Another holiday has come and gone...

Thanksgiving morning we were all up and out the door by 7:30am and heading over to the Turkey Trot. It was cold but luckily the wind wasn't blowing...there were so many people probably because they were hoping to see Sarah Palin...my guess is that many people were disappointed...we didn't see her...but according to the news she was there. Afterwards, we headed to STARBUCKs to get some of our favorite coffee from our favorite people. Here's a quick photo collage I threw together with some photos.

...after the run we stopped by the new BIG house...we were told that they would be working and I was happy to see that they weren't - no one needed to be working on Thanksgiving Day. We took a picture of the kids standing in the entry and in the windows of my new office :D (the view behind the kids in the doorway will be there...because that two story wall will be all windows.)



I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family...we did...this was a day that should be spent with the ones you love and the ones who love you back. We enjoyed the day with Stuart's parents and Grandpa and youngest brother and fiance from Seattle. There was so much food and I ate too much! This year I was in charge of making the homemade mashed potatoes...somehow in the rush at the store I grabbed a bag of red potatoes instead of brown but they still turned out fabulous! I also made my favorite pumpkin crisp and homemade rolls...I was pleasantly surprised when they raised :D woohoo I have been having a hard time over the last couple of years making them and they turned out perfectly...I used my sister-in-laws recipe and they were a big hit at dinner!

Here's my November LO for "Celebrate the Seasons" over at 2Peas...and I followed the sketch almost exactly...it just made it easier for me finish up :D


Credits: Nov. Paper Collection, Crysanthemum Papers, Au Natural Elements, Natural Papers, Bunches of Borders by CreativityByCrystal available at www.JessicaSprague.com, Karla Dudley: Date Stamp & Thanksgiving Freebie, Gingham Ribbon by Pamela Odd, Stitches by Sande Krieger.

...we never go out for Black Friday but Stuart and I headed to the store at about 10:30...we were looking for one thing...grabbed it and came right back home! I need to get online and place one last order - then just grab a couple more things and we are done...and it feels good since its not even December 1st!

Last night we went out to dinner with friends and then to see the movie The Blind Side...I loved it...it was a great movie...and on the way home...we drove by the house to see what was accomplished for the day...the upstairs floor is on :) We should still be on schedule to have trusses delivered on Monday.

...and the UNITY WINNER is...

Katherine S said...
Beautiful LO! I love the your use of stamps! I have to say - your kitty is so adorable!
November 24, 2009 9:19 AM

Katherine please send me your mailing info by leaving a comment in this post and I will get the stamps out to you...this is what I will be sending you...

Floral Friends & Shurbery Tree

Thank you everyone for all your kind comments - yesterday Tamara asked, "What parts of the layout are digital, and what is paper? Do you design your digital pages with the paper additions in mind, or do you just print the pages then play to see what to add?

I always plan out my LOs before I ever get started and I always design my pages with the paper additions in mind...sometimes they don't go in the exact place as I planned but since my digital LO is already printed out its really easy just to move those paper piecings around until I like how it looks. Sometimes I will print a digital LO and trim it down and place it on top of a piece of 12x12 cardstock (I don't always do this). When making a hybrid LO...there's really no one way to do it...I can print out digital items and add them to paper - or make and entire digital LO and add traditional scrapping supplies...the combination of both is what makes it "hybrid". I challenge you to try it for yourself...and if you do I'd love to see it :D

Happy Stamping!

2nd post for the day but too excited to wait...

...the kids and I just got back from checking on the progress for the day!

OH MY GOSH we can hardly believe it!!! Yesterday it looked like this...


...and about 2o minutes ago it already looked like this...


...the kids were so excited and asked will we get to move in by Christmas? Silly kids they have no concept of time! We are moving right along...trusses are being delivered early next week...windows were ordered today and I believe the plumbing rough-in is coming up next :D We couldn't be happier!

Unity's Design Team Tuesday!

...featuring ME!!! Thank you for stopping by today...today I am sharing my new LO "Christmas Kitty" I used the {Bitty Background} set and {Joy & Wonder}.


Other: Kraft Cardstock, Making Memories Letter Stickers...everything else was by GCD Studios, Collection Used: Christmas Sleigh


..and if you didn't see my LO on Angela's Blog here it is again :D


Credits: CreativityByCrystal: Nov. Papers, Digital Date Stamp by Karla Dudley, Unity Stamps: {Capture Life} and {Retro BBQ}.


If you leave a comment today I will put your name in a drawing for some Unity Stamps :D I will post the winner tomorrow...

A FANTASTIC WEEKEND

...we had the best weekend...Stuart and I headed out of town...no kids...great food...lots of shopping...more food!

