photo {spencer & future daughter-in-law}

ok, i know it's mean to harrass them but i love this child and she's only a year older than spencer so i've decided they should get married :)

this is them at the house for the USC vs Florida game when they came downstairs long enough for a snack break. as you can see, it was slim pickins! most of the fried goodies were all gone.

{little pink tool kit}

for quite some time i have eyeballed a "little pink tool kit" advertised in the airport. i've studied the brochure and couldn't convince myself to waste a hefty amount of money on such a thing... well...then i got lucky.

it might not be nearly as nice, but spencer's school fundraiser book had this little pink tool kit for a mere $15. happiness! it's perfect for my scrap studio and those little projects i may have (saves a trek downstairs to the garage).

{christmas ornaments}

last night i made these felt ornaments while watching tv. i am participating in a couple of swaps (one through Red Velvet Art and one with my mom & sisters), but haven't decided what i'm going to do with these yet. just wanted to make something.

layouts {Christmas}

Last night I tackled getting started on Christmas layouts from last year (I hate not having them completed when the following Christmas rolls around). I only got three done, but it's a start...

The first one is a very blurry picture of Spencer and I in the car when we went to look at lights. The second is Spencer making ornaments with me. The third is Matt and I exchanging one gift on Christmas morning (we do our true Christmas morning the day after Christmas because of Spencer). All the pages are based, at least loosely, on a PageMaps sketch.

{thankful}

In the spirit of thanksgiving, i thought i'd just jot down some of the many things that i am thankful for this season...

- a husband who loves me and keeps me laughing
- a stepson who is bright and does so many things to make us proud
- parents with whom i enjoy spending time with and live close enough to see regularly
- in-laws that care about me as if i was their own daughter
- two amazing sisters that are also 2 of my best friends
- super cool niece and nephews that always make me smile
- a career that is fulfilling and financially rewarding
- a lovely house to call our home
- the two best dogs ever...seriously. i couldn't imagine better pets!
- my husband's recent promotion/raise
- spencer's love of sports and newfound dedication to baseball (i love that he's committed to something that is important to him)
- being involved with the Dalton Help Foundation and helping with such a fantastic cause
- having neighbors that we love being with
- an array of seriously cool friends
- my creative side and the whole existence of scrapbooking...can't imagine life without it!

I could write a book, but I will wrap it up and end with this....
Last, but so certainly NOT least...
I feel so blessed to be an American and there are no words to express my gratitude for the men and women serving in our military and protecting our freedom.

{20 things}

20 Things About Me:

2 everyday things I could not live without: computer & family

2 of my favorite songs (at this moment): hey there delilah (plain white t's) & wake up call (maroon 5)

2 things I want to do before I die: live in what I would consider my dream house & take a really awesome vacation with my whole family

2 things I worry about: would I be a good mother if I had a child of my own? what if something happens to matt? (I'm a worrier by nature, so this is just the tip of the iceburg)

2 stores I shop at: Target (LOVE it) and GAP

2 things that scare me: the thought of being raped (I know, morbid), being a bad mom or stepmom

2 snacks I could eat everyday: mexican cheese dip & chocolate (not together)

2 people I'd be lost without: Matt and my sisters (that's three technically since I have 2 sisters)

2 nicknames I've been given: Thumper & Boo

2 places I want to go on vacation: back to Jamaica or somewhere equally tropical and lovely & Italy

photos {baseball season recap}

I know I've shared pictures as the season progressed, but here is a recap of the better pictures from Spencer's fall baseball season. He played at Tega Cay and his team, The Bees, went undefeated! He has really taken a liking to the sport and wants to focus on getting better (rather than trying other sports). He has two skills camps coming up next month at Winthrop and we hope to get him involved at the Carolina Baseball Center after the first of the year. We are super proud of him!

confession {blake lewis}

Ok, I confess...even though I wasn't very verbal about it on my blog, I loved Blake Lewis on American Idol this past season. I just caught wind that he's releasing an album in early December. I listened to some soundbits online and I'm so ***not*** disappointed. Yippee ChiO!

{cool list}

love this list...

Creative Ways to Spend an Hour

(from the Simple Scrapbooks blog)

quote {southern girl}

love this...

A southern girl is a girl who knows full and well that she can open a door for herself but prefers for the gentleman to do it because it demonstrates a sense of respect. After all, every girl wants to be treated like a princess. We know how to make sweet tea and grits while telling you everything about any football team in the SEC. We pick our battles and fight with the heart of a pit bull while still maintaining grace and elegance. Our mystique is that of a soft-spoken, mild-mannered southern bell who could direct an army, loves her momma and will always be daddy's little girl.