Thanksgiving

A little scrabble, a little Christmas Vacation, a little Black Friday shopping, a little Breaking Dawn love, and A LOT of food. Can I just say I feel like I gained 10 more pounds over the last few days. Was it worth the hardcore workouts coming up this week? Absolutely. It was a special day, filled with a loving family. One I'll always remember. Bring on Christmas :)

It's beginning to look a lot like

CHRISTMAS!!

I know, I know. It is only Thanksgiving tomorrow but I am SO in the Christmas spirit this year {and yes} it came early!

I saw this several weeks ago...

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and I was inspired to make this...

Just in case you want to make one too...

You will need

- Styrofoam Wreath {Joann's}

- Glitter Reindeer {$1 store)

- Krylon White Semi-Gloss Spray Paint

- Berries {$1 store}

- Ribbon {$1 store}

- Pine Cones

Funny Story I thought I should add :) - Several weeks ago when I decided to make this wreath, husband and I went on an adventure to the foot hills to gather some pine cones. Great idea right? WRONG! Long story short, we ended up bringing home 2 full bags of spider/ear wig/ bug infested pine cones... and in the car non-the-less. Yep, go ahead and imagine finding a spider on your husband's head rest while he is driving and you see another black dot on the back seat. Spider infested car people. It was not a fun drive back home.

My point, it is probably cold enough outside that you should be fine gathering them now but just in case, you might want to buy a couple $3 bags of the cinnamony ones at Walmart or Fredmeyer. It really is worth the extra few dollars. Just go ahead and take my word for it would ya! 

1. Lightly spray paint pine cones for the "snow" effect. Do two coats to get a pure white otherwise they turn out a yucky grey color. 

2. Arrange pine cones on the wreath placing your ribbon where you want it to go to make sure you leave enough room. I found that the bigger pine cones work better toward the inside and use the smaller ones around the front and outside so they don't stick out as far.

3. Add a few holiday berries here and there with a cute little reindeer and you have yourself the perfect Christmas wreath!

I am linking up this project to these great blogs: Crafty, Scrappy, Happy; Tatertots and Jello, The 36th Avenue, One Artsy Mama, Merry Indie Christmas Party, Happy-Go-Lucky

Grateful... 26 to be exact

This has a way of putting things into perspective for me...

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Ability - I'm so grateful for my ability to walk, talk, run, move. Having a working, healthy body is such a blessing.
Best Friend - She is an angel and I don't know what I would do without her. She is probably the one I have giggled the most with.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Where I found my faith.
Dancing - I've always loved to dance, especially lyrical.
Early Christmas decorating that puts me in a cheery mood.
Family - The best part of me.
Giving - Being able to share my time, talents, and anything that I have to give humbles me and reminds me of all that I have. I love service.
Husband - I love him more than life itself.
Ice cream - A guilty pleasure of mine. It is so yummy.
Jesus Christ, my Savior - Who I owe everything that I have, everything I am, and my life to.
Knowledge - My opportunity to learn, to get a degree, and to do what I love... Teaching.
Love Notes - They make my whole day!
Memories - They represent a beautiful life lived.
No make-up days - I'm grateful for the days when I can relax at home without make-up and in my comfiest pair of sweats.
Opposition - My trials help me to grow, learn, and become the strongest version of myself that I can possibly be.
Prayer - I never feel alone and always have someone to talk to who will listen.
Quests/Adventures - I'm always grateful for the opportunity when I get to travel or experience new adventures that I have never done before.
R - It is so easy for me to sit down with a good book and suddenly become consumed in the plot. The  characters hopes, fears, and dreams become my own and for a couple hours I can live in a world filled with magical creatures.
Snuggling - It is the best kind of love at the end of a long day.
Today - It is the most precious gift of all.

 

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United States - I'm so grateful I live in this country where I am able to experience freedom every day.
Vacuum - I love a clean house!
Water - Both the kind you drink and the kind you get to swim in. I'm convinced my heart is tied to the ocean.
Xoxo - Hugs and kisses sure do have an amazing way of making a person feel loved whether you are the giver or the receiver.
You - Yes, you. I'm grateful that you read my blog.
Zoo - I mean who isn't grateful to see all of those cute animals {and besides, who can come up with another Z anyway}

I'm blank because...

I got this idea from Little Miss Momma


I'm weird because...
I can't stand the thought of being kissed in the rain, dancing in the rain, anything intentional in the rain.
I could eat a whole jar of pickles in one sitting.
I'd rather take a bath than a shower.
I'm deathly afraid of the dark - Lights are always on.
I am missing several teeth and still have 3 baby teeth.
I get emotionally attached to books and TV series characters - When they end, I feel like I just lost my best friend.
I have a hard time staying up past 10:30 - Even on weekends.
I am terrified of bees.
I'd rather run outside when it is dumping down snow than run inside on a treadmill.


I'm a dreamer because...
I want to teach.
I want to be a stay-at-home mommy.
I want to adopt children who shouldn't be alone and deserve to be loved.
I want to write a young adult novel.
I want to be a world-traveling photographer.
I want to learn a foreign language.
I want to teach piano lessons.
I want to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be.
ALL.AT.THE.SAME.TIME.


I'm sad because...
I wish I lived closer to my family and best friend.
I'm not so sure I got the 27 points I needed on my last physics exam.
I am constantly getting 2-3 cold sores at one time from stress.
I worry about everything and everyone.
I don't have time to play the piano as much as I used to.
With the stress of last week, I fell off the nail biting bandwagon YET.AGAIN.


I'm happy because...
We have a roof over our heads and a warm cozy place to sleep during the cold winter months.
I get to see family I haven't seen for 6 months at Christmas.
It is the holidays - The most wonderful time of the year.
I get to spend forever with this handsome man.

