Our Christmas Tree

Here is the final product of our tree this year, and I honestly couldn't be more pleased!  I must confess - I did the tree twice this year.  We had it decorated and done, then last week it was really bugging me so I completely undecorated it.  I know I'm nuts sometimes.  It's pre lit with white christmas lights, so I headed to Michael's and picked up a few strands of colored lights to add for some variety.  And 3 spools of green ribbon to wrap around the tree and add some froofiness under the star of the tree.  And then I re-hung every last ornament, making sure to keep all of the breakables on the upper half of the tree, away from tiny little baby hands that are curious and love to pull things off and in their mouth.  End result = more in love with our tree!!! 

Love our personalized family of 4 ornament that was added to our collection this year! 

I've come to realize after looking at many trees throughout blogland that our tree is jammed packed.  I try to squeeze on as many as possible, majority of them are homemade ornaments from our families, childhood ones from the Hubs and I, handpainted balls from the Hubs Gramma, and all of Emma's creations (what proud Mama wouldn't hang them all?!), and very few store bought ones.

What do you like to have on your tree?  Do you decorate with a theme in mind or enjoy the mish mash of ornaments?  Tinsel or a no-no?

I'm joining in over at Thrifty Decor Chick's Tree Party, come join the fun!!!

Wordless Wednesday

DIY - Tshirt Quilt

Over the summer my cousin gave me a small brown bag full of tshirts and wanted a tshirt quilt made.  I rigged our name drawing for Christmas this year to make sure the Hubs or I got her name so we could give this to her.  The Hubs took charge of this project and did probably about 75% of it.  He figured out the measurements, and cut 15 1/2" by 15 1/2" squares using a rotary cutter and his framing square.  Then we laid out a pattern on the floor and took a photo so we would have something to reference.

We took turns, as the thread on our machine kept breaking - so it'd become frustrating, sewing each row together and then I let him handle piecing all of the rows together.  Picked up a wool blanket at Wally for $10 and cut that down to size to fit the dimensions of our blanket.  The Hubs sewed all 3 pieces together.  And then we used a yarn needle and some dark green yarn and did a tie in the corners of the shirts to hold the middle piece together with the outer pieces.

Overall, for our first attempt at a blanket like this, I'm rather impressed.  I hope she loves it as it was definitely made with love.

The front of the blanket.

The back of the blanket - which actually I messed up piecing together the 2nd row which in turn made the Hubs mess up when piecing the rows as a whole.  We say it gives it more character! 

Close up of the yarn tie.

I am linking to these fabulous parties!  Specifically Blue Cricket Design, Someday Crafts, My Backyard Eden, Creations by Kara, House of Hepworths, somewhat simple, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Paisley Passions.

Decorating Chaos

A few years ago, I would go nuts trying to do all of the decorating in 1 day.  Yes - nuts I tell ya! Then I learned to take my time over a few days and the past two years I work on it the week of Thanksgiving.  The Hubs runs the basement stairs, sliding the bins on the small landing for me to push out of the way.  

First I went around and grabbed all of my fall decor & everyday decor off the shelves, lamps, and tables and piled everything on the dining room table.  Then I started opening up my bins to see what goodies were in stores, seriously amazing all of the stuff I forget I have.  

So, instead of just posting all of the pretty decoration pictures, figured I'd show what it really looks like during the madness of getting it all to look nice.  Love that Avalynn is chomping on some of her non-breakable Target $1 Spot ornaments...

What I Learned This Weekend - 3rd Edition

Crazy how fast this past week has gone and for once this weekend was extremely lowkey, our only one for the whole month of December!!!

