November 2015 - Della Devoted

Favorite Children's Christmas Books

Thanksgiving is over and it's now time to start preparing for Christmas. While you are busy decorating and purchasing gifts, don't forget to read to your children. Read them Christmas stories all December long. Reading is one of the best gifts you can give a child. Not only does it give the both of you quality time together, but it also sparks their imagination. No matter what age your child is, you can still read to them. Reading is fundamental. I have Raylan quite the little collection of  Christmas books. Most of them are classics but I wanted to share with you our favorites.
Favorite Children's Christmas Books
If you would like to purchase any of these books please click on the image that you wish and the link will take you to your purchase destination.


*The Christmas Story - My Favorite
*Disney's Christmas Storybook Collection -My second favorite
*The Christmas Carol
*Rusty's Christmas Parade
*Frosty the Snowman - Another one of my favorites
*Snowy Winter Day
*The Santa Claus Book
*The Biggest Snowball Ever
* I love Snow
*Christmas Carols
*The Twelve Days of Christmas
*The Animals Christmas Eve
*The Night Before Christmas
*How the Grinch Stole Christmas
*Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
*Mickey's Christmas Carol
*Snowflake the Snowman
*The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas
*Christmas Candy Canes


Now I know most of you probably have some of these books, but I'm sure there are some that you don't have. So If you want to get a child  a gift for Christmas, give the gift of reading. Raylan and I are starting a tradition. We are going to try to read a different Christmas Story each night. Christmas stories are my favorite! Join in the fun with me and my son on reading a different Christmas Story each night!

Which of these books do you have?




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H54F - Thankful Friday

Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly High Five For Friday linkup hosted by Tif@ Bright On A Budget, Katie @ Cup of Tea, Caitlin  @ Coffee With Caitlin and myself. We're glad you're here!

This week instead of featuring one blogger, we are featuring all of our bloggers. We are so very thankful for all of you who link up to High Five For Friday. We wouldn't be able to host this link-up without you all. We are thankful for our close blogging community and the friendships that we have made. Each and everyone of you are amazing and I pray that God blesses you all.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I sure did. God is so good! Tif from Bright on a Budget and I are out getting our annual Black Friday Shopping on. Wish us luck lol. Anyway, I wanted to do things a little different and list the  things that I am most thankful for.

1) God - Without God I am nothing. He deserves all the praise, honor and Glory, His love is amazing!

2) My Family - My husband, son, dad, brother and many other family members. Where would I be without them? They are my greatest blessings.

3) Friends - I am so thankful for my wonderful friends including this awesome blogging community. You all are a blessing to me.

4) Health & Life - I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me to be in good health so far and for this life that he has given me. I am truly blessed

5) Food, Clothing & Shelter - I may not have a big fancy home, but I am thankful for what God has blessed me with. I have a home, I have clothes and I have food. What more could a person ask for?

6) The simple things in life - I had to add one more to this post because I'm thankful for the simple pleasures in life. It's the little things that makes a person happy such as moments spent with family and friends, a delicious cup of coffee, a good book or a nice long walk. We often take things for granted when really we should be thankful for the little things in life.

That's a wrap for me. Thanks for linking up! I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving Weekend. May God Bless You!
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What My Family Is Thankful For...

We have so much to be thankful for! Not only at Thanksgiving, but everyday. Everyday is a gift from God that we should cherish. No matter what we are going through in life, there is always something to be thankful for. My husband and I sat down and had a time of reflection. We compiled a list of things that we are thankful for. We also added what we think Raylan is thankful for too.


Justin's List:
-Life
-Raylan
-My Wife
-Health
-Family
-Friends
-Job
-Race Car

Raylan's List:
-Mommy
-Daddy
-Grandparents
-Family (aunts, uncles & cousins)
-Paci
-Milk
-Snacks
-Scooby Doo
-Toys


My List:
-Jesus
-Life
-My Husband
-Raylan
-My Dad
-My Brother
-Family
-Church Family
-Friends
-Blogging Community
-Home
-Food
-Clothing
-Our Cat Fluffy 
-Moments spent with family & friends
-The simple things in life 
-Coffee
-Recipes
-Pinterest


 We get so caught up in life that we often forget to be thankful. I really enjoyed doing this activity with my husband because it gave us the chance to connect and reflect. It made us realize that we really do have so much to be thankful for. I highly recommend that everyone participate in this activity around the Thanksgiving table. Put away all the electronics!  Spend quality time with those you are with this Thanksgiving and just give Thanks and be Thankful!


