Where have I been?!

Besides entertaining and BEING entertained for the past week, I've been cleaning out my closet .... it is definitely a JOB!  I took pictures though - before/after (well, I'm not QUITE done) and I can't wait to post them .....

Happy New Year!

Another CUTE decorating idea

I was dropping my kid off at our friend's house, and was in AWE of their Christmas decorations -- seriously, it looks like Christmas threw up in their house -- JUST BEAUTIFUL! I proclaimed I was not worthy several times and then put several of the ideas in my mental rolodex. I DID tell her "I am stealing these ideas -- you will see them at my house" -- so it's not like they are going to come over and say "YOU stole our ideas!" -- I mean, I did tell her. ANYWAY, y'all probably won't even like this idea and I'm all stoked about it -- I digress ... here it is:

They had all different size ornaments, but I was only at Target and so I found a set that I liked (and were on sale).  Basically, I just took the ornament, put ribbon through it and used my handy-dandy upholstery tacks to stick them up there -- the tacks leave a hole so small, you can't see it, so I like this option.  I am going to hang ornaments like this over another archway we have in our house -- but this is right at the entrance.  I LOVE IT!  It may be a little late for you this year, but most definitely next year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Lunch at The Barn

I had the opportunity to have lunch at this really cool place in Lake Alfred, FL called 'The Barn' -- it is really a neat place and me, Stacey, and Shannon had a GREAT time! You go in, sit wherever you'd like, then you get a piece of paper with all of your choices for lunch. I had a "Christmas Beef Sandwich" which was roast beef, cranberry horseradish mayo (with REAL cranberries) on a croissant. It was SO good.   This is how they serve it to you:


I made Shannon take this picture of me and Stacey out in front ~ it couldn't have been a more PERFECT day!
THEN we went lookin' at all the Christmas stuff that was in 2 different 'barns' on either side of the restaurant -- this place was PACKED to the gills with Christmas decorations that were absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  Each little section had it's own theme -- it really made me feel inadequate in regards to my decorations, but I'll just have to add a little each year.   This was my favorite - cream and serene ......

Shannon showing off one of the BEAUTIFUL Christmas trees -- she doesn't dress like this all the time - we were on a time limit and she had to teach an aerobics class that morning, and well, Stacey and I decided we would rather shower and go as opposed to take a class and go ...

This was beautiful as well -- we all decided that when we retire, we're going to have Christmas in a cabin .... and this is how we want it decorated:

BEAUTIFUL deer ornament

This was a table as you entered one area of The Barn -- I love it.  It was all creams and whites and greens!   Look at that tablecloth!  We couldn't find a price, which probably means EXPENSIVE!

I did buy a beautiful candelabra there that hangs from the ceiling, but also doubles as a tabletop fixture.  I will post a picture of that tomorrow.  It was a STEAL!!

2008 Christmas

Yes, I'm posting this for all the world to see, but I sent out so many cards, you're probably bound to see one anyway!  

There are just 9 shopping days left -- I am done, except for a few stocking stuffers and one gift for a friend, other than that, FINITO! I actually start shopping as soon as the year starts -- I buy a lot of stuff on sale, sale, sale and then store it all in a large Rubbermaid container -- I put everything in there, birthday gifts, whatever -- that way I'm almost always covered! PLUS it saves me MONEY!  

Chad and I taped our testimony (or 'our story' as I like to call it) today for our church service this weekend.  It's a good story, and a great testimony, most of my friends know how we ended here -- basically we talked about how God provided peace during difficult and confusing times.  Hopefully I'll be able to post the video after the services this weekend.  We are quite the 'not serious' couple -- I remember when he told me we were moving to Ocala and I said 'WHAT?!!  What's in Ocala besides HORSES!?!' and then realized that we were moving away from all that I have EVER known, lived NEXT door to my twin sister (literally -- comes in handy when a tornado passes through your town) and just 2 hrs from both sets of our parents - it was quite eye opening and boy, was I struck with fear, but God displaced that fear and worry with peace.  SO when we were talking about this today, it does show that I'm just all about living life in laughter.  Seriously, when you're down so low, the only way you can go is sideways, what else can you do but laugh!?!?  

I did enjoy our time in Ocala -- it was a short 6 mths -- but the Lord called us here and I couldn't be happier.  I remember when Chad told me "Well, I think we're moving to Tampa" and I FLIPPED OUT again -- I had finally started to settle in Ocala, make friends, start building our dream home (total GOD THING that didn't work out) -- so off we went again and now 3 yrs later, we feel like we are "HOME".  I have made some of the most wonderful, amazing friends and people that I know we will be friends with for a lifetime.  I'm lucky to now have my best friend of 22 yrs living just a short 30 minutes from me now.  I do miss my family in Atlanta miserably, but they understand this is where we are meant to be.  

