and another year...

Where does the time go? In just over a month my boys will be 4 and 2! They're not babies anymore, when did that happen?

2009 has been a rough year, financially and emotionally. Thankfully not as rough as 2008 when I thought we just might not make it. So we're moving in the right direction, hopefully 2010 will be even better! Don't get me wrong, there were moments of pure bliss, moments of joy and then there were moments when it felt as though everything was falling apart. We have eachother, we are blessed. That is what gets me through the rough times, knowing that we are a family. There is lots of love in this house, even if sometimes it's not expressed as well as it could be.

I have a big laundry list of things I want to accomplish in 2010. Some things I have never done before. I have projects in mind for just about every room in the house, a wedding to plan, kids to raise... oh can you see the stress brewing already?

Happy New Year Everyone!

Jacquelyn

Empty

Once the Christmas tree comes down the house is left feeling a bit... empty. Most of the rest of the decor is still out and about, because I can't quite bear to take it down yet (and since I have a large collection of snowmen it feels a bit more wintery than Christmasy).


December is all about Christmas, February is Valentines Day and Birthday month, and I hope that winter is GONE by March (wishful thinking I know) So what about January? For me January is about winter. I feel the need to cozy up the house, settle in. I am not a big fan of winter, I love the way it looks with the snow on the trees and everything blanketed in white, I would just prefer to stay inside where it is warm .(funny- I received 3 pairs of mittens, 2 scarves, snowpants, and a ski jacket for Christmas...)


I finally hung the curtains my Mom made for me, and they do make the living room look cozier... but it`s still missing something. I know the answer...  cushions and a throw... cable knit. Doesn`t that SCREAM winter? It's too bad they're all so bloody expensive and I don't know how to knit!

source: Style At Home

So I'm looking for some great wintery decor ideas... 

From RafterTales.com:  Once the holidays are over, its time to take down the Christmas tree and put away the reindeer, but there are still three months of winter left and you’ll be indoors a lot, so giving your home a warm, cozy décor can be a fun after-holiday project.

Family or Living Room

You can hang crystal snowflakes, icicles or colorful sun catchers in your windows to mimic the winter season and bring light and color into your living or family room. Throws and pillows slip covers are the best way to establish your palette. Paisleys, plaids and other bold patterns help set a more formal tone for your winter décor.

If your room has a fireplace, make it the centerpiece, decorating the mantle with garnishes of the season; poinsettias, winter berries, evergreen, firs, pinecones, sprigs of holly, twigs, pomegranates, persimmons, tangerines, cranberries, etc.

Set the mood of the winter season by putting some dried leaves or branches on your coffee or side tables. Keep cards and board games handy for members and friends to enjoy together.

Bedroom

Nothing warms a sleeping body for that “long winter’s nap” like a nice, thick down comforter and flannel bed linens. Let your guests rest their head on fluffy, soft down pillows. Since we tend to sleep longer in winter its important to be sure beddings are warm and comfy.



Candles are also a great way to add accent light in the bedroom. You can find many colors, shapes and sizes online at discount prices or in your local designer showroom or craft store.

Dining Room

Floral arrangements are a great way to set a seasonal theme in the dining room. Go to your local craft store to find ideas and materials for your arrangement. Many times people will make the mistake of creating an arrangement that is too tall and prevents that intimate, conversational environment appropriate to the dining table. Keep your arrangement spread low so that people can easily see and converse during meals.


Dining room linens that use a fabric like damask will make good choices in winter. These fabrics shimmer and change color with the light from your chandelier and candles. Table runners or full length tablecloths will add warmth and color to your table. Winter is also a great time to set your table with your best crystal stemware and silverware.

With a little planning and preparation, you can make your home warm and comfortable for the long winter months so that family and guests enjoy the time together indoors. Nothing feels better and keeps people cheerful through the cold months of winter than a cozy winter home décor.



Jacquelyn

Patience

Patience is a virtue.

One that unfortunately was not bestowed upon me.

I did well in school, things just kind of came to me, and what didn't... I had very little interest in. I never learned to sew, or knit, or cross stitch, or crochet, because I didn't have enough patience. (I can't even darn a sock or sew a ripped hem) I don't do a lot of really crafty things like scrapbooking or making candles, or even embellishing things because I do not like the amount of TIME they take. I don't even cook much because of the patience thing (read I turn the burner on high so that it will cook faster- and inevitably end up buring it).

