Decking the Master Bedroom...

Is it wrong to eat these before breakfast? I know I should be old enough to know, but some how I can never make myself understand that maybe I shouldn't have these....at least until after breakfast... It would probably be best not to buy them at all....LOL

I got the bedroom tree up and decorated... and I love it's glittery little presence...

This is the crowning touch... a dainty little crown.

These are the ornaments I bought last year from Rebecca at A Gathering Place...

They are so sweet!

I got this at the Bible bookstore. I thought it was lovely.

I had thought I would change my room to red and white for Christmas...but honestly I just never get sick of the pink! So that is on the back burner for now.

It has been beautiful here in Florida. The weather has been in the 70's and 80's and my roses are loving it... They are blooming like crazy.

This may be the last rose before winter... I just love everything about this time of year in Florida.... It honestly couldn't get any better...I hope all of you have a great weekend and stop by again soon.

Blessings,

Amy Jo



10th Birthday

Yesterday was Levi's 10th birthday. Time is just flying. It feels like one minute you are giving birth and the next your having to learn to let go...

Levi wanted a birthday party but his birthday is so close to Thanksgiving it is hard to plan one. So it was just the four of us at home for his birthday.

This was the desire of his heart... a Bob punching man. These are not cheap... But they are so fun...

A great way to take out all of your frustrations ;)  We will have to move him out of the living room though, every time we walk in there we think there is an intruder in the house LOL!  Happy 10 th Birthday Levi!!

xoxo,

Amy Jo



The Joy in Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was filled with lots of food and laughs. We enjoyed all of the traditional food and some not so traditional ones as well. One of the appetizers we have every year (sister started this) is guava paste and cream cheese on Ritz crackers. If you haven't tried it you should... it is so good.

This is my daughter with her boyfriend Kevin.

Me and my little girl.... oh why do they have to grow up?

Aunt Teresa and Uncle Jerry... this picture blurred for some reason.

This is my mom and nephew Tristan....he is 14 and 6 ft tall.... my they grow fast.

My sissie cakes...

With her handsome husband...

My little boy.... growing so fast....He will be ten tomorrow.

You can tell Levi loves to get pictures with his sister..LOL boys never change... Oh how I love family gatherings. They are the icing on the cake.... we truly enjoyed all of the fellowship and the food was so good...Now....

I am working  on the merriest time of the year.... I can't wait for our Christmas party... so much fun....

Blessings,

Amy Jo

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Oh, Thanksgiving is here! Lots of baking and cooking and fun things going on... My friend told me about the pioneer woman's pumpkin cream pie,  so I added that to my list of things to make.  I will let you know how it turns out! It is great having all of these  recipes at our finger tips... and I am so thankful to be living in this country where as soon as we want to try something new we can go out and buy all of the ingredients...It is a beautiful thing!   I pray all of you are having a wonderful and blessed day!! I can't wait to hear about it all...

Blessings and Love,

Amy Jo



Not Selling...

Isn't this little illustration darling? 

I thought I would let you all know that we have taken our house off of the market. I have had a few people ask me about it lately. After several months of it being on the market we decided to remove it. We were getting quite a bit of traffic but no offers. So we figured we would stay put for now. We would love to do some renovations, but I don't know if that is in the cards right now. We are waiting to see what is going to happen with the economy...  Until the time is right to move, I am being content with what I have....and where I am at. 


 I am excited about Thanksgiving...just three days away! We will be eating dinner at my sisters house. I am responsible for the ham and sweet potato casserole, pecan pie and pumpkin pie....oh I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. It is a great time to spend with family and the only time I get stuffing...my favorite...I hope all of you have the best of holidays. Hopefully I am not 5 pounds heavier by Friday! 



Thankful and sending you many blessings,

Amy Jo

Looking Forward to Christmas

I am so looking forward to Christmas this year.... I bought this candle and it has the house smelling like a wonderful vanilla sugar cookie. Mystic Harbor candles are made by Yankee Candle... and they smell so good... I just decided to try it, I normally only get a true Yankee candle. But I have to say I am very happy with it. They are only a fraction of the cost...

I got some really beautiful things from Rebecca over at A Gathering Place. She made this pillow and I just fell in love with it. It is still in the plastic wrap, until I start to decorate.

I just love her handpainted ornaments!

I originally was going to get one of these for our annual ornament exchange but.... then I decided whatever one I bought I would have to get myself one as well.

