Chalk it up

I'm sure you've seen it places...on blogs, in stores.  Chalkboard paint.  It's kind of taking over.  Might as well jump on the wagon, right?!

The old fireplace in josh's house is completely filled in.  So it doesn't work.  He's had a gate in front of it with "fireplace tools" beside to give the feeling of a fireplace.  since those weren't really necessary we gave them to Goodwill to open up the space a bit.  that left a blank canvas.  perfect for some chalking...

and now...the final product!

options are endless!

100,000 miles and 100 days

100,000 Miles
Previously to owning my current Jeep Liberty, my cars were nothing special.  At 16 I had a 1988 Tercel...yeah, that's a Toyota (100 points if you name that movie).  I had it for about a year and got in a wreck while skipping school...yet never got in trouble for that, score!  I drove around with a dented in door for 2 more years.  Then it died.

My next car was a Ford Contour.  About a year after I had that one the window stopped rolling down.  Awesome.  At least I stopped going through drive-thrus as much!  On the way to work one day it died.  So I started driving my mom's Ford Taurus.  I drove it for 2 weeks and it then it died.  Awesome.

By this point I was out of college and had my first real job and was at good place financially to buy a car.  My parents had a Jeep that I LOVED! so I figured that was a good place to start.  I ended up with a black 2005 Jeep Liberty.  She's been great!  I've only gotten one new battery and had some break work done.  That's it.  Come January I will have had her for 6  years and just yesterday she hit 100,000 MILES!!!  wow. It's like my baby is all grown up. 

Over the past 6 years and 100,000 miles I've driven her all over and with help of so many friends had too many wonderful road trip memories to count!  here's to 100,000 more...I hope!


100 Days
We are 100 days away from the wedding as of TODAY! WOAH! Freak out time!  So much to do, so little time.  Do we have any money left for this?  What about the flowers? How do I get all the lights i want?  Is everyone going to fit?  What kind of cake should I get? What's our first dance song?  Are we going to change clothes before we leave? What car are we going to leave in? What scripture means the most to me? Are people going to come? How should I wear my hair? Should I get my teeth whitened?

These are just a sampling of the questions that are constantly running through my head.  calm.the.heck.down.emily. 
that's what I need to be telling myself. 
I've said from the beginning that once Christmas gets here it's "GO TIME."  Well...look what happens next week.  Christmas.  dang.  alright folks, buckle up.  We've got lots of crafts, cutting, gluing, making, planning, and hopefully a dress fitting in the next month to get ready for!!! 
March 26, 2011 HERE.WE.COME.

ps. if you know the answers to any of the aboved questions feel free to answer them for me!

Christmas Fiesta Wedding Shower

This past weekend I helped host a shower for Scott and Caitlin!  It's been so fun to share are the excitement and stress of planning a wedding and preparing for marriage with a best friend AND roommate!  I was super excited to shower them with love, gifts, and chips and salsa :)

I made two banners.  "Scott and Caitlin" and "Feliz Navidad."  I wanted some extra punch...since it was a fiesta and all.  So I glittered some chip board letters and made the letters a bit crooked on the sign.  I also made some banners to string from the upstairs across the living room along with some twinkle lights!

Ryan painted the sweetest tree for everyone to leave their fingerprint and signature on. 

You can see more pictures on Lele's blog...be sure and check out the picture of the Swiss cake roll cake I made, just for Scott!  Love you guys so much!  So excited to stand with you on your wedding day!!!

personalized ornaments

This is what the kitchen table looks like these days...

In all my spare time (ha! I'm hilarious) I've got a new side gig.  My main side gig at Hallmark, hooked me up with another side gig this Christmas.  In case you forgot, I'm getting married, so I greatly welcome opportunities to build my "wedding fund" account.

This year they ordered bunches and bunches of ornaments that had space to be personalized.  They gave me a paint pen and I've beed busy ever since!!!

Need a gift to be extra special? I'd be happy to write a name, date, quote, or bible verse on it!!!

