I'm playing around with my blog ~ and will be adding blogs that I 'stalk', er I mean read daily .... it's certainly a work in progress as I should be cleaning my house today ... but I digress ... blogging is so much more important.

Prayers Needed

Please be in prayer for Baby Harper -- her mom is Kelly (Kelly's Korner: link on my sidebar) -- I am running out the door to our first cheer competition -- it's 5:45 AM but I feel that I MUST post to get as many prayers as possible on her behalf.  Intercede to our Lord Jesus on their behalf .....

Much Love,

Natalie

Take Note ....

If you have a Michael's Craft store near you, this is a perfect craft.  Now listen, I am NOT crafty, nor do I claim to be.  I do claim to be resourceful and I will steal any idea, BUT I will tell you first that I am stealing (or borrowing it) -- imitating is the sincerest form of flattery, right?  I am so excited about this one, because it's something I came up with on my own.  

I got these notecards at Michael's for $.60 for a set of 10!  I bought a TON and they had all different designs.  I bought the ones that did not look Christmas-sy so I could use them for something like this.  The ribbon you see was also $.60 a roll -- CHEAP!  I have a friend with an upcoming birthday and thought this would be a nice little added gift (dont't worry, I'm not that cheap, I also bought her another gift to go with these) ~ anyway, I was with my fabulous friend Torrie and she suggested I get the glitter.  I bought the opal colored glitter glue and then just embellished the notecards in random places.  

Before ~ not embellished ~ still pretty but what girl doesn't love a little sparkle?!

You can't really see, but there is glitter on the card.  If you click on the picture, it will make it bigger and you can see it.

I took the ribbon and found some other black ribbon in my stash and wrapped it up all nice and pretty.  SO for less than $2 ~ I have a beautiful gift for a someone special!

Crazy Cameron is 4!

**** Warning:  LOTS OF PICTURES! ***

Here is a recap of Cameron's birthday party!  Blogger uploaded my pictures BACKWARDS, so I'll just have to tell you what's going on in each picture -- that's half the fun anyway!

Here is McKenzie and Cameron ~ she is Cameron's girlfriend, but also my Foster Daughter.  I love her like my own and enjoy hanging out with her -- oh, and her Mom is pretty cool too ;)

This is the motley hunting crew -- if we could just get Trotti out of his suit and into camo, then it would be complete ..... or maybe we need to get these 3 out of camo and into a SUIT!  

David, Chad and Cody

The food table ~ as you can see, it was a camo themed party.  See Cody there in the corner? Head to toe camo -- the guys took this VERY seriously -- it was FANTASTIC!

Family picture at Cameron's party ~ Cameron had just washed his face paint off.

This was when we were cutting the cake.  It was SO much fun.  Uncle Russ made 2 cakes and it was hilarious.  One cake was a camo cake with a shooting game on it -- WATCH THE VIDEO -- and the other was left over cake and icing that he made into a smash cake for Cameron -- which Cameron DID smash -- it was so funny!

Cameron posin' -- in his spiderman face paint!

Sign at the candy buffet -- this is what we did instead of favors -- it was BRILLIANT!

The candy buffet - probably my favorite part of the setup!  There was even a Coleman lantern on the table!  All the candy was camo colors (green, brown, cream, black) with a touch of Hunter's Orange thrown in -- you know, for safety.

Camo bread --- with peanut butter and fluff 

The infamous CAKE - it was ridiculously good and this is the FIRST cake that I've ever had where we didn't throw not ONE BIT of it away.  It was THAT good.

OK -- now a trip down memory lane ... this was as we were leaving the hospital after Cameron was born -- little did we know that just 7 weeks later, our lives would be FOREVER changed (for the better -- this was when God lead us to move, seriously, pack up and move out of TN FOREVER (and I say FOREVER) .... and we did and it was the BEST thing we ever did). Kim, do you remember coming to the hospital and sitting with me?  Seems like yesterday and you were not far from having Hudson ~ and Kennedy calling you and Lonnie, Frenchie and Connie??!!   Oh that was so funny.

This is still one of my favorite pictures ever.  This is my Dad meeting his Grandson for the first time.  
So that's it -- the party itself was a complete success.  It was so much fun and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time!  I had so many wonderful friends helping me, I couldn't have pulled it off without them.  Amber took all of the wonderful pictures!!  

Cameron's Camo Party

Cameron and his 'camo' cake -- watch video until the end -- it's worth it. Will post more pictures later but wanted to give you a 'taste' of this FANTASTIC party!!

Random Ramblings ...

So the year has started off quite well!  I have made a couple New Year's Resolutions and I have been sticking with them.  They are always the same, but so far, so good.  My resolutions are:

~ drink less Coke (notice I said "less" and not "stop" -- I have easily replaced my Coke intake to 3 per week and I try to do that only on the weekends) ~ It's amazing how drinking water really does make you feel better.

~ start to scrapbook: I bought my first set of supplies on New Year's Day with Shawn and Danielle.  They were so funny -- they walked in to the store and I just put all my stuff in Shawn's basket and left -- it was WAY too much for me, but I am looking forward to starting something I have SO wanted to do for a long long time.  

~ walk: I have done REALLY well with b/c I have a partner.  We walk 4-5 miles/day, 5 days a week.  Again, amazing how much better I sleep.

We cleaned out our closet and garage over the past week.  It looks so nice and I really want to keep it that way.  To steal from Pam, my #1 resolution is just to remind my friends and family just how much they mean to me. I want to get better about thank you notes, sending cards and just letting those around me know they mean the world to me.

We are getting ready for Cameron's Camo Party this week -- I can't wait!!

Camo Cameron

So guess what Cameron got for Christmas!?!???


Yes, a gun.  Before y'all go report me to DFACS, it's perfectly legal and is called a "Cricket" -- Kennedy got one last year - a pink one!  Cameron had been asking for one ALL year for Christmas.  He is getting to the age where he understands hunting and has been going with Chad just to ride around the property.  Chad took Cameron on a trip with him recently and it was Cameron that was able to find the 'animal' (are you cringing, Shawn??) -- anyway, it was time and so far he has been out once, but we had to get a picture of him in head to toe camo gear!  I'm sure his Uncles Shawn, Brent, David, Chris and Cody are eating this up!   Yes, I am aware he looks POSSESSED in the first picture and honestly, after this past weekend, I am sure of it!

Here is a sweet one:  Chad said: "HOLD YOUR GUN UP, SON!"  (isn't that what every mama wants to hear?)

Which leads me to my next series of photos.  I decided to throw an impromptu party for Cameron ~ it will be a camo party.  I have even located Mossy Oak plates and napkins.  Yes, I did say CAMO PAPER PRODUCTS!  I am really outdoing myself on a massive budget - gotta use all those Am Ex points for SOMETHING!!  One of our friends encouraged me to take him to a local toy store called Learning Express to register.  We had a ball once he figured out what to do.  He was very particular about what he wanted too -- it's all great stuff.  He REALLY wanted this vacuum cleaner and honestly I had no problem with it, but I know a DADDY that would - so I said "NO" ~ the first toy he picked up was a saxophone, then a trumpet, and then a crossbow ~ SO his Daddy's boy.  I LOVE it though.   Here is a picture of when I said "Cameron, let Mommy take your picture" -- such a POSER!

Finally, the girls from our night at Pam's will get this: It's a pogo stick - and no, he couldn't do it here either.  He just put it down and said "Yep, dat's for big kids".....

I can't wait for his party -- we're doing lots of cool stuff and it should be LOTS of fun.  Of course, I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.

*** Yes, I have finished my closet, but I'm waiting to post that until this weekend ***