Tag....You're It!!

What a weekend it has been!  Once of those seems so busy but nothing got done kind of weekends!  It's the first week of Advent and our weekend plan was to put up the Christmas Tree and decorations.  The girls were really looking forward to it!  As it turned out, my best friend was up for the weekend from New Jersey and we made a point to spend some time with them!  Yesterday we took the car in for service.  We have a Honda mini van and a Mini Cooper S Clubman as our family vehicles.  Unfortunately, there are 5 people in our family now (we bought the Mini Cooper when there was only 4 of us) and so we can't all fit in the Mini at the same time.  This rarely is an issue but this weekend, it actually was.  There was no way to take the van to the shop and then have us all pile in the the other car to run errands (or go home).  We ended up all going to the shop together, having lunch at a nearby Kelsey's restaurant (that we walked to) and then killing time in the waiting room with the big girls playing on the iPad or my iPhone and the baby asleep in the stroller.  By the time the car was ready it was about 3pm.  We were having dinner at the grandparents so that pretty much completed our day.  I got some awful tummy ache after dinner and it lingered until today...feeling a little better today...but no tree or decorations are up.  At least the outside Christmas lights are on.
I also made some headway on Christmas cards this weekend.  One of which qualifies as an entry to this weeks Simon Says Stamp Challenge.  It's all about tags...and here is my contribution.  Hoping I can be so lucky this week!

Giving Thanks!

Up here in the "great white north" we celebrated our Thanksgiving over a month ago.  But our neighbors to the south have their 4-day (!!!) weekend coming up this week and the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog is celebrating it with a "Thank-you" theme.  I know for me, with our thanksgiving behind us, my thoughts on being grateful focus on the Christmas Holiday season and all it's wonder and joy.  Having 3 little munchkins makes this time of year even more warm and fuzzy and blessed (despite the cold outside).  It'll be C3's first Christmas and we are all looking forward to sharing the holidays together!  Last holiday, hubby was away on business for most of the holiday which made for a less than festive time.  I'm so very much looking forward to this holiday and gaze upon it with much thanks.  Here are some projects to fit the theme.

The patterned paper I used for the base of the card is actually from an envelope in which 7 gypsies stamps I had purchased were packaged in.  I love the vintage newsprint look.  The butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch.  The butterfly paper is from MME and the label die cut is from a Tim Holtz/Sissix die.

I wish I had more time to scrapbook as it happens but alas I supposed it's better late than never.  These pics are from Thanksgiving 2007 with my beautiful C1 and C2.  I made the "princesses" metal embellie myself using craft wire.

Buttons Revisited

Like I said,  I like buttons.  Here is another card I made for my hubby's mommy (I hate referring to her as "mother-in-law" as it seems so cold and impersonal when she is amazing, wonderful and loving.  I love her like I love my own mommy...almost!)  I try to use pictures of my kids in any cards I make for the grandparents.  Just a little way to add an even more personal touch...and it's neat to be able to look back on them over the years to see all the changes.

Button Up!

It's my 10 year anniversary today.  10 wonderful years with my Prince Charming.  The Disney Cruise was our gift to eachother for this special occaision.  Can't ask for more than that!  Tonight, however, we did head to our favourite dessert cafe (called Demetres) and share some great conversation and some great ice cream and crepe (for me!)or ice cream and waffle (for hubby!).  Even the name of the desserts were great, "Livin' La Vida Mocha" (for me!) and Moo La La (for hubby!)  Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!
So the Simon Says Stamp Challenge this week is buttons.  Love buttons.  They are a embellie that I find myself reaching for quite often.  So versatile.  Here is a layout for just such a challenge!

Blessings

It's been quite the couple of days.  I certainly had one of my most scariest Halloweens EVER! (and it had nothing to do with the goblins and ghouls at my door!).  C2 had a CT scan on Friday for some recurring headaches she's been having.  Halloween night I get a phone call from the doctor's office saying that the doctor has received the results and he would like to see her "right away".  OF COURSE the worst of the worst goes through my head.  The secretary couldn't give me any more information.  "You'll have to discuss it with the doctor."  Maybe that was her way of contributing to the Halloween spirit and scaring the living crap out of me!  I hardly slept last night and today I was so anxious for what I might hear at 1pm when the doctor was scheduled to inform us of the details it made my stomach very nauseous.  As it turns out, no brain issues to speak of but a rather serious sinus infection.  Not good...but not nearly as bad as my overactive imagination made it out to be!  I must say...I counted every single blessing today and am gratful for every single one!  Here is a card I made to reflect this...and hopefully score me some uplifting retail therapy swag for this weeks Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge.

The background was made using Distress Inks and water spritzes.  The gorgeous flourish stamp (seriously I love this stamp) is from Hero Arts and the precious little girl is a stamp from Belles and Whistles.