Happy Friday! Safe Travels

Tomorrow, Ryan and I will be making our journey north. I'm so excited to spend the time with his family. This will be our first Christmas spent with them since we've been married. In past years, we'd either go up the week or two before or for a couple days afterwards. But this year, I get to experience a full LaBarge family Christmas and I'm excited. If you're traveling this holiday season, whether it's down the road or across the state, I hope you're safe. You want to make sure you can enjoy yourself once you get there!

Now, my dad is known for his apple pies. He crams about 7-8 apples per 9" pie. It's large. And they're delicious. Word gets around on these pies. Unfortunately, he's been busy. So I baked pies. From scratch. And from those apples from my freezer. Remember those?

I know, my edging technique needs work. You see that lattice technique though, right? I know, the widths vary. But you know what? These are going to be fantastic. How do I know? These are my fourth and fifth pie I've made this baking season. So yea, they're going to get eaten. If not by my in-laws, then definitely by me. Because I. LOVE. APPLE. PIE. I have the ass stomach ache to prove it.

That brings us to your fourth and final printable for December. It's pretty generic, but you can put it on beautiful paper in an equally pretty frame and have something good going on. 

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Please note that this printable was formatted to fit an 5" x 7" paper.

What can I craft this Tuesday? Jolly Rancher Vodka

"Pssst...I've got a secret...Santa's coming." That phrase makes me smile just about every year. Right around this time, maybe a week or two earlier, my mom starts telling me this. It's like a highlight of the year. 

In case you've been procrastinating gift buying, like my husband, here's a last minute project you can make today that'd be ready for gifting on Christmas next week. I made it for my brother for his 28th birthday back in November. He hasn't tried it yet but it's sure to be delicious.

Here's what you need:

1 large bag of Jolly Ranchers

5 glass swing-top bottles (buy at Hobby Lobby when they have the half off glass sale)

1 handle of the cheapest vodka you can find (I used Fleischmann's)

Here's what you do:

Step 1. Wash all your swing-top bottles with hot water and let air dry as you're going through the next step.

Step 2. Unwrap each and every single jolly rancher in the bag. You should end up with about twelve of each flavor and possibly a hand cramp. If not, no biggy. 

Step 3. Add about eight candies of each flavor to separate swing-top bottles. I did twelve and I think it was too many.

Step 4. Open your cheap ass vodka and using a funnel, pour in the vodka until you hit the bottom of the bulb at the top. This is very exact. Not really.

Step 5. Set it and forget it. For about a week. You don't need to shake them. But let's face it, it's fun and feels rewarding. Here's a couple pictures of what'll happen. You'll know it's ready when the candies are no longer visible and the corn syrup it was made from is no longer coating the bottom. Gross, I know.

that one of the right is vanilla beans in vodka

the morning after I put it together

then I shook them 

Step 6. Wrap and give those bad boys away. Or enjoy. Either way.

Do you have any left to shop for? Does anyone you know fit the bill for this gift? Any last minute things you're trying to put together?

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday. That seems to be a popular thing to say around the office every Friday morning. Maybe because we're all just ready for the week to be over. (I know I'm ready for that on Monday.)

It's getting so close to Christmas and I can smell how close I am to being fully ready (I have some loose Christmas strings that I need to pull together). But, I swear by the end of this weekend I'll be done! I'm really hoping I'll be done. 

This Friday's printable comes from the holiday song "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - We Three Kings" by the Barenaked Ladies featuring Sarah McLachlan. I love their version! I hope you like the printable.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - We Three Kings

Please note that this printable was formatted to fit an 8" x 10" paper.

My Disney Fascination

Growing up, I saw pretty much every Disney movie there was to see. I love 'em. They're awesome. The music, amazing. I'm obsessed. Slightly. When I see things on Pinterest that relate to Disney, they immediately make me smile. 

On Thanksgiving, when  my mom brought over a game that had us match "thank you" to its corresponding language. What was one I got? "Asante sana" which is Swahili. Why? How? You might ask? ASANTE SANA SQUASHED BANANA. BAM. The Lion King. To. The. Rescue. Thank you Rafiki. Or should I say, asante sana. 

As I sit here, I've listened to the following songs:

"I'll Make a Man Out of You" - Mulan
"Be Prepared" - The Lion King
"I'll Make a Man Out of You" - Mulan
"Reflection" - Mulan
"Tale as Old as Time" - Beauty and the Beast
"A Whole New World" - Aladdin
"Once Upon a December" - Anastasia
"He Mele No Lilo" - Lilo & Stitch
"When Will My Life Begin" - Tangled
"I See the Light" - Tangled
"I Won't Say I'm in Love" - Hercules
"Colors of the Wind" - Pocahontas
"Part of Your World" - The Little Mermaid

And I'm browsing Pinterest reading things like this:

But now, I must go and stop listening to Disney music because I'm almost positive my husband's going to kill me.

What brings you back to your childhood? Is there anything that makes you smile when you see or hear someone mention it?

Happy Friday!

As I mentioned on Sunday, this month I'll be giving you a new printable every Friday in the spirit of giving. And because I was so excited about Christmas, I went crazy with making them for myself. Without further ado, here ya go.

12 Days of Christmas

Please note that this printable was formatted to fit an 8" x 10" paper.

Tunetastic Thursday - Wild Cub "Thunder Clatter"

I am absolutely in love with this song. I heard it first on EQX Monday morning. It's been on my brain for the past week. Apparently it's been featured in a Bose commercial. Go them. I like it when indie bands get national attention and ad campaigns. It just goes to show you that some of the best music comes from labels where MUSIC is most important, not profit.

Did you like this week's song? How about those lyrics?

Happy December

I think I've mentioned that this is my absolute favorite time of year. I've been so excited about it, I created a bunch of printables! To share them all, I'll post one each Friday until right before Christmas (four in all). I hope you like this first one. I know, it's ALL over Pinterest, but I had to make my own. I'm in love with some of the fonts I've found and I had to turn it in to a printable. 

Christmas Cheer Printable

This one is actually sitting on my mantle right this moment. Definitely a keeper in my book.

What have you done so far for decorating? Anything that's unusual?