Christmas Cards

Now that our Christmas cards have officially gone out I would like to share them with all of you! This was our first time ever to send out Christmas cards and we were so pleased with how they turned! Fun & Sassy Designs put them together for us and we worked one on one with them. They did such a great job and I plan on using them again in the future!

Front

Back

I wish I could blog more at this second but I have to get back to work! More to come later today. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! xoxo

Making a list & checking it twice

T-minus 17 days till Christmas! Can you believe that it's almost here?! I am overwhelmed with Christmas cheer this year and absolutely loving every minute of it. I feel like this year is so different from the previous years. I am not sure if its because we have a house now or if its just an overall change but this year feels more magical. Just wait till we have kids and then the real fun will begin!

My Christmas Checklist:

• Trim the tree with...check
• Decorate the house...check
• Shop for presents...still need the dogs gifts and the Lenz white elephant
• Wrap the gifts...check
• Purchase ornaments for the Ornament Exchange...double check
• Snow...triple check
• Christmas Eve menu...still making some final touches
• Mail out Holiday cards...going out today!
• Christmas outfitts...hmmm....

The list could go on and on but I will spare you the rest of the details.

On Sunday my sweet hubby bought us lights for the outside. We weren't going to do them this year but he couldn't resist. It was an amazing surprise! So this week we are going to tackle this project. I can't wait to see the house all lit up!

On Monday my sweet friend Jenn posted some of her favorite holiday movies. What a great idea! So Jenn I hope you don't mind but I am going to copy you! I know there are a tons of Christmas movies out there to choose from but these are my all time top favorites:

So what are your favorites? Post about them and send me your link! Thanks Jenn for sharing yours! Go check out Jenn's page!

Happy Tuesday! xoxo

Pearl Harbor

With all the Christmas cheer at this time of the year we tend to glaze over such an important day in history...the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was this day 68 years ago on December 7, 1941 that we were attacked on our own soil. We will always remember 9/11 in our hearts but lets not forget Pearl Harbor. Please don't forget to tell all of those that serve for our nation how much you appreciate them. So take a few minutes today to give thanks and remember our history.

I hope you all have a blessed day!

Winter Wonderland

So I have lots of pics to post from this weekend so I hope you enjoy. Lots of snow and Xmas decorations plus the dogs! Yes it snowed!

My car when I left the office

On the ride home

The house looked like a winter wonderland when I drove up
About to play in the snow! EEK!!!

the backyard was covered

...and Chris was waiting for me!

Me and my AMAZING hubby! I love him!
Brixie playing in the snow...dad this one is for you!

We built a snowman...Frosty

Loving the snow
And he didn't think it would snow, lol!
Our Christmas Tree
I love our angel (gift from Megan last year)

Front Entry
our smaller Xmas tree
Front door wreath (gotta love HomeGoods)
Kitchen Table..still needs work

We were tired after playing in the snow Look at those long legs!
The girls together! I caught them snuggling.

Today I am lounging on the couch enjoying my last few ours of the weekend while Chris is with the boys watching the Texans. It's wet and cold outside so I am just trying to keep warm.

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend! We sure did!

Let it Snow!

Houston, Texas - Hot, humid and it's summertime all year round. Jeez, I have even worn shorts on Xmas day before. Well not this year!!! Yes ladies and gents we have a chance of snow on Friday!!! I have personally only seen a few snowflakes in my lifetime, you know the ones where they turn to water before they even hit your head. And the last time that it snowed a good portion in Houston guess where I was...Florida. So I was thrilled when I heard on the news yesterday morning that we had a chance of snow on Friday. When I shared my excitement with the hubby he just laughed and told me not to get my hopes up, it is Houston. Well to late...I am thrilled that there is even a possibility and can't wait for its arrival! See proof of snow below:

Thank you weatherman! I hope you do not disappoint! Maybe the chances of a white Christmas aren't that fairytale after all.

Christmas is only 24 days away! I am patiently waiting. My Christmas presents are already wrapped and the dates to exchange are set. The weekends are beginning to quickly fill and my Xmas cards will be going out at the end of this week. I still need to figure out our menu for Christmas Eve at our house though. What are some of your favorite Christmas meals? Help me out ladies!

Ok well I have to get back to work so I can have fun signing our holiday cards for the troops overseas later this afternoon. May you all stay warm and cozy today! My heater is going full blast! xoxo

'Tis the Season

I absolutely love this time of year! I must admit I started decorating last weekend. I know, I know, I completely caved in and did it before Thanksgiving. But I just couldn't resist the holiday cheer. The house is all decked out and the tree is fully decorated. Last year the apartment was a winter wonderland and stuffed with Christmas decor from floor to ceiling. But since moving into the house I am beginning to see that we don't have as much as I thought we did. I will be taking advantage of the after holiday sales to fill up my home for next year but what we have will do for now.

