Valentine’s Revisited.

As I began taking down my Valentine’s decorations, I realized that I never posted the fun stuff that we did here this year for the (card company/candy maker)holiday.
I planned on changing up the decorations last year, but never quite got around to making all the things I wanted to.
I bought paper at Heartland, that had me singing Beatles songs.  The name of the line “Love me do”, something that Merrill says all the time, especially when he is tired/worn down.
I love the colors.  So non-traditional.
And then there’s that turqois-ey/teal-ey color I so love…

Call me crazy, but I would really love to paint a piece of furniture in this color.
A friend and I had a cookie making day..  we made lots of them.
 
We even got more artsy than usual with the decorating.


Another addition this year was this banner.  Inspired by the same paper line and color scheme.  I dreamed about it at night.

All about the details… 

But I knew it needed something more.. 
Tissue paper balls.
(And some other things that I never got to, but I probably would have if I just knew when to stop!!)
These are so fun to make!
(Now I know that I am not the first, and I am also aware that they have been around for a while now, but c’mon..  in these colors?  I had to share..)
I also learned a few tricks that make the whole process a lot easier.
(Those will come in another post, perhaps?)
But a tip for now: Target has the funnest colors right now..  the turquoise is in, and the “wish” color of blue (light blueish-greenish) is in the baby gift wrapping area along with the yellow.

Last but not least, and one of my favorite parts of our day were these bottles:

I got all excited watching History channel’s program on soda, they showed Jones soda company.  Did you know that you can go to their website and order their soda in bottles with YOUR picture on the label?!
Isn’t that so cool?
I thought so…  until I saw the attached price tag.
Pair that with the idea of my kiddos getting a 6 pack a piece, thinking that they need to drink it all that night, then the sugar high that would follow…  I so don’t need that.
So I did it my way.  I changed it up a bit, not being able to find the clear bottles with the fun red soda..  (sniff) so I kept the colors simple.
I went and bought my own little 4-pack of rootbeer, and printed off my own labels, using double-stick tape to hold it all together.
The girls loved them.
You can too!  Here’s the PSD template so you can make your own.  Just clip down the picture(s) you want to use (Control G my friends..  Control G..), print off on regular copy paper and stick away!
I am thinking of doing another version of these, making my custom nutrition label or something fun like that. 
With a little adjusting of the text, I think they would be a blast for a shower (be it baby or bridal) or a birthday party.
P.S. The font I used is “You Are Loved” form DaFont.com.

Clean House Monday..

I was so excited to get to it this morning.

Last week was my birthday, and I got yet another awesome gift.

I am in love!!

Some people might think I am weird, but I am really normal, to myself at least.

Last year, I got the Dyson.

Changed my life.

Some people might think that’s an awful gift.  Not me…

I am all about cleanliness, I get it from my mom.  (She’s a little OCD, you can’t dispute it mom..  you made me the way I am.)

As I hinted, researched, and hinted some more, Merrill admitted to me that he was looking for just what I wanted.

A Shark floor steamer.

(See..  I am kinda weird!)

Yes, it gets weirder as I am the one who went and picked it up..  I also had a coupon to go towards the purchase (I am in love with coupons..), and it was one of the best gifts I received.

(I have many more yet to play with..)

But today, I was in heaven.

I filled-up the extra large water tank twice, even though I only needed to once, and steamed away.

It was fun.

(Now are you convinced that I am weird?)

I would have eaten off my bathroom floor, it is that clean.

But we are teaching our children about the importance of family mealtime..  that would have been a bad example.

It's not me... IT'S YOU!!

