craziest Crimbus ever

 Yeah I'm a month late but that's the breaks. And I hardly have any pics but ALRIGHTY THEN.
Our Christmas ("Crimbus" in our house) was *NUTS*

The new roof, interior painting that nearly killed me, and new flooring that DID kill me, 

was barely finished when the holidays were in full swing and the boys came home from Illinois.

I was lucky to get a wreath on my door. Most everything else never even made it out of the attic.

During all the craziness, EVERY single package delivered was tossed in the back of my car.

It was the only way I could keep everything safe and out of the way and in one place.

By the time the Crimbus arrived, I was LONG out of energy. I could only stare at the box mountain. 

To make matters worse, none of us could remember what box was for whom!

Packages had trickled in since October - the older boys sent all their gifts here as well.

I never thought I'd see the day this happened, but there was only one thing to do.

SURRENDER.

So on Crimbus morning, Daniel opened a box one by one, and we yelled out who the gift was for.

Sometimes we'd miraculously remember who a box was for and give it to the right person.

It was so much fun to see the gift and then announce who it was for!

We were actually more on the creative side this year, and chose things everyone would love -

it was SO. MUCH. FUN. 

Daniel got some "Fight Club" SOAP for Davy, hehe :)

Love this pic of Daniel, who did a great job orchestrating everything :)

SOME of us were not as impressed and decided to lay on all our stockings :)

Aw, my little Christmas Angel :)

Later on Taylor and her best friend Alli came over and we played games :)

SOME people got cool new coats (and scarves)

~

BEST. CRIMBUS. EVER. 

arise and shine forth!

the 2012 theme for our LDS young women :)

This is a super cute, easy little craft tutorial you can use for gifts... or whatever!

I made these to use as our birthday gifts for all our young women this year -

they seem to really like them... so read on if you'd like to learn how to make them!

 First I used a 4x4 stretched canvas...

used Tulip dimensional slick paint to "write" the word SHINE!...

and glued a small wooden sun to the canvas (you could easily freehand a sun also)

*note: I tried using puffy paint also, and the slick version was much easier

 After doing the same thing to multiple canvases,

I chose several pastel colors and painted over each canvas.

(and yes, we eat a lot of garbanzo and black beans, thank you very much)

 I used two coats of paint on each canvas and let dry fully...

Then I painted each canvas with a coat of glossy Mod Podge.

*Note: glossy acrylic spray instead of Mod Podge would also work

"Arise and Shine Forth!"

Our Young Women's Birthday Basket :)

You girls do indeed SHINE! And we love you :)

giving thanks... friends

*Shell*

~

I can't even imagine life without the love of dear friends,

and I have been blessed beyond measure in that regard.

I am eternally grateful to each and every one -

from some of you loyal readers whom I have never met,

to online friends and bloggers I've come to know,

to friends who have come and gone throughout the years,

and even those I have recently become friends with -

Each and every one of you have touched my life.

~

This post is dedicated to my nearest and dearest friends,

starting with my cousin and friend Shell, above, 

and continuing in chronological order.

Some friends' photos are not present -

Hallie, Sandee, Mindi, Holly, Ruth, Dawn, LeAnn, Lisa, 

Jennie, Julie, Cheryl, Maria, J'Nette, Anna, Bev, ... 

a pretty endless list actually, and I apologize.

But you know who you are, and you know you have my love.

xoxoxoxo

*Annie*

9th grade - still in touch with

*Lauren, Renee, Liz & John*

9th grade again - still in touch with

*Tracy (center) and Susan*

9th grade once more - still in touch with

*Lucy, Lauren, and Van*

*Lauren*

(yep, the same Lauren as above)

 *Karen*

*Karen*

*Cheryl*

 *Susie, Marilyn and Leslie (LeAnn is missing)*

*Wendy* 

 *Diana*

*Joan*

*Jamie*

*Rochelle*

*Wendy*

*Shauna*

*Kim*

*Tami and Chris*

*Shannon*

*Traci*

*Vanessa, Rebecca, Robin, Kerrie, and Meghan*

the greatest young women on earth -

and I'm proud to call them my friends :)

~

I could go on and on about my friends and how I love them.

They have touched and blessed my life more than I can say.

Not a day goes by where I don't give thanks for them.

I consider friends one of the greatest gifts in life :)

xoxoxoxo