The Spelling Bee

The girls have been hard at work, quizzing each other THE WHOLE WAY home with spelling bee words.  {shoot me now}

This was what happened today:

Casey:  Solve.
Chandler:  What?
Casey:  The word is:  solve.
Chandler: s-u-l-v-e
Casey:  Egh.  Wrong!  Try again...solve.
Chandler: n-o-c-h-o
Casey:  WHAT?????  What word is that????  That doesn't sound anything like solve!!!
Chandler:  I know.  I'm not spelling solve.  I'm spelling nacho. 
Casey:  Whaaaattttt????  But your word isn't nacho!!!!
Chandler:  It's three words down on the list.  And I'd rather spell nacho.
Casey:  *disgusted, big sigh*  Well, you spelled nacho wrong too. 

Humph.  Something tells me that we won't be going to the National Spelling Bee this year.

What We Wore Wednesday Week 25 - Family Picture Edition

{Linking up with Lindsey!!!}

No joke, I picked our outfits out for our family picture in September.  And it was November before we actually had it done.  Ugh.  I am so horrible at scheduling and making appointments these days.

Anyway, here we are.... {drumroll, please}

{photo by Abby Libsack Photography}

Quinn: 

khaki cords - Old Navy

brown striped polo - Gymboree (consignment sale)

navy blue tennis shoes - Target

Chandler:

denim jacket - Old Navy

cranberry crochet top sweater dress - Old Navy

brown boots - gift from Meme

Casey:

jeweled cardi - Old Navy

jeans - Gap

brown mary janes - Payless

Me:

flower print dress - Gap Outlet

orange cardi - Gap Outlet

boots - Target (last year)

Chris:

argyle sweater - Banana Republic Outlet

jeans - Banana Republic Outlet

brown shoes - Bass Outlet

I kind of felt like we were a catalog family that day.  Like we had just stepped out of a catalog.  Does that ever happen to you???

Decorating For Christmas

We did our decorating over the weekend.  **Note.  I am not a fan of decorating.**  I'm sure that you thought that I would be...since I'm kind of a crafty and such.  But no.

Anywho, we put up the tree.

 

That really wore Bikey out...

I had a very LOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGG talk with the children - Q in particular - about not touching my nativity set.  I haven't had it out in years - first the girls were too little and then Q was too little....big sigh...for as much as I hate decorating, I love this nativity.  LOVE.  Like, it makes my heart sing, kind of love.  And I find myself walking through the foyer instead of the kitchen just so that I can look at it some more.

When I was a mere babe and foolishly decided to get married (and divorced) while in college (undergrad), my dear wonderful Aunt Judy MADE this nativity set for me as a shower gift.  While I was completely blown away by it, being that I was young and foolish, I don't think that I ever expressed my proper gratitude to her.  The time that this must have taken her.  Sheesh.  I can't even begin to imagine.  She poured the molds, fired them in the kiln, painted each piece by hand...amazing.

You want to see it, don't you?  Good.  Because I want to show it to you.  (Don't mind the table.)

Here's the whole crowd....

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus.  Joseph looks kind of shifty, doesn't he?  Like he might be looking for a way out of this deal?  Just askin.

Here's the shepherds and the animals...
 

And here are our friends, the Three Wise Men.  They are my favorite.  She bejeweled them...even the camels (who are oh so cute).  Again, the time and attention to detail...blows me away.

So, say an extra prayer that Q resists the urge to touch any of them.  {We're a few days in and so far so good.}

After all the decorating, we watched White Christmas.  This is the first year that the girls REALLY loved it...and that makes me REALLY happy!

ps - Have you shopped the Belle Chic sale????  There's still time!  Go.  Shop.  And may the force be with you.

Holy Super Sale, Batman! {hello, cyber monday}

So, I think we all know by now that I have a big Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale going on in the shop.  Right?  We DO all know that, don't we?  Mainly because I can't stop yapping about it. 

But here's something else that is going on today and tomorrow...I am also running a few of my things on SUPER SALE at Belle Chic.  Seriously.  SUPER SALE.  That has to be typed in all caps.  It's that SUPER.

These items...

...are even further reduced at Belle Chic!  So, you're going to want to pass this information along.  Tell a friend or two (or 12, whatever)...but not before you finish your shopping there first.  There are limited quantities for each item and once they're sold out, well, then they're just sold out.

New!!

I posted a few new things in the shop today...Yay!!!  Such a sense of accomplishment when I make things, photograph them, edit the pictures, AND get everything listed in one day!  :)

First up, the Wishing Necklaces.  Love them.  Simple, fun, made with sterling silver OR vermeil. 

Moonstone Collection.  More pieces to come.  But for now, know that this necklace is to die for.  Seriously.

A few more pieces to add to the Royale Collection.  Because really, how can the Royale Collection NOT include a crown????  That is the question that I have for you.

