whatever

craft weekend sponsors.

At each CRAFT WEEKEND we have fabuous sponosors who send their product for our guests.
We appreciate each one of them!  I love finding creative people to work with.

there is an amazing group here this month!

there is no excuse for not having a Mother's Day gift purchased TODAY!
go shopping right here and find the prefect gift for anyone... including yourself.

thank you sponsors for being SUPER AWESOME!!! 

 

you can purchase Stitch Craft Create Magzine on their website or any craft store!

 

Use the code WHATEVER15 for 15% off your purchase KATYGIRL DESIGNS.

 

Use the coupon code MEG20 for 20% off your purchase at Ike&Co.

 

Use the coupon code craft20 for 20% off your purchase at Sorta Southern Boutique.

 

Use the code CRAFT30 for 30% your purchase at Jennifer Dahl Designs.

 

 

Use the code craftweekend to get 10% off your order at the Say Hello Shop.

they sent the Hello signs for us to use IN our craft project during Craft Weekend.... LOVE them! 

 

 

Use the code HAPPYCRAFTWEEKEND for 15% off at Knitty Bitties. 

 

Use the code WHATEVER for 15% off at Felt Foxes.

they sent us hundreds of felt balls to use in our craft project... SO MUCH FUN!!  you need some.  :) 

 

 

Use the code WHATEVER for 15% off at Happy Days... a shop by Wifey Singer.

 

 

Use the code HAPPYSPRING for 10% off in Charlotte Lyons Shop.

 

 Use the code CRAFT15 for 15% off your order at Lori Danelle.

 

 

Use the code craft20 for 20% off your order at Lisa Leonard Designs.

 

Purchase Where Women Create on their site or any craft or book store.

 

Use the code 20offGIFTS for 20% off your purchase at Dayspring!

 

 

Use the code Summer to get 10% off at Heathers Happys.

 

 

Mention Craft Weekend in your order for a FREE GIFT at Little Branches!

 

 

Use the code WHATEVER15 for 15% off at The Pleated Poppy

 

shop for adorable t-shirts at Moxie Clothing Company!

 

christmassy

sooo....it's over.
that went by WAY too quickly for the amount of work that it was.
bummer.

we started at my parents house over the weekend.... 

i was in charge of the mashed potatoes.
















no green on my plate.
oops.

there was a kids table this year.  

and braids.  :)














lauren got her first pair of Birks. (i remember mine...)




some of my gifts.  
how beautiful are the mugs from anthro?! 

my dad had this shirt made from one of talby's drawings.





the big hit of the gifts at my parents house was Just Dance 4.
my mom has a Wii at her house (we don't have one) so my kids love to play it when they are there.
they started playing right away.

THEN the moms came down.... and we smoked them all.
HIGH SCORE all the three rounds.

oh yeah!





my niece is so cuddly.


this was one of sean's gifts.
it was called Cube-bot.
he did not put it down....made it into every shape imaginable.


family photo 2012.

and gangnum style....

christmas morning was back at out house....just the seven of us....all in their new jammies and slippers.


new boots (from santa)

new movie (from talby to sean)

new coat (from santa)


new boots (from santa)


new book (from santa)

we almost always give a big stack of dvds as a family gift.


this was my christmas morning: green water cup from talby, blue water cup & starbucks card from annie (i think daddy helped her out) doughnut pan from sean, candle from scott, cookbook from annie and a surprise gift of an itouch from mr. duerksen.  :)

it was one of the most calm and relaxed christmas mornings we may have ever had.
i guess they really are growing up.
and they were very grateful and kind to each other.

a christmas miracle indeed.

 

we headed over to craig's mom's house for fondue and gifts on christmas day.
the kids loved playing games with christmas themes.


they all got new clothes and goodies.


fondue is their family tradition for like....ever.
my boys LOVE all the meats...and also especailly the cheese with bread.

annie was struggling with her cast and holding her plate so i jokingly suggested she get in the old high chair.
she got big eyes and said "CAN I REALLY?!!"
ha ha ha

she stayed there and had craig bring her cooked meat!
she said many times over that it was her most favorite meal she has ever eaten. 

and the duerksen family picture of 2012.

we are done with our celebrations.
it went by so fast.
i still have christmas crafts to do though.... we are going to make them anyway.
they are too cute to wait a whole year more.

i hope your family had a nice celebration.
my favorite part of all of it was the christmas eve service we went to.
it brought my heart back to where it was supposed to be all along.

annie goes in tomorrow to get her cast off.
if you think of her...say a prayer for her to be brave and for full healing of her arm.

thanks.

i took four of my kids to a movie today and now...i am going to take a quick nap.

happy december 26 to you.

 

merry christmas.

i have posted this before....but it makes me so happy to watch (and listen to) that i had to do it again.

hope you have a wonderful christmas.

we are all getting on our new christmas eve jammies.
the kids are headed to bed. 
craig is making our breakfast casserole and then we are going to watch It's A Wonderful Life.

it is.
a truly wonderful life....a gift to be breathing and loving and smiling.

merry christmas.

