Scrapbook Sunday

Look what I treated myself to this week.....a little border punch from Fiskars. I've been seeing these in magazine's for a while now and always wanted to check them out, but I kept forgetting. Well this week I was in Michael's and Joanne's a few times getting ready for the crop I was to go to to last Friday....it got cancelled because of the snow :( I didn't get the call until I got there :( It took me over an hour to go the 20 minutes it usually does.....anywhoo...I picked up this border punch because all of the papercrafting things were on sale 40% this week at Joanne's.



I looooooooooooove it!!!!!!! Here are few little practice strips I did...it is sooooo cute! I will surely use it alot.....and of course I'll share the results with you when I use it for reals. And I'll also treat myself to a few more of these punches with a coupon....they had some other cute ones too. They are $14.99, but with their 40% off coupon, not too bad.

I was soooooo bummed I rode around in the snow for over two hours Friday night....plus the hour it took me to pack up all of my supplies......and unpack them all. I haven't been to many crops.....and I still don't know if they're productive enough for me...with all of the effort/travel etc.....but when I got home I cranked out a page or two....and then Chip took the kids out for the afternoon on Saturday for me so I scrapped all day, then after dinner too.....I thought I only had about 10 pages to go to finish Cub's Disney book......well, I had about 20...so I'm making progress....hopefully by the weekend I can wrap it up!

With Time to Spare.....

I finished my olympic challenge with time to spare..... click HERE to see........I loooove the way my "toasty" mitts turned out....and they're just for me! And with yet ANOTHER storm coming tonight they'll come in handy!

What is it Wednesday????

Cinnamon Apple Straws.....if you haven't tried these, RUN, don't walk......to Costco and get a bag. The are addictive. I'm serious!!!!!! I featured veggie straws sometime last year....but THESE ARE A.MAZING!!! The perfect amount of cinnamon and crunch. I opened the bag on the way home and had to put them in the back seat because I couldn't stop myself!!! I keep hearing the lid to the canister clinking so I know the kiddos are loving them too!

I WON!!!!!!!!

How 'bout it?????? I won the giveaway Southern Belle Mamma was having! I feel like a princess!!!! Did you know the Treat Girl looooooooves aprons?????? Click HERE to see the cute one I made with the soul sisters....and HERE to see the coordinating ones I made myself and a dear friend last summer. I love to wear one when I'm puttering around using Minnie my pink Kitchen-Aid mixer...and on special occasions when I'm dressed up...so this will be a new favorite in my colleciton. And how about pink is my favorite color....So the apron and Vera Bradley pattern is right up my alley....Of course I love chocolates and I think I'll be having the skinny vanilla latte at Starbucks like I always do...and I'll bring my new book and settle in one of those comfy chairs they have to read a chapter or two....Thank you sooooooooooo much Miss!!! I loooove my treats!!! :)

Scrapbook Sunday

This week I'm back to working on Cubby's Disney scrapbook.....this is the left page of a two page spread. I've used ribbons, brads, a tag, a super cute chipboard Mickey and Minnie and my sewing machine for a little extra detail.



I love this stamp to put a little journaling in.....I got it in the dollar bin at Michael's and use it ALL the time....a little chalk to highlight and make it cute.



And here's the right side of the the spread. Cindylou and I stood FOR.EVER in line to get in the character spot for pictures and autographs.....then the boys sneaked in when we got to the front. But it was worth it to get all these fun, great pictures.



I love the primary colors of the this page.....and how I triple matted the Epcot character spot picture. Of course a little paper tearing, sewing, tag and ribbon to make the page complete.



A staple to hold it in place....



...and another little brad and tag. I have another good 10-12 pages to go to complete this book for Cubby.....I've been invited to a midnight crop on Friday night...maybe I can get it done then...or at least most of it!! I love personal goals....wish me luck!

A Giveaway to check out......

My friend over at Musings of a Southern Belle Mamma is having her first giveaway....hop on over there and check it out!!! She's cute and a lot of fun.......while you're there peek around and check out her blog. Have a great weekend everyone!!!

An Olympic Challenge for Me :)

I know, I know....I guess you figured out I'm not on the bobsled team! But I did see this cute little challenge over at a FRIEND to knit with basically.....you challenge yourself to start a little knitting project on the opening night ceremonies of the Olympics...and be sure to finish up by the closing ceremonies...February 28th. It seems like I am forever knitting things and giving them away...so I started a pair of fingerless gloves for myself....I found the pattern in the side bar of aFriend to knit with....they are the "Toasty" ones. I think I'm on track to finish them....we'll see....I'll be sure to let you know :) And hey, I'm sure there is plenty of time to do a little somethin' before the 28th...challenge your own self....whether it be knitting or something else you've had in mind. Maybe post it as a comment to hold yourself to it.....well????? What do you think??? Are you up for an olympic challenge too????

