Christmas Tour 2015

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We have nothing coming up in the next two weeks, and I am totally ok with this.  We are  rounding out three weeks of insanity with me working at the chopper, holiday parties, my cousin visiting for a week, lots of drinking, more chopper work and the holidays. Not to mention Hunter, Tessa and I have been passing around a cold back and forth for two weeks.

We had a great holiday-  Hunter was totally spoiled by Santa and family, as was Tessa.  Christmas Eve was spent at my parents house for a big turkey dinner and gift exchange with my family.  JEGs made the most amazeballs cannolis from scratch.  When we got home, Hunter was super psyched to put out cookies and milk for Santa.

Tessa was trying to snatch the cookies for herself...

Christmas morning Hunter tore through his gifts and then we headed over to my in-laws where Hunter opened 29479274287 more gifts and I cooked my first Christmas dinner. It was also my turn to have the head cold, so that was awesome.

 Ya'll I am tired.  JEGs and I don't have anything planned for New Year's Eve except a steak dinner and maybe a bottle of red wine.  I can't even promise I'll make it to midnight.

This is me, firmly planted in my 30s.

Anyway, I thought I would do a quick holiday tour of the house.  We keep the decorations up until January 8th; my mom always did for Three Kings Day, but also JEGs' family celebrates Ukrainian Christmas on January 7th.

The outside got the usual garland strung from the porch and lights around the trees.  I took this picture the week before Christmas when our neighborhood did a luminaries night.

Mother Nature was brutal to my decorations this year.  We haven't had any snow, but it has been super windy, so I have been collecting my decorations from my neighbor's driveway daily.  

I added some seasonal throw pillows to our rocking chairs.  The HO HO HO pillow came from the Dollar Spot at Target a couple years ago and the buffalo plaid pillow came from Joann's this year.  The bigger pillows I made years ago from a table cloth.

I snagged a galvanized bucket from the Dollar Spot this year and added some burlap and satin ribbon.  My mom and I got clippings from a tree farm for free, so I arranged  them to the bucket.

My trusty vintage sled is propped up next to the mail box and I planted poinsettias in the pot with more free clippings to fill in.

The mantel got a little bit of a make under this year.  Instead of swagging the garland in the front, I sat it back behind everything. Some candle sticks and faux trees anchored the space.

This year I wanted it to be all about the stockings.  Since we got to add a fourth stocking this year for Tessa, I had to retire my JOY stocking holders.  

Pottery Barn had this really sweet Santa sleigh and reindeer set that I loved, but at $40 per stocking holder, I was having a hard time making the commitment.  Then I found these adorable reindeer holders at Target for $10 each and I was sold. 

The red ornaments from years past were retired and new gold (shatter proof) ornaments took their place on our tree along side our wood and felt (unbreakable ornaments).

I did add a new ornament to commemorate our family trip to Maine at the end of August

More garland up the banister.  I love me some twinkle lights.

When I was finished decorating the living room, I had a bunch of stuff left over that I really love but didn't have a place for; my twine trees, Justin's favorite Ark of the Covenant deer and my manger set.  The only answer was to set them all on the buffet with some more free clippings.

 I added the chalkboard behind it because I was feeling sassy.  That's just how I do.  Feelin' sassy, add a chalkboard. 

I hope your New Years is as eventful or uneventful as you hoped.  

From our family to yours, Happy New Year!

Always & Forever,
  ME

Santa Babies 2015

It's that time of year again!  Time to shell out twenty-five bucks for a picture of your kids sitting on a stranger's lap.  

It's Mall Santa Time!!!

Ok, so there is Tessa.  But where is Hunter you ask?  Well, that's fun story, so settle in with a snack and I shall share with you.

One Friday afternoon, JEGs took a half day off work so we could take the chitlins to see Santa.  Hunter was super psyched.  When we told him what we were doing, he started jumping up and down with excitement.  

So we wait in line and talk about what he is going to ask Santa (the Stellosphere, in case you are wondering), but when it is our turn to sit on his lap, Hunter won't go up to him and walks away.  He isn't scared, he isn't crying, he just refuses.  We try to coax him, but he is not interested.  Thinking he is being is normal stubborn, 4-year-old self, we get Tessa's picture taken and call it a day.

