GIVEAWAY TIME.....

This is my 100th post!!!!  WWOOO HHOOO.  So to celebrate I am doing my first ever Giveaway.  All you have to do is visit my Etsy store....  tell me what Charli'z product you like the best.....and if your name is drawn....you will receive that product.  It's that easy!  So go now, to my Etsy store, come back here, leave me a comment about which product you like best and hopefully your name will be drawn.  I will put all the names in a hat and let Charli pick out the name.  I think I am going to keep this giveaway open for a week and then draw the name. 

Also just a reminder Jenna and I are having our Christmas Boutique this coming Thursday December 4th from 6-9 pm.  We would love to see you there for some fun Christmas shopping.  Sweet Baby Creations and Charli'z products will be available for purchase.  Community Seeds Magazine will also be there and Daisy Doo ( children's hair clips, headbands, and embellished picture frames).  If you have any questions let me know.  Hope to see you all there! 

GETTING MY PRIORITIES IN ORDER....

So today I was blogging and went on C Jane's blog, that I keep up with on an almost daily basis. Well she posted that Nie Nie had a surprise on her blog, so....... I had to see what it was! I went there and of course cried my eyes out like I do every time I visit their blogs. You will too....just wait. So after reading this post.... go to their blogs and read the entries and watch the video by Christian, Nie Nie's husband.

So after watching Christian's video it made me realize that I have been such a slacker in sending off these Softi'z and Taggi'z to those 5 amazing children. 4 of which are Christian & Stephanie's and 1 The Chief being C Jane's. I couldn't leave him out!

I am putting my Christmas Boutique sewing on hold and am going to finish writing my letter to this family that will accompany the gifts.

I have been crazilly sewing away trying to stock up for my Christmas Boutique, that is fast approaching. My house has been neglected because of this, my child needs a bath (which she will be getting tonight) I need to pack for our Thanksgiving travels, we leave in the morning, but that can wait till tonight. For now I will write my letter to this amazing family that has been through soooooo much and yet has the most amazing outlook on life. I aspire to The Nielson's (I almost wrote Nielsen). I will finish this letter, and race on down to the post office today and send it off. After doing so.......a great weight will be lifted off my shoulders, knowing that I have finally completed my gifts to the Nielson and Kendrick family.

Enjoy.... and I would love to hear what you think of the Nielson's and their amazing family and overall strength.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

CHRISTMAS PREVIEW.....

Us Finches at Christmas Preview 2008

Charli sitting with Santa
She sat on his lap
all by herself!!!!
And even smiled.
I was so proud of her.



Look at these two cousins
So sweet
Their eyes light up every time they are together.




Charli watching the Nutcracker dancers
outside Kat's Meow.
I think she was truly mesmerized.





Charli, Renton and Keegan
taking a ride in the wagon.

We had so much fun this year at Christmas Preview! All the kids had a great time and seemed to really enjoy the Christmas spirit that is truly put on every year by Christmas Preview. Everyone seems to really be in the Christmas spirit. All the stores are open in downtown Chico and they serve cookies and cider and you can just walk around and take it all in. We got a great spot in line to see Santa and almost everyone enjoyed sitting on Santas lap. Owen and Keegan cried but they are the youngest out of the bunch. My little monkey was amazing. She was a bit hesitant at first but then just walked right up to Santa, sat on his lap and gave the biggest, happiest smile. She was also so happy that he gave her a piggy bank and a candy cane afterwards.

I did make my way into one store, Kat's Meow. A nice little childrens boutique, Chad used to work with the owners husband, so we always like to support their store when we can. Such a fun store to check out whenever I am downtown. I was able to cross one more item off Charli's list! WWWOOO HHHOOO. Charli recently told me she wants an iron from Santa. I thought she was kidding but no she stuck to it. So of course I went on a mission to find her a child size iron and ironing board. I was successful....I found a vintage iron on Etsy, for $6.00 and last night at Kat's Meow I found an ironing board for $19.00. Just Charli's size! I am now going to cut up some of my fabric and put it in a basket and Charli can use it as her own fabric to iron! I am so excited for her to open this gift on Christmas morning. She watches me sew all the time and enjoys hidding under my ironing board when I am ironing and my fabric is draping over the side. And before we know it she will have her very own set. I really think she is going to enjoy this very unexpected gift. Last year it was the dollhouse....this year iron and ironing board.

CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE....

I am having my first Christmas Boutique with my friend Jenna
I will have my Charli'z products on display and Jenna will have her Sweet Baby Creations products on display. If you live in the area, you should stop by and check it out. You may have to click on this flier to enlarge it if you are having a hard time reading it. Yeah fun.... I can't wait..... Now on to more sewing.

