I LOVE spending time with my brother and sisters over the holidays.
Sarah and Jake
Mom and I getting ready to do some antique shopping.
Keeping Bryan and Bill from shopping.
William and Elizabeth.
Aunt Patricia and Aunt Kitty.
Sisters. {A photo for Sarah’s “Sisters” picture frame.}
And a photo with our adopted sister, Patricia!
What a great weekend!
Now it is time to get ready for the Christmas holiday! Happy Monday!
I made a quick layout today with a freebie from Liz Tamanaha via her blog here. I could go on and on about all the things that I am thankful for.
But for now we will keep to the following: turkey, family, dogs, photography, photoshop elements, glasses, beef, football, and sugar. um…and sanity…that I still have some of it left.
Have a save and Happy Thanksgiving!
There has been a lot of this going on throughout the week.
And this.
Love these ziplock bags with the penguins on them. And the puppy chow inside. One batch for the church bake sale and one batch for us.
New snowflake ornaments for the kitchen window.
Melt in your mouth oatmeal cookies. They disappeared in a flash…
Happy Tuesday!
Going through old Christmas photos this morning and getting in the Christmas spirit! And I found one from 1982. My sister Sarah’s first Christmas. Playing in the box. “It’s just what I always wanted!” Love this!
Family Christmas photo circa 2006. My camera was broken and I had to use Elizabeth’s Kodak. The photos may not be exactly what I would have liked, but at least I DO have some. That is the true meaning of Christmas-family time and getting it caught on film. It is also our first Christmas in our very own house.
And one more photo from 2006. So cute, aren’t they? We still put our stockings in the hallway every year.
Found this photo of Ralph in my October folder on the computer. I love the look on his face. He is always very inquisitive and wants to know what everyone is doing. He never stays in one place for very long.
Bryan playing basketball outside. This one never stays in one place for long either. And he is always wanting something…
Slicing apples
Mixing them up.
Pillsbury goodness.
I love finding photos on my computer that I forgot that I took but knew that I wanted to remember!
Happy Sunday!
Call of Duty: Black Ops. Bringing together people who…well, who quite frankly have NEVER been together.
Or have never even liked each other. Such as this nice 12 year old and this nice 15 year old. “It’s a pre-Christmas miracle!”
Salt Dough Snowflake Ornaments
I love the texture of the salt dough. It totally reminds me of making playdough from scratch when I was little.
Pretty Snowflakes! I am getting ready to see some REAL snowflakes!
Just not when we’re travelling!
I am so happy to be home. I love the little everyday things that you just don’t get when you call home at night. Like William making French toast.
And sharing it with me. Yum. William makes the best French toast.
Making Dinner. I didn’t realize how much I missed this until Saturday when I couldn’t WAIT to make dinner (I think I made it at noon.)
Are you ready for some football?
Go Bears!
Enjoy your everyday!
Happy Wednesday!
I am home again, safe and sound. We were working 9-10 hour days, so it was dark when I wasn’t working. Since it is the first time I have been around this area, I was a little unsure about venturing out, especially in the dark (so no sightseeing this trip), but I did hit the local scrapbook store.
Text to Sarah: Smallest hotel room ever. But I have Rosemary Triscuits so it’s okay.
The results of my trip to Archiver’s-Downer’s Grove.
Dear Martha at Archiver’s, I love your store. I wandered around for over an hour like a kid in a candy store. Thank you.
P.S. My husband will probably never let me come back 
Instant Message on Thursday to Paul: Archiver’s=Heaven.
Text to Mom: Scrapbook Store equals heaven.
Mom: Ooh I’m green with envy.
Text to Mom: Probably not if you knew how much I spent!
Look…A wagon wheel!
Contents of my purse, Stacy Julian style. Well-sort of. I didn’t make the contents of my purse look as good as she did. Yes, I have 8 “AA” batteries and 6 pens. And a roll of quarters for tolls. And a static strap. I’m pretty lame… Actually-as I’m looking at the photo, I see that I still have a pen in one of the pockets-so I have 7 pens. And I had 2 cell phones that are also not in the photo. As you can see, I do NOT have a pocket protector. So I’m not too lame. 
{And a pair of gloves because my hands are always cold.}
Nice.
What I am reading right now.
Talking to Daddy on the phone Thursday night.
I bought this as a kit a couple of years ago as a leftover from Donna Downey’s “Inspired” weekend. I put it together right away, but it has been sitting around waiting to have something put in it.
So I filled it with information about my first trip away from home by myself.
Art Journaling supplies that I brought along with me. I created an art journal page each night.
So there it is. I can’t really talk about testing, but I had a really interesting time and I worked a little harder than I had planned 
And I’m really glad to be home now.
Happy Sunday! {Go Bears.}
Well Honey we are still alive. The enchiladas courteously provided by Mrs. Stouffers (in your grocers freezer) were ok but nothing like yours =P. The Lasagna was actually pretty good, I would recommend highly to any other helpless fathers out there. We miss you very much Hurry home but drive safe.
Love
All of us and Ralph too (he thinks he deserves a by line dumb Dog)
So I had to run to Target this evening for a last minute pharmacy run and I was totally excited because they had more Polaroid 300 film in stock! So I bought some and was able to take some photos of things that I want to remember while I’m travelling.
They really are sweet. When they want to be.
Happy Tuesday!
I am leaving like what I feel like are a hundred thousand things undone, but one thing I really want to do is leave my family a post telling them that I love them. I am going to be on travel for work this week and this is something that they have never had to deal with before. I haven’t either. I am nearly in tears just writing this.
1. You guys will be fine. You WILL NOT die without me here.
2. Daddy will make sure that you eat. You may need to remind him, though.
3. I am always just a phone call or a text away (technology is sweet!).
4. Daddy will be manning the blog this week.
5. I love you guys so much.
6. I will not promise that I won’t spend too much money at the nearby scrapbook store.
7. I am NOT going to the nudey bar, honey. I promise.
8. Bryan has basketball games on Tuesday and Thursday.
9. I love you guys. (Did I mention that?)
10. Behave and no fighting while I am gone. No fighting when I get home either.
11. Someone needs to go to the gym with Daddy to keep him out of trouble.
12. One more thing. Sorry, honey, but Woot! Bears win!
Happy Monday!
