A peek into our holiday.......

Jumping on the furniture

Isn't this what we are told not to do? Does anyone know WHY? Besides the fact that you could get hurt.......cause you can pretty much get hurt walking around, right? I just can't tell my kids not to do this. Look at the fun they had! They were taking the pictures of each other. Their faces are priceless. I knew they were doing it. I didn't see the pictures until later that day and laughed out loud when I saw them. It gets a little annoying after a few minutes, but just because our mother's told us not to, that's not the best reason. So, go jump on the furniture!

There are like 3 days until Christmas and I have bought or made and wrapped about 5 gifts. My list is a lot longer than that! I am such a procrastinator....in everything I do. It's a really bad habit. I have a ton of things on my list to make! hahahaha It's 3 days away! Yikes!!

Did a little shopping today. Got a few gifts. Luckily, we have a brother on the Alabama football team....yeah, that's pretty cool. He's gonna get a few things signed for us.....I bet you hope you are on that list, don't ya? It makes my job a little easier. Not so easy for him. I guess it's pretty annoying to sign your name a million times. I hear they all sit around in the locker room and just pass them back and forth. Can't you just see them...all in a big circle, with their heads down? I'm sure they hate Sharpies and white footballs with the A on them! I never even thought about the benefits I would reap from him being on the team. Love that guy!

This year has been a much more relaxed season than last year. I was in the store all day and didn't want to do anything when I got home. I just had no creative desire! I have made a few things so far. I got some vinyl scraps from a friend and made a few buckets to fill with toys and ornaments. They turned out really cute! I have plans to make t-shirts and scarves, homemade Alabama A crayons, a few scrapbooks for gifts and animal bracelet earrings. Ok, that last one is really easy and will only take about a second to put together! I guess I should wait to post pics so there is still some element of surprise when they are opened! And no, Mom, you aren't getting animal bracelet earrings. Do not worry!

We started Christmas yesterday. Connor's family Christmas at Momba and Papa's house. It is really so fun to me! I love all the people and the drama. There is a lot of drama! Not bad drama, just over reacting to stuff drama!! They all like to talk.....a lot and LOUD! It's always so much fun to see everyone. There are 44 people in this family. I'm talking Momba and Papa, their 4 kids, who all have kids and have created 15 great-grandchildren! The house is packed and there is tons of yummy food and lots of presents even though the adults do not exchange and the kids draw names! Can you believe we didn't take a group shot??? We were missing a couple, but still. We did try to get all the greats on the balcony with their heads coming through the railings (that are too big and they could all fall through). I couldn't get the shot. I had my 50mm lens on...bummer.

Sorry about all the ramblings. I just felt like blogging. I have done a million other things in the meantime.....class parties, tennis tournaments, triathlon training, setting up Daphney to go to NYC without me, planning a trip to San Diego (and Pasadena), been on tv for the Spotted Zebra, had a Christmas crop and an ornament swap party at my house, went to my Mom's for a girls weekend, ran in the Jingle Bell Run, and even went to Montgomery to see A Christmas Story!

Getting in the spirit!!

My upside down Christmas Tree. I love this funky thing! I have had it for several years and every year it still makes me so happy! It's just bigger at the top and smaller at the bottom! I have big paper flowers and Christmas balls hanging from the limbs. It's a very happy tree!

This is a close up of the flowers. They have a styrofoam center covered in tiny beads. I just wrap them around the trunk with the florist stem.

I played in a tennis mixer last Friday. We had so much fun! It was for Toys for Tots. All we had to do was bring a toy for the kids and we got to play tennis with friends and eat yummy lunch from Taziki's! It was pretty chilly. I stayed warm with my elf socks. I liked them 'cause they were pretty festive, too!

I found the coolest tree on Elsie's website. I had to have one. I commissioned a friend to make one for me. I knew he would have the coolest wood for this project! The original had fishing lures on it.....not really my thing. I had my friend send me some door hardware, keyholes, doorknobs, a house number and keys! I also added some cranberries, a star and old postcards from my stash! If you want one like mine, you can check out Southern Accents. A very inspiring place!
Here you can find the original tree.