 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.  1 Chronicles 16:34

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  Psalm 100:4


Have a safe, blessed and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! 






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Black Friday Target Style: Savvy Sweaters



It's the week of Thanksgiving and It's time to give Thanks. However, we should always give thanks not just on Thanksgiving. It's also the week of Black Friday! It's time to get the Christmas shopping kicked in High Gear.

I love shopping at Target. They always have great deals. This year on Black Friday they are having 40% off on all sweaters and Shirts. What woman doesn't love a good sweater? I know I sure do.  So if you are looking to buy some stylish sweaters for your mom, sister, aunt, cousin, friend or Woman in your life, then look no further than Target. They have the most adorable sweaters and you can't beat 40% off on Black Friday's Deals. Here is the round-up of my favorite savvy sweaters. Tif @ Bright on a Budget also has a great Black Friday Target Style Guide so don't forget to check it out.

To shop just click on the images below. Go ahead and add them to your shopping cart and when Black Friday rolls around, the sales prices will hit and all you have to do is check-out.




Target Style- Savvy Sweaters


Notice the Ugly Sweater up top! I just had to add this to my list of favorites. Target has the most adorable Ugly Sweaters that will be perfect for any Ugly Sweater Christmas party.

Target sales in store start at 6pm Thanksgiving Evening to get an early start for Black Friday Shoppers. Sales will also be online too. However, I'm not sure what time online sales begin.

 Don't forget to shop with Ebates.  It's a legitimate website that gives you cash back for your purchases from your favorite stores. You even get some just for signing up!  They'll even have special cash back deals around Black Friday and throughout the Christmas shopping season.

 Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Shopping!
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High Five For Friday: Movies and Holiday Happenings

Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly High Five For Friday linkup hosted by Tif@ Bright On A Budget, Katie @ Cup of Tea, Caitlin  @ Coffee With Caitlin and myself. We're glad you're here!


This week's featured bloggers are Jessica and Katie from Sweet Little Ones. They are sisters, wives, mothers and best friends. They are also co-hosts of Tuesday Talk. Their blog is such a heartfelt blog. I have followed along on their journey of infertility and adoption. One of my favorite posts of theirs is the recent post of The Most Important Mission: Love. It is so inspiring and it will touch your heart. Please stop by their blog and say hello.  




*This has been a sad week with all the things that have happened in Paris. We live in a scary world. We need to pray hard for our world. Pray for those in Paris. They need God's comfort now more than ever. 

It's the week before Thanksgiving and It's down to crunch time. Time to get the grocery shopping started. 

1) Did you see my recent blog post? I posted my favorite Thanksgiving Dessert: Fresh Apple Cake. It's everyone's favorite and I know you will love it too. You will definitely want to add it to your list of desserts to fix. You can find the recipe here





2) Over the weekend, we celebrated my nephew's birthday. I had intended on making a Metallica cake for him because that's his favorite band, but my edible images kept ripping. So I had to hurry and make this cake last minute. I don't think I did too bad under pressure lol. I told him that the music notes were the closest to Metallica he was getting lol. He loved it anyway.

3) I've been busy with Christmas wreath orders this week. Frosty is my favorite so far!


4) Raylan attended his second movie. We watched The Peanuts Movie along with Tif from Bright on a Budget and her son Kane. It was such a cute movie. I have always loved Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Raylan loved it at first but was fighting sleep toward the end of the movie, so needless to say the last part didn't go so well. 

5) Raylan received his first personalized phone call from Santa and Mrs. Claus. He loved it. It's a cute little app that you can download to your smart phone and it even saves the message as a voicemail. 

Well that's a wrap for me. I hope everyone has a safe and blessed Thanksgiving. Don't eat too much Turkey and Dressing!  May God Bless you! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thanksgiving Dessert: Fresh Apple Cake

Thanksgiving is only a week away. It's time to start getting our lists together and head off to the grocery store.  I have a dessert recipe that you will want to add to your menu of things to fix this Thanksgiving. Today I want to share with you a recipe that is very near and dear to my heart. It was one of my moms favorite recipes. She and I would always make this dessert together every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Oh the memories! I miss her dearly, but I'm so thankful for the many memories I have with her including baking for the Holidays.  So without further ado, I present to you Fresh Apple Cake!


