New Year, New Look

I will now be posting here. I have wanted to change my blog for a while. I have high hopes of putting the last few years into a hard copy. I've added that to my growing to-do list. Happy belated New Year!

A Funk

I think this weather has put me in a funk. It's too early in the winter and the year for a funk! I just feel blah. My early morning Y partner and I have agreed to start meeting again tomorrow morning. Maybe that will help. I'm still working on cleaning, organizing and a long list of projects. Crossing things off my list may help too. It's just one of those days.

One of My Favorite Pastimes - DECORATING!

I love to look at decorating magazines, read blogs about decorating, and try new ideas in my home. I love our home being our place to get away from the craziness of life and relax and have fun as a family. I am thoroughly enjoying having the room to entertain and decorate our new home. I was a little slow getting the Christmas decorations up. Next year will be a piece of cake now that I have done it once. I wanted to particpate in the Nester's tour of homes but wasn't done in time. Some of these ideas are mine, others I have seen somewhere else. Either way, I love to do it!


Our family room - I used mesh in the greenery. I used to always use ribbon. I LOVE the mesh!


The mirror in our entry - I had peacock feathers and decided to try them in the tree in my music room. I love them with some turquoise, brown, and beige ornaments against the red wall. I used the turquoise and red in our entry.


I also used the peacock feathers, turquoise and red on the banister.


My music room tree - I felt like I was really stepping out on a limb to get this black tree but I love it!


I found this photo holder at Pier One for $5. It works great to display our Christmas Cards.


The little village I inherited from my mom.


The tree in our family room. I have always done a great big bow on the top of the tree with ribbon woven throughout the tree. I was trying to get away from the "country look" this year with our move. I used picks and feathers in the top of our tree.


The top of the hutch - sorry it's a little blurry.


Another picture of our family room with a cozy fire and Craig asleep on the couch :)


The chandelier over the dining table - I'm not crazy about the ornaments hanging - I need to work on this for next year.


Our table for Christmas dinner. I had the flu for a couple days before Christmas and still didn't really feel that great on Christmas Day. The table isn't at all what I had envisioned. I wanted to make a table cloth out of leopard print but didn't get it done. I have Craig's grandma's red glass dishes. I love them and they are really pretty mixed with so many different colors.


Chair swags tied with leopard ribbon.


Christmas plates on the counter. I also like to use colored balls in bowls and vases to add Christmas color all around the house.

Ornaments

Each year I want to give my piano students Christmas gifts, and I'm ashamed to say, I haven't always gotten it done. It is difficult to think of something worth giving without spending a fortune when I have 20+ students. These ornaments were fairly inexpensive and easy to make. They turned out pretty cute. I think they would be really cute if you filled them with the brown or tan shredded paper and used leopard print ribbon with lime green or orange letters for monograms.

First Play In The Snow This Year

Santa

Even though, we emphasize Jesus' birth being the reason we celebrate Christmas, we don't ignore Santa for now. Jack wanted to go see him. He was really excited the entire time we waited in line. As soon as he got to Santa's lap, he froze. Santa asked him what he wanted, and Jack shrugged his shoulders. There was an elementary age boy taking the pictures. Santa was trying to talk to Jack and Jack was more interested in the boy. He pointed to the boy and said "what kind of camera is that?" Yes, Jack loves electronics and any kind of gagdet. Maybe Santa got the idea even though Jack was too nervous to talk to him.

Happy Birthday Jesus

We have talked a lot about how Christmas is Jesus' birthday the last few weeks. Jack wanted to make him a cake. He also wanted to use his #3 candle from his last cake for Jesus' cake. He helped me make the cake, frost it and put sprinkles on it. We also had to sing and Jack blew out the candle. I think the frosting is his favorite part :)

Christmas 2009

"Yeah! Games for my Leapster!"


Tinker Toys


Trying the remote control car with Daddy


Seeing what's in the stocking


A remote controlled car


Cap guns


New jammies


We had our last family gathering for Christmas today. Jack has had so much fun. We have too! Now that he is old enough to anticipate and get so excited, it has been fun for us to watch him. I am ready to put away Christmas for another year and clean and organize. I have a LONG list of projects for the new year. Most are just a continuation of settling and organizing our home since moving. I have a lot of pictures, so I'm not patient enough tonight to wait on our computer. I'm going to leave the red-eye for now. :)

Blogslacker...Again

When I get super busy and feel totally overwhelmed, blogging is one of the things that just falls by the wayside. We're still here. Today I am trying to finish decorating for Christmas. In a new house, it has taken longer, just trying to decide where to put things. I also had some new ideas I wanted to try and have had to wait until I could run to Hobby Lobby or Michaels to get a few things. I am also trying to finish shopping, wrapping, baking, and making ornaments for my piano and flute students (super cute and super easy, I will blog them when I'm finished.) Tomorrow my students are playing at a local nursing home. I can't wait! They all do such a great job! We're also having a plumbing problem which we hope is minor, and my car is leaking power steering fluid. Craig has been working on the car all day and has given up and is taking it to someone who knows more. It's been a crazy couple of days. Maybe later tonight, I can post some pictures.

