Sam & Nikki Wedding Photos

As promised, I am back with my wedding photo update. I didn't feel like I took a ton of photos but I'm happy with the ones I got. I would have loved to be taking photos the whole time but it was fun just to sit back and let someone else worry about it also. I was in charge of taking photos of my brother, the groom but I also wanted to make sure and get some of Michael and at least one of our family since we were all dressed up nicely. 

My family. 

My brothers and sister, in order from oldest to youngest. 

For a wedding on February 22nd, the weather was as good as it has gotten this winter in Iowa. Right before the ceremony it was about 30 degrees and sunny-I'll take it! :o) I love these photos on the steps because they bring back so many happy memories of Scott and I's wedding day. 

I could barely handle how cute Michael looked in his little suit. I hope he looks just as handsome on his wedding day! 

Of course Scott was anxious about the Cyclone bball game being on right before the ceremony. Luckily we easily won and it was over before the festivities started and I'm glad Scott figured out a way to tune in. 

We took a brief spin over to the assisted living facility where Nikki works to visit her residents before the reception. It was really fun to see her show off her beautiful dress for her residents. They are so sweet! 

                      

Nikki and Sam, thank you for letting me part of your special day! 

I wish you both the biggest of blessings in your marriage! 

Photo Booth Fun!

My little brother got married this past weekend and we had a really fun time celebrating with them! 

They also had a cool photo booth at the reception and we took lots of silly photos! Michael loved taking photos with his loved ones like my brother and his wife and my sister Denise. I think he mostly just liked being a ham and wearing the different props!

I love these silly photos of my family! 

I have lots more photos to share so hopefully I will get those up later this week!

Congratulations to my brother and his new wife!! 

Instafriday

Happy Friday!

Lately, the song "In Summer" has been my anthem on these long wintery days. I can 100% identify with Olaf and his wonder what it would be like when it gets warm. 

I try to still get to the library with Michael every couple of weeks even though I don't stay home anymore. It gives us a chance to stock up on books and play with different toys for a morning. It has become a nice little Saturday morning tradition for us! 

Valentine's decorations- I love paper garlands!

My sleepy spiderman! 

We also had a little sickness at the end of January...it was no big deal but it still makes me sad to see my little guy not feeling good. 

Cookie day in band! 

When Michael was feeling better after his sickness, I let him have a treat of taking a bath in my big bathtub. He thought it was just a blast and spent probably an hour in there splashing around. 

My drive...this is practically every day! I am so tired of it! 

We have had a few weather things this week- a cancelled inservice on Monday, an early release on Thursday and then a late start today. I am ready to get back on a normal schedule although I enjoyed the R&R at home (although I did get a little bit of work done also). I am longing for those years where it is magically nice on spring break and I can get stuff done outside like yard work. Remember the year it was so warm everyone planted their gardens in April? For every thought of nice weather happening I also have the opposite...remember last year how we had cancelled school right before spring break because of snow? Remember how it snowed in May? Ugh. 

My little brother's wedding is this weekend and we are looking forward to getting all dressed up as a family and celebrating the start of their new lives together. Michael gets to wear a little suit so hopefully I will have some new photos of him to share soon! 

Have a great weekend! 

Christmas Card Organization

I've finally gotten around to organizing my Christmas Cards from friends and family....and yes, I am home on a snow day today hence the sudden uptick in productivity. :o) 

My cards have been living in a pile on a counter for the past two months so I figured it was time to get them bound together so I can put them out on display next Christmas with other past years Christmas card books. The big delay in getting this done was that I was out of the special binding wire and I hadn't had a spare moment to run to Hobby Lobby to get some more. I looked at other craft stores but I have only ever found it at HL so I  did what any other normal hermit would do and ordered some on amazon last week so I could get to work. 

The first year I did this I made a cute cover thing for the book but in the past few years I just decided to use our Christmas card from the corresponding year. I usually put the year on it so I figured that is good enough. 

I know this method of Christmas Card organization may not be for everyone but I do enjoy looking at cards through the years and I think that binding them together helps them stay together and relatively flat. I'm not sure if this is something I will do forever but gosh darnit- I do love those cards. I even love looking at cards from people I don't even know like when I go over to other people's houses at Christmastime. Weird? Yes, I know this. 

Christmas cards with little babies are my favorite! :o)

If photos were included in the card I tried to bind those in the card so they would all stay together. I also tried to keep all the cards in the correct orientation, even the long ones! 

I use the Zutter Cutter for binding my cards together and I think I purchased it for ~$35 with a coupon at Hobby Lobby. I do think it is ridiculous to own something like this because you can bind cards together in other ways like taking them to an office supply store, using binder clips or ribbon. BUT I do own it and yes it was a grief induced purchase and well, who knows the explanation on that one but now I have this thing so I try and use it. It is a very strong punch and can even punch through heavy things like chipboard. You can check out other crafty things like it at binditall.com. 

When Michael was a baby I made a little 5x7 soft cover book from Shutterfly that was just Christmas photos. I thought I would rekindle that tradition this year and churned this little book out in a few minutes (I was not picky about layouts or order) and for only a few dollars due to a promotion on the website. I think it is cute and will get tucked away with the other Christmas books and card books to be brought out only in December. 

I am happy to have this last bit of Christmas wrap up done! 

What do you usually do with your Christmas Cards? Are you still wrapping up Christmas this late into February, too?