Holiday Earrings.  Perfection.

Thanksgiving, Black Friday and the Aftermath

Goodness.  I can't believe that it is Sunday.  Already.  This break flew by in record time.  Here's the run down...

1.  On Wednesday we did a lot of cleaning.  And a lot of jewelry stuff.  It wasn't a very exciting day.   But necessary.

2.  On Thursday morning I called Mom.  This is how our conversation went...
Me:  So, you don't want to keep my kids, do you?
Mom:  Sure.
Me:  Really?  Like we can leave them there today?
Mom:  Sure.  I don't see why not.
Me:  And they can stay until Saturday?
Mom:  Yep.  Let me double check with Tom, but I don't see a problem with that.

What, what????????  Score!  So, we quickly packed clothes for the kids and broke the news to them that they would be having 2 sleepovers at Meme's.  There was some screaming and squealing involved.

3.  We had a fantastic lunch at Mom's.  Matt and Chalise were in town from Texas, Ann and Randall came over, and it was just us.  And I like it that way.  Perfect.  Mom made stuffing which was Q's favorite thing on the menu.  He kept asking for more "fluffing."  There are pictures from this event on many cameras out there...just not on mine.  I didn't take a single picture.  Isn't that the worst???  I hate it when I do that!  Especially because I know there are pictures out there of Matt, Randall and Tom picking the turkey apart...and then of Matt making the carcass dance.  It was one of the most disgusting (and hilarious) things I have ever seen.  I also should have taken a picture of the to-die-for rum balls that Ann made.  Sheesh.  I think I may have eaten a dozen of them.

4.  And then - holy smokes! - we left our kids out there! 

5.  We stopped by a couple of Michael's stores on the way home - picked up some big blocks for Q.  The plan is to build some monstrosity for Christmas morning with them and fill said monstrosity with balloons.  I don't think any thing would make him happier.  Best part?  40% off.  Hooray!

6.  We ate grilled cheese sandwiches and french onion soup for dinner.  Leaving the children with mom meant that we didn't get any left overs.  Ugh.

7.  We left the house around 9ish to go and stand in this line...

 

This is our local Target at about 9:45pm on Thanksgiving.  The doors opened at midnight.  We were in by 12:10.  It was AWESOME.  Let me just tell you, I have quite a few Black Fridays under my belt and this was really just about the best one ever.  First of all, it was date night for Chris and I.  We were determined to have fun no.matter.what.  We made friends with the people around us in line - a couple about our age were in front of us and then a redneck guy was behind us - his wife was at the Wal Mart.  They were trying a divide and conquer tactic.  We had a list of things that we wanted to get, but if we didn't get them, it wasn't going to be a big deal.  BUT....we managed to get EVERYTHING that we came for!  Can you believe that luck!???!  Super AWESOME!  

It was 12:48 when we were pulling out of the Target parking lot.  We moved on to Old Navy...madhouse...Macy's and a few other mall stops and then Toys R US.  We could get in and move around at the Toys R Us...but the line...oy vay.  Not good.  Those poor people probably spent hours waiting to get in the store and then hours waiting to check out.  Not fun, if you ask me.

I really think that everyone should take a cue from Target.  Such a pleasant experience.

8.  We got home a little after 3am.  I can't tell you when the last time was that I was out driving around at 3am.  

9.  We slept until 11ish.  Ate some lunch, lounged around, and then decided to head back out for a little bit.  

We have a few odds and ends pieces still to get, but otherwise, Christmas around here is DONE.  Hooray.  Now if only the elves would appear to wrap all of this stuff.

10.  We ended Friday by eating at Olive Garden.  It had been soooooo long since we'd been there.  And since we had no kids with us, we ordered dessert.  Mine came in a liquid form.

 

This would be a Toasted Marshmallow Amour.  I highly recommend it.  Seriously.  

11.  Then, because my sleeping schedule was all thrown off, I couldn't go to sleep until 12:30.  Not good, Friends, not good.

12.  Saturday morning I headed out to Mom's to pick up the kids.  We ordered pizza for lunch and watched the Ga. vs. Ga. Tech game.  I love it when Georgia beats some Ga. Teach hiney.  Just sayin.

13.  Chris stayed home to WORK.  Blah.  Blech.  Yuck.

Whew!  I feel like I am still in recovery mode.  I definitely need a few more days off to catch my breath.

This Is Me. {black friday sale info}

This is me.  Angie.  {And my husband...his name is Chris.  I love his bald head.  Just in case you were wondering.}

These are my pretty fantastic kids.

Casey 

{the oldest by one minute}

Chandler 

{our middle child}

Leo Quinn 

{the boy}

{pictures from Abby Libsack Photography}

These are just a very few of the things are in my etsy shop

IKE & CO...

...and they are all on sale 

{25% off} 

 a Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale!!!
 p.s. - I'd love for you to stick around and become a follower!  ;)