SNOW!

it only seems appropriate to blog about SNOW! today as most of us here in Nashville are staying home and staying warm.

when my brother and his family were in town for thanksgiving, we took my nephew to Gaylord Opryland's SNOW! exhibit.  It was only it's second day of being open so there as much as there probably is now (given the real snow that just fell on top of it) but if you are 3 years old, you think it's awesome!!!  Here are some highlights!

this is a live reindeer!!!

 the snowman we built!

decorations of red...

as much as I would LOVE to buy new bedding every single month I'm quite the opposite when it comes to my seasonal decorations.  I tend to keep everything the same from one year to the next (as much as I've been able to).  Each little piece is considered an investment and it has a specific place and purpose.  Well, I broke my rules this year.  I got something new to go on the mantle.

Isn't it cute?! We got them in at Hallmark awhile back.  I saw it, fell in love, saw that it was the slightest bit damaged and got it for even cheaper!!!  I love how the bird on top ties in with my beloved bird vase.  So here is our new sign, with it's new "mantle decoration friends" looking like its been there every year before..

I also got this new little, what a I call, sweater tree!  I think it's super cute and warm and cuddle-y. 

In my mind it would go on the floor by the "fireplace" but Dylan thought it was his Christmas toy.  So now, it's home is the dentist cabinet along with some left over yarn balls I didn't use on my wreath.

christmas wreath in progress

it's still lacking one major part...BUT...at least it's on the door!!!

still have a dead mum and gourd on the porch.  baby steps folks...still taking baby steps.

children's gift idea

As more and more of peers have children...and my siblings have children...I find myself shopping more for their kids then for them. Sorry guys.

Anyway...while I was trying to find christmas gifts for my nephew I saw these fun tempory hand tatoos from The Container Store.  (I've since seen them at Paper Source as well but they are a few dollars more there). 

We did Christmas with my brother and his family over Thanksgiving and Sean had a zebra and shark on his hands for the weekend!  I highly recommend getting them for any little ones in your life!  They make animals and monsters.

my little Ron

The word on the street is that red heads are a dying breed.  As one lady told me a few years ago when I was very single, "it's because no one seems to be marrying red heads."  I was fully aware...thanks lady.  What she meant to say is that red heads aren't marrying red heads, making the gene more and more recessive.  sad.

As you know, I have red hair.  My mother has red hair.  My grandmother has red hair. and so on and so on.  Naturally I would LOVE to have a daughter and for her to have red hair (and thanks to friends and my mother, she already has a name and trip to Disney World lined up).  Sadly Josh has normal brown hair...UNTIL (dramatic music) he grows a beard (which I really love)...RED people.  There is red in the beard.

and now that Josh has proved has he is willing to risk his life for his friends playing wizard chess..

(or help me with a photo shoot...either one)

We may just end up with some Ron or Jenny Weasley's after all!

baby steps towards Christmas

When it comes to decorating for Christmas I am typically a GET IT ALL DOWN IN ONE DAY kind of girl.  Well, that just didn't happen this year. 

I mentioned in the last post that we lost all of our outside decor in the flood.  So, we started with the inside and the Christmas tree.  That lead to the mantle and a few other spots. Piece by piece it is coming together.  I don't like that it's not completely finished...but I'm also not at Josh's house everyday so it doesn't bother me as much.

Here is a mantle sneak peek:

and like I said...the outside is not decorated.  not only is just not decorated for Christmas, but it still has a gourd on the porch. GASP! I know, I know.  Please don't tell Martha!  It will be thrown away soon...right babe?! (hint hint).  I was going to take a picture, but you get this instead ...the x's mark what isn't there.

the outside...the very sad, dead, remains of fall.  but inside it's like a Christmas forest full of pine, evergreen, and everything merry.

How is your house? All decorated? outside AND in?!

addison and family

meet addison...

I got to spend some time with addison and her family last weekend.  Let me tell you, 2 year olds don't LOVE sitting still for pictures.  BUT...I think we got a few keepers in there...

and hopefully some christmas card worthy shots!

such a sweet family!