Tip Award..Who Me!!

I was so surprised to receive an email from Sweet Annette at Toadily Handmade Cards. She was giving me an award! Wow, I don't have any crafty talents that I share on the Internet...lol, so her words really humbled me....she wrote.....

"I am suppose to pass the award on to someone who inspired me during the holiday season. I am passing the award onto Sheila @ Gim'Me Memories. She has inspired me throughout the season with words of encouragement to slow down and enjoy the holidays with family & also with her Menu Plan Monday. I can barely plan dinner for one day let alone a whole week! She is always leaving sweet comments for me and gives me encouragement to keep up the card making. I don't know how she handles all aspects of her life with only 24 hours in a day! "

I was so touched by Annette's sweet words of encouragement. We are all just trying to find our niche in the world and use our God given talents to help others. God expects no less...I hope to inspire and build friendship with this blog and I in return am inspired when I visit you. God is Good and I hope we all see his blessing at work in our lives...Take your talent and share it, spread it around. Remember the story in the bible of the "1 talent, 2 talent, 5 talent Men" God increased the talents of those who use theirs. What you give out will come back to you tenfold...Thank you Annette for your inspiration...
Now I must chose someone to pass this on to....I choose 3 new bloggers, they could use our encouragement...please stop by and check out their fabulous work and leave them a comment to encourage them...I choose:

Kelly at Kuties by Kelly

Susan at Susan B. Designs

Joy at Simply Joy Catering

***Much Love to each you and lets share more of ourselves with those around us in 2008! Happy New Year to you and your loved ones......

Menu Plan Monday Dec 31-Jan 6

Wow I feel like it has been forever since I posted a Menu Plan...my family has not liked me being on strike..Ethan made the comment that he need some real food....hehehe...well it's back to the usual. With the New Year comes those dreaded diets...we have made the decision at our house to do things in moderation, and try to eat healthier. I hope you enjoy and thank you to Laura at Orgjunkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday.

Mon: Finger Foods at Church "Ringing in New Year"

Tue: Ham, Black eyed peas, cabbage, Potatoes

Wed: Grilled Chicken Salad, bread, drink

Thur: Hot Wings, Oven Fries, salad (Hooters Sauce from Walmart)

Fri: Eat out or Take out

Sat: Chicken Alfredo, salad, bread

Sun: Dinner MIL

Happy New Year From Our Home to Your's

I hope everyone is recovering from Christmas and you have spent some quality time with those you love. I also hope you will understand that I will not be posting a Menu plan Monday, or Tip Tuesday this week. I am spending time with my family this week. Next week we will be back to the old grind...but now is a time to enjoy the precious little time we have on our Winter break....
Much love is sent from me to you and I hope you all have a safe New Year celebration.

Christmas in my Home!!!!

Breakfast Nook Table! I love Gingerbread
My Gingerbread Tree in Kitchen
More Gingerbread......

Still more................................. My most precious gifts of all...........

My living room tree and mantel.......


Dining room table
Dinning room Tree

I am so late on posting these pictures of Christmas at the Boyd house. I hope everyone had a very joyful and wonderful Christmas with the ones you love....May you all have a happy New Year......

Merry Christmas

Today is the day of gift giving, and I wanted to thank each of you for the wonderful gift of your friendship. We are so very blessed to have friends and family to share our lives with. I am blessed beyond measure by family, friends and loved ones. Thank you for your friendship and love and I hope I have returned a portion of what I have received. I hope you all have a wonderful New Year, that is filled with God's grace and love in your lives. If you are traveling during the Holidays my prayer is for your safe return home. If you are home with your loved ones take time to enjoy this gift. May God continue to richly bless each of your lives. Merry Christmas from my family to you.....and very Happy New Year ahead.......Much love!!!!

