Frou Frou Gypsy in Combat Boots

 So, I think i have talked about it here, maybe not. I can't remember anymore. I am too lazy to look back and see right now.  I started a while back, hmmmmm maybe a year ago? I felt like i needed to get off my crazy meds.  My dose was low, lower than the "recommended" dosage. I had been on them for years!!!! and i just felt like it was time.  I have a sweet, kind, amazing friend who is going through similar things and we talk about our depression, our kids and our faith. When I told her i wanted off my meds she said, "I know what you mean about having chemicals in your body, like in some ways it might make you feel better, but you don't feel like yourself and then some of the side effects really suck." That made me think. a lot. I had not seen life without the numbing grey of my antidepressants in over a decade. Who was I without the meds? What was life really like? could I handle it? would i literally fall apart?? Could i survive the withdrawal? sigh....

I was lucky enough to be accepted to host a Boboli Beat BarBQue Boredom House Party!!! The party was this past Sunday! We had the best time. Boboli sent me coupons to purchase all the pizza crusts we needed for the party as well as some nice swag for me and my guests. Above you can see the reusable shopping bag they sent...with the cutie tag i made to go on it. Here's my Dad hanging out waiting on other guests to arrive. It WAS TOO HOT to be outside so i hung the little "keep flies off your food" thingy from my lamp over the table as a decoration. You cant really see it in this pic, but i also made boboli garland out of their log and hung it from the window behind Dad. This is one of the recipes they sent me ....Spinach and Artichoke pizza. We had this one as an appetizer when guests were arriving.... OF COURSE ELMO and his talking pizza were in attendance! Hubs outside in the HEAT grillin the pizzas for us.... as you can see from the rest of the pics, we just had a la...

( James 8, Lula 5, Emma 3 and Ethan 7 and three quarters) for as long as i can recall, so at least 10 years if not longer, DH and i have traveled to Nashville to visit some college friends of ours every Christmas. This year was no exception. Now, we have 4 kids between us, and our party of eight is quite a mess getting out the door or seated at a restaurant. Two or three years ago, we started making gingerbread houses with the kids...instead of buying gifts. The kids love it! It is so much fun...and yummy too! Here you can see our masterpieces!