Our 2010 Christmas Card

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Feelin Crafty

 By now you should know that I LOVE doing crafty things.

I read several craft blogs and have about 10 projects that I am dying to make at any given time.

I SO enjoy sitting down with a cup of coffee and sewing, gluing, cutting, painting..

I really think it is a de-stresser for me. 

I feel relaxed when I am doing something creative.

And amazingly my kids leave me alone for the most part.

If they do come around, I just give them a paintbrush and let them go at it...

usually its easy to clean up.

Today, I got together with some old friends that I havent seen in forever and we traded cookies, drank coffee and made this adorable craft that I found here

It was such a great time!

 Here are the finished products on our tree-  I LOVE how they look translucent and colorful and bright!

I am trying to make more for gift tags to give to family and friends! 

 

On another creative note, I found these two vases discounted deeply 

at Joanne's and had to scoop them up. I put natural elements in them- 

found out in my back yard and couldn't be happier with how they turned out.

Sneek Peek

I am using these 2 photos in my free shutterfly Christmas cards this year. plus a few others:) They turned out SO very cute even though my sweet friend Megan could not take them:) They would have been even better if she did them! But regardless, I still LOVE them and they look so good with the colors of the card- I think this is my favorite Christmas card of all this year!

I have been doing some much needed redecorating in my bedroom and I am loving how it is coming out- I just need a reading chair for next to the bookshelf, a reading lamp and a flat screen tv to hang on the wall:) not much at all right:) Plus I need to replace Kenny Rogers in the cute frame above our bed that I found at a yard sale for 50 cents. Kenny Rogers has no place in our bedroom.:)

Today was a busy day with 4 ladies and their children coming over for ladies coffee- it was SO fun! I just look forward to those events so much even though it means I'm running like crazy to clean everything to make it look presentable:)

I sold a toy today on Craigslist and actually made $5 off it. I got it at a yard sale for $5 and then the kids grew tired of it so I sold it for $10- and someone picked it up today! WOW! Maybe I should start a business:) another nice thing was that she didnt have the right change so she asked if I'd take a check- of course I said yes and she came back with 3 gifts cards to Chipotle (she works for them) for free burritos! She said it was for the inconvenience:) Can you believe that! What a great sale:) 

Ella is at a friends house for the afternoon and was SO excited to go ALL BY HERSELF! She really enjoys those kinds of things... when she gets to do them alone! I think it makes her feel so special. 

So, Elijah should be sleeping but I can hear the patter of little feet so I better go and see what mischief he has gotten into!

sophia sleeping

Sophia was 4 here and she was watching a movie and fell asleep sitting upright in a chair! And please pardon the VERY messy house- I just had a newborn baby!

Elijah loves Daddy

I just figured out how to get all my cool VADO videos to my blog-
FINALLY!! So now I am posting some old but good ones!

Wii bowling

Marks parents let us borrow their Wii for a little. The girls LOVE it!! Arianna loves bowling and Sophia loves tennis- she is actually really good at it! They are learning! Ella mainly throws gutter balls but has fun!

 Sophia loves to wear her hair in braids!

 This morning while I have been on the internet Ella lined up all her little animals and told me the names of each one! Pretty impressive task!

 I asked Elijah to smile nicely for the camera just now..

hhmmm....

Thoughts Today...

1. I need coffee- we ran out and I havent had a cup yet this morning.. the van is on empty and Mark has the debit card- hence no money, no gas and NO COFFEE!!! ahhh!!and to top it all off, my friends on Facebook made me aware that Starbucks has buy one get one bags of Christmas blend today only!!!
( I made sure to tell my dear husband this and he just told me that he will try to drop off some coffee for me if he gets a chance to slip away today- what an amazing guy!)

2. I have been wasting time on the internet this morning looking at all these cute blogs and even cuter home decorating idea. I am becoming envious and depressed. Isnt that crazy how focusing on what I "wish" my house looked like could create such horrible sin in my thought life.. ugh! Time to refocus on all the MANY blessings I have and be content with what God has given me which is a HUGE truckload of BLESSINGS! I love my home and it doesnt really matter how "stylish" it is- it is filled with happy memories and fun times with all the people that I love most in life! What could be better than that!

3. I have finished 2 strands of felt garland for my Christmas tree- its coming along and is super cute- only about 150 more little felt circles to sew.. do you think I'll finish by Christmas? I have been sewing them while I watch 24- Season 6! (we recently got Netflix and I LOVE it)  We are getting rid of cable- $50 a month vs $10 a month- its worth it! Plus my kids wont see any commercials and Netflix has SO many good wholesome kids shows! We are hooked!

4. Ella and Elijah have been getting along so well lately! Its so nice not to have to be a policewoman all day long, breaking up fights,etc.. Also Mark has been gone till 6pm most nights lately doing interviews at Valor for extra money (usually he's home by 4- I KNOW I am a LUCKY woman) - so I have had the kids all to myself ALL day long and amazingly, I am really not stressing over it- they are getting along nicely and playing well and its been nice to just relax and sit with them. They are all growing up and I can see it more and more by how well they are starting to get along and how they can resolve problems themselves rather than fighting or telling all the time. Its pretty cool...

5. We found a new song that we have been listening to as a family and it is SO amazing!! The little kids have already learned the chorus of it- because I play it all the time- and it so cute hearing them sing about Christ's victory over death and the hope it gives me as a believer! Here is the song... listen to it and meditate on the awesome truth that we are alive with Christ because of His victory over death and sin! There is no sting in death.. because CHRIST is RISEN!