Christmas Crafts

This was my big Christmas craft for the year-stockings or "stockin's" as Avery calls them. I finished just in time for Santa to fill them with goodies (mine got a pretty little necklace in a pretty blue box! Way to go Santa!) 

I still cant figure out how to get this Christmas theme template off my blog just yet so until I do I guess I will just keep posting Christmas. 

Brad has the reindeer, Avery has the snowman, and I have the Christmas Tree. They are nice and big so there is room for lots of good surprises. 

Thanks to Jen and Erica for helping me! 

And the winner is......

Presents and Poinsettias! 

Congratulations to Brad!

But it was a close one: 

Presents and Poinsettias: 23 votes

Golden Spirit of Christmas : 22 votes

(there were a few votes submitted by email that aren't reflected in the top right corner)

Thanks to all who voted (well, thanks to the 22 who voted for me. There is always next year)!

And Ben, now you can't say we never tell you the results! 

Let the Wreath Decorating Contest Begin!

A few years ago Brad and I started a wreath decorating contest. It has become a tradition for the two of us every Christmas. Here is how it works:

  1. We each get one wreath (we re-use the same 2 wreaths but switch off)

2. We have a small budget for decorations

3. We decorate them and have family and friends vote for their favorite

4. We dont say who decorated which one until after the voting is closed

5. The winner gets a prize, but I really dont know what it is, or if a prize has ever been claimed. 

Past years results: Brad-1, Autumn-1, Tie-1. This year is Big!!

So here are the entries for the 2008 Christmas Season. 

Presents and Poinsettias

Below is a lovely wreath with a handcrafted touch. The paper poinsettias are of the artists original design giving the wreath a down home feeling we all love this time of year. 

Detail of that handcraftiness

Golden Spirit of Christmas

Below is a beautiful wreath with an excellent color scheme of red and gold. With just the right amount of sparkle and class, this wreath truly is the Spirit of Christmas.

Detail of the red and gold

Voting will end at midnight Christmas Eve. Please vote only once per person. All are welcome to vote, children too! There is a voting box at the top right of the screen. If you are reading this in a RSS Reader window, please go to my actual site to vote. You dont have to say who you voted for and its not a popularity contest (that is not till January) JK! 
I will post the winner on Christmas Day. 

Merry Christmas! 

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We have been working on this routine all year. We hope 

you like it!

PS It wont play if you are viewing in an RSS reader, go to 

my regular site

Guess what kind of plant this is...

If you said Christmas Poinsettia you would be correct! Doesnt she just exemplify the Christmas Spirit? This is Simerita. She is a 3 year old poinsettia bought at none other than my local Harris Teeter (thats a grocery store for all you West Coasters) for $3.99.  

This plant has an agenda all her own. She does not want to turn red during the holidays (we have tried everything to get her red), she does not want to grow nice and full, she wants to grow in the far side of the pot and she does not want to die (even when we dont water her for weeks at a time)! There have been times I was sure she was a goner, but she came right back. She doesnt get a whole lot of light and she sometimes lives top of the air conditioner.

We love our little plant, she is the only one we have. Maybe we will pick up a relative for her this year at the Teet, but if its as resilient as she is I dont know if I can look two crazy plants all year long. 

Flying at the Park

He loves to go high, he can even ask for "under dog!" (Daddy taught him that). Its been chilly here but it doesn't stop us from going to the park. 

Free Soda!!

(I promise I wont put any more ugly celebrity pictures on my blog after this)

Dr. Pepper is giving us all free soda coupons this Sunday! And who do we have to thank? You guessed it, Guns N' Roses. Earlier this year Dr. Pepper said that if GNR actually released an album in 2008 they would give everyone in America free soda. And they did. So this sunday go here to get your coupon (the coupons will only be there for 24 hours, so dont forget!)

I think its so funny that Dr. Pepper made this bet in the first place. Why do they care what Guns N' Roses does anyway? But who am I to complain? I get a free drink out of it. So I say "Welcome back Axel! Nice to see you agian!"

Parenting Tips

Parenting wisdom according to Snoop Dogg:

1. Know when to lie to your kids

2. Know when to be mean and know when to be a friend

3. Always stay in control

4. Serve them juice but hold the gin

5. When the kids give you attitude, pop 'em like it's hot

Pearls of wisdom I tell you, fo shizzle!

(from Martha Stewart blog, click here to watch him make mashed potatoes with Martha, its pretty funny)

When Mom's Away...