Being a stay-at-home Mom, there is some pressure to do all of these things, and while my mind is quite creative my hands are not. I wish I had more patience, so that I could learn all these domestic skills... can you learn to be patient?

The thing I would like to learn most is to sew. I can stitch, but I don't even know how to run a sewing machine. I have all of these projects in mind for around the house, and for gifts for next Christmas... and most of them involve using a sewing machine. I am proud to say that I DID FINISH one quilt panel for a Christmas gift, it took me months because I cannot work on such things in the midst of two tiny tornados... but I FINISHED it! (Now I only have 3 more to complete for next Christmas).

Along with a whole host of other things... I begin creating my Christmas gift list in my head as soon as one Christmas is finished. I have ordered supplies to work on some of those projects. Remember those sweet advent bags I bought from Sweetwater?  Well they arrived on Christmas eve, or I should say the kit did, it was like unwrapping a present. So lovely. I hope I can figure it out and do them the justice they deserve. I figure that if I have a year, I might win the battle with the lack of patience! (or be able to convince my ever-so-talented Mom to help me!)

Jacquelyn

In this house...

About 6 months ago I had this saying made into a vinyl wall decal:

In this house

We do second chances

We do grace

We do real mistakes

We do I'm sorry's

We do LOUD really well

We do hugs

We do family

We do love

I have yet to put it up. It's not that I don't want to, but more that I can't find the perfect place to put it. It needs to be somewhere my kids will see it (even though they can't yet read). I need to see it so that I can be reminded everyday what is really important, because somedays amidst the chaos we need to be reminded. I don't know that I would call it our mission statement, or even our family statement though it does summerize a lot of what I think our family is about- deep down. I think it is what I strive for us to be as a family. I love that it denotes action, that we cannot just say things, we actually have to DO THEM.

'Twas the night after Christmas

‘Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the house

Not a thing was away, not a toy, box, or blouse.

The stockings were thrown on the floor without care,

And knickknacks and gadgets were strewn everywhere.


The gift wrap was scattered. The boxes were strewn.

I gasped as I looked all around the trashed room.

What was I thinking, when I bought all this stuff?

Why didn’t I realize five gifts were enough?


The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of organization danced in my head.

“But where should I start?” I wondered inside,

“How can I begin, when I’d rather go hide?”

From: http://creativeorganizing.typepad.com/

This is EXACTLY how I feel today, I couldn't have said it better myself!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas to all! We had a wonderful day! Dylan was up at the crack of dawn, and we had to wake poor Dawson up because there was no more restraint for Dylan after 6:45am! The first thing the boys saw was their train table, and I think it was by far the best gift of the day! Way to go Santa Claus!

I don't think Dawson left the train table most of the day- we were all finished opening gifts by 7:30, except for Dawson (he wasn't really all that into the unwrapping bit)

Mickey Mouse was another BIG hit!

My family arrived in the afternoon for dinner, and I must say Bruce cooks a mean turkey! (and my cheesecake turned out great too!)

My Mom bought the boys the cutest coats and "Elmer Fud" hats, Grampy got the same coat!

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

4 more sleeps...

I have a to-do list a mile long, and it just keeps growing. The amount of things I need to accomplish in the next 4 days is overwhelming! I might not actually get 4 sleeps between now and Christmas, perhaps 2!  I haven't baked a thing, have tons of presents left to wrap, a quilt panel to finish, and crafty projects that I was really hoping to get to all in the next 4 days. 3 days really because Christmas Eve is already chalk-full of events! Not to mention I still have to clean my ENTIRE house, as the family is coming here for Christmas dinner this year.  Better get off here and go do something!

However, I did want to share something with you. My family is very crafty (I think the gene skipped right by me). My Mom makes the most beautiful quilts, my Aunt Donna knits, my Aunt Peggy sews and scrapbooks, and cross stitches. Yesterday was our family Christmas party at my Mom's, and while Bruce made out better than me in the yankee swap (he ended up with both of our gifts), I received the most beautiful centerpiece from my Aunt Peggy.

The table runner was a gift from my Mom a few years ago, it makes me happy to put it out every year. I think the handmade decorations around my house are my favorites.

Seeing is believing

The other day, in preparation for our "Polar Express Party" I was visiting  http://www.polarexpress.com/ for some party ideas. I printed out their invitations, and the Santa letters. While I was there I entered to win the book (because it asked me to as soon as I went on the site...) and well I WON!! I never win anything, maybe I was the only one who entered?!

