Lillias' Preschool Christmas Program

Today Lillias had her preschool Christmas Program. The Grandparents on both sides and Uncle Scott all came to watch her in action. It was so sweet to see my little girl up on stage singing and dancing {wiggling}.

Lillias lead the group into the room, Miss Vickie {her teacher} to her right.

I love that she goes to school at a church and they incorporated the real meaning of Christmas into the show! Lillias is REALLY excited to get presents this Christmas, she defiantly gets that part about the holiday but isn't to interested in the part about Jesus. Every night in our prayer we say something about remembering the real meaning of Christmas and how it is because of Christ's birth that we celebrate Christmas {i.e. get presents ;)}

Here is the school tree with all the kids hands, so cute!

If I wasn't still painting...

If I wasn't still painting the cabinets, I would be making these fabulous Christmas crafts:

Top Left: Button Wreath Ornament by Martha Stewart 

Bottom Left: Baby Sock Advent Calendar by Martha Stewart

Middle: Wrapping in Style via 6th Street Design

Top Right: Cookie Puzzle by Martha Stewart

Bottom Right: Christmas Card Holder Wreath by Fern Creek Cottage

Random Kid-Cuteness!

I have taken a lot of pictures on my iphone since I got it almost two years ago, and hardly ever do anything with them. I love looking back through them though, because it's like a timeline of the places we have gone and the things that make up our daily lives. 

Today I thought I'd share a few of my favorites from the last couple months...

 Poor little neglected child passed out watching cartoons today while I was {still} painting. What makes my neglect worse is that she has a cold :( Still so cute!!

Lillias got a kids meal at sonic a couple months ago and took it to the food court at the mall... this was the rockin toy. She thought they were cool for all of about 1 minute {thankfully, haha} 

More random playtime shots of my happy baby!

While I wasn't looking Lilli got into my wallet and took out all my money, she usually just goes for the coins but this day she took me for all I had. It wasn't a small amount either. We have been really focusing on sharing lately and so when I asked her to put it all back into my wallet she informed me that I needed to share and handed me a 1 dollar bill. Mind you it was the only one mixed in with 20's! Smart girl! ;o)

There is lots of sisterly loven going on at our house. It is so amazing to watch these two together!

I am a blessed mama!!

Art Work = Photographs

When I was first married and learning to decorate a home I thought I needed traditional art work to fill my walls. I have since learned about myself that I'm not a traditional art worky type of person... I love photographs! Mostly of the people I love, but I also photographs of random things that make up daily life. 

I stumbled on a blog that I have since forgotten, but they mentioned that if you go to the canvas people website you can get a free canvas print! {You just have to pay shipping} Check it out....

While I was Painting...

So Sweet!

So Far...

For all the hours I have spent thinking about and then working you'd think I'd be further along... But here it is so far {forgive the iphone quality picture}. My excuse for not being further along is that Shawn got into a car accident that totaled his car the night before last... now that sounds worse than it was, his car was a junker. The airbags did go off and so he is pretty sore, but overall he is ok. So his focus has been on finding a new car, while I work on the cabinets with my two helpers ;o) One of these days I hope I'll look at them and say "oh that was totally worth it!" Hopefully.... 

Oh and notice my favorite thing, out of everything..... THE BACKSPLASH! I love it!!! 

See ya in a year...

Well not really, but I am up to my eye balls in never-ending cabinet dust! Yesterday and today we worked on getting the wood filler on all the doors to get rid of the grain and then sanding them down. Tomorrow we will prime and hopefully get the first coat of paint... wish me luck! 

Back to the freezing cold garage I go... to sand, sand, sand!

Etsy Love

You that know me, know that I am a huge Etsy fan! People are SO creative!! One store that is filled with loveliness and great gift source is The Sweet Life by Design. Check her store and blog out, you won't be disappointed, especially if you are a ruffle lover like I am!

I love these Iphone cases!

Pretty sure I need these towels in my bathroom!

Who wouldn't love these tissue holders, cute and functional!

We had a tiny visitor....

It is no secret that my three year old is addicted to binkies! A couple days ago, however, a tiny visitor dropped by our house. THE BINKY FAIRY! 

We have had a fairy door for a couple years now, but this was our first fairy visit ;o) 

Lillias woke up to find a little trail of glitter {fairy dust} and a note by the fairy door. Without hesitation Lillias handed me the binky to give to the binky fairy.

Here are the notes I made from the fairy to leave...

We have been talking to her a lot about this coming and she had even requested her binky fairy present. Princess of course!

A very creative friend made the fairy door for me, she has a fabulous blog!

