Five on Friday -- 89 Days until Christmas

Did the title of this post freak you out just a little?  Well, it made my pulse accelerate.  Y'all...there are less than 3 months until Christmas!  But I'm not sweating it as much this year.  I have help.  No, I didn't hire a nanny or a personal assistant.  But I did subscribe to an amazing website that I'm sharing with all of you today.  Are you ready?

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Available as an eBook, 100 Days To Christmas is so much more than just tinsel and "Deck The Halls".  This is not a sponsored post, just me telling you I have fallen in love.  Between now and Christmas, we also have Fall, Halloween, Election Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving, and more.  This book is a great way to simplify your life for the next three months and make these holidays memorable, special, and meaningful. 



Moving on, today's Five on Friday is mostly a list for myself.  The past few assignments from 100 Days have included ideas on crafts and DIY gift ideas to give and receive throughout the holiday season.  Here are five projects I hope to accomplish in the Morris household.  If you are really lucky, I'll even blog about them.  (How lucky do you feel right now?)

One: Scary Halloween House

Yesterday, out of the blue, Rob asked me if we could trick-or-treat at our house this year.  You should know we have gone to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house for the past 4+ years.  Before waiting for my affirmation, he added, "and can we make our house really scary?"  Sure, my favorite child.  Anything for you.  So I am looking for some ideas like these:



via Pinterest


via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Two: Thankful for Family (Thanksgiving Keepsakes)

Now that Will is here, I have used (more times than not) the excuse that this is the last time we will ever all be this age.  Anything involving baby things, family pictures, etc., will always be complete.  There will never again be a time when I say "Oh, that was before ___ was born."  So my keepsakes are that much more important to preserve moments in time.  Therefore, I want to capture their "littleness"  (it could be a real word) in as creative/lasting a way as possible. 


via Pinterest

I love this! via Pinterest

Three: Fall is the Apple of My Eye

In school, Rob's class has been studying Johnny Appleseed.  And I have apparently been late to the game the past few seasons.  Either that, or apple orchid farmers have rolled out an amazing new marketing plan.  Nevertheless, I have heard so much about apple harvesting in the past few days, that I am going to try some new apple recipes with the family.  I'll start with an apple crisp, then I'll hop over to Mix and Match Mama's website where I'll dig and play around with all of her fabulous posts.  Shay has a whole section dedicated to fall recipes. 

Four: Gifting is about thoughtfulness, not price tags!

I am constantly on the lookout for amazing bargains and great deals.  But more so that sales, I'm sifting through my dusty brain for ideas on handmade gifts.  Once again, Pinterest has some great ideas.  In the past, I have pinned recipes for homemade salt scrubs, DIY coasters, ornaments, jewelry, and more.  Since many family members read my blog, I'm not sharing exactly what I'm planning this year.  But trust me, it's a great one!  I definitely will be making additional quantities to keep for myself.


Five: Christmas Cards...society's newest status symbol?

I'm not sure exactly when or why, but lately it seems like more and more Christmas cards are not sent to tell loved ones "Happy birth of Jesus," but to say "look at my beautiful family.  Aren't we special?" I get it, Christmas cards are a great time to share family portraits with others.  And if you are sharing family portraits all while wishing genuine holiday cheer to others, then please continue.  But you shouldn't have to go bankrupt in doing so.  Ever so often during the month of December, I will receive a card in the mail sans portrait, hand-signed, by a loved one who had no idea just how much I needed to hear from him/her.  That is the meaning behind sending cards.  With that said, I do enjoy sharing pictures of the kids.  Many of our cards go to family members we don't get to visit very often.  So while I will be genuinely wishing cheer to my loved ones, I am going to be thrifty by ordering from the ever-affordable Allie Logan Designs.  She can design anything you like, and include any message.  Just don't ask her to inscribe "Aren't we special?"

Five on Friday

So, about once every 2-3 days I say to myself "I really wish I blogged more frequently than I do."  Then I aimlessly and fruitlessly stroll through life for the next few days until I rediscover my desire for the written typed word.  What better way is there to get over myself and just write already than by joining the wildly popular Five on Friday blog party?

___ONE___

There has been some dissension and debating in the Morris household over a local scandal involving rival high school football coaches fist fighting after the game and ending up jobless.  For those of you who are not "from 'round these parts", you can catch up by reading this first, then this, and finish off with this.  Basically I am so worried about what message this sends all the players, while Bobby is heartbroken that the coach resigned.  Yep, you heard me right.  Bobby is defending the coaches while I am ready to hang them up at the gallows.  Look, you will never hear me judge a mistake too harshly.  I'm a firm devotee of the "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future" school of thought.  But I'm also a parent of three children who have or are soon to begin organized sports, public school, and society.  If my child were on his team, I would be so upset.  You simply cannot use your fists to make a point.  There were so many troopers, other coaches, and witnesses who could have intervened and aided in the "walk away with dignity" choice.  But no; the coach chose break a nose and tackle his opponent instead.  I get that the losing team of that game can painfully blame faulty stats-keeping on their loss.  However, that's a life lesson in and of itself.  Now they will remember this game not as the game where they did the best they could despite human error, but as the game where their coach decided to pummel the opposition as a last resort in frustration.  Now they lost both the game and their coach.  I do empathize with them waking up the next morning in sheer regret and remorse. Those are terrible feelings.  But they are not off the hook; I just don't see where anyone can sympathize with their teaching those boys to fight and bully others. Lastly, no one has mentioned how embarrassed the communities are about the lasting impression this leaves on other communities. 

