journey through the button sea

Well this post was mainly going to be about the art I made last night and other random tidbits but it has evolved into an embarrassing moment and funny story.  Will was standing here in the office talking to me as I was being a hot shot doing spinning/tipping tricks in the office chair.  Well as I was tipping back I lost my balance and began to fall.  The talking between us ceases as I manage to balance on a couple wheels for a second and then CRASH!  I banged up my hip and arm but luckily didn't hit my head on the desk or wall like I could have.  Between whining about the pain I was laughing. Once Will figured out I wasn't injured he laughed too.  He said he'll never get tired of dorky moves like that from me.  Good thing because I've been rather clumsy lately.  I'm still laughing thinking of how ridiculous that just looked.  I wish Will would have grabbed the camera and took a few silly pictures of me and the chair tangled up on the floor so you could all laugh with me.

In other news here is the lovely piece I made last night.  I've had the idea of doing some kind of cartoonish whale in my head for a while.  Last night I turned that idea into this.....

The objects around my whale friend are buttons that I found at a thrift store.  I really like buttons.  They are neat little treasures.  It fascinates me to think about what article of clothing they were once a part of and how many years ago that was.  What was life like then? etc. etc.  My strange little mind goes on and on.

Here's another interesting thing that just happened.  Will comes from the kitchen telling me that he just remembered another one of my Christmas presents that he forgot to wrap.  HAHAHA!  He's the dork of the evening.  He reaches into the closet and pulls out this fancy toaster.....

Some of you might be thinking....a toaster....that's lame.  But if you knew how much I've complained about our current toaster you'd understand.  He is funny.  Funny for getting me a better toaster and funny for randomly remembering something that he should have dealt with days ago. 

This is just a really funny night.

the famous love box

I think way too often in life we hear, see, or focus on the bad things.  I also think that I tend to take the people who I love the most for granted at times.  Come on.....you know I'm not the only one who is guilty of that.  I am a firm believer that it's the little things that make a difference.  Since I believe that I made a this lovely little box to prove it....

The purpose of this box is for Will and I to let each other know about the little things that we do which make a difference.  I keep a pen and paper near the box and then whenever he or I feel the need we write a little note to each other and put it in the box which we open every Sunday.  It's a way to start the new week out right by feeling loved and appreciated and knowing that we make a difference.  Sometimes the notes we leave each other are small or silly.  Will might thank me for keeping his belly full of good food.  I might thank him for taking the trash out.  Then there are those times it goes to a deeper level like when I thank Will for all of his love and support and the fun times we share with my family.  Or he might thank me for a love note I stash in his work clothes or for understanding him so much.  It's the highlight of our day to open that box and read the special notes.

We are even lucky enough to have guests leave a love note on occasion.  Mia has been known to draw a few pictures that she puts in there.  My mom has left great notes for both of us. 

I think the whole world needs a love box because it truly is the little things that matter.

games

The grand plan for the last week or so was that after Will got done with work on Christmas we would go with my mom and Brandon to Laughlin.  We were going to have a nice dinner and then go see a movie.  Kind of like what me, my mom. and brother did last Christmas.  However, we discovered at the last minute that Will would be on call all weekend.  Rather than risk being paged a million times and having to split up we opted to stay home and have a game night.  Good thing because he did end up having to go into work. 

My mom baked the best cookies ever.

We ate lots of cookies and other junk like doughnuts

The excessive sugar made us all a little loopy, especially Brandon.

He kept us laughing all night with his dancing and skipping and cranium sculptures.

When we got the game all set up we realized the clay that comes with it was all dried out.  There wasn't any other substance in the house we could make do with so Brandon set out to fix the dried up purple blob.  He added water to it.  He put it in the microwave.  He added lotion to it.  We laughed while watching all of his attempts to fix it and talked about how much Lisa would be laughing if she were witnessing the nonsense.  After all that we were able to use it but it wasn't working quite right so all of the evenings sculptures were ridiculous.

We also played Rummikub.  One of my favorite games [because i'm pretty good at it]

The grandmother came by for a visit.

It was such a fun night.  I'm glad we didn't end up going to dinner and a movie because I bet it wouldn't have ever been as much fun.

I love my crazy family and I love that the newest member fits in perfectly!

How about a repeat next weekend?

merry christmas

Will and I got up little kid style this morning [super early].  We decided to go ahead and do that to make it feel more like Christmas rather than wait to open presents when Will gets off work.  Although I wasn't thrilled when the alarm went off after way too little sleep I'm glad we did that.  Here are our morning faces...

   







Here we are opening presents!!!!!!

[Will wrapped some of my things in stuff like this to disguise them.  He cracks me up]

{he might have been most excited about this one.  i knew he would be excited since he sings the songs from jungle book all the time}

This is the painting I made for Will that I couldn't blog about until he opened it. 










And this is the project Will has been working on for several nights.....

He made me the house from UP....with his own special spin of course.

Whenever we watch UP I'm always talking about that house.

This is the first big creative moment Will has ever had and I am going to cherish this house forever.

He is so cute and thoughtful!

that old feeling

It felt a little like old times yesterday.  I'd have to say ever since my dad has been in the spirit world, Christmas just hasn't had that same amazing feeling that it always had all my life.  I can't really explain it.  It's just that wonderful calm happy feeling without anything big or extravagant happening.  This year I felt that for the first time in a long time......

..... as I wrapped stuff with my helper Mia

.....when my mom and I went grocery shopping

....as my mom made delicious vegetable soup with me and Will talked and joked with us

....as Will carried me around the house and spun me around until I was really dizzy

.....when my mom fell asleep on our couch and I video taped her girlish snore

{i have the video but i won't put it on here since she might not like that}

....when we played several wild games of yahtzee

[yes my mom was doing her wonderful hand trick]

.....when Will did this.....

[you'll have to ask him about it]

........as I admired our lovely card collection

.....when I stayed up late doing the final touches with Will's stocking stuffers