Going out in Style

I am like many other people out there who makes a list of New Years "goals" that I would like to make....and keep up with!

That being said, I also am one who realizes that December 31st is a day that you get it all out of your system so that it isn't such a shock in the new year!

Example 1......I would like to not spend my day planning out what kind of dessert I would like to eat after the kids to go bed. SO...........I will spend today having every kind of chocolate I can find in hopes that I will get it out of my system.

Example 2......I am going to do my VERY best to not buy so many kitchen items for my house in 2010. SO.....today I am going to go to Pottery Barn and buy these!!!

They would TOTALLY have been on my christmas list....but I didn't see them until after Christmas. (totally sold out on Potterybarn.com, but they do have them in the store!!!! RUN!)

Example 3.......I would like to get better at sending out Thank you Cards. SO........today I am going to go buy a few sets from Etsy that I can easily download and print whenever I have to send a card!

love these!!!!! I am thinking a nice turquoise bike! Check out Whisker Graphics!

Example 4......Keep a clean house and put my new Shark Mop to work! SO......today I will not watch over my kids with crumbs and nag them to keep the food and drinks on the tile!

I better get moving....I have a lot of bad habits to take care of today so that I am too tired to get into much trouble in 2010. ;)

Hope you all have a safe and super fun New Years! Thank you all for your support and making 2009 the BEST year!

xoxo

Celebrate

I received MANY gifts for Christmas this year, and I love ALL of them! I have finally learned how to make a list of really want/needs for Christmas and have it ready when my family asks. (they are going to get me something...might as well ask for what I really want)





I also realized that I am getting old when I asked....and received a Shark Steam Mop .....and couldn't wait till everyone left so that I could try it out!





One of my FAVORITE gifts was a subscription to a great magazine....CELEBRATE! I love the name and every single page inside!!!!

I have found myself sitting down DAILY and looking at all of the great ideas that it has for decorating, party planning, recipes, and all of the little details that I look for around the holidays!
Check it out!!!! They sell it at the grocery stores...but it will run you $7.99. You can snatch up a year's worth (6 issues) for $24.99 here

The Merriest of times!

Christmas is my FAVORITE week of the year! I LOVE the excitement of running around getting everything ready! It just makes me happy!

Here is our week.....in pictures!

I hosted our annual "christmas cake decorating party" for the neighborhood kids. (four families and their kiddos) I make cakes and the kids go to town decorating them! So cute!

We went to the light show at our outdoor mall!

We got there a bit early and waited for Chad to meet us after work so we could sit down front row....the kids decided to put on a dance show for EVERYONE there. :)

This is what Kacey decided to wear to her Christmas concert at school. Gotta love a girl that knows how to rock such a festive outfit!

My sister, brother in law, and niece came ALLL the way from Virginia to spend Christmas with us! The kids were sooooo happy! They had matching pj's and all slept together in one room on Christmas eve. (I also slept in the room with the three kids JUST to make sure that they didn't get up early and see their Santa presents before I set up the camera......let's just say I didn't get ANY sleep with the three of them "hearing Santa on the roof allllllll night!)

This is what your living room could look like with 3 kids and 6 adults! We had to stop opening gifts and wait until the next day because the kids were just way to overwhelmed!

Best of friends, and cousins! This melts my heart and makes me wish that they lived closer!!!!

The end of THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nt

Santa Came a Bit Early

I have been without a camera for MONTHS! It has made me ill, and made me resort to borrowing cameras weekly! I hate that feeling!!!!

So Santa came a little bit early and I am the PROUD owner of a Nikon D3000!!!! I LOVE it!!!!!!!!

I have been taking a few practice pictures around there house.........

This is my little Roxy! She is 8 1/2 years old......and in my eyes she could do no wrong! (although, don't ask anyone else that comes in contact with her!)

Our CRAZY Kali is already 8 months old and is NUTS! She is a really great dog, but seriously has a love of eating carpet. grrrrr!

My little guy wakes up in the morning BRIGHT AND EARLY and happy as can be!

Kacey seriously thinks she is a super model....and I can't argue with her. :)

Can't believe how big she is getting!!!!!

Chad was practicing with the camera as we were baking a birthday cake for my dad.

Checking their boots on December 5th to see if they received any goodies from St. Nick!

More pictures to come! We are working on a few fun Christmas crafts around here so I will be sure to share!

Last Day....

Wednesday is the LAST day to order from Sa-Sea Boutique and get the goodies in time for Christmas.

This Elf is ALLLLLLLLLL caught up, (actually, as of tomorrow while Collin takes a nap I will be all caught up!) and ready to do the last min. orders.

BUY 2 GET 1 FREE!!! This really just means buy two for gifts...and get an extra pillow case for yourself. :)

Hope you all are enjoying this happy season as much as we are!

I BELIEVE

THIS IS MY FAVORITE SEASON! I LOVE THE FEELING OF MAGIC, HAPPINESS, FAMILY, AND JUST FEELING SO MUCH JOY!!!!

THIS PAST WEEKEND WE WENT TO A CHRISTMAS EVENT WHERE MY FAVE PHOTOGRAPHER, AND FRIEND, WAS TAKING PICTURES WITH SANTA!!!!! THESE PICTURES MELT MY HEART! MARIA HAS DONE IT AGAIN!

MY LIST KEEPS GROWING!

I have been asked a few times this year..."what would you like for Christmas". I NEVER know what to say in that moment...so I usually just say I don't know.

Well, this has changed and as of right now these are on my list FOR SURE!

I love all things personalized, so much that I even had Santa pick me up an embroidery machine a few years ago JUST so that I could make cute things for my kids, house, and friends. I LOVE IT!

If I was able to embroider plates....I would. But since I can't, I NEED these plates!

Check them out at LaPlates, and thank me later!

You can create your own DESERT PLATES!!!!!!! HOW CUTE!!!!!

LOVE this summer plate to put some lemon cookies on, or something sweet and summery!

LOVE THIS!!!! I love how organized you can look with all of your napkins, forks, spoons, straws! And if you bring it to a friend's house......there is no mistaking who's it is when you forget it! (yes, I ALWAYS forget my dishes when I leave a bbq)

This one is my FAVE! I want it with blue letters!!!!

Since I know you are already in love with these plates.....RUN RUN RUN over to a blog that I just fell in love with....High Heeled foot in the Door!

She is HAVING AN GREAT GIVEAWAY!!!! SHE IS GIVING AWAY A SET OF 4 PLATES!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!

I love Tea!

I have a slight love of tea! I actually HAVE to have tea daily around 3:00 so that I can make it through the rest of the day/night! It is my "go to" drink when I start to feel like I need to crawl into a ball and fall asleep!





I have all sorts of teas....and I switch it up with each cup! I use loose tea, bags, sugar, honey, or nothing at all! I just ENJOY it!





I was recently in a craft show and had a booth next do Kokomo Tea! AMAZING!!!!!!!!
She has the most AMAZING combinations and every sip was SOOO fresh!!!



The smell, taste, quality and prices were AMAZING!!!!!

I bought tea for stockings, for friends, for myself, and even asked for more for christmas! LOVE THEM!!!! They were so good that you really didn't need any sweetener in them AT ALL!

I saw people flocking to her to taste and raving about it all night!!!

Check here out here and here.

HER GIFT SETS ON ETSY ARE SOOOO CUTE!!!!!

Thank me later. :)

SANTA'S WORKSHOP IS IN FULL SWING!

Santa's workshop is in FULL swing!!! I have been adding goodies to my shop as I make them for Christmas gifts. I have a few new goodies that I am SUPER excited about!!

I absolutely love the pink with ruffles! I made them for Kacey to put on her bed the day after Christmas! I am so excited! Collin is getting the green Santa with white!

I personally believe that ruffles make anything look cozy!

The gold with tea stained fabric is also one of my favorites! Man, I guess these little guys are going to be ALL over my home!

I had an order for a silver Santa on a white pillow case, and mailed it out prior to taking a picture. BEAUTIFUL!!!

I HAVE ALSO DECIDED THAT MY CHRISTMAS SHIPPING DEADLINE WILL BE DECEMBER 14TH!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas...Handmade OF COURSE!

I am starting my shopping for stockings already. IT IS MY FAVE PART!!!!

I have vowed to have a handmade christmas (as much as possible...if anyone knows someone who can make the talking handy manny work bench let me know! otherwise target is getting my business on that one)

Enjoy my finds!!!!




Kacey has these in about every color! I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!! She is not a pants girl...so these are a huge saver on those "chilly" florida days! GREAT stocking stuffers!!! Get yours at Crawler Covers and More










If you haven't checked out Lima Bean Kids yet....run on over! They have the cutest plates, shirts, buckets, bottles...everything! i love the christmas goodies too!




What a lovely tote! :) This is a great gift bag...OR stocking stuffer...IN MY OWN OPINION. :)
check it out here





this little guy just makes me happy! I love little framed pieces of art to put on the outside of a package. check them out at rdksign








Living in Florida I would rather have a million scarfs than a jacket. Really just your neck gets chilly down here. LOVE these and never knew this was yet another tallent of the frenchie and flea duo! from Frenchie And Flea.... of course!






I do believe that BOTH of my crazy dogs need one of these! You can't forget about the dog's on Christmas!!!! Check out at Preta Pawte






Just purchased several of these soaps for my husband, brother in law, and my dad!!!! This has to be the BEST gift for a guy! The Beer Soap Co Run and get it now!!!!









love this necklace!!!! I can see it with anything from a cute white shirt and fancy jeans...to a party dress! Actually...I am hoping this is in MY stocking!
from Femme Petal

ALRIGHT...READY SET GO....
If you are shopping handmade this holiday season....start early. Those hands you are ordering from need plenty of time to create and ship out.