Since I have already purchased the book, I thought I would share my winnings with you... you have until 12 am tonight (Dec 21st) to post a comment on my blog and become a follower. The winner will be chosen by random.org. If there are no comments I will be sending this book to my cousins little one for Christmas. Since there are no followers here, I half expect that is what will happen!!! But I thought I would put it out there anyway! Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Polar Express Party

ALL ABOARD...

This year has been all about trains. Big trains, little trains, real trains, toy trains, trains, trains and more trains. Dylan is what one might call OBSESSED. A couple years ago it was firetrucks, last year was race cars... this year it's trains (with Spiderman coming in a close second). Dawson has jumped on the bandwagon (or should I say caboose) too, so you can guess what Santa is bringing for Christmas! That's right folks, a train table! It should provide hours of fun, and a just a few fights I'm sure.

Since kids are always antsy and have the most trouble being good on Christmas Eve, I thought why not think of something to keep them occupied for the day. So, we're going to have a "Polar Express Party". We already have the movie, and the book is a Christmas Eve present so in the morning the will get invitations and tickets to the days events... we'll play some train games, color some train pictures, write our letters to Santa and the piece de resistance?! We're going to have train car cake just like this one:

I found the cake pan locally at the Superstore, but I do know they also sell it at Williams Sonoma. I have a feeling it's going to be difficult to decorate but all the little individual cakes are SO cute!! I am also planning on making chocolate drizzled popcorn for the movie, it should be a good day!

Old House Memories

A couple days ago I came across a mood board that I had put together for the living room in our old house. The house was over 100 years old, it was a huge American Four-Square with loads of character- and even more work! We rented the house for a little over a year and considered purchasing it, but it was overpriced for the amount of work that inevitably needed done, and to do that house justice we would have priced ourselves out of the market. Not to mention it was on a busy highway with very little front yard to seperate it from the road. (Read not good for small children and dogs).

I often think about that house. Especially at Christmastime. With it's double parlour and 10 ft ceilings, it allowed for a huge tree. There were fireplace mantels in both the parlour as well as the dining room, built-ins, big beautiful windows to hang many a wreath upon, and place candles in. All the moulding was large and commanded a presence.

I think about that house when it's not Christmas too, in it's day it would have been a lovely home. It's too bad the 70's came around and deleted so much of the character of that big old house. It would have been fun to bring the gem back to its former glory! Instead we bought a run of the mill house built in the 70's! Ah the irony...

Christmas Tree Traditions

Christmas is one of those times that brings me back to my childhood, to the traditions of my own parents. I can't think about Christmas trees without thinking of the popcorn & cranberry garlands that adorned every Christmas tree we had when I was a kid. It seems as though it has fallen out of favor, perhaps because it was considered "cheap" or perhaps because it is a lot of mess or maybe because Christmas itself has become about mass consumerism more than homemade traditions. I haven't seen any in a very long time, and yet I am inspired to make one for our tree this year... chances are that's all it is, inspiration because I find myself completely overwhelmed by everything else I have to do this year! Maybe next year...

Every year my aunt sent us kids ornaments, they too were homemade. A few years ago my Mom gave me all those ornaments for my own tree.

My own Christmas Tree tradition started a few years back. I am not at all "crafty" but I loved the idea of a new "special" ornament for the tree each year. Thankfully, the company Bruce worked for always gave pewter ornaments as Christmas gifts. Every year a new pewter ornament would be added to our tree. They weren't overly personal, but for some reason I always enjoyed hanging the new pewter ornament. For Dylan's first Christmas I went out and bought him a pewter snowman and had his name and year engraved on it, and thus began the tradition. Bruce no longer works for the same company, but every year I source out pewter ornaments of my own and buy one for each of the boys and one for our tree. I love the idea of someday having an entire tree full of them!

Last year I bought what is my favorite thus far:

Coincidently, the ``eight doves`` ornament above is the collector ornament from the year I was born, it was last years addition to my collection.

This was Dylan's 2nd Christmas Ornament:

Dylan's 3rd- reminded me of him last year, the magic

This is Dawson`s 1st Christmas Ornament:

This year I of course ordered more ornaments. My initial idea was to gift these ornaments to the kids someday when they have their own houses, but I might have a hard time parting with them because they remind me so much of my boys each year, casting memories in pewter!

