Rudy...

This is "Rudy"...our soon-to-be adopted doggy!

We loved our playdate with you today and can't wait until you are here to stay!

xoxoxo

Your new family...

Pantry Update

Loving my newly cleaned and re-organized pantry!

Thanks to my new shelves that Bryan installed in our basement I was able to move alot of my non-essential entertaining things as well as small appliances, extra trays, etc...OUT!

I grouped like items together in baskets such as oils, baking supplies, kids breakfast and school lunch/snack.

I also enjoy some of my grandmother's china patterns as well and my collection of white ironstone, milk glass and my cake plates.  They are easy to access and so pretty to see - they make me happy!  So, I am contiuning to move through my l house list (major!) of cleaning, organizing, re-purposing, some re-decorating and updating too...it will take most of the year to accomplish what I want but thats OK...I am trying to just enjoy the journey! 

Birthday Bowling...

Campbell's Birthday is December 22...poor guy, hard to have a birthday so close to Christmas but actually he makes out pretty good because we probably do more just to over compinsate!  We always celebrate his actual birthday with just family and he gets to pick where...usually it is Chuck E Cheese but this year we went downtown St.joe to the Curious Kids Museum and than sat fireside for lunch at Schu's on the Lake...we watched it snow and ate some yummy food!  then it was back home for cake and presents.  So, we  then celebrate with friends in January.  This year we left the house and Campbell hosted his party for 11 boys (wild!) at the bowling alley...where we also played mini golf and had pizza and cake.  It was a really fun night, I LOVE birthdays...I love the planning and celebrating and the colors and "themes" and the cake and just all of it...how special to celebrate the day you brought your child(ren) into the world...truly Gifts from God!  Here are some highlights from the night...

11 boys, 1 sister, 1 baby brother, 1 helper, 2 parents, 4 pizzas, 3 pitchers of Sprite, 10,000 "boys, don't jump on that...boys, get off that", 3 sets of bowling, 1 round of mini golf, 830 gumballs given as favors in 12 mason jars...(well, 830 bought with plenty to spare!) - tags that said "We had a "ball" bowling! Thanks for coming to my party..."...4 cake mixes used to make bowling ball/pin cake), 160 pictures taken, 1 set of very tired parents...1 very happy Birthday Boy!  We love you Cam!...

Christian's Cut...

Christian's FIRST haircut...January 20, 2010

It always kills me to do it but it was time!

As I'd hoped, it is beginning to curl back up and is so blond, which is strange because Bryan and I are both dark haired.

Miranda cuts our whole family's hair and she does a great job - no "Hair Cuttery" for us -I am soo picky about my kid's hair - hair and pictures, I swear nothing stresses me out more...I should be tons of fun at Charlotte's wedding, ha! ha!

Anyway, Charlotte and Campbell had their do's done too and were a great help with their baby brother...the sucker was a huge help too!

After the round of haircuts it was off to the bowling alley to celebrate Campbell's 8th birthday!...more on that later!

So, Christain did great and it was bittersweet for me...all of his "firsts" are now my "lasts" and sometimes that is a hard pill for me to swallow!

I love you Christian!

and for you BLOGGER users...where did the spellcheck go?!

I "heart" this...

I am in LOVE with this wreath!  It is made from cupcake liners...darling!  Head on over to

www.tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com to see the tutorial and lots

of

other cute projects! 

These liners would also make cute Valentine's in the shape of a heart...you could cut out a big piece of cardboard

into a heart shape

and

 then apply the liners...so cute!

Do you have a fun and favorite Valentine craft to share?!

Love...

 This little guy is keeping me on my toes!  He is talking like crazy, is afraid of nothing and loves to flush the toilet, unwind the TP and he adores a seat up on the counter...He giggles like crazy and loves to snuggle and cuddle, he exhausts me and amazes me each new day...I have said it 1,000 times before but "managing" 3 kids, in 3 very different stages of life has been hard to adjust to...even though we are 2 years in - I just never dreamed it would be so much harder than 2...I guess it is all relative and depends on many factors but I am soooo anal, so type A, ...not the most laid back person (ha!) so maybe that has contributed to the fact that I can't seem to let things go...the messes, oh the messes, the noise, the constant (or seems to be) refereeing... the chaos of daily life that seems to ensue around here...with that being said, he is the greatest joy and blessing - a miracle really, to this family, he changed the dynamic and deepened the love in my heart -  which I was sure could never hold any more love than it already did for the other two...Anyway...Valentine's Day is around the corner and while many don't like February, I have always loved it - its all pink and happy and "love-y" and sappy and a time I like to remind myself of how blessed I am...3 children and a man who is so precious to me... - an amazing father and a more amazing husband.  So, what do you love about Valentine's Day...or February?!