 

 

christmas cards

do you send christmas cards?
do you write a letter?  how many do you send out?

my dad's side of the family always ALWAYS has a family letter.
each family writes a page(ish) about your year and turn it in by thanksgiving so then at christmas each family gets a packet with the entire family's summary of the year...a photo of everyone...and then someone has been appointed to write a story about something that happened in the family history (lots of writers in the family) so that story is stapled to the front of the packet.

it really is a lovely idea and fun packet to get.
everyone's page is there and the photos are in a plastic sleeve all together.

but.... i just can't get it done by thanksgiving.
i gave up a few years ago.

BUT i always send christmas cards.
i used to send a letter and a picture.... now it's just a picture.
but it's better than nothing.

are you one that sends just a photo of your kids without you in it?
why do you do that?
your friends from far away that haven't seen you forever.... they want to see YOU... not what your kids who they never have met look like again.  
they miss your face.
and when they open a card from you with YOU on it... i bet you anything they say "AUWWW i miss her!!" 
so... get behind the camera this year!  no matter if you lost those 10 pounds or not.
your friends miss you and your pretty face.  i promise.

 

i chose my cards from mpix.com this year!
i went through their site and looked and looked for the perfect card to work with my photo this year.
these were my top 10 favorites...


red & turquoise together makes me happy...


i loved the font on the Joy to the World....
 

this was different and made me feel like painting....


you know i have a thing for polka dots...


i love the circle shaped cards!!

this one would be so pretty if your picture was all in the neutral tones...


wood grain and turquoise... this one i LOVED so very much.
 

 houndstooth? yes please.  this is a great simple christmas design.


pink and green and a big bold stripe...AND a scallop edge????  so close to the perfect card for me.

i went with this design.
because i heard the baby came with it.
HA. 

but you will have to wait until christmas day to see what picture i chose.

i have good news for you!!

MPIX.COM is giving away a set of cards
to one of my awesome readers today!!! 

leave a comment today telling me your christmas card tradition at your house....

and i will draw a winner thursday so you can still have plenty of time to address your cards!
 
thanks mpix!!

you are my fave! 

 

 

gingerbread house 2011

i forgot to share these!

my friend GB makes gingerbread houses that you can purchase.

i tend to burn things.....
i do.
and i thought if i wanted a memory of the house with the kids....
it would be best if i don't try to bake it AND cut it AND decorate it.

so i asked GB for a big house that i could decorate with my family.






the three youngest were the only ones who wanted to help.
no surprise there.

everyone got one side ..... and me too.

:)

that was my side..... i like candy.
it's fun to craft with.

and snack on too. 

talby covered the roof with fish and gumdrops.


sean covered his roof with licorice and wrote fish in fish.
so funny.

so sean.

and i didn't get a picture of annie's side.
???

i just missed it.

i know it's past christmas....
BUT
if you would like a gingerbread house made by my friend GB to decorate with your kids over the school break
send me an email and i will get you her contact info.

 

 

so far...

we had our christmas.  :)



new jammies....the kids loved theirs and i bought some for me too...thanks aunt jan for the gift card!!


family gifts... we give one gift for each of our kids to open that is for the whole family.

 

 
the sandwich maker is a HIT.
they were so excited about it.

the headphones are to stay attached to the desktop computer and no one is allowed to take them off.
this way there is always a pair of headphones when i say "turn the sound off your game" or "i don't want to hear your music turn it off please" and so now they can listen to their game and i keep my sanity.


sibling gifts....they each got each other little things this year with their own money.
that was really cute.
they got us gifts too.
 

annie made these personalized travel mugs for me and craig.  i could not love them any more!!! they are perfect!


talby gave me these sweet birds. 
and scott picked a starbucks gift card for me.

sean got me a neck massager pillow but i couldn't find it to take a picture.
i think one of the kids confiscated it already!

then we gave our gift to them.
we give ONE gift to each one of them.
we started this three years ago? i think.
it was to the point of ridiculous with all the gifts they were receiving.
we knew we could not control what others would do so we changed what we could do.
buying less.
they have ENOUGH already.  
they have TOO MUCH already.
so they get one gift and they have been fine with that...it's just the way it is.

annie got a keyboard.  (my friend suggested the headphones...best idea ever!)

talby got an iPod dock/clock.

 
scott wanted strength shoes....for basketball....muscle building shoes.


sean got a 3DS that we found a fabulous deal on.
and lauren got an iPod classic that we got through craigslist.

we don't get them whatever they want....but we try to get them something nice that would enjoy...
but that we can afford.
and we do not do gift cards.
or money.

it has helped cut back on the excess.

AND their stocking (gift bags) are filled with little goodies that are picked just for them...
like basketball socks, saxophone reeds, lipstick, squinky sets and candy.


we had a chirstmas dinner.
IN THE DINING ROOM.
craig made a ham...so good!!
i made cheesy potatoes and cream corn and fruit salad.

and cream puff for dessert.

we went to my parents house and had another BIG dinner there.

 

my mom made all the little girls matching fur vests...super cute!


17 people in one room opening gifts....chaos.


my dad had this shirt made for me.
:)

he is so silly.
i LOVE IT!

and today
i am sitting in a quiet house because scott is at basketball with craig, sean and talby stayed with their grandma and aunt, annie is playing with our neighbor and lauren is asleep.
so i frosted cookies peacefully.
and i will make some gingersnaps now.

then we are onto craig's mom's for christmas there.

how is your holiday going?
everyone getting along?