...we even got to play in the snow!



During our shopping adventure we found the most AMAZING lighting for the new house...vintage no less...circa 1910...oh my gosh when I walked it the store I was completely overwhelmed with all the lighting hanging from the ceiling...(we have been having the hardest time finding anything we liked) ...but almost immediately my eye was drawn to this particular light and I was like...that's it! There's a good chance we are going to end up purchasing 4...3 in one size and 1 in another...ooohhh I LOVE them! We put them all on hold so no one would buy them...there are only 11 total and once they are gone - they are GONE!

On Sunday morning, we got up and it was snowing heavily and it was so beautiful...Stuart wasn't as thrilled with the snow as I was...we drove up North for breakfast and of course we did some more shopping...and then I just couldn't believe my eyes...right there was a...



now...when I was a little girl we would eat at Shakey's Pizza - Stuart couldn't even believe I was talking about eating again...I said we HAD to get a pizza :D so we went in and ordered a small...oh my gosh it was so good!



I also wanted to share that from now until December 26th, the entire store at http://www.jessicasprague.com/ is on sale! Go ahead and copy this picture & share the good news with all your friends!



This week the kids are home with me all week - NO SCHOOL for Conferences and then Thanksgiving...we are going to have a great time preparing for Thanksgiving...and getting ready for Christmas!

Hope everyone has a great week!

More on our house...

...today they started back-filling and ended up having to take dirt away! We had SO MUCH extra dirt it needed to be removed from the lot - 2 dump truck loads worth! I am so amazed each time I go out there with the changes...today they prepared for the retaining wall...and started stubbing in the utilities...they still need to get in the gas....framing will begin next - starting with the sub-floor and then our walls! This part is going so fast but I know it will start to slow down...we still have our fingers crossed that we can get the roof on before the winter weather hits. After seeing the dirt all pushed back in its place I was surprised - the backyard is bigger then I thought it would be and our driveway is longer then I thought too...we are still going back and forth about our exterior color but we need to decide SOON since it needs to go to the committee for approval...the builder's guys are on the hunt for our front door and all my interior doors have been found :D woo hoo everything is just falling right into place.

Happy Thursday!

Oh I just can't get enough of this "Capture Life" set...it is full of large stamps made just for the scrapbooker! Here' s my latest LO...I pulled out some Pink Paislee and printed off Camryn's Halloween photos from this year...and "NURSE for the night" came together perfectly :D I just love when that happens.


I also used October Kit of the Month {...wherever you go} ...gotta love that little monkey...he was "perfect" for this LO!

*Don't forget to leave a comment on all the DT girl's blogs today for you chance to win big!

Be sure to check out the other DT gals blogs for more "Thursday Inspiration" and Angela's Blog for all the day's specials!

**HOUSE UPDATE**

Well we are already 9 days into the building process - things are going really well... the forms went in...the concrete was poured...stem walls are up...tomorrow the lot will be back-filled and by Friday afternoon they are shooting for the sub-floor to be complete.





Things are looking really good!

This afternoon...I was craving muffins so Mason and I ran to the store grabbed what we needed and came home and made these YUMMY pumpkin chocolate chip muffins! Oh my goodness my house smells so good!



...and Quote for the Day: "May we never let the things we can't have, or don't have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have and can have." ~ Richard L. Evans

Believe in Fairytales!!!

...and here it is the November Store Kit of the Month {Believe in Fairytales}



...and here is my LO...today I went hybrid :) (sorry about the photo I could not get a good picture outside this morning)

Credits: Crystal Wilkerson's Sweet Papers, Bucnches of Scallops, Sweet Expoy Alphabet & Elements all available at JessicaSprague.com. I also used Bazzill cardstock, KaiserKraft Pearls, and Unity's Bevy of Butterflies.

Be sure to go check out what the rest of the DT did with this kit...I have all their links over there <------- on the left :D Angela also has them all linked up on the Unity blog.

...and don't forget...
UNITY has 30% off the ENTIRE STORE this weekend!!!
sale code: SALE30

...another week flies by...

...and its time for Friends with Flair!

Today I am sharing a card that I made using Unity's {Hodge Podge of Happiness}.

This card was made for a very special little guy (ok well maybe not so little, but "special" nonetheless...) and its going in the mail today...just as soon as I finish up my obligation at school. :D


...and believe it or not I used the new Christmas Sleigh papers by GCD Studios :) They are such beautiful shades of greens...I just couldn't wait to cut right into them!

Be sure to check out all the participates for today's Friends with Flair on the Unity Blog.

