Happy Birthday Elise

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Elise, Happy Birthday to you!

Love ya...

*This is the beauty of having your friends blog info {I hacked into it} ;) ~Jen

Happy Birthday, Jenny!!

Today is my best blog friend's, Jenny, birthday!!!! In honor of Jenny and our friendship, I've compiled a list of qualities and things I like about Jenny.

1. She's a friend of Jesus!!
2. She is uber crafty and is willing to share of her knowledge!!
3. She is an awesome swap partner{y'all knew that already, right?!?!}!!
4. She shares great recipes...ones that my family loves{so its like she's right here with us}!!
5. She is a great friend and we talk multiple times daily!!
6. She has lots of wisdom and though we are only a few years apart, she just really has that seasoned, Christian, Godly, wifely, motherly WISDOM!!
7. She makes me laugh!! Jackson one time asked me why I laugh so much when I'm on the phone with Jenny. Just do!!
8. She will talk to my family if they answer the phone and they talk right back to her as though they've known her forever. She's just really easy to get to know.
9. No fun until work is done. A "Jenism" that she taught me. Works great when applied!!
10. Most of all, she is just a really great friend!!

Fun Fact:
Jenny and I were both born and both got wed in the same month only 2 days{and a couple years} and a week apart, respectively.
I am so happy that God brought us two together and I look forward to the day when we actually get to meet in person!!
Now y'all go over and wish Jenny a Happy Birthday!!

Wish List...

I thought I would share my wish list after reading Lori's. With my birthday and Christmas coming up, I thought it might help my loved ones out. ;)


Here are some of my favorites, links included...

I love me some Farm Chicks!! So wantin' the cookbook!!

I have loved this print from Marmee Craft ever since I laid my eyes on it. Y'all might notice a recurring theme here!!

I am in love with this dishtowel from Anthropologie. Like, really LOVE it!!

This mug has such a sweet personality, I think.

I'll take an "R" please...

Can you figure out why I love this plate?? Also from Anthro...

I have wanted this Jim Shore angel since seeing her at my friend's, Dana{hey Dana!!}, house. She is the November angel. How appropriate!!

Love these squirrel salt and pepper shakers from Pottery Barn. Are they not adorable?!?!

I think that about completes this list. Of course, I always love cold hard cash and I wouldn't turn down a giftcard from my craft stores, Hobby Lobby, Michael's, or Joann's. :)

Y'all tell me, what's on your wishlist??

Feelin' Jolly...

I don't know about y'all, but I am getting in the mood for Christmas something fierce. I don't necessarily want to put my tree up yet, but I am dyin' to watch elf and NONE of my neighbors seem to own it. Whaaaa....

I also feel like I'm cheating on my beloved Fall, who seems to have already passed me by. I guess I will enjoy my Fall decor for another week or so, and work on some Christmas versions of this.

Tell me, are y'all as ready for Christmas as I am, or have you already been playing Christmas carols and decking your halls?? I am crazy?? Certifiable?? Ready for the loony bin??

9

Just Kidding!!
Have a great day, y'all!!

8

Today is our eight wedding anniversary!! Cory knew we would marry before he even called me. His mom set us up...and got my phone number for him. I waited a while for his call. Our first date, November 18th, 2000 was a double{blind for us} date with his parents. A little less than a year later we were hitched!!

I cannot say it was bliss, but we had determined that we would not even so much as mention the "d-word". It simply isn't an option. If we have a problem, we have to work thru it.

I am so very thankful to have Cory as my husband!! Thank you for eight, sometimes not so great, other times great years!! I love you, Cory!!

7

I cannot believe my first baby is already seven!! A few weeks, or more like a month or more, ago, Jackson told me he wanted me to make a sock monkey for his birthday. How could I resist that?!?! Oh, he also specified that he wanted it waiting in front of the fireplace first thing on his birthday morning. We normally do the gifts at night when things aren't rushed. In typical fashion, I wait until the night before to start on the monkey. My dear sweet husband stuffed the monkey for me. Um yeah...


Here is the monkey after his "liposuction". It took me over an hour to de-stuff the little guy!! I was pulling out baseball size balls of stuffing out of its tail forever!! I'm not complaining though, Cory did it with love.

Jackson, so excited to see his sock monkey. He was so excited about the fact that "Banana" has a sleeping cap!!

We decided to make homemade donuts and sausage links for Jackson's birthday breakfast.

My big seven, toothless wonder boy!!

We had chesscake that night after dinner. Didn't have enough matching candles... :)

Onto the birthday party...

This is the wreath I made that greeted our friends at the front door.

The chandy got a spookified, spidery makeover curtesy of Jenny.

I made a spider web cake and cupcakes. Jackson really wanted a cake and not cupcakes, but cakes are not my forte. Clearly...

The spider cupcakes. Yes, I do know that spiders have eight legs, but...

A. I couldn't find licorice strips

And...

B. I couldn't fit enough of my rigged up chocolate covered pretzel stick legs into the cupcake.

I think they turned out okay, though.

The food...Artichoke dip, grapes, cheese, pizza dip spread...

Jackson saw the recipe and picture of the Spider Web Pizza Spread on the back of a Ritz cracker box. It was super yummy and went with the theme.

We got the spider web bowl from Target's $ section.

Singing Happy Birthday...

Opening a few gifts...

Happy Birthday, Jackson{almost a week late}!!! We love you!!