All was cheery and bright

Happy Monday everyone!
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I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! Ours was amazing! We got lots quality time with my parents and my sister. I also got to see some of my relatives that I haven't seen in years. The traveling wasn't super nice with lots of ice as we drove back to my parents's house on Christmas eve and decided to skip the midnight service because of the weather. The funniest story of the weekend though had to be the Dorsey clown car. After driving back to my parent's house Christmas eve through the nasty icy rain, we went inside to defrost and never gave a thought to my ice coated car sitting out in the drive way. We get up Christmas morning, the kids open their Santa gifts, we get all spiffy for church on Christmas Day and all 7 of us head out to my mini van to go to church. When we get out there we find that the sliding doors are frozen shut. Now instead of doing the logical thing and taking two cars, we decide that since the back hatch still opens, we will just climb in the back and surely the doors will have melted by the time we get to church. Um......no. So in our formal Christmas attire, we all procede to put the back seat down and climb out of the hatch of my vehicle. I am sure we were quite the seen. LOL

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Anyway, I am excited that I got so many great photos this year. I thought I would share just a few with you.

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My parents got both of the girls jewelry boxes which were desperately needed. L Obviously enjoyed hers. :)

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K got a DS game from her litter sister. :)

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Thanks to my sweet friend Terri, for mentioning Shutterfly photo books, we got one whipped up in time for my parents. They absolutely loved it!

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The girls and my younger sister. :)

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Just love this picture of my mom. :) My dad gave her a box of clamps because he claims she is always stealing his. LOL

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The girls were able to take advantage of the Wisconsin snow. They had so much fun sledding down grandpa and grandma's hills.

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I do have a card or two to share with you as well. I created these for a recent Paper Crafts call and these were a couple of the cards they didn't pick up. Lots of goodies on this card. I used one of the Chunky Hearts from Magistical Memories on the bottom. Simply used my Sizzix and enbossed some cardstock and then cut it to fit the heart.

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On this card I used one of the new die cuts that will be released by Sizzix at Winter CHA in CA this January. I simply used the die to cut out some really cool sparkle foam that I found at Hobby Lobby.

Off to cook breakfast for my sweet girls and then clean up my house and get to the grocery store. My in-laws come tomorrow so we can celebrate with them.

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Have an amazing day!

Only 4 more days!!!!

Can you believe Christmas is almost here! Can't wait! Looking forward to seeing my family, watching the girls open their gifts and celebrating my Savior's birth! What could be better? :)

It was a busy week around the Dorsey household. As promised I have some pictures of L with her Sweden project. You know, it just isn't fair when she has a scrapbooker for a mom. LOL I helped her make this wreath using my Sizzix Pointsettia Die to make the leaves for her wreath. The girls just love using that thing. :) She also wove the basket you can see her holding in the picture with her best friend. Did I mention that all of this was due the day after the big party at our house? Did I also mention that she had an 8 paragraph report due about Sweden due the day before? We survived and she even has a smile to show for it. LOL

We got to spend the weekend watching this sweetie swim.

She had another fabulous meet. She dropped 7 seconds off her 100 freestyle and 3 seconds off her 100 breaststroke. She also swam her first IM and did great. We went out for ice cream to celebrate afterward. :)

Since the meet was home DH volunteered to time so I could take pictures. I know this one is pretty grainy but I love it anyway. I have the best DH, he is such a great dad.

Still need a gift box for Christmas goodies? I made this one for K's teacher (love that woman!) You can find all the supplies, except the berries on the Emma's Paperie Blog.

Have a very blessed Christmas. I hope it is everything you hope for and so much more.

Is anyone else crazy busy?

