New Hair

Last week I monogrammed some stockings for my hairstylist. When she asked me what she owed me I told her a haircut & an eyebrow wax! LOL I went back to the way my hair was last year & I really like it! She always does a great job!!

~Overwhelmed~

I've been feeling overwhelmed lately & like the walls of the house are starting to close in on me! I am constantly trying to pick up around here, but these bratty children (and I say that in the most lovingly way possible) string it out faster than I can pick up!

Well yesterday I decided to tackle the computer desk/filing cabinet! Here are some befores/durings

this was a during~almost finished~I hate that little piddly crap you don't know what to do with!ugh!

my box of important papers to be burned b/c I'm cheap & lazy & didn't want to go buy a shredder!


my pretty filing cabinet! I'm so proud of this & hopefully I've got the files organized enough that I'll actually be able to use them!

It took me 2 days but I threw out everything that wasn't 2010 or something I couldn't get online. The above box is overflowing now! I'm almost done & I'll take an after picture!

Anyone else feel like this or is it just me? I know part of our problem is we don't have enough organization/storage~so I'm going to work on that this year! we'll see!

~So This is Christmas...~

You know a few years ago I started scaling down on the gifts that I buy for the kids. Of course they always got to much and never took care of anything & I got sick of picking the crap up or stepping on it! One year I was looking at something online & someone said they bought presents along this line~something they want, something they need, something to wear, & something to read!

Well that pretty much covers anything they could get! LOL So I started buying gifts for the kids along those lines. So our kids get at least those 4 things & anything else is a bonus, but I really try to take great thought in buying gifts for them! We tend not to buy too many toys throughout the year unless the kids have earned money for some reason, & for the most part they are pretty good, so I try to buy them all the things they really want! For about 2 months before Christmas (or longer), I refuse to buy ANYTHING. I make note of things they say they want then try to pay attention if they mention it over and over again, if so I'll pick it up!

BUT (& yes, there is a point to all this) I started feeling sad that my tree didn't have all these goregous gifts sitting around it, then I started panicking I didn't want people to think "poor kids" LOL, but really we don't have a lot of family to buy for so really all the presents under our tree are for just our 3 kids.

But then (I know I know!) we went to a friends house and their gift pile was modest (can I use that word when talking about Christmas?) like ours so then I felt better! :)

Anyways, I think the kids appreciate what they are given when there is less to take in. I can honestly say that there is ALOT of thought put into each and every gift! Most of the time I am more excited about what they are getting then they are!

Here are a few pictures of the kids opening their gifts & no there are none of Jed! I'll explain in a minute!


Caroline opening a present from Grammy~it's an educational laptop! She was soooo excited because she has a laptop like Heathers! Thanks Grammy!



Caroline was sooooo funny~She asked for 2 boy barbies. She only got one but it was Fashionista Ken, so when she opened it she was saying "oh a boy barbie WITH flip flops! LOL that girl!!

Caroline opening the girl barbie!

Heather opening her gift from Grammy~Grammy wrapped it in this big box with lots of shredded paper! She found the $50 gift card to Justice, but then she looks at me and says "I wonder if there's anything else in there, because I don't want to look through all this paper for nothing!" LOL


Heather modeling her STARS sweatshirt I had made for her~I think it was her favorite!

This isn't everything but the only things I got pictures of~Every time I tried to take a picture of Jed he wasn't willing! LOL Someone said "Was Jed even at Christmas?" LOL I told them NOPE! haha


Caroline opening her pillow pet from grammy~it's a pillow, it's a pet! LOL


Caroline checking out her fancy baby doll from santa!

Heather got some cake decorating stuff from Santa & Jed got a fancy spy car that he has played with non-stop *this was the only thing on his list!*

So I decided after all of this rambling~I feel like my kids had a great Christmas. I know it's not about the number of gifts & I'm all about quality over quanitity!

Another thing I did this year & have no clue why I didn't do it before now is~I ordered nearly everything (except for the homemade items) from Amazon.com! Free 2 day shipping was wonderful! I don't think I'll ever fight another crowd again! I swear try it, you'll like AND you'll have tons of boxes to wrap gifts in!! LOL

CVS Deals

Because I have time & we all know how much I love free & cheap!!!

Deal #1




Buy 3 vitamin waters/$3 get $1 Ecb. I printed an online coupon for buy 1/get 1 free! So I got 3 for $2.17 plus $1 ecb for next time!

Deal #2



The proglide razor is 9.99-$4.00 get $4 ecbs so I used my ecb from #1 so my oop was $5.40 got 4 ecbs

Deal #3 tone body wash, dawn dish soap, dawn was .94 cents & I had a .25 coupon & a .50 cent coupon. The tone was 3.88 get 3 ecb plus there was a dollar off coupon online (.12 cent money maker!)

I used my 4 ecbs from #2 so my oop was .01!!! and I got 3ecbs back!!!

Deal # 4 was unexpected but I got it anyways!


