Holiday Cheer!!

The faux bois wrapping paper I made.

In a gift form....

Also in orange....

Garvan Gardens
Had to take our pic in front of the NBC peacock because we are obsessed with 30 Rock!!!

The bday girl in her apron

So I thought I would update on the holiday festivites so far.... Last weekend, we went to Garvan Gardens to see the lights. There is something magical about all those beautiful ligths!!! It had been rainy and cold all day, but had cleared up by nightfall and it was nice because it wasn't so crowded. After the gardens, we went back to my mom's house for dinner. She made her famous meal and it was delicious, as always. We sat and talked for awhile and then the girls headed back to Little Rock around 9. I was sad because this occured on the same night as a party for Anna & Drew, but I guess it will be my one to miss. I know they had a blast and I hate that I missed out. Monday, was my friend Lauren's bday and her fiance planned a surprise get together. I made her this fabulous apron. Last night, was my Gossip Girl Supper Club Christmas Party. To say that we had fun would be an understatement!!! I woke up this morning laughing about some of the stuff that happened... I also scored some great gifts. I love this group and I couldn't make it through the week without our Tuesday get togethers! I am gearing up for the other Holiday fun that the rest of this week holds. Hope your holiday season is merry and bright!!!

I wanted to share pics of the wrapping paper that I made to use this year. I always wrap all of my gifts alike and love to wrap! I took paper bags from Kroger, cut them apart, and stamped them with a faux bois(wood grain) stamp. I think it turned out pretty swell!!!

Hope all is well....

I'm Dreaming of a....

This is our '09 Christmas Card

Blogging has taken a back seat to life during this crazy holiday season. This past weekend I worked on my big Christmas project. Every year there is one gift that I make and give a lot of friends and family. Last year, it was the heating pads that you warm up in the microwave made out of fun, festive fabrics. I cannot reveal what this year's project is because some readers of this blog will be receiving one. Let me just say that they are fabulous and I had to make myself one, too! I may not be blogging for the next week or so because here is the list of events...

Tonight- Babysit, Thursday- Movie night, Friday- church & then nothing (yay!), Saturday- Garvan Gardens with mom and a bunch of family friends (this a tradition we started a couple of year's ago and I love it!), Sunday- baking for upcoming week at school, Monday- afterschool & party, Tuesday- Supper Club Christmas party, Wednesday- afterschool & getting ready for party at my house, Thursday- Tacky Christmas Sweater party @ my house, Friday- not sure yet, but last day of school!!!, Saturday- wedding shower and Christmas Karaoke. I am getting tired just writing this list!!!

I am so excited that Alabama won the SEC championship!!! Roll Tide!!

So much more to blog about, but my brain hurts.

Hope all is well....

It's the most wonderful and busiest time of the year!!!

I made this Christmas tree door decor...I think it turned out pretty swell!!!
I cut this rose out of my garden this week....crazy that it is December and they're still blooming because all of this nutty weather.

December has begun and with it came cold weather and the busiest season of the year. Between work, afterschool, Christmas shopping, and celebrating there isn't much time for sleep!! I guess that is what Christmas break is for.... I don't have much going on this weekend so I am going to try and work on some of the different Christmas gifts that I am making. Even though this time of year sometimes gets overshadowed in the hustle and bustle, it is one of my favorite times of the year. I LOVE Christmas music, movies, and all the holiday decorations. I have started receiving Christmas cards and it is so fun to see how families have grown and changed over the course of the year. I ordered our Christmas cards today and hope to receive them sometime this weekend. Thanks to my friend Derek (who took the new pics on my header) they look awesome this year!!! Also, I want to congratulate my friend LC (Lauren) and Jason on their engagement and upcoming wedding!!!

Hope all is well....

THANKFUL!!!

My last post was about exciting times and they have been very exciting!!! The weekend was a blast! I came home yesterday and my mom and I went to see "The Blind Side" last night. We LOVED it!!! I cannot wait to see it again! It combined my two favorite things- a heartwarming story and football! Other than that we have just been busy beavers, cooking.

