Christmas Home Tour

The baby is still sleeping so I have more time! I told you I wouldn't bore you in the last post with my excuses but now I will :) No one may care about this but I do and this will help me when decorating next year too! Instead of blogging I have been doing a little of this:

It's my dining room. I'm very proud of it. The chandelier is a mix of Salvation Army and dollar tree buys. That cake plate on the table is something I made for the holidays. Maybe I will do another post soon on all of my craft secrets :)

I've also been doing a bit of this:


It's my curio cabinet. Again, the garland and the candy canes hanging from it came for Dollar tree and the ribbon I had from long ago. Throw in the Santa pictures and the window clings and for less than $5 I have a masterpiece!

Don't forget to add one of these:

Isn't it purdy?? We moved it out of the window and put it by the stairs this year and I don't think it will ever go back. And of course the train is once again underneath. Caroline LOVES playing with it as long as we don't make it whistle...she hates that sound. And if you notice, there is no baby gate or anything surrounding it. I have done great at teaching her about looking and not touching:)

I've also done this:These are on the wall in the living room. Again, you can find some of the best stuff at Dollar tree if you have a bit of imagination :)

This is my bookcase. The little wooden box is actually an Advent calendar with numbered drawers if you open it up. I am looking forward to using it next year with Caroline. I got it years ago the day after Christmas at Target. Which is why the reindeer has no head....That candy jar on the left is something I made. Yes. I. MADE. that. Very proud and will just change out the candy and the ornament throughout the year now for the seasons and celebrations.

And, much like most of the women in the world, I am doing a bit of this this time of year....

I usually make three different kinds of cookies and three kinds of candy. Not counting the stuff I make with my family....crazy lady.

This is the piece de reistance of my collection this year. I am going to HAVE to do a post about the original blogs where I get my ideas from so maybe someone else can try them.It took me much longer to finish than I had planned and a bit more than I planned to spend (always buy a bit more than you think you will need when things are in the dollar bins at Target!) but I LOVE IT!!

I also love our mantel. I made those stockings too. I seem to have a brand new love affair going on with my sewing machine lately. I am so grateful to have one of my own! Here is a close up. Brad and I chose each of our fabrics...one for the inside and one for the outside. Yes, I am that talented! And, then we chose Caroline's together. Brad's inside fabric isn't Christmas themed. It's hunting themed :) I plan to make any more we may need in the distant future.And, of course the holidays wouldn't be complete without being dressed perfectly. And, you need the best accessories if you are a cute little girl. I have been trying to keep up on this hobby since I am now selling them (and still giving them away to friends and family) but, alas my child still does not have enough hair to sport them. I can't wait until next year....then she's all mine!

Whew!!! That's not even all of the pictures of my holiday items I planned to post. But, I will have to show you how our bathroom is decked out at another time. Plus, it gives me a bit more time to finish a few more craft projects. But, if you don't see me for a while you know what I am doing. In between the laundry, cooking, wrapping, christmas cards, and cleaning I throw in there too. How do you manage to keep yourself sane these days??? Any tips?? After I rouse myself from my sheer exhaustion I may have the energy to think about the advice. :) Merry Christmas!

I have excuses....

Tons of them on why I have been so blog lazy lately! But I will spare you with those-at least until another post :) Miss C is fast approaching her first Christmas and her first Birthday and we are having such fun!!! My parents decided to give her her big present early since she is trying to walk. She now wanders up and down the hallway pushing her musical walker in front of her. Why do children's toys have to have such annoying sounds?? She has a ball with it and belly laughs the whole time...well until she stops walking to bust out the dance moves. I have been trying to get a video of her but she now knows what the camera is for and usually stops what she is doing so she can investigate it. She really enjoyed her first Thanksgiving and pigged out big time-just like her daddy! We've been to a parade already, watched some old time Christmas movies and even been to see Santa twice!! She did pretty good too. We also celebrated Christmas with Brad's parents already as well. Again, why do toys have to make noise :)I have been saying for a few weeks now that all I want for Christmas is Caroline's two front teeth and it looks like I have gotten that wish early! It seems like we were teeting with her (and still are) for months! Those poor gums were always so red and swollen but one has fully popped through and is slowly growing out more and the other just broke the gums the other day. She has the funniest expressions now. She is such a cute and a "cheeseface" as we like to call her trademark move these days. While I may not be blogging much I am taking lots of pictures and videos lately to make up for our absense from our blog world.

There's the 'cheeseface'!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love my new toy Auntie Nicole!

It's Thursday...tell me a story

Lets make up stories about a picture. Not just any picture but this picture:

Ready? And, GO! Troubles? Here, let me give you the story I have to go with this picture. Maybe it will help you with yours.

One day a man and his beautiful, young wife loaded their adorable little girl (hey, it's MY story) in the car to drive to celebrate a family birthday. Upon arriving at the celebrant's home-who also happens to be the wife's sister they proceed to 'unload' themselves and their equipment from the vehicle. The wife steps down from the massive SUV and stands on the curb listening to a sound almost like a hissing snake. Shrugging it off because she doesn't know much about cars and maybe it is something the car is just doing but isn't a sign of trouble. She moves to the back of the car to grab the bags. Meanwhile the husband hears this sound as well and as his near perfect wife takes their beautiful baby in the house he investigates. Minutes later, after a brother in law went to help, both men enter the house with the above object in tow. That is what was stuck in the wheel of the car. They must have ran over it while parking outside the birthday house. It was trash day and they thought maybe it had been in a pile of leaves or fallen out of a trash can. The vehicle was promptly taken to the shop and the tire resealed. After this short setback, the birthday celebration got underway and all was well. The tire is doing fine. They still don't know what that thing is or how it got in the tire.

Based on actual events. (written EXACTLY as they happened)
Any excitement going on it your life?