Buy2/6.97-$3 coupon get $2 ecb so my oop was $4.31. I should have used my $3 ecb from above but I was thinking so I didn't! Oh well now I have $5 ecbs for next time! :) $12 oop with $5 ecbs for next time so really I'm only out $6? Right?

Happy shopping!!!

*Autumn*

~Ward Christmas Program~

We went to our annual ward Christmas Party a few weeks ago. They had the kids re-enact the Christmas Story.


Sweet Caroline!








Don't we look soooo in love! HAHA


This picture totally cracks me up! Mary & Joseph have had enough!!! LOL


Caroline & Santa!

(BTW Mom Heather took all of these pictures! LOL She did a pretty good job!)

~UIL~

Caroline tried out for our UIL Creative Storytelling team! I know I know you can ONLY imagine right? She ended up getting 4th place & was soooo excited!



Caroline & her buddy Caleb


Caroline & our principal Mr. Davis



Caroline getting her medal!

Cheer Competition~December 2010

Heather's cheer team had a competition at the first of December!These pics were on my NEW camera my mommy bought me!:)


our spirit sign!!!


Heather's in the back left corner flipping!


Heather's in the middle basing!


Heather & some of her friends!

~DOD~aka Deal of the Day!

because you all know how frugal, cheap or as I like to say smart with my money I like to be~ HAHA I came across this on a website that I check everyday! If you or someone you know (hopefully the later!) has or will be getting an American Girl Doll in the near future, reviews say these are perfect! I say for 9.99 any doll can use it, especially from this joint! However, it's only the blue/green one that's on sale!


Pottery Barn Backpack/Lunch Kit

Oh and by the way, I did nearly ALL of my Christmas shopping via Amazon.com & it was blissful!!

Hope you are having a Merry Christmas!

-More projects!!!-

Stockings



Apron




Ornaments heather made for her cheer team



The back




*Autumn*

~projects~

Would you really expect anything else??? Let me give you a little background story-about 2 months ago I had a friend ask me if I could monogram some blankets for her for Christmas gifts. At the time My machine was broken and I wasn't going to get it fixed because I wanted a new one. I had several people say they wanted to buy it but they all baked out. In the meantime I had several other people ask me if I could do things for them. So I took it in to be fixed. Since I brought it home, I've monogrammed 5 blankets for one friend, 7 blankets for another, 2 for someone, 2 for someone else and monogrammed 2 towels & made them into towel wraps, I've got 4 more of the towel wraps to do & tonight I had someone call & ask if I could monogram stockings! Um, yeah! So needless to say I've been busy!!!! As long as my machine cooperates I don't mind doing it! I kind of laughed though because I got the blankets all finished and thought whew! Then people keep calling!





Me modeling a towel wrap. I love it when people come up with different color combos! I isially stick with hot pink and zebra! Haha





Here' the monogram and ribbon up close!







The peace sign is hot pink!





Me modeling this one!






My first stocking! I was impressed how easy it was, except i had to take the sides apart! No biggie really though!







Here's a blanket I did!


Autumn*

-Christmas card holder-

I saw earlier in the week on Lil' luna an idea to make a Christmas card holder from a tomato cage. I got a small on from my friend Amanda to practice on, then I went to lowe's to get a bigger one! I'm so thrilled with how it turned out!!! The bow at the top needs some help but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted to go up there! That's our card from this year at the top-then all of our friends below! My goal for next year is to decorate the clothespins & to make a thing for the bottom for it to sit on!:). Altogether $10 tops to make it! If you are local & want to make one, please do not buy red paint! We have 3 cans of it! LMk and I'll hook you up!!!



Before


Painted!


Top half


Bottom half

*Autumn*

~Reading Enjoyment~

Since I can't seem to post timely updates I thought I would share with you some fun blogs I found while surfing the web!

Eighteen25

Tatertots & Jello

Enjoy!!

-Wreath-

The wreath my friend Jennifer helped me make for my front door. I want to add some other stuff to it, but Hobby Lobby was out of what I needed. I went ahead and hung it up, because I thought it was soooo cute! I feel all grown up now! Haha It's the little things Right?????

*Autumn*

~Exciting~

We've been up to lots of things around here & I will update with them all sooner or later! Probably Christmas break! That seems to be the time I get the most blogging done!!



BUT I will share this piece of exciting news! Heather's Cheer team went to a competition today & they got first place & an offer to compete at Nationals in March at.......DisneyWorld!!:) We are having a parent meeting sometime in the next few weeks to make a decision BUT if all the parents agree, then we'll be going!!!:) YAY!!!

~Exciting~

We've been up to lots of things around here & I will update with them all sooner or later! Probably Christmas break! That seems to be the time I get the most blogging done!!



BUT I will share this piece of exciting news! Heather's Cheer team went to a competition today & they got first place & an offer to compete at Nationals in March at.......DisneyWorld!!:) We are having a parent meeting sometime in the next few weeks to make a decision BUT if all the parents agree, then we'll be going!!!:) YAY!!!