Category Archives: Holidays

Friday Favorites – Week 374 – Ginger Lime Chicken

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Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day!!

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Every year on March 17th, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  What began as a religious feast day for St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland has become an international celebration of Irish culture.   I will admit that I am not normally “gung ho” about St. Patrick’s Day, but aside from the fact that I enjoy Corn Beef and Cabbage, there are now so many family friendly activities centered around this holiday.  From the  grand St. Patrick’s Day parades to the local street festivals, there is more than enough to see, learn and participate in.  And, if you happen to be kid free, there’s more than enough Green Beer to go around too.  (Yuck, I hate beer, but to each his own, I guess.)

SO LET’S GET FESTIVE !!

St. Patrick’s Day Attire:  Don your Green attire, or risk getting pinched.

St. Patrick’s Day  Traditional Irish Meals/Deserts/Cocktails:  (Clickable Links)

Corn Beef and Cabbage

Irish Beef Stew

Chocolate-Stout Cupcakes

Emerald Isle Drink

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Traditional Irish Recipes and Drinks

Photo Source 1: ChewOutLoud.com 2: TasteFoodBlog.com 3: MarthaStewart.com 4: TheOdysseyOnline.com

Let your little ones get in on the action, and download your 2 Free St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Sheets.

Celebrating St. Patricks Day Coloring Sheets

Luck of the Irish

Irish Blessings

For more St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Sheets follow this link here.

Adult “Valentine’s Day” Coloring Sheets

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Just a week left until Valentine’s Day and with another heartbreaking upset with today’s vote for Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary, I know, I am not the only one looking for some stress relief.  So I thought I would share these Adult “Valentine’s Day” Coloring Sheets.  And, even though I made them for us, my six year old has already claimed them for her own, so feel free to share with your little ones.  Grab yours, by simply right clicking and saving to your device and then print.  Enjoy!!

Adult "Valentine's Day" Coloring Sheets 1

Adult "Valentine's Day" Coloring Sheets 2

Adult "Valentine's Day" Coloring Sheets 3

Adult "Valentine's Day" Coloring Sheets 4

Looking for something a bit simpler for the kids,  Check out these Free Printable Coloring Pages for kids here, or Free Valentine’s Day Cards for the Classroom here.

Valentines Day Coloring Sheet Mockups

Free Printable Valentines Day Cards 2016 stage-presents.com

Our Visit to the King Center: A Photo Blog

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Visit to the King Center : Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

Earlier this month, we loaded the kids up in the car and went to visit the King Center.  My older daughter had been to the King Center before, but unfortunately she was too little to have really understood exactly what the Civil Rights movement or Dr. King’s dream was about.  And so, with  blatant racism, and bigotry being displayed everywhere these days, we thought that it was important for us to remind our children of their significant heritage.

As a parent, I always err on the side of caution when it comes to telling my kids the gruesome and graphic details of life/history.  My philosophy on that is that they have their whole lives to be adults and to deal with such things.  And, I simply don’t want them living in fear.  But, as we were walking through the King Museum and I was trying my best to answer all their questions and explain the things we saw.  I was reminded that the Civil Rights movement was not just for adults.  There were several children on the front lines standing up for what they believed was right.  And, it brought me back to the famous quote by George Santayana, “that those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Surprisingly enough, I do not have too much to say about our trip other than to say that it was a humbling and solemn experience.  It filled me with both great pride and waves of grief.  Pride because of the long journey that our ancestors took on behalf of the very inalienable rights we are supposed to have today.  And, grief for those who lost their loved ones in the struggle and continue to do so in the name of upward mobility and dreams yet to be actualized.

Visit to the King Center - A Day On ... Not A Day Off

A Visit to the King Center : Call To Lead

A Visit to the King Center: Signs from Marches

A Visit to the King Center: Freedom March

I'm Black and Beautiful.

I hope that you enjoyed these pictures that my husband took and, if you are ever in the Atlanta area definitely put this on your list of places to see.  It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.  How do you deal with telling your children about things that are unpleasant?  Do you sugar coat it, or give it to them straight?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, in the comments below.

