It’s the day for hearts full of chocolates.

But not like REAL bloody, gooey hearts stuffed with chocolate. And not real looking hearts stuffed full of chocolate.
*though admit it, that sounds cool*

Today is a day full of these odd shaped things that look nothing like hearts to be full of chocolate. And flowers. Because it’s more romantic to pay a ton on flowers out of season. That’s true love, yo. And all of the other traps and frivolities that prove how much you love the person you are sending them to.

If you aren’t picking up on my subtleties, John and I don’t really do Valentine’s Day. Mainly because we are cheap and broke. Also because John’s grandparents taught him that you should prove how much you love and respect your partner everyday, not just one single day that the rest of the world gives you the OK to be a sap on. His grandfather always told him it was better to go all out on days for no reason, other than something that day made you remember just how much you love and respect that person.

I won’t lie, the first few years this sort of bugged me. I was like “Dude! Your grandfather ruined the most romantic, loving day of the year! Everyone else gets all this special treatment, and special gifts, and goes and does special things! I’m lucky to get a dang card!!” It didn’t matter that I am not exactly a romantic, card wanting, flower loving, chocolate eating kind of female. It didn’t matter that I actually don’t even like most chocolate. I wanted my something special just like how everyone else around me was getting their something special. It was my due as his girlfriend and then wife. Everyone and everything said so. I was told over and over that if he really loved me he would get me all of these special things to prove it on Valentine’s Day.

A Bella Style Party

Today my precious little chick-a-let turns four. I can’t believe that she’s no longer that sweet quiet cuddly little baby that she was this time four years ago. It just doesn’t seem possible.

We had her party yesterday. It wasn’t big; just my family, my aunt, my cousin and his family. The funny part is that Bella was the only girl-child at her party, but it didn’t bother her. Heck, I don’t think she even really realized it since she’s so used to always being the only girl.

I hit up Pinterest for the cupcake and snack ideas. The pictures aren’t that great, but they all seemed to be a big hit. And if you are wondering – yes, those are pig cupcakes.

cupcake pins (no specific one) - http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=pig%20cupcakes
trix crispies - http://pinterest.com/pin/177540410282719565/
candy popcorn - http://pinterest.com/pin/177540410282719557/
(For the popcorn I did make some changes – I used microwave Kettle Corn popcorn, and instead of adding vanilla I added cotton candy and bubble gum icing flavor packets by Duncan Hines.)

And lastly, her birthday invitations that I made (click for larger):

The time away in pictures.

--December--

--January--

Decembering….

What I’ve got so far. We’re only two days in, and actually, so far, having actual paper to work with makes it easier to get things done. And looking at the pile o’ Christmas crap on my table helps with the motivating too since I’m actually not too fond of looking at Christmas crap.

And the photos to be printed off and to go in the slot for day 1 (front has a 2x6 slot and a 6x4, back is two 6x4s)

And just one 4x4 picture for today.

(frame from Karah Fredrick’s Too Excite to Sleep @ The Lilypad, gold letters from Document Christmas The Collection by Mari Koegelenberg and Studio Basic @ Sweet Shoppe, font is Darcy Baldwin’s DJB Holly Go Lightly @ Sweet Shoppe)

Almost, almost…. but not quite yet.

It’s almost Thanksgiving, the real most wonderful time of the year. I get to see family and eat a ton and a half. Most importantly… I don’t have to buy anyone anything to do it!

Yay!

I’ve actually already had two other Thanksgivings (basically) so far. I have a feeling by next week that I am going to be so turkey-ed out. As of now, I’m not… we’re even having turkey and dumplings for dinner tonight to kill off the rest of the leftover turkey from Saturday.

Saturday’s Thanksgiving with my brothers, my older brother’s roommate, and their friend.

I’ve been referring to it as the Bachelor Thanksgiving. And I promise, my living room is clean, it’s just that taking pictures facing my cluttered desk, bookshelf, and craft table is never a good idea.

Last night we went to the church’s annual Thanksgiving dinner with my sister and step-father.

Today Ryan, Bella, and I have been getting our paper scrapbooking craftiness on. I’ve finally gotten together the Christmasy stuff for my Document December prep (and a few other basics – you know seeing as how I usually use my computer for scrapbooking) so this morning I sat down to start. Yes, I know, it’s not December yet, but I’ve been told getting your stuff together early helps with actually keeping up with it, so I’m trying. (Me actually trying this again is also her fault, so if I fail again it is indirectly her fault as well, lol) As I did my prep work Bella and Ryan made their own scrapbook pages with some other paper scrapbooking stuff I found laying about the house. For some reason people keep buying me it…

No, I’m not sharing my progress on mine yet. When/If I ever finish all the base pages I’ll share it. But start looking for this one posts about it: