tissue paper flowers

 Last week I was at my friend Beth's house for a coffee and treats.  I was taking a looksie about her house when I saw these adorable tissue paper flowers hanging from her daughters ceiling in her room.  She gave some simple instructions and I came home that night and made them!  They are so simple and cheap to make....I took some pictures to give you a step by step on how to do them.  

 First of all I got 3 packages of tissue paper different colors to match my daughters' room.  I took about 8 sheets of one color and fan folded them.  Imagine if you are looking at a rectangle...the shorter side is where you start folding, long sides of tissue should be on the sides.

 Secured them with a paper clip. 

I cut about 4-5 inches off the end and then cut both ends with a V.  You could also do a curved end. 

 Carefully pull apart each individual piece of tissue paper.  Making a flower as you go. 

 I then attached fishing line to the paperclip and hung them up.  Literally took me about 12 minutes to make them all, and about $5!! 

Quote of the day:

Suzy: "William do you feel sorry for me?  Because I have the coughs and a runny nose."

anniversary #13.....all the love that a girl could want

Two weekends ago we headed out to Chicago to celebrate our 13th Anniversary.  We hit all our usual spots starting with Ikea......

 This little spot gave me inspiration for my kitchen window....so I found the fabric section and came home and got to work on my little sewing machine.  I'll post a picture of how it turned out later. :)

 I think I must have the perfect husband (for me) that is....I don't know many other men that enjoy Ikea as much as I do.  However in the above picture he trying his best to look mad...because this is the new color I we picked for our boys' room.  He knows I'm right...the color was wrong in there, and had to be changed.  The black and white accents with the green is very clean & crisp. I will have to take some pictures of the color in the boys' bedroom and post them later.  I luuuuvvvvveee how it turned out.  I love getting inspired and seeing room layouts.  Giddy.  Down right GIddY!  

 Also got an idea for these shelves.....and a cheaper way to make them.  Hubby is currently in the basement working on those.  I love that he is bored in the winter and enjoys projects.

 LoVe that Ikea lists the colors they used.  We skipped the Benjamin Moore store and hit Lowes~they match the Benjamin Moore color for Free and it's perfect. 

 After Ikea we headed over to our "priceline" hotel....was very pleased with our 3 star for 1/2 the cost!

 For dinner we ate at Maggianos (little Italy), a place we found over the summer.  We loved it then and it was so fun to go back.  Yummo!! We shared a meal and still couldn't finish it!  Tasty!

 Since we had no kids, no time limit, and no agenda we decided a movie would be SWWWWEEETTT....so we headed over to a theater that had 20 shows to pick from.  WOW!  Awesome!  It doesn't take much to make me smile.

Stayed out late, talked until I think I almost ran out of words.....Amazing to have all the time and space and no interruptions.  Made me fall in love all over again~with my man.  Love him!

 I have no other favorite breakfast spot in all the world than Egg'lectic Cafe..... Their delivery is so amazing, the atmosphere is quaint, and the service is outstanding.  Again...enjoyed the amazing bliss of it just being us 2, with no rushing though a meal and with hopes no one has to pee during the meal. :)  Love those kids~don't misunderstand....Just love being on dates so very, very much!  Esp. one that lasts all day & all night

After breakfast we found a "The Container Store", somewhere I always wanted to visit....Walked through every single isle!  Found a couple of treasures....But most of all, just loved having the freedom to not be rushed, and to window shop.

Love love. times 13!!!  

Pictures of finished projects to come, later.

Kristin Chicken

Want a supper idea that is super easy?? 

Here you go....

Kristin Chicken


Take a 9 X 13 pan and fill it with Chicken breasts to make one layer (4-6 breasts).  I use the pre-frozen Chicken tender type.

Mix one can of cream of chicken soup and 6 oz. of sour cream.  Mix together and put over chicken. 

Bake covered for 1 hour at 350.

Topping:
1 cup crushed ritz crackers
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. onion salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix.  Sprinkle over chicken and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes. 

As this bakes it makes a delish gravy type sauce that goes very well over mashed or baked potatoes.  Throw in a green veggie~and you've got a comfort meal for this winter.  Let me know what you think.

french kisses and other celebrating

 Over the weekend...we did some celebrating.  I unpacked my grandma Ida's china and I celebrated Rose.  A friend that turned 30 something.??  I love the feeling china gives you.  Something delicate and special.  I should use it more than every 10 years. 

 We also celebrated it being FRIDAY night with some friends.  Here is the kids table...our kids outnumber the adults...so we put them at the big table and we are at the smaller table.  Too bad we didn't get a picture of the mama's and the papa's. :(  So anyways after not being around their kids for several YeArS...I've been reminded of what great candidates they are for our own children's spouses.  Crystal and I are currently working up some paperwork to arrange them together in marriage.  The only problem is one will be left in the cold, since they have 3 children.  So looks like William hit the luck and can be our live in care taker in our old age.    

 Saturday we hit the sledding hills...and with the new dusting of snow...it was perfect.  Well except that Donovan and I do not have snow pants or snow boots.  That seemed to be kind of a problem.  But what we lack in snow gear we made up for in layers. 

 We met some friends over at the hill, and Jack enjoyed his BFF for a couple of hours. 

 LoVe HIM!