A Cardinal

Cubby brought this pretty cardinal home last week. I love cardinals and have them tucked all over my house, in my christmas tree and my holiday wreath for the winter. I've been trying to get a picture of a cardinal sitting on a snowy evergreen branch for several years now...to no avail. So when Cub came home with this guy from kindergarten I just had to frame him. Complete with red glitter!! Glitter,
Glitter, Glitter....I love to help in his class and I've dubbed myself as the "glitter girl"...his teacher looooooooves to embellish all of their art work with glitter and I loooooove to help with it. I think we all need a little more glitter in our lives :) He has THE.BEST teacher for kindergarten......a dear friend who is amazing. She puts her heart and soul into preparing her children for what is to come in live. Cindylou and T. had her as well so we all prayed for years that when the time came he would be blessed by having her as well. She doesn't know it...but as she teaches my child, she is also teaching me. It is sooooo true.....the most important things in live are learned in kindergarten!!!



I always like to frame the best of my kids art....it always looks even better...and they feel so proud and important. It goes by so fast....before you know it they don't bring art home anymore....and this way it will be preserved and I can set it out on my mantle every winter. This cardinals wings are actually the shape of his own little hands...I will always treasure this.

What is it Wednesday????

I can't believe I haven't put pasta in my lovely glass canister yet....well, this is the week! I don't often buy shells...but a few weeks ago when that BIG HUGE storm hit Pittsburgh, one of my neighbors organized an impromtu potluck dinner after we had finished digging out. Everyone brought something and one of my neighbors brought homemade macaroni and cheese. It was sooooooo good and my kids loved it! I had forgotten all about it....it must have been 10 years since I've had it. I took the time to make it once or twice when Cindylou and T. were toddlers...and they didn't care for it AT ALL! They only wanted the stuff from the box. I've never even made it for Cubby.....so it was his first time having the "good stuff". When I finally made it to the store after the storm, I got the ingredients to make it and in case you're like me and haven't tried it in a while...give it whirl...it will take you right back to when you were little.....

1 lb. shells or elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 lb. Velveeta-cubed...I used the kind made with 2% milk

optional:
1-2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup bread crumbs

Cook the macaroni and put into a buttered 11 x 13 pan. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour to the butter and blend. Add the milk slowly until it thickens. Add the salt, white pepper and dry mustard. Add the Velveeta and stir until it melts. Pour it over the pasta and stir carefully until the macaroni is coated. If you like you can put the buttered bread crumbs over the top. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Chunky Knit Beanie

I've been wearing my wonderful black beanie a lot lately....with all of this shoveling it's been coming in handy. I knit it up over Christmas break while I was at my Dad's....in just an hour and a half! Seriously! I did! I almost forgot I was going to share it with you...I found it HERE ...over at A Friend to Knit With. This was the first project I helped my friend knit.....a terrific, easy first project. Seriously....you can do this. Go ahead......give it a try!!

Anniversary/Valentine's Day Recap

Let's just start out by saying the past four days have been amazing......they started out by me freaking out ....but I once I settled down and knew the kiddos made it out to Vail safe and sound the fun started!! I kinda promised Chip I wouldn't turn on my laptop, blog, check other blogs or twitter the whole time the kiddos were gone...it would just be our time together...well, if you were checking my blog or facebook you probably noticed I was sneaking in some tweets from my Blackberry while we were on our little roadtrip :) Thursday night he had a dinner program with doctors about 4 hours away so I rode with him....he had some things to do so I went to the mall across the street from the hotel. It was kinda weird because I felt like I was having deja vu until I realized it was the same hotel and mall I used to go to when I was a flight attendent on overnights....I shopped and treated myself to some new workout shoes and a killer pair of black patent pumps.....which I needed for Saturday night...and a few other cute things from NY and Co. Then Chip and I went to dinner alone after his doctor thing....it was sooooo nice!!! Then back to the hotel...I brought candles.....

Before we headed home the next morning I got a manicure and pedicure....and we found a cute little cafe for lunch. Can you start to see a trend here??? My intent was NOT to cook AT ALL for the whole four days!! We got home about 7:30 and picked up Chinese food on the way...then we watched the Penguins game and the opening ceremonies of the olympics. Candles...champagne..................seeing a trend here too???????

In the morning I had a few errands.....then I was off to my massage...A.MAZ.ING....and when I came back he had gotten me a pretty rose and some chocolates.



......then I gave myself this cute little cupcake necklace :) I knew if he had seen it first he would have gotten it for me...cough. cough. :) We had more champagne and candles.................then went to a FAB.U.LOUS dinner up on Mt. Washington...you can see the whole city of Pittsburgh glittering right in front of you...it was wonderful!!!!!!




I had told him about this decedent chocolate cake they have at Costco....and on Valentine's morning he brought one home for me....just me......remember the kiddos are away...7 lbs. and four layers of CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!



....then more of this :) These are the champagne flutes we had for our wedding.....of course heart shaped!!! We use them every year....



Then off to see the Valentine's Day movie......if you didn't get to see it with your sweetie or a girlfriend over the holiday weekend.....BE SURE you do! It was GREAAAAAAT!!! Chip even enjoyed it!!! SUPER CUTE.....go see it!!!! We had dinner after the movie and headed home to watch more olympics.

It was an amazing four days......I loved every minute of it!! I felt like a princess and wouldn't have changed a thing....except I wish all of the eating out, chocolate cake and champagne didn't have any calories :( But it was worth it!! I'll just work harder at the gym....got that Tam?????? Thanks.

Scrapbook Sunday

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!! My favorite holiday! I thought I'd share some of my cute little heart doo-dads with you...look at these super cute stickers.



Fun paper and markers....this will be the start of a great page.



Of course some stamps and pretty red chipboard letters. I got the chipboard letters in the dollar bins at Target.



And who can resist some pretty ribbons and brads? The little things always finish off the page. Hope you enjoy your day! Go eat some chocolate!!!!!

17 years ago today....

......I got married!!!! I can't believe it's been 17 years!!!!! Wowza! I can remember it all like it just happened yesterday.....even the thought going through my mind, "Wow, this is just like the day of my prom.....it's going by so fast!"



I wanted our pictures taken out in the snow.....shocker! 'Cause you all know how much I looooove it! It was like the set of a movie.....just a few beautiful flakes falling down to make it pretty. You can see a few flakes scattered on the shoulder and sleeve of Chip's tuxedo. Can you believe I married an 8th grader???? Doesn't he look sooooo young???! Oh, and for the record I've only had bangs one other time since then....and can you believe I just had them put in again this week??!! I didn't even know I was going to.....I think it was kinda a mis-communication...oh well...I'm sure I'll go nuts with them at the gym, but they'll grow.....




I decided to get my dress out of the attic.....It's been hanging in a bag ever since our wedding day. I surprise my own self because I never had it cleaned and preserved. I've seen some girls on their blogs that try their dress on every year on their anniversary. This is my first time.....for a long time I knew it wouldn't fit. I weigh the same amount now as I did when I got married....but I think the dress is a little big on me....I think my boobs are smaller :(. When I twirled around for Cubby he said, "That's just what I thought a real princess would like!"



My favorite part of the dress is the fur cuffs......



This is the purse I used for the rehearsal dinner and my big day....I still use it every year on my anniversary/Valentine's Day......so you know I'll be busting it out tonight!



I treasure these earrings.....I will wear these tonight as well.....as I do every year. I just looooove that our anniversary falls on a Saturday this year....as it did when we were married. Well.....off to drink some champagne and get ready for dinner....And there will be more hearts and romance tomorrow for Valentine's Day! Yeah!!!!!!

Sweet Treat

These sugar cookies turned out sooo good! Cubby helped me make them before he left on his trip. We made some for the kids to take out to Vail for Auntie M and some for my super cute cupcake cookie jar I featured last week.



Of course I used my heart shaped measuring cups and heart spatula....yeah, I know....I love hearts!



And look at these really perfect pale pink sprinkles....I got them at Marshalls. Did you know they have a terrific kitchen/cooking department? You never know what you can find there...

FREAKING OUT!!!!!!!!

My three kids got on an airplane this morning....ALL BY THEMSELVES!!!!!! ...to go visit my sister in Vail, Colorado....ALL BY THEMSELVES!! DID YOU GET THAT??? I am FREAKING OUT! I think I must have been druunk when she conned me in to this one! With having off from school all week because of the snow, they actually could have left last week!!! It was their big surprise from her for Christmas. She is 41 years old, not married and has no children...she runs her company with the greatest of ease and is a terrific aunt....but I still can't help not to FREAK OUT....ANYTHING can happen! I was a flight attendent for 17 years...trust me....lots can happen on a three hour flight.