Tip Tuesday "Only One day late"

OK, so only one day late on this post....whew improvement is in sight! lol My tip for this week is sort of a " cop-out" too, like my Menu planning this week....here lately I have been running on adrenaline and I have been over the top trying to shop for gifts, do my holiday baking, Christmas parties, and then add work on top of that , Junior Auxiliary and Christmas in the park...whew.....I am soo tired. Myself, like all of you, we know we should slow down and breath...for a moment. My tip is simple....let others help you when they can, ask for help to accomplish the task that need completion...and if you don't get it "all" done, so what, just try to take a few moments for yourself and your family.....those are truly our "gifts" our blessings during the Holiday season...Much love, I hope to post about my Christmas party later this week...right now I am trying desperately to catch my breath. Much love to you all and take a moment to just "breath"

No Menu Plan Monday!!!

Girls I know this is 2 days late, and I am exempting myself this week from Menu Planning...we are having a "take it or leave it, make it yourself, if you call dibs first you get to eat it...if it smells ok and has been refrigerated be my guest" kind of Menu Plan! ROFL....this week is always so hectic for me, I just couldn't break away 2 minutes to post until now. I told Richard and Britt and Ethan the above comments about our "Menu" they still have choices!!! We did pick up pizza tonight, we are going to make Christmas baskets for our sick and Shut-Ins at Church. I am hosting our "Ladies Bible Class Christmas party tomorrow night! Today was my last day at work until Jan 2! Woohoo...so we may have a menu all worked up next week, but don't hold your breath....I am on strike....until after the Holidays!! Much love and happy eating

Tuesday Tip

In keeping with the Christmas Spirit, my tip to today will be Holiday oriented!

With boxes, bags, wrapping paper, bows, and all the paraphernalia that goes along with wrapping gifts. I have a little tool that I think will be helpful to you girls. I was watching the News tonight, and during a commercial break, there was an advertisement for a new cutting tool. I know you have all seen this commercial, tool is like a seam ripper type of scissors, somewhat like those plastic envelope openers. I thought for a moment and I had an Ahha moment. You probably have those letter openers, you know the ones you pick up at conferences with business' names, why not try these to cut our Holiday gift wrap. Now I have not tried this, but you bet your bottom dollar, Saturday morning I will. No need to spend needless for an item that most of us have in our homes. If you have tried this tip and it works please post, if not pull out those letter openers and get to cutting.....Have a blessed day!!!

Christmas Meme..........

I was tagged by my sweet friend Toree and I so enjoyed reading her list and others! So as below is my list!
This is what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just answer the questions and "tag" another blog buddy! 'Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags ? Wrapping paper and gift bags (Richard does my wrapping) ssh don't tell anyone.....
2. Real or artificial tree? Artificial, I love "real" but somewhat afraid of the dangers.
3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving. Next year I am doing it earlier.
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, love it...especially homemade.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Holly Hobie Doll.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My Father In Law (he has everything).
9. Easiest person to buy for? My Mom.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? hmm...I am pleading the 5th.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail (usually done by now too)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoons Christmas movie.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually do some in Oct., I get serious in Nov.
14. Ever Recycled a Christmas present? Sorry to say Yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas ? Coconut Cake (MIL it's the best)
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear
17. Favorite Christmas song? It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Which one? I put up 3. I put Star on Fav. one.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? One on Christmas eve..rest Christmas Morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People who act rude.
23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? Yes, love color in decorations. Typical Red and Green and Gold! I will post pictures later.
24. What do/did you leave for Santa? When children were young milk and cookies, carrot for Rudolf...we did leave cheese for the reindeer one year...great memories...
25. Do you make New Year's Resolutions and do you keep them? Yes, but the last two years I have a list of Goals I work on all year long. This has been so encouraging to me...

Ok now I must tag someone so I am tagging Annette at Toadily Handmade Cards! Happy Holidays to all.

Menu Plan Monday

Wow it is only 15 days until Christmas, here Monday rolls around again. I have been stressing a little lately. I can't seem to get everything done that needs to be done. I am using this stress to my advantage, keeping my menus very simple thru Holiday Season. Thank you to Laura at Orgjunkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday. Hope you all have a peaceful week.

