thankful Thanksgiving

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I have wonderful people in my life and I am so thankful for everyone one of them. I haven’t decided yet whether I think Thanksgiving is a good or a bad thing. After all, shouldn’t we be thankful for all the Lord has given us everyday, but then we aren’t, so its kinda great that we have a day to remind us how amazing everything really is.
This year like most in the past I am so lucky to get to go home for the holiday. Being in the Army this doesn’t always happen for everyone. I am thankful my family gets to spend Thanksgiving at my brother’s house with his beautiful family and my parent.
I will be out of town until late Sunday so there most likely not be a blog update until Sunday or even Monday just know there will be lots of fun and lots of pictures when I return. I am bringing my computer, which is funny since it’s not a laptop (my tech savvy big bro is helping me with something) but still not likely I’ll have time.

I am a blessed women and I have so much to be thankful for especially this year. I have an amazing husband who puts his family before himself on a daily basis. He truly is an amazing gift from God. He puts up with me not an easy task. I am thankful that he works incredibly hard so I don’t have to, allowing me to stay home and spend time with our children.

I am thankful for the beautiful children I have. They are each so amazing all in their own ways. A few months ago I’m not sure I would have been so happy to write this (we found out three was all we would ever have) I am thankful to be done having children and to watch these ones grow every day.

I am more than Thankful for my amazing parents and their good health. I can’t even think about what life will be like when they are not here. I am so blessed to have my parents.

I am thankful for my brother, his wonderful wife Jess, two people who accept me for who I am and love me for it, their three beautiful children. I am so lucky to get to see the kids grow and change; I would do anything for them.
Grams, we may not get to see each other as much as either of us would like but you are an amazing women and so much of who I am today.
I am thankful for all of my family and friends, the Army, and to live in a nation where we have a say.
I am a blessed women I just wish it didn’t take a holiday hidden at the end of November to see it.

TOMS

I drank the kool-aid and I feel really good about it. last week I ordered my very first pair of TOMs and today they came in the mail. I've wanted a pair for a long time however I have huge feet and my extra large size 11 isn't carried in stores so I waited and waited. Then I finally broke down and decided I could always return them if they didnt fit right. Man oh man am I so excited I decided to order them and now I want like 10 more pairs. Yes, I love they way they look and feel but more thank that I love the company. I love the idea of one for one. Not only did I get myself a pair of shoes but I got a kid a pair of shoes to. Blake (the owner and idea man) really has a great thing going it truly is a beautiful thing to help people on this level. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that TOMs does check this out.

This is a beautiful thing. I have always been one to want to help. I just seem to find myself not knowing what to do. This is something I can do in the short term. In the long term it reminds me that something needs to be done I can make a difference. This is something I would like to develop with my blanket making business. I am still in the thinking stages but you all will be the first to know. I am motivated, I am excited, I am going to help.

DIY Christmas project

I love easy projects especially since easy usually means little time obligation. Remember I have three little ones to chase around all day. This is just about one of the easiest projects I have ever done.
It was free to make too!
I took a old window frame that I use as decor and "framed" 4 hand drawn holiday pictures. You could make it easier by using printable, I just prefer the hand drawn look.

Material list:
Frame
Pictures
Double sided tape

Here is the frame I used.

I simply applied the double sided tape to the back attached the picture and DONE.

Holiday oh holiday

Despite all the negativity I went for it… Heck yes I completely decorated my house for the holiday’s this weekend.
I love the holidays and I want to enjoy it as long as possible. Even if that means I am decorating the house in the middle of November all by myself.

Growing up my mom went NUTS over the holidays. She decorated, she cooked and not just a little I mean the entire house was changed over. We usually had 3 or 4 trees and she cooked enough for 50 people every Christmas. It was a huge event. Things have gotten a little smaller since moving to Tennessee but we are never short of love, family, decorations or food. She still cooks enough for 50 people lol. She’s convinced my husband can eat enough for 20. That’s how Italian mammas are, we could tell her to cook less but she wouldn’t even know where to start.
I love the holidays like I said before. I am so happy to be finished shopping and decorating. I do have a few more projects I’ll be crafting but that’s about it.

My mom

Today is my mom’s birthday. As I said in a previous post this is one of the first birthdays in a long that we haven’t spent together. So we facetimed, we sang happy birthday and I even opened her present for her. Luckily we will be able to visit her later this week so she can have it then.
The kids helped me make her a knob hanger.

My mom is a crazy fleur de lis fan.

Originally I was going to use three completely different knobs but then I had a change of heart.
The kids helped me paint and sand the gift.

You can find a complete step-by-step tutorial for the knob hanger here.
Here’s our gift to mom.

Keep in mind the screw holes do have covers…

Wine and sip

Lets talk artistic ability here for a second. Okay, so as for me I have very little true artistic ability. But once a month I try to support my friend Pauli who teaches a paint class in our community.
After a long week what could be better than girls and wine. Did I mention that it isn’t just a painting class that wouldn’t be fun? This class is coupled with all you can drink sip wine. Basically we drink wine and attempt to paint a picture that is above our artistic abilities.
I have attended this class a few times and let me tell you it’s a blast. This time friend and fellow blogger, Candace, came along to enjoy the fun. Candace is a new mommy to the most beautiful little girl Harper.

As a mom, especially as a stay at home mom it is so important for us to get that time away from the kids and just let down and have a good time. These classes are great for that. The wine loosens you up and the amount of concentration I have to put into my painting makes me forget what’s going on back at home.
It’s kinda like bowling I always seem to do better after a few drinks.
This is what we were attempting to paint.

Pauli is pretty good at this art thing.
Check out my progression:

Well there it is in all its glory! Not perfect but I had a great time doing it!

Fridays letters

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2011
Dear Preston, Thank you for an amazing week. You did great on the potty lets keep it up!
Dear Payton, Please stop being so whiney and so much like me.
Dear Cooper, You are almost two I think it’s time to start talking.
Dear Colder weather, I’ve had enough.
Dear Tennessee weather, please be gentle on us we’ve been away for a while.
Dear Army, Please let my husband finish up ASAP so we can get home.
Dear Paint and sip class, Please be easy (not just the whine drinking part) this painting looks difficult.
Dear Saturday morning shopping, Please be productive. I need to finish off my Christmas shopping.
Dear Saturday morning Starbucks, Please be all I have waited for.
Dear Christmas decorations, You are so coming out this weekend and I can't wait.

Happy Friday!