be mine

Valentine's Day is a week away, and I've been having fun with it this year. Henry has a Valentine party at preschool next week, and each child is required to bring a card for everyone in the class. Instead of purchasing a box of cards, we made multi-colored heart-shaped crayons for everyone. I hot glued them to foam cards, and voila! Cutest Valentines ever!

The supplies:

Peeling the wrappers off is tedious. Why do kids think it's fun?

Finished:

We had so much fun, and Henry can't wait to give them to his friends. :)

henry's painting

Last week I decided that Henry needed to create a large painting for an empty frame that had been leaning against the wall for months, so I bought some 20x24 canvas boards and mixed colors with watered-down acrylic paints for him. Art circle is his favorite time at preschool, and his crayons and paint markers are always out on the table in his room. When I told him he could make a big painting that we would frame for the apartment, he was incredibly excited.

The painting took a few days and was so much fun to make. I tried giving him advice (which he didn't want or really need, apparently), but the painting was all done by him. I think it's amazing, and now it lives at the top of our stairs right when you walk in the door. Check it out:

happy new year

Banks took me out dancing last night, and it was the best NYE I've ever had. I'm so happy to have him in my life and Henry's, and I'm looking forward to our wonderful future as a family.

2011 was a wonderful year, filled with success and happy moments. I'm excited to see what 2012 has in store, and to share it with the people I love. <3

christmas 2011

Christmas was wonderful this year. Even though I was incredibly busy with nearly 50 hour work weeks and Etsy orders, I still had time to bake with Henry and get the apartment ready for the big day. It was so much fun to decorate the new apartment for the holidays, and I had my first full-sized tree. Of course, the best part of Christmas was sharing the season with family, and watching Henry's excitement build over the weeks leading up to Christmas day. He actually understood the concept of Santa Claus this year and he was so excited to see what was under the tree. I was just as excited for him to see his presents (especially the awesome Melissa & Doug wooden castle), and I actually woke up before he did that day. I made him close his eyes and walk through the living room to the kitchen, where we made monkey bread together and waited for the coffee to brew before settling in to open presents. Check out the pictures below. :)

Last but not least, my favorite present from Banks: interchangeable circular needles from Knit Picks!

lookin' sharp

My five year old Canon Rebel XT finally bit the dust a few weeks ago, after months of struggling. Life without a functioning DSLR wasn't working for me, so I finally went out and bought a new one. The pictures are gorgeous and incredibly sharp, even in low-light situations (the picture above was taken in a gloomy abandoned school kitchen). As an added bonus, it makes full HD video, so I will once again have the ability to capture Henry on the move. I'm in love!

henry's room

For the first time, Henry has his very own room. I haven't had much time for decorating the new place, but I did make sure that Henry's trees went up right away. He loves his room and proudly shows it to everyone that comes to visit. Best of all, he actually sleeps in his own bed (most of the time), and is perfectly content spending time playing and drawing in his room by himself. Love it!

i have always loved birch trees

I just ordered these birch tree decals for Henry's room! I can't wait to put them up. Henry and I will be so happy in our new home. :)

exciting things are happening everywhere you look

We got the apartment! I will have the keys in my hand in exactly two weeks, and I couldn't be happier. I am already working on selecting paint colors, and building wish lists all over the internet. After living in a cramped space for the last year, it will be a huge relief to have room to spare. Henry will finally have his own bedroom, and we'll have an office/knitting room, too. I can't wait to move and get settled...

On a completely different but no less exciting note, the Etsy treasury features keep flowing in. I haven't mentioned them recently, so I wanted to post some here today. Check out more of them here.

work travels

My job has been sending me down to Asheville, North Carolina quite a bit recently. I usually drive down by myself, but I took mom and Henry with me last time. Even though I was working, it felt like a mini-vacation with a free hotel, lots of delicious food, and fun outings with two of my favorite people. Asheville is an adorable little town, filled with funky art, cute boutiques, and endless restaurants. Below are a few highlights captured with my Blackberry. Check out Henry eating sushi for the first time!!!

kill devil hills

Kat and I spent a day in the Outer Banks with the babies this week. It felt amazing to soak up some sunshine and listen to the waves break on the beach while the kids entertained themselves with sand and shovels. The Carolina coast has always been a part of my life, and it almost feels like I'm coming home when I visit. I can't wait to go back with my family at the end of the summer! Until then. . .

the big three

Saturday was Henry's third birthday. I can't believe how quickly the last three years have gone by, and how much he has grown up. He knows most of the United States, he can count and sing the alphabet, he has been potty trained for a while now, and he has the wildest imagination. He is absolutely precious!

We had a birthday party in the park early Saturday morning, before it got too hot. I learned to decorate a cake just for the occasion, and we gave out hand-painted monkey masks to each child, in addition to a lot of other fun things. The kids played ball and frisbee, and wore themselves out on the playground. It was a fun time all around, and I wanted to share a few photos here: