Tinsel, and Garland, and Christmas Cards ... OH MY!

There is something about the holidays that makes my heart swoon. Maybe it’s the lights, the wrappings, or the colors. Maybe it’s the music or the tender smiles on the faces of my children. Maybe it’s the fact that I know the real “Reason for the Season”. I love all the traditions and trappings that come along with this merry time of year. One of my favorite traditions is that on exchanging Christmas cards. (yes i realize i'm a wee bit crazy) I have been doing Christmas cards since Quin and I were married about 9 years ago -- every year the cards seem to fit the certain stage in my life. They started out as sweet little homemade ones that a poor little mom and housewife made with glue and glitter. They came from the heart and they were made with love. But them as more babies came and more responsibilities I started to simplify my card making process. I ordered pictures of the family and signed them with our names. Now more kids and more pressures make the task nearly daunting! But I totally lucked out this year (as did my family and friends lol) I’m making my cards through shutterfly ~ love this years card choices!! I’m made the photo books before and was so impressed with the product and the time it took. Can't wait to make some invites for a 2nd bday party/christmas party for miss maggie. I am also looking forward to making darling calenders for the grands next year :) with darling pics of my little crazies. I'm posting about my card making this year mostly for some free credits through shutterfly but I honestly love their product, service and prices!! So try it out ... I'll be waiting for some darling cards from you this year!! :)

just sayin ... hes the man

even if he is younger than me
i grew up loving my cousin jason .... he is the best
my boys call him uncle jason. even though he's not i don't correct them cause they would be lucky to have him as an uncle. just when i thought that jase couldn't get any cooler he went and married one of the sweetest most wonderful girls i have ever known ... miss geri is a gem. he has great parents and awesome extended family (obviously, lol)
jason has cystic fibrosis ... i remember when he was little watching him get "pat pats" to break up that junk in his lungs. that kids a fighter.
he's a finalist in a stellar scholarship contest, please help him out and give 3 seconds of your time to vote for him just go here
make sure to take a second to watch his video, little jason pics choked me up ... he was the cutest kid with the sweetest smile ... still is ;)

come on people ... help a real live superman out

not gonna lie

So I have been on a slight hiatus ... ok that's a lie, i haven't blogged in FORever!!
Its cause I've been traveling the world writing a novel ... ok that's another lie ... I've just been being a mom and wife (taint easy I tell ya).

But the time has come that kids have started school ... ALL THREE BOYS ... and Miss Maggie is having a nap and honestly I have to start with low standards for quin so that he doesn't expect magic everyday ;) I'm all about the wow effect -- you know when u don't put on make-up everyday and so when u do he says "WOW", yep I love that. So I have to waste a little time ... dinner is done in the crockpot and dishes are done and laundry is put away. Not to say that everything is done ... but again, when I get it done in a day or 2 it will have the wow effect (try it out on someone you love).

The last, mmmm over half a year has been great :)
Wyatt and Cooper did wrestling in Ririe (and yes that makes me feel like a traitor somehow)
Wy, Coop, and Hy played t-ball and coach pitch ... let's hear it for the tball coaches out there (yeah i coached and it was a little rough, but i didn't beat anyone)
We had swimming lessons ... i have little fishies now.
Wyatt was baptized by his daddy in July (sniff, sniff ... will share more about that later)
Now Wyatt is playing flag football and I'm not gonna lie, I think it may be a fav for me. LuRvE it!!! It even makes me happy that fall is coming, not that I'm ready to pull out the snowclothes yet but loving the little chill in the mornings.
Maggie is sweet sweet sweet! She calls me Annie (and has for months) which makes for awesome conversation as church ... she's the little boss, but we love her :)

This morning was the 1st day ... Wyatt is in 2nd, Coop is in 1st, and Hy is in kindergarten. When did my babies get so big?? They were so excited it was hard not to get caught up in it, but as I watched the bus pull away with so much of my world on it I felt a little vaclemped. I love being the mom, I love their stories, their games, their wildness, just love them!!


But I'm not gonna lie, the quiet is pretty nice right now!

Lately around here ... and a little decor thrown in

Very exciting around here.
Very.

Ok you got me, I lied. Quin has been gone most of the week (4 days) the last while. I think I am starting to deal with it better. I've figured out that if I just plan on him being gone than if he shows up I'm surprised and we are all so happy. Before if he ended up leaving then I was upset and sad that he wasn't going to be home. Much nicer to just be happy. I've been teaching preschool the last 2 weeks, glad my turn is over :) Working on planning the kindergarten valentine party for coop's class, you know me, always up for a party.
I got the Christmas stuff taken down this last weekend (impressive, i know). When I brought in the huge box Cooper stood it up on the end and opened it up and walked in and said "mom this looks a little like the loveshack to me". Nice, loveshack. Just what the mama wants to hear.
Miss Maggie is growing and growing! She is walking along everything, no desire to walk alone yet - but all she has to do is squawk and a brother is right there to do her bidding, tough life. :)
I've been organizing and decorating like crazy around here. I am planning on painting my front room walls red and then painting my piano (a really old, beat-up one) a pretty dark yellow color. I got inspiration here


this is a dresser/entry table that a bought at my fav shop the black sheep boutique it's darling
i love it and it looks so perfect, can't wait to get all the little stuff (and BIG stuff done and post some pics. so fun

don't even worry about it

ok i figured it out.
i know, i know, it may not seem like that big of a deal, but i've been thinking and pondering DEEPLY about what word i want as my word (and motto) of the year. and after nearly a month i know.

REMEMBER.

this year 2010, i will remember what i am, who i am, and why i am here. so many times i feel like i am rushing, planning, dreaming, and doing. i will slow down and remember that i am here for a purpose. i will remember that i am a daughter of God. i will remember that i have such a strong heritage. i will remember those that have passed before me and the sacrifices that they made. i want to learn (and remember) my great grandparents (and grandparents). i will teach my kids about them. we will sing "how great Thou art" and remember gpa kunz. i will wear my red patent leather heels and remember my sweet gma alta and her green polka dot dress. we will smell a skunk and think of gma grace (haha). my life has been so rich with memories of my grandparents, and i will remember to take my kids to see their gparents more often (we see tulips and think of pa elmer). i will remember that i can't do everything, so i will relax and enjoy what i can do. i want to remember to do the things that bring me joy -- sewing, painting, decorating, crocheting, gardening ... i will remember that my children are gifts and try to remember that everyday with them is a blessing!! i will remember the millions of reasons why i love quin. i will remember ...

(if you get lucky i may even remember to blog more often, lol)

2010

are you planning on saying it twenty ten or two thousand ten? mmmm, can't decide myself.
either way you say it the new year is here. it's already a week into the deal, but i'm gonna type myself some little thoughts. someone somewhere told me that they pick a word every year as a theme and then they work on goals that pertain to that specific word. i love that idea this year! the only problem is that i can't decide on just one. i have sooooo many things that i want to get done, new flooring in my house, paint kitchen cabinets, can more food, double the size of my garden, learn to pole dance (just checking to see if you were paying attention), get chickens, figure out how to stay organized (for longer than a week), and make more cookies. check in later for what the magic word of 2010 will be! if you have any suggestions feel free to leave them! love to all --- maybe someday i'll finish getting pictures downloaded onto my computer. maybe not. :)