{making memories}

This year, instead of exchanging gifts {that would very likely eventually be purged;},

Angela & I decided to have a craft/play day for the kids with yummy, healthy

foods like donuts and coffee cake, Christmas cokes and some coffee with our cream. 

Perfectly healthy.

And, as funny as it was that the kids were much more interested in playing

than completely our fun, well-thought out projects.....memories were definitely

made.  It was much better than any gift exchange.  Here are a few pictures

of our memory making day.  The only negative was when it ended!

We will definitely be making this a tradition!

 A PREASSEMBLED Gingerbread House! 
That solves many issues of years past!
It is the first one ever that didn't collapse.

Maybe we should use one for the barn rebuild. ;) 

And, this idea from pinterest as well.  I forgot to "turn" the picture. 
And, it still needed a trunk.

Well, to be honest, still does.  Maybe I'll paint that
before I display it next year. 

But, I love looking at their little hand prints. 
Well, on anything but the windows.

And, really that makes me swoon too!

 

{the reindeer}

have landed.

the elves have retired.

and, santa has left the building.

2011 complete. 

now, to enjoy my family &

celebrate our Savior! 

{dear nikon}

it seems that i do not work for food

but,

for your upgrades. 

although i am VERY excited,

it is also a painful experience.

just sayin'.

{24 more}

well, 48 would be a more accurate description.

{hours}

i think i can.  i think i can.

and, then,

i'm going to christmas party like

there's no tomorrow with my

boys come thursday.

and, wow, i may even have wednesday

to get ready for thursday.

i am beyond ready.

christmas music, coffee for pleasure  not for survival,

my quiet time during a quiet time all wrapped up in

blankets,  wrapping with no huge cloud hovering,

staying up late with the boys watching every Christmas movie

we can find, yummy treats and precious time with family

and friends.  yep.  i'm  ready.

now, back to the 24-48 hour stretch. ;)

{the giver or the gifts?}

hmmm....a very pertinent article.

{click and read below}

Where Will You Be on Christmas Morning?

The author had a few points I wouldn't have

likely thought of or mentioned - particularly about other faiths.

But, it is true, this issue was raised in my heart several

weeks ago as I felt I needed to "prepare" the boys.  I must say,

their responses shocked me.  But, made my heart smile

all the while.   When I explained that Christmas fell on

a Sunday and that we would be disrupting our normal tradition

of staying in our pj's all day, eating yummy things from the oven

all morning, playing with our new toys uninterrupted I truly

expected whining at the very least.  

They looked at me like I was stupid.

Of course they would be in church on Jesus' birthday.

Where else would we be?  

Noah even asked if he could wear a tie.

{they are getting it much more than I give them credit} 

{update, operation: date night}

check.

it's pretty much wrapped up. 

i am so lacking in the gift department for the boys??!

i'm a tad stressed there.

but, as it was stated in bible study just last week {how soon

i forget}...is it really about the number of present they have?

really.

okay, breathing again.

{a ray of sunshine}

i did take some time tonight to make some

goodies with the boys.  the gingerbread house

is still in her box because i just haven't had it in me.  yet.

these little pretzel hugs were so easy and so yummy!

 we were rolling along quite nicely until i got distracted

removing a batch from the oven, colliding with the heating

elements above and losing half the batch to the bottom of the oven.

the next batch tasted of nothing but burned hugs. 

that little endeavor ended quickly. :(

{banned from blog: scott walker}

holy moly, i'm excited!!!!

who knows?? maybe that painful Bible study on the song of solomon struck

a chord somewhere.....maybe. {wink}

but, this is too good not to share with my girlfriends. 

and, i'll get brownie points from the husbands too!  and, i need

all the help i can get there too as they all think i'm a nut. 

to put it lightly. ;)

okay, back to the task at hand.

operation:  date night

i absolutely cannot take credit for it but got the

idea from none other than my latest addiction:  pinterest.

but, it is a year of preplanned {for the most part} date nights.

i am going to spruce mine up a bit with some red leopard ribbon and embellishments. 

i'm so excited, i've even printed some labels/envelopes for a friend. 

but, the date nights can be very simple and budget friendly to all out

weekends away.  i want a mixture of both. 

i also purchased christmas cards for every month.  well, 13 actually, one to give with

the gift and one for each month, some serious, some totally hilarious! 

i can't put all of the ideas here because i want to surprise him and he is banned

from reading the blog until christmas.  but, i will post the monthly date nights

as they are opened per month.  

