Crafts, crafts, and more crafts

Here are just a few of the Thanksgiving/Christmas decorations that we have made this year.

Cut down some branches in the green space and stuck them in a vase.

Cut leaves out of paper and wrote what we are thankful for on them

Hung them with twine to make our new, traditional "Thankful Tree".  Look for it every year!

Painted and wrote on a piece of wood for an "inspirational board."

My Thanksgiving one

My Christmas one

I didn't like it with the brown background, so I redid it with white paint.  I think it looks much better.

Hung a few ornaments from the chandelier.

Didn't like how it looked at first, so I added a few more and now it's perfect.

Saw something similar to this in the Potterybarn catalog and decided that I could make it for much less.  $5 in wooden letters at Michael's, spray painted them white, and hung them with double sided tape.  I love it!

Thanksgiving '09

Dave's folks came into town for Thanksgiving this year.  We had a nice visit and they got to spend lots of quality time with the kiddos.  

Our Thanksgiving table all set and ready for the feast.

Putting the bird in the oil.  It turned out so well this year.  I put it in a brine for 24 hours and then injected it with garlic and butter...Yum!

Frank's brother, John, lives in PDX and made it over for dinner.  We really enjoy seeing him when we get the chance.

Friday we busted out an early Christmas present that I got Dave.  A Wii.  

Another great Thanksgiving with family, which brings me to what I am the most thankful for this year, my beautiful and healthy family.  I couldn't ask for anything more!

Ta Da...

Lately, I have been OBSESSED with projects around the house.  I get a lot of my ideas from other blogs and magazines.  It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something, and since we are home most days, I get bored looking at the same thing everyday.  I even think that I am going to learn how to install moulding in the house soon.  May be a little ambitious, but I'm gonna do it.  I'll post some pictures soon of the million projects that I have been doing of new Christmas decor.  

But this project was my most recent and favorite to date.

I bought this window pane at the local antique store (I could go there everyday!) for $10.  I cleaned it up with a little sanding and cream colored spray paint.

Found some really cute scrapbook paper at Micheal's for about $5...

...and mounted the scrapbook paper behind the glass.  Had the hubs attach some brackets to the back and (drum roll please)...

...hung it above our bed.  Ta Da!!!  Cheap and really cute artwork.  I think the whole thing cost us about $18.  I love it!  It makes me smile every time I go into my room.

Let it snow...

The hubs and I took the babes up to the Mountain earlier this month for their first sledding trip.  Let's just say that Mom and Dad had a really good time.  The babes, not so much.  They sat on the top of the hill, watching us sled, eating snow.  Oh well.  Maybe next year.

At least they were dressed warm!  We had a good laugh at how hilarious they looked in their snow suits.  Little puffy snowmen!

Side note:  Hubs makes fun of me and my '80s ski hat.  So what if it is hot pink and a hand-me-down from my big brother!  I love it.

Best Friends

The relationship between these two makes me smile everyday.  I love to see them together, and they LOVE being together.

They will walk around holding hands for no apparent reason at different times of the day.

I can just hear you!  "Ahhhhhhhh, so cute."

Tiger's Christmas Card

...I know your laughing.

Here they are...

This one cracks me up.  Addie has these moments all too often and I just couldn't resist sharing.

The rest of them are great.  I didn't post my 3 favorite ones cause I used those for our Christmas cards this year.  So, look for that one in the mail soon.  Enjoy.

Thanks again Shawn.  As always, you did a great job!