Day 63

Day 57

I sent this picture to the BFF and it made me realize a few things ...
1.  I hate Texas weather.  That day I was outside in shorts & flip flops and yesterday we were bundled in hoodies and gloves.  Today, it's raining and tomorrow is supposed to be warm again.  So dumb.
2.  I should probably start doing squats. 
3.  I should spend more time outside.  Those are some WHITE legs.  Actually, I've finally decided that it's okay to have no color on my legs.  I spent years tanning or letting myself get sunburned, that my skin is paying for it now.  It took until I was 32 though.  The sun is so damaging and, although I have always known that, I just wanted a nice tan.  It's so not worth it now.  I'll be the girl in the shade, extra white from sunscreen, and a big ol' hat on at the pool this summer.  And so will my kids.
4.  I have a pretty lame life to be texting pictures of my legs and feet to the BFF. 

Day 12

Christmas Cards

I wanted to share some Christmas cards I created for the BFF.  I had tons of fun playing with these.  Let me know if you want a card created to print or even just to post online.

. 33/365 .

you've seen my kitchen a disaster before.  and here it is again.  only this time, we're cleaning out my pantry.

i'm not real sure how it gets so out of control so quickly, but i'm hoping i can handle it this time.  while the BFF is here, she's helping me organize a few things that i'm too lazy to do myself.  needless to say, this was a project that was way over due. 

. 32/365 .

this baby likes to be held.  all day.  and with no babies around here these days, i was happy to comply with her wishes.  however, she also likes to spit up everywhere which requires some sort of bathtime and a break for my arms.  with both of my girls, i would set the bumbo in the sink and that's how i got the kitchen cleaned or dinner cooked almost every day.  they loved the water.  and apparently elliott does too.

. best friend week - project #2 .

my desk has been a work in progress since i bought it.  i've never had it like i wanted it and, since i spend so much time at it, i had to get it looking right.  i didn't get a before pictures, but i think i've posted one before.  i really just needed something hanging above my extra large computer to balance it out. 

i remembered i had this huge bulletin board that my mom gave me to use for something else.  i brought it in and it was the perfect size.  i also had a table cloth that a friend gave me.  i've wanted to use it because i love it and it matches perfectly, but couldn't find the right spot for it.  i know.  table cloths go on tables.  but i can't have one on mine.  not with all these kids.  i'd have to wash it every day. 

so i stapled it to the bulletin board.  i'm in love once again.

i still need to get it organized and the "stuff" put in the right spots.  that'll change constantly i'm sure.  i want cute stuff on there, pictures, my weekly menu.  but i'm not real sure how i want it just yet, but how cute is it already?!?   it worked out so good.  i already had the antique bicycle basket hanging on the right.  i've wanted to use it for so long and haven't really had a spot for it either.  it works perfectly for our checkbook binder and my receipts holder.

and, the chair MUST be accessorized to match the bulletin board somehow, right?  we thought about making a seat cushion, but i'm really liking this final touch.

yep.  a piece of the table cloth tied in a simple knot.  i'm also going to try to make a few pillows for my couch to tie it all into the living room.  PLUS ... another free project.  i had/was given everything i used.  my mister is loving this!

. best friend week - project #1 .

ok ok ok ... here's the big reveal.  it's probably not as HUGE as you thought it'd be, but we LOVE it.  everytime we walk in the dining room, both of us utter the words "that window is AMAZING!"  and, it's true.  so here she is ...

the before  - it's the door to the back yard that is in my dining room.  the curtain just wasn't working for me.  always fell off.  and was pretty ugly.  i've been looking for a solution for a while now.

enter pinterest.  i found the idea here and LOVED it. 

enter jasey.  she makes me do things.  i like being lazy and i'm not allowed that this week.  she's kept me BUSY!!!  but it's all been so good and has made a huge difference in my house.

we started with these supplies.  contact paper (the clear-ish kind).  scissors.  the blog i linked above had a link to another blog where they found the idea.  unfortunately, at this time, i'm unable to go to the original blog and link that one, but they posted a template that worked perfectly.  the design fits my style right now perfectly too!  so, i printed the template, then cut it out of cardboard so i'd have something better to trace.  oh, and of course you'll need an orange sharpie.  yes, it's necessary.

i started tracing and jasey did this ...

i certainly did put her to work.  she did most of the cutting out, while i stuck the shapes to the window.  we traced and cut out forever and, with 7 kids in the house, this project took us forever to finish.  several hours it seems.  we were about 4.5 hours behind our deadline, but we eventually got it done.  and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  here's the big reveal ....

whatdya think?  there are some bubbles.  but you can't really see them unless you are up close.  we don't have backyard neighbors, but i still don't like people peeping in.  this doesn't prevent that, but it helps a lot.  and ... it's CUTE.  which is what i always go for. 

OH WAIT ... the very best part, other than it being AMAZING ... was that it was FREE!!!  i already had a huge roll of contact paper for art projects, so i didn't have to buy a single thing to totally transform an entire door.  can't beat that!

. 29/365 .

how fabulous is this fan that the BFF got me for my birthday?!?  i'm not that great of a gift buyer, so i always feel guilty when she buys me amazing gifts like this.  this fan is super cute.  and it's me.  and she knew that.  that's what i love about her.  it's not only the gifts she buys, but it's mainly that she thought of me when she saw it and knew i had to have it.  it's perfect.

. 27/365 .