ICE SKATING IN FLORIDA!!!!

I AM ON CLOUD 9 RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!

I JUST READ IN THE PAPER (RANDOM THAT I EVEN PICKED UP THE PAPER....I AM NOT EXACTLY A CURRENT EVENTS GIRL) THAT THERE IS AN OUTDOOR ICE SKATING RINK RIGHT HERE AT OUR OUTDOOR MALL!!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS SOO EXCITING FOR ME!

I GREW UP IN VIRGINIA AND WE USED TO GO ICE SKATING OFTEN IN THE WINTER AT THE OUTDOOR MALL...AND WHEN WE VISITED MY UNCLE'S HOUSE IN MAINE HE ACTUALLY HAD ONE SET UP IN HIS FRONT YARD!!!

I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN EVENT THAT MY KIDS WOULD MISS OUT ON LIVING IN FLORIDA.....BUT NOT ANYMORE!!!!!

WE ARE HEADED OUT RIGHT NOW TO GO SEE IF I CAN BUY THEM ICE SKATES!!! FIGURED I WILL BE THERE DAILY SO I WOULD SAVE MONEY ON BUYING THEM!!

PICTURES TO COME TOMORROW!!!

What do you Collect?

I LOVE shopping for someone that has a collection already started. You know they will LOVE the item...and it doesn't matter if they already have 50 of them.

I wish I had a collection of something, other than a million decorating and gossip magazines!

My dad collects unique Santa's. He gets 1 a year, and I like it when I find the first Santa and can tell my mom that she doesn't need to get him one. I found the PERFECT choice yesterday as I was searching thru my blog list!!!!

Check these babies out!!!!!!!!! They are available at The Pink Pig and I think that I just might start a little Santa collection of my own after seeing these guys! They are hand carved, and I love their faces!!!!

I am DEFINITELY getting a pink and green one for my kid's!

I BELIEVE!!!

I remember sitting on the stairs in my childhood home...when my cousin told me that Santa was not real!!!! I almost passed out and went flying down the stairs!

I then went to my parents and told them what I had "learned". My mom had a shocked look on her face and said, "well, I remember when someone once told me that! I believe that if as long as you believe in Santa....HE WILL COME!"

Guess what...Santa has left a stocking and goodies for me EVERY SINGLE YEAR of my life....so I guess I BELIEVE!!!

I made these pillow cases a few weeks ago....and am Just getting around to adding them to my shop!

I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!

Santa looks SOOO happy, SOOO sweet, and I just want to squeeze him and tell him t hanks so much for all the wonderful goodies!!!!!

These can be made in tea stained OR white fabric....and in ANY ink color you would like. (wine, red, gold, silver, olive green, hot pink, lt pink, lt purple, turq, or black)

The Red Santa and Believe Pillows are going on my couches going on my couches!!!

My daughter has picked out the light pink to go in her room!

HANDMADE HOLIDAY!!!!

I LOVE the idea of giving all things handmade this holiday season!!! It is one sure way to give the gift that you know they don't already have!


I have a little list started of ideas for gifts that I plan on either giving....or receiving. :) Here is one of many of my idea lists. Go...check them out... and support handmade!!!!





DON'T FORGET.....TODAY AT ONE OF MY FAVE BLOGS WITH TWO OF MY FAVE BLOGGERS IS A SUPER HUGE GIVEAWAY!!!!!! DON'T MISS OUT!!!!!! FRENCHIE & FLEA!!!!!! THEY ARE HAVING 12 GIVEAWAYS....BY 12 ETSY SHOPS....AND TODAY IT IS SA-SEA BOUTIQUE!!!


I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE INCLUDED IN SUCH A GREAT GIVEAWAY WEEK!!!!!!!!








Enjoy my holiday gift guide....part one of many. :)






Frenchie & Flea


These cards make me smile! They are so clean, such great colors...and I MUST have these!








Morelle


I have been in love with this bag for over a year now....it is FOR SURE on my list. (wait...is this list about me.... or gifts?!)












Yava Glass


I saw these glasses in a treasury at http://www.etsy.com/ and I KNEW that they would be a gift for every man in my family! LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!









Tara's Vintage Kitchen
I love this!!! Absolutely beautiful!!!!!





Twenty Second Street Crafts

These are SOOO cute! They come in many colors...and styles! LOVE THEM! Wish they had them to fit my kids.......and me too!

ENJOY AND TRY TO CHECK OUT ETSY FOR YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING THIS YEAR!!!! SUPPORT HANDMADE!!!!

AND CHECK OUT FRENCHIE & FLEA TODAY AND .........EVERY DAY AFTER THAT TOO. :)