Hello/Good-bye Link-up # 5

Hello December! Goodbye November!
Hello making lists and checking them twice

Hello Christmas ham, Goodbye Thanksgiving Turkey 

Hello holiday baking, Goodbye self-control

Hello season of giving, Goodbye buying for me
Hello lots of family time and game nights

Hello fleece lined leggings, Goodbye pants (seriously these things are amazing)

Hello surprise plans for Drew's 30th birthday, Goodbye hard earned money from my Etsy shop
Hello Christmas lights and awesome husband

Hello hot chocolate by our fire place

Hello Christmas music, Goodbye pretending not to listen to Christmas music before December

Hello book club and our first ever holiday book exchange 
Hello 5th annual Tacky Sweater party, Goodbye caring about looking fashionable

Hello to every Christmas movie out there, Goodbye non-holiday movies

Hello new oven, Goodbye oven from the 16th century (Yes I'm slightly exaggerating)

Hello mailbox full of real mail (I love Christmas cards!!)

Hello online shopping, Goodbye black Friday shopping

Hello FREE shipping in my Etsy shop tomorrow! Use the code CYBERMONDAY13.

I'm so glad December is here! What are you saying hello to this month?

Link-up Rules:
-Follow my blog in whatever way you like (Bloglovin, Instagram, GFC...)
-Grab the amazing button below created by my talented design friend Erin and add it to your post when you link up below or just link back to my blog

<div align="center">
<a href="http://nestfuloflove.blogspot.com/" title="Nestful of LOve"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/2cfw903.jpg" alt="Nestful of LOve" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Featured: Naughty and Nice Party + free shipping coupon code!

Sarah from Be Envied Entertaining contacted me back in October about using my Naughty and Nice banner for a Naughty and Nice themed party. I gladly sent her a banner and absolutely loved her set up for a Naughty and Nice party! Doesn't it make you want to plan your own???

Check out her website for more pictures and details from the party and if you are interested in purchasing a banner from my shop use the code CYBERMONDAY13 on Monday for free shipping. 

Meeting Ree Drummond aka Pioneer Woman!

If any of you have read my blog for any length of time you know I am pretty much obsessed with Pioneer Woman. I got giddy when I found out she was going to be in Cincinnati again. And this past Monday I got to meet her for the second time. I mean look at us...we are basically BFF. I told her I had a tab on my blog dedicated to her recipes and since I was in the first flight of people to meet her I felt like I got some quality time to chat with her. She is so sweet and down to earth. 

I also got to hang out with Sarah and finally meet Bethany!

PW, my dear friend Alison and I.

Ree and her adorable daughters!

I now have all 3 of her cookbooks signed!

If you are looking for a great Christmas gift for a friend, your Mom, Aunt, Grandma...this is it. Ree's holiday cookbook is amazing and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to start cooking out of this cookbook! 

Lost Files: METALLIC pumpkins!

A while back I went with my family to the pumpkin patch obviously with the intention of picking out some adorable pumpkins. Normally I love a good orange pumpkin, but this year I wanted a more sophisticated looking pumpkin.

It just so happened that Michael's was having a sale on metallic spray paint so I thought why not spray paint my pumpkins?? I used Krylon Metallic Spray Paint and it worked like a charm. I love the idea of spray painted pumpkins as a Thanksgiving centerpieces as well!! And since the plan right now is for me to host Thanksgiving next weekend you might be seeing this again.

Have you ever spray painted a pumpkin?

My new favorite sweater + a site you NEED to know about!

Sweater: Brickyard Buffalo, Bowler Hat: H&M, Jeans: Lauren Conrad, Boots: Nine West

So it snowed in Ohio yesterday, which made me immediately search my closet for my most comfortable sweater, make myself some hot chocolate and blare my Christmas music. There's just something about a big chunky aztec sweater that makes me happy. Thankfully I was able to snag this amazing sweater from the pop up shop Brickyard Buffalo.