I have been impressed with Lilli not asking for the binky back, but she has been a little more grumpy than normal. I keep telling myself that it will get better, hopefully it will. No turning back now!

Love to Shop??....

Just in time for Christmas I found lots of new sites to tempt me! If my daily e-mails from jcrew where not enough now I have several more to fill my inbox with temptation!

Here are some of my new finds in online deals... Enjoy {I know I have ;o)}

Fashion: 

Think Filene's Basement meets the internet on speed!

Rue La La  {LOVE this one!}

Ideeli

Gilt

Beyond the Rack

Gifts and Home Decor:

The Foundary

One Kings Lane 

Children:

Zulily

Mamapedia

Baby Steals

Random Local Goodness:

Living Social

Groupon

T-Minus 1 Day!

Tomorrow is the last day of the quarter for me! I underestimated how hard going back to school would be with kids {one that can not leave me for more than a couple hours} and Shawn also in school. I learned a lot and over I am glad I did it, but it has been stressful finding uninterrupted time to devote to school. I can proudly say that I have an A and lots of new design knowledge under my education belt, but will enjoy having a little free time again!

Designing Away... For a VERY special person!

My nephew Ryan holds a special place in my heart, he joined our family 8 years ago and made me an aunt for the first time. He is such a special spirt. He is an obedient, sweet, thoughtful, SMART, handsome guy! I was reading back through my journals a couple weeks ago and came across several entries where sweet Ryan made my life a little bit easier. 

When Ryan was around 4 years old, Lisa and Ryan had stayed the night at my mom's house. I was about 7 weeks pregnant and had just left a doctor appointment where I found out that I had been pregnant with twins and one had died and the other was not looking like it would make it either. I was devastated and drove straight from the appointment to my mom's knowing that she and Lisa would both be there. As I was telling my mom the news we both started crying. Ryan who had been playing in the other room came in to see me with tears down my face, ran into my arms and gave me a hug. It was perfect timing and much needed. 

The next experience {of many}was also when he was 4ish years old and we were living with my in-laws, Ryan was staying the night and I was sick. He got up pretty early {pretty sure he still does} came into my room and wanted to play, to which I informed him that I was sick and staying in bed. A little while later he came back into my room with a bottle of medicine and a dixie cup of water to "fix me." My mother in law told me later that he came rushing into her room where she had been sleeping and told her that I was sick and needed medicine. She got him the bottle and helped him fill the cup of water all at his request. 

I am so blessed to be a part Ry Ry's {pretty sure he doesn't like to be called that anymore} life!

About a month ago he was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints out in Austin and I was unable to go. Lisa, however, asked me to make the programs for the event. I was so glad she did because even though I was not there to cheer on the boy I love so much, I felt apart of the day. 

Here is the program I designed:

Front and Back

Inside

Addy Ann's First Teeth!

My sweet Addy Ann is 5 months {as of nov. 25th actually}!! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by! She is such a joy to have around, always smiling.

On November 18th I noticed two little teeth poking through. Now her smile is just that much cuter with her little "mouse" teeth as Lillias calls them!

Fall in Review

Since I am looking at this blog basically as a scrapbook/journal I want to make sure I don't leave out the fun activities that made our Fall fun this year! So to recap here are a couple events...

First was a trip to the Olentangy Indian Caverns, it was the perfect crisp Fall day!

We went with the Holloway's, England's, and the Torgesen's. A fun group with lots of cute friends for Lillias to make silly faces with!

Addy went in and out of naps the whole way through the cold damp caves, such a little trooper!

Reese and Lilli making each other crack up!

Classic Lillias bossing the situation! HA! She loved mining for "jewels!"

The day after we visited the caverns, Lillias had her school field trip to the pumpkin patch. Grandma and Grandpa Adams' came up to watch Addy Ann while mommy and Lillias went to the farm. This was the first time since Adelaide was born that Lillias and I did something just the two of us! 

Right after I snapped this picture the pony bit her finger, she was not happy about it either! 

Lilli with her preschool class and Miss Vickie! The sweetest teacher, Lillias LOVES her!

Hello December!

Confession, I probably spend about an hour {sometimes a lot more} a day reading blogs. I start with one of my favorites and by the time I'm finished I have jumped from that one to the one she recommended to the one that, that one recommends.... on and on and on.... It's so neat that I can connect with people who live sometimes around the world through similar life circumstances all through a small personal blog. I, however, am not so great about posting. So many times things I see or that happen each day make me think "I should blog about that" but never seem to find the time to do it. So, since today is December 1st {CRAZY!} my goal is to post once a day for the entire month! That way when I make one of these Blurb Blog to Books it will be filled with lots of the details that fill up our days!

Happy December!!