Happy Break from the Christmas Chaos Day! OK, so it is not an official holiday but I really think it should be! LOL

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It has been a busy week. Tuesday we had 40-50 people over for DH's work party. The girls had a wonderful time entertaining everyone even though they were the only kids. The party went very well except for a little accident with the buffet table and lots of china. When the table got brought upstairs the caterer failed to check to make sure that it was locked in place. It collapsed when they put all the china on it. We had someone come and look at the wood floors yesterday and it looks like it they can fix it with no problems. (that will be a next week project) Please pray that they can get it done by New Years when we are having DH's family over.

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Yesterday, I got to spend the afternoon with the fifth graders. They were loaded with sugar as they made gingerbread houses out of frosting and graham crackers. Today they get to help their kindergarten buddies make houses. More sugar!

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I also get to spend the morning today with L's class for their Around the World party. (I will share pictures when I get those. She chose Sweden and will be showing off the wreath and basket she made. It should be a lot of fun! :)

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Wanted to quickly share a card I made for last week's red and gold challenge for the Emma's Paperie blog. You can check out the blog for all the other gorgeous creations and a supply list for my card.

Have a fabulous day and hope you can find some time to relax and enjoy the season today.

Christmas lessons

It amazes me how many examples of Christmas spirit I am seeing all around me. I know that I am probably more in tune to it because of the season but it makes me smile none the less. My sweet girls who really don't want a whole lot for Christmas (except maybe American Girl stuff-that is their weakness) are currently entertainging themselves with some foam stars DH gave them and a box from Amazon. They are so content with what they have it makes my heart happy. Or the sweet elderly lady that sat outside the grocery store ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. It was bitterly cold and I was there for a LONG time. Her smiling face was there when I went in and she was still sitting in her chair when I came out. Or this video (Christmas Shoes-love this song!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkI7GW2V34
So many things reminding me what Christmas is all about. I would love to hear what ways you have noticed the Christmas around you.
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As promised, here are some pictures of our enormous tree, along with some of my favorite ornaments.

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DH and I got this ornament one of our first Christmases and I still love it.

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These are definitely my favorites-All the sweet ornaments made by the girls that hang on our tree.

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Isn't he gorgeous? My MIL gives us these many Christmases. The creators name escapes me right now but I do love them. My DH has a pizza one by this same artist. Gotta love glittery pizza! LOL

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I also wanted to share this card that was in the November issue of Cards Magazine. I used the Purse, Cellphone and Shoe die from Sizzix. If you have this issue of cards would you do me a favor and send me an e-mail. I have not gotten my copy and really need a picture of the card. Thanks!

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Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Spirit of the Holidays

We have started doing evening devotionals with the girls but I have not been real consistant with my own. I used to get them sent to my e-mail box and would read them pretty much every morning but I changed my e-mail never signed back up. Not too long ago I signed back up to get these daily devotional e-mails but still have not been real consistant with reading them. It is amazing how many excuses I can create.

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This morning I did read the devotional that came into my inbox but it was the one from yesterday that really hit home. It reminded me of how important it is to not get caught up in the hecticness of Christmas. Christmas is about how we treat people and what we can give. This devotional reminded me that sometimes just being patient and understanding transends all the presents in the world.

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You can check out yesterday's devotional here. And if you are interested in getting a daily devotional sent to your inbox you can sign up here.

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Some sweet friends of mine asked me to post pictures of my Grizwald tree. :) I took some pictures this morning and I will post them in the next day or two. Since I can't have a post without a picture, I thought I would share these with you today. Some of my recent favorites of the girls. Oh man am I blessed!

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Have a wonderful Wednesday and stay safe and warm.

