There's Snow Place Like Home

Is anyone else loving this snow? I must say, I'm not a huge fan of being cold...well in fact, I am not a fan at all. But I have loved having the hubby here as his past two work days have been much shorter than normal. It has given us the time to watch movies and just be together for a while. Tomorrow we will both go back to normal work days so I thought I would post some pictures of the fun we have had.

Everyone knows that snow is much more fun with a kid around! This is Carlee, our neighbor!

We have had lots of fun spending time in the neighborhood with the Arnolds! After we went sledding for a while, we walked down the road to see what we could see. Everything was so beautiful covered in snow. God knew what he was doing when he invented this stuff!

Daniel took this one of me. Good job, honey!

The plan was for both of us to make snow angels, but after I saw how wet Daniel got, I decided not to. He looks like he's having fun anyway right?

After coming in, we treated ourselves to some yummy hot chocolate, a warm blanket, movie and one snuggly pup! Gotta love snow days!

Even though I had a little cabin fever today, it has been a really nice few days. I will enjoy getting back on a schedule and being back to normal again, but we have definitely made wonderful memories during our little snow-in. I hope you did as well!

Liv

LOVING Lately

Hello there! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

I just thought I'd share with you some of my recent obsessions. So here's what I've been LOVING lately:

1. OPI gel nail polish.

I'm starting out with this because I am truly, madly, deeply in love with it. As most of you know I am a nanny and spend most of my days with two little girls. As Miss Rockstar and Miss Princess are very creative, bright, and active young ladies, a typical day could include painting, gymnastics, dancing (hip hop and ballet), riding bikes, putting on plays (including at least one costume change), soccer, swimming (in warmer months) and how could I forget, doll play which means putting teeny tiny little outfits on teeny tiny little princesses. Rough life I know...

That being said I rarely ever paint my fingernails and even more rarely pay to have them done. I have a distinct ability to chip or smudge them immediately after applying. If I do make it to work unscathed, I will indefinitely mess them up participating in all the activities mentioned above along with dinner, bath time and doing dishes.

Enter miracle polish.

My hair stylist (God-sent, Stacy from Mirror Image) has a sister, Tracy, who does the nail part of their co-owned business. I saw the polish on Stacy while getting my hair done and loved the color so much I decided to make an appointment for the week before Christmas. Now this service cost about 35.00, and is more then I would normally spend for just polish. But I was assured that it would last at least two weeks so I gave it a go.

This OPI axxium process includes curing under a uv-light, and needs to be removed by soaking. Let me tell you that after I took my hands out of the light for the last coat, they were as hard as they are today. No waiting under the dryer for what feels like an eternity, no fingers tiptoeing around your purse looking for your wallet, no worrying about chipping or smudging. I was done and ready to go. And you know what? With the exception of my nails growing out and having that awkward space in between your polish and cuticle, the polish looks as good as it did the day I got it! That was almost 3 weeks ago!

My nails feel strong, hard and protected from the teeth that usually bite them (I'm working on that). I love love love LOVE this polish. I highly recommend this product and don't know which salons have taken the class to learn how to apply it. But, I'm sure the girls at Mirror Image wouldn't mind you coming by for some colour therapy. :D

2. Gatlinburg Christmas.

Every year my dad's side of the family gets together in Gatlinburg to celebrate the holidays. There is no better time to go to the town of Gatlinburg. The lights are beautiful and Christmas is EVERYWHERE. My aunts, uncles, cousins and grandmother all fit into a 6 bedroom cabin. There are around 25 of us give or take! Four days of family togetherness, shopping, eating and the occasional mischief always make wonderful memories!

These are all of the cousins (-Ryan and Chad) before we left on Christmas Eve. I hope this is a tradition that we keep until my children are able to enjoy it!

While there I discovered JUST DANCE for Wii. SO. MUCH. FUN. Above is Weston and I dancing. I can assure you that after you get the hang of it, it's hilarious, competitive and quite an efficient workout. Can you tell how awkward I felt doing lascivious gestures with my brother?!? Yeah.... Still-so much fun. Didn't know Weston had moves like that!

3. Kodak Play Touch Camera.

Sweet husband got me this for Christmas. I wanted a little camera to have and keep video memories to look back on our time together before we have kids. This is perfect for that! It's touchscreen is really easy to use and it has a really good resolution on it. It is supposed to be super easy to upload to the web, so maybe some videos will pop up on here!

4. NEW MOUNTED FLASH.

Saved the best for last! Another Christmas gift from the sweet, thoughtful, set-a-price-limit-on-gifts-but-went-out-and-spent-too-much-money-on-me-anyway hubby. This is exactly what I wanted! Anyone who has or has used a dslr camera before knows about the ever hated, pop up flash. I hate that pop up flash. As good of a camera as you may have, the pop up flash will sabotage your indoor photos that are the least bit dimly lit.

Well, no more!
This is a Nikon Speedlight SB-600. And as I took the first picture I was head-over-heels for it.

Just take this example, a picture taken with the same camera, same settings a year ago on Christmas morning. You might have to make the picture bigger by clicking on it to see a big difference.

See how the flash makes everything shiny and overexposed (and typically shadowy on closer portraits)?

Not this year. My new flash makes everything have a softer, more natural light. And this is only the beginning. I haven't done nearly enough exploring to discover everything that it can do. It makes me want to take more and more pictures every day! Thanks, Daniel!

I hope this post wasn't too terribly long! I would love to hear about how your Christmas went and what new things you are loving!

Livvy

Sisters

I don't know what it is like to have a sister. As a matter of fact, the only way I know what sisterhood is like, is through the eyes of family and friends who have a sister. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love my Wesbro. But I guess we all wonder from time to time what it would have been like to grow up with different siblings.

That's why when Rockstar (eldest) told me, one night as I was tucking her in, "Livvy, you're my family, you know...you're my sister!", I didn't really know how to take it. At first I was thinking, "A sister?? Me?? C'mon, give me a little credit, let me be an aunt or someone with a little more authority." Believe me I don't feel like just a sister. But, alas it stuck. She has been calling me this off and on now for a few weeks.

One night, I was thinking over all of this when I stumbled upon a conclusion. She LOVES her younger sister, Princess. I know the bond they share is very strong. So for her to say I am like a sister to her, is something very special.

I have never known this bond before in my life, and God puts people in front of you for unique reasons. I hope that these girls will look up to me like a sister, be open and honest with me like a sister. I hope they continue to share their lives with me and teach me things every day as they grow older. And I hope I can be a good influence in their lives as well.

So although it's a bit of a bummer that I'm having to work this Thanksgiving holiday, I am SO thankful for them. It is amazing these girls have so much love to give. And I am so glad they chose to give it to me.

Livvy, Princess, and Miss Rockstar-Thanksgiving 2010

What, you thought there wouldn't be a silly picture?

On another note...

Around this time of year we usually go to Crossville, for a family gathering. So last weekend, we headed up for great food, lots of family fun and, the best part, the farm. Well, it was a farm at one point. A dairy farm (right dad?). The Homestead is where my grandmother was born and grew up, where my father spent his childhood, and where we have visited on occasion. It has been a long time since we have spent any time on this land. It was so cool to hear stories about my grandmother and all her siblings and memories here.

I couldn't bear to wait any longer to share these pictures. Because even though I didn't grow up there, for some reason I feel very strong bonds to it. The rich history, smells, sights, stories... well, I just love it all. It was also a perfect photo op for a great Christmas card picture, which I obviously want to be a surprise. So I'll just show these:

This barn was built in the 40's and is where my dad used to play as a child.

Weston. I love my brother!

Can you imagine it filled with cows? I think this image captures the serenity that surrounds this place now.

I absolutely loved spending time up there. Being somewhere like this makes all the nonsense in your life just fade away. Just looking at these pictures makes me realize how much I am truly thankful for. God has blessed me insurmountably.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Liv

On To Thanksgiving!

First of all, I would like to send my sweet Mommy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She is truly an amazing woman in so many ways. Her creativeness, wit, faithfulness, and class are few of the attributes that inspire me every day. The older I get, people tell me that I am more and more like my mother. I can only hope I become even more like her in years to come! I love you Mom and hope your day is great!

Now, I'll backtrack a little bit. Unfortunately Daniel and I weren't home together long enough to carve our pumpkins. Thats okay, at least they'll last longer. One thing I did do, was spray chalkboard paint on one little pumpkin for the entryway. This is another idea from the blogging world. I found these great chalkboard markers at the Hob Lob that allowed me to have more control over what I wrote; more so than regular chalk which took off the paint more than wrote on it. Chalk+Markers??? Who thought of this? The markers are great and wipe off easily with a wet paper towel, so I was able to change my message from Halloween, to Thanksgiving.

My mom and I had talked about a cute arrangement we saw in PB not long ago. That was my inspiration for this easy peasy little centerpiece. I don't have a formal dining room/dining table, so I can't have a huge beautiful centerpiece that would overtake the room. I used what I had at home: wide vase, pine cones, and pictures. It's a fall inspired way to display what I'm thankful for!

I also wanted to share a little project I did for a Halloween gift last week.

I needed something more than the typical candy, and thought I would try this out. It was really easy and super fun to do. I love projects like this because the possibilities are endless. You could do one in any color to match any outfit for that extra umph!

At a country fair this year, my aunt bought a bucket just like this and had it personalized for her daughter to send as a care package, as she is in college out of town. Great idea right? I thought I could recreate it.

We don't live in a neighborhood with lots of children, but our next door neighbors have a little girl who was definitely planning on dressing up for Halloween. We told her we would love her to come trick or treat at our house, because we weren't planning on anyone coming at all and hated for the holiday to pass us up. Although I had a backup candy stash in case any other kids came, I knew for sure we would have one special tick or treater. Well, thats all the incentive I needed to start this guy...
This was a learning experience for me because I was painting on a different texture and it wasn't flat. But I think after I got the hang of it, it was a fun little project. Although it was a little more time consuming then expected, (that stinkin' little candy corn) it turned out pretty well. Oh, and I was so surprised to have a few more trick-or-treaters than expected. One, to Daniel's excitement, said we were to coolest house they had been to...score!