Phillipians 4:4-7 has been weighing heavy on me -- it's what we are living, and what we lived back in 2005 when we were making the decision to stay, go, whatever --  I encourage you to read it if you are going through a troubling time -- know that the Lord is with you and he is FOR YOU -- nothing is bigger than God.   When Chad and I were struggling with our decisions, it was like God was saying "I got this .... go" and here we are .... and we couldn't be happier.

Ladies Christmas Coffee

Each year, our church hosts a Ladies Coffee to benefit the Benevolence Fund for the next year. Last year, I did a "Twelve Days of Christmas" themed table and it was adorable.  I tell ya, once you go and see the tables, it really makes you want to step it up a notch!  This year I went with a black/white toile theme, with red and silver accents.  The centerpiece was actually a gold tree found on serious clearance at Pier One, and painted silver, then the red vines were added, also bought at a serious clearance.  My wonderful Mom made the black/white toile runners and napkins, we found the goblets at Old Time Pottery for .99/each (which I will use over and over again, I'm sure) and the rest was stuff that I had!  

The tables were off the charts this year!  Some were so simple, yet extremely beautiful.  I did decide on my theme for next year (that is exactly what I did LAST year and I didn't change my mind) and I can NOT wait! 

Enjoy the slide show -- there are lots of pictures, but WORTH IT!

It's Christmas 'round here!

FINALLY! With everything going on, and seeming like we have SOMETHING every. single. weekend, it was nice to finally relax, have no where to go, put on some pajamas and get some "Christmas" up in this joint! I will start off with Cameron's room -- let me tell you, it was an absolute JOY putting up his tree -- seriously -- I'm not being sarcastic. This is our first year with trees in the kid's rooms as last year, I went to a silk warehouse place and EVERYTHING was 50% off, so I spent about $50 and got a TON of stuff for the kids trees. I kept asking the lady, "Is this 50% off? What about this?" -- "Ma'am -- everything Christmas is 50% off" ... I had to give him a smaller tree because there was just no room for the 6.5" one like Kennedy has. I thought that was going to be a major ordeal! Well, I went to the garage to get more 'stuff' and Cameron had the tree already out of the box (easy when it is a one piece 4 ft pre-lit tree) and everything off of his nightstand. He wanted it RIGHT BESIDE HIS BED! He got so excited about every single ornament and was actually a great help. He would scream, literally with glee, at every ornament we put on the tree. When we were done, I plugged in the tree and when it lit up, he yelled 'AWESOME!!! You my favorite mama, mama!'

Totally worth it and we'll do this every year until he gets tired of it (which will NEVER happen)!

Introducing, Cameron's CANDY TREE:

Tomorrow ~ pictures from our Annual Ladies Coffee .... 

7 years ago today .....

Chad and I were GOIN' TO THE CHAPEL! I would post a picture but we eloped ... in Vegas. We were engaged for a few months and Chad had to do a show at the Stratosphere and asked me if I wanted to go with them out there. I said "Sure - never been to Vegas before, it will be fun!" -- well, then we decided to get married out there and TRY (operative word here, TRY) to keep it a secret from his fellow band members -- considering they would be our only guests/attendants!

We got out there and Chad did his first show. The next morning, he did an interview on the local radio station - they joked "You're not going to get married while you're out here, are you?" and he laughed, couldn't keep a straight face, so the cat got let out of the bag - kinda! So we went on Saturday, and went straight to "La Dolce Vita Wedding Chapel" -- y'all, it was in a hotel that was being DEMOLISHED!! They did NOT show that in the pictures! The only thing left was the wedding chapel -- there were chain link fences all the way around the property and construction signs every where -- I could have DIED! I then said 'Well, at least we'll have our privacy!' -- Chad's tour manager walked me down the aisle and stood as best man, and his fan club President was my maid of honor (SERIOUSLY)! His tour promotors still happened to be in Vegas, so they came too! Needless to say, at 10 yrs, we WILL be having a vow renewal ceremony!

But 7yrs has given us several moves, lots of AMAZING friends, 2 BEAUTIFUL children, deepened our relationship with Christ, but most of all, we still have each other -- sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, but all the same, I couldn't see it any other way!

Easy Christmas Craft

I thought I would post this easy Christmas craft as this is something I saw and thought I could make cheaper -- and yes, I did make it cheaper.

Take 2 candlesticks -- can be anything, as long as it holds a taper candle. THEN get 2 ornaments of your choosing -- I found these last year after Christmas for about $2 -- you can't tell in the picture, but they are about 6" tall, very nice glass.




Glue the ornament onto the candlestick. I put a TON of glue into the candlestick and then held my ornament there for a few minutes b/c these are going on a table for decoration next week. I then added the maribou trim around the base where the ornament and candlestick meet! I think they turned out REALLY CUTE!!  The ones I saw in the store were over $25 each - I made these for about $5/each and they match my decor.  I'm hosting a Christmas coffee next week and my table is going to be black/white toile with silver and red accents - VERY shabby chic!!