Friday Favorites – 357 – Mason Jar Vase for Valentine’s Day

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Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! Continue reading →

Friday Favorites – Week 353 – Pizza Soup

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Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

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Friday Favorites – Week 352 – Brown Sugar Spice Cookies

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Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade – Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! Continue reading →

Our 2016 Christmas Home Tour

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2016 Christmas Home Tour Front Door

2016 Christmas Home Tour Front Door

2016 Christmas Home Tour Front Hallway

2016 Christmas Home Tour Front Hallway1

2016 Christmas Home Tour Mantel

Every room in the house gets decorated with  traditional Christmas Colors, except for the Formal Living and Dining Room.  This year I added some Christmas Plaid and Buffalo Check just to introduce a new element.  You can see it in the printable by the front door and weaved into the Garland over the Mantle. I also added a Vintage Lantern I bought to sell in my Etsy Store, but decided to hold on to.  I loved the feel of it.  I must gush about the new piece I got to go in the foyer.  It is not a Christmas decoration at all.  But, what a find at Hobby Lobby!!  Do you spy it?  “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

2016 Christmas Home Tour Christmas Tree

2016 Christmas Home Tour Coffee Table Centerpiece

2016 Christmas Home Tour Side Buffet

2016 Christmas Home Tour Tablescape

2016 Christmas Home Tour Dining Room and Living Room

Purple and Gold have been part of my color scheme for the last Couple of Christmases with other colors  mixed in there.  This year I just used Purple and Gold.  I loved the way it came out.  The purple poinsettias in the Christmas tree were part of my tablescape some years back.  And, I added them to the tree for an updated and more professionally decorated look, or at least that is what I told myself.

I have an announcement, Christmas is my favorite time of year.  No duh, right.  But, honestly there is soo much ugly in the world.  I relish the opportunity each year to bring some of the magic inside for my family. There will be more than enough years of serious life ahead of them, but during Christmas my main focus is joy – joy – joy.  This year, I tried my hardest not to purchase any NEW Christmas decorations.  And, I did really well.  I literally only purchased a new Tree Skirt for the real tree in the Formal Living Room, and some Festive little plates for the Tablescape.  Everything else I used were things that I already had.  I tried to use them in a new way or change where I put them around the house, but that was about it.

Can you believe 2016 is really pretty much over?  And, I for one am pretty much over it.  So Merry Christmas to All and to All A Fantabulous Holiday Season  from Our Home to Yours.

THE BEST OF ALL GIFTS AROUND ANY TREE: THE PRESENCE OF A HAPPY FAMILY ALL WRAPPED UP IN EACH OTHER. – BURTON HILLS

Friday Favorites – Week 351 – Disney Inspired Ornament

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Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! Continue reading →

Hubby’s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide

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hubby-2016-holiday-gift-guideYears ago my hubby and I started creating Christmas lists for each other to shop from.  Even though, we didn’t know exactly what we would get.  We knew that it would be something that we wanted and it cut down largely on having to return or exchange things.  Plus it made for two very happy parents.  Since we started, I have had so many friends to inquire as to what is on my hubby’s list, just so that they can get ideas for their own loves.  Hence, the start of Hubby’s Holiday Gift Guide.  This is year two of his Gift Guide.  So let’s jump right in.

check out hubby’s picks for 2016 (with clickable links)

2016-gift-guide-with-pictures

A. Stance NBA Legend Socks
B. Hex Focus iPhone 7 Case
C. Hum By Verizon
D. The Royale Cuoio by Greats
E. Polaroid Snap
F. Grenade Grips Dumbell/Barbell Grips

Want to see his Holiday Gift Guide from 2015 — click here.  If shopping for your honey can prove to be challenging, rest assured you are not the only one.  Hope that this Gift Guide gives you some assistance.  And, if you manage to purchase something from this list and it’s a win, I would love to hear all about it in the comment section below.  This time of year is particularly busy for hubby at work, so I have to give him a quick shout out for making time to help out our Stage Readers.  He rocks!!