~ first steps ~

William took his first steps this past Friday.

He's such a little champ!

I was cooking dinner and of course he did it while I wasn't looking

and

the hubster is NOT letting me forget that I missed his first steps -

Stinker.

I can't believe my baby is walking.

He is walking - he's got teeth coming out his ears, okay not really but lots of teeth!,

he answers with a shake of his head NO to

every.

single.

question.

 anyone ever asks him,

he is going up and down the stairs without any too serious bumps

(freaks me out a little but he insists going downstairs to play with brother),

he gets in on the "playing games" (daddy wrestling) and is VERY ferocious I might add,

he gives kisses goodnight and crawls to his bed when I say it's bedtime, he has started to come into the living room on a high-trot when he hears Mickey Mouse Club House song start in the mornings 

and he only is nursing like once or twice a day.

My baby is growing up -

hmmm....

maybe it's time for another... *wink*

~ Christmas Tree ideas for the future ~

Happy Monday y'all!!!

I come from a long line of women who are thinking about what the "theme" of their Christmas Tree will be that year about June/July. I remember all the many themes that my Grandma and Mama did over the years. Always the most beautiful Christmas Trees and I adore thinking about them and how they planned out the ornaments - or made them - the days they slaved away making little walnut beds for little mice, the days and days it took to unbraid a rope wreath, then fluff it, then curl with a large barrel curling iron into perfect submissive circular spirals.

I don't hold a candle to the creativity that they held in their fingertips but I sure enjoy trying.

I've been really enjoying my Christmas Tree this year and it gets me thinking of ideas for future Christmas Trees. I've been thinking it would be so cute to do a Black and White Check Christmas Tree and I have some red apples that could also go on that tree. Then I found this tree skirt! Isn't it cute?

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yeah - I thought it was REALLY cute too until I saw it was $318!!! What the?

Anyhow, then I did some more searching and found a pattern and directions to make this one...

source

I think I like this one better anyway and it won't cost me an arm and a leg!

Then the other idea I had for a future Christmas Tree was SUPER colorful!

& then I ran into this and how fun is this?

So cheerful!!!

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I love the lime green and the pinks and purples.

All the different ornaments -

as well as the extra branches that are pinky/purple they've tucked in throughout the tree.

Love it!

Wouldn't this be such a fun Christmas Tree? This would really get those kiddos dreaming of

What ideas do you got?

~ her morning elegance ~

I had a friend share this with me a while back.

It mesmerizes me.

~ Gotta be Brave! ~

Ever heard of Brave Girls Club?

Well visit their website and get hooked!

If your anything like me - I don't have a clue how I could even get away for an afternoon let alone a few days - financially it just wouldn't work and with this little boys... well let's just say my husband already not having hair might work towards a benefit in that department.

SO Jeanne over at Bushel and a Peck is offering a giveaway that is just for us. It is a 6 week online seminar put on by Brave Girls Club and it's called Soul Restoration! You gotta go sign up!!

 and while your there check out Jeanne's Etsy store for those last odds and end Christmas Gifts as well as her adorable blog!

Have a great weekend all!

~ have you been naughty or nice? ~

I dressed the boys up yesterday - Paul was pretty sure we should be actually going somewhere

but I explained -

no - we were just taking pictures.

 

I took 120 pictures and only got about 3 that were acceptable for Christmas Card material.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!


as for me...
I've definately been... well...
medium
this year.
But - lucky me,
I've got
"good connections" 
with
Santa
*wink*


How about you?

Naughty or Nice?

************************************************

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"Fear less, hope more;

eat less, chew more;

whine less, breathe more;

talk less, say more;

hate less, love more;

and all good things

will be yours."

Swedish Proverb

What the heck is a Tannenbaum?

Yeah - I totally just had to google this because I didn't know.

I was looking at CountryLiving.com and came upon this gorgeous Christmas scene and I fell.

Isn't it gorgeous?

The description on the website:

Fresh Green & White

Fresh white flowers and greenery make a surprisingly wintry effect, minus the chill. White dove ornaments combine with amaryllis, carnations, and orchids on a Tannenbaum that's sprayed white.

and I was like... What the heck is a Tannenbaum? I've heard it in songs and such through the years but I don't know that I have ever really knew what it meant.

...and it means Christmas Tree! for those of you were as ignorant as I.

Lol!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've got to be better prepared for Christmas next year - this year I was fortunate enough to run into most of the silver decorations that are on my tree at my local Winco for a awesome buy but I want my tree to look more creative next year and maybe do something like a handmade Christmas... maybe a little polka dots, stripes, I don't know - something cool.

In addition to being better prepared with decorations, I'll do my shopping earlier like I usually do and get our Christmas Cards out right after Thanksgiving instead of waiting...

I'm usually pretty awesome at prepping for Christmas but this year with traveling for Thanksgiving and having 2 munchkins to run herd on I'm really struggling. Last year before William was born in November I had Christmas all done. I think this year I didn't have that deadline so I was just like - I'll worry about that tomorrow.

and then I said that the next day... and the next day....

and the next...

Yes, I'll do better next year!

Wait... Isn't this what everyone ALWAYS says?

Anyways, hope you are enjoying your .... Tannenbaum. (sense sarcasm?)

~ tis the season ~

Sunday night I finally got an opportunity to decorate for Christmas a little.

