holiday train

i took the boys out to loretto-MN last tuesday to see the canadian pacific holiday train come through and make a stop-

first time we have ever done it- it was worth it!

santa handed out train whistles that kept the boys busy for a long time!

look at how they are dressed!

NO BOOTS- NO GLOVES- NO SNOW PANTS

december 13th people- there was mud... not snow!! SCORE!!

we took a ride

 stayed warm by the bon-fire and ate cookies

 this is what it looked like for us when it stopped

my little LOVES

then the train car opened up and a rock'n band played christmas songs for about 1/2 hr. it was a.w.e.s.o.m.e!

this is a free event- they ask for food donations-

i am attaching the link for more info- great cause- great event!

we will most definitely do this again!! Happy Holiday train 2 you!

http://www.cpr.ca/en/in-your-community/holiday-train/Pages/HT-history.aspx

reproduction

my sister had emailed me this pic off etsy last spring... how cute is this??

this year i made a majority of christmas gifts- i know its seems silly to make an easter decoration for a christmas gift- but it didnt matter -it was the perfect gift-

(etsy photo)

my sister earned a huge gift this year.. she is the best sister!!- so- what do i get her that is so special or shows the love and appreciation? well- a hand made gift- she would love that! 

so as i was brain storming ideas for her i came across the felt birds- aha! jens gift- i can make this- plus i looove working with felt so it was really fun for me to make-

wire, felt, floss, needle and a little stuffing

not a bad reproduction huh?

love you birdies

 i am pretty sure she loved them too!

i love being able to re-create something- who needs a pattern?!?
what hand made gifts did you make this Christmas?

kisses- kisses

i am not sure why this year i am not dancing around with excitement that christmas is right around the corner- b/c i usually am- actually i think i am a bit annoying with christmas cheer most years- maybe its the lack of snow...

any who- my little big guy has been begging 2 bake some christmas cookies- how do you turn that down right? so we turned the christmas music on and we went 2 town baking...(my favorite christmas cookie) this grinch is doing one cookie baking session only this holiday season so might as well make what i love! and the kid will eat anything as long as it has sugar- so were good!

baking means- lucas is busy- mixing-baking and sneaking in (see below).. i am watching and cleaning up- he is going 2 make some lady so happy someday! (pats on the back)

i caught these little hands in candy bowl more than once and it wasnt to decorate the cookies!

 peanut butter kiss cookies

 and some kisses for mommy of course!!

soooooooooooooooooo yummy!!

 right out of the oven- nothing better!

we had so much fun- i love watching how interested he is in learning- its nice 2 spend that special time with just him- thank you lucas for getting me in the christmas spirit yesterday with your enthusiastic ways!  you are the sweetest boy! kisses!!

bleach pen shirt

grab a shirt- bleach pen and create!

(make sure you pre-wash and dry a new shirt)

make sure you have something between the shirt- i used a piece of card board- otherwise your creation will soak through..

 

this pic shows a salmon color-

 this is when it was still wet

i wanted something simple on my shirt and love hearts- i went for the sides when creating- i made 3 going down one side and just one lonely one on the other side-

finished bleach pen shirt!

i let it dry over night and then washed it in cold water by itself- after the wash- the hearts were bleach white- i am impressed with how it came out- while i was creating and watching it dry- i was a little skeptical on how "cute" it may turn out- but.. i love it!

easy-inexpensive way to gain a new shirt for the long winter!

not mine- but oh- how i wish!

i spent my saturday night relaxing- enjoying all my cozy christmas decorations and checking out new things on pinterest- when i came across a blog from a craft that i had clicked on- this blog is hands down-right up my alley- it caught my eye and sucked me in for a while- she writes about.. her home- her boys- photography- her farm- recipes and more! she got my imagination rolling.....

i have mentioned someday wanting to have a vintage sale- well really- i dream about having a big red yummy barn that i can set up 2 craft and re-due furniture and have the front as a shop for people 2 come drool over goodies that i have for sale or 2 just come and dream about-  well here @ Meadowbrook farm i found more than the barn that is in my dreams- she has the worlds most sweetest vintage decor/kitchen- recipes and gardens... ooh and did i mention her barn?? what about the land she gets 2 walk on and her photography is amazing!! i am sharing a few of my favorite things from her blog.. there were so many but here are just a few...

 this looks like the most amazing-peaceful and fun place to live-

 

seriously? is this for real? there are no words for how much i am in love with this kitchen- check out the flowers outside that window!!

i can imagine myself picking fruit from my garden and having it displayed like she did

look at that table cloth

but then i would need my bestie over to bake...

  we could enjoy her goodies on this.....

