Valentines Sparkle

Christmas came down. I don't know about you, but I just today got my house restored to pre- Christmas standards. The last box got shuffled on down to the basement mere minutes ago. Nothing like getting things back to normal.

Now, one issue remains. I miss the sparkle. When I was putting away my Christmas stuff away, I found these Valentine's candy boxes. At first, I wondered why on earth I had kept trash for nearly a year. Then I remembered. Duh, I kept them for Valentine's day. I wanted to make a garland or something out of them.

I bought red craft paint. It took 3 coats. The glossy fronts covered much crappier than the backs with the nutrition information. Plus waiting each coat to dry, not my strong suit.

I also bought sparkle paint. Extreme Glitter to be exact. Which just happens to be my new favorite color. Love!



I bought the cheapest ribbon walmart had. And I used the hole punch to string them all up.


I also enlisted the help of one grumpy husband to help me hang it. He got frustrated and decided to put an end to my obsessive compulsive need to have it centered and perfect so he just stapled it to the mantel. It will do for now.

I had to keep a little tree. and sparkley snowflakes on my mirror.

I'm liking it. I have decided with each season/holiday I need to incorporate sparkle. Now I just need some red lights and heart ornaments for my little tree.

life in pictures

there has been a lot going on the last couple of weeks.

mah bestie gave me the idea to do a picture a day on instragram of my girlies. so i have been. #365daysofolivia & #365daysofrachel 

#iliketalkinginhashtags #followmeoninstragram NTotten02

i have been doing good, but it's only been 7 days. i am determined to stick with it. i just want to be able to compare day 27 of the year to day 327 to see how they have grown & changed. that's a solid idea whoever came up with it.

so we have been busy with life since Christmas. making time to enjoy the little things. soak in the smiles & laughter. really enjoy life. you know, trying to be a better person & not take things for granted.

grandma's wall of handprints is growing. rachel got her lovely little hand added on new year's day along with her little cousins. also, my hand is the exact same size as it was in 1994. what does that say about me? my hand hasn't grown since i was 13 -- big hands for a 13 year old most likely. #ihavemanhands

we celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday - which happens to be today. #happybirthday

pretty girls dancing #crazyeyes

  more dancing - except this time we couldn't watch

it snowed & looked just like a christmas card #gorgeousfrominside

i spent time in the garage doing this with these awesome guys. i love cigars. #allthecoolkidssmokecigars

school started back up & olivia was not impressed. i feel ya.

i got mah hair did - even blonder this time i think. but i love it. and trimmed up, now it feels super healthy. #blondeambition

i took down the big christmas tree sunday. wah wah waaaaaah

i missed the sparkle & twinkle lights, so i put this little one back up & put snowflake ornaments on. i will add hearts probably this weekend - it may be a year round or at least all winter tree.

we did a puzzle together last night.

and that's all the pictures i have to share today. we have done plenty. and so far 2013 rocks my socks off.

Welcome 2013

am i the only one who cannot believe another year has come to an end?

last night we rang in the new year at my sister's new house. it was a fun party. today we celebrated at my grandma's. sledding for the kids. here are just some of the pics from our fun day out in the snow. we also ate beans. i guess eating beans on new year's day is supposed to bring you a prosperous year.



snow angels were made



favorite of the day. i'm pretty sure rachel yelled all the way down the hill each time.



this picture cracks me up



2013, i hope you are good to us.