"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" the movie!

So Kevin did GREAT, no FANTABULOUS,

with his surprise date, but I will talk about that & post some pictures from our fabulous night later. (I am keeping you in suspense until then!!)

Right now, I have to share my excitement about something I just read on MSN...
They are doing a movie of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

and

Natalie Portman is going to play Elizabeth Bennett.I am going to have to see that!!

Click here to see an article about it.

5AM

I woke up at 5AM this morning!

5AM!!!


(Of course I was working early this morning, which means I went to bed early, and my alarm would be going off at 5:45 anyhow.)

I was lying in bed, wide awake and decided I must have overslept, or perhaps my alarm was about to go off, so I went ahead and got up so I could look at the clock to see what time it was (Kevin can't sleep with the light from the clock, so he places it face down at night so that the light from the numbers don't bother him) and it was only 5! Oh, well!! I went ahead and got up and got ready, slowly, but still it was just after 5:30 when I was all ready to go, so I decided to come on into work early.

Why did I wake up so early you ask? (or if you don't ask, too bad, I am going to tell you anyhow!!)

Because I am like a kid on Christmas morning!!

I am soooooooo excited about my surprise date tonight!!

(I will let you know what it was...hopefully this date night lives up to the suspense!!)

Also, here are a few pictures from Wednesday night (mom's birthday) when we all met up for dinner while the Grandparents were coming through town on their way to Florida.(Oops, I guess I didn't end up getting any pictures of Kevin...he was there as well!!)

I won!!!

I am kinda in shock right now!!

I actually won something...

It's a Christmas miracle!!

Remember when I posted about the big Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day that was going on last week. Well, it turns out I was super lucky and actually won one of them!! I can't believe it!!

On one of the blogs I commented on (Out of over 200 comments) I was one of the ones picked!!! (she gave away two prizes!)

I won an adorable handmade bag from Detail.
Isn't it cute!! I can't wait to get it in the mail!! I am soooo excited!!

Not much else new here since yesterday...just wanted to pass along the exciting news ! This is really quite a week...winning a giveaway, getting ready to sing with my sister on Saturday, a mystery date with Kevin scheduled for Friday...I am such a lucky gal!!

Hope your week if full of joy and happiness...and maybe some great surprises as well!!

Well, I didn't mean to wait so long before I posted again, but I seem to get really busy with everyday life lately, and run out of time to post my thoughts!!

I pulled out the Christmas decor (well, actually Kevin got it out of the attic for me!!-I can't carry those big boxed down on my own!) and started working on decorating the house this weekend. I love this time of year, but I am reminded how little storage space we have, because I pulled pretty much everything out of our overstuffed attic, and it still seems like a very sparsely decorated house. Oh, well, Kevin says he likes it that way...he doesn't want it to seem too crowded I guess! We still need to get the tree and pull out the Bethlehem Village. I guess that is why it still seems like I am missing something, those are the two biggest decorations we do!! I also think I want to get something for our mailbox this year. I also worked on our Christmas cards and I think I got almost all of them addressed and ready to go...except for the few that I still need addresses for. When I ordered them I got 80 (because it was a better deal per card when you ordered that many- so it was nearly the same price for 80 as it was for 60) and Kevin laughed at me for ordering so many asking if I was going to hand them out to strangers or something!! But there are only a few left over, and I am sure I will remember some people to send to if I look through my address book again!! Now to find the time to make it to the post office and get some international stamps for the few that I need of those!!

I finally succumbed to the peer pressure and decided to try to read the Twilight books. (I am giving them to my sister for Christmas-it is what she asked for-so I thought I would give it a try.) I am normally not a big romance reader, but so far I am really enjoying it. (I am less than halfway through the first book and there are four...do you think I am going to be able to get through them all before Chrismas?) Maybe I shouldn't have added this to my To Do List right now before Christmas!! Oh well, too late now!!

I visited with Grandma Micki (Kevin's Grandma) a bit on Sunday and then went shopping while I was over on her side of town (She has some great stores that I don't have near me...Borders & Old Navy are two of my faves!!) I love to shop. I definately belive in retail theropy. There is something so rewarding about finding exactly what I am looking for, or finding a great deal on something!! I don't have any pictures, but I did find some great gifts and a few things for myself! After a few more errands I had pretty much used up the day so I headed back home to make a Red Velvet Cake for my mother's birthday. (I was able to use my Christmas Apron I made last year, now we just need to get around to doing the Christmas cookies bake day!! Kels and Mom-what about Saturday after the luncheon?) I really do love to bake...although I am always burning things, even after 6 years I still can't seem to bake things in my gas oven correctly!! However, I didn't end up burning the cake and I think it turned out pretty good. (At least everyone ate it today at lunch, so I am taking that as a good sign!)