T. has been snowboarding for several years now....but Cindylou has only been skiing once at Hidden Valley and hit a tree her first time....Cubby thinks he can snowboard on his little plastic one that santa brought....but, not really....so she got the two of them a private instructor.....and threw some lessons in for T. as well. I wanted to go with them...to at least help with Cub.....she's NEVER had all three of them by herself for longer than a few hours....but she insisted I stay home with Chip...you see, it's our 17th wedding anniversary on Saturday and my favorite holiday on Sunday...so it will be nice......four whole days alone by ourselves. He wanted to go away...but I said why????? We have the house to ourselves...that's all we need :) I already got two bottles of champagne!


My dad is actually going to be in Wyoming just three hours away from them on a snowmobiling trip...he said he'd come down and hang out with them while they are there.....she denied him too. I'm SURE they will have a total blast....and trust me when I say I will be texting, calling and Skyping for updates....but I'm still freakin' out...just sayin'.

Still Snowin'!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!!! It's STILL snowing here!!! It is crazy!!!! We got another foot today...with 3 or 4 more inches expected tonight. I truly do love it....it's just the "snow days" from school that are wearing me out!! Especially since my YMCA has been closed! With just one workout this past Monday, shoveling snow isn't cutting it anymore for me...I'm turning into a BEAR!

What is it Wednesday????

What's Valentine's Day without conversation hearts????? Cubby got these to include in the treat bags for his class. I always love reading the little saying before I pop them in....if you could make up your own saying what would it be?????

Valentine's Day Lunchables

Your little person will love this! Cubby is always begging be to get him Lunchables and I REFUSE.....but who's to say you can't make your own???? They're super easy...just get out your little mini cookie cutters and cut your ham and cheese into hearts....throw in some Ritz crackers, a baggie of goldfish crackers, some carrot sticks or apple slices, a juice pouch and of course a fun-size candy bar for a treat.




They will love you more than they already do.

Snowstorm Recap

I just had to share a few more pictures from our big storm....it was a gorgeous sunny day here and I got outside with the boys for a bit this afternoon. They had fun building a little snow fort.



The trail behind our house is quiet and untouched....



I don't think this bird feeder could take ONE MORE flake!!!



Cubby wanted to head in for some hot cocoa...I just loved that everything stopped for the day...we're to get six more inches on Tuesday!! Yeah!!!

Scrapbook Sunday

Alrighty then....I like the way the pictures of these pages turned out better than last weeks...on the carpet outside my craft room door wasn't working for me :( I'm still working on Disney over here. Here is a two page spread...side by side in his book. Cub totally looooves to shop and called all of the souvenir shops "knickknack shops" He was killing me wanting to go in every one and look/get something.



We all loved the Revue on the steps of the Castle...I used a lot of tearing on these pages...even on the vellum...and tags too! You can NEVER have too many tags!

Snowstorm

Hey.....they're calling this the fourth biggest storm to hit Pittsburgh since the late 1800's....For Real???? Hard to believe....we got about 20" where I live...and then the next biggest storm in history dumped 15".....ummmmmm...where I'm from in Buffalo we can get that kinda stuff in the blink of an eye....school isn't even cancelled! I loooooooove a good snowstorm.....We stayed home and it was great....the snow fell non-stop all night......here is a peek out my front door.



Here is a picture of our deck about 4 p.m. on Friday....it had just started to snow....



Then here it is at 8 a.m. Saturday morning....Wowza! We got almost double what they were calling for. I was just saying we'd probably only end up with 3".....they have the tendency to exagerate the snowfall potential around here. The news channels have the "Storm Tracker"...and "Severe Weather Advisory" when it is just a flurry...



Look at the front of my house!!!! It's so pretty!!



Here's Chip with our little snowblower digging us out. He travels quite a bit for work these days....so I was REALLY happy he was home with us...and to help me shovel :)



The plow didn't make it down our street until almost 4 p.m. on Saturday...by this point all of us neighbors had helped our street dig out our driveways, plan a potluck dinner and were drinking beer. Then the plow came by and it was another hour of shoveling to clean out the end of the driveway. But it was all good.......my YMCA was closed so being out shovelling was a great cardio workout! I couldn't get enough.....I was outside from 8:30-12...then again from 1 until 5......in the afternoon the sun broke out and it felt just like Colorado...bright blue skies and deep, deep powder. I'm already looking forward to the next one :)