it's beginning...

to look a lot like Christmas. Okay I know I am a few days early but I couldn't help it. Justin is oncall this whole weekend so I wanted to make sure we got everything up. I really wanted a new wreath but I am already in trouble with visiting Modern Display after being away for 5 years (Justin and I started a tradition when we first got married to go to Modern Display and pick out one really nice ornament.) So I made up for being gone. Justin said don't even tell me how much you spent, please.
I will get the tripod out and take some pics of the new ornaments later. I do have to post about my old wreath reinvented. I bought a Restoration Hardware Icy Winter wreath on clearance a few years ago. It was looking a little ragged. I also had snowflake ornaments that I made a few years ago at a Super Saturday and made a ton of them. (disclaimer: They are totally addicting and fun to make.) Then I had some glass ornaments sitting in a container...I starting wondering if I should just add some stuff to my ragged wreath. I am so please with the way it turned out and I didn't have to spend any money. Wahoo! Justin will like it just for that.

Memories

I got this from Tonya's blog and it made me laugh as I was remembering silly things we had done. So here's the rules...
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. We all have some sort of memory... SO DO IT :)

5 in the bed...

and the little one said....Roll over I'm crowded.



Oh yeah this is what it is all about. We had so much fun last night; pizza, movies, Wii, cousins and whole lot of crazy. Thanks T and Papa! We missed you Peen!

flash back

okay so I glance back and a year ago I was waiting the arrival of my sisters to Connecticut. It is amazing how much has happened over this year. It is hard to find words to describe... But it made me realize how much I love my sisters (formality of sister-in-law just doesn't fit). And the fact that my sister Sarah was over with her daughter to cut my hair, my sister Natalie called and we are going to hang this weekend and we called Paige to figure out when we can escape to St. George for a girls trip. So we have Wicked playing in the background and it makes me smile. I love that we don't have to get on an airplane to get to hang out. Though I now have a new sister(in-law) that lives in California so we will have to do something about that. I am thankful to have awesome sisters.

oh and they have also convinced me to break and read Twilight before we go to the movie...so I bought it yesterday. I have to finish The Chronicles of Narnia before I will allow myself to read it. I am pretty close to finishing. Oh and speaking of books I have been on a serious kick recently. I guess it is better than sleep for me, because I am an obsessive reader (I can't put it down until I have finished...the whole series). I read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, the three Fablehavens, I can hardly wait for the 4th book. (You can blame it on Justin's cousin that we lived with for the month of July, she started us on it) 'A' is nearing the end of the 3rd book too. He is so in love with the books that he will sit and read any spare second he has and it is common to find him so engrossed in the book that hours have passed. Any good suggestions for what to have him read next would be great! Last school year he read all of The Spiderwick Chronicles, Magic Tree House, A to Z Mysteries, and the first Harry Potter. He will start on the second once he finishes Fablehaven. He also has read some of the Chronicles of Narnia too.

baby S

Okay this little girl is such a doll. I just love her. We met at church and it was instant LOVE for both of us. She has been my little buddy. I knew that I had to take pictures of her. The other great thing is I think her mom is the best too. I am just so sad that they are moving today to Virginia. I think it is truly unfair that I find someone I really like and they go and move. I guess it is only fair when I did that to my friends in Connecticut a few months ago. Anyway I look forward to hearing about their East coast living and maybe someday they will come back!!! Happy Trails Marci. I hope your flight goes along uneventful.

need quick ideas for Christmas gifts

So many cute and inspiring things at Bo Bunny's blog. I love them all. Here is what I did...coasters...super easy.

















What you will need is:
paper towels and a little rubbing alcohol
4 tumbled marble 4"x4" tiles found at a home improvement store
Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Satin Finish spray paint
16 felt circles for bottom of coasters
2 sheets of Bo Bunny Rub-Ons Pretty Flaky
1 sheet of Bo Bunny Rub-Ons Vineyard
Ribbon to tie in a bundle

Clean the top surface of the marble tile with the paper towel and alcohol to prep area. Rub the rub-ons directly to the top surface, going over the rub-on carefully to make sure it has stuck to the surface. After you have applied the rub-ons, gently spray with clear spray paint, this will help seal and protect the rub-ons and the marble. Attach felt cirlces to the four bottom corners and tie with ribbon.

after halloween sales

Okay I have to say that even at full price many of the halloween decorations this year didn't excite me. I did go to Target after Halloween and was surprised to not find much at all. I did hit Robert's at a good time for getting fake pumpkins and gourds at 75% off. Yesteryday I was at Robert's again to go back to see if they had any pumpkins left...I bought the ghost pumpkins and all the stuff that I made as a temporary center piece for now. I love washing dishes and looking at my pumpkin patch. Pumpkins make me happy and it makes Connecticut feel a little closer.
















I also used the pumpkins for the layout I did for Bo Bunny's blog too.














...they did not have any more pumpkins or gourds but they did have these adorable hanging lanterns 75% off.

They are the perfect thing for my Halloween decor. I am happy to at least add these to my collection. I think the tree that it comes on will be used for other things throughout the year so they were a great find.


*****update: Well I had left the lanterns on the kid table where I photographed them and L accidentally broke one lantern. Totally my fault for leaving within reach :(.

Halloween

My Grandpa's lives in Senior condominiums and they had a party yesterday. We had so much fun. We wound around the building trick or treating and saying hello. They had some contests and games. We met the "Lone Stranger" (aka my grandpa). There were many of the tenants dressed up. One of my favorties was a couple dressed up as a Salt and Pepper shaker. I hope when Justin and I get old that we will still have the energy to dress up for Halloween.


We tried to go to Justin's office but we were too late and everyone had already left. Bummer. Justin dressed up in is Anakin stuff and sported his lightsaber at work all day. His patients thought it was great. When we arrived home I expected the kids to want to hit the streets but instead they went to their rooms and played until it was time for dinner. Then Adam and Justin took the kids trick or treating, while Leigh and I manned the candy bowl at my house. Thanks for coming over Leigh!

The kids made a haul and we still have some of our candy leftover too. Justin is happy because it is keep awake stuff while he is studying for his boards (and he doesn't have to steal from the kids)