.  This candle represented joy.  It was a reminder to be a vessel filled with joy!  But how often do we let our preparations - or our memories - push joy to the side?  Joy is like an underground spring that wells up within us; but joy is also a choice, an attitude.  Like a muscle, it needs to be exercised.  Be joyful guys!!  It's just the right thing to do. :)

I needed to finish up some Christmas orders so I could get them in the mail on Monday.  If you placed an order -- it's officially in the mail.  You should see it shortly.  Here's what the cute snowman candy bars look like that took up a chunk of time on Sunday to finish.


Sunday we grabbed Kayla and Ian and headed to see Pippin at the Peabody.  If you don't care for musicals, this play still has something to offer you -- all the circus-style acting.  People were flying in the air and swinging from trapezes.  Lots of stimulation.  Fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.


And just like that the weekend is over.  Oh, what I would give for a couple more days off work!  Tomorrow marks my 6-month blogiversary.  Stop back by -- I'm doing my very first blog hop. Hey, one more thing -- don't forget to spread some JOY!

Check out what others were up to this weekend.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Five on Friday - December 12, 2014

What a fun week!  I had something festive to do every night this week and the holiday spirit caught me.  I've had Christmas music playing at my desk at work, the house is completely decorated and I'm getting fairly close to being finished with shopping.  Hopefully this weekend I can check off the rest of the gifts I need to buy and get started with the wrapping.  But before I do that, let me present this week's Five on Friday

1.  BabyCakes
I received a batch of BabyCakes in the mail last week and I almost didn't get a picture before we ate them up!  Baby Cakes Cake Bites are made by my friend, Deb, in Pana, Illinois.  These little cake balls of deliciousness are perfect for any party or event.  We used them on the dessert table at my son's wedding last year and everyone RAVED about them.  The flavors change with the season -- currently available are Almond Spritz Cookie, Turtle Brownie Bite, Cupcake, Red Velvet Decadence, Peanut Butter Cup and Gingerbread - YUM!!  Deb is great at customizing any decoration (think colors, monograms, sports team - you name it) so please contact her (phone 217-562-2767 or Facebook at BabyCakes Cake Bites) to see how she can make your party-specific cake bites over-the-top special.  As an added bonus, they are very reasonably priced and ship-able.  I'm thinking they will make great Christmas gifts for several people on my list, New Year's Eve celebration snacks, birthday parties or wedding favors -- oh heck, the list is endless where serving BabyCakes would be a great idea.




2.  Lightkeeper Pro
We've all been there at one time or the other -- you plug in your pre-lit Christmas tree, garland, (fill in the blank lights) and only half the lights come to life.  If you're like me, you immediately curse, stomp your feet and throw a fit better than any two-year old.  Well, not any more!!!  This handy gadget magically fixes your lights.  Yes, that's right -- FIXES YOUR LIGHTS! You simply pull out any light, plug this baby in, and pull the trigger repeatedly until the lights come on.  It's Christmas magic.  You can get one at Home Depot right now for $19.98.  Tell me you don't want one.


3.  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
It just wouldn't seem like Christmas without Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!  Dear ole' Rudolph celebrates a big birthday this year -- he turned 50.  Yep, this classic little reindeer has been around for half a century.  Now that's a true classic!  Happy Birthday, Rudolph.

                                         

4.  Hide the Pickle
Do you know about hiding the pickle ornament in your Christmas tree?  We're adopting this German tradition in our house this year for the first time.  I know, I don't have little ones around anymore.  But I thought this could be fun for my nephews when they arrive.  The jest of it is you hide the pickle ornament in the tree and the first child to find it gets an extra gift.  The first adult who finds the pickle is said to have good luck for the whole year.  (Who can't use some good luck!)  Anybody else do this at their house?
                                                       
5.  Christmas Warning
Be careful what you say out there!
                               

Have a great weekend.  I think we are going to try to watch Frozen.  We're probably the only people left on this planet who haven't seen it!  Stop back by on Monday - I have a December giveaway that will be going live.  You won't want to miss the opportunity to enter and win some free cash.

