The life of a country boy

Hayden and his daddy took full advantage of the beautiful weather today.  They spent most of their afternoon outside doing things like this…

Where is Hayden?

Hmm…is that Hayden I see?

Oh there he is!

He loved it of course!   

Jeff said that Hayden thought he was riding around like a King.

Oh, the life of a country boy! 

Working with vinyl

Something that has been on my “to-do” list since we moved in was to do some projects with my MIL’s Cricut machine and vinyl.  I do love me some vinyl.  I think it is something very simple that can make such a difference in the way something looks. 

Our kitchen table has looked like we had a vinyl explosion for the last couple of days.   Vinyl pieces everywhere!  But, it has been so much fun. 

Remember these?

Check them out now…

Organization!  I love it!   I still want to get a few more pop-containers for brown sugar, powdered sugar, goldfish, etc.

If you are interested in something similar and don’t have a Cricut machine, I think these are super cute!

You can check them out here.

I also added vinyl to Hayden’s book bucket.  I got this bucket on clearance at Target last summer.  I just love it!

Remember this?

I spiced it up a little too!

I also added a little vinyl to this frame.

 

But, I was not happy with it.  So, I took all the vinyl off and I will start over.   Sometime.  When I am ready to face another vinyl explosion.  Ha! 

So, what did I learn while doing this?

It really is pretty easy!  Just takes time and patience!

I bought off-brand vinyl at Hobby Lobby and Cricut brand vinyl at Walmart.  I am going to end up throwing the off-brand vinyl away.  It was not easy to work with and got caught up in the cutting machine.  Maybe it was the user, but I didn’t have much luck with it.  It is worth the $2.00 extra for the Cricut brand.  I know you can get vinyl on ebay too, but I don’t know anything about it.

I am so glad that my MIL has a Cricut!  :-)

Want a little tutorial?  Here you go!  The vinyl process…

Place vinyl on cutting board and cut.

After cutting..

Peel off top layer.

  

Apply transfer paper.

Apply vinyl.

 

Peel off transfer paper.

TA DA!

 

I was spoiled!

Santa was so good to us all this year…especially me!  I was so spoiled this year.  I know Christmas is not all about gifts, but it sure makes it quite fun.  I love giving gifts and who doesn’t love receiving them?  I had no idea what I was getting this year from Jeff and I was so excited! 

Christmas Eve Jeff surprised me with my first present. 

An antique window.  For some reason Jeff was a little apprehensive about giving it to me thinking I wouldn’t like it.  OMG!  I am so in love with it.  I was so impressed that he went digging for this special window just for me.  He found in an antique shop and the guy told him that he thought that it was from Sweden or somewhere in that vicinity.   I have never seen an old window like it.   

I also got my very own tool kit!  I was so excited about this!  I had one before the fire, but I was in need of a new one.  I asked Jeff to make me my own toolbox for Christmas…even if it was some of his old tools he put in a box for me. 

I also got the Pioneer Woman Cookbook (YEA!!!) and an awesome new knife!  I never knew how yuck our knives were until I started cutting this one.  Heavenly! 

And my Corral boots.  Again, I just told Jeff my size and he picked them out all on his own.  I LOVE THEM!!  I have worn them several times they are so comfy…not to mention, super cute! 

I also got a gift certificate from Mom and Dad for a mani/pedi and I can’t wait to go use it! 

As you can see from all 5 Christmas posts, we were so blessed this Christmas.  We had so much fun with Hayden and our friends and family.  I hope you all have a great new year!

Christmas-Part 4

The day after Christmas, I got up about 5:00 AM and headed out for a little “after Christmas sale” shopping.  I went to Walmart and then headed to Rockwall to meet up with Jen and Cindy.  We went to Target and Belk, breakfast at Chiloso,  and then I headed home to get ready for our last Christmas celebration.  Didn’t really find too much shopping, but it was fun to go anyway!

We had our “Spencer” family Christmas at Carla (my cousin) and Paul’s home in Winnsboro.  We typically get together once or twice a year. I wish we did it more often.  We all live too close not to really.  I forgot my camera but I was able to steal a few pictures from Carla and I did get a few with my phone.

I am pretty sure Carla stayed up all night cooking a Mexican food feast for all of us. Cousin Pam brought tamales and everyone else brought yummy desserts.  There were about 30 people so it was so much fun doing our Chinese gift exchange.  There was some stealing going on!  :-)

We played BINGO after our gift exchange.  My cousin Pam had a serious BINGO box full of bingo cards, daubers, and bingo call cards.  Almost everyone played and it was so much fun!  I won two times in a row!  Lucky me!

Cousin Pam also brought a piñata for the kids.  They thought this was so much fun!  Hayden is still playing with his little frogs he got out of the piñata.  Oh and Carla…Thanks for putting the chocolate in Hayden’s pockets.  I found it later in the washer and dryer.  :-)

Hayden and Carla had a lot of fun hanging out…

And riding the scooter!  Oh my!

  The whole group.

Hayden was being so silly for our family picture. 

My Aunt Barbara’s crew…

My Aunt Mary Helen’s crew…

We had such a great time hanging out with the family.  I always loved hanging out with my cousins growing up and I love seeing our kids playing together too! 

Christmas 2010-Part 3

After a fun Christmas morning of playing, playing, and playing some more and oh yes…enjoying some Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls, Hayden took a nap while Jeff and I got ready to go to the Smith’s for Christmas. 

We enjoyed a yummy traditional dinner (lunch), the kids opened gifts, and the adults did a Chinese gift exchange. 

Aunt Sherry and cousin Brooklyn. 

Aunt Lulu (Yolanda) and cousin Grayson.

 

Cole and Brooklyn.  I love this picture.  Sweet brother and sister.  They love hugging.  Ha! 

Hayden enjoying him some “puppy chow”.  I lost count of how many times he said “more, more”. 

Gift opening time!

Brooklyn got his DQ Blizzard machine from her Lulu.  I think I might need a taste test soon! 

Hayden got this police bear from his Nana and PaPa that sings and dances to the tune of “Bad Boys, Bad Boys…”  Hayden LOVES it! 

Clayton got this Ghillie Suit from his Nana and Papa.  He was so excited about it!  I don’t think Hayden ever saw him in the suit or didn’t pay attention to him.  He does look a little scary though! 

After Hayden opened his new tent, I don’t think we saw him for an hour.  Ha!  Just kidding.  But he LOVES it!  As you can see he got several new trucks and tractors too.  He might be a little obsessed with trucks and tractors! 

That afternoon when we got home…Still playing in the tent!

We also gave this rocking horse to Hayden on Christmas day.  It was made for me by my cousins’ daddy when I was little.  It has been loved by many little ones throughout the years and I know Hayden will love it just as much.  We now go for several rocking horse rides a day. 

Christmas day was such a fun day!  Stay tuned for Part 4.

A Date Night

Tonight Jeff and I had us a little date night.  We left the house around 4:30 this afternoon with no idea what we were doing.  Mom agreed to watch Hayden while we had a little “us” time.  We enjoyed dinner at Saltgrass, dessert at Braums, and a little shopping at Kirklands (finally found bathroom mirrors after living in our house for 2 months without them), Petco, Target, and Walmart.  We were home by a little after 9:00 PM.  Hayden did great while we were away and we enjoyed grown up conversation and our time together out and about.

PS…I just love this picture.  I wish the lighting would have been a little better, but it was taken with my iPhone.  I just got a new app last night that is called Camera+.  If you have an iPhone and don’t have this app, you should get it!!  It does all kinds of effects to your pictures super fast and super easy!  Very user friendly!  I love it! 

Happy New year!