Wednesday, December 23, 2009

a fun way to display Christmas cards



This year I decided to do something a little more "fun" than just
taping my Christmas cards to a door frame, wall, window, etc.



For the string I used jute twine, but you could
always use ribbon or some other type of rope/string.

I bought some mini clothespins at Hobby Lobby
{under $2 for about 20}
The first half I painted with red craft paint but
it took forever to let it dry and it was a messier process
than I cared for. The next half I gave a quick spray with
Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Colonial Red
{in satin}
and it was dry within 10 minutes {bought at Menards}.


Then I sprayed the clothespins
with Elmer's Spray Adhesive

{can be found at Wal-Mart or your local craft store}.


Then I sprinkled on some white glitter, tapped the excess off and
sprayed with Patricia Nimocks Matte Clear Acrylic Sealer

{can also be found at Wal-Mart or a craft store}.

And voila, I had some cute, sparkly clothespins
to hang my Christmas cards with.


{Note: All of those sprays require that

you be in a well ventilated area.
I did mine in my garage and opened the garage
door a bit to allow some air flow.}

It seems like it is a long process but it really isn't.

In between, when they are drying you can get other
things done {like wrapping gifts or baking}.

I have also seen this done with an old window or a big mirror where

you hang the string across the front and then hang your cards up.
This year I didn't have a window or a big
mirror...so maybe next year at the new house.

This would also be neat to do in other fun

colors to use to hang your kids' artwork.


To recap what you'll need:
1.String, ribbon, jute twine

2. Mini clothespins

3. Spray paint or craft paint

4. Spray Adhesive

5. Glitter

6. Spray Acrylic Sealer

Have fun!

Monday, December 21, 2009

how to get your toddler to give up the pacifier


I don't think that parents ever intend for their child to still take a pacifier after they are 2-years-old. It just happens. We always said that when Addie turned 1 that would be it...we would throw the pacifiers out.

That never happened.

We did however limit pacifiers to only nap time and bedtime shortly after her first birthday. It was hard for her at first but eventually that became the norm. We would occasionally fold when we traveled in the car for an extended period of time.

As her second birthday approached we knew that we really needed to nix the pacis all together.

I knew that most of this would be on me since I stay home with her.

I passively tried to "help" her quit on a few occasions. But my heart wasn't in it and I began to realize something.

It was me. ME! I was the one who didn't want to see that pacifier go. With that pacifier went my baby. I would no longer have the ability to bring her instant comfort. There would be no more cute cuddly "binkie and blankie" time.

A few months passed her 2nd birthday my husband started questioning how it was going.
It was time.

But how do I do it?

I asked a lot of mothers and grandmothers what they did. One person suggested cutting the tips of the pacifiers and praised how well it had worked for others that she knew. The idea behind cutting them is that Mommy and Daddy aren't saying "No, you can't have it anymore." To the child it is just as if they broke. I told my husband about this method and he said, "Let's do it."

Several days passed and I still hadn't cut them. Again, I was putting it off.

Then one night when we were both tucking her in she asked for her "binkie". As I went to get it he said, "Cut it first."

My heart sank. What? Now? This sudden?

I submitted.

As I cut into that soft silicone something in me felt deeply saddened and heart broken. As I handed it over to her and watched her put it in her mouth and then pull it out to look at it I fought back the tears. In one second I was sad and in the other I was thinking to myself, "This is ridiculous, why are you getting emotional about a pacifier?"

Then I remembered that we had another somewhere else and for that moment my heart ache was gone.

A few nights later she wasn't feeling well and I was up and down all night with her. I got to the point that I was beyond exhausted so I retreated to find that other pacifier. You have no idea how much I cherished that last cuddly "binkie and blankie" time with her in the the wee hours of that morning.


Friday, December 18, 2009

rainbow mixing bowls


Wouldn't you say these are some of the
"happiest" bowls you have ever seen?


Something about them just makes
cooking that much better.




They are also lots of fun to take pictures of ;)


In case you are wondering, they are melamine.
You know that really hard plastic
that doesn't shatter when you drop it.

I love that stuff!



I found these at Sam's back in September.
I didn't get them the first time I saw them but then
I just couldn't get them out of my head.
I had to have them!



If you go to Flickr and search "rainbow bowls"
you will find other photos that people have taken of
their bowls and other similar dishes.


I wish they still had them.

These would make for a fun Christmas gift.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

my crazy nephew

My nephew Grant came over to play with Addie. We were all having a great time singing songs and just playing around. Next thing I know he gets up on our chair and dives head first onto the floor. I thought for sure he was going to start screaming.

Nope.

He went back for more.

I threw some blankets and pillows down on the floor for cushion.

He kept jumping.

I ran to find my camera (hence why I sound out of breath) and this is what I got...


video

He is such a hoot and I swear he knows no fear.

{p.s. The "yellow" pillow looks gross but it is not. It is one of those memory foam pillows and for some reason it (and our memory foam pad) turned yellow after a few months. I have heard of others having the same issue.}

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

christmas cookies at nana's


Our annual tradition of making cookies at Nana's house is always so much fun.

This year we invited a lot of other kids to come join in the fun.
It was a crazy, fun, messy, happy day!

Here are some pictures from that day!

.lots of sprinkles.




Addie rollin' some dough for the first time


lots of kiddos making cookies = big mess



one of my little sisters, Amber


.busy hands.


.we made itty bitty cookies too.


Addie and Mommy makin' cookies




This is Nana (my mom) with our first {poofy} batch to come out.


That lady down there is my Aunt Cammi...
she helped make it lots of fun for the kids.



Amber I think you have a "little bit" of flour on your face, shirt, apron...