this has been so fun!  i've basically taken an idea

and will fill the envelope with simple things such as gift

cards, tickets, maps, printouts, etc and then on the day of the date
i will have a basket of goodies, picnic basket, 
a suitcase.....whatever may be applicable.

i think he will be a very happy guy!! 
but, i know that i am probably more excited in all of
the planning, collecting, reserving, etc than he will be. 

now, we just  need to establish a date-night childcare

coop for all of the friends and we'll all be good! ;)  

{check!}

i finished my last shoot of 2011 last night.

it was beautiful, but all i can say is THANK.YOU.GOD.

i survived.

i'm very thankful for the business, but very tired at this point.

so, i will finish up my edits and orders and enjoy Christmas

with my little family.  church will not be happening for us

this morning as scott is down for the count and evan has upper

respiratory havoc going on.  so,  although unplanned, we will be staying

home and in our pj's today.  i will finish my marathon on loading and ordering

{it is expected to last until the wee hours of tuesday morning}.  and, then, hopefully

finished for the most part except for orders.  whew! it's been a busy time and 

i'm ready to settle down.  i've met with my photog friend jess and we

are both revamping once again this year.  little tweaks to help us

stay in better balance with business and family.  i'm excited to start the new year. 

our barn pad is clean from debris.  starting over there as well, ha! 

{i can really only laugh.  really}

although, a  gingerbread house may be built today instead.  and,

if you know my reputation with gingerbread houses.  the outcome

will not likely be pretty.  fun maybe, but not pretty. 

the boys are going to start some Christmas gift projects today they've

been dying to do and i will supervise from my desk.  probably, not the brightest

idea in the world on my part.  but, i've put them off long enough. 

praise music in the background.

peppermint mocha in a new polka dot Christmas coffee mug. 

{you know, i drink from them all year long, so i added a few this year}

i may even get brave and post some snaps of the Christmas decorations 

today.  i do have one outside wreath out of eight hung outside.  i finish things

promptly like that.  so sad!  maybe they will all be hung the d day of tuesday.   

i'm looking forward to a cozy but productive day!! 

{peeking above}

I am literally up to my eyeballs in edits {a + for a small business regardless of the lack of sleep}, ornaments, mesh ribbon, wreaths {I'm hanging them on the windows this year, I love how southern that looks},  tubs and tubs of more Christmas decor, dogs, boys, cookies to bake, presents to wrap, dirty laundry, clean laundry, chickens and well, the demolition/clean up and redo of the barn, etc, etc, etc....} 

BUSY weekend ahead, but thankful for all of it!

and, surprise, surprise our family session got cancelled due to that crazy wind a couple of weeks ago.  I decided to forgo the family idea and bought new outfits for the boys.  Chapped lips for both boys to the Nth degree have postphoned that session as well. 

Maybe, just maybe I'll get cards out this year.

{oh, how i love....}

ribbon.....

at the rate i think we all purchased from the same store,

we should probably have a yard of ribbon swap to mix it up!

i'm not sure i can use 50 yards per design!  that's A LOT of ribbon....

but, i'm certain i'll have fun trying ;)

{this & that}

the barn/my office-studio.   it's coming along.

he is sick again.

low grade fever, aches and a big case of the blahs.

aka crankiness. :) 

i must say he looks pretty good in pink. :)   

below is right when savannah got caught eating crayons.  

i've totally lost it. 

it's not quite nov 1st yet.  my declared D-day. 

so, i've got a mix of fall, halloween and christmas going on.

a very small mix. 

but, if i don't, i won't by the looks of my calendar.

{November 1st = D Day}

in my world at least.

Since I already know that November

will be zipping by at a very rapid pace,

the fact that I won't be home for a little stretch,

and the fact that the bug bit me early....

I am going to start decorating on that first day of November.

In spurts.  Otherwise, it won't be done until Easter.

And, you know me......

I wouldn't be able to take it down until

the 4th of July.  So, although an early start for me,

it's the only way I'll manage.....

so excited!

Notice the Whimsical aka "crooked trees"  perfect for me as

all of mine are typically crooked by accident. ;)

I've got a stockpile growing!!  

I haven't bought much of anything for years, so this

year I am strategically stalking the Christmas aisles early. 

{fighting it like never before}

BUT, I am ready.

I've become the nut that usually irritates me.  I always like

to keep the seasons within the appropriate seasons and

not decorate for Christmas in July.  Like HL.

BUT, this year something is off-balanced. 

{ME!}

I am beside myself wanting to turn everything green and red.

But, I resist.

For now.