First snow day play

Nov. 20th was our first day of snow here in Plain.  So we headed out to do what is most fun - sledding!  There wasn't a ton of snow so the sledding mostly meant I pulled everyone around.  And let me tell you - our three Saugen cousins are NOT light!  I think Micah weighs more than his older sister, and Olaf is close behind :)  Luckily with both Christie and I we managed to pull them up the hill.

Olaf looks totally prepared, right?  Nope....  his boots from last year don't fit and I haven't found him any yet for this year so he's wearing skater shoes.  Also those mittens he's wearing -- we already lost one so now he's down to socks on his hands!  I looked for cheapos at WallyWorld yesterday but no love.  No mittens, no snow boots.  Poor kid will just have to wait until I can get out to shop again!

Yum!  We all shared a thermos of hot cocoa when we were all done.

Finally, I win!

I have noticed that a lot of bloggers get free items to review from companies all the time.  Sometimes they even give a duplicate of the item away on their blog.   Usually to win one of these giveaways there are requirements - you must follow that person's blog, you must 'Tweet' about it, post it or 'like' it on Facebook...  Too much for me.  I am not going to follow someone's blog just for a shot at winning a prize.  However, if I truly genuinely like to read your blog, then sure, sign me up, and I'll be happy to read and comment away!  (Know that if I follow your blog, it's definitely because I find you interesting, not because I want your swag.)   I will say though, that even of the blogs I know and love, I have entered probably a hundred giveaways and never won.  Even when there were only like 5 entries.  I have pretty much given up hope of ever doing so :)  But I digress.

Now on to the actual topic of this post -- finally FINALLY someone is giving something away to all bloggers, without (many) strings attached.  You don't have to have a million readers, you don't have to post it all over the web, you just have a write a short post and they give you something for free.  So this year we will be getting our Christmas cards from Shutterfly, thank you very much!

I usually ALWAYS make my own cards.  Basically I make a scrapbook page of our year in review, then make color copies, then send em all out.  And y'all, it's expensive.  Color copies are 99cents per side usually.  Which means I usually spend at least $150 and a lot of time on them.  Honestly I don't really mind, actually I really enjoy making our little 'year in review'.  It's our little gift to people over the holidays.  But sometimes it is overwhelming because I usually leave it to the last minute :)  Of course!

But seriously people, Shutterfly just offered me 50 FREE Christmas card prints just for telling them (and you) what my favorite new designs are, and I can't pass it up.  I have never used Shutterfly before, so this will be a new experience. I have heard good things, and hopefully I will have the same good experience that other folks have had.

Here are some of my favorite card designs I have found so far:

Maybe you can see a theme here -- I am drawn to the ones with lots of COLOR, lots of DIFFERENT FONTS, and color pictures over black and white.  I know they are all customizable though, I could always put in my color pictures instead of the example black and whites.  But I guess I am just drawn to these ones with so much color.  And I don't know why I love the different fonts... maybe the scrapbooker in me?

Of course they also have typical photo gifts like this.

I used to make fun of these corny mugs, keychains, etc... and then I became a mom.  And now I get it.  They are awesome little reminders of your family.  Cheesy as they may be!

I am totally buying these gift tags.  Even though they are not free.  I want them.

Well that's enough talk I think.  I am stoked about my Christmas cards!  If you are a blogger (even if you have only 2 readers and it's your mom and your grandma) and you want some nice cards, just follow this link. 

I think that Shutterfly probably may have made a lifelong customer with this little gift to me. 

Don't worry, I didn't ACTUALLY show you the card we picked to send out; you'll all see that soon enough!  Know that it will have lots of color though :)

discovering

Forest has discovered his hands and feet.  Half the time he is sitting in his bouncy, he is holding both hands up in front of him while sort of playing with his fingers and just staring at them.  I keep thinking he's saying in his head -- "I'm just not quite sure what to do with my hands...  Should I hold them here?  Like this?  ummm"  ah-la Talledega Nights :)  The other half the time he is MADLY kicking those little feet trying to make the spiders bounce.  Or at least I assume that's what he is doing.  And yes after this video I decided it was probably a good idea to start strapping him into this thing with the seatbelt so he doesn't bounce himself right off the edge!

