2010.

a penny saved..
is a penny earned.

Except when I see new shoes..
So, here is my gift to you..

I hope, I’ve got nothing’ to loose.

Saving some dough
some stress and burdens too..

I want to buy a cottage with you…
I hope that this will do.

Here is to 2010..
I cant believe how time as flew.

…Did I mention that I love you?

 

 

{That’s the letter I wrote to Mike. I put all the pieces into an envelope and I set it on the counter. I’ll let you know what he thinks when he opens it.
We are starting this year off with a BANG. He might pass out when he sees what I did..
I want to be debt free. I want to manage money, keep our budget and learn to save the money I get every week.}

At Christmas Time

Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas? I really do. Not just for the presents. I love that feeling in the air. You know the one? That just seems to calm everyone down and make everyone  in a good mood, no matter what. I love that! I wish that it was like that all the time. I really do.

At our house, we did Christmas over a couple of days. Mike and I have such wonky schedules that we wanted to be able to do everything together. And we were planning on going over to Mike’s mom’s house for Christmas day. I kind of missed opening all the presents on Christmas day. We finally decided that it was okay to stay home. I know, I said it. We are going to be staying home from now on. Both of  us work the day after Christmas anyways. It only seems fair. Not just to us, but to Olivia too. She needs to build memories from home. I think that next year, she will be even more excited for everything. I actually cant wait. She became quite the excellent paper ripper.

I was thinking about traditions in our family that I could share. We only have a couple, but I always look forward to them. At my Mom’s house, we always get an ornament at thanksgiving. She always knows the PERFECT one to give. She is just good like that. At our house, Mike and I always put our ornament in the stocking. I love getting two new ornaments every year. I think we might be able to upgrade our tree next year! Woohoo!! Another traditions that we have is pajamas on Christmas Eve. I love that! I love pajamas! Who doesn’t!? And then you also look really cute in your pajamas when people are taking pictures of you opening presents! :)  
The last thing that Mike and I do is, 3 presents. 3 presents each. Usually one from each of us, and one from us together. Mike and I decided that we didn’t want to focus on stuff. Hard to believe right? I know, I’m robbing my child of a tree FILLED with presents. But really think about it. When you were a kid, you always wanted  that ONE thing. The one thing that you would of LOVED to have. Your mom always bought you everything around that one thing. And I will admit that Olivia may hate me when she is 13 and “everyone else gets a million presents” but she will (hopefully) realize that some people don’t get anything. I think that next year, we will include service into our Christmas celebration. Helping the homeless, donating to toys for tots, or filling up a shoebox. 

Anyways, here are some fun pictures of Miss Liv :)

 

Christmas at Grandma Nancy’s

  

I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas! :)

Um…

 

Olivia is kissing boys.
To be exact. A cute boy name Canyon. 

she is already kissing boys.. *sigh*

 

She goes in for another from Kota…

he rejects her…

do you think it’s too early to plan their wedding?!

…i don’t think so.

Christmas cookies

    

sneaking dough, the sprinkles, the icing, the mess.
best. night. ever.

blessed.

Have I told you lately, how much I love you?

You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. 
~Desmond Tutu

hanging stuff, Ashlee’s way

This is my no fail system to hanging shelves, pictures, and anything else that goes on the wall.

I take a piece of paper or two the size of whatever I’m hanging. tape it together.

 

I mark the holes on the piece of paper. I usually have to line up the paper so that it’s straight. I use a screw driver or a pencil. Whatever I have on hand.

  

I tape up the piece of paper where I want it to go, and then I start hammering or screwing the holes in the wall. I have to hand screw these ones. which was a pain in the BUTT. I’m using my sears gift card of this bad boy.

See, then you have the papers attached to the walls and the holes in the right spot.

 

Hang your shelf. And then pull the papers out from under the shelf.

  

Perfect straight little girls vanity for Liv.

   

I did the same exact thing for her dress up hanger.

I hope this helps and I hope it works! When I figured this out, I haven’t gone back to “guessing” since! :) Mostly, I just feel really awesome that I can hang things without my husbands help. I swear, he busts out the graphing calculator, string, a yard stick and whatever else to hang up stuff for me. He probably 100% straight. but whatever.

I love snow.

 

It snowed 9 inches on Tuesday. Look at that face, that is my happy face {kinda funny that I just typed gappy?} Then my face went from happy to mad because my car hates the snow and didn’t want to start. GRR

Olivia was a little excited. She got to throw snowballs at Mommy.
 

I love her rosy cheeks.