This is Dawson's 2nd ornament, yes another penguin ornament... in part because Dawson loves penguins (cummas as he calls them) and in part because of the significance of the bond between parent and child that is represented by penguins.

Dylan's 4th ornament: the boy is OBSESSED with trains!

Christmas Uncancelled

As you may remember I cancelled Christmas. Not just here on my blog, but in real life too. Poor Dylan, he kept asking "Mommy, have you uncancelled Christmas yet?", with those sad little puppy dog eyes, how could I say no?

After starting the decorating in the house, rearranging some furniture, and purchasing the sweetest advent bags ever (which will have to be used for next Christmas sadly as they have not arrived as of yet - and this year they will have to settle for the store bought ones) and with the arrival of SNOW over the weekend I think I may have finally found my Christmas spirit!

I'm afraid I have caught also the bug, the ESTY bug that is... there are so many wonderful, beautiful things for Christmas on Esty. Because I am not overly crafty, I must rely on others creativity to express myself. One of the most beautiful things I came across was the "Believe Hot Blocks" by EmmieCakes http://myemmiecakes.blogspot.com/search/label/Christmas, I am SO. IN. LOVE. with these blocks, I have been looking for the perfect thing for over my stove cabinet, and these ARE IT!! Unfortunately I don't think she ships to Canada :(

I have also found Christmas countdown blocks that are so sweet... and many a vinyl wall saying or graphic for Christmas. Makes me wish I had a little more creative juice flowing through my veins, and a whole lot more time to be crafy! My boys don't sleep much during the day so I am lucky to get my cleaning done, nevermind crafting.

Every year I vow only to buy a few new decorations, I would probably buy everything I see if I could but I should be saving my $$ for presents. Online shopping has made my life easier, and perhaps worse at the same time as I don't hesitate quite so much when I place an order online! I had really hoped to have my shopping done by now, but Bruce isn't helping me much this year, he gave me a list and then bought half the stuff on it already... MEN! We decided not to go overboard this year, we want to continue with our traditions but think that the kids don't need hundreds of new toys under the tree... we want them to realize that Christmas is about more than just presents.

"Maybe Christmas he thought, doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more" -The Grinch

(Oh and I really want that to hang somewhere in my house to remind the boys what Christmas is all about- maybe next year!

Caution: Kids at Play

PLAY- TO MAKE A BIG MESS WITH TOYS - a few months ago I had a vinyl wall graphic much like this one made for the boys playroom I don't have my original saved to this laptop which is lime green and blue.

Since the flood in the basement my living room has been invaded by boys toys. Originally the kids had a play area in the big family room that was seperated from the "adult" side by a half wall, and really that didn't work so well for them or us. Bruce never liked that the toys always migrated out to his side, the kids didn't really have a kid room, it was a space in an adult room- so it made me think maybe we should turn the spare bedroom into a playroom. We don't have guests stay over all that often so a room dedicated just to them dosn't really suit our lifestyle.

I'm a big fan of giving children a space of their own, a place to foster creativity and independence. I believe that this is their home too, and they need a space they can call their own. (Not to mention I can close the door to the playroom at the end of the day and not have to look at their mess... and I want the family room to be one big room, with space for my coveted pool table {sorry kids})

So as the basement work progresses, and I can honestly say we are under budget... which would be fantastic if we hadn't spent some of the money that was slated for the basement elsewhere... ah well such is life.

I have BIG ideas for the playroom. I have folders with inspirational pictures on my computer. I have books and magazines dog-eared with images that I find inspiring. Probably my biggest inspiration came from a floor. Tarkett makes a vinyl fiber floor which is thick and warm underfoot. They have hundreds of different designs from tile to slate to hardwood look-a-likes, but what inspired me most was a design that looks like a kids carmat, and the colorwave is perfectly suited. I have leftover blue paint from Dawson's room, and a can of limey green chalkboard paint that Dylan chose a while back. The upsides to this floor (aside from working with the scheme) are that it is easy to lay- no glue required, easy to clean, and warm for the kids. The downside? Cost. For about 120 square feet it would be about $500 for this floor. I love it, the kids would love it, even Bruce likes it enough (except for the price tag) but seeing as how we're on a 3 year plan here in this house I think it might be considered cost prohibitive, not worth the investment. Would potential buyers love my flooring choice? Maybe if they had 2 little boys that were as thrilled with dinky cars as my boys are, but probably not so much if they had girls! So I will most likely have to settle for a boring old floor...

source: Tarkett Fiber Floor