Christmas pics (2012)

If you remember, my hair intervention post was the result of my TRYING to get the drab out of my hair because our family photos were rapidly approaching; it was my only motivation, really.

It's something we have been doing every year since we had child #2; I learned that months go by fast and  in the blink of an eye, before you know it, Christmas is here.

So, each year.... I run around coordinating outfits, booking the photographer and mentally planning out our Christmas card. I cannot sleep unless it is completed. (below... This year's outfits... Did I mention it was ALL bought at TJMax and Ross?)

Paige's cream dress was the common bond of cream, gold, and black)

Our 2009 Christmas photo...

Our 2011 photo (I couldn't find the digital one of 2010, in time to post)

I still have yet to pick out the ones we are using this year for a Christmas card. If you are on my Christmas card list each year, you may be seeing some of these in a couple weeks, in the mailbox.

Our photographer, Nina McCamley of Just for Fun Foto (954-609-8787) has done us now for 3 years. She is proof that great pictures don't have to cost a lot of $$$ and all you need is a good camera... With an even better eye.

We took the photos this year at the entryway to the Parkland Golf and Country Club. It is set up and designed for easy, beautiful photos.

What a gorgeous place!!

By the end, the kids were a little punchy.

In less than 1.5 hours, she had 300 photos... I could easily eliminate 150 (closed eyes, funny faces, etc)

But we had A LOT to choose from.

Paige... Age 4. She was the reason 150 were eliminated...

Wade... Age 7

Meredith...age 10

Olivia... Age 12

Literally.... There are a hundred 'good' ones. I couldn't possibly post them all. I would never do that.

I will say that I think this one is the best family shot overall...

Paige was close to having a meltdown at this point... The dress was itchy, we were all hungry, and we'd been there for over an hour.

Anyway, when I finally choose the Christmas card batch I'll post them. Maybe by then I'll have the pics from Christmas 2010 uploaded by then.

I hope you are all healthy, happy and inspired planning your own Christmas photos.

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Our latest addition to the house

Throughout the renovation of our home, I have said that I'm determined to have an HGTV house on a Craigslist budget. Me and a can of spray paint go FAR together.

I search Craigslist each day with an arm's length list of items that will complete each room... Not just in MY house but in a few friends' homes that were crazy enough to ask me to keep an eye out for certain items.

TODAY was my lucky day.... Craigslist was my friend, for sure.

Our kitchen re-design included a knocked out wall that created a bar between the kitchen and the front living room.

I picked up these white metal / plastic stools for $20 each at a garage sale a couple months ago. They are really outdoor chairs that had spent YEARS outside at someone else's house.

They were dirty, nasty, yellowed and stained, but they were cheap and we needed a place to sit at our new pass-thru.

They cleaned up nice enough, but they reminded me of a bird with REALLY skinny legs.

They were temporary. I made that CLEAR so Bryan wouldn't complain as I kept searching for what I really wanted.

Lots and lots of Craigslist searches for barstools led nowhere. Ugly stools, modern stools, expensive stools and sets of 2 or 3 were available... Not my needed 4 count of HGTV glory!

Then these beauties popped up last week... All 4 for $100!!!!! (the actual listing...)

My heart be still...

After I picked myself off the floor.... I left a message on the # given and the owner called back.

Holiday weekend = she was out of town = I had to wait until today to see them... A TRUE test of patience.

Thank you, God, they lived in Pembroke pines... Bryan was able to meet me there. On-duty = in uniform.= safe. (Craigslist murders and all... I don't go alone)

Nice, friendly owner... Was grateful we were normal.. Lol

Squished them in my car truck crossover... And drove them home.

They had great bones, but were worn. Needed sprucing up... Cleaning.



Nothing a coat of Oil-rubbed-bronze spray paint wouldn't fix.

 I was itching to, ready to paint... So I did.

These pics do not give them justice. 2 coats of paint they got... After I picked out a couple of Doritos buried in the wicker.(really, what's a few chips between friends?)

Ahhhhh... SO much better.

One more... I just love them.

So.. $100 + 3 cans of spray paint = me one step closer to done.

I'm throwing in one extra shot... I found these numbered coasters on clearance at Target for $1.50 and i just knew I could find a place for them

I did... I stuck them to the appropriate frames.

They may ALL need therapy someday, I know. Lol

Thanks for reading... I'll be posting our Christmas shots soon (more therapy, I know)

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The Brown/Davis family reunion 2012

Anyone that knows us KNOWS that a piece of our hearts/lives broke in half when Roger and Lara Brown moved their family to Massachusetts 5 years ago.

We have vacationed to their house, or met in Orlando, more times than ANY other place combined. Our kids used to think they were cousins, for crying out loud.

They came to South Florida for Thanksgiving and we got to spend the entire day today with them.... Who needs Black Friday when you can have a Brown Friday??

We had such a great day at the beach, even bumped into old friends, that I HAD to post the pictures. But I dug up some OLD Pics from our 2009 visit to the beach together. I'm a sucker for the then-and-now comparisons.

Then... Fall, 2009. (Wade, Meredith, Elena, Olivia and Ryan)

Now... 2012 (Paige, Meredith, Olivia, Wade, Elena, & Ryan)

We must love lining them up on the sea wall for a shot.... Tradition

In fact, we line then up everywhere. (MA... Summer 2009)

And today... We're still lining them up.

Since ALL of our visits involve food... We take lots of table shots.

Summer, 2009 ( Meredith, Ryan & Elena)

And tonight....

Paige... First trip to beach was with them 2009

And today.... She still hates to get wet.

Wade... 2009

Today... That water was pretty warm, too.

Meredith... Then.

And now...

So cheesy, but I love this stuff.

Why you do not eat food on the beach..... Those birds WILL find you.

Done with beach and birds, we went to the hotel pool.

Me and my forever friend....

While there we ran into our old work colleague, Laura Rowe. She trained me after nursing school in 1991 & Lara after nursing school in 1993.

It was like old-home week. We must've spent over an hour catching up.

Fun at the pool...

Dinner was at their hotel, the Marriott (Hollywood). They had a a cutebeachside restaurant.

(Paige tried SO hard to lean in for the shot)

We were joined for dinner, by Lara's mom, Carolyn and Pat Forsythe, both of whom used to work with us when Lara and I were getting our feet wet as nurses,

(next time, I'll remember sunblock.... Hurting now)

It was SO nice to see them both, as usual..

Thanks for looking.

(We really did have a great afternoon NOT shopping. Our Brown Friday was fantastic.)

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