My Goodwill usually has old breadmakers and dusty books.

Until today! Look at this mirrored tray I got! The back looks like I’ll be able to pry up the tabs so I can take the metal frame off and spray paint it.

The new living room (whose creation is dependent on good painting weather so… let’s just say April since we’re in Chicago) is going to be black, white, and tan. Wouldn’t this look great in black on a side table holding a lamp or a picture frame and a candle?

Finally. Goodwill victory is mine!

I’m gifting an (unopened) bottle of Bailey’s to my daycare provider tomorrow and needed to make it look like a gift. I made one of the aforementioned burlap flowers and glued it on a festive piece of burlap. Done and done.

But I didn’t have that kind of time tonight.

Gotta get to a Christmas party real soon butternut squash mac and cheese

1 box macaroni and cheese
1 box butternut squash soup
1 Tbsp butter

Cook the macaroni. Mix in the butter, then gradually add butternut squash soup until desired consistency achieved.

Eat, then try to get two people dressed for a Christmas party, burning calories you will consume in cheesy appetizers.

To keep my gift cards organized, I write the balance on them in sharpie. Makes it easier to use them at the checkout.

(I get every cent out of my gift cards. This one only has 43 cents, but I’ll use it towards a purchase. Don’t let stores keep your money!)

When I saw this 3 pack of cookies for $7 at Aldi, I forgot for a minute that I was on Weight Watchers and bought them. I lasted 10 whole hours with them in my house before I made them – again, Weight Watchers who? Oh my goodness, these things are heaven. To make them all you add is – wait for it – melted butter. I know – how could they NOT be good, right? They’re also 4 points a cookie, so I need to give them away stat. After I eat one more.

I made this wreath after seeing a similar one on pinterest. My changes – I used different colored burlap, and frayed some burlap for the center of the flower rather than use buttons because those seemed like a lot of work… and I wanted to get this done in one naptime. I’m thinking about using the left over burlap in green and red for a Christmas wreath.

This is my breakfast. I was up a billion times last night with a toddler who kept asking to eat when she wasn’t shrieking. Love her anyway.

My neighbor told me this one – if you have a tender meat, it’s easy to shred if you use your blender. Just throw the cooked meat in and turn it on. She’s right!