A Favorite!

Dry, chapped hands?...

This is the very best...

Promise!

Winter Warm-Ups

Trying to keep the winter blues at bay...the kids and I made this winter garland last week from 90% off Target ornaments leftover from Christmas...

(garland idea from http://www.memoriesoncloverlane.blogspot.com/ - these say "winter" to me...mot Christmas. We also used sparkly, silver ornaments and cute wooden snowman ornaments too. I tied them all onto pom-pom fringe...we also made a wintry landscape for the mantle too, snowman, winter trees, white branches that emulate a tree and a glitter snowman. I have lots of white candles and mercury glass that help to make it all very cozy and warm. I light my candles every night (favorite scent is "Winter" / Slatkin Candle Co. ) and we burn a fire almost nightly too. To "better" our view (who wants to see across the barren yard to the neighbors kitchen?!) we recycled our Christmas tree by putting it outside our window, on top of our table, we made lots of pine cone bird feeders to hang on it...it looks beautiful with all the snow on top of its branches and the birds are loving their new home. What are you doing to keep your home warm and cozy?

Brrrrr.....

Even "Grace Elizabeth American Girl Doll" is embracing the cold and snowy ice with her very own indoor skating rink (homemade!)... But doesn't she look so cute?!

One of those days...

11:09pm...Tired...STILL in my PJ's (and its 11pm) no shower, (obviously) did I even brush my teeth today? can't recall......house is quiet - Praise God, kitchen is clean - finally! and coffee is on for bright and early! It was one of those days...and I don't like a "scattered" Monday, makes for a bad start. Awoke at 1am to a sick, fevered, congested child who was up half the night, out of coffee early and a fussy, fussy, needy 2 year old to boot. It snowed all.day.long...again. Gray and cold and we were stuck inside not that I really wanted to leave anyway, always big plans for the start of the week though...just wanted to keep it real over here! Since this is in fact my truthful account, I need to look back one day and remember the trying times as well as the good times too. Lots of other "little" annoyances happened today but I won't fixate, instead , I'll appreciate the "extra" cuddles and snuggles I got today and the reminder that I am these babies whole world and that they are my gifts! So, I'm off to take a hot shower, brush my teeth, drink a big glass of water and slather on lots of smell-good lotion, climb in my cozy bed with clean sheets and cozy-up to a man I am crazy about... and just thank God that I'll get another chance tomorrow to make it a good day.

Sweet dreams!

Pillow Talk

I am thinking of using these pillows by Nate Berkus' line for HSN in Campbell's room...he has two twin beds in white and already has madras plaid quilts and shams but I thought these were so sharp ! They are a silk-like tie material. And if / when he tires of the madras then we can use these alone with solid comforters or as a new starting point for bedding. I am "updating" and tweaking, changing and "re-accessorizing" the big kid's rooms this Winter...it is all about the inside with 3 feet of snow on the ground right now and 6-10" more inches expected tonight.
So what do you think...too grown-up for an 8 year old boys room? But for $7.9s each can you really go wrong anyway?

A dog gone good time! (ha!)

Christian's Birthday

Christian turned 2 on December 6th...hard to believe but true! We had a very small group of friends over for a casual dinner and cake. He loves doggies right now - well in the form of books, stuffed animals, etc...up close, a real-live dog, no way! The kids decorated "dog houses" (ie gingerbread houses) - this is always a hit with young and old kids alike! Some of his favorite stuffed doggies were piled in a basket on a 'fur" blanket as our centerpiece. I used chocolate brown and blue as our colors and had fun making cupcake toppers and covering the water bottles and frosting cans with coordinating paper! After cake and champagne and presents everyone went home with homemade chocolate play-doh and a dog or dog bone cookie cutter. We also sent unfinished wood dog bone ornaments home to decorate at their leisure. It was a special day and he loved the attention and I loved throwing him a special party - I love birthdays and love celebrating my children!

Let It Snow...

So we are buried in the white fluffy stuff here...(needed a reason to show my white feather wreath which I LOVE!!!...Anyway, close to a foot... It has made for great playtime outside with friends, plenty of hot cocoa and fireside games! My wreath reminds me of pure white snow - I made this to hang over our bed this Christmas, just a small touch in our room! It was simple...I just wrapped 2 feather boas around a white Styrofoam wreath and hot-glued the beginning and end points. I attached a gray silk ribbon to hang it from and for some sparkle added one of my grandmother's old broaches! I love to "craft"...I could do things like this all. day. long! Especially on snow days! Stay warm wherever you are!

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year!

I hope it is a fabulous year for you...in all the ways that matter to your heart!