This apple cake is a must for the dessert table. It's one that everyone loves and doesn't disappoint.

What you will need:

1 1/2 cups of Vegetable or Canola Oil
2 Cups of Sugar
3 Eggs
2 Cups of Self- Rising Flour
3 Cups of diced Apples
1 tsp of Cinnamon
1 tsp of Vanilla

First mix Oil, Sugar and Eggs together then gradually add in flour.
Next add Cinnamon and Vanilla to mixture
Last gradually add in Diced Apples

Mix well until apples are softened into mixture


You can use any type of pan you want, but I prefer a bundt pan. Make sure to spray the pan really well so that the cake doesn't stick.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes on 325 degree



It's such a delicious and moist cake with just the right amount of spices. It's one of my favorites and it's always a must for our Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. 

Have you ever tried an apple cake before? What's your favorite recipe?


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All Wrapped Up: Blanket Scarf and Booties

Admittedly, this is the first year that I have been on the blanket scarf band wagon. I don't know why I waited so long to purchase one of these jewels. Why didn't someone tell me what I was missing out on? I love how warm they are and the many ways that you can wear them. They are just fabulous! Cold weather has settled in here in Ky, so a blanket scarf and some boots are must haves to keep you all wrapped up, warm and cozy. Here I'm styling my blanket scarf and ankle booties with my favorite Olive Green Shirt Dress.









Photo Compliments of my wonderful blogging friend Tif @ Bright on a Budget



Olive green is another one of those IT colors this fall. I love how the colors in the scarf really accent the dress. The brown in the boots and my Rose Gold Kendra Scott "Lee" Earrings add the perfect final touch to this fall outfit.  Even though it's a fall outfit, it can also transition into a winter outfit. The scarf and boots can definitely be worn over and over again throughout the winter. The dress can also been worn again and the earrings too, after all; greens and golds are Christmas colors too!

To achieve this look:
Olive Green Shirt Dress: Rue 21
Blanket Scarf: Rue 21(Similar)
Ankle Booties: Dooballo Footwear- Currently Unavailable
Kendra Scott "Lee" Earrings in Rose Gold: Nordstrom

What's your favorite way to style a blanket scarf and booties?




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Fall Fashion Staples: Burgundy and Leopard

I feel like Burgundy is the IT color this fall. I love burgundy and I feel comfortable wearing it. However, sometimes the color can get plain dull. I like to spice the color up a little bit when I'm wearing it and make a bold statement. One of my favorite ways to dress burgundy up is by pairing it with Leopard prints. I also like to add  black to really make the burgundy stand out.







I matched a black cardigan with the burgundy skirt, along with a leopard scarf and  leopard clutch.  The leopard really makes the outfit pop. I also added my favorite Cognac Marci Ankle Booties and added rose gold earrings. This is the perfect fall look!  I love how I styled this. What do you think? 
This was the most fun I have ever had wearing an outfit. I might have went a little crazy creative but that's what makes an outfit right?! We can't always dress plain Jane. What fun would that be?  After all, somebody has to make a fashion statement!

What's your favorite way to style burgundy?

To get this complete look:
Button Up Cardigan - Target -(Similar)
Burgundy Pencil Skirt- Rue 21 (similar)
 Marci Ankle Booties- Dooballo Footwear
Kendra Scott "Lee" Earrings in Rose Gold- Nordstrom 
Leopard Clutch (Gift) -Purple Peridot
Leopard Infinity Scarf  (Gift) - Amazon (Similar)



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High Five For Friday

Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly High Five For Friday linkup hosted by Tif@ Bright On A Budget, Katie @ Cup of Tea, Caitlin  @ Coffee With Caitlin and myself. We're glad you're here!



This week's featured blogger is Annie from All Things Big and Small. Annie is a stay at home mom. She has a DIY Lifestyle blog. Annie and her husband are DIY their way to their dream home. I love her recent post of how to make a DIY upholstered headboard. Please stop by and say hello to Annie!



This week has been a little rough. Raylan tested positive for strep. He hasn't felt well at all, so please say a prayer for him. Here are my favorites from this week. 

