Christmas Card 2013

So maybe I'm just a little bit crazy.... but I started

thinking about my Christmas cards back in September!

I had decided that I wanted to get some pictures taken at

the cabin my husband's side of the family has been

in the processing of building this year. My family was all

going to be there for a long weekend in September, so it

worked out perfectly for my sister to take the pictures for us.

The picture below is a cell phone screen shot of the card,
so it's a little blurry, but the actual cards turned out great! 

 

I found this printable online that I thought would

be something cute and different to use in a card.

 

I already had the red frame so all I did was get

chalkboard vinyl from Hobby Lobby and then while I

was getting ready, my mom and sister put it on

a piece of cardboard sized to fit the frame. It really

worked well to have 2 people working on it. Oh, and

they used a boxcutter on the vinyl to cut it.

 

My sister used the printable I found as a

guide to draw on the words.... she did a great job!

After I decided on a picture (which really wasn't

easy... my husband wasn't in the mood to get

pictures done, and it was obvious!), Rebekah added

the little bit of wording at the bottom of the picture.

I think it mimics the style of the lettering on the chalkboard

pretty well! Then we emailed the picture to office depot

and they printed off 500 pictures on cardstock and cut them

to size. The lady there gave me two different discounts

which took about $45 off the final price! She said it was

because we had to wait longer than usual due to a rather

difficult customer who was ahead of us in line.

 

For envelopes, I grabbed some from Hobby Lobby when

they were 40% off. I stuffed them during the car ride

to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, addressed the cards on

Thanksgiving Day, and my father-in-law and 2 year old

niece helped me seal the envelopes!  I still have a few more

that I need to get in the mail tomorrow... and a handful to give

out to people when I see them at church on Sunday, but the

majority of them have all been sent/given out.

 

Hope you like it! Merry Christmas!

How I Wrapped Christmas Presents in 2013

I typically coordinate my wrapping paper every year for

Christmas (click HERE to see 2012's wrapping).... for this

year, I chose my wrapper paper based on some gold and black

zebra print ribbon that I've had for about three years now and

really wanted to use.

 

I bought a bunch of different gold and black paper from Target

and just used ribbon and bows that I already had on hand.

I really love how they all turned out!

 

I only have just a few more presents to wrap.... hoping to

finish that up tonight!!!

 

What Will It BEE?? A Gender Reveal Party!

On Thanksgiving Day, my friends Josh and Lauren

announced that they were pregnant! I am thrilled for

them and know that they will be amazing parents!

 

They threw a Gender Reveal party with a bee theme

on Saturday evening and it was just so cute :)

 

I loved the baby book that all the guests signed. And

this is one of the cutest diaper cakes I've seen!

 Honey sticks were handed out as favors.

 Josh's sister made this sign that was at the entrance of the party. Perfect!

  5 out of 7 Old Wives Tales predicted a boy....

Josh and Lauren served lots of yummy food... I didn't good pictures of

the regular food... they had Rollzzz and Bunzzz for ham sandwiches,

Meatballzzz, Chipzzz and Salsa, and Deviled Eggzzz!

 

The dessert table was pretty impressive though!!

 



 I loved the decorations too... gotta love a party where

stuff hangs from the rafters!

 



 

 

The news was inside this giant balloon... Josh and Lauren

had their ultrasound tech put the picture in an envelope and seal

it. They took the envelope, this giant balloon, along with pink and

blue confetti to a local florist shop and told the florist to wait til

they left to look at the ultrasound and fill the balloon with the

correct color confetti. Poor Josh... the suspense was killing him!

 

Everyone who thought it was a girl...

 

Everyone who thought it was a boy....

 

And now for the big reveal....!!!!!

 

 

IT'S A BOY!!!!

 

Bronson Josiah Arrick... due May 2014!!

Can you believe Lauren is almost 5 months

preggo? She is so tiny and just beautiful!!

Congratulations friends... I've already bought some

baby boy stuff for baby Bronson!! I love him already!