Linking up with:

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

2014 Christmas Exchange

One thing I love about blogging is the sense of community among other bloggers.  When I saw the Christmas Exchange on Hill Collection I jumped on board!  Astleigh linked up bloggers who wanted to do a $10 gift exchange and off we went.

The person I was given to send a package to was Vanessa over at Xtremely V.  If you haven't visited her blog, you should hop over and check it out.  Her little one is adorable!

As luck would have it, the box I received was waiting for me when I returned home from a business trip last week.  What a great way to be welcomed home!  It's so fun to get home and have a special package to open before diving into all the other mail that had accumulated over the week!  The sender of  the package sent to me was Carrington at Momma Fussell.  She, too, has an adorable little boy.  I truly appreciate her taking the time to put together this awesome package she sent to me because I know how busy this time of year can be.


Just look at all the cuteness -- a Santa mug, cute socks, candy, cookie cutters and cupcake papers!


As you can see, I put my new cozy socks and Santa mug to great use in lightning speed.  Wassail tastes even better in a Santa mug.


Thanks, Carrington!  Hope you and your family have a fabulous holiday season.  You sure made mine a little bit brighter!

Linking up with Hill Collection -- take a peek at what the other bloggers got in their packages.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Weekending - December 5, 2014

The weekend came...and now it's over.  It seems like it went by just that fast!  I was out of town most of last week and when I got home my friend, Carol, had visited my house.  How did I know she had been here?  Well, because this was the scene in my family room.


You see, I'm really not good at decorating trees.  Carol, on the other hand, is THE BEST at decorating trees.  So for several years I've had her come to my house and turn my trees into pieces of art.  We have five trees through the house and I'll be linking up to Home of Malones Holiday Link Up on December 16 to show them to you.  Hope you will follow me so you don't miss them.

Friday night was date night -- and frankly, we should have just stayed home.  Ever have one of those date nights that just didn't go that great?  Eric and I were both tired and it was cold and rainy outside, but I really wanted to go see Beyond the Lights.  I had been looking at several theaters to see what and when things were showing and I might have taken us to the wrong theater at the wrong time.  Yes, I drove us several miles to a theater that wasn't even showing that movie.  Thank goodness Eric is good natured!  We did end up finding the theater where it was playing and then neither of us really liked it that much.  I would suggest seeing it after it comes out on DVD -- don't waste your money seeing it in the theater.

                                                           

Saturday night was Girls Night Out.  We were celebrating Sherri and my birthdays so Tracy surprised us on the dinner location.  We headed to Element in St. Louis.  Great atmosphere, great bar, GREAT food.  Definitely a winner location!

Love these girls!!



Cheers!
Sunday I hosted book club at our house.  We followed the gift exchange idea I found HERE.  It was really fun!  Start with your gift in front of you.  I printed little slips of paper that had instructions like exchange your gift with the person who will be travelling the furthest at Christmas, exchange your gift with the person wearing the most red, etc.  Enough slips were in the bowl for everyone to have two turns.  It was definitely a successful way to do a gift exchange and I will do it again.

One of the soups I made for book club was Tuscan Tortellini Soup.  I found the recipe (and this picture) over at Damn Delicious.  It was yummy guys!!  The recipe called for spicy sausage -- I used sweet.  It still had a baby kick to it.  Overall -- easy recipe and I will definitely make it again.  I fed the leftovers to Eric for dinner and he loved it!

                                                       Tuscan Tortellini Soup - A quick and easy tortellini soup that's amazingly creamy and comforting - perfect for those busy weeknights!

I'm planning on spending Sunday evening totally vegging.  I haven't done that in a while and the couch is calling me.  Plus if I don't erase some stuff off my DVR it might explode.  Hope your weekend was everything you wanted it to be.  Hope to see you here later this week for more Penny's Passion.

Check out what others were up to this weekend.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Five on Friday - December 5, 2014

December is here and we had the weather to prove it on Monday.  After a great four-day weekend, we woke Monday to ice.  My normal 40 minute commute turned into a lifetime two hours and fifteen minutes.  That's right -- 135 minutes of stop, stop, stop and inch traffic.  Spring please come soon!!  Trying to make the most of my downtime in the car, I thought of my Five on Friday for this week.  Here's what I came up with:

1. Holiday Wishes - Idina Menzel
If you come to my house over the holidays, there's a good chance you'll be greeted with sounds from this CD.  Idina (Elsa to some of you, or Adele Dazeem if you're John Travolta) released this holiday CD back in October and it's available this week at Target for $11.99.

