"What's on Your Plate?" a brand new food/recipe blog, is launching November 1st, and I am happy to be a part of their team! Here is my bio that was posted today on their facebook page:

Food is a big part of all the wonderful memories I have, and will be a big part of memories yet to be made. It makes me nostalgic. Ask me about my dad, and I will tell you stories about chocolate malts and fattigman. Ask me what Mackinac Island is like, and I will tell you they have the best fudge in the world. 

It's week four of  "6 Weeks to Make Your Home Shine for the Holidays!" over at Girlfriends Coffee Hour! Today we are learning what we need to do this week to finish up our kitchens, and we're putting together our Christmas Planners! I've put together a list of free Christmas planning printables for the ladies at Girlfriends Coffee Hour. If you'd like the list and are not part of GCH, just comment below and I will make sure you get it :) Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

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It all started with a picture of Santa in the bathroom.

Here it is, five days before Halloween, and I am looking at facebook while listening to my Michael Buble Christmas cd (true story!) When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a pic of St. Nick... standing on top of a commode! I said, "LOL What are you doing? Putting a Christmas decoration out each week to see if you can get away with it?" To which my genius online pal, Tonya, replied, "Yep, we are. Are YOU up to the challenge??" *GASP* A woman after my own heart! And so began the sneaking!

I immediately went through my house, looking for any shred of Christmas I could find! You see, we just moved, and many of our things are in storage, BUT I found a Christmas candle, and voila! A little bit of Christmas in my kitchen! (And oh, does it smell delicious!)


It's the little things in life that make me happy! I thank Tonya and her friend for letting me in on the fun, and give them all the credit for inspiring me to write up this "Sneaking Christmas" challenge. And now, I am asking if YOU are up to the challenge?! Every Friday from now through "Black Friday," share what Christmas decorations you've put up in your house. The goal is to be a little sneaky to see if anyone notices. Oh, and we're talking small decorations, not something obvious like a tree! ;) I'd love to hear if anyone has funny reactions! Be creative, and have fun sneaking Christmas!



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Don't Waste Your Homemaking

It's week three of "6 Weeks to Make Your Home Shine for the Holidays!" over at Girlfriends Coffee Hour! Today we are finding the "element of fun" when it comes to cleaning & organizing, and we are taking on our kitchens this week. Be sure to read the blog, put on some good tunes, and join us as we get our homes ready for the holidays! 

It's Saturday! And that means it's time for another installment of Saturdays with Shandy over at Girlfriends Coffee Hour! Today, I'm talking about the notion of using our five senses when it comes to making a house a home. And it's week two of 6 Weeks to Make Your Home Shine for the Holidays! Come and see what we'll be doing this week to make our living and dining rooms sparkle!

After a long hiatus, a move to a new state, and a way cuter blog design, I am back, and I have some pretty awesome news...

If you haven't heard of Girlfriends Coffee Hour yet, you have to see what they're up to! It's a fantastic ministry for women of all ages & stages of life and teenage girls, and I am one of their newest bloggers. Saturdays with Shandy (part of the women's ministry) launches TODAY with my first series... 6 Weeks to Make Your Home Shine for the Holidays!  Here's an excerpt...

How many of us have had holiday celebrations over the years that have been marred by anxiety because our house wasn’t as clean as we would have liked it to be, or because we waited until the last minute to do everything and exhausted ourselves in the process? I will be the first to raise my hand and say, “ME!” But not this year. Not for me, and not for you if you follow along with us!

Welcome to “6 Weeks to Make Your Home Shine for the Holidays!” Whether you are a domestic diva or don’t know a duster from a dishcloth, this is for you! Every Saturday for the next six weeks, we will meet right here on the blog to learn how to prepare our homes for the upcoming holidays. (And when we’re through, don’t go anywhere, because we will have a new series on decorating for Christmas and making handmade gifts!) 

Check it out & join us! And be sure to come back here to let me know if you're following along!