1. I have been exclusively nursing Avalynn for the past 10+ months, I've been having supply issues for a couple weeks and finally decided to supplement two feedings with formula.
2. This is ok!  I'm still happy as I'm still nursing her 3x's a day.
3. Avalynn is much happier to have a fuller tummy again!!!
4. I love the advent calendar I whipped up Saturday.
5. Emma was so excited to open our 1st one tonight (better late than never!).
6. Love making homemade Christmas presents.
7. I have a secret - my husband sews 60% of the big projects I do!
8. I love him for all of his skillz and am so glad he's there working on things with me!
9. Completed a t-shirt quilt for my cousin and a washer necklace for one of our sisters.
10. Realized am so glad my holiday shopping is done - I can't stand going out to the stores in December, people drive me nuts!
11. Thankful for my MIL taking Emma to the Shrine Christmas Kids' event this afternoon.
12. Snuggling under quilts, watching movies, while being hit with a cold is the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
13. Organizing makes me happy.
14. Am trying a new approach towards Emma.
15. It seems to make the days a little bit better and me much happier as I'm not so frustrated all the time.
16. Halls Harvest Peach Natural cough drops are so yummy, the honey inside feels good on my throat.
17.  I love hearing the excitement from Emma when we are driving around at night at all of the lights.

DIY - Easy Advent Calendar

Middle of this week I saw a link floating around FB-land for a FREE Printable Christmas Advent Calendar.    For the past couple of years I've been wanting to make my own version, but before I know it there's just never enough time.  I decided oh well if we miss a couple days I wanted to try this out.  Will definitely be figuring out a more permanent option for next year - but am VERY pleased with how this turned out!  Emma is so excited to open the first one tomorrow - love her excitement over it! 

I glittered the numbers with red and green stickles.  Also, the Hubs came up with the idea of tabs to close them and then we centered the numbers on the flaps from that.

I've seen several people's lists of ideas and combined some from each, here's what's on the agenda for us.

5. Pick out a board game and have a family game night.
6. Cut out paper snowflakes.
7. Read a Christmas Book.
8. Have a picnic lunch in a fort.
9. Special Dessert: Hot Chocolate & Marshmallows
10. Make christmas cookies.
11. Make a pine cone bird feeder.
12. Decorate a gingerbread house.
13. Have breakfast for dinner.
14. Make salt dough ornaments.
15. Learn a Christmas song.
16. Make chex mix.
17. Make treats for all of our doggie family members.
18. Special Treat:
19. Drive around a look at Christmas lights.
20. Read a Christmas book.
21. Special Treat: Candy Cane
22. Make popcorn and watch a Christmas movie.
23. Do a puzzle.
24. Read Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Wordless Wednesday

Hoo Are You?

Here are this week's questions!

1. Do you like to listen to Christmas music?

- I L-O-V-E listening to Christmas music, our kitchen stereo is only on the Christmas station anymore.

2. Are you one of those people who get all their shopping done early,

or do you do most of it in December?

- Majority of shopping gets done Black Friday with only a couple items to buy in December.  As of now, have to buy Avalynn one more thing and her stocking stuffers.  Otherwise just need to get moving on all of my handmade gifts.

3. Do you set a budget on how much you spend on each person?

- We set x amount for parents and sisters.  As for the kids' I've never really budgeted myself, I know how much I can spend that year and look for great deals to get most of what I want to stay within that amount.

4. Do you send out Christmas cards?

- Yes, last year I didn't as there was too much other stuff going on, but already half done with ours for this year.  Actually received our 1st one today! 

5. Do you enjoy this holiday season or does it stress you out?

- Enjoy it like NO OTHER!!! 

DIY - Glass Painted Ornaments

Tonight as we were sitting around the dinner table I was talking with the Hubs about how I wanted to do a craft with Emma.  I remembered these glass ornaments down in my craft area, left over from a previous years holiday ornament I was making.   I grabbed some acrylic paints and we just squirted some in and slowly rolled the ornaments for total coverage with the paint.  Sometimes having to add more.  Unfortunately, most of my paints were bad *note to self: buy new acrylics* so our color selection was limited.  The Hubs came up with the idea sticking them upside down in water bottles to dry, he's brilliant I tell ya!  I think these are going to make excellent gifts for the grandparents and aunts from Emma - am sure they'll love them!!! 

Ornaments in their "drying" rack - love them!!! 

What I Learned This Weekend - 2nd Edition

Hope everyone had a great weekend!  Mine has been pretty up & down, just like any other day I suppose.