Cover of Idina Menzel's album

2.  How To Keep Ice Off Your Car
During my 135 minute commute on Monday, I saw a lot of cars with ice on the windows.  One thing I totally DESPISE is coming out of work and having to scrape my windows.  I found this idea (and it's not been tested yet) that I plan on trying this year -- Prepare a mixture of three parts white vinegar and one part water.  Spray this mixture on your vehicle's windshield before bed (if you park outside) or before heading into work for the day.  Have you ever tried it?  Let me know if it works.

                                        

3.  Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Each year my friend, Tammy, and I take a turn ringing bells for the Salvation Army.  It's a great way to give back and we have fun doing it.  I've seen some bell ringers who really get into it -- singing, dancing, chanting some catching poem.  We pretty much just smile and ring our bells.  One thing that always amazes me is the number of people who walk by and act like they are afraid to look at you.  We're just friendly people, folks.  No need to look away.  So the next time you see some bell ringers, please look them straight in the eye and say hello.  They will probably just smile at you and say Merry Christmas.  And if you want to throw some change in their bucket, all the better.


4.  Doggies
When Ian was little, one of his favorite books was Doggies by Sandra Boynton.  This is a fun counting book where each number of dog makes a different barking sound.  (You play the dogs.)  It's available HERE at Amazon for $3.30.  It makes a great gift or stocking stuffer.  A little bit of learning mixed with a whole lot of fun.  Ian knows how to count so it must have worked.

                                        

5.  Watch what you post on Facebook....

                                          muh life. I have started removing people from my friends list for these infractions. I feel so much better about humans now.

Just a little reminder -- St. Nicholas Day is Saturday, December 6.  You can also see this year's shipping date reminders that I blogged about HERE.

This weekend should be tons of fun -- date night with Eric tonight, Girls Night Out on Saturday and book club is meeting at my house on Sunday.  FUN TIMES!  Stop back by on Monday to read all about it.  Hope you have fun plans for this weekend, too!  Don't forget to enjoy the season!

Linking up with:


Thoughts on Thursday -- Christmas Deadlines

It's no secret that Christmas is headed our way -- and it seems to be approaching at the speed of a race car!  Thought I'd share with you some shipping deadlines so you can stay on top of your game.

1.  Mailing Stuff by USPS
                                    
The United States Postal Service has issued the below shipping deadlines.  (Sorry if you missed the International dates.)

Dec. 2   – First-Class Mail International

Dec. 2   – Priority Mail International
Dec. 10 – Priority Mail Express International
Dec. 15 – Standard Post
Dec. 17 – Global Express Guaranteed
Dec. 20 – First-Class Mail
Dec. 20 – Priority Mail
Dec. 23 – Priority Mail Express*


2.  Sending Stuff via Federal Express
                                   
For shipping within the U.S.:
Dec. 12 – Last day to ship via FedEx SmartPost
Dec. 17 – Last day to ship via FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground
Dec. 20 – Last day to ship via FedEx Express Saver
Dec. 22 – Last day to ship via FedEx 2Day and FedEx 2Day A.M.
Dec. 23 – Last day to ship via FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, and 
                FedEx First Overnight
Dec. 25 – Last day to ship via FedEx SameDay

Shipping deadlines for packages headed to Puerto Rico and Canada, Mexico, and other international destinations vary. See FedEx's Last Days to Ship site for more information.

3.  Get it there using United Parcel Service
                                   
For shipping within the U.S.:
Dec. 22 – Last day to ship via UPS 2nd Day Air
Dec. 23 – Last day to ship via UPS Next Day Air

Hey -- just a heads up on something else -- St. Nicholas Day is this Saturday, December 6. This is when the kiddos sit their shoes out the night before and St. Nicholas puts a little something in them overnight.   

Good luck meeting your deadlines!  

Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at