I did a bit of sewing over the weekend as well, and since I never ended up posting pictures of what I had been working on over the week I have a few of those pictures to share as well. (sorry the lighting wasn't very good on these shots.) I am not really sure what overcame me when I put the light blue snowman and golden/paisley fabric together! Oh well! I like working with what I have and seeing what comes from it, but sometimes the results are not what you thought they would be!! I am really looking forward to working with some of the new fabrics I have purchased recently, but most of those I am saving until after the holidays. (because I am trying to get all these other projects finished for the Joy in the New Year Challange...however, I have put those to the side for the moment to work on some Christmas projects!!)

Another thing checked off the to do list this weekend...Kevin and I finally got my elephant painting framed and hung, (that Barb had painted for me for my birthday...for Christmas she said I could pick out a picture from our trip to Europe that I want painted and she will do that sometime next year when she has the time... I am so lucky to have such a talented Mother in law!!) along with some pictures Kelsey had brough to me from when she was in Thialand a few years ago. I had them in a smaller frame, but I put them with some fabulous paper I found at Michaels and put it all in 2 nice matching frames and I really like how it all turned out! (Just ignore the caulking patch above the painting, that is from the nail hole from the old picture that hung above our bed before-I will get that touched up sometime this week...hopefully!!)

A bit of t.v. news...I said goodbye to MONK this week. I really liked that show. (It drove Kevin crazy, but I loved it!) I was sad to see it go, but I guess everything has to come to an end at some point. I am also still enjoying GLEE! Although the season finally for that is this week. (And I can get Kevin to watch that one with me!! Even though it is full of singing...he normally hates musicals, but he watches that with me!!) I haven't watched as many Christmas movies this week as I should if I want to get them all watched before Christmas, but I have already realized that this is not a very likely goal that I will attain!

Two big things are coming up this weekend. Friday is my mystery date night with Kevin. Months ago Kevin came home with a sealed envelope that said "Do not open until Dec 11th" so I had to hide it from myself or I would have been too curious and it would have been driving me crazy!! But now that it is finally this week I am really excited to see what he has planned!!
Also Saturday Kelsey invited me to sing with her at a Ladies Christmas Luncheon they are having at her church. I am really excited about that as well. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE singing with my sisters, so I don't turn down an opportunity to do that...especially since it is Christmas songs, which are some of my fave!!

Ode to Beautiful Blogland

Beautiful Blogland, oh how I love thee
bloggers of the world with talent overflowing
share their fabulous ideas making me dream
and wish for more time in the day to try everything
you make me smile and then cry
because I realize I can't afford all of your wonderful offerings
but then oh beautiful blogland you have a wonderful giveaway
(set up by sew mama sew)
and I smile again because of all the fun chances at winning!

O.K. So I obviously didn't get the poem writing gene...
but that is my attempt to display my happiness at all the wonderful giveaways going on in blogland right now!
If you want to join in on the fun, check out sew mama sew and see all the talented crafters participating in the giveaway!

Also, several of the talented bloggers participating in the giveaway are listed below, click on their names to see their giveaway and sign up to try to win yourself!!
Detail
A Crazy Quilting Adventure
Petits Details
Splitting Stiches
Dixie Mango
Finger Thumb
(I request that you send this one to me if you win please!!)

And, on a side note, here is one of those times when I am inspired and amazed at a beautiful work of art, then discouraged because of the cost. I am amazed at how expensive fabric can be-but that elephant fabric is some of the cutest fabric I have ever seen!! (Why oh why must I have an expensive hobby!!)

Also: I will try to remember to add a few pictures to this post from what I have been working on in the sewing room!

Thanksgiving Weekend

What a wonderful Holiday weekend!! I love this time of year!!

Thursday (Thanksgiving day) we went over to Kevin's mom's house for a Thanksgiving feast. My parents and youngest sister came over as well, so it was a nice full table and a fun afternoon of dominoes! (Whenever we get together with the family, on my side or my husband's side, it is all about the games!! We love all types of games-and can get quite competitive-it is hilarious!!)
Friday I was able to take the day off of work, so I got up and did a little Black Friday Shopping and then cleaned the house and did laundry and felt very domesticated all day and loved it! I also started addressing Christmas cards...we got our Christmas cards in that I ordered from Snapfish last week, and we also got the photo books just in time so that we could show them to all the family over the Holiday weekend. (I love them, however there are a few pictures that are really dark and I am disappointed in that! I am not sure if I should see if they can fix it or not, they were really expensive, but I hate to complain!) Friday night we had our Movie Night in our neighborhood, it was soooo cold, but we did have a few families come out to enjoy our outdoor viewing of a Christmas Movie to start out the Holidays!! Next thing on the list (I am in charge of our Social Committee so I set up all the events for the neighborhood) is our Annual Caroling Night. But that isn't until December 21st, so I have awhile before I have to think about that. (We got the newsletter finished and delivered so everyone knows the date already!) I did a little bit of sewing, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. (However, I have gotten 3 more finishes checked off the WIP to do list since I wrote last-so many friends are expecting, so baby stuff is what I have on the to do list right now-along with some Christmas projects!)
(Trying to decide what to do with this fabric, I am thinking a Christmas table runner maybe?)