___TWO___

Speaking of my betrothed, have I mentioned we are getting ready to go out of town?  EEP I'm so excited.  We have so few opportunities to travel as adults, play as adults, and recreate as adults.  You will hear a few more mentions of my upcoming trip in the next few posts.  Like now:

As of this posting, we are actually down to 26 days!  And yep, it's a Super-Secret trip.  Bobby thinks he has a clue of our destination, but he's wrong!  EEP!  (Like my excited squeal?)  There's so much to do!  I want a new outfit.  I need to see about adding some special touches to the trip itself along the way.  I need childcare (grandparents, are y'all reading this?)...

___THREE___

Speaking of traveling just as adults, Bobby and I did manage to sneak out of town on Saturday to go to the first Bama game of the season.  I guess I am contradicting my previous point I just made.  But trust me, it doesn't happen very often.   We drove over to Atlanta for the day and did a little tailgating before heading into to the GA Dome for the Alabama/VA Tech game.  Only in Alabama Football can you beat your opponent by 25 points and the fan base is wondering what went wrong from their Sunday-morning coaches' armchairs...ha!  We do have some work to do, though.  Very few plays held up to "the process" standards that Coach Nick instills.

PS: This picture above does neither of us any justice.  We got so hot and sweaty during the day.  Blech!

___FOUR___

Did I mention that I haven't blogged as much as I would like?  I still need to tell you all about Rob turning seven.  Hopefully that post will come soon before the details are filed away in the back of my dusty memory. 

___FIVE___

How did my baby girl grow up literally overnight?  She started 3K Preschool this week and absolutely loves it.  When I picked her up on Wednesday, her first day, she told me the following:

• We got to go to the playground two times!
• I made a friend named Ally
• We had circle time and Ms. Amanda read us a book about Jesus...and a pig. (I'm secretly hoping those are 2 different books.  Otherwise, what the?)

Five and a half...she also starts dance class next week.  She wants to be a "bah-weena".  I bought her first leotard for class (leotard--a word she cannot say properly and I cannot type her attempts phonetically) and I almost couldn't get it back off of her.  She shook her little booty and ran around the house like a wild child!  So cute!

Five on Friday - Morris Style

Happy, happy Friday y'all!  I am trying something new, which is not completely uncommon around here.  I'm participating in a li'l blog link up:

Here are five of the five million random things on my mind today.  Ready?

1.  I use eMeals to dinner plan most weeks (you know, the weeks I actually do dinner plan).  I'm not pie-in-the-sky in love with eMeals.  Sure, it makes dinner planning easy, and it creates your meals around what is actually on sale at your pre-determined grocery store.  My main complaint is that the meals still seem a little to out there for my meat and potatoes loving crew.  However, sometimes there are hits that make the must-cook, must-share list like this one below.  So I'm sharing.  You're welcome in advance.

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground chuck
15 oz can jalapeno ranch-style beans, drained
10 oz can tomatoes and green chilies
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
10.5 oz can cream of celery soup
10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
10 oz can enchilada sauce *I used green sauce and it was heavenly good!
9 corn tortillas
3 cups fiesta blend cheese, divided
1 tomato, chopped
cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and chopped

 

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large skillet, brown ground chuck until done and crumbly; drain. Stir in beans, tomatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper; set aside. In a saucepan, combine soups and enchilada sauce; stir and heat through. Spoon ⅓ of sauce in bottom of  greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with 3 corn tortillas; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and spoon half of meat mixture over cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and cilantro. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with chopped
avocado before serving.

Disclaimer:  Obviously this is neither clean eating nor paleo.  I do not have nutrition information, and I don't care for this recipe.  This falls under the "everything delicious in moderation" category. 

2.  I really wish I was back at the beach right now.  Sure it rained 4 of our 7 days for part or all of the day.  Sure it was crazy chaos with all our crew.  But I love those people.  Am I a glutton for punishment?  I am also annoyed at myself that I haven't blogged about our trip yet.  Hopefully that will come soon before I completely forget all the special memories.

3.  This fall Bobby and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage.  10 years!  How is that even possible?  Bobby, if you are reading this, you know you hate it when I lie to you, so please don't ask me any questions that put me in a position to have to lie in order to stall you.  For the rest of you, I am planning a sweet surprise for my hubby.  I am so giddy about it, too!  You know when you are so excited that all you want to do is snuggle and talk to your BFF about what's on your mind?  But in this case I can't because he is the subject/recipient of my plans.  Oh, the mental turmoil!  Y'all stay tuned in October to see what I have cooked up!

4.  I am so excited about Will's upcoming The Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday party.  I love that book; I love all of Eric Carle's work and I really hope this turns out cute.  I am not terribly creative.  Rather, I just find inspiration (or PINspiration) and try my best to recreate it. 



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5.  Jurassic Park.  Y'all, my almost 7-year-old is obsessed with this movie.  We went this summer to see it in 3D in the theater.  I was afraid he would be scared by some of the more bloody T-Rex attacks, but he took it like a pro.  Now we have discovered that AT&T U-verse has this movie on demand for free.  So every time the little kids are away that is all he wants to do.  In fact, T-Rex is eating the smarmy lawyer off the toilet as I type this.  Rob has seen JP 2 and JP 3, but he learned a lesson so obscure to Hollywood: nothing ever beats an original installment. 

That's it for today.  Except for one bit of vague personal business matters.  I know someone who is in need of prayers.  This person is having a hard time living a Christ-centered life.  I don't want to go into too many details, but this person is really at a crossroads of being tested.  If you are out there reading this and you know me personally, please just leave this vague.  I am not at liberty to share any details.  For all the rest of you, if you could just pray that God answers Emily's random prayer request, I am sure He will know what you are talking about.  Thanks!