After Christmas Sales

After Christmas sales!!!  Do you brave the cold winter air before the sun comes up for them?  We do.  We always hit Wal-Mart and Target when we are home.  Since we were not home this Christmas we were only able to get to Wal-Mart.  But that is always fine with us, we usually find what we need.  Our strategy is to walk into the store together with our game faces on and once we hit the Christmas isles we separate.  Hubby heads to the outside lights and decorations and I head to the inside decorations and gifts.  I am not kidding when I say this, the day after Christmas is just as important to us if not more so then Black Friday!  We take it very serious.  Sometimes even casing out the store before hand if there is something we really want or "need".  This year we lucked out and bought a white tree.  I have been wanting one for a while now and finally bit the bullet and bought it.. 50% off.  I wish I had pics to show you but we had to leave a big portion of our buys at my in laws house.  Our little conversion vehicle just isn't big enough ; )  But I can't do a post with out pics. so I am going to get them from the Internet.

(christmascentral.com)

I love it!!  I wish we had it here, I would decorate it with Valentine's Day things. 

One of my main focuses when I am looking at gifts is to get the teacher presents and gifts for the girls friends.  One year I found cute long sleeved shirts and made hair bows and then stuck a pair of Christmas socks in the bag for their friends.  This year I found those wonderfully soft microfiber blankets.  For my oldest daughter I bought polka dots and more grown up patterns.  For my youngest I bought soft blankets that were wrapped up in stuffed animals.  

(thefind.com)

I really wish I had pictures of them.  They are so stinking cute.  When my in laws come down for a visit they will bring the rest of our loot with them and I will get pics. then.

For the girls teachers I bought cute dish towels with matching oven mits.  I also found red plastic bowls to put their presents in.  I will Cricut their names on the outside in a fun font and stick the towel/oven mit in there with some homemade goodies. 

As time went by we watched the prices of things fall lower and lower.  And when the price is JUST right we went back for more.  I am really excited to say that we found evergreen trees in beautiful red pots.

I love these plants.  It brings a little bit of the outside inside and really brightens up the dining room.  I paid $2 for each one.  And they were worth every penny : )

Christmas blessings to you! 

Our Vacation

This year we had the pleasure of spending our holiday time with family and to be in the mountains.    

The beauty in Colorado is astounding to say the least.  We stayed there for 5 days with all of my husbands siblings, their wives, and children.  The condo was full of people.

We skied 2 days

This is Butterfly, my oldest, taking a break.  She would ski ahead of me and then sit down and wait for me.  What a show off, lol.  We shopped one day and sled the next

Here is Wildflower, my youngest, after a tumble down the hill.  She was okay, just laid there a bit collecting her thoughts I guess, lol.

Here is hubby and I at a restaurant.

We had so much fun with our family.  When we were done we traveled back to Kansas, where our hometown is.  We opened presents, laughed, ate, and just plain enjoyed each other.  It was a beautiful holiday.

Thank you for stopping by.  Have you stocked up on the after holiday sales?  I have... I will share what we bought next post. 

Blessings to you and a Happy Post Christmas

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you and yours!!  What a blessing to have a new start.  We can make new goals and start fresh.  I love it because it almost feels like a Baptism.  I can close the door on 2010 and open 2011.  My New Years resolutions are to pray more and simplify.  Very simple but very challenging. 

Our Christmas came and went in a blink!  I apologize for disappearing on you for a while.  We took a beautiful vacation back home and to the mountains with family.  Our drive was over 20 hours long!  But so worth the time.  We spent the entire holiday with family and went skiing in the Rockies!  We are so blessed!!

I haven't forgotten about the matchbox swap.  So with out further ado here they are... 

Number 14 comes from Mary of Jmp Pastimes.  She is a wonderful quilter!  Number 15 is a sweet little box with a darling gingerbread house inside.  I am not sure who it is from or what happened to the slip of paper : (.  If you know please make sure to tell me so I can give credit to this darling box.  Number 16 comes from Jan of Jan's Art Friendzy.  Jan is extremely crafty and great with the sewing machine.  And number 17 comes from Lauri.  Inside the box is a beautiful angel that I am sure she made.  Thank you ladies!

Number 18 comes from Kelly of Cherry Kingdom.  Her blog is sweet and her husband is a hoot.  Number 19 comes from Shannon of Quilting in Pinks, Bulldogs at my Side.  Shannons blog is pinkalicious and her bulldogs are adorable!  Number 20 comes from Angela of Pages By The Sea.  Angela is very crafty and her blog is soo sweet.  I love the picture of her daughter and dog by the ocean.  And number 21 comes from Vanessa.  I had another one of her matchboxes and was lucky enough to get another.  She put an adorable little mouse inside of the matchbox and put on the outside, ... not even a mouse!  Soooo cute.

Number 22 comes from Michelle of Faerie Dust Dreams.  Michelle has a crafty blog.  She has links to many tutorials.  Number 23 comes from Becky of Patchwork Posse.  Becky's blog is so organized and she is a magnificent quilter.  Number 24 comes from Patty of Blooming in Kansas.  Patty is a sweet Christian with a wonderful blog.  And finally number 25 comes from Maria of Hunted Treasures.  Maria lives in Las Vegas!  Woohoo.  Her blog is wonderful.

Doing the swap was wonderful fun and I met many great people who have beautiful blogs. 

As of now our house is under construction, lol.  Not really but it sure looks like it.  We are taking down Christmas... boooohoooo! 

But like I said, it is 2011.  Time for new beginnings and a clean slate.

Blessings to you in this wonderful new year!!