Some of the things I love about Christmas time:

• The Lights - I absolutely love looking at Christmas lights. They fill shopping centers and line the streets to make it glow. I love driving into our neighborhood and seeing all the outside Christmas decor! I wish we could do our this year but it will have to wait.
• Christmas Music - starting the day after Thanksgiving our local Sunny 99.1 plays nothing but Christmas music till the end of the year. I love hearing my favorite tunes! Growing up my dad and I would always listen for "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" and every time I hear it now it brings me back to the first time I heard it. And now its seems to be the only radio station Chris and I listen to when we get in the car.
• The Smell - I love walking into a house with the smell of cinnamon, spices and peppermint. It's so welcoming and puts me in the spirit.
• Christmas Cards - I always look forward to checking the mail at this time. It's when we start to receive the Christmas cards! I love seeing what people are up to and knowing that no matter the crazy time of year someone is thinking of us as we think of them.
• The Advent Calendar - growing up in the Beene household was always fun in December. We would each try to be the first one up to move the reindeer from date to date on our Advent calendar. My dad would even try to hide it from us until he got home so that he could be the one to do it. It became our family tradition and I hope to pass it on to our children.
• The Wrapping - I have already gotten the majority of mine done. I feel that the wrapping is half the present. It's fun putting all the paper and bows and extras together to finalize the gift. I always feel bad tearing it up.

Those are just a few of things at the top of my head but I know that I could go on and on. Maybe I will make that for another days post.

This week is a busy one. I have 3 Scentsy parties lined up, woohoo! I am thrilled! Then on Wednesday my department at work is getting together to write 200 Christmas cards to the soldiers overseas. It's so sad to think that they won't be with their loved ones on Christmas but I am beyond thankful for all that they do to keep us safe at home. No words can express how appreciative I am to them!

I just weighed Brixie today and she is 17 lbs! Wowzer! I can't believe how much she has grown. Everyday she gets bigger and bigger. She has learned to sit and we are teaching her to lay. She goes straight to her crate when its time for bed. And when she needs to go out she rings the bell that we hung from the back door. She has been such a blessing. Even Adrienne is loving her! Sorry ladies I don't have any good photos. She doesn't stay still long enough for them to come out clear, lol.

Ok I gotta run. My shows are about to start. I hope that you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! Pictures to come in the next post! xoxo

Exciting News

Hello ladies! I have some exciting news I would like to share! Remember the other day when I was daydreaming about all the wonderful jobs I would like to have, well I came up with another great option and I have decided to do a little something on the side. I have expanded my horizons and joined an amazing company called Scentsy. Scentsy offers a variety of scented, wickless candles heated in decorative ceramic warmers. Not only are they a great accessory to any home or office but they are also a safe alternative to the average candle. Please check out my website here to learn more about it. I am really excited about this new journey and would love to share it with all of you. If you are interested hosting a party in the Houston/Katy/Sugar Land area or would like more information about the products please let me know or sign up on my website.

This warmer is the new addition to my room!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday and thanks for letting me share my exciting news! xoxo

Artist in my house!

Does the weekend have to be over? We had an awesome weekend and I am so sad its over. Friday night after work I headed over to Megan & J's house for some final painting on the inside of their lovely house. We can both say that our previous owners were some pretty funky painters. We painted the walls and even the ceilings! I was sooo sore the next day but it was great hanging out with them and even Chris came and joined the guys later that night. Good family fun!

The next morning I woke up bright and early to take Brixie for her follow-up at the vet. She is a healthy 11 lb. girl! She doubled her size and still growing! The vet said she is a guaranteed 80 to 90 lb dog. Needless to say she has already grown out of her crate and into what Chris and I call her mansion, lol! Pics to come later.

Later that morning Chris and I headed to the Houston Buddy Walk for The Down Syndrome Association. We had an absolute blast and walked for this little guy below. Chris works with his mom and he signed us up as soon as he heard about the walk. Nick is such a sweet kid and boy does he love to dance. The theme for his team this year was Nick's Rock Stars. Through out the whole walk we jammed to "Party like a Rock Star" and the whole time he was dancing and moving his head to the beat! We can't wait to do it again next year!

After the walk we headed home to take a power nap and start to get ready for Chris' art show later that evening. Some of you know Chris but many don't know that he loves to paint. Or friend Chad got him started on this talent and Chris has a real passion for it. This was Chris' first art show and he was really nervous. He had originally painted another piece for the show but wasn't able to submit it do to it still not being dry but he was still able to put in one of his others. Our neighbors and Chris' parents joined us for the event. We drank wine, listened to music, ate a little and mingled our way throughout the art show. As the night progressed people began to bid on pieces and with much excitement we discovered someone had bid on his! Yes, he sold his first piece! I have an artist in the house! And to top it off half of it went to charity. I am so proud of him and so excited! He is more motivated now to keep going and I even have a few projects for him in the near future!

