oh yes, it was merry!

but...how is it that something you plan, prepare, and are entirely consumed by for an entire month is over in a day.

it feels like i blinked and am now staring at the month of December in my rear view mirror.

2010 just up ahead.

next year i am asking for a reverse gear on this ride.

we did all of these very same things in my house the week of Christmas.
all that's missing is mom's Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Christmas cd.
(on heavy rotation!!!!!)

"white christmas without you,
white christmas and i'm blue.
i love you...i need you...
so sad, but so true."
(sung with country twang)

ten bucks says i have a few siblings singing the same song right about now.

new tradition

Christmas memory/inspiration board.

what's on it:
christmas cards
party invites
kids' holiday programs
december pictures
bits and pieces
hints of handmade stuff
memories

all in one spot. this is officially a new tradition

sister friend

photo: etsy


more than just a friend. more like a sister.

no other way to describe it... after having known someone for so long... that your day isn't the same if you haven't talked at least once, even if it's just for a few seconds.


happy birthday danyelle


(someday...when we're really, really old and wrinkly we can take a picture just like this one, but with old lady shoes and brown panty hose on. )

stink-id

this is cole.
this is the face he makes when he doesn't like what I am telling him to do.
"stink-id" is what he says to express exactly how he feels about what I am telling him to do.
(as in "that's so stink-id.")

as near as I can tell, "stink-id" is a cross between stinky and stupid. he says this word so much, it's growing on me. rob and i say "stink-id" now. feel free to use it yourself if it works for you.

deck the halls

with holiday bunting...fa la la la la...you know the rest.

no sew tutorial found here.


yarn trees

tutorial found here


in desperate need of a few holiday decorations . cyber DIYs....oh how I love 'em.
the result: it's coming up Christmas over here.

the polar express

complete with a ticket punching conductor, hot chocolate, and Santa himself. can't help but feel the holiday spirit.

this is what 10 does:

lives for a game of four square
consumes large quantities of pizza
& believes MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" is the best song ever


10 also:

wants to do what's right
is a good friend
& on occasion...admits to needing a hug from his MOM


Happy Birthday 10!

so...what do you do when you have a few sweet handmade accessories just begging to be worn?
You put them in the shop.

dandee & lou available here.
my personal favorite: the fabric brooches

served 7 years in the airforce
lieutenant to captain
flew combat missions over Vietnam
2nd to last aircraft out of Saigon before it fell

we celebrate veteran's day in this house.
thank you dad.

oh how I love a good D.I.Y

ruffle cardigan tutorial
(not exactly like the original, but close enough)

grosgrain ribbon wreath

my life without a computer, not as bad as I thought. turns out... one can actually live without the computer. it's true!!!

grateful to have learned this little lesson, I now plan on logging many hours in cyberspace consuming everything missed.

whilst on hiatus from all things internet, I decided to be bring to life a few cyber inspired ideas I had filed away for a rainy day.
(or in this particular instance, a day without time sucking internet access.)

\

as for moi:



let's see how long it last, shall we.

halloween was here

october 31st has come and gone. only a few pics and WAY too much candy remain.

my bet is on the pics outlasting the candy by a long shot.

work in progress

This is a collage I am working on. Other things I am working on right now:

my parenting skills

my triceps

my time management

my unorganized closet

and my addiction to carbonation

Looking at my list...I may just focus on the collage, as it's the only one I could actually check-off as completed by the end of the day.

I am a work in progress.

boys have all the fun

"So...it's the bottom of the ninth, tied game, Mariners and the Yankees, and Ichiro hits a homerun to win the game. Mom, it was awesome!"

littlest C...14 months

i can do hard things

I said this to myself every time my alarm went off at 5:30am. I said this to myself every Saturday morning long run. I said this to myself every time my shins and ankles ached from running more than any 33 year old mommy of four ever should. I said this to myself non-stop for the last three miles of the 13.1 mile race.

I can do hard things.

PS: dear running friends,

i look forward to seeing your sleepy, "why are we doing this" faces again real soon. i think i hear my running shoes calling to me.

First day of school...

as always...bitter, sweet.

that girl-

that girl's so smart.
and her, she's so pretty.
that one's creative.
and that one, she's witty.

and that girl she's pure.
and her, such the mother.
that one can sew.
and that girl sings like none other.

and me, I have talents,
some different from theirs.
the ones that He gave me.
the ones I am to share.

and I try not to envy,
those girls that I meet.
for their talents...plus mine,
equal one woman complete.

* in celebration of all of the inspiring women I know. together we make one near perfect woman.

photo opp

courtesy of my talented SIL...

who is just as amazing as her photography. and that's saying something!

thank you toni.

knack inspired

This is my favorite blog...and this is my new favorite night stand. Completely knack inspired and full of personality. Thanks to my friend Lindsay for hooking me up with the night stand and searching for my yellow knob.

I already have another piece sitting in my garage, begging for some bold color and the perfect anthro knob. I can't wait!

(vay-cay-she-own)

Park City, Olympic Village

very cool.

Park City, Alpine Slides

(followed by a white knuckled sled ride down the mountain. no picture, too busy screaming!)

An Elmer Reunion

all shirts numbered according to one's place in the family. Grammy=numero uno!

a whole lot of Elmer up in there

Strawberry Reservior, Utah

this one is for you Papa J!

Not a whole lot of pictures (sorry Mom). However, there was a whole lot of the following:

driving, laughing, card playing, smack talking, swimming, fishing, eating, hugging, and throwing-up... because there just is no better place to have the stomache flu sweep thru your little family than on summer vacation.

a present like none other

Q: what do you get a guy who has (on several occasions) white elephant gifted 8x10 pictures of himself holding a trophy steelhead?

A: a shirt full of pictures of himself, holding a trophy steelhead, in locations not even he has dared to dream of.

(This one is my favorite as I understand now why Rob is so indifferent to my frequent requests for him to take me to Europe...it appears he has already been there.)

Thanks to our friends the Pecks for a gift like none other.

surprise!

Turning 35 years old just begs a surprise party.

Happy Birthday ROB!

in the summertime

we...plant our flower beds

and sport mango smoothie 'staches like nobody's business!

i swear i was just posting a pic of this one all squishy and new.

365 days later....my littlest C turns 1.

in the summertime

we... listen to the beach boys with the windows rolled down, plan a few trips to the river, and pick our weight in raspberries!!!!!!!!