Now I am not sure if any of these will be given at the ornament exchange LOL.. I can't promise anything.... I have seen alot of bloggers have already started decorating for Christmas, but I will do it the day after Thanksgiving... at least that is when I will start. I have a lot of ideas but I don't know if I will be able to afford them.:)  Until next time...

xoxo,

Amy Joleen



God is in Control

The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us... 1 Samuel 30:1-6

xoxo,

Amy Joleen

Vote!!

Today is the final day to vote.... I hope every one is voting. Our country is definitely on the wrong path and we need to be responsible. We have the right and freedom to vote and we should use that right... We must remember the brave soldiers who have fought and died for that right. As Christians we must align ourselves with God's word and we must vote for biblical principals. If you are not with God you are against Him. "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad." Mathew 12:30

So if a candidate supports evil that goes directly against God's word, we have to vote him out... We can not stand for abortion...that is murder....we can not stand for gay marriage.... God says that it is an abomination. These are very tough issues... We do not get to choose what God calls sin.  Our only choice as Christians is to obey the Master's calling. I don't want anyone to take this wrong and think that I don't love and hope the best for these people.. It is just that when I became a believer in Christ, It was with the trust that He knows what is best....that He created me and He knows what is best for me... Because He promised all things would work for good. If I loved Him. That is why I will vote the Biblical principals that He gave to us.

 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
With this said no matter who becomes our next president, it is all in God's faithful hands.... .



Blessings,

Amy Jo

Blessings Sunday's

Lately I have been thinking  about the many blessings that God so abundantly gives us.  I thought it would be fun to start a blessings Sunday... The time has changed this morning so I have a little time this morning..yeah!  This morning I am very thankful that our little dog is going to be o.k. Last night we discovered a pellet directly under Bentley's eye.  It was lodged just cm from his eye. Now he never leaves the yard so we don't know if someone was shooting a pellet gun and it somehow strayed and hit him. Or if some evil person would do it on purpose. He is never aloud to run around the yard without one of us... But we do have a little dog lead that we put him on.... that is the only time that it could have happened.

He is a true little man of a Scottie dog..... he never even let us know it happened. We just saw it there.... And my husband got tweezers and pulled it out. He never even cried...He is the bravest of little Scot's....My children just adore him and we would have been heart broken had it turned out differently. I thank God that He was watching him, one of his small creations. After it was all over my son said with awe " He really is like a little man isn't he?" We are doctoring the little hole that is left...There are so many things to be thankful for everyday, this was just fresh on my mind...but I will be counting my blessings with you all every Sunday....I hope you will remember to count yours too.... Many Blessings to you all...

xoxo,

Amy Jo



Fun Saturday Estate Finds

This morning we were supposed to go to the Fancy Flea...and for some reason I just decided I would just yard sale around instead. I am so glad I did. There was an estate sale in my neighborhood and we really got a lot of stuff. I found these wonderful pink gooseberry Pyrex bowls for $4.00. I love Pyrex and pink Pyrex can get real expensive....

I love mixing bowls...don't ask me why... I didn't need this one but it spoke to me with it's vintage shape, and for $3.00 it found a new home.. with me ;)

By the time I got around to the jewelry my daughter had gotten some really great things. Most of these are Avon and look as if they were never worn.  All for $1.00 each. She had been wanting a recipe journal and she found a brand new Paula Deen Journal...for $1.00.

I thought this necklace was perfect for fall...

This bracelet is very similar to the ones sold in Victorian Trading Co. catalouge. It is a vintage Avon....$1.00.

I love these Christmas pins.... so pretty $1.00 each.

Now this is a set... I just love them. They are brand new and never used, one is a photo album and one is a journal... I can't wait to fill them. ($1.00 for the set)

Old books.... Uncle Tom's Cabin was one of them. I have never read this book and I thought that I should... This has been a year of classical literature for me. I am enjoying reading these great books.

Lastly I picked up some old Florida history books for my Dad. He loves to read true historical books about Florida. I think he will enjoy them... 
I have always loved yard sales and thrift shopping...I am glad that my daughter enjoys it too... Actually all of the women in my family enjoys it. We have so much fun! One of the great things about it is if you get tired of something. You really haven't lost much. You can give it away or sell the item and not lose much.... I hope you all have a blessed weekend...

Love to you,

Amy Jo