The Griswald Tree

You know how in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Clark sets out to find the perfect tree and comes home with a tree the size of a small village? Yah, well, I think I may be Clark's long lost sister. LOL We finally had a chance to go out and find a tree this last weekend. There is a tree farm real close to our house so we head over there. The prices are fabulous, we have the great new living room with very high ceilings and I decide I have found the perfect tree. As much as my sweet husband tried to convince me that it was too big, I was sure that this tree was perfect. You know....trees look a lot smaller in that wide open field than they do in a living room. LOL So, needless to say, this quite ginormous tree does not fit in the corner and we had to move it to the middle of the wall where it doesn't look so crowded. It is definitely a Christmas welcome to all who walk in the front door and a story I am sure we will share for Christmas' to come. :)

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I have a layout to share with you today as well. BHG had a challenge to create a layout using unique journaling. I chose to use a crossword puzzle for my journaling. The tab at the top and the heart on the lower left are both from Magistical Memories. To create the glittery butterfly and flower I simply used my Sizzex die cutter on some cool foam that I found at Hobby Lobby.

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Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Joyful

Good morning everyone!

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Looking forward to a busy day today and every reason to be joyful. This morning I get to go to the grocery store with the third graders. They have been raising money to buy food for the food shelter here in town. I am thrilled to be a part of this. DH and I try very hard to get the girls involved in charity and the thought that their school is reinforcing that makes me quite happy.

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After school I will drop L off at gymnastics and I get to go spend the evening scrapping with my sweet friend Kimber. Can't wait.
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Before I start my day though, I wanted to share a layout I created yesterday for Magistical Memories. I took these pictures last month while trying to get some serious Christmas card photos of the girls. Obviously L wasn't getting the serious part. LOL I love making mini albums but have way too many of them. One of my favorite mini album bases has been this Scallop Lace book. I haven't actually used this one as a mini album though. The pages are the perfect size to use as a photo mat as I did in this layout.

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I also used one of the Art Deco Stems from Magistical Memories as well and added a Prima flower to the top. I folded over the ribbon and machine stitched it before adding the pom pom fringe.

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Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Oh the weather outside is chilly...

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving! Ours was wonderful!
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We're gearing up for a chill finally. Don't get me wrong, I am not a huge fan of extreme temperatures but it just doesn't feel like December when it is 56 degrees outside. :) Today is actually supposed to be relatively warm but a cold snap is coming through.
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Lots on the agenda before the cold hits. I need to take the recycling in. I am not sure how I feel about the recycling situation here. I am thrilled that they collect a lot more than when we lived near Indy, but I hate that I have to take it in. My garage is overflowing with plastic bottles and cardboard boxes. How about you? How do they do it near you and do you recycle?
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I would like to pick up a few more Christmas lights. My sweet husband hung the lights two weekends ago when it was nice out but I would like to add a few to the teeny tiny bushes we have out there. LOL So ready for this landscaping to grow. :)
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I have a project to share with you today. I created this gift box for the Emma's Paperie Blog this last week. You can find instructions and supplies on the blog. If you would rather not make it, I have added it to my Etsy shop.
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Have a fabulous Wednesday and thanks for stopping by!!!

It's almost Turkey Day!!!

Hi everyone!

Quick post today. Have a lot to do before Thanksgiving as I am sure lots of you do! Our weekend was fabulous. L had a great meet on Sunday and although did not recieve any medals this time she has already qualified for state! So proud of my sweet 8 year old. I know she was disappointed but she handles herself with such grace.

We also saw A Christmas Carol in 3D. I loved it and so did the girls. I highly recommend it BUT not for younger children. There are definitely some creepy parts.

I am adding this mini album that I made this last week to my etsy store (check the side bar for the link). I used One of the tab albums by Magistical Memories for the base and also added some of the chipboard stars. Lots of yummy Graphic 45 and other goodies on there as well. Hope you enjoy it.

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving!!!

Gymnastics and salsa

I want to thank everyone for all your sweet well wishes. My headaches are completely gone and I feel sooooo much better.

It has been a busy last week or so partly due to some projects K has been working on. They have been doing a unit called See the USA. She was responsible for research and 5 projects (one being a report) on 5 different sites across the USA. She created a t-shirt, poster, mobile and a diarama. I am so proud of how hard she worked, there were several nights that she had no free time at all. Everything was due yesterday and today they are having a Taste of Americana party. I made some of my yummy salsa for her class. I told her teacher I would send her the recipe so I thought I would share it with you too.