Saturday I ran by Joannes (had to get some of the specials they had going on-I spent more than I should have, but I got over 20 spools of thread at 50% off plus an extra 20%!) and then up to mom and dad's house for our family Thanksgiving! It was another big meal and fun day of games (Last Word and Up the River Down the River) and ended with a Christmas Movie! (Holiday Inn) I love it when we are all together!!Sunday I didn't feel good, but was feeling up to meeting everyone in Town Center for a little shopping and dinner before Mary flew back to TX and ABC&Z headed back south. I am so glad I was able to feel up to it, because we ended up finding Kevin's Christmas present, which means I think I am nearly done with all my gift shopping!!
(These were taken after dinner on Sunday evening-the boys decided they wanted to sit in the back of the truck on the way home! They are so silly, thankfully we were able to convince them this might not be the best place to sit for a four hour drive in the cold!! The last picture I told all the adults in the back to smile and snapped the picture. (I had been just getting the boys and everyone else was in the background talking so I thought I'd get a quick shot) Look at all the cheese'n faces (and whatever kind of face it is that all the husbands are making!?!)...I love my family, too funny!!!

Weekend activities

As usual, I kept myself pretty busy this weekend. (We didn't go out of town or anything, but I did have to work Saturday morning...no fun!)

I did a little shopping, some sewing, and rearranged & organized my sewing/guest room. (Which was a big job, and really isn't completely done, but it does look better!!) I listened to Christmas music while I was sewing and it was quite chilly here on Sunday so that helped to put me in the mood for Christmas. (Plus I was mainly working with cutting out the Christmas fabrics for some projects!!)

Saturday night my dear hubby took me out to see the new Twilight movie New Moon. I haven't read the books yet, but they are on my (forever long) list of books I want to read! Maybe I will get around to them eventually. However, I am not a big romance reader or movie watcher...I have to be in the right mood. Most of the time I like mysteries when it comes to books, (but I am also addicted to anything that has to do with Austen or the Bronte sisters!!) and for movies I normally lean towards RomCom or Action. (I really wanted to see 2012, but we decided on New Moon, because we knew my sister was also seeing it over the weekend, so we saved 2012 to maybe see with the family over the holidays.)
Nothing against New Moon, because I won't complain about seeing the beautiful abs on Jacob (is that o.k. to say that since the actor is only 17?!? Kevin was like..."Why did they have to run around without their shirts on the whole movie, that wasn't necessary. If it was because they change over and their shirts would rip, wouldn't their pants rip too, that just doesn't make sense!" and I was like..."Because if you worked that hard to make your body look that good, wouldn't you run around without your shirt on all the time!!" back to the movie review...) but the longing, desire and sadness that Bella is feeling, which is the base of this movie, is really quite depressing. Don't plan on leaving this movie with a smile on your face, because it leaves you torn in my opinion! (But again, I haven't read the books, so I don't know what I am getting myself into when I go, unlike everyone else who has already read the books, and are just going to the movies to see what they already know will happen, be acted out.)

Here are some pictures of a bit of what I was up to this weekend.

Some sewing (these are two miniature quilts I had made the tops for awhile back, and had quilted a few weeks ago, I finally got around to putting a binding on them. They were great for practicing while I am learning how to machine quilt!)
and cutting,
some movie watching (two more Christmas movies watched!!),(There was also some other shorts that were super old on here as well, fairly interesting, but not something I will have to see every year. I think kids would enjoy it, because it tells the story, but isn't really scary and is short!)(I have never been a big Looney Tunes fan, but this one was really not worth my time. If you are a Looney Tunes fan and want to borrow this, and never return it I would be fine with that...just let me know!!)

and picture hanging. (The picture had been knocked off the wall in the stairwell when we moved in our new bed and was craked, having cracked glass in a photo hanging on the wall had been driving me crazy, but I wasn't sure where I needed to go to get it replaced, or if I needed a new frame or what, luckily I saw a glass replacement kit at Michael's and picked it up and it was perfect!!!)