One more post before 2012 & a Freebie!

Can you believe that this year is coming to an end?  I say it every year, but each year flies by faster than the last.  Alyson will turn Eight this year and I will turn 35 – ack!  Where has the time gone?
Since New Years Eve is upon us, I thought I would share a few things that my girl A, and I are doing.  Some are traditions and some are new, but all are fun!
For the past few years, New Years Eve has involved Alyson picking out a new movie for us to watch.  I think we have done, Barbie, and Camp Rock.  This year, she picked out

Yep! We will be watching Mr. Popper’s Penguins.  I think I might get the book on the Kindle and we can read some of the book together. 
Another thing we always do, is make smores!  Yum!  I think this is the only time I like marshmallows.  And Alyson looks forward to it every year.
 
Of course, we will wear some silly, but cute New Year hats.  I am thinking of making these.

And because Alyson is older, I think that she might actually make it to midnight, so I think that these countdown bags would be really cute.  I am thinking of getting some fun things that we can do for each hour? 

And the one thing I want to tackle this year is making a time capsule.  Fun right?  I have seen them many times before, but I think with Alyson being older, it will have more meaning for her. 

I actually want to start one all year long and drop in some fun things as the year progresses.  For now, I think that this will work.  I also created a fun printable for Alyson to fill out and place in our capsule. 
After finding many online, I decided to make it “my own” and more me.  I also made it downloadable for those of you that would like to use it as well.  Just click here.

Now let's see how many things I actually get to, right? Have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve!

Michelle

Some scrappy layouts

So, I thought I would be back yesterday, but the day got away from me.  I have been busily completing my Project Life as well as helping Miss A sew on her new machine. 

Before today gets away from me, I wanted to post my last two layouts for Scrapbook Circle. 

Have a wonderful day!

Michelle

A Christmas Re-cap of sorts

  Hi there!  I can’t believe that Christmas is over.  I am kinda sad.  It seems like it flew by.  For me more-so than most years, and I am not quite sure why?  Last night I took down our tree.  Not everything is put away, but the the big stuff went first.  I usually try to keep it up past new years, but I was itching to get things together. Kwim?

I am notorious for not taking many photos on Christmas.  I try to to be present and not behind the camera.  This year I took a few more than last year.  Yay! So this post will be my re-cap of what went down and how we finished up Elf, a.k.a. Mikey.

Mikey was a BLAST this year and I am excited to put something together to commemorate all the fun things he did.

These are the last 4 photos.

This was our Gingerbread house this year.  It is pretty darn big – ha!  Mikey found his way almost inside.

You can’t tell here, but Mikey got a hold of one of my vintage cameras and decided to have a photoshoot with Alyson’s LPS animals. Ha!

Mikey decided to draw a self portrait on our chalkboard.

And the best for last.  We will miss Mikey and will be thinking about what kinds of things he will do next year.

And now for our Christmas Day – well what I managed to capture.

Alyson spends Christmas Eve with Mike, so I use that time to finish things up and just relax and watch some good t.v.  So Christmas morning Mike brings Alyson over as soon as she wakes and comes and opens what mom got her.  And f.y.i. Alyson got her American Girl Doll from Mike and the accessories from me.  I figured since she saw him first it would only make sense.

Santa ate the cookies (I made the plate last year).  Alyson was a bit surprised that Santa didn’t eat the chocolate. 

I had a photo of the presents under the tree, but can’t seem to find them.  But here is my girl with a mouth full of cookies and a brand new outfit from Grandma.

First box full of American Girl accessories.

This box had the bird cage that she wanted.

She couldn’t get it open fast enough!

This was a last minute gift from Target.  It was fuse beads, that she loves, but the photos were big.  So much easier for her do.  She loved it.

You can see some of the stuff she got.  And of course, my cat.

Me and my girl  No make-up for me. but at least it is a photo of the two of us (an Kanani).

I wanted to show a picture of the tree skirt I made.  It was one of those Pinterest projects that I just “had” to do.  I love the way it came out.  It is so pretty!

I had to show the cutie pie sewing machine that she got from her cousins.  We go batteries, so we will be using it soon.