Texan Salsa

1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 small can green chilies
1 medium onion
2 large jalapenos (seeded and chopped)
2 gloves garlic
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro (I add a little bit more)
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients.
*my family does not like chunks in their salsa so I put everything in the blender and puree it. It's much quicker that way too. :)

I am looking forward to this weekend. L has her first gymnastics meet of the season this weekend. She has been working so hard and has come so far. It should be good meet.

I wanted to share another project with you today. I created these tags for the Emma's Paperie blog this last week. I had so much fun making these. Each tag is printed on grid paper and inked for a worn look. I added lace to the bottom of each of the tags and lots of sparkles. Hope you enjoy them. I will be adding these to my Etsy shop if anyone is interested in purchasing them. :)

Have a great weekend!!!

Oh headache please go away...

Sunday morning L started complaining about a headache and sore throat. She never complains about a headache so I figured it was bothering her quite a bit. She is feeling much better but now I know why she was complaining. Both yesterday and this morning I have taken two Motrin and my head is still pounding. :(

I did want to share my very first Christmas card of the season with you. I created this card last week for Emma's. Cindy asked us to create a project using red and green. I just love all the great Christmas products she has in the store right now. Some of my favorites are definitely the Graphic 45 Christmas Past tags. Love the vintagy colors they used on those tags.



You can find a complete list of the supplies on the Emma's Paperie Blog and see all the amazing projects all the other designers created as well.
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I am going to add this card to my Etsy store if you are interested. Please stop by the store-the link is over on the bar on the left.
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Have an amazing day. (I am going to take a nap.) :)

Sunny Monday Morning

well, at least for the time being. :) They are predicting rain today, sounds like a good day to stay in and get some laundry and crafting done. I am finishing up a mini album for Magistical Memories that I hopefully will have done and can post in the next couple of days.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. K went on an overnight retreat with church on Friday after school. I was thrilled that she was so excited about going (she can be somewhat clingy sometimes). This has been a definite plus to our move. She had a wonderful time and is already looking forward to going next year. L had a friend over all day Saturday while K was gone and I got some cleaning done. Nothing too exciting and then Sunday K and I worked on all the homework she had to do. All in all, a pretty relaxing weekend.

I have a card to share with you today. Did this card for the Card-a-licious 31 challenge. We were challenged to create a Thank You card using the colors red and black. Here is my card.

The other thing I did this weekend was finally set up my Etsy shop. There is a link on the left hand side bar. Please feel free to check it out and let me know what you think.

Have a great day!

Proud of our Service Men and Women

It was a pretty busy day yesterday so I didn't get a chance to blog but I wanted to take this time to thank all of the men and women who serve our country. Having a brother who serves in the Army has made me aware of how very lucky we are to have all of them watching out for us.

After spending some quality time with our new dentist, (just kidding, she is great!) I stopped by the school to watch their Veteran's Day program. I will tell you what, there is nothing sweeter than listening to 400+ kids singing America the Beautiful. It really puts it all into perspective. Makes me realize that this is what all the defending our country is all about. They are our hope and our future. *sigh* it was just awesome. :)

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I do have two cards I would like to share with you today also. The first was a card I did for Magistical Memories. I covered one of the Chunky hearts with white paint and glitter (sorry for the poor picture, it really sparkles quite nicely). The background of the card is actually a doily that my MIL gave me. Lots of other goodies on here too. Love that watering can and tape measure from the Cut and Paste set by K & Company.

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I used to love paper piecing when it first came out. Some of my earlier scrapbook pages are proof of that. I swear the paper piecing was far bigger than any pictures on the page. LOL Decided to do a little paper piecing on this card too.

I hope you are enjoying your week. Hang in there, the weekend is almost here. :) Have a fabulous day!