Birthday Tickers

#600...

and a bit of randomness.

So this is my 600th post, Wow not bad, and you are gonna get a bit of randomness today.

I am so not in tune with my house right now. You know that feeling when you just love your house and love hanging out there. Whether it just be to craft, watch tv, cook, or heck even just clean. But no matter what you are doing you are happy you are home, you are comfortable. I am so not there right now. Not sure why.

So yes this is all I had to say. LOL. Though maybe if I got it down it would take me out of my house funk.

What we're reading now!

So Wyatt has moved on to books with no pictures, just the ones in his head. We went to the library on Wednesday after school and he went straight for the Star Wars chapter books. Not sure how he knew where they were, but we picked one out and brought it home. He picked no other picture books, just this one. So every night we are reading a chapter and a few extras in between too.
Dasher has to get in on the action too. The puppy loves to walk on our laptops like they aren't even there.

Star Wars Party Ideas

So I am going to do something like this at the party. But my stars will just be big silver foil ones. Not sure if they will be made or if I will buy them. I love this idea of the black cups and colored stars, might even try to get stars that the kids can keep. Like the curly one.

And of course I will be having Nette make a R2D2 cake. Have to have that.

I would love to find enough wrapping paper rolls to make these light sabers.

I love this idea, Yoda Soda. Sprite and green sherbet. Will have to go into a big punch bowl so you can see the cool green. We'll see though.

Ok and the biggest thing is I would love to find one of the guys to dress up like Darth Vadar and come visit, but we will see on cost.

Party Ideas

So here are some ideas I have found online for the princess parties.

I also want to put a pink curtain up on the main door, there will be lots of ballons too. I need to get moving on the centerpeices and figure out what I am gonna do. I have some ideas, but sure they will change as I am putting them together.

Lots of planning

I am in the process of lots and lots of planning. Right now I am planning for 4 parties plus one.

-Princess 4th birthday on March 19

-Philly Cooking Creme House Party on March 12

-Wyatt's Star Wars 6th Birthday Party in May

-Helping wiht Summer's Princess Party in May

-Plus Spring Break is coming up

-And a Surprise hopefully in the works, not sure yet though if it will work



My Philly House Party will be here at the house and I am hoping for 15-20 ladies to attend. With this comes alot of stuff- I will be precooking and figuring out what I want to make, making gift bags to hand out to the ladies (the company sends me stuff to hand out, but I will also have some stuff of my own to add), cooking for the party, and doing so house cleaning. And with all those ladies coming to my hosue it makes me want to go through the house. People coming over always gets me inspired to purge and do some magor cleaning. I love it, I really really do. It doesn't seem like a chore for me then when then end result is sharing my home.
Now there is no way I would probably ever be motivated enough to do it otherwise. LOL. Yes I am wierd I know.

Lots of ideas and thoughts going on with planning the Star Wars and Princess parties, will keep you posted as I get things done and find pics.

A little bit of Randomness

It is so windy out today. Very sunny though too. It looks all nice out, but it is very deceiving this weather. When you walk out side it is brrrr cold. My computer says it is 39. ya that is cold. And the wind gusts aren't helping any either.

So I was excepted to host a House party for Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Creams. Very excited- one because the party will be on my birthday and two because they are sending lots of fun stuff for me (the host) and my guests. I am already thinking of other fun stuff to put in the guest bags. Any ideas please share!?! More randomness...
Isn't he the cutest ever. Dasher has gotten so big since he came to stay on Christmas. He is such a cuddler. He will follow me around the house and then whine at the couch when he wants me to sit so he can snuggle. Right now both doggies are asleep at my feet on the bed while I type this. I will say one thing that gets old is all the playing, LOL. Dasher can get pretty loud. The two of them play so well together. It just seems like if I am in the room they have to be leaning against me while they play, so I get the occasional head butt on the shins or teeth stabbed into my legs.
Otherwise life is still going on. Even with all our issues we are having right now, life still happens and we are just strengthening our relationship with God and each other.

I finished two layouts last night at our Church's Ladies Craft Night so I will post those after I do a few more layouts tonight.

retreat layouts

Here are the layouts I finished on my retreat a few weeks ago. I had so much fun and can't wait for next year already. Might have to find one in the summer to tide me over for a while.

Real Men wear aprons was done using Little Yellow Bicycle.

Used Dear Lizzy rose ribbon on this Emma layout, also some Heidi Swap and Thickers.

I just loved using American Crafts Dear Lizzy Christmas products on these three layouts. I think all my Chritmas layouts have Diear Lizzy on them.

Used Echo Parks Products on these last two layouts.

Almost time!

4 more days and I am off on a 4 day weekend of scrapbooking. I am hoping to gets lots done. My goal is all of 2010. Yup that is right. Last year I did 20. Not sure how many I have prepped for this weekend, but I know it is more than 20.

Here's to hoping my weekend is a productive one.

new and next year...

So Derek has really been into starting new traditions this year. he was very persistent. So of course for him it had to be about food. One word.

Gravy...

A meal on Christmas day will have some form of gravy on it. Yes I am serious, and if you know my husband at all you KNOW i am serious. LOL. This year we had biscuits and gravy (even the doggies got in on it)

He really wanted to have country fried steaks, but I guess this is what happens when you decide to do this tradition at 9 pm on Christmas eve and all stores are closed (except Jack in the box). We decided to that is won't be just one meal it will include anything with gravy in it.

Also a few things I want to remember for next year-

1. I want to do an advent calender.

2. Make my Christams cards in November. Waiting till December means they go out to late.

3. Still didn't make it to Zoo lights, maybe next year.

4. Outside lights, lots more. Dave talked about having a contest between all of us friends to see who has the better lights.

What kind of new things would you like to do next year?

I would love to be like you

Have you ever just wanted to be like someone else. Now don't get me wrong I love who I am, but I would love to...

dress, Decorate my house and be as cute as Serena from Farm Chicks.

scrapbook and be brave enough to hunt (yes hunt, Derek would love that) like Megan K.

have a cute scrapbook line like Elizabeth K.

Would love to be as busy and clean as well as the Merry Maids.

give great Organizational tips on my blog like her.

look as good in tattoos and dress like Kimi (my sister)

be as crunchy as my sister, Beth.

cook as well as The Pioneer Woman as often as she does.

be as thrifty and as Collin from Hip2Save.


I just look at these people and am like I wish I was more like them. Do you ever feel like that. Like you could be doing more. hmmm thanks for listening and I really hope to be on here more come the new year.

Christmas Cone trees

So this last few weeks I made a few Cone trees. Here is my white pom pom cone tree and my ribbon cone tree (the red pom pom, my sister Jenefer made for me).And then just to share 2 years ago I made this button cone tree. Still one of my favorites.

Thanks for stopping by. What have you made this year, share yours in the comments for me to see.

Excited for the month to come

I love December, just as much as the summer time. All the planning of things we want to do, enjoying family time and the season.
I have lots on my December To Dos-

-Zoo lights
-mail cmas cards
-go sledding
-see Santa
-Clear Creek Nursery to see the camel, Santa and reindeer
-make a snowman with Wyatt
-build a ginger bread house
-finish decorating the church
-have a cmas party for the kids
-my 3rd annual wrapping party
-My my get together Chex football party on this Monday
-cookie exchange
-have to have a ladies craft night
-a few friends house for holiday parties
-make some Christmas treats

I am sure there is more, but that is all I can think of right now.
What do you have planned this season?

Advent Calenders ideas

This year I decided to make a Advent calender for Wyatt. All other years I just find lots of stuff to do and we do them and that is it, but I thought it might be fun for him to pick something everyday. Just another memory I guess.

So I have been looking for different ideas that you could put into it and their our lots so I thought I would compile all I could find into this one post.


-Write letters to Santa.

-Watch 'It's a Wonderful Life'

-Put up indoor decorations, but leave tree for another day.

-Decorate the yard, porch and any other outside areas of your home for the holidays.

-Take food to the local food pantry or shelter.

-Buy a gift for a needy child or family.

-Make Christmas cookies. Make sure to make enough for family and friends.

-Get your tree and if you use a live one put up and decorate your tree.

-Read from the bible the Angel visits Mary. (Mark 1: 1-8)

-Go Christmas Shopping.

-Make cinnamon apple sauce ornaments.

-String popcorn to hang on your tree.

-Wrap Christmas presents.

-Deliver Christmas gifts.

-Drive around town and look at Christmas lights.

-Go Christmas caroling.

-Watch 'The Nativity' together.

-Build a snowman.

-Go sledding.

-Read a Christmas book

-Make gifts for friends

-Color a Christmas picture.

-Make and decorate the house with snowflakes.

-Draw a Christmas picture.

-Make or buy your Christmas cards.

-Stuff envelopes and mail Christmas cards.

-Watch a Christmas movie or show

-Eat a candy cane

-Take a picture in Santa hats.

-Read the Christmas story.

-Do something kind for someone today.

-Go to your local Zoo lights

-Go sledding.

-Decorate Gingerbread houses.

-Visit Santa.

-Take a bath with Christmas confetti.

-Host a Christmas party.

-Host a kids craft day.

-Learn about how another country celebrates Christmas and eat foods from that country.

-Play a game together while having Christmas cookies and hot chocolate.

Check out this site for some cute Advent calender ideas. Here's another cute one from Lazy Mom. Here is a cute baker inspired one from nesting project. Another one How does she. Here is the one I made in 2008. Mine isn't so much a advent calender as more of just a count down, but this year I will put slips of paper under the magnets for Wyatt to find.

Do you have a calender or our you planning on making one this season? Would love to see them. Or if you have any more ideas to add to the list please let me know them.

All things STAR WARS

So if you remember Wyatt just many months ago was all things Thomas the train (here is a layout I did about it). This all changed when his friend Connor intoduced him into Star Wars. Thomas then fell off the tracks poor guy. Wyatt had, toys, shoes, lunch boxes, blankets, cups, back packs, lantern, clothes, bed sheets, heck if they sold it I think he had most of it.

But now we have hit that stride with Star Wars. Most days he is wearing a star wars shirt, he has toys, star wars legos, poster, all the movies, a few books, bed sheets, halloween costume, lunch box, light sabers and the newest member of the family a Bulid a Bear Star Wars character. He loves this guy.

Not sure what else we can buy, but I am sure he will find it. I will say one thing at least, all his items wheather they were Thomas or Star Wars, he has gottn his use out of them all. Nothing has ever just sat around.