 Saturday night we celebrated our Anniversary with Jon & Arlene.  We did not know we were going to be celebrating...they had invited us over for dinner...but then went all out with beautiful table settings and adorable cup bling. Can you see the tissue paper flowers in the above picture??? We even got an inappropriate card that I love.  :) :)

 The main attraction that night though was the twins....

 And William did a little story time.  We had a super good time and delicious supper.  Thanks Jon & Arlene for a great evening.  

 Sunday morning greeted us early with a 5:30 a.m. throw up request.  Jack. Came all the way through the living room, kitchen, hallway and our room to tell us he had to throw up.  Hmmm...I need to remind him again, he can do that in the bathroom right next to his room.  So Donovan got up and took William to Sunday school while I kept the girls and Jack at home.  Or should I stay Donovan left Isabella home to take care of us??  While Jack and I were in bed, laying around being lazy, and talking....Isabella made cream of wheat, toast, and orange juice on a breakfast in bed tray and brought it in to us. 

 Jack true to form looking pathetic when he is sick.  Milking every ounce of opportunity for sympathy he can.  I YI YI YI.....Jack said he couldn't even set up...he was so sick.  Somehow when cartoons came on 30 minutes later, he managed just fine.  

Back to breakfast....do you see the 2 bowls of cream of wheat??  Do you see the 2 little snack cups?? One is brown sugar and the other white.  White for me, Brown for Jack.   :)  Also...you see plastic cups and the glass cup?  She knows I do not enjoy drinking out of plastic...I prefer glass to drink out of.  How she remembers all the details bless me tremendously.  Heart, heart that girl sure is special. 

Then Isabella and Suzy asked if they could bring in their bowls and eat with us.  In my mind I thought~this is disaster waiting to happen, but my heart said yes.  Here they are sitting on my legs.  Creating a one of a kind Sunday morning I will not soon forget.  Their smiles totally negate the throw up I cleaned out of the sink earlier.

quote of the day:

Jack" What is a Fench kiss again?"

Donovan: "Well....."

Jack: "Is it where you stick your tongue in someone else's mouth?"

not as bad as I thought.

I have resolved to work on one room for at least 20 minutes a day/ per day until I have finished.  That is unless I find something better to do, or I am gone that day.  Or some friend calls up and wants to go to lunch, or shopping, or something very cool.  But while I am home & stuck inside, I'm working on cleaning out drawers & de-cluttering.  Today was my first session and I have to say I can not believe how fun it was.  I mean~throwing away some, giving some away, and then finding an organized idea for other things.    

 This drawer used to be jammed pack...now look how fresh, beautiful, and spacious it looks.  Well except for the aqua toothpaste I noticed after I uploaded the pictures.  That's not so fresh looking.  

Note to self: When all the crap is unloaded from the drawer, wipe it down.  

 And then Suzy found me....and decided it would be fun to organize too.  I have to say this was a strong bonding moment for me.  She was organizing by color, which made my heart pitter patter.  I'm thinking of just having her do the rest of the house.   I will be on the computer and she can clean.  Sounds like an excellent plan to me. 

But here is the drawer of doom.  How do you organize cut ribbons you put in your girls' hair?  I have no idea. 

Quote of the day: 

Recently we were attending a funeral of my Uncle and we were very unhappy with how our children did ~listening and letting us listen.  We have a church bag, but it seemed it was out of control.  Asking for this, asking for that, fighting over who got what and for how long....disruptive to us and probably everyone around us.  It would've been nice if they would've listened to some of what was being said.  So on the home Donovan and I talked and then made a plan.  We grounded all those 6 years old & up from using anything during church services.  For the month of January.  I have to admit this may be punishment for us as well.  But on Sunday we put this into action.  And you know what?  We were PLEASED.  I couldn't help but share Jack's comment after the service.

Jack: "I listened, and it wasn't as bad as I thought."   

I'm sure Merlin will be happy to know that.  :)

13

13 may seem unlucky to some...but to me it's been everything good.  I remember signing papers for my first house purchase on Friday the 13th back in 1996.  Another time I noticed when signing papers for a new car that the date was a Friday the 13th in 1993.  I usually don't pay attention to numbers so much....I'm starting to scare myself.  But anyways....today...is my 13th year of marriage. 

I think what I've learned the most in 13 years of marriage is ~that love is not always a feeling.

It is a choice.  Those early years of dating made marriage looks so easy, and to be honest the first years seemed very story-book like for me.  I was thinking "what's so hard about this??"  It's when the disagreements came~ time and again over the same issues that made loving a huge choice (not a feeling).  Then there came parenting differences.  And let's not forget the money issues.  The #1 cause for divorce. So much to fight about, makes me weary just thinking back over the last 13 years.

 But I am blessed.  I have a man that is just as committed to our marriage and family as I am. 

 I love the time we've had together.  

I love the kids we've made together.

I love how he makes me laugh.  

I love how he connects and makes effort to get to know people. 

 I love when he jumps on board when I want to do another "photo session"  even if at first he hates dislikes the idea.

 And I really love the way he loves our kids.  Working hard all day to come home and work at taking care of them, to give me some time off.

 I'd pick him all over. 

Happy Anniversary Donovan.  I'm looking forward to growing old with you.