My hubby the artist!

His piece sold for $200! Good job babe!
I was actually there when he painted this one and had to take a few snaps.

So glad that I did but so sad to see it go.

Chad helping him relax and motivating him
Sunday we did a few things around the house and just had a relaxing day. So sad its over! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the beautiful weather!

More to post later! I promise!

Daydreaming

I totally apologize for my lack of blogging once again. Work has been rough and somewhat prison like. I might has well have an ankle bracelet on. If you could be anything you wanted what would you be? I often daydream about this and I have to admit the things I would love to do wouldn't pay much but I would be so much happier. I actually have a pretty long list (in no particular order):

1. Tornado Chaser: I know this might sound a bit extreme but I love the weather especially when it gets a little scary. My favorite thing to do is pop in the movie Twister when the lightning and thunder begins. It gets my adrenaline pumping!
2. Boutique Shop Owner: I love stepping into a boutique and finding some of the cutest things including clothes. Think Francesca's or Magpies or my new favorite Beau Kisses!
3. Stay-at-home-mom: I have the utmost respect for both stay-at-home-mom's and career mom's. Neither one is easy and making the decision to do either is hard. But if I could and money allowed us to I would be a SAHM.
4. Event Coordinator: I love planning and hosting events both big and small. Using my creativity and coming up with new ideas is an absolute blast for me and it doesn't feel like work.
5. Web Designer: I love creating headers and helping people jazz up their blogs. I might not be good at learning other languages but I actually understand html.
6. Professional Vacationer: If I could vacation for my job and travel the world I would do it in a heartbeat. Think Travel Channel. Maybe visit some of the best beaches known to man. Greece, Fiji, Belize , etc....
7. Taste Tester: I love food!!! I love trying new things and exploring different types and customs of food. Seriously how fun would it be to hit all of the best restaurants and try amazing food and wine. Sounds like heaven to me!

Ok my list could go on and on. A girl can daydream though! So what would your list consist of?

This past weekend was pretty unproductive. Friday night I did not clean nor did I do laundry. Saturday was the Sugar Plum Market and I was so excited but found nothing, such a disappointment. The only thing I bought was a mimosa! After that I came home and cleaned house. That night we were supposed to have a few guys over for the fight but it fell through and I got sick. I was asleep by 8:30pm! Sunday we were totally lazy and I stayed in my pj's all day. Sounds exciting huh?!

Well I have to get back to work before the boss gets upset. Megan and Stephanie I promise to blog about the amazing rewards you gave me last week! Hopefully I can do them tonight!!! Happy Tuesday!

Photo Booth Fun

I am sooooo thrilled that today is Friday! I have been such an awful blogger these past two weeks and I am ashamed of myself. It's been super hectic with work and having a new puppy can be exhausting! But starting next week I will be back to my regular blogging schedule! I've missed yall!

A few weeks back I attended a Wedding Eve Dance Party at Warehouse Live for one of the partners in my office. We had an absolute blast! They had an awesome jazz group, the drinks were flowing and one of my favorite parts is that they had a photo booth section set up. This was an absolute hit! The photographer, Annie Ray, was amazing and had the station set up with props and costumes galore! The pictures were fun, carefree and would make a wonderful memory book. I will use any excuse to use her for our next big event! Here are a few pics but don't forget to check out her website http://annieray.net/index.php!

Bevin & Dan: the bride & groom to be

Jared, Rebecca, Chris & myself

Good times!

I love my hubbyThese two are sooo much fun!!!

So I realized I never even blogged about what Chris and I were for Halloween! We had a great time dressing up. I was the Cat in the Hat (I was wearing my adorable white heels, not pictured) and Chris was Billy Mayes. It was freaky how well he reassembled him!

This weekend holds alot of plans! Tonight I will be cleaning house and doing the laundry (sounds like an exciting Friday night huh?!) but tomorrow is where the real fun begins. It will be my first time to attend the Sugar Plum Market sponsered by The Fort Bend Junior Service League and Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. It's a great market to get things started for you holiday season! I hope to accomplish all my holiday shopping and so much more! Can't wait!


And since this might be a little to girly for the hubby, Chris has decided to get a big group of guys together to head to The Guy Expo. It's supposed to be an event for all guys to check out the latest gadgets and gizmo's but I think its just more of an excuse for the guys to eat and drink beer, lol! If it makes them happy though I am all for it!!!

Then Sunday Chris and I are excited to spend the whole day together out and about and if the weather is nice I want to take the dogs to the dog park. I am so happy that both Adrienne and Brixie are getting along so well now and are practically inseparable!

I hope that everyone has an amazing weekend and I hope to come back on Monday with lots of pics from the weekend. I won't be able to post what I got because there are some ladies on here that will be receiving a few gifts but I will let you know if I get anything for myself! xoxo