Here's What I Learned This Weekend...

1. Getting up @ 3am for Black Friday shopping was pretty much a bust.  Unless there's an absolute AMAZING deal that will be gone asap, I am no longer going out that early.
2. Stay far far FAR away from Target until later in the day, we stopped in there around 6 am (2 hours after they opened) and the lines completely wrapped around the store, we promptly left and came back after 1pm - MUCH BETTER and faster, 2 people were in each line and they still had plenty of their good merchandise deals!
3. I'm completely capable to be awake for 22 hours after only 4 hours of sleep the previous night.
4.  True friends make everything better - enjoyed a great evening with the Nace's, playing cards and chatting & lots of giggling from us ladies, until midnight.
5. Speaking of friendships, I came to the realization that I'm done being the only person making an attempt.
6.  I like to think I'm a great friend and person and if they don't want to know this part of me, then it's their loss, I can't force more to happen.
7.  I don't like afterthought invites - they make me feel cruddy!
8.   Teething is EVIL when it comes to Avalynn - my poor baby is in such pain, and she speed crawls to us as soon as she sees the ibuprofen dropper, she loves her feel better meds!
9.  Making snowflakes with the oldest and then it starts flurrying outside is the best!
10.  Toll House, Brownie Bites (in the refrigerated section of the grocery store), seriously ROCK MY WORLD!
11.  Saturday was a meltdown day, 3 of them just on my part - I honestly can't remember the last time I cried, it was much needed and I feel better!
12.  Naps for everyone in the house makes everything better.
13.  Emma is a follower when around other kids.
14.  I don't like this, as it tends to be the kids who aren't the best behaved.
15.  Avalynn is finding her voice.
16.  It's amazing how loud the girls' volume gets when they are playing together, and this is with Avalynn not even really talking.
17.  I for see lots and lots of loud, rowdy, giggling days ahead in our future - this makes me happy to think of the relationship they will have!

Happy 10 Months Avalynn!

Baby Girl - 

Wow, you are 10 months old officially!  This past month has been lots of fun, just like each previous one.  

You are waving like a pro now.  Daddy will hit his hand and hold it out to you and you smack it like a "high" or rather low five.  You are really cruising the furniture and are speed crawling lately - it seems.  In the past week you'll stand next to our foot stool and push it while walking & you walk if we hold your hands.  You still aren't standing alone though, so I have a feeling it's going to be a little bit before you're walking by yourself.  

You say DaDa a lot and Daddy sometimes.  And you've started to say Mama too!  I couldn't be more thrilled.  It's usually when you are tired and hungry though, but I'll take it any way it comes - it's one of the best sounds coming from you.  You are signing for milk when you are hungry, just another one of the many cute things you do!  

You are still sleeping through the night, except for this past week.  You are finally working on those teeth that have just been sitting there ready to pop through.  Overnight seems to be the worse time for you to sleep, we give you ibuprofen before bed. I've never seen someone come over so fast as you do, when you see the dropper and bottle come out.  You get rather mad at us when we take the dropper away, we even let you have it one night to sleep with (minus the rubber end and cleaned out, of course!).  

You follow your sissy all the time and want to play with whatever she's playing with.   You like playing with your little people bus and will sit there pushing it back and forth.  Oh - and if there's a basket of clean clothes sitting around, you will find clean socks and pull them out.  You love chewing on them.  You even will bite the end of a sock and then start crawling with it swinging from your mouth, we call you our little puppy, it's just so adorable to see!  

You LOVE bath time!  As soon as we push the shower curtain back and start the water you are speed crawling to the bathroom.  You love standing beside the tub and pushing the cups and toys in as it fills up.  You love playing with the water as it comes out of the faucet and don't mind the water being poured over your head (such a difference between your sister and you!).  After you are dressed you love to come back in and stand beside the tub bouncing on your legs and making "oooooo" noises as your sissy gets bathed.  

You are eating table food like a champ and enjoyed your 1st Thanksgiving meal this week.  You especially loved all of the desserts.  Your favorite foods are hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and any of the gerber graduate ravioli's.  We can't give it to you fast enough before it's in your mouth.  You are still in 12 month clothing but we're starting to buy 18 month sizes because some of your 12 month clothes are getting a little snug.  We just moved you up to size 4 diapers.  

I look forward to the next month and all of the wonderful holiday traditions we get to share with you and the changes you'll be making!  We love you so much our little Monkey! 

Love, 

the Mama

Showing off your adorable new PJ's that Daddy & I got for you during the Black Friday madness! 

Wordless Wednesday *Overload*

The Season Spirit...

has struck the Richards household this past weekend. I will admit that as I type this I'm listening to Christmas music, the outside lights are twinkling, and my house is sparkling on the inside with all of the holiday decor.  I used to always wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I have found over the past few years that that weekend gets jammed packed getting together with friends and family.  This year is no exception.  So, last year was the first year I started it the week of Thanksgiving.  This year I started Sunday with everything but the trees, which got done on Monday.  Me and Emma had great fun decorating our big family tree, loved her asking where each one came from, or me telling her how old she was when she made such and such ornament.  We also decorated her light up tree and Avalynn's little tinsel tree that are in each of their rooms. Avalynn will be getting a light up tree after Christmas for next year.  They both will have the joy of sleeping with their trees lit up/or not for Avalynn - Christmas Eve and finding a little present underneath from old St. Nick.

I have tons of things to share in the coming days, finished picture wall, zipper rosette's, holiday decor, other projects.

As I'm gearing up for Black Friday and figuring out our much more frugal to buy for (pretty much, just the girls')  list and who I can make some great homemade gifts for, I wanted to share some previous posts I've done in case anyone needs some ideas.

- This is great for any married couple you know, the Family Established Wall Art.
- Some Tile Coasters or JOY Plaques, combined into one post.
- Rolled Paper Ornaments.
- Rag Garland's for archways, doorways, & windows.
- Set of Christmas pillows.  Scroll to the bottom of this post to see them.  Just went to Dollar Tree and picked up pairs of stockings and santa's hats, stuffed them with filling and sewed the openings closed.  I have them lining our stairway and a pair on the couch, gave these to a bunch of friends and family one year.

Edie over at lifeingrace has just had her 2nd annual 12 Days of Handmade Christmas.
- 2009 List
- 2010 List

I plan on making some previous things I've done before and some new things from the great tutorials provided during Edie's Handmade Christmas party.  Can't wait to see the looks on our loved ones faces.

Do you enjoy making gifts for the holidays?  Do you like to receive them?  What's your favorite handmade gift you've received?

Wordless Wednesday

What I Learned This Weekend

My friend Amber does a weekly post called What I Learned This Weekend and I've decided to join in on the fun!

Here goes my list:
1) Friday I spent the day with my Gramma making our annual pumpkin rolls.  Yum-O, Avalynn, loves the filling of them.
2) I also helped her make chicken pot pie and rolled out dough and cut up the pot pie noodles, it was delicious!
3) I'm so glad that the Hubs & I are on the same page when it comes to Emma, we've entered this bizzare/horrible/so ready for it to be over with - stage with her and it's nice to tag team so the other doesn't get over frustrated.
4) Early bedtimes are sometimes needed and 6:30 for both girls' was needed Friday night - so glad they slept!
5) The Hubs got up with Avalynn Saturday morning @ 6AM, I got to sleep in until 7:15 and got the whole bed to myself for a little. :o)
6) Lesson learned on our seasonal/holiday foam craft magnet project - something with 10 steps and multiple pieces to each step is too much for Emma. She said it hurt her arm too much, so the Hubs and I had a fun morning of crafting.
7) Emma is obsessed with Boomerang, as soon as we'd get in the van to come home this weekend this would be one of her first question to ask if she can watch it when we get home.
8) Avalynn is officially off of baby solids and eating our food - I want my baby baby back!
9) Avalynn is now testing out new sounds and has started waving goodbye and signing for "milk", aka my milk.
10) We have spent everyday this weekend with extended family, which also equals me not having to cook 3 meals!
11) I've decided that I'm going to make time several times a week to craft, as soon as I start it just relaxes me inside. This weekend I tried out my first zipper rosette - more to come on that later next week.
12) The Hubs and I had so much fun this weekend just talking & joking around and sharing LOTS & LOTS of laughs.
13) We both agreed that even through all of the rough times "job wise" in the past 2 years we feel very blessed and happy, our girls' make it that much better!