.chillin' cookies, just waitin' to be iced.


.silly goose.

.concentrating on that cookie.


icing, icing, baby...
{why yes...yes I am a dork}

one of Amber's yummy cookies


Even the new little guy came over
I kept tryin' to get him to help me but he just kept sleeping.
Geez, it's like he is a newborn or somethin'


.some of the cookies that Addie and I decorated.

.look at all of those pretty cookies.

Aunt Cammi spent a lot of time on that one.
.too cute to eat.


.my Christmas tree.

We had a lot of fun!
The adults agreed that we needed more space.
Maybe next year we should rent a kitchen...ha!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

he is brand new


I got to watch this little guy make his entrance early Sunday morning {11/22/09}.
His name is Isaiah Paul.
I have went over to snuggle him everyday since he got home.
Just love him to pieces.
My sister did an amazing job.
Poor girl endured 31 hours of labor.

Now I want one.

Friday, November 13, 2009

charity water: first gift


Today is the day where bloggers everywhere are joining together in a
campaign to
buy water for Christmas.

Every single day 4500 mothers bury their children due to contaminated water.

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and
disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.


Can you imagine drinking this every single day of your life?
Can you imagine giving it your babies, your children...taking a bath in it?



Just $10 will provide one person in Africa with clean water
for 10 years......
10 YEARS PEOPLE!!!

Your money...MY money...can change a person's life forever...even save their life!


Let's do this together. It's only $10. One day.
Let water be the first gift you give this holiday season.

$10 is...
2 coffees at Starbucks
one CD on itunes
a pizza
one movie ticket

$10 can literally change someone's life.


Click here to be directed to the secure donation site of the highly recognized, non-profit charity: water.
Click on the yellow donate button.
All donations are tax deductible.
100% of the profit goes directly to clean water solutions in West Africa.


{Feel free to copy this and post it on your blog.}

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Paula Deen's Cinnamon Toast Pecans


I have got to make this recipe! I love pecans, my mother loves pecans, my grandmother, my daughter, my sisters...we all love NUTS. I even married one. Ha!


These are from the ever so lovely Paula Deen and my dear Grandmother is the one who told me about them. She is making them today. I hope to get my supplies tonight.


Cinnamon Toast Pecans

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cup (about 1 pound) pecan halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients. Add pecans, tossing to coat. Spread coated nuts in a single layer on a large jellyroll pan. Bake for one hour stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool; store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Servings: 4 cups
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy


Photo Cred
it: bethzialcita

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

You Gotta Try This - Yankee Candle Flavored Lip Balm

I went in to a Yankee Candle store down in Kansas City last month just to smell their fall candles. Nothing gets me in the mood more for fall than their Autumn Leaves scent. I like a lot of others too but that one just smells so darn good! Anyway, as I was checking out I noticed three large glass jars with what looked like miniature jar candles. One of the glass jars was completely empty and the other two were well on their way. The clerk explained to me that their store was a "test store" and that Yankee wasn't yet selling these everywhere. She said that they were flying out the door. I snatched one up for $2.99. They must have done well at all of the test stores because you can now buy them online. Just click here. I only had two choices: Buttercream and Vanilla Lime. I chose Buttercream because the other had a funky smell. I would love to try the Sweet Strawberry or Vanilla Cupcake. In case you are wondering it doesn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. In fact, there isn't really a taste at all even though they claim that you can "indulge your taste for great Yankee fragrance ... literally". Besides having a great smell it is just so darn cute in it's littler jar-shaped container.

Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday. God bless you!
Hugs, Anna

Monday, October 19, 2009

Blog Neglect AND New Header

I know I have been ridiculous about posting in the past few months. It just seems like every time I sit down to type a post I get bombarded with a million other things that need my attention. Hmm...let's see what has happened since I last posted.

In July and August almost every weekend was spent with some friends at their lake property in Big Lake, Missouri. Talk about relaxing! They own a large cabinet smoker so our husbands made us awesome food pretty much every weekend. Yum! Addie loved the lake {and the three kiddos and huge dog that she got to play with}.

At the end of August we went to a friend's wedding in Lincoln, Nebraska and on our way home we decided to stay the night in Omaha and take Addie to the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo the next day. She hadn't been yet and we were so excited for her to see all of the animals. She loved it!

We were so excited at the end of August to find out that we were pregnant; but within a couple of days I had a miscarriage. I had to go to the doctor and have some blood work done. Everything was fine and they just said it was a really early miscarriage. I was really upset for about a week or two but I realize that everything happens according to God's perfect plan for our lives. If He wants us to have more children it will happen.


September saw trips to the park to play and feed the ducks as well as a garage sale. I don't think I ever want to have another one of those as long as I live. You put so much work into them and don't always end up with a good turn out.


Now we are into October and loving it! We have made trips to the orchard, park and local shops with lots and lots of pumpkins and mums. I just love all of the color! Addie and I are spending lots of time together since Daddy is busy with harvest. We miss him a lot!


We just found out that we will be moving at the end of November or beginning of December. I am not too thrilled about moving this time of the year but I can completely overlook that because we are getting to move to a house. I am so excited about the extra space {I get to finally have a craft room} and getting to paint. We have rented apartments and duplexes since we got married and we have never been able to have color on our walls. You can imagine my excitement.


Do you like my new header?

I was getting to the point that I thought I was going to have to just pay someone to make me a header {that is what I did with my other blog} but I came across this post at Clover Lane and it was so easy. I definitely recommend it! I can't wait to make one for the other blog.


Well that is it for me right now. I don't have the time or the energy to find pics for all of the above events. Perhaps future posts???
Tell me if you make a header using that tutorial.

Hugs, Anna