I've already bought more from this site than I've ever bought from an online site before. Basically it's an online shop that is always adding deals from some of the most current and modern companies. I got this sweater for $22 instead of $44. The only downside is you have to act quickly or deals sell out.

If you are looking for cute Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers check out this site. I promise you won't regret it...unless you walk away after spending hundreds of dollars, which could totally happen!

Happy hump day!

Linking up with Shanna.

There's always something to be thankful for

Thank you all so much for your sweet words about my Grandpa. I will be traveling to Kentucky today to be with family and celebrate his life. Amidst all the emotions and sadness this week has brought there is always something to be thankful for...

I'm thankful for 28 wonderful years with my grandpa and for all he taught me

I'm thankful for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

I'm thankful for a job that I love and for co-workers and parents who encourage me

I'm thankful for holiday craft shows and dear friends

I'm thankful for a supportive and loving family

I'm thankful for new curtains

I'm thankful for the colors of fall

I'm thankful that the sun rises each day

I'm thankful that my favorite comfort food is only 5 minutes away (Chipotle of course)

I'm thankful for a husband who lets my cry on his shoulder

I'm thankful for a God who cares so much about his children

"Your love is faithful Lord and even the clouds in the sky can depend on you. Your decisions are always fair. They are firm like the mountains, deep like the sea, and all people and animals are under your care. Your love is a treasure, and everyone finds shelter in the shadow of your wings."

Psalms 36:5-7

Make every moment count and always, always be thankful!

On his way home (11-4-13)

My sweet grandpa went to be with Jesus last night.

I am so incredibly blessed to have had this man in my life for 28 years. He was the type of grandpa that any little girl would have been lucky to have. Even though he lived in another state he was always at every grandparent's day event, every graduation, every birthday party and holiday. He and my grandma would send cards just to tell me how much they loved me or how proud of me they were. He loved his family and he loved the Lord with all his heart. 

This weekend our family gathered together from all over to say their goodbyes. Even though my grandpa was tired and weak he made sure to tell each grandchild how much he loved them. He always knew how to make us all feel special. 

Driving in on Saturday I wasn't sure what to expect. My mom had been with him for a few days and said he wasn't very responsive, but what I walked into that afternoon I will never forget. My grandparent's pastor had come to visit and when Drew and I walked in my grandparent's room my aunts, grandma and the pastor were circled around my grandpa's bed singing Amazing Grace. What I did not expect to see was my grandpa doing his best to sing with them. That moment was such a gift to me.

While my grandpa will be missed by all of us I am so comforted to know that he is happy and free from pain in Heaven. My Aunt Kathy found the letter below while going through some of my grandpa's things from the war. The letter below is the letter he wrote his parents when he found out he was discharged from the service and we thought the message he wrote on the front was so fitting. I know my grandpa was saying these same words last night as he went to be with the Lord.

Hello/Goodbye Link-up #4

Hello November, Goodbye October
Hello PW Holiday cookbook, Goodbye to not knowing what to cook for the holidays
Hello Holiday Craftshows, Goodbye money
Hello Slippers and cozy PJs
Hello again Pioneer Woman!!!

Hello 2nd quarter, Goodbye 1st quarter and parent conferences

Hello Allison and Drew, Goodbye Mary Poppins and Bert

Hello Thanksgiving, Goodbye Halloween

Hello Christmas orders and shopping
Hello Christmas music (yes I'm one of those people)
Hello regular skype dates, Goodbye missing Courtney and Gunther

Happy November!

Link-up Rules:
-Follow my blog, Nestful of Love in whatever way you like (Bloglovin, GFC...)
-Grab the amazing button below created by my talented design friend Erin and add it to your post when you link up below or just link back to my blog

<div align="center">
<a href="http://nestfuloflove.blogspot.com/" title="Nestful of LOve"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/2cfw903.jpg" alt="Nestful of LOve" style="border:none;" /></a></div>