One gift that I stayed up late making was this matching outfit for Alyson and her doll.  You can only see a bit of Alyson’s skirt, but you get the idea.

The rest of these are just opening presents at my moms. Someone was not in the mood to take photos (Alyson), so this is all we have.

Well my sister got the coziest pajamas. Look!

Haha!  I love her pose too!

Okay, I will leave you with our “I caught Santa” photo.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.  I’ll be back tomorrow!

Michelle

InstaFriday!

  Hello!  I can’t believe that Christmas is here!  Alyson is beyond excited!  I am finishing up some sewing projects and looking forward to watching my girl open her presents.

I love my Instagram app and am addicted to checking up on all my friends through webstagram.  I thought that this week (and maybe more), I would link up with the Life Rearranged blog.  Click on over an rake a look.  Here are my favorites for the week.

I finally got my Becky Higgins Clemetine kit!  Yay!  I am already starting on this.  I am completely excited about this!  Anyone else out there doing this?  Let me know!

Since we are on Winter Break, I have tried to make breakfast for my picky eater.  Which can be very frustrating when she doesn’t like things like eggs!  So, pancakes it was.  They were very yummy!

One day this week, Alyson actually cleaned up my scrap desk – ummm can she do that all the time?  She loved playing with all my crafty stuff.  Usually I give her my leftovers, or stuff I don’t want.  But lately, I have wanted to clean out some of my stash, I have TOO much.  And she found a box of rub-ons.  I have not used rub-ons in forever, so I let her go at it.  I think the box is almost empty – yay!!

This little activity was from Alyson’s Advent calendar.  I remember loving these when I was little! 

*I think I need to do a post on just her advent activities, they have been fun!

If you think breakfast is hard, try lunch.  She doesn’t like sandwiches either (makes packing school lunches fun).  But low and behold, she ate one!  I had to take a photo.  Nothing but bread and Ham, but it’s a start.

And then I let Alyson paint my nails.  It was innnneresting.  Hee!  I got quite the compliment from the guy at Trader Joe’s this morning.  Whatever makes her happy!

That’s all!  I hope to do this more regularly.  Have a wonderful Friday!

Michelle

The adventures of Elf

  So, Elf a.k.a. Mikey has been very naughty, and we have found him in many funny places.  You can see the first week here and here.  I have been taking photos of Elf each day and I have been having more fun than I ever expected to.  Here is what he has been up to.

Mikey decided to decorate the tree with Alyson’s unmentionables.  She loved this. 

Mikey made some donuts. 

Mikey was thirsty and decided to drink up the magic shell.  I saw this done with syrup, but this magic shell has been in the cupboard for too long, so it needed to go, enter Mikey!

This is the first of many photos that I took with my phone.  My camera was acting up and went to the shop.  Thank goodness for my phone.  Here is elf reading the coupons.

Mikey roasted some marshmallows.  I love those battery operated candles!

Mikey got crafty and made his own snowflake garland.  And I finally found my scissors – LOL!

Ugh, this shot should have been much better.  I took this with my old camera, but the settings were just off.  But I took the photo, that’s what counts.

I took this one with hardly any light, so pretty good for a phone pic right?  Mikey got crazy with the dry erase marker and made us look goofy.

I took this one in Alyson’s bathroom where Mikey decided to ply manicurist.

Mikey attacked a box of Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s.  I don’t blame him, this suckers are yummy!

Mikey tried to make some kind of igloo, but it didn’t happen.  Ahh well, Alyson loved it.

Mikey playing with his food, again!

Mikey had some fun making do with flour instead of snow.  This was “fun” cleaning up –

I got this idea from facebook and I LOVED it.  Although it almost backfired because since Mikey was inside the bottle, Alyson thought that it would be okay to hold him.  I said no, and thankfully she was okay with it.

Mini pancakes for Mikey were a must.  Alyson thought they were so cute.

And finally, I got my camera back.  Yay!  And this photo should be 21.  This was the perfect time to turn that expired milk green.  Of course Mikey is laughing.

I have yet to figure out what I want to do with Mikey tonight, but we will see.  Have a wonderful day!

Michelle