Thanksgiving was always my Dad's favorite holiday and it is one of my faves, if not my favorite holiday! I have SO much to be thankful for. Beyond a wonderful family, fabulous friends, a great job, and the best dog ever, I am thankful to live in this great country and have the basic needs of food, clean water, and shelter. I know that these are things that I have had the luxury of my whole life and I take for granted. I think of the principle of Tom's shoes and how they give shoes to people who don't have ANY shoes, and then I think of myself who complains that I have nothing to wear!!! I have an obscene amount of clothing, shoes, coats, and accessories. My blog is going to take on some changes as of January 1, 2010 and a lot of it has to do with thankfulness! Until then, I hope that everyone has a wonderful, safe Thanksgiving and enjoys all the many blessings that they have.

Hope all is well....

Exciting Times

There are several things that I am really looking forward to and more importantly excited about!!!

1. "New Moon" We are going at midnight on Thursday!!!

2. Anna & Drew's Engagement Party So many of our friends are going to be in town and this is their first party!!!

3. Thanksgiving!! Sunday night we have The Perry's Thanksgiving Dinner with all of our friends and then 2 days of school and I go home for some quality time and yummy food with Debs!!!

4. Starting running again.... I was really sick and then I have been having some trouble with my leg again. I have been so blessed to have 2 weeks of beautiful sunrises and I have been walking every morning instead. This has been great!!

5. Decorating my house for Christmas!!!

6. Colder weather... Tights, boots, scarves, hats...I LOVE it all!!

7. Coco and I's Christmas pics/card.... My friend Derek came over on Sunday and took some fabulous pics of us. I can't wait to see them after he gets done cropping and editing them!

And the most important..... A couple of weeks ago, after finishing the second book by Ron Hall and Denver Moore "What Difference Do it Make" I decided to start collecting blankets old/new, as long as they are clean, to give to the homeless. I sent out a very heartfelt email to the people I work with and my mom has passed it along to some friends. In it I just talked about the need that homeless people have for blankets with the cold months ahead. My goal was to keep them in my car and when I saw someone in need just stop and give it to them. Well, it hasn't been that cold and I haven't received that many donations, but yesterday I had a girl stop me and ask if I had any blankets. She had heard from someone that I was collecting blankets and she knows a woman with four children who has been living at the homeless shelter for a couple of months and just was given housing, but has NOTHING!! She asked me if I had any blankets that I could give her. I happen to have received quite a few this weekend and was so EXCITED to tell her "YES" that I would bring them tomorrow. Needless to say every time I think of giving this lady the blankets I start crying. I am just so excited to be able to bless her with such a small act of kindness. I am also including a card with some scriptures and story about trusting in God.

If you read this blog and would like to help me please send me an email at effie.edwards@gmail.com

Hope all is well....

Correction....

So the title of my last post might explain why I put the wrong title about the Robert Frost poem. The poem is "The Road Not Taken" and the final line is about "two roads...." This may not have bothered anyone else or they may not have noticed, but I wanted to make the correction. I am so happy it is Friday!!! I am going to a wedding in Hot Springs tonight and then don't have any other definite plans for the weekend, and I am so excited! I am going to try and rest because next week I am going to start teaching an afternoon Art class on Mondays and Wednesdays. I am looking forward to it, but I hope I am not too worn out after teaching all day on those days, too. I think Coco and I are going to try and take our Christmas pictures this weekend.....I hope they turn out good....

Today is my sister's birthday! Happy Birthday!!! Love you so much!!! It is also my good friend from college, Stephanie's bday. Hope you both have fabulous celebrations of your birth!!!

Hope all is well.....

Happy but Hectic!!!

This pic reminds me of the Robert Frost poem "Two Roads".....one of my faves!!!
Rocks on the hike

First off, the weather has been so beautiful lately!!!! I am so thankful for the sun. I am confused where Fall is, but as long as it isn't raining I'm not complaining! I feel like I am constantly rushing around trying to get everything done. (I think this means holiday season is right around the corner...) I took these pictures on a hike with my mom. We went hiking on Saturday morning in Hot Springs. The weather was perfect! Afterwards, we watched football the rest of the day and just chilled!! I'm so happy the Razorback won!!! This week has been hectic with work, errands, and life! Not much else to say just trying to make it to Thanksgiving so I can have a couple days of relaxing...
Hope all is well....