Heartsong

When I was in college at Cedarville University, I had the privilege of traveling with a worship team. Almost every weekend and during breaks from school, we would travel all over the country leading worship in churches and leading activities for youth groups. I made some of the best friends I've ever had on my teams. I'll have to post some of our team pictures. Our hair and matching outfits are hilarious now. I recently received the latest CD of this group today. They recently recorded a live worship CD. It is great! I have it on my iPod and listen to it every morning at the Y - well, almost every morning. I haven't left the house in 4 days now. The music is so encouraging and I love starting my day with a workout and worship. There is something really great about both together. I knew a couple of the team members on this CD when they were toddlers. One is from Iowa and his dad's youth group did things with my church youth group when I was in Jr. High and High school. Another is the worship team director's son. He was 3 or 4 and would come with his dad to some of our rehearsals sometimes. Really enjoying their music!

It's Coming!

We have a little snow and more is coming today and tomorrow. I have been telling Craig that I would love to be snowed in at home with he and Jack. I love the idea of the Christmas lights glowing, the scent of Christmas candles, a fire in the fireplace, and the three of us being at home together with no where to go. It sounds like that just might happen tomorrow. Craig will still have to do some work from home, but it will probably be a short day for him. :)

I plan to finish decorating today. I have had the boxes and tubs sitting in the dining area for a week now. We had a very busy weekend and I didn't get to it. The tree has been up, there is just nothing on it. I love to decorate so it should be a fun day. It just takes a little longer with a 3-year-old's help!

Morning Funny

I got a new phone yesterday. I have needed one for quite a while. It just so happened that this weekend U.S. Cellular had phones for free with a rebate. I waited until yesterday afternoon hoping there wouldn't be much of a wait. There still was. The place was packed. Anyway, my new phone does a lot more than my old phone did. Jack LOVES anything with buttons. He wanted it this morning. I explained that he couldn't play with it. He said, "but I just want to listen to music." I don't know how he even knew that it plays music. I told him, "there isn't any music on it yet. I don't know how to put it on." He said so matter-of-factly, "You need to download some...that's the problem!" How did he know that? We're constantly amazed at things he knows and says.

New Fun

Grandpa and Grandma came yesterday and brought a trailer-full for us. Grandpa picked up a swing set at a garage sale for Jack. The weather was great yesterday and today for playing outside. He loves it!

A couple weeks ago I found a computer armoire on Craig's list. It was too big for Craig's pickup. It would have hung out a little bit and we weren't crazy about hauling it home on the interstate that way. It was in Des Moines. We met my dad and step-mom there. My dad has a trailer so, he took it home and brought it with the swing set yesterday.

I've been watching Craig's list for a coffee table for my music room. I had looked at one downtown at a furniture store going out of business. They really tried to convince me that it was a "steal of a deal," at a very low $300. I found one on Craig's list that is almost identical for $30. It was located right off the interstate in Des Moines on my dad and step-mom's way here. I talked to the seller just before they were to have a truck come haul it away to charity. I was thrilled and it arrived here yesterday with the armoire and swing set. Oh what fun! I love Craig's list! :) Hmmmm...what else can I find in the Des Moines area so we can see Grandpa and Grandma more often?

Thanksgiving 2009

Our kitchen has a great spot for a buffet line.

I found cloth napkins we received as a wedding gift - I wasn't sure if we should really use them, but if you don't use them, they stay in a drawer forever and then what's the point of having them?
It was so fun to make the table festive!


We had a great day yesterday. We had some of my family and some of Craig's family. I have been waiting for so long, to have the room to host family get-togethers. It's truly something I like to do. It has been like Christmas for me the last couple months. As we have been unpacking, I've been finding wedding gifts that we hadn't used because there was no need to use them at our first, small house. Yesterday I used several gifts as I set the table and prepared the food.

Today Jack has been helping put away the fall decor and get out the Christmas stuff. We haven't gotten very far. Craig and Jack are napping now and I'm going to push through the urge to nap and try to get some things done. I don't do Black Friday so we are having a nice day at home.

My Sweetie

I Should Be....

getting my house and the food ready for Thanksgiving. I'm procrastinating. The weather makes me want to curl up on the couch with Jack to read books or watch a movie. I guess if I'm going to serve something more than cold cereal or peanut butter and jelly, I'd better get going. I still need to run to the grocery store to pick up a couple things I forgot. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Really Trying

We have been working on the potty. Jack tells me often, "Mommy I have to go the bathroom." We go and he will sit for a VERY LONG time and do nothing. Like Craig says, he probably won't go to the prom in pull-ups so we don't need to be too concerned.

Halloween 2009

Jack wanted to be a pickle for Halloween. When I asked him why, he said, "because I like to eat pickles!" I looked for a costume. We found one online for $40. I didn't want to spend that much, thought about making one and really just ran out of time. The morning of the 31st, I asked Craig what we were going to do for the poor little fella. He said, "I'll take care of it." The pictures speak for themselves. You would have guessed Craig put the costume together.

Oh My!

I can't believe it has been almost a whole month since I posted. I think I'll do some catching up today. I have a lot of pictures. Here is the problem; neither Craig nor I, are technologically smart. There is some sort of glitch in our computer that is making it extremely slow. We do know that we need to add some more memory. When I download pictures and try to edit them, it is taking almost 10 minutes per picture. I don't have the time. I will go ahead and post some today. Just ignore the red eye. We'll get it figured out. I also moved our computer upstairs to the main floor. It was in a basement room that is Craig's office/craft room/catch-all room at the moment. I run down to switch loads of laundry but didn't very often stay to be on the computer. I found a great computer armoire on Craig's list. I'm going to paint it and the computer will be in the music room. I hope to become a regular blogger once again. On with the long past due posts!

Shopping With a Purpose

The Water 4 Christmas Etsy shop is now open for business! These items are all hand made. Items are selling quickly but more are being made too! What a great way to give gifts with meaning to friends and family! Hurry and take a look!