Mommie's 90th Birthday!

Mommie's party was Sunday afternoon after church. She probably had 40-50 friends and family come out to celebrate. I was so glad that we were able to be there as it was a very special time.

Charlotte was thrilled about the big and beautiful birthday cake. I seriously thought she was going to have a meltdown several times since the cake was delivered Saturday afternoon and she wasn't able to eat it until the next day - that was tough for a two year old. She finally got her cake and was happy as a clam.

She and my grandmother really hit if off and my grandmother kept telling me how much Charlotte took to her - which is her way of saying how special that made her feel. Obviously I was thrilled that they enjoyed each other so.

So glad I made the effot to be there. We are exhausted and traveling with my two munchkins is not my favorite thing to do, but we had a wonderful time and this past weekend will be a special memory I will have with me for always.

Side note: Dora the Explorer was played multiple times on the drive there and back. Now every time Douglass Charles sees something that has Dora on it he yells out "Dora, Dora." He never said this until the twelve hours with Dora in the car. Too funny!

"Sippi" Bound

Gearing up for the drive ahead


Charlotte stating "We're Here!"


Charlotte exploring at the family farm - my uncle and aunt have a beautiful home on a 200 acre farm that is my grandmother's.


I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of the view my aunt gets to look at out of her kitchen window every day. I love the countryside!

"Sippi" was Charlotte's way of pronouncing the cumbersome name of the state in which I was born. We left out Friday morning, bound for Batesville, Mississippi, the childhood home of my father, the home of my grandmother and my uncle's family. I tried to remember how long it had been since I had been to my grandmother's and it has been far too long. Since my grandfather died, my grandmother has lived with either my parents or my uncle and his family and once my parents left Atmore I haven't had the opportunity to see her - much less visit Batesville.

So... her 90th birthday seemed reason enough to make the 6 hour trek with my kids by myself. Those of you that travel farther than that just chuckle to yourself and smile, but this was quite a challenge for me.

The kids did beautifully and I so enjoyed revisiting childhood memories with my cousins, attending my grandmother's church, and sharing my children with the special person my grandmother is.

lipstick

It is official, my Charlotte is a girly girl. Her discovery of lipstick came into play at Christmas when Adeline, her cousin, introduced her to her own "play" lipstick. Ever since it has been an obsession. Oh, it doesn't matter if her favorite t.v. show is on the lipstick must be applied.

I snapped these pictures last week after one of her many requests for lipstick and I just happened to have the camera close by. We apply at least once a day and in addition to having her lips done, her hair must be done as well - as she will not leave the house without a bow in her hair. That's my girl! :)

Gearing Up for April

So I have a few things up my sleeve that I am going to "try" next month - in addition to debuting some new designs next Thursday! The first is a trial on my ever favorite site - Etsy. I currently do not pay for advertising, I just relist my items on a regular basis on my Etsy store and it tends to generate sales for me. Things have been trucking along in the sale department, but I would love to see a little increase. So... I am going to renew my items more often in the month of April - the goal is every day. I currently only do it twice a week. I am going to try to stick with it a month and see if I see a difference. I will report back in May and let you know what I find out

If you are wondering why I am posting more often it works kind of like ebay, your item winds up at the top of the list when people are viewing things in a products category, thus giving you more exposure.




The other thing I am going to start is making my menus based on what I can find on sale. I love shopping at Publix and by using www.southernsavers.com they not only tell me what is on sale, but what coupons are available to pair with the sale items. I will also do this with Kroger and Walmart. So... I will let you know if I save any money and if we eat well on top of it.

Lastly, I hope to start sharing recipes that I come up with or find for using my left overs. I might as well share my findings with you and you gain benefit.

So here's to trying new things... speaking of new things, your prayers are greatly appreciated as I venture out on my own with the two kiddos to Mississippi this morning. I have never done this before - and I may never do it again. At least we will gain memories and get to celebrate special milestones with beloved family. Happy Weekend!