porch swing- with the most lovable fabrics or sit and chat by the...

that's right.. the water..

i have on many occasions told shea that someday i want to live on a farm... a non-working farm- there is something about a barn and the old memories that are within- i must have some old soul in me- my dad had a farm house for a while that had a big red barn and i still think about it-

after the fire dept is behind us someday i think shea would enjoy the peace and relaxation of a cozy little farm house...i sure know i would! until then i will just keep dreaming and live through this blog to get my fix-

a couple other things i just loved on her blog for christmas-

to check her out-
http://themeadowbrookblog.blogspot.com/

enjoy! birdie

all photos taken from meadowbrookblogspot

thankful rings

i have been taking the boys to open gym the past couple saturdays to burn off that boy energy! they have so much fun- it makes me feel like lucas is still super little too- since open gym is where he spent his ECFE days which seems like yesterday and here he is a kindergartner already-ahhh- anyway... this morning we stuck close to home since nolan has been fighting a super bad cold and cough this week and now lucas is getting it- we didnt think it was best to infect our open gym friends- so i had to be creative or it gets to be a long day! this morning we sat down and made thankful rings-

lucas cut strips off fall colored paper

nolan colored while lucas was busy cutting

then we talked about what we were thankful for...

lucas did the writing.. his first thankful thing.. mommy!!

i love that i rate #1

nolan added his artwork <3

thankful for firefighters.. of course!

(i love that swirl on his head)

as we put them together we talked about how we love our family and friends and how thankful we are for each one of them-

i put it on our dining room table so we can be reminded while we eat of the things we are thankful for- i added my vintage turkey that i scored a few years back- i love how lucas really thought about the things he was thankful for-

mommy

daddy

god

sun

family

jack

maggie

firefighters

lucas*nolan*beagles (this was mine)

health (this one 2)

thanksgiving is right around the corner.. what are you thankful for?

girls weekend

helllo girls weekend! 8 of us enjoyed a crafting weekend in amboy, MN about 1/2hr outside mankato- we left early friday morning making a pit stop in mankato to check out hobby lobby- lets just say i was a bit excited..

here i am! finally visiting a hobby lobby! listen up folks.. this is well worth the stop anytime- they had so much stuff it was unbelievable- hobby lobby rocks!

 off to amboy.. this is the house we stayed at- it was so charming- i never expected the inside to be as wonderful as it was-

 first off- i walked into the kitchen and this was sitting on the island starring at me- i was in love at hello- this bird makes me smile- check out these built-ins...

and more..

this is over the kitchen sink- again-love! after touring the house and picking our rooms- we were off for a little walk into town- now- i am not sure this town has changed much since it was established...

 gas anyone? look at the two old men standing visiting- steppn  back in time-

 besides the antique shop and yarn store (which we did view her plucking her rabbit and spinning its yarn) this was the only other shop to check out- i loved the entrance to her shop- it was so inviting- check out that door-

 jods- striking a pose in front of the tallest thing in amboy

bffs since- well... a long time!

 the crafting crew!

jody and i shared a room on the upper level of the house- we stayed in a room that had two white iron day beds and a wicker dresser- everything was white with pink vintage decor- it was so cozy! this was hanging on our wall- i cant believe i didnt get any other pics of our room- it was really sweet-

 

 this is where we spent most of our time- what a awesome set-up- we all had our own table and there was also a couch/chair and tv- with a little kitchen area 2- lots of crafting and laughter in this room over the weekend-

 jody taught herself to crochet- she manged to whip up a few hats over the weekend- here is one she made herself- you rock jods- i am so proud of you!

 me- making headbands- besides jods and i- all the girls were scrapbookn- they made such wonderful pages and projects- i was so in awe of their stuff-

jen- made up a little make and take project for us- we all went home with a note pad/frame project-

 how stinkn cute are these? haha

plastic frame turned upside down- decorative paper in the frame- post it and a embellishment- love! thanks again jen- fun 2 have a memento to take home-

 sunday breakfast- i sat here with my coffee and looked at my  the bird- i was so sad to leave him there...he is just the cutest isnt he?? we all packed up after a fun- creative and accomplished weekend- we took one last swing into mankato on the way home.. i found this owl ring- now my weekend was complete!

moms need time away- they need breaks- time with friends and time to get crafting done uninterrupted- i feel so lucky to have had this time this past weekend- thanks to my hunny for keeping things in order so i could enjoy my girls weekend away- 2 the 8 of you i shared this weekend with- thank you! thanks for the new memories- i am already looking forward to next year! xo

**i did come home with a few other treasures... keep checking back for what i do with them!