Monday: BLT, Oven Fries
Tue: Burritos, Corn in Cob
Wed: Lasagna, Garden Salad
Thur: Chili, grilled cheese
Fri: Eat out or Take out
Sat: Left overs
Sun: Dinner at MIL...yum!!!

The Winner Is!!!!!!!

We have a winner for the Holiday Give A Way! My sweet nephews Jalen and Jensen drew the winner. Debra at Bunnies' Bungalow was the lucky reciepent. I will be in contact with Debra for her address so that I can mail the goodies. I will post a picture tomorrow of the Holiday Basket.

Contents are:

Pine and Cinnamon Candles

A Tea Towel with embroidered Christmas Tree

Sugar and Spice Lotion from Bath and Body

A Christmas CD

A pretty Santa Box and some other goodies

I am planning on including.

Congratualtion Debra. Thank you all for sharing your Christmas memories and favorite things of the season. May you all have a blessed Holiday!!!

P.S. Jalen said "He hopes you all do not get a lump of coal in your stockings"

Surprise Christmas Give A Way Finally!!!!

I thought about this and thought about it, over and over the past two days! What could I do to share some Christmas spirit? Well in the true spirit of Christmas I am giving a way to one lucky person a "Surprise Holiday Basket" filled with goodies. What girl doesn't love a surprise, and Christmas is about opening the unknown gift. I will post the gift along with the winner's name after the lucky one is chosen. So the big reveal will be fun for all, the surprise will be based on your own personal taste.

So here are the rules..... the winner will be posting their Christmas list, favorite things..(sorta like Oprah's), but I will not be giving away cars!!! lol.. Christmas gifts, ideas, food, you get the picture. What you love about Christmas, your favorites. I will randomly draw a name on Sunday, Dec 9th, that is 2 days away girls. So good luck, tell me your favorites and maybe you will win!!! Good luck and Happy Holidays!!!!

****If you link this post to your blog and others play along and mention your name you will be added for each additional commnet.

TIP TUESDAY "100TH POST"

Wow this is my 100th post!!!! It is also Tip Tuesday, I am so late posting this, it is 10:00 pm, I just walked in the door. We had "Christmas in the Park" tonight, and as always it was a huge success (I will post with pics later).

I have waited all day to post this because I wanted to tie in a "giveaway" with this post. It is the Holidays and kinda special with my 100th post.....soo girlie's my tip for today is simple....courtesy of Flylady.net

Pamper Your Lips

As the winter chill surrounds us, it's easy for our lips to become dry and rough. It is very important to keep lip balm with you at all times so that you can defeat this winter beauty problem. For even softer lips, before bed, exfoliate the lips by mixing a little baking soda with a little cleanser or olive oil. Gently rub this mixture onto your lips and then rinse away. Finish this pampering treatment for your lips by applying lip treatment balm, olive oil, or even a dab of petroleum jelly to moisturize your lips. Soft healthy lips make your lipstick look so much prettier. Pamper yourself! You are so worth it!

*****Give a way in next post~stay tuned*****

Monday Meal Plan Dec 3-Dec 9

I hope everyone had a good weekend. It is time to begin another week. With the Holidays upon us, take time for yourself, and I am trying desperately to keep things simple. Meals, shopping, entertaining, less is more is my motto this week!!! I hope you enjoy my menu and big thank you to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday!! If you are near our hometown, please come out on Tuesday night and enjoy "Christmas in the Park"

Mon: Chicken Pot Pie, salad

Tue: Left overs (Christmas In Park)

Wed: (Breakfast) eggs, sausage, hash browns, toast

Thur: Taco Salad

Fri: Take out or Eat out

Sat: Grilled pork chops, twice baked potatoes, salad

Sun: Dinner at MIL!!!!!!!