Selfish Ambition

Kind of funny that I follow my "sacrifice" post with a selfish ambition post, but I grabbed these little goodies while out yesterday afternoon. I have had my eye on the above fabric for over a month and was waiting until a coupon came out to buy it (note: coupon, and I also used a gift card and my Christmas money so still trying to save money here). :) I also purchased the pattern a while back too because after nearly twelve years I am going to make myself something - thus my being a little selfish. We shall see how the dress turns out and I will post pictures - if it looks good. :) This is my next project after I finish Charlotte's Easter dress.

The ribbon you see is for Charlotte's Easter hair bow. I truly can't wait to finish her dress and see the completed project so I can share. It really is coming together beautifully.

And the bag, well that was also purchased with Christmas money. It too was on sale. Last week my friend Suzie asked me to stop by. She and another friend were scrapbooking and she invited me to come and work on whatever craft I wanted to bring. I brought Charlotte's dress to smock and I realized I really didn't have anything to keep all my smocking things in. So... this bag was bought for that purpose. Now I can hopefully keep my smocking things all together and have a way to transport them too - something tells me, though, that this bag is going to get used for more than just carrying my current smocking project.

So, don't think I am sacrificing too much. I did get to go splurge on a few things for myself... and I can't wait to get started using them!

Sacrifices

In this economy we are all making sacrifices - even the people I know that are wealthy are cutting back. We are all looking for ways to pay our bills, save, and sometimes just make it to the next month.

This year has already been challenging financially and Doug and I are always looking for more ways to cut our expenses. Sometimes we wonder what else we can cut. I know we are not alone because I see all the coupon sale shoppers when I am out and about shopping my own grocery sales.

Doug and I have made career choices that are also sacrifices. Lets face it - an educator is not going to make a lot of money and a stay at home mom makes none. We do these things because we feel it is worth it for our family - both of us following our calling (this does not mean that we think everyone should do what we are doing so if you have made different choices for your family we applaud you - no judgement here!).

Here are a few things we do to keep the expenses down:
1. Brown bag it - yes, Doug does this every single day.
2. Coupon and sale shop - still trying to master this one, but working towards lower grocery bills
3. pay our credit cards off every month - this means that we don't buy stuff we can't afford
4. Wear second hand clothes - especially for the kids.
5. Eat out once a week - with a budgeted amount to spend each trip (and there are weeks this doesn't happen, but once is the goal).
6. Coffee at home - I love me some Starbucks, but people, it is just too darn expensive
7. Getting creative with meals. We don't like leftovers so I come up with ways to use food that is left over so it doesn't go to waste. :)
8. Give back - lets face it. We are SO blessed and we feel we are called to give whether to church or those in need.

Regardless of the sacrifices we are thankful. We have more than our basic needs and that is much more than what the world has as a whole on average.

So, what are some things that you are doing to make things a little easier on the old wallet?

Random

Charlotte while coloring a banner we made for her daddy's birthday in February.


Douglass Charles with Nanna when they were here back in February. He just plopped right up there and sat with her. It was too cute!


Conspiring together in the fridge. They love to do this if they can get to it before I close the door.


Douglass Charles sporting his first haircut. He got it the day after he turned one. And yes, I cried. :)


The kids bugging my dad while he attempted to do some work. Needless to say, he learned quickly that working on the computer in the study was much more efficient - the kids couldn't get to the keyboard. :)

These pictures were ones that got left out during all the birthday madness, but I wanted to get them on the blog. I found them too cute to pass up and of course I have to document Douglass Charles's first haircut.

We refused to take him anywhere to have it cut, because honestly all that needed to be trimmed was the back and around his ears. I knew I would get charged at least $12.00. So, my mom and I got to work and Doug finished up the next day. Not too shabby for a home made haircut. Now Doug and I are determined to learn so we can keep cutting it - at least for a while.

Enjoy the pictures and enjoy your week. We are gearing up for our trip out of town - me, the kids, and six hours in the car - am I crazy? Praying that trying to schedule the trip during naps, Dora and Praise Baby (thanks, Amy) will entertain the kiddos enough to make the trip tolerable. Looking forward to seeing some family, though, and celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday!

Another Sweet Success!

Charlotte got M&M's this afternoon - not because she ate a good lunch but because she FINALLY went to the potty on her own. YEAH!!! We were thrilled and did a happy dance around the toilet. After she received her M&M's she graciously reminded me that she also was to get a sticker. Here's hoping that we are finally getting somewhere on the potty train. :)

Blogs I'm Reading...

