Turkey Run

I took a break this morning from jewelry work to run the Turkey Run around Como Lake in Saint Paul.  It is my second year running it - last year the course was glare ice.  This year was also slippery thanks to the snowfall we received yesterday, but it wasn't as icy since the snow was covering the course.  It was cold (in the teens) but it was a fun run with friends.  It is a small, well organized race and I love the scenery.  It brings me back to the 'old days' when I would rollerblade around the lake after work in Saint Paul...

Me and my neighbor friends, Michelle and Diana:

Jewelry

I am in the midst of my busy season, diligently working on orders as quickly as I can to keep up with the rush!  Here are this weekend's pieces:

In case you are wondering what my dining room looks like during 'busy season', here you go! Someday we'll have a dining room table again.  Right now, it's my workspace!!!! :)

Carter's Preschool Picture

Does it get any cuter than this?  Love that contagious grin of his!!!!!

Glow Birds

Much along the same line as our Halloween Craft, we made Glow Birds for Thanksgiving that we found in Family Fun magazine.  It held the boys' interest for about as long as the pumpkins, oh, about 5 minutes or so.  The other hours were spent by Mom and I putting together the glow birds.  We ended up with 7 and I think they turned out cute.  When they are lit at night, they are really pretty, almost have a stained glass appearance!  Ryan wants to know what craft we are doing for December, so if you have any cute ideas for winter or the holidays, please let me know! :)

Weekend at Grandpa and Grandma's

The boys and I spent the weekend at Mom and Dad's, and Kyle and Evan went up to the hunting cabin for to hunt.  We had fun at the Pizza Pub with our friends on Friday night and then spent a low key day on Saturday at home.  The boys used their imagination to play much of the day - that is when I could pry the iphone out of their hands!  ;)

Their movie theater.  Can you see the names of the movies?  All spelled by Ryan! :)

Dolphin Tale

Soul Surfer (Sole Serfer)

Arthur's Christmas (Arther Crismas)

Puss 'n Boots (Puss in Boots)

Transformers 3 (Trantsformers 3)

Rio

They acted out each of the movies several times yesterday!

Carter peeking under the 'curtain':

Carter is sick again and back on the neb!  Poor little guy - hoping this one is knocked out as quickly as the last with his nebulizer!!!

Jewelry

You know how you have some days at work that just don't go quite how you expect or want them to?  That was my day yesterday working on jewelry.  I had a tough time getting motivated and then I just couldn't get into it.  I completed under half of the orders I had hoped to get done, and then when I got back home, realized I had misspelled a name on 2 of the necklaces - same name was on both.  Ugh - talk about frustrating!  It was just one of those days!  :(  I love making jewelry, but the holiday season brings a lot more pressure and I am trying to find the balance with spending time with my kids and making jewelry that works for all of us.  If anyone has any tips/tricks on working from home that they'd like to share, I'd be all ears!  :)

Kyle's Buck

Kyle shot his very first deer on Sunday, and it just happened to be a 9 point buck.  He shot it from the 'tower' stand with Grandpa.  It was hard to tell who was more excited, Kyle or Grandpa!  It was a pretty exciting time in the house, that is for sure!  What an awesome experience for Kyle.  Evan missed it because we were in Amsterdam...I wish he could have been there, but if he couldn't, I was glad that my Dad could. 

Proud Grandpa and Kyle:

Nice size deer!!

Showing Carter: