Cabin Fever

So, whoever it is that keeps singing "Let it Snow"...can you please stop? lol Here in wonderful West Michigan, we have seen enough snow already for all of the season, I swear! On Friday I was stranded at my friend's house for hours waiting for the plow to come so I could get down their street. After hours and no plow, I ended up digging out 4 times and having 2 wonderful, burly men push my car to safety, lol. Now today we are stuck in the house again!

Davis decided to would be fun to help me shovel the driveway (and he did help!!) and play in the snow for a bit. He started by burying himself in the snow...

Then went next door to jump off of their snow drift from the plow, lol. You might not be able to see it, but in this pic, he is mid-air, lol. No fear.


Then I convinced Haley it wasn't too bad, and she was outside for about 3 minutes, until some snow got her boot, and she was done. I think she is more like me when it comes to the snow...I'd rather enjoy it from indoors. ;)



Here is a view down our street. Are we supposed to be able to see something other than white? lol I'm pretty sure we are....


Then we started to get punchy. Davis usually has a pretty close buzz cut. Well...the last time his dad shaved it, he promised Davis he could have a mohawk for at least one whole day. So guess what we did today?



Can you tell by these pics that maybe we need to do something productive? lol Davis and I sat and laughed at these two pics for 5 minutes. So what do you think of the mohawk?

A Little Bit of Christmas Cheer...

Early in the week we finally got our tree fixed, and up in the living room. :) I can't help but smile at my children as they hang ornaments. Haley gets SO EXCITED at every ornament. And I quote..."Oh I am SO putting THIS one up". She said that at LEAST 4 times. Love it. :) Here they are very proud in front of the tree that they have just decorated...


If you look real closely, you can see that Ross just arrived from work and is in the window smiling at us. Or you can not look real close, because I cropped it for you. ;)




Every year Haley wants to make a Gingerbread House, and I am always forgetting. This year I saw a kit for $7 and thought it would be a fun project for after school. I was right. :)


I just told Davis he couldn't eat all of the candy...



Check out the wreath...too cute....

And we had to make a Christmas tree with 'star' on top. Please note, none of these were my ideas...I was simply the frosting applier. :)



Here's Davis realizing that those little jaw breakers really DO hurt your teeth, lol.



God Bless Wilton for making this little kit. :) I made my children happy, and I didn't have to spend hours trying to help them, or get things prepared. Sometimes it's the little things that make Christmas fun. Don't be ashamed to buy a kit...it's okay, I swear. Nope, it's not perfect...but my children were all smiles for the rest of the evening.

And the Winner is...

And the Winner (drawn from a hat) is Joie...even though her memory was a little bit more than my mother in law probably wanted to read, lmbo. Kidding, kidding. She was my best friend for years...I'm thinking I can tease her. ;)

Thanks to everyone who shared a story. I really enjoyed reading them, and it helped put me in a festive mood. Sometimes the people around me who are stressed just ooze their stress into my life, and I forget that I LOVE this time of year. :) I am not one that swears at the other drivers, or hates the people at the mall, lol. But sometimes I get a little irritated with the grumpy people who hate Christmas, and it, in turn, makes me grumpy. Nope, doesn't make sense, but hey, it's me. :) So MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Enjoy the next couple of weeks and just don't worry about it. :)

Last Chance!

Just a warning that the winner of the Gift Certificate will be announced tomorrow! So this is your last chance to win!!!! I've loved hearing the stories...entertain me some more! :)

Let's see who's out there...

Well, it's Christmas time and I'm feeling generous. :) So who wants to participate in a giveaway? :) Leave a comment here on THIS POST and tell me your favorite Christmas or Holiday memory. If you don't celebrate holidays...well, this one isn't for you, lol. :) One lucky winner (randomly chosen, so don't feel bad if you have a lame memory! :) ) will win $20 to my Etsy Store!!!

You could get some tissue cozies...

You could get a purse...

You could get some key fobs...

All for just sharing a fun memory. Entertain me! lol

Our Christmas Tree

Every year we get together with some awesome family friends and go get our Christmas Tree the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I love every minute of it. I loved it when Haley was the only kiddo there, and I love it even more now that there are 8 of them running around. :) Here are four of them...the other four I couldn't pin down, lol.

It was snowing pretty good on Sunday, so I was very proud of my hubby, who let me find the right tree. :) Of course, after we got it home, we discovered the hole they drill into the bottom wasn't in far enough, lol. So we can't actually decorate it yet, we have to go back on Sunday and have them fix it, but hey, at least we found it. :) (For those of you who are wondering, the hole in the trunk is how we put our tree in the best tree stand EVER).

The kids had fun...even though they were cold. Here they are guarding the tree while Daddy gets the car.

And here we have Davis...wondering why I need to take a picture when it is snowing, and we obviously need to keep moving, lol.

And Haley, who totally understands my need for just the right picture. I hope she doesn't forget that the night of her first dance....

I really am thankful...

So, I really am thankful, I'm just too busy to tell you all about it, lol. We had a great Thanksgiving this year. My in-laws had to stay in Michigan a little later than expected due to a hip replacement surgery for Ross' Grandfather. They decided to wait to come home until Christmas and we all did our "own thing" this Thanksgiving. I have to admit it, it was really nice. I wouldn't want to do it every year... I would miss the tradition of going to Ross' Grandparents home, but it was nice to do our own thing. I made my first Turkey and it was SO GOOD. I love that Ross has had Turkey Sandwiches every day this week, lol. EASY! I also made my first Pumpkin Pie. I am fairly well known for my pie making ability...but since my mother in law always makes Pumpkin Pie, I've never needed to do one. I wish I had made four. I love Pumpkin Pie. :) Anyway, it was a beautiful, restful day for our family, and I loved every moment of it.

I set a simple table...





With special touches for Haley...who always appreciates them. She loved the placecards. :)



And my kids were happy after pie...




I consider that a success. :) I am so thankful for my family, who loves me and I love so much. I have a good hubby who understands me, and kids who are proud of me for the things I love to create. I am blessed, and I know it. :)

Have you started yet?

Holiday shopping, that is. Can you believe we are like 40 days away from Christmas? I am already about 1/4 done with my shopping! (You've gotta love Craft Shows!) Since I'm so ahead of the game, I thought I'd help all of my wonderful readers and do a gift guide. Check out these awesome etsians..


CatherineMarissa has GORGEOUS jewelry. I know, there is a ton of jewelry out there. But she actually went to school to learn to do it right! I own two pairs of her earrings, and I love them. I have another pair on the way!



LydiaLayne is another site that I love for jewelry. I have been eyeing this necklace for months...



If you've been reading this blog at all, you know I love LittleBitFunky! She has these awesome towels...I have two sets. I couldn't resist. What a fun, funky gift!


K Bella Bambino has amazing children's clothes. She makes me wish my daughter were 5 again, and I could just dress her up in these little skirts!!!


Then there is Allikayesmama, who makes these adorable blocks. Here we have the Christmas version, but she does ADORABLE custom names, too! What a great gift for a baby's nursery!! Or your last name to put on your side table. Too cute!


And who wouldn't want a monkey from The Monkey Shop? I swear, I have not met a person yet, adult, baby or child. I do shows with Dulce, the creator of these monkeys, and EVERYONE wants one! I have never heard so many squeals!!

And here is one for the tween scene... vmdesigns. Amazing how she can take a scrabble tile and make it that girly! I love the extra ribbons!

And for any child in your life...I love these pillows! Someone in my life is getting one...I just can't say who. :) Go see The Giving Tree to order one of you own!

And last but not least...MariaSoleil, my favorite Paper Girl! After you package up all of those great gifts, you have to tag them, right? Here are my favorites!! She also makes AWESOME clipboards, so keep watching her shop for more fun stuff. :)

And of course, the best place to find stocking stuffers and presents is MY shop, silly! Happy shopping!

My son

Davis is so funny. He is an odd mix of funny, silly and responsible. He is the one that is STRESSED if his homework is not done right away. He is a rule follower, like his mom, but he also has this cute little quirky side. Today he wanted to stay home from school because he was tired. He had woken up VERY early and couldn't fall back asleep. Since he's managed to go to school on days he really didn't feel well, I decided to let him sleep in and stay home. Haley went off on the bus, and Davis and I napped on the couch. Just as school was starting, Davis sat up and said, "Mom, what day is it?" When I replied, "Tuesday" he got the saddest look on his face. He was missing gym. Suddenly he felt a little better, lol. So off we went to school, just in time for Gym, his favorite thing he does all week long. He recently told me he didn't like that Thanksgiving Break made it so that he only had gym once that week. LOL

The other day, he came out into the living room and asked me for some candy. I replied "For breakfast???" and he said, "No, Mom WITH breakfast", lol. As if that were better. He's too smart for his own good. He knows he has me around his little finger when he makes me laugh. :)

Ahhh...

It was so nice to not have a show today! I went to three craft shows on a day when I would usually be sitting in a booth myself. I was sort of bummed when I passed an empty booth at the show I WANTED to do today, but that I had missed out on because they were booked. :( Someone no showed and didn't call. I feel bad for the people around that booth at a show...everyone always looks at the empty space. :( Anyway, I found some pretty fun items today, and just had to share my big find. :) These girls have an etsy shop, but haven't put anything in it yet! I told them to get on it! LOL Their website is http://www.firstgradefriends.etsy.com/, just in case they start stocking it up. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you convo'd them with an order. :)

Here is my new advent tree...

The really neat thing about it is that they give you stickers to put on the back. They read things like the picture below.

There are also blank ones where you can write your OWN traditions! What I think is neat is that then you can personalize it, but it also gives you OPTIONS. You can put the numbers on as the days arrive...OR you can have all of the numbers on there and turn them over as that day arrives. How neat is that??


I chose a more 'funky' option...but they had papers for any decor. :) I think you should convo them and tell them to get on Etsy! LOL

Best Photographer EVER!

So I'm pretty sure I just found the best photographer in Michigan. ;) I love her. Ashley and her husband met us for a photo shoot downtown on Sunday. I just recieved the pics today and am THRILLED. Okay, I admit, I wish Davis would have opened his eyes more...there's some I LOVE of he and Haley that I just wish he'd open his eyes! LOL (Yup, he did it on purpose, lol). But I just love these pics. Ross and I have not had a real picture taken of just the two of us since our wedding. Yup, almost 11 years ago. And Ross says I need a picture of every breath of life, lol. We went out, had some fun and took some pictures. Have a looksie...


Here is our whole fam. I have to admit...we are pretty cute, lol.


I love my hubby. He is so good to me. :)

This picture is SO THEM! I love it.

After the shoot was all done, we were walking back to our cars, and Ashley caught this shot of the kids outside of the Gerald R Ford Museum. I just love it. Yup, I do realize I've said that after each pic, lol.

Ashley has an amazing talent for just taking pics of people being themeselves. Though it sounds easy, I know from experience that it isn't. :) There are some more pics, but I haven't picked one for our Christmas card, and I don't want to spoil it, lol. Check out Ashley's Blog for more pics if you feel like being sneaky. ;)

Getting excited...

Some of you may know that we are going to go see "The Mouse" in February. I am really starting to get excited! My in-laws decided that for their 40th Wedding Anniversary, they wanted us to take a family vacation, namely, a Disney Cruise!! So our Christmas/Birthday Presents this year are 7 days doing all things DISNEY! We (as a whole) are just a Disney Family. We love the movies...we love The Mouse. :) I think the kids are just the right ages to have a blast, and old enough to remember it all!

We will be going with my mother in law and father in law, along with my sister in law and her family. We will be quite the rowdy bunch. ;) I would love to hear any tips you all have on having a great time in the park while still keeping a budget. The in-laws are very graciously fronting the cruise...but we have to get there, and then feed ourselves the 4 days we are in the park. :) Not all of you have met Ross...but that man can eat! LOL

I'm not convinced...

I'm not so sure about this whole Daylight Saving Time thing. It has been dark since 5:30! I have felt like it was 9 pm since about 6. I enjoy having the daylight in the morning...but goodness! Does anyone else feel this way? I feel like it is time for bed already, and it's only 7 pm!

Tissue Cozy, anyone?

So I've been trying to come up with some fun items for under $5 for craft shows. You know, the stocking stuffer, or random little thing to spoil yourself with. :) So I sat down one night and made about 40 of these Travel Tissue Cozies. Who doesn't love an accessory?

I had to giggle, when the next day I visited one of my favorite blogs, Little Bit Funky, where she had listed a tutorial on how to make them! I'm pretty sure the world was trying to tell me something. :) They should be posted on Etsy shortly...so start thinking Christmas gifts! :)

Halloween

This year was a pretty quiet Halloween for us. Every year I notice how few kids go Trick or Treating in our Neighborhood. Everyone goes to the malls, or a Church Harvest Festival. Though I can see how these things can be fun...I just love the old school style of walking door to door, seeing you neighbors, and "roughing it" through the cold, or sometimes snow to get that extra piece of candy. I think it's sad that that part of Halloween is fading.

Anyway, the kids have been asking to be Aang and Katara from the Avatar Cartoon for months now. They usually change their minds, but this year they were determined. :) I made their costumes, and Haley and Davis made sure to give their tidbits of wisdom. Haley knew that Katara HAD to have a water pouch and some 'water' for bending. Davis just said he was happy with the arrow on his head, lol. Here is a pic of the actual cartoon, for those of you "out of the loop". LOL

We never carved pumpkins. :( Oops! We just never had an afternoon to go get them, and then it just didn't happen. The kids were okay with it though. Next year we'll make sure we go early. :) I think I was just trying to avoid Post Farms (local farm where we buy our pumpkins) because they have the BEST pumpkin donuts EVER, and I'm trying to lose a little weight before our Disney Cruise in February. LOL

Now on to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Has anyone started their shopping yet? I have about a quarter of mine done already! I love craft shows. :) I am trying to have everyone get at least one handmade item. Whether it is the bulk of the gift or not doesn't matter to me, but I just love to support other artisans like myself. :) I also think it really makes you think about who you are giving to, and why. I love that I am truly handpicking everyone's gifts, and not just checking off the list. :) So tell me your favorite handmade gift you have ever gotten...I'd love to hear!

My show yesterday reminded me...

why I love to do Craft Shows. I'll admit it. There are times when getting up at 5 am to head out to a craft show and set up just does not appeal to me. :) I have to get the kiddos up, and off to some wonderful volunteer for the day. I don't get to spend time with them, and I have to spend the entire day standing. But then you get to the show, and you meet all of these amazing people. I met so many amazingly wonderful people yesterday. I am always amazed by how willing to share ideas people are! They see the fabric choices I make, and they instantly have 10 ideas of other things I can make. :) Yesterday I was asked to make a matching dog collar, leash and key fob for a dog owner. How stinkin' cute would THAT be? That is one fashionable dog walker. :) I forgot to mention that I could make her a matching water bottle carrier to boot. lol Then I was asked to make a small basket style purse for a woman's walker. How smart is that? You can't really carry a purse when you are leaning on a walker! I'm wondering if the same design would work for a stroller. :) And then there were door draft dodgers, plastic bag holders, and more. There are so many great ideas out there! I guess I should get sewing, huh?

It's Good to be Loved...

I was recently asked to be a part of a blog interview! I am honored to be included and thought you all might want to take a peek! She has a great blog, and updates it every day!

http://tscrapper.blogspot.com/

I'm so proud of my hubby :)

Some of you may know that my husband has been training for a pretty big ride all summer. Every Sunday, he took his day off and would do a training ride with the West Michigan JDRF team. He signed up to do a 105 mile ride through Death Valley to benefit JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). He had to raise $4000 in donations in order to go! (By the way, we are about $100 short, lol, so if you want to donate, feel free to go to his blog on the right for link!!) We have both been amazed by the people involved in this ride. Most of the riders either have diabetes themselves, or a child with the disease. They are all amazing, and have all made this an amazing journey for our entire family.

This past week they went to Death Valley, and as a team, rode their bicycles through 105 degree heat! Ross finished the full 105 miles. I am so proud of him! He said that it is by far the most difficult thing he has ever done. Personally, I found the lack of cell phone coverage UNACCEPTABLE, and was waiting very anxiously for his return so that I could hear all about it. :) The kids and I were so proud, that when we went to pick him up from the airport, this was what he saw...

Yes, that is my sad excuse for a drawing of a bicycle. :)

So the next time that guy riding his bike in the road annoys you because you would like to get past, remember that he might just be training to help some wonderful people find a cure for diabetes. :)