If you aren't familiar with Sarah Jane Studios then let me inform you, they are wonderful. I have been following Sarah on her blog over at www.sarahjanestudios.com ever since I purchased one of her prints for Charlotte's nursery. I obviously love paper goods, but hers are some of my favorite. She is finishing up illustrating her first book for Harper Collins and I can't wait for it to come out.

While her art is inspiring, her life motivates me to strive for my dreams. She is a wife, mother of three (two are irish twins and she just had a new baby in the last year) all while working and crafting from home. I love her upbeat attitude and her fresh approach to explaining life in a positive way.

When you get a chance, check her out, be inspired, and enjoy identifying with a woman who is following her passions and living her dreams both in business and in life.

feeling gray...

I am not feeling blue today, just gray... actually white to be exact. You see, I need my hair done - and badly. Not just cut, but colored. Yes, I am one of the many that is very thankful for the invention of hair dye. Oh, not for the purpose of getting a new color (I actually like my color) because if I didn't my white hair would show - and it is certainly showing now.

If you have seen pictures of my father, his brother, or my grandmother you will see that I come from a line of people with WHITE hair. The good thing about these genes is that is is beautiful white hair - my grandmother gets complimented all the time. Let's face it, though, at 31 neither me, nor my hubby, is ready for my hair to go white... so I color it.

It has been coming in slowly since I was 19, but I feel certain that I will be completely white headed in ten years. Oh, you won't know because I swear I will color it until I am "old enough" to sport it and it be acceptable. So if you are blessed with the kind of hair that is showing no signs of aging - thank your lucky stars. The rest of us out there will keep covering it up and pretending it isn't really there. :)

A Shout Out

This was one of my favorites


Classic boy - gotta love it!


A sweet one of him destroying the cake - see how she made it a pretty picture. Amazing!


Most of Charlotte's friends are boys and she was giving Jayden a bunch of lovin that day. This was too sweet, but hands off in a few years, Jayden! :)


Doug's grandpa, Doug, and Douglass Charles - three of the four Charles (see heirlooms post). A very special picture!

So my babies are sick here at the English household. Charlotte came down with it this weekend and now Douglass Charles has a fever and runny nose as well as a horrible cough. I knew when Charlotte got sick he would be soon to follow, so we are bunkered down trying to get these babies well. If they have to be sick I am thankful they are sick this week - this hopefully means they will be well for the trip to Mississippi next week for my grandmother's 90th birthday.

So... with not much to post I did want to share these beautiful pictures that my friend Suzie took of Douglass Charles' birthday. She is so amazing and just started her photography business in the last year - check it out at www.splitsecondatl.com.

Suzie and I have known one another for a while, but didn't start hanging out until last fall when she and I did the Birthday Bash Giveaway. She has been so sweet and our business relationship has turned into a friendship - we still do business stuff together too. She is quite the talented lady and photography is truly her passion - can't you tell. So, thanks, Suzie for the beautiful pictures and for capturing my little boy's special day!

Sweet Success!

Enjoying their "tea party" at the new table Douglass Charles got for his birthday.


Charlotte enjoying yet more sugary goodness. If you like her top I got it from Katie's Creative Creations at www.facebook.com/katiescreativecreations. Too cute!

A June Cleaver I am not. Oh, you may think because I like to cook, I sew and craft, and I am ridiculously domestic that June must be my middle name. There are many reasons I am not Mrs. Cleaver - one being my lack of house cleaning skills - but first and foremost, I have NEVER been successful with making a simple and delicious chocolate chip cookie.

To me, the chocolate chip cookie is the qualifier and honestly, without this skill all one's homemaking skills don't count. Oh, I have tried many a recipe, but my cookies come out pathetic, always flat, crispy and no good after they have cooled. So... I married a man that never fails at this delicious task.

Friday afternoon it was rainy and I knew we needed a project - something to get us through until naptime. Charlotte loves baking, but with groceries slim, I wasn't sure what I had in my cabinets to muster together. I found some chocolate morsels, I normally have necessary baking goods on hand, so I decided we would make the dreaded chocolate chip cookie for dad - he hadn't been feeling so well so we wanted to cheer him up.