1) Once Raylan was asleep, I got to work on putting up our Christmas tree. I just couldn't wait any longer. 


The look on his little face was priceless when he woke up and saw it. I'm so glad I got to capture this moment. He just loves the tree. 

2) It's been a week for my favorite Christmas treats. I love peppermint mocha coffee creamer. It's simply the best. 

And peppermint bark is my all time favorite Christmas candy. 

3) I captured this photo of such a beautiful Sunset one evening this week. God sure does create such amazingly beautiful things. 

4) Potty training has officially started and so far it is going well. Fingers crossed that it continues to go smooth. 

5) Most Black Friday ads came out this week. I'm scouting out some good deals and gearing up for the big day with Tif @ Bright on a Budget who is my shopping partner in crime. What are Black Friday deals are you looking for?

Well that's it for this week's High Five For Friday. Have a blessed weekend friends!

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How I Style It: Plaid About It

Plaid is where it's at this fall! Everywhere you look you see plaid in all of its beauty. There are so many choices when it comes to wearing plaid. You really can't go wrong with this fashion trend. My favorite way to style plaid is the relaxed yet trendy look. Here I'm styling my favorite navy and red plaid button down with my new favorite mom life tee. I also added my ever so comfortable J Crew Skinny Jeans and my Sperry Boat Shoes with a plaid design on them. This look has to be one of the most comfortable forms of fashion which is perfect for anyone, especially us moms. It's great to wear anywhere really!





                  I just love this tee. Mom life really is the best life! I wouldn't trade it for anything!
       


What is your favorite way to wear plaid? Don't forget to join the lovely ladies of the How I Style it link-up and hashtag your plaid look #plaidaboutit



To get this look:
Navy & Red Button Down: Rue 21
Mom Life Tee: @threadtank_apparel 
Midrise Skinny Jeans: J.Crew Factory -Currently Unavailable
Sperry Boat Shoes: Shoe Carnival
Necklace: Gift





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High Five For Friday

Hello everyone! Welcome to the weekly High Five For Friday linkup hosted by Tif@ Bright On A Budget, Katie @ Cup of Tea, Caitlin  @ Coffee With Caitlin and myself. We're glad you're here!


This week's featured blogger is Tiffany @ Terry's Go Round. Tiffany lives in the Midwest. She is a wife and a mom who lives on a farm. She is a writer and a photographer.  She has a lot of neat tutorials and recipes on her blog that you are sure to love. Make sure to stop by and tell Tiffany hello!



This week has been a slow but good week. I actually have got to go to bed early twice this week which never happens so that's always a plus. How was everyone's Halloween? I hope it was great.

1) We had a great Halloween.  We had Trick or Treat last Thursday, but on Halloween we took Raylan to his cousins birthday party and then out to dinner. It was a good day.

2) Raylan and I started our Thanksgiving book of the month. We are currently reading 10 Fat Turkeys. It's such a cute little book. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to start reading the Christmas books to him.


3) Did you enter the awesome Kendra Scott and Sephora giveaway that a bunch of us blogging gals are participating in along with Tif@ Bright on a Budget in honor of Tif's Birthday?


You can enter here if you haven't already.

4) Raylan and I made a Thanksgiving Craft this week. Meet Mr. Turkey! The feathers are his hand prints. We really enjoyed making this together.



5) I made some delicious White Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge. I just love Pinterest lol!


I feel like it's been a week full of Thanksgiving activities which I love. However, I'm just about ready to put my Christmas Tree up. I just love Christmas. I'm so excited to see Raylan's face when he first sees the tree. Is anyone else putting up their tree soon?

Thanks for linking up! Have a great and safe weekend! God Bless You!





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Kendra Scott and Sephora Giveaway


Today is Tif's  @ Bright On A Budget Birthday. Tif isn't only my blogging buddy but one of my best friends in real life. So join me in wishing Tif a very Happy 29th Birthday! Tif is always the life of the party. Let's just say there is never a dull moment with her. So for her birthday, we are celebrating big! We present to you a giveaway in honor of her birthday. Don't forget to enter! Make sure to follow all instructions. Good Luck! 

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Martinis & Bikinis | Green Fashionista | Della Devoted | The Sequin Notebook
Doused in Pink | Cup of Tea | Legal Lee Blonde | Garay Treasures




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