Thursday, December 13, 2012

I'm trying to publish this off the blogger app on my iPhone and its my third try. It doesn't let me put pics where I want so I'm hitting the publish button once again!

On the second week til Christmas...I have some things I love.

1. This handsome boy who played in the cold Christmas parade and a Christmas concert. Nothing like holiday music to get you in the spirit!

2. Speaking of Christmas music, my very favorites right now are Dave Matthews band Christmas song and faith hills o holy night.

3. I found this beautiful dress at a kids consignment store and the shrug shopping the next day. Hannah loves
it and she looks so pretty.

4. This is the best nail polish ever. I got a bottle of festive hi-ho silver and after 3 days not one chip! I'm going to have to get some more colors.

5. Made butter cookies for us the other night. One of my most favorite holiday cookie. It goes by many names: Mexican wedding cookie, kiflin, snowballs. Just butter with some flour, sugar, vanilla and nuts.

6. I love the smells of this time of year, especially the new scents at bath and body works. Snowberry is the best.

7. Christmas movies! Christmas story or Christmas vacation are my very favorites.













Monday, December 3, 2012

Yay! I am in such a wonderful mood.  It's December and I am not stressed, overwhelmed or overworked.  Isn't that great?  I went to a beautiful Christmas concert last night that celebrated the real reason we are so excited this Christmas season. I'm hoping to be a part of it next year.   I have my cards done, 90% of my shopping finished, my house is decorated and my tree is up.  Really, I'm not trying to brag, just saying that when I have less on my plate, everything gets done!  I love it.  The kids and I are looking forward to our annual Gingerbread house and Christmas cookie baking/decorating.

Quick re-cap for Thanksgiving, our brined turkey was AMAZING!!  Best.Turkey.Ever.  Moist, flavorful, Mike has earned the top award (and future ones) of TURKEY MASTER.  He's a little bummed it turned out so great and he's now in charge of the bird every year.  We all have our talents, right?

So my carpel tunnel is back and I get to wear my lovely brace for awhile.
 I thought I was passed that :-( Now I not only have pain in my palm and wrist area but it goes all the way up my arm.  And since I'm complaining, the dishwasher door corner came right down on my ankle bone about 6 weeks ago and it is still sore, as well as the muscles around it.   I really don't want to look like a whiner and go to the doctor but anyways....

Mike showing the turkey who's boss

Taylor hoping we eat very soon

Almost ready to eat!

Hannah getting a headstart on the Hobbit

A new dinner idea-salad bar (epic fail as Taylor would say)

Getting lunch after some shopping

glitter blast says it all!

Family fun night: Christmas shopping, Chik-Fil-A and Big Al's
I found a can of spray glitter at the craft store and have been having fun making sparkly trees.  This is the first year I haven't made homemade gifts and I'm eagerly planning for next year :-)  Absence does make the heart grow fonder.
On Saturday Taylor is marching with the band in our town's Christmas lights parade.  I'm hoping it's not too cold for him (it's at 6pm), should be fun!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Here is what we are busy doing this week:

1.  I am wrapping up the December issue of my magazine.  Check out this cover:

Doesn't it make you feel all ready to ho-ho-ho? I definitely do after immersing myself in everything Christmas for the last week.

2. Taking the kids to Wreck It Ralph with some friends.  Fun! Mike and I also went to see SkyFall and it was pretty good!

3.  Trying out a new thing with the turkey this year: brining.  For all you foodies out there that are probably sighing and mumbling boredom because you've been doing it for the past 10 years, I know, I'm slow to this one.  We do the same thing every year to the turkey and it's really good, but this year we're feeling adventurous.  I'll let you know how it goes.  BTW: Mike is in charge of the bird.  *Happy sigh.*

4.  I get a manicure tomorrow. What a treat.  My reward for all the work I've been doing (and it stops me from biting my nails).

5.  I have lots of new work and am happy to have it.  Going to work hard to purchase a new iMac.  My current one is wonderful but very slow.

6.  Got Mike a membership to my gym and it's so nice to have him with me sometimes.  I know a lot more about the weight room now!

7.  Getting SO excited to buy Hannah her big Christmas present.  It's a secret!

8.  Celebrating good grades, smart kids and accomplishments.  Yay!

9.  Harley's stinky skin is finally getting better after 3 rounds of pills. Mike is a pro at shoving them down his throat, after coating them with applesauce.  Harley will swallow anything that resembles food.

10.  Preparing for a holiday crafting day and making a Christmas-y penant.

That's all!  Happy Thanksgiving.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

We carved pumpkins tonight. Mike always has the best one, the showoff used power tools. The kids are getting older so its much easier since they can do a lot of the work themselves.
Here are our finished results:

Thursday, October 18, 2012

It's been a really hectic, emotional, and sad 3 weeks.  My Dad passed away on October 2nd from lung cancer.  It all happened so quickly, I'm still stumbling over the fact that he's gone.  He was officially diagnosed with lung cancer in July but I don't think anyone had any idea that he would die so fast.  I think it's a blessing though, having gone through it with my Grandma.  A blessing for the person, definitely not the family.  They don't have a long, drawn out illness that has them in horrible pain for weeks or months on end.  As with my Grandma, I feel it was a privilege to be with my Dad in those last moments.  Oh, it was hard to see such a strong man be so ill, but I know that everyone there did the very best to carry out his wishes, to take good care of him and to say goodbye to him with absolute love.
 
He is technically my step-Dad, although I never referred to him as that.  He came along when I was just 7 years old, and has been the only Dad I know.  Like family relationships go, we struggled when I was a teenager and I don't think we could have had more opposite personalities.  But he loved me, showed me his love of raising animals, helped me buy my first car, bought me my first horse, drove me off to college, walked me down the aisle at my wedding and loved fishing with his grandkids.