PLAYDOUGH...SEWING...MUFFINS

Here are some Christmas onesies 

that I embellished

yesterday.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I have to give Amy credit for these

They were very yummy

Peppermint playdough

Mommy and Charli

on our day off

Veteran's Day

I had a day off on Tuesday for Veteran's Day, and it was so nice.  Charli and I made Peppermint Playdough, thanks to Jenna for suggesting that.  I added peppermint extact to the playdough and a little red food coloring and waa-laa!!!  

We also made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.  Amy got me on this because she made some as well and I couldn't resist.  So Charli and I took a trip to the store and got the ingredients.  I changed the recipe a little and they turned out great.  It called for 1 cup of oil, I added 1/2 c. oil and 1/2 c. apple sauce.  I also added ground flax seed to the mix as well.  I try to add flax seed to anything when I can.  

I was also able to get a little sewing done, which is always good for me.

How nice would it be if we all had a day off during the middle of the week, every week.  I think I would be so revived.  By the time Thursday rolls around I am always ready for my weekend.  

OUR 2008 FAMILY PICTURES

I think this is one of the most amazing pictures of Charli yet.

Our 2008 family picture.  

Swinging in the park

Family hearts

Family hands

Once again Tracy captured some amazing pictures for our family.  She has such an amazing eye for capturing the moment.  I can't say enough great things about her.  If you live in the area and are looking for an amazing photographer with good prices I highly recommend her.

This year we went to a park around the corner from our house to take our annual September pictures.  Charli did such a great job posing for all the pictures and has started looking forward to Tracy taking our pictures.  

This is a little preview of what you might find in your mailbox around Christmas card season.  If I don't have your address and you want to be added to the list let me know.  Hopefully if all goes as planned we will have these cards finished and ready to mail out by December 1st.  I am so trying to stay ahead of this holiday season this year.

LUG THE SLUG.....

Meet Lug the Slug

(Rhymes with bug)

We found this very large 

Slug 

on our window tonight

Charli instantly named it

Lug

Lug the Slug......

She then sang Lug 

Happy Birthday

I guess Lug told Charli that it was 

his or her birthday tonight.

TURKEY FRIENDS

Charli's turkey has a boyfriend!!!! I love how these two versions turned out. They are absolutely adorable. I am going to make a couple more of these. I am thinking a brown version next. FUN FUN!!!

Side note: I have almost posted 100 blogs!!!! WOO HOO....... I am thinking of doing a Charli'z giveaway for my 100th post. I will keep you posted as it gets closer. I have never done a giveaway, so this should be fun. Stay tuned.

TURKEY SHIRT.....

I made a turkey shirt for Charli today.  In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, that will be here before we know it.  This turkey has buttons for eyes and is pretty darn cute!!!  Charli didn't feel like putting it on but wanted to take a picture with it.  Silly girl.  I am planning to put some of these turkeys, boy and girl versions on some bib'z and get them out in my stores soon.  

HALLOWEEN.....

After Trick or Treating at the Behlke's house

Charli and Daddy.

Charli got cold while trick or treating

So Chad

the nice daddy that he is

carried Charli the last bit of 

trick or treating

Little Red Riding Hood (Charli)

The Wizard (Brian)

Darth Vadar (James)

Storm Trooper (Owen)

All had a great time

Amy and I both agreed 

this was the best Halloween yet

with the kids

Darth Vadar and Little Red Riding Hood 

Trick or Treating 

on our road before heading up to the Behlke's

for more treat fun.

Our Little Red Riding Hood

Let me just give myself a pat on the back for this costume this year.  I really tried to reuse what we already had.  The white dress is Charli's flowergirl dress from Brooke's wedding this last summer, the white tights, we already had, the basket is a Toto the dog basket that we already had.  I bought the sparkle shoes from Target and the red cape was purchased from Etsy.  So proud of myself.  

We had a great time this Halloween.  We celebrated with The Behlke's, and Donnell's.  The kids really seemed to get the whole trick or treating thing this year.  Brian was hilarious this go round, I think he walked into 3 houses.  Literally opened the door and walked right in and helped himself to the candy.  It was so funny and he really had no idea that you are supposed to knock and then someone answers the door.....and then you get the candy.  In his mind it was just easier to help himself.  

Charli loved Halloween this year and could not wait to go trick or treating.  She started asking when we were going to go....the minute she woke up.  And about every 10 minutes after until we actually went.  It is soooooo hard to wait when you are 4, and there is so much build up for the big event.  From a mom stand point, I love that we didn't get loads and loads of candy.  Just enough to last us about a week or two and then all gone.

Now I have a question for anyone that may be able to help me out.  When I uploaded my pictures this time the last picture that I uploaded became the first on this post and so forth.  This seems like a new development for blogger and a bit frustrating for me.