My mom shared these SUPER YUMMY Halloween cupcakes with us this year. They are made with butternut squash but taste a lot like carrot cake! Topped with cream cheese icing, these little puppies were to DIE for!

Oh, and one more thing! My sweet friends Gerry and Jananna welcomed the newest member of their family, Catherine Grace, on November 1st. I was lucky enough to be at the hospital along with other friends and family to see this little miracle come into the world! At risk of stealing their thunder, I will only share a few of the pictures I took.

Hello, world!

Look at those sweet little piggies!!

Proud Daddy, what a sweetheart!

She doesn't like changing clothes yet, but she'll learn. :)

In mommy's hands, a beautiful thing.

Congratulations, Cornett's. She is gorgeous and absolutely perfect! I am actually kindof obsessed with her. Love you guys!

Okay, now I think I can safely progress toward Thanksgiving. Is it bad that every time I hear or see anything Christmas I get butterflies? ....EXCITED! I'm even planning on taking the final for my online class two weeks early so I can enjoy the holiday season THAT much more.

Is anyone as excited as I am?

Liv

girl with a paintbrush

So, I have never been a big painter. But lately I have found it extremely fun! I think I have actually gone crazy just thinking of all the things I can paint for my house or presents for other people. It's been perfect as my hands have been craving to create something, well lots of things, for fall. This is the first I've made for me to keep :D.

BOO Y'ALL! Haha, I saw a little sign similar to this on etsy, and I thought "I can do that!" Plus, since we're living in Soddy, I thought I needed a little something that said "y'all" on it.

I put it on my wreath to color it up a bit for Halloween. Don't know if I love it there, but it will do until the 31st. I can't reveal any other of the projects I have been doing yet and it's been hard because I've been having so much fun doing it!

Loving my mums and pumpkins! Hopefully I can post when we carve/paint them because I have great plans for these guys.

Stay tuned for more!

Liv

LOVING Lately

I have seen a few blogs do a weekly entry about what they have been loving. I thought it was a great idea, although I probably will not get around to doing one every single week. I am excited about taking some time to focus on what I'm loving, instead of worrying about the little mundane day to day things that you don't necessarily love in life. As you probably know, those thoughts can really drag you down, so it's nice to focus on the positive.

1. Personalized Canvases.

I couldn't wait to show everyone this canvas that I did for a family member who is having a baby next month. I stole borrowed this idea from a friend who, after asking to buy one from her, said it was easy and I could do it myself! And it really was. I taped everything off to paint the boarder and just made sure to measure accurately. For the dots, I used a pouncer and then went back over them with a paint brush. The hardest part was free-handing the words and making sure the spacing was ok.

I have always loved this little quote and wanted to use it somewhere. So, this was a perfect opportunity. All in all I was really happy with the way it turned out and can't wait to start my next one!

2. Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I think I've already had 3 of them and it just got cold this weekend.

Who doesn't love these???

3. My sweet Daddy was inducted as an elder at his church today.

When I first heard he was being considered I thought, "my dad isn't old..." haha. There were other men, including my uncle, who were inducted along with him that are around his age as well. Of course, I know there isn't a "too young to ride" sign anywhere. I am so happy for him and the church that he will be shepherding. Love him!

Congratulations Daddy!!!

Oh, and did I mention my sweet hubbs?? I'm loving him too...

That's all for now! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Liv

September is almost over, really?

Oh, wow! And I thought August went fast!

For the past few years, when the weather begins to change and fall comes knocking on summer's door, I get to feeling super crafty. Especially now that I have a house to decorate; this year is no exception. Last year I made a little wreath with floral picks of berries and leaves from the Hob Lob. This year, I added some pinecones and acorns in as well. The great thing I decided to do is use the basic twig wreath form over and over again by not attaching anything with hot glue. I used the form in the spring to make a dotty wreath with fabric circles and a fabric covered "P." I don't know how, but I managed to not get a picture of it the entire time I had it up. But fall is calling my name again.

I just used floral wire to attach everything so I can take it right off! Then I store it in the off season. The pinecones hid the wire quite nicely. Everything else is flexible so you can tuck and move to hide or expose wherever you need.

Not too bad for a little homemade wreath. It took no time at all. I think I want a bigger one next year!

I was lucky to be a part of my good friend Jananna's baby shower this past weekend. I think Jananna and her husband Gerry are going to be great parents, and I was glad to help out! Look at this super cute owl cake, it was exactly like the invitations.

I helped Amber, of Southern Comforts with the Gardners, and Megan do the food and drinks for the shower. It turned out beautifully, and was quite yummy if I do say so myself.

Look at these cutie patootie favors that one of Jananna's friends made! They are Rice Krispie treat balls on sticks, dipped in chocolate!

Love these girls!

And no, Mom and Nanny, as much fun as it was to give a baby shower and buy cute little baby things, I think it won't go any farther than that for Daniel and I...at least for a few more years. :)

Happy fall! Are you feeling crafty as well?

Liv