Later that evening, JEGs is putting the monster to bed, and he asks him why he didn't want to sit on Santa's lap and the kid bursts out crying.  He starts saying Santa looked angry because the Elf on the Shelf told Santa that Hunter hasn't been a good listener and Hunter was scared Santa would be mad at him.

You guys.... we don't even have an Elf on the Shelf.  

Right after Thanksgiving we talked about getting one because Hunter has been mouthy lately.  (Oh 4.  What a fun fun age.  #sarcasmfont).  But being the super cheap skate that I am, I didn't want to shell out $30 for one.  So we mentioned a couple times that the Elf might show up, but that was it.  

Of course we are completely heart broken that he was this upset over something we didn't even have, so I took him back to a different Santa- with the explanation that Santa goes to different malls every day- so he could tell him he was going to work on being a good boy... and he would like the Stellosphere.

I asked him if he wanted to have his picture taken with Tessa, and he said no because she already had her own picture.  I figured that was fair enough.

  So for 2015 Hunter is getting is final singular picture with Santa, because I sure as hell am not spending $50 on pictures with Santa again.

Always & Forever,
  ME

DIY Burlap Bow

I had these two wreaths that hung in my kitchen windows over the buffet that I was procrastinating in putting up.  I felt like they needed a little something, but I didn't know what.  So they sat on my kitchen island for over a week.

This afternoon I was on a mission to clear off the counter tops, so it was decision time.

My first step was to give Tessa a teething biscuit to occupy her.  

I was in Target last week (you know, for a change, right?) and I snagged this burlap ribbon from the Dollar Spot.  

Six feet for a dollar?  I'll take three, thankyouverymuch.

I busted out my bow making skills from my cheerleading days and made two rustic burlap and twine bows for the wreaths.

First, I cut a section of the ribbon.  I used a 30 inch length, but you can do whatever size makes your heart happy.  

I folded one side over, maybe 10- 12 inches.

Then I folded the other side over about 10-12 inches.  Again, you can adjust if you want a bigger or smaller bow.  

I picked up my folded ribbon where it crossed over and pinched it shut.  You can start to see it taking the shape of a bow now

I still have twine laying around from this post, so I cut an 18 inch length to use for my middle.  I wrapped it around twice at first, so I could adjust as needed.  

 Once I was happy with the placement, I wrapped it around more times

I tied it in the back, leaving some extra twine to tie it onto the wreath.

 Tada!

It took me less than 15 minutes to create two bows  Super easy!

...and then I remembered I gave the baby a biscuit and now I had to clean up that holy mess.  

She is smiling because she knows I am about to find the soggy chunk of biscuit that fell on her lap.  Surprise Mom!

Always & forever,
ME

*Taps Mic* Anyone out there?

Well, hey.

Remember me?  I'm Lizzie AMY, and I used to write this blog.

I know, I know, it's been a while since I dusted off the old keyboard.  I've been wanting to come back, but I always felt I needed a big long explanation post, and a completely new look on the page.

Welps, I've got a new look, so that's something right?

As far as an explanation, I don't have much, except this:

That handsome monster of mine, and his sister.

Yup, that's right;  my little girl, Tessa Louise.

Long story short: my life has changed a lot in the past year and a half.  After dealing with fertility issues, we were finally blessed with our little girl born at 34 weeks on March 26, 2015.  She spent two weeks in the NICU and came home on April 10, 2015.

In the months during her pregnancy, JEGs and  I decided that once she was born I would leave my full time job as a camera operator  for a news helicopter and focus on my real estate career.  I still work at the helicopter here and there if a full time employee wants to take a day off.  I also picked up a part time gig as an event coordinator for a local distillery.

So here I am, a 34 year-old, work-from-home mom of two.  A far cry from the 27 year-old girl who started this blog.

Why am I back?  I missed blogging.  I missed having that creative outlet.  But also I realized that almost every moment of Hunter's first year was documented on this blog. I love being able to look back at his monthly posts and remember what he was like, and how I was feeling.  Tessa is about to turn 9 months old, and this has been the absolute fastest year of my life.  I am afraid that if I don't document it, I won't remember anything.  So mostly, I am doing this for Tessa.

No promises on how often I will post, mostly when the mood strikes me-- or when time allows me.  Which, let's be honest, is more likely.

Always and Forever,
  ME