Stuff

Sneak Peek at the new vanity for our master bath redo.  Things are moving along nicely, almost too fast as I am dragging my feet on some final big decisions (not like me)! 

In other news,

• we are getting very excited for our family trip to Disney in the end of February
• i am working out very regularly again and i love it
• we have one of the worst winters on record (temps and snow) but we have manged to do tons of sledding some skiing and snowboarding and ice skating!
• i continue to be crazy busy behind on laundry...help!  someone must have a remedy for me?  :) i think my kids have too many clothes...
• we have big plans for our kitchen this summer~
• Charlotte has started "cheer" for a local bb team...i am helping as a coach's assistant and we are both LOVING it...seriously, she is so cute with her pom poms!i need to post some pics...
• i love February...i feel so loved all month and i celebrate my birthday just 4 days after valentine's day - which i LOVE too...then it seems like spring is right around the corner!

Happy week ahead!

Campbell's Bday

Still here...still recapping December just in time for Valentines Day~ ha.

Just wanted to share a few pics from Campbell's 9th Birthday.  December 22nd he turned 9 - CANNOT believe!  He really wanted to go see my parents, outside Chicago...the day was all about him, whet he wanted to do, where he wanted to go, etc...it was a fun day trip and I love going home to the Village where I grew-up...frozen lake, quaint downtown, Trader Joe's, a park on every corner, etc...I digress...so without further ado...

Celebrating at one of his favs...Alfie's Inn (best hamburgers ever!)

With Shoogie (my Mom)

Another cake...soccer!  Baby brother watching...look at those feet!

Happy Birthday sweet boy!

May all your wishes come true this year!

More December

I am still trying to recap our December and Christmas ...

And wanted to remember some of the ordinary days and time

 we spent together!

Having SILLY dance parties with my babies...

  Watching the kids preform in their Christmas play at Church...

 Decorating Gingerbread houses on a cold, snowy Sunday...

(I love that Christian sticks his tongue out when concentrating!)

Getting homemade gifts from my babies...

 

    Having our best girlfriends over for a PJ party,

hot cocoa and to exchange  our Christmas gifts!

Playing Barbies by the tree...

 

Taking time to slow down and enjoy our tree and each other!

Celebrating his 9th Birthday with a special weekend trip to Chicago!

(that post to follow)



Christmas at our Home 2010

Wanted to share a few pictures of our home

all decorated for Christmas "last" year...2010

(I am determined to recap December even if it takes all of Jan 2011!)

Winter vibe more than Christmas this year...trying to mimic what Pottery Barn did as display in their stores this year...did you see?  Simply stunning!

White fur, natural elements like Boxwood, grapevine and white flowers, some mercury glass and lots of white candles!  Loved how it came together

And since there was alot happening next to the stairs, I decided to abandon my usual greenery business and just used the lime green "scarfing" and lots of leopard /animal print ribbons and hung lime green glitter snowflakes

Dining room I used more lime green...in candles and other accessories and all my Fitz and Floyd Town&Country  dishes, white Pointsettas and I hung my collection of Gorham Silver ornaments.  I love to showcase them this way!

Lots of vintage balls inside my Pine cabinet...simple...

More piled in a white ruffle bowl...again, simple

and makes me so happy to see!

Pink and green glitter cone tress...$3.99!  They are so fun...my Rooster is all pretty too with her silk ribbon and pink ball necklace

My favorite green birdcage with a winter vignette inside...

In the breakfast room I tied fresh greens and red balls to the chandelier...I also added lots more animal print ribbon - have loved using that!

Fresh greens, pine cones, red balls and lots of white candles

 in the Family Room

Gum drop and Peppermint topiaries that the kids and I made while on bedrest with Christian...this was their 4th Christmas with us and although I am tired of them they are sentimental and I cannot imagine not using them...they are sitting on some sweet snow...sugar!

A favorite new tray from HL...1/2 off...

I'll share the trees, mantle  and back staircase another day...

We have received over 25" of snow in the last 30 hours it was magical and we have had a great weekend sledding and building igloos, having a snowball fight, enjoying Chili with friends and consuming LOTS of Cocoa!



A SWEET Birthday

Still in recap mode from the Holidays...

Christian's 3rd Birthday

We invited just a few close friends for Donuts in their PJ's

We love morning parties around here...everyone is happy (usually) and the food is easy/fun to prepare and you and your guests still have the rest of the day free!

 

The Birthday Boy in his donut shirt and flannel PJ bottoms

I am so in love with all these wooden Melissa and Doug wooden food sets

these are the donuts...the kids had fun changing the "toppings" and stacking them all up!

(Kept the decor pretty simple (which was hard for me))...

The breakfast bar...with some pics of the Birthday Boy mixed in!

 

Hot Cocoa Bar

Also served little chocolate milks with cute red striped straws...did not get a picture though, shoot!

Mimosas for the Mommy's & Daddy's

 

Front Door...I love to do something really fun at the front door or in the entry...it makes such a statement but I ran out of time, this was thrown together quickly but it was cute!  A scrapbook page in party colors, attached with a big wooden "C" and lots of polka dot ribbons attached to a wreath

I about died when I spotted this donut ornament at HL earlier this Winter...I knew it would be perfect...it says "Every good day starts with Sprinkles" so fun!  It hung over the breakfast bar!

Donuts, fresh fruit, granola bars, muffins and quiche were served...not to self make sure all donuts have sprinkles...this helps avoid controversy!  The sprinkles were the Birthday boy's fav!

 

The Donut "cake"...

Make a wish sweet boy!

Christian and "Isa"...his very special friend!

Lisa is a very special friend to me too...so lucky to have she and her family across the street!

No games or anything since it was mostly little ones but we did have wooden color kits that were Gingerbread Men...cute and at $1 a piece a great deal... the 3 and up crowd enjoyed those too!

I also had the wooden donuts out to play with along with some other fun "sweets" in the form of puzzles and toys, and pretend breakfast food

 

One of the only family pics we got...I ordered donut iron-ons from Etsy and picked up some tees from HL...boys wore red and girls pink! 

I love to coordinate for parties!  :)

Friends...big and small!

Christian,

your 3rd Birthday

was just as sweet as you are...

We love you!

Christmas Morning

I am so behind...behind in blog posts, life, laundry, notes...etc.  But our Christmas was wonderful and I want to share some pictures!  Bryan was off for 2 full weeks...we stayed busy but had lots of downtime too.  We had some fun day trips, slept in, played games, lounged in our jams, shared dinner and football with friends, ice skated, skied, drank lots of cocoa and ate a ton...it was alot of fun. Christmas was magical...seeing their faces as the rush down the stairs is priceless!  Nothing brings me more joy!

Making cookies for Santa...

Santa has come...

for Charlotte Rose

and Campbell...

and Christian...

Stockings!  Always a favorite for me as a little girl and now for my kids...

Santa knows what we love!

FINALLY!  A pogo stick...seeing the goodies for the first time...

A Jellycat...a pink giraffe trimmed in velvet...do you know about Jellycats?

A "Cartoon" (what he calls "Cars") suitcase for Disney next month...

Mommy got a....

PINK Ipod...3s a charm!...

A Batcave...so fun! ..."Banty" or "Bantam" as Christian calls Batman...

A Notre Dame football...

  City Apartment for Barbies'... fully furnished...all wood...so fun!

Just a few highlights from Christmas morning!