I will really, really miss him.



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Just had to show off a project I've been working on since July for a client I've been working with for awhile.  She makes lovely skin products (her Coconut Lime sugar scrub is amazing!).  I did a whole re-do of her logo and product labeling.  It turned out so beautiful-look at that silver!
To see all of her products go to www.plumhill.net.  They really are quality stuff.





Friday, September 21, 2012

My name is Kristi Case and I approve of this message.

Haha.  No seriously, I am so SICK of hearing about the upcoming presidential election, and it's not even October yet.  We still have to endure annoying debates, last minute efforts and LOTS and LOTS of commericals. And bumper stickers.  And news coverage.  And photos.  And lying, backstabbing, cheating and fighting.

Where has our country gone to?  How about we take the billions spent on the campaigns and donate it to a good cause or put in the USA bank account?  It's so disgusting.

All anybody wants to do is point out the other side's mistakes and complain.  They both do it.  I'm not saying which political party I'm leaning towards because honestly, there is lots of problems with both candidates.

When did the people of this nation put everything on a president?  Yes, he is the leader of our country and makes lots of important decisions that affect us.  But he is only part of the big picture. What if we worked together to make things work?  Be a part of our community, help our neighbor?  Changing the atmosphere of the US starts in our own back yard.  Not with the president.  He is just the face. Instead of calling each other out for our opinions, why not work towards a solution?

Critical, critical, critical.
While both parties rant about what the other party isn't doing or how they've messed up, aren't we missing out on what does need to be done?  When did being nasty become accepted?  Both Republicans and Democrats are guilty.  Radio stations, talk shows and publications that focus on just complaining about the political party they don't like is so disappointing.  

It takes a lot to change something and the President can't do it on his own, no matter who he is.  I will be voting in November but I'm not really excited about who I'm voting for.

I'm not voting based on:

  • Race
  • Sex
  • Political Party or
  • Gender

But I DO know I will be watching Saturday Night Live's version of this election because it is hilarious to see how well they make fun of these guys. Really funny.  

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Oh, how I love this time of year!  The food, the colors, the trees, the pumpkins, the hot drinks. I just tried a soy chai with a shot of pumpkin spice and I'm in love.  I have to say at Starbucks, they are just so happy to let you try whatever you like, and if you don't like it, they'll make you a new drink. 

 Anyways, I could talk about coffee for awhile but-here are some fabulous finds over the web.  Of course you can also just go to my Pinterest to see more.  I have a board just for fall.  

Fall Tablescapes-so pretty!


The kids and I did this project last year.  You can enjoy all the colors of fall throughout the winter.

Print these and then frame them for some cute and easy art!

What a great idea!! Homemade coffee creamers without all the crappy ingredients.

One of the best uses of pumpkin for baking: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  I can't be around these things too long or I will eat many of them.

And being released this fall.....
the Iphone 5!  It might have to be my Christmas present!


Get out the crockpots!!

The cutest fall decoration I've seen


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Here are some pics from my iphone that I thought I would share.

Favorite Pedicure ever.  It's called the Minx and it lasted 2 months!  It's a wrap they apply with heat, not polish.  Loved it.  The design was paisley with rhinestones.  Totally doing that next summer.

Happy voter.  Our community passed a much needed education bond.  That's me and my "I Voted" sticker. I was trying to look as cheesy as possible.  Did I pass?

Taylor's current favorite place. That kid really loves to climb things-fences, walls, trees, rocks.  I guess he's trying out the phrase 'practice makes perfect.'

My favorite time of day.  Every day the kids come home from school and most of the time I'm working in my office.  So, they sit on the love seat, with the dogs and tell me about their day at school, what homework they had, etc.  Love it.

Sweet fresh peaches.  Peaches are in season, and I am eating them up as fast as possible.  With cottage cheese, in cereal, sprinkled with cinnamon, or my favorite pictured above: with greek yogurt, granola and cinnamon.  Yum.


Dog takes over bed.  This is a crappy photo but last night Hannah and I were watching TV in bed and Isa took up her favorite spot: next to me with her head on the pillow, just like a person.  She makes herself nice and comfy and it was funny. Sometimes I wake up and there she is.  The picture doesn't quite capture it.

Favorite poem about marriage.  I found this on Pinterest (obesessed with that site really!) and love it!

We got to go camping again over Labor Day weekend with my sister + family (yes, I am a little behind on posting, but it's better late than never, right?).  We tried out a campground by Lake Cascade.  The good thing was we had a killer view of the lake, it was beautiful.  

Also, our campground featured a newly built, very nice shower facility.  Super clean, tiled and free!  That plus flushing toilets is a HUGE bonus when camping.  It's makes the whole experience easier.  The down side was our camp site was very small, we had to set up our tent on the asphalt and the sites were pretty close together so we got to be..um..close with our neighbors.  In our endeavor to make camping as comfortable as possible while still in a tent...we got a new, huge tent that is awesome. No need to duck as it's 6' the whole space and there was lots of room inside.  Since it got down to 37 degrees, next year my next item to purchase will be a heater for the tent.  And that should do it.  Maybe.



It was really a great weekend.  Everyone was free to do what they wanted.  Hannah and Brendan played about 48 hours of card games, Taylor got to do some "parkour", and I took about 4 naps and read.  We went to Gold Fork Hot Springs near McCall one day and it was fabulous, and had breakfast at the delicious pancake house in McCall.  


Deer came down two nights we were there.


Silly boy!