Charming...

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Happy weekend everyone!

Waiting for spring...

 

I just purchased an 11X14 print of this picture I took in Glacier at Logan Pass this past summer.  I took it on a little climb we did up Mt. Oberlin.  I can't wait to head there again this coming summer for our annual trip. I framed it and hung it in my kitchen.  

 

This is the time of year when I really start longing for spring and the mountains.  (Well actually, I'm always longing for the mountains.) My little tulips are sticking their heads out of the ground, my blueberry bushes are getting little tiny buds and it's time to prune my lilac and rose bushes.  I already bought my veggie seeds for this year and when the weather is a little bit warmer I will start digging in my garden and get the beds all ready for planting when the time is right.  I have been saving my pennies so I can buy a truckload of good compost (and I do mean an actual truckload) for my garden.  My soil needs some good TLC. 

But even more exciting than spring is my sister-in-law Ruhiyyih who is expecting her sweet baby girl any day now.  Her due date was on Friday so now we wait to hear that she is heading to the birthing center. This Auntie can't wait to meet her first little niece!  I promised not to text her a million times a day asking if there are any changes.  :)






 I am going on walks with Daniel outside at least once a week.  Even if it is threatening rain I dress us appropriately.  Being out in the woods or some other pretty place is so refreshing for the soul.  Plus it tuckers Daniel out enough that he will actually sit still for more than 30 seconds. :)  I also want to keep him used to getting outside and walking since spring and summer mean lots of hiking and camping for us.  Our little walks are so fun and I treasure this time with him.  Our walk last week was in McCormick Woods.  They have lots of lovely nature trails and I found a nice loop that took us about an hour to walk. 


Today I am organizing my craft closet and then I am going to start scrapbooking prints I ordered of our vacations this past summer.  I find it hard to do any kind of crafty project until my closet is organized. 

Have a lovely Tuesday everyone!

Theler Wetlands...

Daniel and I took advantage of a sunny day on Wednesday and headed out to Belfair and the Theler Wetlands on the lower Hood Canal.  They have lovely nature trails to meander in and explore.  Even though the sun was out it was COLD, about 35 degrees.  (All you who live in the mid-west or Alaska, no comment!)

These lovely little winter walks are some of life's simple pleasures.  Plus having a sweet little boy talking to you the whole time has to be one of the sweetest moments for his Momma.  :)

Sledding at Paradise...

We took a little family trip up to Paradise on Mt. Rainier last Thursday for some sledding and to spend a day in the mountains.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day.  I was so glad we actually got to see the mountain. 

Daisy had fun!

Daniel and Daddy on the kiddy slope.  Daniel wasn't too fond of sledding but I'm sure he'll grow out of that.  

 The Tatoosh Range

We were only there a couple hours and the clouds started rolling in.  A ranger said they were expecting freezing rain so we (and everyone else) decided to head out.  It went by way to quickly.  For me it was like taking a tiny nibble of some decadent dessert and it only leaving you craving more.  I am already counting down the days to spring.  But I have to say I do love winter though.  The cozy rainy, cold days just make me feel warm and content. 

Aaaaaaaaaaand...my hubby surprised me with a new camera yesterday!!!  The camera I've had is 8 years old now and in technology years that's pretty much ancient.  I dropped it for about the hundredth time on Thursday up at the mountain and one of the switches stopped working, a very important switch.  I accepted the fact that I would probably have to just try and work with a very broken camera for a while.  But yesterday my hubby came home from running errands and told me to close my eyes, it didn't even cross my mind that he might have a camera for me.  And there it was, my shiny new camera!  It is about half the size of my old camera, takes HD movies and is 16 mega pixels.  My old camera was 4 mega pixels.  I can't wait to start playing with it and post some pictures!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! My first New Year's resolution is taking a week off of Facebook and blogging!  That sounds like a pretty easy resolution to keep.  :)

I hope everyone has a blessed New Year!

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Warmth...

 I am picturing a warm fire with a cast iron dutch oven hanging over it with hot soup and being surrounded by all my family. 

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White Christmas...

We enjoyed a white Christmas!  

Merry Christmas...

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Starbucks ornaments...

My Starbucks store is having a fun little Christmas competition.  One of our partners put together little packets that have several little Starbucks items.  You grab a packet and use at least one item from it to make a little ornament.  Then bring it back, hang it on the little trees we have and then customers and partners can vote on them.  And customers and partners can both participate. 

This last Saturday a few of us girls got together and made our little ornaments.  We had so much fun!  I felt like I was back in grade school working on an art project. 

My ornament is the one on the bottom left of the picture.  The dome lids cause a little glare in the picture so it's hard to see that it has a little Christmas tree in it with a little deer figurine and lots of white glitter for snow. 

Sam made a little Santa shoe out of a Starbucks Christmas sample cup with a bell on the bottom. So cute!

 Erin made this cute little Christmas tree out of a sleeve! 

A cute little snowman set in an ice dome lid covered in glitter. 

This ornament took up one whole side of our little tree!  She's a ferry with a little sample cup and coffee beans glued all over her. 

Plus I had to add this picture of my store this morning.  It was snowing pretty hard when I left for work at 5 this morning.  This picture really doesn't show how pretty it all was, snow is always better in person.  :)  (Thanks to Kharla for running outside on her break and taking this pic for me!)

Tomorrow I'm heading over to my friend Hannah's house to decorate Christmas cookies and let Daniel run around with two of her boys (she has three boys with a fourth on the way!!).  Daniel is really excited to get to play with Billy and Bo.  He and Billy are only 3 months apart. 

Can't believe Christmas is less than a week away! 

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Cutie Snowman...

Here's a little card I had fun making yesterday.  I was suppose to be making my Christmas cards but I had to try out this cute little cut too.  (Don't worry, I got half of my Christmas cards done.)  I just think it's too cute that he's  holding a little Christmas tree.  It's more like a tag than a card.  It's about 5 inches by 3 inches.  I used the Winter Frolic and Elegant Edges cartridges. 

I am determined to have my Christmas cards mailed on Monday.  That's actually way better than last year.  I think I mailed them after Christmas.  :)  All my Christmas shopping is almost done.  Just a couple more little things that I will pick up tomorrow and I am done.  My favorite part is the wrapping.  I love sitting on the living room floor surrounded by presents and wrapping paper.  I usually watch a movie or TV show on Netflix.  One of my favorite things to watch while wrapping presents is Everest:Beyond the Limit.  I know, I know, it's not very Christmas-y but there is lots and lots and lots of snow so I'm okay with it.  Although I may be watching episodes of 24 this year. 

What's your favorite gift wrapping ritual?

Christmas cookies!...

My mom came over yesterday to bake Christmas cookies.  We did sugar cookies and gingerbread men and I made little hot cocoa dippers.  They are mini candy canes with a marshmallow on the end dipped in white chocolate and then rolled in little Andes peppermint crumble thingies.  (I can't remember the exact name.)  They could also be rolled in crushed candy canes.

We kept it much simpler this year than we have in years past.  I have to say simple is definitely better.  I made extra dough and put it in the freezer so I can whip out some more cookies right before Christmas. 

Today my hubby is watching Daniel and sending me out for an afternoon of Momma time.  He gave me a gift certificate last Christmas and I am just now spending it.  I am getting an hour long facial, sounds lovely to me! 

Sparkly snow card...

Love this little card I made with the Campin' Critters cartridge.  It's hard to see in the picture but I added very fine glitter to the edges of the snow.  It's very sparkly.  I'm sad the picture doesn't show how sparkly it is.  I may have to mass produce this one though!  It's the nice petite size that I love. 

Monday is making Christmas cookies with my mom and then Wednesday at my friend Hannah's house.  You can bet I will have scrumptious pictures of that!  :)  I am going to have one happy, sugar hyper little boy on my hands!

Happy weekend everyone! 

Big Foot...

 I finally had a couple hours today to play with my Cricut.  I felt like a kid who had just opened a toy for Christmas they had always wanted.  :) 

I played around with my Campin' Critters cartridge and came up with this little, or should I say BIG, card.  I meant to make a card that was standard size but since I am getting use to sizes on the Cricut it ended up being pretty big.  It's about 6X6.  I like making cute, little cards but I still like this one. 

I had to cut out this Big Foot.  I think he's just too funny!  Plus I live in the Northwest and when you live in the Northwest you've got to believe in Big Foot.  I watch ALL the You Tube videos.  ;)  But seriously one has to wonder just a little bit. 

I used a CardzTV stamp for the sentiment.  It is from her "Encouraging Thoughts" stamp set. 

On the back of the card I used one of my stamps from Norajane.  I love all of her sweet little stamps.

My new Cricut...

Look what came for me this last week!  My new Cricut paper cutting machine!  This is to card makers and scrapbookers what a sewing machine is to a sewer.  Now you definitely don't have to have one of these to make cards but it sure is nice!  :)  

This is the first cut I made.  It's from the Campin' Critters cartridge which I love!

I can't wait to try all the cuts from this cartridge. 

I also have the Elegant Edges cartridge and the Cricut Classic Font Cartridge.  I know I am going to use Elegant Edges like crazy for card making. I can't wait to start scrapbooking all my pictures from this past summer. 

And the winner is...

And the winner of my giveaway is the only person who entered my giveaway, my cousin Joy!!!! :) I know she'll enjoy these little stamps! Thank you to everyone who entered! ;)

Christmas Giveaway...

One of my favorite Christmas traditions that we started a few years ago is heading up to Leavenworth in the Cascades on Christmas Day.  It's lovely little Bavarian village nestled in the mountains.  It is decorated so beautifully at Christmas time with Christmas music playing all over town.  Plus there is snow! 

Today I am having my first giveaway! I am giving away two of Norajane's lovely little stamps.  A little snowflake and Nativity scene.  They are both about 5/8 inch wide.  They are perfect for card  making, scrapbooking, gift tags and any other Christmas craft you might be doing.   I love all of Norajane's little stamps. I used the little Nativity scene stamp on the back of my Christmas cards. To win these two stamps all you have to do is post a comment about your favorite Christmas tradition.  The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Saturday, December 1st.  Good luck!  :)

You can also find me on Facebook!

There's an app for that...

Soooooooo, I just discovered the Blogger app for my iPod. Yes, I am sure that it's nothing new and I'm just a little behind. When it comes to technology that's how it usually is with me.

Anyhoo, here is my first post from my iPod! Kind of fun! :)



Happy Sunday everyone!