I've been skiing all day so my night consists of aspirin and laying on the couch watching the ball drop. 

If I can stay up that late.

Not likely.

I hope you are partying the night away in your own special way.

A Foggy Kind of Day

Today is cloudy
and rainy
and foggy
and unseasonably warm.


And I feel lazy
and tired
and unmotivated
and relaxed.


I can't think of a better way to spend one of the last few days of the year.

This Week:De-Junking

This week:
I'm conquering my house one closet at a time.
Or in simpler terms, I'm de-junking. 
i.e. organizing, cleaning, throwing away, donating
You get the point.


Call me a carpenter. Cause I'm getting ready to build me a shelf or two.
OK...OK...they are made of wire and you just pop them together. 
But I liked being called a carpenter. It makes me feel so important.


When I feel the motivation dwindling I watch Hoarders. 
I watched two episodes last night.
It makes me want to throw everything in my house in the trash. 
And it leaves me wondering how it's possible that people can accumulate SO MUCH junk.


How do I accumulate SO MUCH junk?


Junk be warned: I'm comin' for ya!
Yes, I'm talking to YOU wretched Happy Meal toys

The Eve of Christmas is Upon Us

We have so much to be thankful for.


We had just a bit of the powdery white stuff fall this morning. 


We read this.
Ate here.
Saw this.
and Listening to this.


Next up is Christmas Eve service to worship our Savior and rejoice for His birth.

Countdown Mode

One and a half days left of work this year. 
I am officially in countdown mode.
My to do list is a mile long.
Mainly it consists of de-junking.


Anyone want some junk? 
I've got plenty of it.


But before I get to my list. 
There is much fun to be had.


The kids are crazy with excitement. 
And I am too.


Time with family
Games
Laughter
BIG Messes
Santa Claus
Lots of good food
Presents
More BIG Messes
Birthday
Skiing
And some more BIG Messes


Beginning Thursday and running to New Years Day. 
It will be pure craziness around these parts.


Notice how I left out ice and snow. We had enough last year to last me a lifetime.

Time to put my shirtless super-hero and his arch-nemesis to bed. 
The countdown is ON baby.

I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas...

Christmas # 1 and #2.....Coming Right Up

Tomorrow we celebrate our first Christmas.
And I still have some wrapping to do.
I always wait until the last minute for some reason. 
I guess I work better under pressure.


In keeping with the theme of our "Au Natural" tree I chose brown packaging paper with string and yarn to tie them up with. 


Simple and un-traditional. (Is that a word?) 


Here are a few of my favorites.

Happy Wrapping 


and 


Happy Weekend.

Honey Apple Deliciousness

The thing I will miss most about my babies growing up will be using baby wash and lotion on them.
But for now I can still get away with it.


My new favorite.

Johnson and Johnson Honey Apple
Seriously so good. 
It's like Bath and Body works for babies.


Now excuse me while I go sniff my little guys hair for the rest of the night.
I just can't help myself.

Thank you Geico

My four year old surprised me the other night with quoting a really long portion of the Geico "Jackwagon" commercial.


Once I could stop laughing the only thought that came to my mind was "Oh Dear."

Thank you Geico for successfully advertising to my child. 
Not sure if that is what you are going for.  He'll need your product in about 12 more years.
Nothing wrong with hooking them early. 
I guess.

{Sorry the clarity is not great.}

Gentry quoting the Jackwagon commercial from jess mead on Vimeo.

Brrrrrrrrrr..............

Winter has arrived with a bang.
And I don't like it. Not one little bit.
But there are some things that come along with the cold that I do like.


The cold weather means that Christmas will be here soon. 

And it gives me the perfect excuse to drink coffee from my cute mug all day,

Cozy slippers and a lap blanket makes me not want to do anything but sit and snuggle all night long. 
{note to self-don't sit down until after the dishes are done and the floors are swept}

The smell of fire. 
Makes me wish I had a fire place. But just for the smell. 
Not for the mess.
I'll stick with the outside fireplace.


And basketball season is upon us. 
We took Gentry to his first Tiger game last night. 
He was amazed that there were SO MANY Tiger fans in one place. 

Dear cold weather,
Feel free to go visit some place else anytime soon. 
I would be forever thankful. 
I can find a new list of things to like.
Promise.


Check out lots of pretty Christmas trees via The Pleated Poppy!

Five Christmas Gifts For Her: Under $25

Need some gift ideas for your friend or sister that seems to have everything?
Here are some of my favorite Christmas gifts to give and get. All under $25 each.


The absolute best smelling candle on earth from Anthropologie

$12 each

Fuzzy warm slippers from Restoration Hardware. I wear them every day. 