Determined that I would at least try to make a good cookie I pulled a cookbook off the shelf that I KNEW would have baking recipes that warranted success - my Mennonite cookbook. Now my link to this cookbook is another story I will have to share at another time, but I reminisced about the delicious cookies Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Classen used to make when I was a child - Tollhouse has nothing on these ladies.

So... I set out, Charlotte excited and we picked a recipe. About thirty minutes later after mixing, spooning the batter, and placing them in the oven I waited with baited breath - would they be flat once again? I opened the oven and much to my dismay the cookies were PERFECT! They tasted delicious and were honestly the best batch of cookies I have ever made! Even Doug, the master chocolate chip cookie maker, was impressed.

Ironically, when I went to determine where my success lay I was dumbfounded when I realized that I had taken parts from one lady's recipe and parts from another without even knowing it. Can you believe it? After nearly 30 years of trying to make the perfect cookie and I am not even sure what measurements for the ingredients I used.

At least now, even if I am never successful again, I can know that at least once in my life I conquered and created a very delicious, chewey, chocolate chip cookie. :)

Little Extras

Just a reminder... my Stock Up and Save event ends tomorrow. For more details just head on over to www.theenglishpea.com to get more for your money. :)

These cards pictured are my Classic Boy's Notecards. This design was one of my very first creations and honestly, I didn't sell one of these in 2009. Ironically they have been all the rage over at The English Pea in the last month - the go to card for many a customer. I have always liked this card and decided to keep it around - even though it didn't sell last year. Glad I did.

I recently had a customer that wanted to add matching address labels and liners to her set. I loved how they turned out. I haven't spoken much about my liners because it does add a little cost to the notecard sets, but those liners do really add a little pizzazz to this ensemble. So, just remember, if you really want to spruce up some cards for yourself or for a gift - an envelope liner will definitely do the trick. Enjoy!

Signs of Spring

I took these photos specifically for this post and the next day it snowed. I don't just yearn for the warm temperatures and the beauty of Spring, but today, I am wishing for summer - yes, the hot temperatures, the warm sun, flip flops and sundresses and vacation by the water.

Doug was not feeling well when he came home this evening and the kids were not being very cooperative. I decided to give Doug some peace and take the kids for a stroll. There was something in the air - you know that cooler breeze with a little warmth from the sun. The kind you feel from time to time while walking on the beach by the ocean. And in the quiet of our walk I was wishing for the ocean.

We have had a very busy past few weeks and maybe my wanting to skip the Spring and go straight to summer is I need the down time the hotter months bring. Maybe it is because I have been away from the ocean too long. Who knows... all I know is that as much as I love Spring flowers and the cool air, I love the water and warm temperatures more. So heres to dreaming about the months ahead and the relaxation they usually bring! :)

Letter from Aunt Lauren

I have mentioned before that my sister, Lauren (the one right behind me in the line of kids), lives in Dallas. We do not get to see each other often enough. We certainly try to support and love on one another from afar. :).

Lauren sent a very sweet card for Douglass Charles' baptism and I wanted to record the words she specifically wrote to him. Lauren is truly a writer and always has been. I have people comment about my writing skills from time to time, but she is a natural and puts my humble pen to shame. Here is what she wrote to my sweet boy:

Dear Douglass Charles,
You are a very blessed child. Your parents have just publicly committed to raising you in the Lord. They know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that before you were born, God chose you to be their child and to be a part of our family. Someday you may roll your eyes at the ourfit your Momma put you in or wonder why she cries when she looks at pictures of you in it. But when that happens, though you don't have to understand it, remember that it is a sign of how much your parents love you and how God has a plan for your life. Also remember that you have friends and family praying for you to come to know the love of Christ on your own, for that love is the basis of our love for you. I will continue to pray that God will bless the rest of your life as He has so richly blessed the beginning.

I love you,
Aunt Lauren

Every time I read this it brings tears to my eyes. Just knowing that we have friends and family - even if they are not near - that care so about our children means so much. Thanks, Aunt Lauren, for your sweet words, for your support, your love, and most importantly your specific prayers for my children. We love you!