LOOK WHO CAME TO SEE ME FOR MY BIRTHDAY!  can someone please tell me why pictures uploaded from my cell phone never turn the right way even though i edited it the right way?!?  it. makes. me. CRAZY! 

so, yesterday during naptime, the BFF and her sweet little family drove up.  i was SO surprised!!!  i'm so very thankful to have such an amazing best friend.  and her family is just a sweet bonus! 

the extra surprise?  the BFF and her 2 kiddos are staying with me for a whole week.  her hubby will go home sunday, and they'll stay.  for a week!  it should be a blast!!!!!!! 

i'm so blessed.  apparently my whole family and a few sneaky friends knew this.  :) 

. 323/365 .

i think karsyn could have held elliott the whole time we were visiting.  i could have too!!  we had such a great visit, but, as usual, they never last long.  i so wish i could have stayed longer.  we did lots of cuddling with the baby, washed lots of bottles, took lots of pictures, and laughed at karsyn and konner.  it was such a great weekend.

. 322/365 .

this was the first picture i took of sweet baby elliott.  karsyn and i made the trip by ourselves, which was so good for us.  she never stopped talking until her eyes closed, but we had some great conversation.  elliott was one week old when we saw her and she is so very tiny!  i don't remember my girls being that little!!

. 312/365 .

sweet baby elliott was born today and i got to "be there"!  see ...

that's me on facetime!  i got to watch the delivery, which was amazing.  i'm so so so so happy for my BFF and that her delivery was easy compared to her last one.  what a perfect little girl she is!

i can't wait to see what this precious precious baby girl grows up to be.

elliott jenise burnam

11.08.11

4:20pm

7lbs 7oz

21inches

perfectly

sweet

and i can't wait to get my hands on her!

. 310/365 .

i keep wanting to take this picture when we're in oklahoma and always put it off.  i insisted this time.  little did i know, this would be about 3 minutes before karsyn started her trail of throw up the rest of the way home.  how fun is it though that the BFF lives in "The Hills".  love that!

. 309/365 .

fun times with sweet friends.

. 308/365 .

we headed to oklahoma today!  one last trip before elliott makes her arrival.  getting there takes us about 8 hours, including stops.  sometimes longer.  sometimes shorter.  but there's so much to look at!

. 30th birthday .

august 26th was the BFF's 30th birthday.  that's the first part of this post because she's my only blog reader and i wanted to remind her.  i wasn't able to see her that weekend, but i ventured my way to the okie state the very next weekend to have girl time with her.  sometimes i have a very hard time buying gifts for others.  the problem isn't that i don't like to buy gifts, i just NEVER know what to buy and i don't want to give a gift that sucks. 

but for this birthday, i wanted her gift to suck ... you'll see what i mean ...

grabbed me a jar.  filled it with dum dums.  added ribbon.

personalized it with a little sticker.  one that was fitting for the occassion.

i laughed as i made it.  it was perfect.

taped a little something to the inside of the lid.

and called it a gift.  i thought it was great and perfectly fitting.  i think she liked it too.

so, i actually hope that 30 doesn't suck for her and that her kid gets to eat all the dum dums he wants.

. 246/365 .

i've been at the BFF's house in the okie state this weekend.  we've had a blast having girl time.  just me and her.  and, for the record, her house was clean when i arrived.  the next day, this is what her dining room table looked like as we started projects.  this was the start of several hours of bow making.

. happy THREE-OH to the BFF .

happy 30th birthday to my sweetest friend ever. 

who knew that 17 years ago, a friendship that started out in junior high, would last until we were 30 years old.  {for the record, she is the one who is 30. i have a few months to spare.}  here we were, at the end of our senior year.  about to part ways.

and here we are now.  totally different people.  two different lives, two different states, but still very much the same friendship we've always had.

so, my dear friend, for your big birthday, here are 30 things i love about you ...

30.  ... that you turn 30 before me.  had to throw that in there.

29.  ... that you have the cutest little boy ever and are about to have a sweet little girl to hold.

28.  ... that you have a husband who rocks at making and fixing things.

27.  ... that you care so much about your family.

26.  ... that you'd do anything for the ones you love.

25. ... that we like the same things.  are easily entertained by the same things.  and have similar OCD tendencies.  only you understand those of mine.

24. ... that you like orange.  of course.

23. ... that you text me all day long.

22. ... that you can make a 25 minute phone conversation feel like just a few minutes long.

21. ... that we can have fun together with our families.

20. ... that you, too, have only one BFF.  me!

19. ... that you have your blonde moments, but can laugh at them while everyone else is laughing too.

18. ... that you are ever-so-creative when need be.

17. ... that you call on me for help and advice.

16. ... that you have lived all around the world.

15. ... that your parents treat us as their own.  and they have a pretty awesome pool too.

14. ... that you allow me to help you plan parties.

13. ... that you text me most when you are on the porcelain throne.

12. ... that you are actually more OCD that i have ever thought about being.

11. ... that you don't care when you visit and my house is a wreck.

10. ... that you allow your husband to pass gas in front of me.  'cause i'm use to it, you see.

9. ... that you allow me to take pictures of your family.

8. ... that you know me and you still like me.

7. ... that you drive 8 hours to see me at least twice a year if not more.

6. ... that you buy amazingly adorable things for my children.

5. ... that you don't hate me because i suck at buying gifts.

4. ... that you are allowing me to visit you next weekend instead of this weekend for your birthday.

3. ... that taking your family to church is so important to you.

2. ... that you love me anyway.

1. ... that you are 30 before i am.  did i already say that? 

well, i love YOU anyway.

thanks for always being you.

happy birthday.

. 209/365 .

my girl got new fast runners.  and boy do they make her fly.  being a size 12, you'd think they'd weigh her down.  her feet grow so fast!!

thank you jasey and james!!