Our Valentine's Day Cards

I used Picasa to create our Valentine's Day picture this year. It is a free program that allowed me to add Harbor's little mustache, create a collage, and add words and graphics.

It is really easy software- trust me! If I can do it, anybody can figure it out. : )

I bought textured card stock in two colors: black and poppy. I also grabbed a package of red rhinestones.

After I got everything cut down to size with my paper cutter, I created a postcard like Valentine- flat

{we will hand write a little message on the backside}

I made 30 this year.

The ribbon added a little dimension and the rhinestone was glued to the middle of the heart.

So, if I know you in real life, look for these to be in your mailbox soon!

If I don't know you in real life, just pretend you got one anyway, okay?  : )

Happy Valentine's Day in just a few weeks!

Valentine's Day Shelves

We've had our Valentine's Day shelves up for almost a month already and have enjoyed the bright cheerfulness they bring to the house. Pinks, reds, and crisp whites have been a fun change to the green and ivy from Christmas! : )

This is my photography assistant.

His job is to ensure every photograph has the perfect balance of natural and artificial light.

He works hard and actually requires little very pay!

I feel really lucky to have his knowledge during my photo shoots!

And here is our Valentine's Day flag, braving the snowstorms of January. Poor little naked baby. Brrr!

I wasn't sure how the shelves would work out, but it sure beats redecorating my mantle every single holiday!

Oh, I can't wait to show you the cute Valentine Cards we've made! : )

Homemade Donuts {almost}

If you have been following the weather, we in the northeast have been getting hammered with snow showers. With nowhere to go most days, I am usually at peace, one with the snow. I did, however, have to drive to a doctor's appointment last week and was a nervous wreck, but they have a million snow plows in operation here and thankfully, it can snow a foot and you won't find much on the roads anywhere.

Yesterday, we got around three inches in as many hours. You will be fined here if you don't shovel your sidewalk and drive within 24 hours, so David spends a lot of time outside.

Sadly, David is on day 15 of working straight- not a single Saturday or Sunday off in 15 days. Poor guy. We are thankful for the work load and knew this new job came with a lot of hours, but we still miss him terribly. He is at his office at 6:00 am sharp everyday {even weekends} and home by 5:00 pm, but goes to bed by 9:00 pm. We try to make our evenings as a family special!

Homemade donuts are my secret weapon in making everyone happy
{mainly by inducing a carbohydrate coma!} : )

Now, be fair warned.. a lot of the recipes I will post are southern comfort foods, because, well... that is where I come from. These are bad for you in every which kind of way.

So I'm sorry. But, you're welcome! They are so good and easy, it's a crime!

They look impressive and require so very little.

1. Vegetable oil for frying {See! Bad, bad, bad for you!}

2. Large biscuits, but don't buy the ones that say "flakey"

3. Melted butter in a bowl

4. Cinnamon and sugar in a bowl

If you have a tiny cookie cutter, pop the centers out.

I didn't,

{well, actually I did, but it was covered in play dough and I was too lazy to clean it. Just call me honest John.}

 so, I just used the bottom of a little Tupperware container and a knife to cut it out.

Heat your oil on medium and when water sizzles on top of it, carefully drop your donuts in.

Fry them until they are golden brown on both sides.

Hint: if you under cook them and find dough on the inside, pop them in the oven at 350 for five minutes. Don't refry!

Lay them on a paper towel to drip dry {Oh, my, I wish you could smell this!},

roll them in butter on both sides, and coat with your cinn/sugar combo.

While my boys fill their tummies full of good-for-nothing-sugar and the all evil white flour, I sneak away to the computer.

They will never notice my absence... for they are in a carbohydrate coma!

You should try it sometime! : )

Our Playroom

I must have the kindest hearted blog readers anywhere around! You ladies sure know how to give a compliment! Thank you, sincerely, for the sweet comments. : )

I had planned on showing you all the Christmas cards we received this year with pictures of all of my updated scrapbook pages. However, I'm not entirely sure you want to spend five minutes of your life looking at my ridiculously cute friends and family whom you probably don't know any of! Who knows though... seven degrees of separation, right? Maybe you would know someone... a long lost cousin?

Anywho, I think the year 2011 finished off my Holiday Album fo sho! It just can't handle another page. That means 2012 will be starting with a brand new album.

Lucky for 2012, it's already been purchased.

I would really love to document all of my cards from this year, so don't be disturbed if you see a post about it, oh, you know.. this Spring! Ha! : )

With Christmas down, I put together a winter mantle.

Okay.. a Spring mantle. You caught me!

I figured it wouldn't hurt to you know, push things along.

I need to choose and develop a picture for this cute frame. One of my best friends, Brandy, bought it for me this past September as a birthday present when I traveled home to Arkansas.

It is clean, simple, and uncomplicated.

It feels just right for this time of year, especially since I am still finding Christmas glitter in the carpet.

Anyone else in that boat?  : )

Speaking of finding grime on the floor, I was totally serious when I said Harbor loves to vacuum. He really, truly does. If he even hears me utter the words "dirt" or "glitter", he is after that vacuum like wet on water. : )

It really is the sweetest gesture.

Whatever Christmas glitter remains in cracks and crevices isn't for lack of trying!

 

After all his hard work, he likes to slip on a pair of knee boots and stroll the house, you know, to stretch his legs and such.

{I think I will show the above picture in Harbor's senior slideshow and title it,

"Mama's Little Wooden Soldier." What do you think? : )

A few of you have asked in recent weeks about how I keep my living room picked up and how we store toys. We have two systems at work.

We keep a lot of toys in the living room, actually, but they are stored in baskets and on a wire shelving system that is Harbor's height. I found it at Target and it has been a great tool for every item having a place. I promise to take some photos and really show you how I organize those areas. Let's face it, between birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, and "just because", kids naturally have a LOT of STUFF! It is a job to keep it organized.

Our second system is our basement playroom.

We feel really blessed to have three full stories in this precious old cape cod of ours. We have really utilized the basement. A guestroom, bathroom, laundry room, storage area with long aisles {David built these}, craft room, and playroom are all down there. It is just one huge open room, the entire size of our main floor.

But, we have worked hard to create separation.

I know I'm not likely to stumble across these images on Pinterest any day soon, but we are thankful for this space. By hanging colorful curtains, we have been able to create a fun space for Harbor to spend some of his days. It is perfect for when I want to get some laundry done or craft a bit.

We have a few rules about toys when they become too much clutter.

We either: store it, donate it, or move it to the playroom.

By the way, I did see a few pictures from my blog on pinterest a few days ago and got so tickled! I told David my detergent had been "pinned" and he gave me the, "Why are you going on and on about this?" look! Obviously, he doesn't have a clue, right? Haha!  : )

Happy Organizing!