{two steps forward, one step back}

Every time I think I'm catching up, I find about 10 things on my to-do list that I've neglected. Sigh....there just really isn't enough time in a day, and the older I get, the more true that becomes! I know I'm way overdue on a way more interesting blog post, and it's coming. I promise. My daughter has a Christmas parade tomorrow, and I hope to get some cute photos I can post, along with the promised kitchen island photos. But for now, I leave you with this:




Cheers!

{cyber monday}

Hubby assured me that all online stores had their big sales on the MONDAY following Thanksgiving. Of course, I soon found out that all of digiland seemed to go with Black Friday. Oh well. I like being different :) This way, the turkey's done, and all your street shopping is out of the way, right? Spend a little time on yourself ;)

{feeling festive}

Wow, Thanksgiving is next week? As in 7 days from now? Really? How did that happen? Wasn't yesterday the 1st? I can't believe how time flies by when you're ultra-busy! It seems like that should work the opposite way. Shouldn't time slow down when you really need it, and speed up when sucky things happen, like waiting in line at the DMV, or at the grocery store? Makes sense to me. Let's campaign for it!

This year, the huge Thanksgiving get-together is going to be at my house. I have no idea what I was thinking. My house, that hubby and I painstakingly constructed ourselves 5 years ago, yet remains unfinished. Shower doors are missing. No backsplash in the kitchen. Cabinets still need painting. So what do I decide to do instead? Re-do the kitchen island! LOL It's been completely rebuilt, repainted, and re-tiled. It still needs grout, but it's looking fabulous! I'll post before and after pics when it's done.

But things are finally getting done. No, we still won't have shower doors, but things are getting cleaned up, and other projects are getting done. My scrap room is seeing the good side to this. Since it's also the office/guest room, it has gotten a complete overhaul before guests arrive. New bed, new bedding, new French doors, new artwork, and a thorough cleaning. I actually feel creative in here now!



I'm finishing up work/scrapping stuff this week so that I can clean and decorate all next week. My house has to be completely decked out for Christmas by Thanksgiving Day. It just makes it feel so much more festive! With our 6 Christmas trees, and infinite yards of garland, it usually takes me about 3 days. So I probably won't be online much next week.

I do have new products going in the store tomorrow, though. And with all this holiday stuff surrounding me, my new kit for November will be just as festive. Here's a little peek:

{latest layout}

On a side note, my little nephew is turning 1 this weekend! I was commissioned by my bro to do his invites. Happy Birthday Dylan!



Here's to sugared rims, tinsel, and white fairy lights! Cheers!

{halloween 2007}

The end-of-year holiday frenzy has begun. Halloween kicked it off, and is now over, so I suppose we are to move straight on to Christmas. My local Hobby Lobby has had Christmas decorations out since the end of August. I don't understand that at all. Are there really people who begin to decorate, or at least begin PLANNING to decorate, that early? I guess there must be, otherwise they wouldn't do it, right? I give kudos to my grocery store, who at least waited until the last pumpkin was out the door!

I can't even start thinking about Christmas yet. Well, that's not entirely true. I have already begun some early shopping, but that in no way includes holiday decor. The fact that I have already purchased FOUR Christmas presents is a huge accomplishment. I mean, we are a last minute family. I bought Halloween costumes two days before Halloween, when there was hardly any selection left (and yet, still nothing was on sale). But it always gets done, and more often than not, it gets done right. I WILL have the house decorated for Christmas on Thanksgiving Day, but not before then!

Speaking of Halloween, I had too much fun taking GOOD pictures this year. I never ever have good photos of the kids in their ultra-cute costumes, so I did it right this year. We had 2 pirates, and 2 witches. Maybe not original, but they were all adorable!

It was Alex's first time trick-or-treating (a HUGE deal in our neighborhood):







Morgan was his wench ;) :











These two are always inseparable:

latest layout

One Halloween layout done, 3 more to go!



Here's to last minute! Cheers!