Big Boy Birthday!

The birthday boy


Us with the kids and Doug's grandparents


Doug and his sister, Meg, who is pregnant with her first child. We are SO excited!


Charlotte enjoying in the birthday fun

Finally, a few pictures from the birthday celebration. We were thrilled to have so many friends and family here to celebrate. Both of our parents were able to come, Doug's grandparents and aunt, his two sisters, my youngest sister, and my brother and his family as well as a few friends. We had a wonderful time and the weather cooperated so the kids were able to just run around and play.

I do have to mention here that as far as the first cake goes, my children are both the same. I was so sure that Douglass Charles would tear into his cake, but he, too, was very cautious. He started out by poking holes in it, licking off the icing, and doing it all over again. This went on for a while. So I gave him a spork and he just poked holes in it with that. Finally after quite a bit of time he finally started ripping into it. Doug's aunt even mentioned that my children were very boring when it comes to birthday cake. Sorry, Mimi!

I also want to list here a discussion Doug and I had about the cake prior to the party. I was just going to give Douglass Charles a cupcake because that is what I was making for everyone. Doug is the second born in his family. He very quickly spoke up for his second born and stated that he had to have a little cake just like his big sister had. I thought this was very cute and considerate of Douglass Charles' daddy - looking out for the kind of cake he should have for his first birthday.

I have one more post on the whole event - a sweet letter that my sister, Lauren, sent for Douglass Charles's special day. So check back later this week for her sweet words.

Heirlooms

As a traditional and very nostalgic person, heirlooms are particularly precious to me. Special events like baptisms, significant birthdays, and weddings seem to bring out these family items that are designated for that particular person for that specific event in time.

Douglass Charles' baptism did not go without the same nostalgic signifigance. He was given a new heirloom and a very old one.

The new was crafted by me. We had an heirloom baptismal gown that he could have worn, but we had to wait to baptize him because we were not yet members of our church. So... I decided to make him this long jon. I smocked the top piece with one of Ellen McCarn's patterns. They are very small, but across the bottom there are small crosses smocked into the piece. I was pleased with the result and he looked quite handsome.

The second, and older heirloom, was a pocket watch given by Doug's grandfather. We were fortunate to have them present at the baptism and Douglass Charles is not only the name sake of his father, but of his great-grandfather as well. "Charles" is a family name that has been passed down through four generations now. The pocket watch began with Doug's great-grandfather who bore the name "Charles." Poppy (also a Charles), Doug's grandfather gave it to Doug with the intention of Doug passing it on to Douglass Charles. We just hope he will choose to use the name if and when he has his own son.

These items touch my heart and I hope they will one day touch the heart of my children and their children. The beautiful thing about heirlooms is they serve as symbols of a family's heritage - I pray ours is one worth remembering!

Baptism

The baptism


The family with our pastor, Frank.

Well, one week later and I finally am getting a few of these pictures uploaded. Sorry for the delay. I have stolen these off facebook from various families that were able to come. When I tried earlier in the week facebook wasn't cooperating. Anyway...

Doug and I recently joined Hope Methodist Church. We have been attending there since May of last year and really love it there. It isn't your typical Methodist church - it is very contemporary and and casual. The preaching is also not only good, but convicting. I have said before that our pastor, Frank Bernant, just has a way of explaining things in a way that makes sense.

Neither Doug, nor myself, grew up Methodist, and while we are still learning about the denomination our main concern was that the Word was being preached. I did grow up Presbyterian, so infant baptism was something I was taught and grew up practicing. Ironically, I was baptized in the Methodist church. While I am not hear to debate the issues of infant baptism, it is something Doug and I have chosen for our family and feel that it has biblical merit.

Our day started out hectic. We opted to baptized Douglass Charles at the early service. Our family normally attends the late service at 11:00. We felt the early service would work best with all the festivities later in the day. So we met with the pastor, set the whole thing up, and we were told to be there fifteen minutes early.

So... with all the craziness with all the family here we managed to get off at 8:45 to get to the church fifteen minutes early and knew that our families wouldn't be far behind us.

