Cozy Christmas at Home

I hope everyone has had a happy Holiday Season. We're finally getting back into the swing of things around the house now that New Years has passed. This year for Christmas we did something a little unusual for us- we stayed home!

We have never stayed home for Christmas. We are always traveling to Louisiana where we drive between 3 cities visiting our respective families. This year was going to be no different until the day we were leaving. The Hubs had been sick with a nasty stomach virus (occupational hazard from working with kids...) and I was afraid the Saw-Man had caught it since he had been acting unwell that morning. 

We were still going to stick with our original plans but as we were leaving Friday evening after work an ice storm hit Oklahoma and most of Northern Texas. We drove about 30 minutes and decided if there was one year we were going to stay home this was it. It was to dangerous for us to continue of for another 8 hrs that night.

So home it was!

We had fun doing winter activities and just relaxing.

Our first attempt at Christmas Cookies werent the prettiest but they sure tasted good!

Other than at home Christmas fun we took a trip to the "Big City" (Oklahoma City) did some  Christmas shopping, finally saw Santa, went hiking, and just enjoyed some quality family time.

After waiting almost an hour they informed us that Santa was about to take a 1 hr break. I almost had a heart attack since we had driven 2 hrs and had been waiting forever to see him.

Thank goodness they let us be the last family before his break! The other people behind us were upset...

After Christmas Eve Mass- I think Con was super excited for Santa to come!

I hope everyone has had a good holiday season!! Merry Late Christmas! :)

It's Mardi Gras Season Ya'll!!!!

Ok, so we've all seen the posts and pinning for Valentines Decor, even some Easter popping up; but did you know that right now at this very second there is something we could all be celebrating right now? That if we lived in Louisiana there would be a parade every weekend, way to much King Cake to go around, beads everywhere and my personal favorite- Cups!

Mardi Gras Season officially starts with the Feast of the Epiphany and ends the day before Ash Wednesday. If we were still living in Louisiana there would be Mardi Gras Balls, parades, and parties to go to. But since we live in the big OK now, no one even knows what Mardi Gras is! We're hoping to go back to New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2013, but until then I thought I'd have my own little celebration and let people in my 'hood know what's happening with my homemade Mardi Gras Wreath.

Using items I already hand on hand (old wreath I took apart, I bought the ribbon a few years ago from Hobby Lobby Dollar bin, along with the gold glitter spray which is actually a Christmas item)

I started by running the three ribbons together around the wreath, bunching them and crisscrossing them across the wreath as I went. Then securing it along the way with green floral wire.

Once I made it all the way around I broke the gold glitter spray thing up into several pieces. Then laid it out to be secured around the back in a circular shape, again using the floral wire to secure it.

Then I added a few obligatory Mardi Gras beads~

Then done! It didn't take long, maybe an hour- maybe. 

So I have my own little piece of Mardi Gras here at home. And luckily when we went to New Orleans for that poor excuse for a Football Game I'd rather not discuss; I did snag a piece of King Cake to hold me over for a while!

Oh ya, and I got some Beignets!! So the trip wasn't a total waste. ;)

Do you celebrate any non- traditional holidays?