DIY - "Non" Topiaries

I'm sure you all have seen these DIY Topiaries around blogland.  This has been sitting in my must have, must do pile for while.  I finally tackled it last month.  

Supplies needed:  

- Container(s): I had two, one from Michael's end of summer clearance less than $2 and the second one was a pencil cup from Target's dollar spot that I covered in rope. 

- Styrofoam Ball(s)

- Dark colored spray paint

- Boxwood Bush: I searched all of my local craft stores and couldn't find this, so ended up ordering it off of HobLob, here.   

- Pair of Scissors

Before picture of the pencil cup and some supplies. 

The styrofoam balls spray painted, containers ready, and the balls pushed in some. 

I didn't take pictures of the next step because I honestly forgot.  But I did what Sarah over at Thrifty Decor Chick did at the end of this post, cutting each sprig into 3rd's.  And I bought two boxwood bush's and only have a little bit left.  

The finished rope non-topiary on a Pottery Barn pedestal I thrifted for $1!!! 

This is the perfect addition to our dining room.  

Wordless Wednesday

This is one of my new favorite pictures - I love watching their bond grow more everyday! 

Hoo Are You?

Here are this week's question? 

1. Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at.
- Being a Mom & Wife. 

2. Name two things you consider yourself to be very bad at. 
- Waiting until the last minute on things, starting laundry and not always finishing (thanks Honey for finishing for me!).
3. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
- Yes, as much as you might not see the reason at the time, looking back it always seems to make sense. 

4. What is something you have eaten lately that you shouldn't have?
- Some sweet bbq chips tonight - late night snacking is baaaaaaad! 

5. Do you think the time should change or leave it alone?
- I normally LOVE the time change, but when babies are around it's not much fun, Avalynn still hasn't switched, and ironically the oldest is sleeping later for once! 

Paint Fiasco

So, yesterday I shared this post about creating our picture wall.   Which meant we, I mean the Hubs, had lots of holes to patch around the house.  We searched the basement paint stash and realized that we didn't have any left of the original living room color we used 4 years ago.  So, thankfully we had panted a switch plate cover, I took it into Lowe's and tried to see if they could match it.  When we tested it on the switch plate it came out too pinky.  So, off to the paint swatches we went, and we found what looked to be a perfect match, even the small dab on the can looked like a perfect match.  Then we come home and the Hubs painted over the patches and this is what we were left with.  Um - note to self 1: Write down all paint colors used in the house, in a safe place and 2: Don't trust self to match a color!!!

The horribleness of it - eeks!!! 

So, I didn't even last a couple hours with it looking like this before I headed to True Value and picked out what looked like more of a gray/blue, but ended up being bright blue!  Can we just say an EPIC FAIL of paint choices by me!  Next night we headed back to TV and picked up tons of paint swatches and brought them home.  In their catalogs you can actually peel off the color and it sticks to your wall, so we hung up about 15 choices and had them hanging for a day. 

Here's the final two, darker color chose as an accent wall.

So we painted and painted for the next 2 1/2 days, painting until the wee hours of the night, the Hubs in charge of rolling the walls and cutting in around the ceiling, I did all of the trim work in a nice crisp white.  We love the look of it now, although as you can tell the lighter shade definitely carries more of a teal hue on our walls.  Oh and all of our curtains we ended up stripping the previous home dyed color from and re-dyeing them a taupe color (they were green before).  

Picture wall take 2!  I think the frames pop a lot more with the new wall color.  And see the "new" chair in the corner, this is my "Mom" area, still a work in progress and hopefully will be finishing this up in the next couple weeks and will share. 

Here you can see both colors side by side.