I can't believe I have to go back to work on Monday.  Wow, it's already here!  How smart am I though, to choose to come back the week of Thanksgiving?  Only a 3 day work week, people!  Pretty sweet!  Followed by a month where taking time off for holidays is a given.  So basically I am coming back at the best time of year with the most days off, the most holiday cookie exchange lunches, the least flack for taking more time off, and (usually) a less busy time of year now that ad season is over and construction hasn't started.  Oh yeah.

Well I have lots more to do.
Better maximize my afternoon while the boys (all 3) are asleep.
Like research this deal I found about Shutterfly giving away free Christmas card prints to bloggers.  What?  Sweet.  I better see if I qualify and how to get my free stuff! 
And maybe organize my office.  Maybe.
Or order pictures for Christmas gift crafting.
Or download some new tunes.
Or get the mail and bring it inside.

Like I said, better go.

date with little squeeze

In preparation for transitioning Forest to childcare next week when I return to work, he spent yesterday morning with Julie, who will be caring for him.  I knew he was in good hands, though I admit it was still hard to leave him there.  However it did allow Olaf and I to have a nice morning "date".

First we went for coffee at Plain Hardware - fun!  We got to chat with Karen and Zelda, and Olaf had a delicious hot cocoa while we played cars at the little table.

Next we headed to the Church to swing on the swings.  Olaf got that contagious little giggle going... we were having a blast!

Later in the evening, while Forest was taking a nap, we made chocolate chip cookies together - YUM.  Olaf loved all of it, but mostly he wanted to scoop things up.  And eat the dough of course.  And eat cookies for dinner. I made him wear a dishtowel as an apron.  Not so much that I didn't want him to get messy - I just thought it was really cute!

 This was probably his favorite part -- the scooping.

 Or maybe this was his favorite.  The licking of deliciouness.

Persistence pays off.  I think he got every last morsel of dough off that thing!  Though a lot ended up on his face as well :)

hot cocoa kind of day

I wish it would snow.
I mean REALLY snow.
I only have a week left at home and I want one of those days to be super cozy spent inside with a fire and hot cocoa and working on making Christmas gifts.
But alas. No snow just yet besides flurries.
We had cocoa anyways.
It was just a hot cocoa kind of day.

I'm a terrible photographer...

But I thought I would finally share some Halloween pics of Olaf from last week.  I made his little spider costume in about an hour... so I wasn't too disappointed when he only last 10 minutes at the trunk or treat.  He was much more excited to get to Grammy's house afterward for dinner and to watch Finding Nemo.

 Spider (Olaf) and SpiderMAN (Micah), cousins and best buds

 Christie and I dressed up as moms of very small babies.  I think we pulled it off quite well, what with Forest and Kyler all bundled up in their packs. We had a sweet costume for Forest - one of those binkies that gives you HUGE buck teeth but alas... it was too big for his tiny mouth.  It was SO COLD too that they were much better with pretty much no skin showing.

 Showing off his costume to Grammy.

 Forest enjoyed laying on the floor during dinner in his stylin' REI long underwear.  That kid has nicer winter gear than I do!

This was a few days later at Christie's birthday party - grandpas with the babies.  Mark has Forest and Craig (Christie's pop) has Kyler.  I say it a lot, but I will say it again - yay for cousins growing up so close to each other!

Forest's nursery

This was Olaf's nursery back when we lived in Cashmere.  SO CUTE.  In fact we decorated his room here in Plain similarly since he was still in the crib when we moved in.

Well the poor second child... no decorated nursery for him, poor thing.


Forest sleeps in our room because I don't want he and Olaf in the same room just yet.  So here is Forest's lovely little nursery, tucked on the wall across from the foot of our bed, between the bathroom on the left, and the hallway on the right.

 

Cozy.
Just right for a little boy of 8 weeks.