$16 each

Super Cute Rosette Headband from Allora Handmade

$12-On Sale Now

Darling Check Book Cover from The Pleated Poppy

$19 each

Funky Serving Spoons from French Bull

$15 each

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

There is one thing that my four year old is still talking about from last Christmas.
And that is the video that Santa sent to him via the Portable North Pole.
If you have never checked it out, you must.


It's completely free and he was absolutely amazed. Heck, I'm even amazed.
You enter your kids information and Santa sends a personalized video to your email address.


Here is Gentry's reaction this year. He told me he was a little nervous.

But the nervousness only lasted for a moment.

Thanks Santa for your help. 

Now go make your video. It takes less than 5 minutes.

Shopped 'Til I Dropped....Literally

Dear Santa

{Interpretation Provided Below}

Dear Santa,
I have been good. I want an airplane for Christmas.
Love,  Gentry
P.S. Have a good Christmas

Pretty Paper Goods

This weekend we will be embarking on the adventure of picking out a real Christmas tree. 

For the first time ever. 

I may very well regret this decision, but I am willing to give it a try.

I don't know why, but a real tree puts me in the mood to make something. 

I'm feeling rustic and a bit vintagey. (Is that a word?) 

But I also don't want to spend a lot because I might feel something else next year. 

Or even next month.

Remember paper chains? 

I used an old book and cut the pages into strips. I used a glue stick to make the chain links.

I didn't really think the book mattered until my 4 year old asked me what the pages said.

The book is "I Kissed Dating Goodbye."  

It was my husbands from long ago. 

It doesn't really apply anymore (I don't think it ever really did),
so I thought it was perfect for this project. 

That is until my 4 year old asked me to read him the words. EEEK!

Let's just say I made something up.

Anyways I love the black and creamy colored paper. I can't wait to get them up on the tree

I thought some twine garland would be fun too.

I bought some Christmas die cut cards off the dollar aisle at Michael's.

I cut them in half and used the same book pages to add some flare.

I attached them to twine with mini clothespins.

Linking up with The Thrifty Home, Blue Cricket Design and My Backyard Eden for their DIY Linky parties.

Come join the fun and check out the fabulous ideas!

Photo Opp & An Expected Mishap

Aunt Becca took our family photos yesterday and I already have them back. 
Cause she is just that awesome.
Here is a quick sneak peek.
It's always quite an excursion taking photos with a two and four year old.
And this time was no different.
Isaak threw up twice. All over Daddy. 
Randomly. (He is not even sick.)
Afterwards we went to eat.
He suddenly felt better. 
Really?
Oh the joys of parenthood.

Pre-Puke Face (and clothes)

Post-Puke Face and Quite Smelly

Linking up with a super cool blog hop via Mama to 4 Blessings.

Wordle Wednesday: House Rules

Weekend Stuff

Well another weekend has come and gone and another Monday is upon us.

We made a last minute decision to visit my parents over the weekend.

I spent some of my teenage years in the Springfield area, 

but I have to say that I now have a new appreciation for the city and what they are doing with the downtown.

There are so many super cute shops, a great super market (where we ate lunch) and 

so many fun coffee shops.

We shopped all afternoon on Saturday. 

Then went roller skating to appease the wee ones.

We went back downtown on Sunday to have a cup of coffee before church.

The hunky hubby did some research and we decided on The Coffee Ethic.

I seriously had the best cup of coffee (ok, 2 cups) I have ever drank in my life. Like for reals!

I paid way too much and bought a pound of it to make at home.  

I’m sure my cheap coffee pot won’t do it justice.

I could have drank and drank and drank.

But then I would be in the bathroom all day and that would be no fun. You get the point.

The lighting was so perfect. I could not help but snap a few pictures of the boys.

I would have liked to shoot a few more, but they started getting rambunctious and the college students studying at the table next to us were beginning to give me dirty looks.

So we exited peacefully and without altercation, high on caffeine and ready for church.


We had a nice time, but it was good to get back home.
To my own bed. And my own pillow.

Cloudy With a Chance of Sharing

It's was a gray & rainy day.
The house is a mess. 
But it's Friday night. 
So who cares.


Dinner was take out pizza. 
Cause who wants to cook on a Friday night?
Not I.
Then it was time to pick out dessert. From the Halloween candy bucket of course. 
(It will provide dessert for months to come.)


Isaak picked out fruit snacks. They were gone in like two seconds.


Gentry picked out a sucker.

And when there is a candy addict in the family (well technically two of them) you have to share your sucker. 
The fact that Isaak is about the same size as his brother made no difference.
He got up in his lap and made himself perfectly comfortable.
And took over the sucker. 

I'm glad Gentry thought it was funny. I don't like to share my candy. 


We're off to visit grandma and papa tomorrow. 
Oh and I can't wait to visit Elsie's new Red Velvet Shop. 
So stinking excited!


Time to get my sugar monkeys to bed. 
Good. Night.