Blog Make Over

New Year, New Blog. I'm so excited about my new look, I did it all by myself! I have tons of pictures to post and some funny stories about our vacation to Florida. We had a blast. We are off to celebrate the New Year, see ya in 2009!

Best Christmas Pagent Ever

Sarabeth's Mother's Day Out performed a Christmas Program on Thursday this week. I missed it because I was having my back procedure, bummer! My friend Lauren took some pictures of Sarabeth as a little reindeer, precious!

MHR Friday

There is really no particular reason why I'm posting today for MHR. Matt does so many things for me and is an amazing husband everyday. Sometimes I am always waiting for him to do something "big" that just knocks my socks off when it's really the little things that make him ROCK. For instance, I had steroid injections in my neck and back yesterday. Not a fun experience, even with the anesthesia. Matt was so sweet when he called on his way home and asked if he could pick up dinner. I had already made plans for us to eat left overs but I stopped and thought about how he was thinking ahead, knowing what I had been through that day already.

I pray that I will continue to notice the little things that Matt does for me and our family. He truly loves us in ways that we don't even see. I love you babe. Happy MHR day!

Santa Visit

I took Sarabeth to see Santa Wednesday. So much for a repeat of last year!

Holiday Open House

Welcome to our Open House!

Kimba at "A Soft Place to Land" is hosting a Holiday Open House. I've already looked at so many decorated homes on there, it's fabulous! Here is a tour of our home for the holidays. Nothing fancy as we are in a small space this year and we didn't put up our tree :( However, my sweet husband did do something super special this year for me.

These little snowmen have been part of my Christmas deco since college. One year Matt and I decorated the top of his huge TV with white paper and stood the snowmen on it like they were ice skating! I love these little guys!

This Santa clown is from the Emmett Kelly collection. I have had him forever too. I used to collect clowns as a child and this is the only one that ever gets put out. He's hanging out with my Nativity Snow Globe.


I took an idea I found at Nesting Place this year and hung wreaths on all my mirrors. I LOVE wreaths and I never can think of where to put them all.
Now for the BIG SURPRISE!!!! My sweet hubby decided to do something really special for me this weekend while I was gone to visit my mom and family. I was really bummed this year when I started decorating for the holidays and realized I had no place to hang the stockings. We don't have a fireplace or a mantle so I hung them in the front entryway on the key holders...and I was so sad to do it! So....I came home to this on Sunday night:

Do you love my sweet mantle?? D0n't ask where you can buy one because it is a one of a kind, hand made by my awesome husband and customized! He even decorated it and hung the stockings! Here are some close up pictures of the detail:


He even added these scriptures on here. They are part of the piece itself, amazing! I was so excited to see this. I still can't believe he did it all in 24 hours. Actually, he told me he's been working on it all week at work. This piece is truly a labor of love. I'm so proud to hang it in our home and to share it with you all!

Merry Christmas!

Garland Party

The Nesting Place is hosting this great party with lots of really cool garland ideas, I LOVE this site. Since we are going to be in Florida for Christmas this year, and our townhouse is too small for our tree, I decided to have fun with this garland idea. I took two strands of lighted garland that I bought 2 years ago from an after Christmas sale at Michaels and twisted them together. Then I headed over to Hobby Lobby where they had all of their floral stems on sale for 50% off. I also added some things from around the house that I had. This was the only place I could find to put the garland so excuse the big fat TV in view. However, my sweet hubby did build me a mantle over the weekend and it should be up and functional in a few days. I'll repost my new and improved garland complete with my mantel tomorrow. Anyway, enjoy and check out Nesting Place for more fun!

Sneak Peek

We had Sarabeth's pictures made at True Expressions last month and they turned out so amazing! Nicole is a such a great photographer and was great with Sarabeth. You can see the rest by logging on to her website and use april for the password to view them online. I can't wait to sit down with her and order these!

My Husband Rocks-Early Edition

I know I completely jumped over Thanksgiving pictures and MHR from last week but I have to brag on my man. If you know Matt then you know he has a big heart. He is always willing to help, the problem is, he rarely has the time. When I say he is a busy man, that's a total understatement! The last few months have been painfully hard trying to schedule some time with him when he's not working on something. So, when he did all of this on Sunday for ME, whoa! I was completely surprised and impressed to say the least!! Here's a taste of what my cool husband did this weekend:

First on the list, new cabinets for my office/craft room. I have been complaining about how crowded everything is in our home and that we need more space so....Matt to the rescue! He surprised me on Friday night with these cabinets (trash from his job site) and he even hung them and added the trim. They compliment my free desk perfectly!

Next on the agenda, a bracket for my window mistreatment (more on that in a later blog)
Not only did he make me a bracket, he actually hung my curtain with a pleat! What a pro!

Daddy's Little Helper

If all this wasn't enough, he built me a mantle. We don't have a fireplace this year and I was distraught on where to hang our stockings. When I approached Matt with my problem he quickly came to the rescue without saying a word. Then on Sunday afternoon, Viola! I won't post pictures, because it's not painted yet but it is fabulous! He also made Sarabeth a shelf for her room that is in line waiting to be painted.

I was overwhelmed with the effort Matt put into speaking my love language this weekend. He really went above and beyond. I'm so happy to be married to a man that knows how to love me and wants to show me in ways that I can understand it. Thank you Matt for all you do for our family, but mostly thank you for loving me the way God intended. You are my rock.

Happy Turkey Day

Hope you all enjoy Thanksgiving. This year I am thankful for God sustaining our family in these past seasons. No matter what, he has provided for us as always. Here are some pictures from Sarabeth's MDO program last week, enjoy!

Craft Day

This year Matt and I decided to make Christmas gifts instead of buying them for his family. Each year we trade off holidays with each family. This year we are spending Thanksgiving with his family and also celebrating Christmas while we are there. One Packed Weekend! So this year I drew Matt's dad and he is really tough to buy for. Matt offered to build his dad a surprise for me to give to him. Matt drew Aunt Phyllis and she is no easier to buy for than his dad but Matt has a good idea of what to make her.

While Matt was busy in the garage, I decided to make some things for the nieces and nephews. I made the cutest tutus for the little girls and put them in these totes I found at Michael's for $3. I added the names and put the tutus inside. Instant gift! For Gavin, the youngest, I put decorated a paint bucket and filled it with little cars. Hopefully they will enjoy them. Sorry Tarah and Cheryl, I ruined the surprise for next week! :)

So much for the Tiara

As much as I try to convince Sarabeth she is a prissy pot, her inner tomboy just won't let her believe it. She is an outside girl all the way! Anytime I open the door, she is out. She loves the grass and flowers, but mostly she loves the dirt. Here are some pictures from yesterday when she dug a huge hole in the flower bed. It will take me days to get all the grime out from under her nails. Poor baby, she doesn't even know what a manicure is yet, but she desperately needs one.

Can You Find The Baby??

Sarabeth loves to hide. She will start running down the hall for me to chase her and then quickly find a place to hide. It's so funny!