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Sunday, December 29, 2013

Ugly Christmas Sweaters..and a zillion ugly pictures!

This is my family...the greatest momma, sister, and brothers a girl could ask for!!
Oh the joys of family time...
we tried to get a few pictures of just us 5 and...


...well lets just say cameras were breaking at the sight of our ugly Christmas sweaters!!

We laughed so hard!!

 Little brother decided his older brother needed a fun hair do to go along with this crazy day, I think it may be that one memory that will forever remind us of Christmas 2013!



I mean really...one clear picture would have been nice! 
But it's ok, that just how things are sometimes. 
I love them anyways. 




 The JOY of family!!!





 

 So blessed to have each of them!!! 
We are all unique in our own way...ahem....HA!!
YES...BLESSED!!!

Love,
Naomi

Monday, December 16, 2013

Our Simplified Christmas Home Tour!

Welcome Everyone!!
This year we simplified...and I must say it has feels really good!!
By simplified, I mean, all my Christmas containers are still up in the attic!! The only things we took down were our tree and a box of lights...that's it!! 
I have been so inspired by The Nester to simplify.
 We decorated with things we already had around our home.
 We have been adding little by little each day.


At first we started off with only lights..and soon the kids started with paper snowflakes. We have all sizes!! It has been so sweet to watch them..we have square, rectangular...you name it. Our kids range from 2 yrs to 13 yrs old, and I must say they did a sweet job! For me to sit back and let them make completely decorate it and make these memories has been humbling. I did however handknit the garland, again inspired by The Nester . Can you tell I'm a big fan? :)


My mantel is simple and clean for now, and I'm sure the stockings will come out in a few days too.


This door!! Oh I love old doors, and a friend of ours let us pull it out of an old house along with some planking!! 
Have you made these snowflakes yet?! Button Bird Designs has the best tutorial! We made a few of these beauties..so easy, so fun!


This is what our Hot chocolate & Cider bar looked like when I first set it up...quite fun for the little ones. It took a whole day before the candy's were put behind doors. There was a certain 2 yr old who decided he could climb up and eat every single one!


One of hubby's deer came back in, after being outside on our fence for years, and was added to our Chalkboard. Hubbys deer...as in many, were band after years of hanging on our walls. they now live in the man cave. 
Hallelujah!!!! 
I love love love this chalkboard! It's been the best thing with 4 kiddos! We write each other sweet reminders, holds a bible verse for the day, and the little ones enjoy to simple doodle on it's big surface. You can find more on how we made it Here.


I set our table very simple. 
Gold chargers hold my collection of thrifted white dishes.
Napkins tucked into pockets from old jeans.. which I've slowly been collecting them over the years, and Green stemware for everyone including the little ones. At our house we always drink out of pretty stemware. Sometimes kids come to our home and will look at me so surprised as I hand them water in a pretty glass. Yes, my kids have broken many over the years..and that's where we can take the opportunity to teach them that they are only things.


Our chandelier was a fun rescue project. You can read more about it Here. More on adding the pretties to come! I love it! Rust with a bit of Glam...YES!!


A few little cedars are here and there in our house..we cut them down at our sweet little cabin. 
Do you have a little getaway? Come see what we did with a teeny tiny storage building in a 4 part series starting Here. and how we turned it into a fun little getaway that is only 30 minutes away!


Opposite of our large chalkboard is another favorite of mine..Huge EAT letters made out of an old fence..more on them Here and my collection of silver platters is slowly growing too. I love patina!


Our bedroom called for a simple strand of lights. They make me smile. Our wall is filled with Shakespeare book pages..they too make me smile. 
Simplest of things right?!
If you'd like to read about them too, you can Here.


Thank you for stopping in at our simplified Christmas. 


I wish you all the most wonderful Christmas this year! 
Enjoy your families and loved ones!!

Love,
Naomi






Thursday, December 5, 2013

Oh ya...I have a blog?!

You know those days where you don't get much done?!  
Your list just keeps going...and on that list you see and realize you haven't blogged in almost 2 months!! 
I'm still here...hahaa! 
Really...I am!!! ;)


For those of you who follow me on Instagram (hastobepretty), you understand when I say this...it's eating this blog these days! 
Instagram just seems so easy to quickly post to. 
I really need to be more committed to this blogging thing..I do enjoy sharing what's on my heart and my projects with you on here.




I've been super busy these last 2 months! A long time dream of mine was to have a booth with my sweet sister...well a few weeks ago that dream became reality!! 



It was all we ever hoped for and more!! 
We giggled our way through 4 fun days of pure sister time!! 
We literally had 3 weeks to create enough to fill a 10x10 booth! 


Now you understand..busy?! 

Ya..we had so much fun and to all of you who came to support us...you blessed us so!! 

Thank you!!!

All of this has me in a mood to simplify once again! 
A simplified Christmas is going on at our house. 



We are slowly...really slowly, pulling out Christmas decor. 
Everything has been so busy that I feel if I quickly do it, that I won't enjoy each moment.
We brought home a sweet little cedar from the cabin. 



I'm madly in love with these wings from decorsteals.com
They are so fun!
And that mantel? 
Yes, is still empty too...
We still have not added ornaments to our trees...I'd like to keep it simply the way it is! 
However, as predicted...kids are ready for them. 
We buy everyone a special ornament each year and pulling them out brings back wonderful memories for sure!! 
So I'm sure at some point they will be added.


A few strands of lights in unexpected places..they make me smile!

I have 1 more goal left for 2013!!
 I'm a goal gal...I'm realizing this more each day!!  
Just need them!
This past January, I set a few goals and opening an Etsy shop was one of them!! 
Yes!! 
Last goal and we are in December!!! 
Procrastinate much?! 
 I'd love to have you stop in and visit Hastobepretty on Etsy!!
Shop will go live by the end of this week!! 
Ekkkk....gets me thinking on what goals to have for 2014!

Thanks for stopping in..You guys have a great & blessed day today!!
Love, 
Naomi