My husband brought me home a gorgeous tree after work on Friday and there it sat...

till Sunday when I finally felt like I had the decorations I wanted and I had a hour to myself to decorate till my hearts content.

 My week and weekend was pretty busy as I was trying to recover from our trip to Washington with laundry and trying to get back in the groove during the week

and

my weekend - I was blessed to have both of my sisters here this weekend.

I got to feed them and love them up - all of us together. It was sublime!

 It's amazing how much I enjoy playing hostess.

I love planning and shopping -

cooking and cleaning -

waiting for them to arrive -

meeting them at the door with hugs and kisses...

All of thee above!

 We enjoyed lots of laughs.

I got to squeeze on my niece and nephew some more

and they helped me with the tree -

which made me nervous and happy all at the same time. LOL!

 We all went to my Aunt Louise's and Uncle Brad's

for dinner one night.

Family and Aunt Louise's peach cobbler and garlic fried potatoes - Life. Was. Good!

 Pauly spent the weekend with his Granny so I/we could have a break and he could visit them as he hadn't seen them for a while- so having some quiet (er) time was awesome.

 This week I'm going to work on more Christmas decorations, gifts, and my Stocking Swap gift!

More information on that later...

 I hope you all have a very blessed week...

 and are able to soak in some of that good ole Holiday cheer!

Toodles!



~ little slice of heaven ~

During our stay in Washington we were blessed to have had the opportunity to meet a very kind and generous family that I had been waiting weeks to meet!

But before I introduce you to the fabulous family... let me show you their home!

The home is about 105 years old - it was brought to it's current location in 1940. They had to cut it into two separate pieces and moved it on a horse-drawn sleigh during December.

The home was placed on a pre poured foundation - Amazing to think how they might of accomplished this.
The owner says there are no visible cracks in the foundation.

Previously belonging to her husband's father - the home is full of character and

is spilling over with love and history.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now - for the tour...

This gorgeous vintage oven is what you see the moment you are welcomed in the door.

Her vision for warmth and charm is purposefully placed through her kitchen -

making you feel like she did it all

just.

for.

you. 

In the kitchen you'll find a quaint breakfast nook that is seated with old benches.

This cozy corner was already in the house when they moved in.

I day dreamed of the many families who might of sat tucked away in their comfort as they shared details about their day with each other. 

Her love for thrifty vintage finds was obvious as she gave me the tour through her charming home.

I had to take a picture of the salt and pepper shakers - aren't they sweet? ... or salty? - I mean... Ha!


I just loved her old sink.

The flowers she had placed on the window ledge were so happy -

I'm sure they make her smile on a daily basis.

The birds and the tea towels were begging to be photographed. They were so sweet.

And this is the guest bedroom... I fell in love with this chair.

This print of this little girl was her grandmother's.

So beautiful.

I really love the different textures and design of fabrics that she used in this room.

... and then there was the bead board.

Y'all know how I love bead board. It's just awesome in this room!

Then there was the ticking bedspread... so many treasures.

I could take a beautiful nap in this room - THAT'S for sure.

Next - the gorgeous bathroom!

There was one whole wall full of built-ins.

Talk about a girlly girl's dream!

I just loved the way she used this little three-tiered stand. Very clever.

Such a cute little stand chalked full of little treasures -

like this wire basket...
drool.
drool.

Leopard print can be found throughout her home and it's a fabulous unexpected surprise!

These little storage cubbies were just another awesome detail of the character in their home.

::sigh::

See - Polka Dots!

Just.

for.

me.

How'd she know I love them SO!?

This transom made my heart skip-a-beat.

Here - is the sun room.

Can you tell what the light fixture is?

Yep! Grapes.

So fun.

The sun room was laced with white sheers that I'm sure filters in the sunlight so beautifully and makes this little room very desirable in the warmer months for reading, napping :) and sipping iced tea.

Unexpected treats were all through their home... for example this framed print seen here -
she picked it up at a thrift store,

This was her grandfather's school bell - She adores bells and there were others sprinkled vicariously through their home.

She had antique cowbells too!

Oh yeah - the girl's got style!

and little glimmers here and there to bring in the celebration of the holidays to come.
I just loved this pillow.

and this is her...

My new friend Carolyn.

I just loved this picture - can we be any more alike?  - we're both wearing black and ruffles.


She's just a kick and a fabulous hostess!


She's a delight to be around!

Carolyn and her family are neighbors to my sister in Washington and Jodi introduced us.

We live so far apart but through Facebook we have become friends and often bounce ideas off each other when it comes to lovin' up our homes.

She's super thrifty and well... she gets me.

It's important to have a friend like Carolyn - I hope you are as blessed as I am.

This is Carolyn and her husband Ed (left) and their son William (right) - they have an older son - Joey who had already left to return to college after the Thanksgiving holiday.

This family was a breath of fresh air.

Carolyn and Ed showered all of us with encouragement and compliments.

There was great conversation, wine and fudge - and all of this while we were shimmered by twinkle lights in a beautiful home.

What more could this girl ask for?

They were sweet to our babies and tended to their every need.

For Pauly, that was cup after cup of water - he. was. VERY. thirsty!

We all had a wonderful visit and look forward to seeing them again.

Till then, dear friends ~
Thank you for the wonderful evening and peek into your
gorgeous home.

God Bless you all in your "little slice of heaven"!