Happy Birthday, Aunt Haley...

Video presents for YOU!

I have a collection of videos I have been meaning to share, but every time I go to upload them from our camera I forget how..and it takes me days to figure it out! I got one uploaded, by clicking a million different buttons, went to bed, woke up and started the confusion all over again! ha! So, here is one..stay tuned for more!

This video of Jackson "eating" Cheerios  was taken right after Thanksgiving..mind you, he has improved tremendously and now tries to stick 3 or 4 Cheerios in at once. My Dad had given him some Cheerios over Thanksgiving, and fed them to Jack, so whenever I would get the Cheerios out he would just open his mouth like a little birdie (thinking..."throw one in there, Momma"). Here we are working on HIM putting the Cheerios in, since Gramps can't be here every day to feed him them.

(Warning: It is long..and my "Mom voice" is out of control)

Here comes Santa Clause comin' down Jonathan Lane..

We are officially ready for Christmas! Our halls our decked, indoor and out, christmas cards are ordered, and most importantly...Jackson had his first meeting with Sannnttaa..and what a meeting it was! You'll fall over when you see how cute his picture with Santa is..he just hammed it up the entire time. Of course, he didn't see who was holding him until the end, and then he looked at Santa crooked and I know he was thinking "who the heck are you, and my mom KNOWS that I don't like beards" -ie goats, and Papa's beard. No tears like we had guessed, just lots of laughs for Mommy and Daddy. Of course we had to buy the $25.00 picture. You can view it online, so I "stole" it, but it is small and blurry- but gives you an idea :)

we were first in line waiting for Santa to come back from "feeding his reindeer"- aka..his break ;)

"stop it mom, I am saving my smiles for the big guy!"

...drum roll....

SO cute! 

stay tuned for our Christmas card picture..oh, lord!

This year I think I got a little bit closer to my goal of having my Christmas tree look like it popped out of Macy's. I love an overstuffed, overdecorated Christmas tree. One day, we will have multiple Christmas trees in our house, all with different themes. I would have done a second this year (there is still time), but I have yet to decide if I want to invest a trillion dollars in more bulbs and trinkets...we'll see! Now, please don't judge the top of our tree b/c I LOVE it..Luke thinks it looks like a peacock and has yet to say anything nice about the top :) However, I am in love with it! Someday..I will most likely look back on it and feel bad that the top of Jackson's first Christmas tree looked like this...

A 10.00 purchase from TJmaxx and a trip to the embroiders...looks like it popped out of PotteryBarn, right?

 I also upgraded the mantle this year...I'll have you know that this mantle, total, probably cost 10.00. It is SO easy, and SO cheap to do. You just buy little bulbs, sparkly pine cones..well, basically anything that is sparkly..and shove it on top of fake garland and lights. There is no pattern, or idea at the beginning of the decorating..you just shove..and TA-DA! The wreath on the mirror was ONE dollar at a consignment shop down the street, and I spray painted it.. what a steal! I also bought wooden snowflakes at Michael's for 40cents a piece, and spray painted them... this is def. an economical mantle, but you would never know! I just loved hanging THREE stockings this year! Having Jackson is already making the holidays just that much more fun. I couldn't leave the kitties out, either...so, they got mini stockings this year, too! :)

my other 1.00 pine cone wreath spray painted...

Happy decorating to YOU...you really can decorate on a dime..just look at a Pottery Barn magazine and keep your eyes opened for things that have the potential to END UP looking high quality. A little spray paint and a LOT of glitter can go a long way! :)

Here are a few randoms of little pookie, too...

In the laundry basket at Grams and Gramps..

having so much fun!

Jackers in his snowsuit..ready for a brisk walk!

"I can't put my arms down"...help!