Long Time Gone!

I know I have been totally MIA sense before Thanksgiving, but I swear I have a lot of really good reasons. The first one being obvious with the Holidays! Which we had lots of celebrations with family and I will catch this blog up as soon as I can with all the fun. My second reason is that I took a promotion at work and have been feeling a little off balance sense I started. Fish out of water a bit and when I get home at night I am just so exhausted.  Well it has taken me about a month but I feel pretty adjusted and almost back to my self. Phew!
Anyway I am half way back and ready to blog...well a little! :)

Shutterfly and Christmas

At my house they go hand in hand. What would Christmas be without their beautiful Christmas cards and the endless ideas of personalized gifts? Every year Shutterfly has new Christmas cards to choose from, and really it is so hard to pick! I love them ALL. Here are some of my picks, but who knows it could all change tomorrow. What I have to do each year is set a date that I am going to order and force myself into making a decision. Otherwise I would never order these beautiful cards!
Here are some that I am thinking about...

OH and lets not forget the matching address labels!

On top of ordering my Christmas cards, and address labels I always purchase personalized calendars for the whole family!
Our son is the 1st and only grandchild, so I create a fantastic calendar showing pictures of Jacob over the previous year. It was so fun to see picture of Jacob each month and to see what he looked like on that month the year before. Believe me they were a hit and the quality was perfect!

This year I will also be ordering a couple desk top plaque's as well as a mounted wall art for our family picture! The mounted wall art is for home and the desk top plaque's are for the office. I think they are new this year?

Some other gifts I have purchased from shutterfly include their magnets, desk organizer, and tote bag!

I guess what I am trying to say is Shutterfly has never disappointed me. Their quality, quick delivery, and awesome photo storage service gives me a piece of mind that my memories are safe with them. (sigh)

Thanks Shutterfly!!!!!!!

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly....sign up here!

Feel free to comment on my Christmas card selection...any help would be appreciated in widdling down my choices! ;)

Christmas time on Tura Road

I could not help myself...I have been trying oh so hard to hold off, but then Arick took me to the Fireside theatre for their Christmas show. Oh boy...all the Christmas songs, lights, and beautiful Christmas scenery. I came home and the next morning I was in the basement bringing bins up.
Here are some of the things I put up!

                                        I found this at Target this year in the $1.00 section! SCORE

                              My card tree I got last year at Pier1...it will be oh so pretty once
                                                the fantastic Christmas cards start pouring in!

                                  My Christmas catch all bucket that hangs by the garage door.

                                    This picture really does no justice to these beautiful boxes

                                                      Next will be the outside!

50 FREE Holiday Cards from Shutterfly

Oh you read that right! Attention all bloggers!!!!!!! Write up a brief post about the giveaway and receive 50 FREE cards. Merry Christmas from Shutterfly!
Shutterfly holds all of my most precious memories of Jacob's life....I should give them 50 FREE cards!
Go and fill out their form  here, make a post about Shutterfly and make sure to send me one of your Christmas cards! ;)

Dr Seuss

So you have heard me go on and on about Jacob's Sesame Street birthday party, but I have not told you about his buddy Eli's 2nd Birthday party! This little guy was born 3 weeks before Jacob.

They have been the best of buddies...mainly because we send them to the same daycare, and his mommy and I are great friends. 
Anyway, back to the title...Eli is turning 2 and he is having a Dr Seuss theme for the party. How fun right?! I love it! After his mom saw my letter J and number 2 she really wanted one for Eli. I offered to make them for her and I think they turned out awesome, if I dont say so myself! Sometimes I get so attached to things I have made I am almost sad to see it go to it's forever home.  However, once I took it over to them it was all worth it when I got to see the smiles on their faces!
So, here they are! I am really loving the Dr Seuss theme...super cute. :)

                          Happy 2nd Birthday Eli! I have really enjoyed watching you grow, and
                          look forward to seeing all that is to come!

Modge Podge

Pretty much my new favorite thing to do EVER! I want to use my modge podge on everything, and I can't stop.
I have been thinking of how I can incorporate the letter J and the number 2 into my son Jacob's 2nd Sesame Street Birthay Party, and after reading Jessica's blog over at Craftily Ever After it came to me!
Last night I made the cutest custom letter and number using modge podge and my 2nd favorite supply, paint.
I have had these cardboard letter and number sitting around forever as well as the Sesame St. decals, paint and wrapping paper. I just love how it all turned out, and now I can't stop thinking about what else I can use this modge podge on.
Take a look, and let me know what you think or if you are inspired to get crazy with modge podge!

                                                                

                                        

                                                                         Back view

                                       

              Look how cute these guys are! The picture does not show it well but they actually have fur on them.

                                          These are going to be perfect on Jacob's cake table!

Keep Calm and Print On!

Thanks to Jessica over at Craftily Ever After I have been getting som SUPER cute Halloween and now Thanksgiving FREE printables! You read that right FREE! Well besides the charge to print and frame but seriously super duper close to FREE! Here is 1 of my Halloween prints that I modge podged on a canvase that I already had at the house.

She recently posted 3 Thanksgiving prints. I only have one of them, and let me tell ya it is now my favorite Thanksgiving decoration. This picture does not really show how cute it is!

                                                                LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Too bad it wont be up for long, because Christmas decorating is coming and I have the bug BAD...really BAD!

Go check out Jessica's blog!

Happy Halloween!



 We celebrated Halloween this year with a Monster Mash! Jacob and his little buddy Eli had a costume party and it was a hit. So much fun to see all these little kiddos dressed up and trick or treating. Nothing like candy being handed out from door to door to get them running EVERYWHERE!


Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers...our cute little quarterbacks!!



This was about as good of a group shot as we were gonna get...some kids are still missing.

Princess Amelia

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Princess Amelia and her little brother Isaac the Moose!

Taylor the scary witch and her sister Sydney who is ready for the HOP

Mario and Luigi

One BEAUTIFUL fairy with her horse

The moose and his quarterback friends

                                                                  Happy Halloween!





Birthday Party Planning

I am so crazy, madly in LOVE with planning parties. I dream about it people!! Just thought I would share a few details for Jacob's 2nd Birthday party. These are just a couple things that I have commited to, but let me tell you it is not easy at all!
Enjoy, I know I am!

The Entringer Wedding!

My best friends little brother got married on 10-10-10. What an easy date to remember huh?! You know now that I think if it I bet a lot of people got married on that date. huh...Gosh I can be so slow sometimes.
OK anyway, the wedding was nice and fantastic weather! Good thing too because the wedding was outside on a beach. I was all ready to be wearing a coat and as it turns out I was sort of hot. Hard to believe that was only a 25 days ago. As I type this the wind is just howling outside and there is a real chill in the air.
Happy Day Kyle and Kellie Entringer!! We had a great time, and everything was just beautiful.

                                                      Arick and I had a GREAT time dancing!

                                                               Mr. and Mrs. Entringer

                                          Mr. and Mrs. Motl, better known as our great friends!

                                                         Also Mr. and Mrs. Entringer!                                           

                                          My Godson Isaac...look at those eyes! I am pretty sure
                                                 I will have to give him whatever he asks for.

                              Phil and Lisa dancing the night away with their Granddaughter Amelia

                                                        Amelia and Mom dancing together!

                                                        OK, seriously check out these pumpkins!

                             Lindsay and Lisa made them, and oh WOWZA did they turn our great!

                                    It was a great night, and again CONGRATS Kyle and Kelly!