I've got to break up with you..
Goodbye $15, cheap, no good, Wal-Mart special hair straightener... I will not miss you one bit.
Sure, I was desperate when you and I hooked up. I had just gotten a new cut, a short one. The style of it required some flat-ironing, some sass, and you were there. Your price was right, and you were okay. I needed you.
As time went on, I found that much was lacking in our relationship. You weren't as hot as I originally thought you were... you were pretty high maintenance for something I thought would make my life easier. You were not helpful with the little ones! You made their already unwanted time in the bathroom styling their hair even longer. You were just in the way after a while.. you weren't as skinny as others I saw. I did not look forward to the styling process after I would blow my hair out. It was usually a very unpleasant time spent with you after that. You required special product to work at least a little bit, and after that, I felt like I needed to wash my hair all over again! It took a while to get you "in the mood" too.. what a turn off for me. You weren't bright and bubbly, cute and fun to be around. You were quite drab and boring, to be truthful. We had to spend a lot of time to just get the job done, and I didn't want to be around you anymore, so, you've been replaced.
Her name is Pinky, very cute. She's much sleeker, funner to be around, HOT, she doesn't take a fortnight to heat up, she is also very helpful with the wee ones. I don't have to part and section off hair to get each layer to straighten. She's small enough to give us the perfect flip to our ends. She even lets me choose how hot I want it.. I look forward to those days when washing my hair is a must. I look forward to her company, and I don't have to be with her long, but sometimes I wouldn't mind if our time together was longer. I like to do the girls hair now. I am trying to bribe them to come and hang out with us.. I didn't want them to know you. You are like a bad friend who brings everyone down.
By far, this is one of the loveliest Christmas gifts ever! The only thing that might beat it out would be this:
A Dyson. A Dyson Animal to be downright specific..
My vacuum sucks so bad, it DOESN'T SUCK.. it is the only task that I loathe more than doing hair. (That is with cleaning up vomit, scrubbing toilets, and even Merrill's warehouse urinal included..) it will one day meet up with you in the landfill.. where you can reminisce together about how you two pieces of crap had it so godd when you didn't deserve it..
I know it wasn't as cheap as you were... but well worth it!
Merry Christmas, AND a HAPPY HAIR STYLING NEW YEAR(S) to ME!!
(Thanks Darlene!!)
**(hint, hint Mer.. my birthday is in 21 days.. I will gladly take a belated birthday gift after we get our income tax return back :) I will also save my Bed Bath & Beyond 20% off coupons to help.. Love ya!)*

One gift...

These are something the girls LOVE!!
Rachael so conveniently dropped by clips that match! Watch out MiKell... with all your nieces, you have some competition coming up for the cute cheerleader!

Christmas...

I am missing a couple of pics. I could wait, but I just don't have the patience... I need to post Christmas!!!
Christmas Eve, we spent at Merrill's parents home, eating yummy food; prime rib, shrimp, crab legs... see, yum...
We played Catch Phrase which was new and fun... then we played memory. We opened our PJs and it was such a fun surprise! Darlene had gotten all of us navy shirts embroidered with the Best Western logo. Our pants coordinated. We looked dang cute. You can see the girls on them in the Christmas Day pics...
That night, we got home, put out our stockings, put out the cookies and milk for Santa (forgot the food for the reindeer... hope they didn't poop on the lawn which was covered with snow during the night :0...) and the girls brushed their teeth and then they, well, Lynn and Ashley, went to bed easily.
Christmas day...
I woke up with Ashley and Peyton in my bed, so I put them back in their beds, that was around 6 am. I thought that would be enough to wake them up for good, the moving thing. But, no. They didn't wake up until 10!! I got all ready, got the kitchen cleaned, had the pull- a-parts all ready to go into the oven... those crazy girls. Lynn was the first one up. She told Ash what she got and then told her sister what Santa had left for her too... Ash had a look of total shock. He really came... It was so cute, as we got downstairs, Ashley saw the plate that once held two sugar cookies and the cup that had had some milk in it... "He really is real!! He ate the cookies and drank the milk all gone!"
Lynn got a bike from Santa, and we got her a easel with a chalkboard on one side, and a magnetic white board on the other side... thanks for the help Christie ;)...
Ashley got a princess scooter from Santa, which Lynn loves as well...
Peyton got a little rolling pony... Santa made this a Christmas on wheels!
Lynn LOVED her snuggie... I totally misjudged her size...
Ash loves her Word Girl cape...
Peyton loves this VTech microphone... she carries it all over the house with her...
We got Ash a "new baby with yellow hair and blue eyes than hers..." just what she wanted. I made a doll quilt and pillow for our new addition.
The girls spent the morning playing... Dixon, Darlene, Kaitlyn, MiKell, and Grandma all came. They brought the girls each a "Fur Real" and a little cheerleader outfit (pictures will come SOON!) Peyton got a baby that plays peek-a-boo... so cute...
Mer and I got a cocoa maker... we've been having fun with that.
Peyton found her favorite place... she loved watching the snow fall.
We went to mom and dad's. Mom loved her quilt... I forgot my camera... Jaclyn has a pic...
The girls each got a toy, but the funnest has to be Lynn's easy bake oven...
I hid some last minute gifts too well... I forgot about them. I was reminded of them when Peyton was walking so good for dad, he said, "Looks like you should put a tutu on that girl!"
TUTUS!!
The girls had fun opening up just one more present...
Mer got me this cute hat and a new printer... check out the before...
...and the after...
We have had problems with our old one... couldn't find a new color cartridge... the scanner doesn't always immediately initialize... so Mer got a new one... what a sweet guy. But because I am so cheap, well, non-wasteful, I won't change it over until the ink runs out :)...
We spent the rest of the night enjoying Christmas movies on the TV which we left in the front room for a little while longer. It was nice to be using that room, together as a family.. watching the snow blow out the window as the girls played with their new toys...
Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!