Thanks for stopping by today on this very HAPPY Friday!

"The Artist in You"

These beautiful stamps are being released TODAY and they are by the AMAZING Donna Downey herself! The Unity Design Team is SHOWCASING them on their blogs so be sure to check them out!

...and Donna also has some AMAZING creations on her BLOG too! I LOVE Thursdays!!!

Here' s my LO using "The Artist in You"



Credits: Pattern Paper and embellishments are from the Artsy Urban Collection from GCD Studios...and I also used the Bitty Backgrounds from Unity.


To find out how to get this beautiful set and to see all of today's specials, go check out the Unity Stamp Blog.

Moving Dirt + Us = A Very HAPPY Couple :D

On Tuesday...our new house was started! We've waited A LONG TIME FOR THIS DAY...and it was so worth it...we were so excited to see that dirt start moving and so was our builder...he is so funny! As you can see from the huge piles of dirt it took two pieces of equipment to get it all pushed to where it needed to be.




...lol as you can see from the second photo Stuart's already out there doing what he does best organizing and supervising! He wanted me to go down in that hole but I told him I would pass...maybe next time ;) Right now we are trying to figure out our roof color...and we are in an argument about our front door...but no matter who wins our front door will look amazing :)

Goodbye "34" HELLO "35"

Oh my gosh...what a busy weekend! Friday night started out like any other - football practice, pizza and movies...then Saturday we had to get up and head out to Ben's football game which ended up being the last of the season because they lost :( but Ben played well...



...we have just a bit of time off now from sports but not much because its already time for Ben to start hitting the batting cages! I swear it never ends...

...then we dropped the kids off for the evening and Stuart and I had the rest of the night to ourselves...its nice to do that once in awhile and not have to think about anyone but "US".



When we woke up Sunday morning, Stuart took me out to breakfast for my birthday and then we went and pick up the kids...ran a few errands and enjoyed the rest of my birthday with my family! The kids made my cake...and dinner was delicious...definitely a birthday to remember. My Birthday is my favorite day of the whole year and this year was going to be no exception. I have great friends and a great family who do nothing but spoil me - thank you so much to everyone who made my birthday special :)



...and here's a digital LO too :D

Credits: JS Template12, CreativityByCrystal: Stitches from Bunches of Borders, November Paper Collection Digital Kit and "Happly Little Owls" all available at www.JessicaSprague.com and Date Stamps: Karla Dudley, Fonts: CK Ali's Writing & Century Gothic.

It's a UNITY THURSDAY :)

...the 1st Thursday of a brand new month - means there's a new Scrapbook/Collage Collection {Capture Life} to share...and here it is!



...yesterday in between several appointments I was able to make this LO using the stamps from this collection...and I think I have a new favorite LO :D



...be sure to check out the other DT girls' blogs to see some awesome inspiration using both the Scrapbooking/Collage Collection and the Customer KOTM :)

Be sure to check out the Garage Sale - all the details are on Angela's Blog!

...and last but certainly not least...


Jessica Sprague has announced a special free class called Holidays In Hand. Jessica is well known for providing fabulous instruction and inspiration. So please join us for the final class for 2009, and use this special time of the year to refocus on what matters most to YOU during the holiday season, no matter how you celebrate.

...just a quick card!

I had to make a quick card and get it delivered yesterday...we got there just in time too!


Today is another day full of appointments...I wish I could have just one day to do NOTHING...but then I just might complain about that so I guess being busy it is :)

...and be sure to check out the GIVE-A-WAYs this week over at the GCD Studios Blog - they are happening all week! (just click on GCD Studios and it will take you right there).

It's a new month...

...and with every new month - there's a new KOTM at Unity! Stay tuned this month for some amazing projects from the girls on the Design Team using this amazing kit!!!

Halloween came and went...

I am not sure how the month of October went by so quickly! It seems just like yesterday that it was the 1st and now its the 1st of November! Our October, was filled will many soccer and football practices, and with those comes games...both Camryn and Ben had games yesterday. Ben had a playoff game in the morning and they WON - so it looks like we have at least one more week of practice but this week we'll be practicing under lights since its dark so early...that will be exciting for the boys...
(Ben is #42 in black)


...then Camryn's soccer game was later in the afternoon and by the time we got home from that we had just enough time to take some pictures outside before it got dark.

(Camryn is in yellow.)










...and we can't forget Morris - he looks happy doesn't he! lol


...and from earlier in the week here's the kids and their pumpkins...after we carved our pumpkins we made our own carameled apples for dessert!





Well we are off to the grocery store - we have a BUSY week ahead! Have a great day :)