I went out of town to St. Louis for a whole week and left my guys home. Brad was a great Mr. Mom (I was never even on isle 7!!) and Avery was a champ. They didnt just sit home and miss me, oh no. They were out adventurizing! Or as Avery says "a benture". Here are some photos of some of the things they have done recently. 

Avery and some modern art

Avery and Daddy

At the 3-D Dinosaur Movie

Imitating the snake

Outside Natural History Museum

A Triceratops head. For some reason Avery calls Triceratops "Dino Hockey"

Inside the museum, navigating the stairs with the airplane in hand

Out front

If you never have, you MUST see this...

Happy Halloween!

The Great Pumpkins

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Oil on Canvas

Painted by Autumn

Ready for Christmas

I made these yesterday at Super Saturday. I think they turned out really cute. One is for me and one is for a friend, I wish she could have come!

Im ready to put up my Christmas tree! 

(I thought this would be a really appropriate spot for the photo because behind the signs is our Poinsettia. That thing has hung on for 3 years! Have you ever heard of a $3 Poinsettia from Harris Teeter living that long? Its a crazy plant that probably deserves a post of its own!)

Private Screening

Avery hosted a private screening of Land Before Time for all his dino buddies. He carefully arranged them making sure everyone could see. 

We are in the middle of a major dinosaur craze, or as Avery says "dinoshore". He knows all their names, T-Rex, Pterodactyl, Triceratops, Dimetridon,  and of course the favorite stegosaurus. He knows more, but I can never remember them all!

Artsy Aut's Arsty Boy

We have really tapped into our creative side over here! Avery has developed a love of paints just like his Mama. Although he prefers to "paint the water" rather than the paper but we are working on it. Oh and I don't usually paint topless either-we didnt want any stains! He had a great time and he painted every page in that book! Good job Avery!

I did it, its over, now I can ice my legs!

1 man in a chicken suit

2 belly dancers

3 friends in a carpool

4 text messages sent while running (I'm a multi-tasker)

5 bites of Powerbar

6 miles ran with new friend Erica

7 road kills spotted

8 gummy bears grabbed from a stranger along the way

9 times I wondered what the heck was I thinking?

10 crazy hills on this course (at least!!)

11 th mile in and my feet were killing!

12 th mile in and my muscle was spazzing

13.1 miles completed in the Baltimore Half Marathon!

(notice the look of determination/pain on my face!) 

In a world of his own

I love to watch him play in his own world. I love the conversations the cars have. Some are bad and have time out, some give hugs and kisses, some make animal sounds, and some just gab back and forth. 

Budding Artist

The day I have been waiting for has finally come. He finally loves to color! Coloring was always my favorite thing to do, are you surprised? Ok I admit I still love a good Barbie coloring book with new crayons. Does it get much better? Avery will use every color in his little 28 pack of crayons. Right now he has really been into the Winnie the Pooh book, which he calls "tigger pooh".  When he finished the page he stood up and shouted "wookie mine Mom!" he was so proud. 

I have upgraded!

Friday night Brad surprised me with a cute new yellow iPod nano! I absolutely LOVE it!! Thank you Bradley!! Check out the add...

Sewing Project One- Check!

I have decided to (temporarily) put down the paint brush and pick up the sewing machine, metaphorically speaking of course (sewing machines are quite heavy).  I have a few sewing projects that are begging to get finished. This was one of them.  For some reason I saw this flannel train fabric and had to have it for Avery. He LOVES trains.  As a matter of fact I sing the Thomas the Tank Engine song for him about 20 times a day. It is forever stuck in my head. I need help! But that is whole other problem. Anyway, I decided to make him a pillow case. It is super soft and I think he will really like it. Maybe it will help him go to sleep faster. Tonight he realized for the first time that if you jump in your bed it is bouncy and fun! Maybe this pillow will help. Then again maybe not, but at least its cute. 

New Favorite Book

Have you ever heard an almost 2 year old say "pterodactyl"? Its pretty dang cute. 

Water Baby

We aren't giving up on Summer yet! And with our pool open until the middle of October we don't have to!

Today while we were in the pool Avery stood up and shouted, "I wuv (love) bwoo (blue) Mom! I wuv bwoo cars!" Now I know, I guess he thought I didn't.  

Faces of Avery

This is his "regular face". I love it.

Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?

I painted this landscape and bear painting for a good friends son. It is different than my usual style but I think it will be perfect for the bedroom of a great little 6 year old. 

Oil On Canvas

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