I'm excited because...
I will be making homemade Lefse for the first time (a Norwegian Thanksgiving/Christmas tradition) this year.
My mom is coming for Thanksgiving after all.
I get to see Breaking Dawn this week (I may or may not have been a little sad I missed the midnight showing).
I have a week off from school to catch up on homework, house cleaning, laundry, etc.
I WON a 17 pound turkey at a book fair I volunteered at this week, mmmm Thanksgiving.

My kind of holidays.

It's a Giveaway, I Hope I Win!!!

Okay, okay, I have a confession to make.
I have been drooling over the Silhouette Cameo for quite some time now.
You might be thinking - Oh, not so bad.
Well, this baby in all of its glory is over $300.
Eeps, not exactly in the Christmas budget to give to the husband this year haha
Well it might just be my lucky day!!
One of my favorite people to blog stalk, Ashley over at Little Miss Momma is having a giveaway!
Check it out:

I know, I know, you can barely stay in you're seat right!?
Its open from now until November 22nd in case you were interested in entering yourself!
But just so you know, I might be jealous if you win and I don't. :)

Happy Early Christmas to Me!! {I hope}

Dear Husband...

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Love, Me

10 Weekend Loves

1. Ate tacos every day of the weekend which, if you have read this, then you know that is a bounding leap out of the every day box for us. Leftovers last weeks around here when it's just dinner for two.
2. Remember when we tried these a couple weeks ago. We made cinnamon sugar ones this time, which were probably a heart attack and a half, but yeah right, like we were going to actually pass up that opportunity. I.Don't.Think.So. As I was cleaning up, I look over to find the husband licking every last speck off the plate - I'd say he enjoyed himself. Find the recipe here.
3. Did some procrastinating... um I mean homework for more hours than I can count... blah.
4. Day dreamed about Thanksgiving break next week. AMEN!
5. Spent lots of time in hoodies and sweats, the best kind of weekend clothing in my opinion.
6. Countless hours spent snuggled up under our down comforter sharing our hopes, dreams, desires, goals. I could talk to that boy for hours and never run out of anything to say. It simply amazes me every time. HE amazes me. It is like falling in love all over again.
7. Had our first Christmasy giggles - Elf does the trick every time!
8. Fell asleep Sunday night watching the happiest Disney movie ever made {Tangled} - Not to mention the continuous stream of cute little boy giggles coming from my husband as if he were a kid in a candy store. It might be his favorite movie.
9. We took a trip to Costco to enjoy a few samples for lunch. Costco offers the best kind of munching if you didn't know. Let the husband drool over the massive T.V.s as usual and ended up leaving the store with a new little card table which has now become our office desk.
10. Found the last piece of my Christmas wreath to begin making with my Thanksgiving break free time next week. I'm really excited about it! {more to come on that}

Hope you all had a weekend full of loves like we did!

In a perfect world

I'd be graduating this year.
Me and my planning self would have the next 20 years of my life completely mapped out by now.
I'd be stress free and require less sleep.
I would devote the kind of time I wish I had to writing like all of the blogging mom's I envy.
I would change the life of every child that stepped foot in my classroom.
I would always have something inspirational to say - to those who've been let done, worried about the future, or afraid of change.
I would spend all of my time serving those around me.


Instead, I strap on my big girl pants and take it one day at a time.
Because the truth is - In a perfect world, I wouldn't be me.
I'm certainly not perfect and the world is a far cry from being so.
But in the midst of all the chaos that is my daily life.
It is pretty perfect to me.

This life only happens once - We've got one chance
to Love With All Our Heart
to Shine
to Always Forgive
to Never Give Up Hope
to Have Faith
to Have Fun
to Take Chances
to Live with No Regrets
to Fight for What We Believe In
to Make Memories
and to find the GOOD in every single day.

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Holiday Love

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I LOVE.....
The beauty of the first snowfall.
Our new little space heater we named Izzy.
Snuggling with hubby underneath the cozy down comforter.
Weekends-{being able to doze back to sleep for a little while longer)
Vanilla flavored hot chocolate.
Boots, jeans, cardigans, pea-coats.
Spending time with family and friends during the holidays-{I miss them}
That I don't have to leave Nic and he will be right by my side.
Christmas music in November-{that's not too early right?}
Serving the Lord.
The miracle of a precious little baby.
THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.
The way this song melts my heart and brings tears to my eyes no matter how many times I listen to it.

The most WONDERFUL time of the year!!!

A Third Halloween Post? You Betcha.

I had baby fever this Halloween.
There is nothing more adorable than...
Seeing cute little ones all dressed up. {baby animals might be my favorite costumes p.s.)
When they look back at you because they forgot what to say at the door.
When you gently remind them... say "trick-or-treat!"  Followed by.... okay, now say "thank you"
...and then suddenly they completely forget the second part of what you just said because they are so busy staring wide-eyed at their trick-or-treat bag that is getting heavier and heavier by the minute.
Rushing through the front door, dumping out the bag all over the ground, and giggling with excitement over that reeces peanut butter cup or the kit kat bar.
Nothing more adorable then that.

Since I don't have a little one of my own, I really wanted to go with these little princesses.
But this year, I guess pictures will have to do.

Aren't they the most precious princesses you have ever seen?
I thought you'd agree. :)

A Halloween at Home

No babies yet.

No little ones to dress up.

Only one trick-or-treator at our door.

which meant....

this was the most I dressed up... lame I know.

I married Dracula?? {love Picnik's Halloween features}

Our Halloween was spent snuggled up under warm covers, 

talking about how much fun it will be to take future baby Williamson trick-or-treating someday.

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween, from our cozy house to yours!