Sweet Smiles Make You Smile

Oh those faces . . . 

. . . they smile at me everyday.  I only have to turn my chair around and take a break from the key board and I see this.

I have a small collection of snowmen.  I was noticing the other days the smiles on their faces.  I guess they are just happy they make me smile . . .Or maybe it's because my sewing/crafting room is so warm and cozy!

My collection started a few years ago actually back in 2000.  Gosh I didn't realize it's been that long.  My daughter graduated that year so that's how I remember we were living in Missouri.

This sweet little guy was the start of my collection.  He has the sweetest smile.  He is a music box.  This snowman was a gift from a friend.  I was teaching classes in my home and did a soft sculpture Snowman class.  That was the beginning of the Snowman collection.

My daddy painted me one.  He was a wood worker.  In their later years my parents traveled to craft shows all over Tennessee.

The little cloth doll in the front my DIL made in 2001.  I was teaching in a shop by then that was for sale.  I had a dream of opening a 'real' quilt shop. (never opened that shop. God had a bigger plan) So my DIL helped by making samples.  The stacking hat box Snowman is one of my favorites.  Actually I bought him sometime in the late '90's from Current.  The little guy 

hanging on the box is an ornament.  Not sure where he came from.

 

Here's a closer shot.  I ran some jute through the hanger and just stuck the end in the box so he could dangle over the edge. 

He's raising his hands and saying "Weeeeeeee"

The hat box holds mugs from Kirkland's after Christmas last year. 

90% off I think maybe they were $4.00

The tower stand a garage sale find I think is a C.D. holder.  

The four shelves hold some of my favorites.  

Actually I love them all.

Look at those cute faces!

I think this one is meant to be a candle holder.  I've never put a candle in it.  Look at his silly face.  

 

A couple new ones thrifted last week.  Marked $4.00.  I paid .40.

What a cutey with his little snowflake!

Another one made by my DIL.  This one is made from a sock and filled with rice.  

And lastly I have to share my silliness.  Let's see if your smarter than me...

 

I bought this wire tree with the snowmen last year because I was doing a collection of trees on my kitchen counter in the apartment. 

yes that is a bunny peeking through.  There are always bunny's all over my house. 

Do you know what it is?  I didn't until this year when I was setting up the table of Santa and the kids photo's. 

  If you look close at the top you can see the snapshot of my son kind of floating in the air.   Duh it is a Christmas card holder!  Or in the case snap shots holder!  

So that's my small collection of Snowmen.  I hope you enjoyed the visit.  I am off now to go to my favorite thrift store.  Maybe I'll find a few new friends!

So do you like Snowmen? 

Linking with. . . 
 The Art Of Homemaking 

Show and Share Party
Tuesdays At Our Home 

Inspire Me Tuesdays

The Scoop

Tips and Tricks Linky Party

Tuesdays with a Twist

Brag About It Tuesday Linky Party
Let's Talk Vintage 
Turn It Up Tuesday

Happy Homemaker Monday

                            

The Weather...Gorgeous. Sun and mild temps.

On My Reading Pile...
 
A few for my phone
      
A busy couple of months for reviews.  

Favorite Blog Post from last week(mine or others)...

Sarah @ Classical Homemaking announced the return of 
The Christian Home Magazine.  Go over to Classical Homemaking and check this wonderful resource for women.

Something Fun To Share...

Link party with a Giveaway over at Our Holiday Journey
Click here to visit and link your posts. 

Blog Hopping (newly discovered blog)...

Fjolla's table Sharing my love of table decor & hoping to inspire others  

A new blogger with wonderful tables capes.  Click here 

to visit Fjolla

On the menu this week...

Monday--Pot Roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans and bread

Tuesday-- Fajitas, Rice, Crock Pot Beans

Wednesday--Chicken Alfredo, Salad, Bread

Thursday-- GiGi's Kitchen Kid friendly Pizza

Friday--Veg Beef Soup, Bacon Sandwiches

Saturday--Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Rice, Egg Drop Soup

On My To Do List...

