whatever

boom....my kitchen exploded.

i baked ALL day yesterday.
craig was off work and i was able to just be in the kitchen.

i did have to throw out one batch on cinnamon rolls...expired yeast.
so disappointing.
but we are stocked with sugar for christmas.

merry christmas eve.

...............................................

 

WINNER OF MY FAVORITE THINGS GIVEAWAY FOR PROJECT 320 is.....

Entry #4

Posted by: Anne | December 18, 2011 at 12:34 PM

congratulations!!! 
send me an email at cdduerksen @ yahoo . com with your mailing address.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED!!
clean water is awesome. 

...............................................

please enjoy this beautiful christmas baby.

he was dreamy.




 

 

 

 

 
oh those lips!!!
did you just try to kiss your screen?
i want to. 

 
newborn babies are my absolute favorite thing in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD.
not kidding.

now.....we are off for a very different christmas eve.
we are going to church and out to dinner....that never happens with five kids.
and looking at lights...with starbucks for mama.
and home for new jammies and charlie brown christmas.

i am really excited.

have a wonderful CHRISTMAS!

i truly appreciate each one of you.
thanks for reading.

 

****** sparkly sparkles ******

it's almost midnight.
my computer is almost out of power.
and i am almost out of power.
:)

here are some shots from around our house this christmas.
enjoy.

i think christmas came EXTRA fast this year.
what's up with that?

my kids are out of school after wednesday.
i am hoping for some serious chillin' in our jammies the rest of the week.

how about you?
are you ready to chill or are you still in the thick of the christmas craziness?
 
i promised myself that i WILL NOT have a christmas crash & burn meltdown like i always do.
i hope i can keep my promise. 

 

december?

really? 
already?

oh boy.
i am not sure if i am ready....maybe today is the day to get moving. 

we did get our tree up.
since we have a fake tree it's pretty easy to just get it out and put it up....no cold weather to fight or finding the perfect tree. (i didn't get out the tree so i can't technically say it's easy...but i tlooks easy)

i let the kids do ALL the ornaments.
i gave in last year and realized it was the best idea... they are able and i can relax.
no ornaments broke this year!




we start with the family ornaments first....all different random ornaments i have collected since i got married.

scott was at the gym and lauren was dying her hair...but three is plenty to decorate a tree.


after the family box is empty then they get to put on their OWN special ornaments.
i keep each child's ornaments in their own box.
every year i pick out an ornament for them that represents something that happened that year
or something they would like.
and then we keep them seperate from the family ornaments.
it's very special to them to hang their own special ones themselves.






craig made a fire in the fireplace and we all sat ont he couch and watched ELF.

(sean and i recited this entire scene over breakfast today) 

 

...............................................
 

this year our family ornament is from lisa leonard's shop.
it's so pretty.
i chose the star ornament for us.





they are lovely keepsakes.
and make wonderful gifts for friends and family.



she has a heart and a stocking ornament also.

Use the code:  ornament2011 for 10% your order

(also....all of her jewelry would make ANY lady on your christmas list very happy... go find something)

 

 

girls world

i have such a cool gift for you today!

jennifer paganelli sent me a copy of her new book to giveaway.
you can't even get it yet!
it's that new.

IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!
every single page.

jennifer is the designer of SIS BOOM fabrics.



i love the colors that jennifer uses.
everything is so happy.







LOOK AT THAT!
it's gorgeous.

the photos in this book are bright and cheery.
i am so excited to make the projects that are in here!
there are patterns for the cutest stuff!
but it's not just dresses.
there are all kinds of home decor and party items too.


twenty one projects.


all tied up with a pretty pink bow.

thanks jennifer!!!

leave a comment today for a chance to win your own copy!
i will pick a winner on tuesday, march 29.

THEN go visit the SIS BOOM blog and tell jennifer hello from me.  :)

 

gingerbread....graham cracker houses...2010.

for me....the best part of this project every year is setting it up.
it is so pleasing to the eye.




my kids must have asked me TEN times in an hour "when will we do the houses?!"
i don't like to start a craft until i am ready.
i need things set up.
i need things a little teeny bit organized.
i need to have it ready so i can sit and watch, take pictures or video and be able to help.
when i am not prepared...i end up with a short temper....and snap at them for silly things that aren't their fault.




i built the houses for them with hot glue....
even after the complaining that we weren't using REAL gingerbread.






we worked in the dining room for two reasons....
it was clean and the afternoon light pours in this room.


my kids wore their pajamas ALL day.


beast.
scott uses this word for EVERYTHING.
"my gingerbread house is beast"
"this hamburger is beast"
"my muscles are beast" 
and the other kids (and their mother) have started too....

"this latte is beast!"  "this casserole recipe is BEAST!"  "that mini van is BEAST!"  ha ha ha i am kidding.

i can't imagine doing this more than once a year.
it's too much work to even consider doing it more than that....

not that anyone was asking me to do it in the summer.
just thinking about how much work they are.

i got a flip video camera on black friday.
i love it.

please enjoy my first video.   

lauren didn't join us because apparently she was upstairs watching sponge bob and criminal minds.
hmmmm.  
i made her a house but i was forced to have to decorate it myself.

guess who was still at the table 20 minutes after all four other left?  
putting cinnamon toast crunch on the roof as shingles!

i was calling it art therapy for the day. 

christmas craft #5

talby wanted to show me how to make a poinsettia....her teacher taught her.
i took pictures of each step as she taught me.


1.  cut the corners of the red paper about 6 inches toward the center.


2. fold one side of each corner to the center.



 
3. put all the petals together with a brad.


4. cut leaves out of green paper.


5. open the brad and add in the leaves....re-close the brad.

6. TA - DA!!!  beautiful poinsettia in 3D.  

i love it.
think how cool it would be to make a bunch....in pink and white and red!   
so pretty.