We got to the church at about ten after nine and the place was packed, there were no greeters outside, no one rushing in the doors. It was eerily weird. We walked in to find Doug's grandparents, aunt and sisters who had all traveled over from Alpharetta. And, you guessed it, the service had already started. I was so embarassed.

The staff quickly kicked into gear and told us we were up next after the current song that was being sung. That is when I knew our parents were going to miss it and they did. As we walked off the stage our parents walked in. I felt horrible.

So what happened. I thought the service started at 9:30 and it began at 9:00. Because we never discussed the time the being there fifteen minutes early part was easily miscommunicated because it was assumed that we knew the correct time of the early service - as I should have known since we have attended there for almost a year.

People say we will laugh about it later, but I still shed a few tears and felt horrible for all those that made such an effort to be there for us. The fact is, our little guy was still baptized. It was still special and some of our loved ones were still there to witness that special moment.

Stay tuned for how little Douglass Charles made up for his mommy's oh so horrible blunder. :)

Recipes

So I am having trouble downloading pictures from the weekend. Hoping the download will happen soon and I can share the story. Just trying to keep you checking back, right? :)

I thought I would share these great recipes from the weekend. Seriously, this picture makes my mouth water. I am freezing the second French Loaf I bought last weekend and this recipe will be made again so that I can enjoy it for myself. But it is seriously easy. Here you are:
French Toast Casserole by Paula Deen
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup
Directions
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.


Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Breakfast Casserole:
1 lb Jimmy Dean hot sausage
1 1/2 cups cooked grits
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
7 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste

Brown & drain sausage
Crumble in bottom of 9” x 13” greased casserole
Cook grits (stiff better than runny)
Add butter & cheese to cooked grits
Beat eggs, milk, salt & Pepper together
Add to slightly cooled grits mixture
Pour over sausage in casserole dish
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour

I promise, next time you have guests coming into town, both of these will not disappoint. Enjoy!

Party Preparations

There is always much to do when a party is being planned and since we were celebrating both birthday and baptism I was challenged to decide what direction I should go in.

I have SO much family and am so thankful that I do. They are always so sweet to make the trek, since none live remotely close by. It is crazy to think that there were four siblings (along with spouses, children, or significant others who were unable to come). My guest list was 30 and I honestly wondered what the heck I was thinking.

So I decided on a brunch - thus the invitation. If you know me I am simple. Just fyi to all of you out there, my parties will most always be simple. It is just the way I do things.

This invitation wound up being electronic, but I did create the whole thing in Illustrator - which I have been trying to learn.

I also decided - after talking with my sister about her baptism brunch and a good friend about hers - to go with two different casseroles, some fruit, cream cheese and crackers with pepper jelly, banana bread, and simple cupcakes for dessert. The casseroles I chose were a breakfast ensemble of grits, cheese, eggs and sausage. It is my mother's recipe and quite delicious. The second was one I have never made before, but saw Paula Deen make on her show several years back. It was a French Toast Casserole bake with a praline topping. I didn't even wind up getting any so I am assuming it passed the test.

Of course the cupcakes were a big hit and I made a little cake for Douglass Charles. We had vanilla for the little bitty ones and devil's food with chocolate buttercream for all the chocolate lovers present. Okay, my mouth is now watering.

Can't wait to share more photos as well as the outfit I made for my little man's special day.

So... stay tuned! :)

Stock Up and Save!

We had such a wonderful weekend with family and friends and celebrating my son's first birthday and baptism. I can't wait to share, but I must as I wait for pictures (playing hostess makes for no time behind the camera). So hopefully my stories from the weekend can be shared very soon.

I am so excited about the promotion I am running this month. You have through the 15th to stock up and save. If you haven't ordered yet, but wanted to, now is the time. This is how it works, if you order one set up notecards you get six extra for FREE! If you order a set of calling cards, you get an extra 10 for FREE! If you order mailing labels you get an extra sheet of 12 for FREE! How awesome is that? This only applies to notecards, labels, and calling cards (sorry no existing orders, custom orders, or invitations or bagtags are included. The notecards must include one set of names. You cannot split the names amongst the order). So stock up and save. You have until the 15th of this month to get your stash so hurry! :)