Paint new shelf for my crafting room

Begin post cards for swap

Change background/wall paper on my blogs

Add the Giveaway to the Fabulous February Party

Begin putting fabric on new shelf

Looking forward to this week...

Putting fabric on my new shelf

Looking around the house...

Oh everywhere I look I see chaos.  Moving this and shelves can't wait till its done!

From the camera...

My space looks like a bomb went off.  It's actually TNT HeHe.

I have moved everything Christmas to my room until I get all the fabric boxes sorted and put away on the new shelves.  Once that's done I'll be able to put away the Christmas things.  Christmas is just lasting a little longer this year!

Devotional or Verse..

Each Sunday I share a printable that I have found.  In case you missed that post here is this weeks printable

                                                      Source

So that's a look at my plans for the week.  Do you have any plans?

Linking with Happy Homemaker Monday and the parties listed on my parties page. 

Simple Sunday

Source

Have a blessed day!

Wordless Wednesday-Add A Caption

Add a caption __________

Linking with the Wordless Parties.

Have a good day

A Happy Homemaker With No Post

 This homemaker happily took a short road trip.  It started 
here . . . 

We love our state of Texas.  There are wonderful things to do here. It's a great place to live.  The weather most of the time is pleasant.  When it's not we are thankful for A/C and heat!  

Over the weekend we took an impromptu road trip to . . . 

I've never spent much time in Oklahoma.  I've driven through the state a few times.  

There is a lot to do and enjoy in the state.  More to share in another post.
We had a wonderful time.  I got a few pics.  Starting with the motel . . . 


Which we actually stayed in a total of 15 minutes.  Sorry I am keeping you on the edge of your seat.  But I loved the print above the bed and had to share it.  More on the fiasco in another post.  

And then there was this room/bed. . . 

Perfect for three sets of feet. To kick back and watch a little t.v. and share video's on the Kindle for a few hours.


Three generations . . . 

The wall decor was much better in the first motel.  

We had a lovely short visit with our son and grandson.   They were traveling from Missouri to Purcell, Oklahoma to deliver horses that my son had started to the trainer.  

It was a short but very fun visit.  And so this Homemaker is/was really happy even without a regular HHM post!  

Come back tomorrow for my Wordless Wednesday post and add a caption to the feet photo!

Simple Sunday

Welcome to Simple Sunday.  I usually open post/share a wonderful scripture.   
Today I wanted to let my regular visitors know that I am on a 
'road trip'  I will return on Monday evening.  I'll post my 
Happy Homemaker Monday post then.  
Have a Blessed and Simple Sunday

                                                       Source

Thrifty/Frugal At The Grocery Store.

This week I worked at being more thrifty and frugal in the kitchen. 

For me being Frugal and Thrifty begins with making a plan before I shop.  I make a weekly menu.  I share my post on Monday and join Sandra at Family Corner for Happy Homemaker Monday.  
I plan my menu based on what we already have on hand.  And what I find on sale.  

I rarely purchase anything that isn't on sale.  And we eat well!
 If what I need isn't on sale I rethink my 'game plan'.
                     
                                        Aren't I cute. HeHe.  I can dream can't I?

All of our meat is bought on sale or marked down.  Last week the Cowboy found pork loins on deep discount.  He bought one and cut it up and put it in the freezer.  

