It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

The week we set up Christmas my friend Lindsey asked me to take some photos because she loves to see how people decorate.

So I did. It was so fun to walk around and photograph the things that are important to us each year as this special time rolls around.

Our tree is simple. It is not real. We bought it after Christmas the first year we were married. it was $10 at Walmart. It stands about 6ft tall. Tiny in our living room with vaulted ceilings. Still, it is ours and we keep it.

Colored lights. I prefer white, but Hubbs and the kids love color. This year I decided to add some colorful glass balls to fill in and add depth. These are in addition to the ornaments we collect each year to honor or commemorate something that happened in the year before. We each get one. For instance, this year Joth is getting a Curious George ornament. George is reading a book, this will remind us of the year that Joth learned to read. I love looking at it.

The angel on top is a gift from my mother. She purchased this angel and one that I am not sure she has anymore when I was a little girl. I had always loved them and was so thankful when she gave it to me the first year Hubbs and I were married.

Ever since I was 11 years old, we have had a photo of Christ on our tree. I got the idea from my primary teacher. My mom loved the idea and I carried it over into our little family. I decided that I preferred this photo of the baby Jesus. It holds a very special place in my heart for a few reasons. Ones I hold dear and sacred.

Each year I try to add one new decoration or Christmas themed toy to our house. this year it was the cookie tray advent calendar. Not only was I sick of the kids fighting over the one below, I also adore them and always wanted one when I was little. Next year I will venture out and find one more so that when Millz gets in on the action they can all have their own, or rotate each day doing a different one. Smartest investment ever.

This was our first countdown. I got it at Hallmark. I love all of their Christmas for Kids items.

I joke with the kids that this nutcracker is as old as I am. Truth is, he probably is. They love to touch it and I let them, but cringe a little when they do.

Another item from my childhood.

Our homemade stockings. I made two more last night. I wish I had a photo of those two. I feel I get better each time I make one. I made the first two, mine and Hubbs' a year after we were married. I got the pattern at some ward craft thingy. I don't love shabby crafty things so much, but these I love. Everyone loves having their very own.

Hubbs has the tree, I have a star, Joth a car, Memms a doll, Peanut a mitten, and Millz a gingerbread boy, er uh girl?

Our toy box of Christmas only toys. It is full of finger puppets, Fisher Price Nativity sets, and ornaments to decorate the tree on the left. (Also from Hallmark.)

My favorite piece.

I hope you are all having a Merry Christmas. Get out your cameras this week, and show me your favorite holiday things, and what is special to you this time of year. Then link them to me so I can oogle them and be jealous your stuff is so much better than mine.

Happy Holidays.

The Announcement

Introducing Our Etsy Shop:



the r house couture

Read the details behind it here.

YES my friends and I are crazy.
We just sit and wonder how we can pile one more thing in, but we do and we are excited about it!

I just wanted to share with you my favorite necklace from our shop:

I am SO excited about the next phase we are working on, stay tuned...you won't want to miss all of our fun and awesome adoption related goodies.

"Bound" and Determined.

To do what? Get my life story into books and not just online.

I just finished this AH-mazing little book from:

Cherish Bound

It is in the mail as I speak, so as soon as it arrives
I am totally going to take pictures and post them.

I have been wanting to make books from my blog labels for awhile now, and decided to start out with this label:

From the Mouths of Babes
Teary just thinking about it.

Squee! I get such delight out of these posts, it will be so great to have a book that we can look at and read
anytime
we want.
My kids LOVE having books just about them, with THEIR pictures, their story.

How did I hear about Cherish Bound? I had THE most awesome time a few weeks back learning more about them when the put on a fun little evening along with the

Timpanogos Story Telling Festival.

(Looking SUPER forward to attending this with my kidlets...if you have never gone YOU MUST. It made me feel like a kid again, just sitting in awe at the talent of these storytellers.)

The books are so fun, they have so many ideas to get you started on making your own book, and it was super fast.
I made and finished my book in two hours! If you have been contemplating making any type of book for yourself...go and DO IT!

My friend Cass was over here holding Millz while I made my book, she loved my book so much she wants to make one of her own. Thanks for holding babes for me Cass!

The dress. She only wore it once, I made the sleeves a wee bit small, and I felt terrible putting it on her again. If it warms up any, I will take a few of her in it. Although the first wearing had it covered in boogies. Hott right?



The Savers finds. YES. Love me that Savers. Hubby and I did a team effort and painted and created to make these little doll lovies.



They were a hit. She has to have her baby in them every night. She loves them and her baby loves them. What a wonderful Christmas present.



A new quilt. J-Man and Memms were both thrilled when this was complete. My darling Mom gave me the fabric. I was suppose to make a dress out of them for Memm, but the pattern was TOO freaking hard for me and a little out of date (love you mom...the patterns were for my teenage sisters...) but I came up the the brilliant plan of making this quilt. It is beautiful, and we all love curling up in it and thinking about Grandma Fur-Face.



And this lovely. A rag quilt. I am trying to decide if I can part with it once it is complete. I was making it for someone special but I might be too selfish to give it up. Eek. Ever had that problem?

Loving my "vacation" from work. Getting so many little projects complete and resting my mind and soul. Couldn't ask for anything better. :)

Busily Crafting, craftily busy.

We already know she is going to cause a lot of boys a lot of heartache. We wouldn't have it any other way.

This week is always one of the busiest of the year for me as a photographer. The week has been full of print orders and last minute cards, phone calls and a few last minute sessions this weekend. I love my job. It has been a really fulfilling year.

I am really looking forward to a few weeks off to breathe and be with my family and enjoy this Christmas season. I have been very crafty this last weekend, since I had a few moments to breathe. I made Memms a Christmas dress. I can't wait to take her and Jobs downtown and shoot a few quick photos of them in their duds. They are just too fun.

Also, I have made a few other goodies, some for Christmas and some for fun. I am currently sewing a patchwork quilt, just because I can and I am excited to finish it so, as Jobby says, "The whole family can cuddle with it!" Indeed. My goal this coming week is to edit all of our family pictures from the year for a special Christmas yumminess for my family. :)

We finally got our tree up tonight. I let the kids do it all by themselves and I really don't care to rearrange the ornaments like I do every other year. Who cares? Let them enjoy the fruits of their little labors.

Last but not least I saw that commercial for Toys for Tots...you know the one with the little boy who walks up to the Marine and asks him if he is Santa Claus? Ya, I totally started bawling. Christmas is officially in the air, and I hope it doesn't come too quickly. Love basking in the glow, the magic, the lights. Christmas is my favorite time of year.