weekend fun in the mountains

so someone definitely got the better end of this deal..... don't you wish someone would pull you up a steep hill so you can sled back down it?

logan tried sledding.  not really his most favorite thing..

ice skating for the first time.  the boys did fantastic.  both are naturals.  i see hockey in our near future.

after skating a nice little treat at the rocky mountain chocolate factory.

mmmmm marshmallows on sticks coated with sprinkles.

we had a great weekend.  relaxing and playing in the high country of colorado.  did i mention what a gift it is to live in such a beautiful state?

today we....

hung out in our pj's this morning a little longer than normal....

we played a zoo game we really, really love.

we jumped like kangaroos when it told us to and sang happy birthday to panda in tune.

we acted like monkeys and walked like bears.

it was so nice to just hang around and play this morning with these two adorable boys.

valentine garland and letters

the heart garland idea, i stole from here.  it was super simple to make.  start with any kind of string you have in your house.  i used twine.  then take a heart puncher and punch out hearts. (don't have one?  do the old fashioned way by folding paper in half and cutting out half a heart shape.)  i chose colorful pages out of an old magazine i had laying around.  you could use scrap book paper or other fancy stuff (if you so desire.)

then fold the hearts in half.  then i used a glue stick to glue three together, leaving the center open so you can string your string through it.  (only glue the outside edges of the heart.  leave closer to the fold unglued.)  the end result is the garland strung along my mantle above.  the cost.  minimal to almost free :)  the boys also had fun cutting out hearts with me and helping me glue them.

i wish i could take credit for the above it is a great idea.  i actually found these at a thrift store for $3 when i was crafty shopping.  someone took a two by four and cut four pieces all the same size.  then they painted them a pretty red.  after that they glued on some pretty scrapbook paper and then cut out letters in paper and glued that on top of the paper.  when they were done they mod-podged the front.  the end result.  super cute display letters.  perfect for the holiday.  i love, love, love these.  what have you done to decorate your home for valentine's day?  i would love to hear!

diy wall letters

i was at a craft sale one day and fell in love with the idea of uniquely covered wall letters.  you can use them anywhere in your home.  the vendor at the show wanted something like seven or eight dollars a letter.  in my true fashion i studied them and then went to the craft store myself to create.

you start with wall letters sold at any craft store.  there are wood letters or there are also compressed card board letters.  they are on sale quite often and you can pick them up anywhere from fifty cents each to upwards of two to three dollars.

then visit the scrap booking section and pick out your favorite patterned paper.  i was making these for a cousin of mine who did their nursery in owls.  hence the adorable owl paper.  however you could make letters for your family room or kitchen.  they have a fantastic selection of vintage paper these days.

you then glue the paper to the letter. after the glue has dried use and exacto knife to cut around the letter.

once it has been cut out you can use sand paper or a nail file to sand around the edges. you can even sand the front of the paper to give it a worn look.

when finished you can hang on your wall, set them on a shelf or you can tie up with some old fabric and give them as a gift!

hearts for haiti

(photo courtesy of sweet pea and beans.)

i spent my sunday afternoon sewing some hearts to help out a dear friend of mine, who is going to haiti in a few days.  i could not be more proud of her courage and initiative to take this trip.  i really enjoyed our time together on sunday chit chatting and sewing.  please join me here at her blog and if you can or are so inclined  buy a heart or two and help those in need.

diy - valentines day wreath

here is a fun little valentine's day diy wreath project for you.  so simple and inexpensive. start out with any heart shaped wreath.  i found this one at my local thrift store for $2.

cut a strip as a template and test tying it around the wreath to make sure that you have the desired length and look you like.  i purchased cheap linen fabric.  i bought a yard of each color and had a little left over.  i chose white and light pink for my wreath but you could choose any colors or patterns you would like.  then start tying them until you get all the way around the wreath.  i alternated my colors.

the finished product is a cute little wreath for your front door so cupid knows where to stop!  total cost of this project was $8.

everything in due time

when you least expect it but have been hoping it would happen.  that is when things creep up on you.  you may have been asking for them for a while, like a good snow in the metro area of colorado.  as you can see by my picture we finally got it.  now i pray for it to get warm enough for it all to melt....i digress.  as a mother we expect a lot and often receive a little in return. (the little bit we do receive is often a lot since it is coming from such little people.) life throws a different surprise your way everyday.  you learn to roll with it.

today two amazing things happened.  one being my oldest son disappeared and went number two on the potty and wiped all by himself.  he was so independent in his actions. he didn't even tell me he was going to go.  the pride on his face was prize enough for me to see and an accomplishment in itself.  i praised him and told him how proud i was several times.  after all reward the good and try not to over react to the bad (my new parenting motto now that we are full blown in the terrible threes.)

then our newest family member (kenzie the puppy.) followed me upstairs this morning so i can could crate her before we left.  instead of me having to coax and be patient, she just walked into the crate and sat down.  i rewarded and praised her... then i thought to myself, what is going on this morning?

truth being told, amazing things start to happen when you least expect them, possibly just when you need them.  look around you and take a deep breath. enjoy the moments you are in.  you rarely can change them, so be blessed that you have them.

boys train party ideas

my son logan just celebrated his 2nd birthday.  like most boys he is really into trains.  i thought i would share with you some ideas for a boys train birthday party.  it was fairly easy to put together and relatively in expensive.  for gift bags i used brown paper lunch sacks.  i have a cricuit machine but called a friend to borrow her cartridge that had a train engine on it.  (being the good friend she is, she cut all the trains out and put them together for me.)  thanks e!  i then glued them onto the bags.  if you don't have a cricuit you could use a train cookie cutter as a stencil and cut them out or even print out trains off the internet and cut them out.  i then wrote their names on the train and tied the bags closed with red ribbon after punching two little holes in the top of the bag after it was folded over.

ideas to fill your party favor bag.

train cookie cutter

playdoh

thomas pez dispenser

(these are the things i used.)

i always make my own cupcakes and these were super simple.

first of all don't over complicate.  i used box cupcake mix.

i do make my own butter cream frosting

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE

1 stick of butter.  beat until it is fluffy.

turn mixer on low and

then add 3 and 3/4 cups confectioner sugar. 

slowly add 3 to 4 tablespoons milk and

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

continue to whip until nice and fluffy about 30 seconds to a minute.

for the trains i used the following ingredients.

tootsie rolls

mini m & m's

mini peanut butter cups

you will use one tootsie roll for the engine, then cut another tootsie roll into thirds.  you will use one third as the engine cab on the back of train.  then use another little piece (about and 1/8 of a tootsie roll)  for the smoke stack. (i rolled my little piece between my fingers to make it round long and skinny.)

then cut a mini peanut butter cup in half and use it as the cow catcher.

you will then place three mini m & m's along each side of the train.

i then took chocolate icing you buy in the tube at the store pre-made and made little train tracks in front of and behind the train.

the kids loved them.

logans 2nd birthday party

yesterday we celebrated with friends and family logan's 2nd birthday.  we had a great time at jumpstreet. then we came back to our house for lunch and cupcakes. logan had 13 friends join him and out of the 13 we had only one girl.  poor lylah, she is gonna have the pick of the litter when she gets older though.  thanks to all who joined us to celebrate this little mans two years.  i cannot believe how fast he is growing up.

Happy New Year!

as we close out the current year and welcome the new year,  from our family to yours we wish you a happy and prosperous 2011.