We are extremely lucky in that we live in an area that has every grocery store you could want.  Or in my case 'not want.  Here's the list of stores available to me.
Aldi I don't shop there. 
Sprouts most of my produce comes from Sprouts but only on sale.
Kroger my main 'haunt' 
Tom Thumb I/we shop the ads.  
Central Market I/we rarely shop at CM a little pricey but I will go there for special items.  The do have fantastic produce as well.
Albertson's  I/we purchase a lot of meat.  They have super sales. Other sale items are purchased.  But I have found Kroger is much cheaper and I like Krogers store brand items. 
Winco I/we like Winco for some items.  I love the bulk area.  Rice and Beans are super cheap!  The one in our area is super clean.  There are other locations we went to before the one was built by us that weren't as clean as I prefer. We didn't go back.
I like to go to Winco at Christmas time for special candys.   
The best day I have found to shop is a week day.  I like Wednesday.  It's a little like Walmart.  Very busy on the weekend.
Walmart I hardly ever go to Walmart.  I will go in for craft items or garden.  I never buy food.  Just don't like it.  
Traget We do not shop in Target.
Dollar Tree we have found some food items are great. The have a powder soup mix similar to Lipton Chicken.  Much cheaper 3 packs for $1.00. Lipton only has 2 and always over a $1.00.

It is convenient when you have so many options!  The Cowboy passes all of our favorites on his way to work so it's easy to stop in and check the marked downs!  We save alot.  

We also have a freezer we will buy another one in the spring.  A freezer is great to have to fill up with bargains.  There are weeks that we don't even go to the store!  

I don't freeze milk.  We rarely even buy milk.  Sometimes I get a hankerin' for cereal so I'll buy a gallon if it's on sale.  I did buy one last week.  Our grandson likes to have a bowl of cereal for a snack with me.  One of those things that just makes the day like a holiday.  

For cooking or baking I use powdered milk.  I can usually find it on sale and so I stock up.  Also my mother gets meals on wheels and she won't use the powdered milk so she gives it to me.  I can mix 8 oz for use in a recipe.   


So that's a few ways that I am thrifty and frugal at the grocery store.  

I enjoy being Thrifty and Frugal.   

Do you?

What's For Dinner?

Don't you love those days when you make plans and they go awry?

Mom's can you relate!  I never thought of monkey brains. 

But did you know where Brussel Sprouts come from? 

And did you know that those really aren't  pearl onions in the peas.

Can you guess it?  Why baseball's of course! 

So I guess your wondering why I started this post with when plans go awry.  I might be cooking the monkey brains for dinner after all.

Because the Cowboy cooked what I had planned for his lunch.  

Source

Makes me wish I had a printer so I could make a really cool menu like this.  

But alas I'll have to resort to just writing it down and putting on the fridge.   I guess in all fairness I shouldn't be annoyed because I didn't stick to the menu this week anyway.  But the good news is the Spaghetti I planned for Wednesday we'll just cook tonight. 

All's well and no monkey brains!  Yea!

So do you plan a menu?

Linking with The Fabulous January Party over here
Come over and join me and link your posts!
I am also linking with the regular fun parties.  The list is on my parties page.

Thankful Thursday

Hello.  I hope your week is going as great as mine has been. 

Today I am linking with Michelle at It's A Small Town Life
and sharing a Thankful post. 

Books

If your a regular reader of my blog you know I read and review alot of books.  

I do love books.  

The library used to be a weekly haunt of mine. But then we moved to a smaller town.  On my first visit I was sad to see I had already read everything on the shelf in the genres that interested me. 

There was a time that I/we didn't have to worry about a budget. 

We indulged too much really.  But one of our indulges was books.

Back in the day when our kids were 13 and 16 we went to Barnes and Noble every Friday night.  We drank hot chocolate and looked at books.  We each got to choose a book to purchase.  Most of them were books about horses.

I like to display our books in our home.  Some day I hope I have a book room/library.  Maybe it will look something like this...

                                            pin

Or maybe...

I love rooms filled with books.  Although I not a reader of the classics.  I do appreciate them.  I don't read Civil War books 

the Cowboy does I do appreciate them.  I love looking at books.

I love displays of books...

I love books.  I am thankful for books.  

I am thankful for amazing writers that give us hours of reading pleasure.  

Have you read a good book lately?

Linking with Michelle for Thankful Thursday 

and a few other great parties. 

See my Parties page for the list.