from us to you....

Christmas at our house....

take a peek at what our home might look/feel like during the holidays....

vinyl on tile.

think next year i might mod podge scrapbook paper on these letters. looks slightly plain!
why next year?...my to do list right now can't even fit in a notebook!


this is the cutest stocking holder ever.
my fabulous MIL made it for me for christmas last year.

supposed to have fake snow all over it.
might repaint the sign and put vinyl on it so it stands out slightly better!

yes, there are 4 members of our family and only 3 stockings.
can't...for the life of me...find the other one(s).
mom and dad just might have to share this year.

our little christmas tree.
it looked so much bigger in our apartment.

found a 100 pack of assorted ornaments at target last year after christmas.
it was 90% off...$1.99. love it!

i did let the kids each hang one ornament.

buddy's favorite!

princess's favorite!

these presents have been under our tree since we put it up thanksgiving weekend.
it has been driving princess crazy not being able to open them.
christmas eve jammies and slippers...but...sshhh, don't tell! it will ruin the surprise!

my dollar store centerpiece.
had the jar. left over ornaments from the target deal mentioned above. greenery, berries and garland from dollar store. total spent....$3 plus tax!

my absolute most very favorite candle for this time of year!!!!

that time of year

we had a fun little get together with some close friends for christmas. it was too much fun.

there was tons of food, drinks, fun, laughter...and of course...dessert!

we did a chocolate fountain dessert bar. i was so nervous about getting this fountain going because the last time the fountain and i met...we butted heads and swore off our friendship for good. but, this time...with a little forgiveness..we managed to succeed.

mmm....yummy...my favorite dipped in the chocolate....coconut macaroons...tastes just like an almond joy...which happens to be one of my favorite candy bars.

my hubby was in charge of the drinks. this is what he came up with. good boy!

our friend, nichole, brought this cute little snowman cheese ball.
not only ca-ute...but one of the best tasting cheese balls i have ever had!

Christmas Soap

i seen this idea a LONG time ago. i bought green apple hand soap. peeled off the label (make sure you buy the soap that has a peel off label and not print on the bottle). i had scrapbook rub ons....rubbed it on (stickers would probably work too). tied a bit of christmas ribbon. and whalah!...christmas hand soap in our kitchen. so festive. and a great gift idea too.

i think i want to make a snowflake one that i can use after christmas during the snowy, wintery january!

struggling with #2

literally. the #2 child is struggling with #2.

we have been potty training the last 5 days now. going great. in undies...even through the night...wahoo! no accidents...except #2. he seems afraid. he does super fine with #1. but, you can take them to the potty every few hours and prevent an accident that way. but, you can't force them to go #2 until it has happened.

child #1 was a piece of cake to potty train and she was a few months younger than child #2 currently is. heard many say boys harder than girls. he was ready though.

any suggestions for helping with the whole #2 thing? doing a potty sticker chart. sister gets more excited about it and makes sure the stickers get on there. buddy could care less. bribes...tried a few.

granted: we are only in this a few days...so i haven't reached my desperation point. just don't want to be 2 weeks...or 2 months down the road with the same problem.

any suggestions or thoughts or tricks would be greatly appreciated.

how dare it sneak up on me

i am talking about christmas. i am usually one of those people who has christmas done by halloween. but, i have been glued to a porcelain toilet, soda crackers and sprite...on crushed ice...of course....love our ice maker! i was looking over my calendar and upcoming photo sessions and realized i only have 2, i repeat 2 weekends until it needs to be done.

oh crap!

hope toys-r-us...uhmmm...i mean santa's workshop...is still stocked with toy story and tinkerbell toys or else i...i mean...he (aka santa) is in big trouble.

dreaming of christmas

princess: "mom, what are you dreaming of for christmas?"

mom: " what do you mean?"

princess: "i dream about what i am getting for presents. what are you dreaming of?"

mom (thinking to herself): santa better not mess up or else it could shatter the dreams of a sweet and innocent 4 year old princess.

porcelain worship

i have been doing a lot of it!

remember a few weeks back i said i was going to reveal something i have been working on? well, all of my time, energy and motivation (or lack there of) have gone into this special package that will arrive in late may.

yup, you guessed it. we are expecting #3 and couldn't be more excited about it. i am sure you have noticed my lack of posting lately. my number one item on my to do list every day is: 1 - get out of bed. anything else that might get done throughout the day.....is a good day in the anderson home.

Witchcraft & Wizardry

i always get overwhelmed each holiday season on decorating my house. i came up with a personal plan that each holiday i can buy one decoration and make one. that way, over a few years, i will have a bunch of decor...some i am sure will go outdated though.

as halloween is drawing closer, i realized that i hadn't made a decoration yet. i seen this on a different blog and thought it was too cute. i bought an old book at a thrift store (.99 cents), mod podged paper on it, printed off the label, wrapped with some funky yarn, and that's it. easy and cheap...my kind of craft.

i think it needs a friend. so i guess i need to make another one.

and, as i am writing this, i came up with another idea. buy a really big book and do the same thing for christmas only put "naughty or nice" on the front. yes, i am so doing that too. great on a shelf.

Whoops!

I accidentally posted my photography on my personal site (post below)!

Whoops!

Grover {Boise Family Photographer}

i love this family. my husband loves this family. we love this family. dad is hilarious. mom is sweet and funny. and daughter is adorable. and wait until you see her eyes!

warned you.

thank you, grover family, for letting me capture a few moments of your sweet family.

Saturday Afternoon Nap

yes. saturday afternoon nap. not sunday.

i feel left out.

Linder Farms preschool field trip

Maycie is attending a co-op preschool ran by myself and a few friends. So, we get the pleasure of attending all the field trips planned throughout the year.

This months field trip: Linder Farms

I don't know why I always get pictures like this because they rarely act like this!

We first went on a hay ride into the pumpkin patches.

Maycie then wanted to ride the swings.

Jaxon was a chicken so he became the spectator.

However, I did get him to ride this little barrell train ride.

The preschool clan

Then they adventured the kiddie straw maze.

Bouncy, bounce. Maycie's favorite part. Love the hair girlfriend.

The "I want donuts" face.

They have a fresh-fried donut stand. Sinfully delicious. No pictures of our donut endulgence because they didn't last long enough to snap a picture.

We {heart} preschool.

Still here

Hello fellow bloggers. I am still here.

Been busy doing this.

And something else I have been working on. Hope to reveal it soon!

cover my heart

maycie noticed the other day that i had a shirt under my shirt....aka undershirt or downeast basics tee.

maycie: "mom, do you not want people to see your heart?"

me: "what do you mean?"

maycie: "that shirt under your shirt*. do you not want people to see your heart?"

mom (after finally getting it): "umm...you are right...i don't want people to see my heart."


what a wicked world out there today. i wish she could stay this innocent forever.


*which would have been immodest had i not had an undershirt.

Princess & Buddy

you would think that with taking pictures being a passion of mine, that i would have a ton of amazingly cute shots of my kids.

wrong.

i did get these ones though:

i do not like girls.

i really don't like them.

okay. maybe i like them a little.

handsome boy.

my most very favorite.

doesn't it make him look so innocent and cute?...instead of the monstrous two year old terror that he often is.

princess. she loves posing.

my camera. these steps. this lighting. those smiles.

we had fun.