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If you read my post on the PaperLife this week, you saw these pictures showing my mischievous boys in action:

I love them!  I love the joy they find in the little things.  But sometimes that joyful spirit gets them in trouble.  About a month ago while picking up Riley from school, his teacher said to me: “Riley is the best drummer in the grade.  I would really like to let Riley do this, but the drummer is THE focal point of the entire program and I can’t let a boy who disrupts the other kids play the drum.  He has one more chance.”

YEAH – oh, dear!

Well, I agreed with her – he shouldn’t be rewarded for bad behavior.  But one more chance!  There is an entire MONTH until the program.  Can he do it!?  If he wants to – he can do anything.

After much talking, hugging, talking and hugging we decided that Riley needed to start new and the best way to do that was to apologize to the kids.  So, Riley and I went to the store and bought treats and decided he was going to apologize to the entire class.  The next day after school I asked him if the kids liked the treats – they did.  Did you apologize to the class?  No. Why not? I didn’t disrupt them all.  I apologized to the ones I did (fair enough).  Did you apologize to your teacher?  No.  He went right then and spoke with his teacher.

Fast forward one month to Wednesday, and… he still has his one chance!  Look at my darling little (much better behaved) drummer boy:

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His teacher says we owe her a new drum because he beat this one to death!

What a fun day.  He loves to sing and sang his heart out! 

On a side note, I would also like to thank his teacher for conveniently placing him directly beneath a spotlight.  It made getting good pictures fairly easy.

Coming tomorrow… Proud Mama part 2

Visit the My Mind’s Eye blog everyday from December 1 to December 24 to celebrate the:

Are you ready for the 12 Designers of Christmas?

Trisha Ladouceur, Anam Stubbington, Suzanne Sergi, Amber Packer

Tamara Jensen, Tiffani Smith, Jana Eubank, Karen Grunberg

Vicki Boutin, Sonia Thomason, Gretchen McElveen and Bethany Kartchner!

12 days of ideas, 12 giveaways

AND a blog hop at the end with a GRAND prize

Around here, December is going to be crazy – in a good way!

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You need to check this out:

Teresa Collins is doing the 25 COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS on her blog each day. 

She will be giving away a PRIZE every single day.

Today Teresa is giving away is Union Square from My Mind’s Eye.  Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win:

 http://mymindseye.typepad.com/blog/2010/12/kick-off-the-season-the-right-way/

You know I love Teresa’s products!

I have the ability of always being able to find something to do.  I am never bored.  I’m always knee-deep in a project or two.  SO… on Thanksgiving Day when I was getting ready to go to dinner, a stroke of brilliance hit me:  What if instead of putting up our Christmas decorations we installed a faux tin tile backsplash in the kitchen?

Truth be told, when I come up with BRILLIANT plans like this and propose them to Bryan, he will usually roll his eyes and remind me that it’s the day after Thanksgiving and our children would prefer to have decorations. 

I was prepared with a game plan that even included the secret play:  “It can be my Christmas present” – Seriously, how could he refuse an offer like that.  (We’ll ignore the fact the Bryan and I don’t usually buy gifts for each other.  That’s minor detail, anyway)

Well, guess what!?  I was met with no opposition!  Instead He said, “What time should we go to Lowe’s?”

Here are a few before pictures:

(I left the banana on the counter and stuff on the fridge for my friend who said to me the other day, “Why is is that everyone’s house is always perfect and there are NO cords in any pictures?”)

And some AFTER pictures:

It’s amazing what 3 hours can do.  I even designed three layouts and watched a football game with my parents.

On the way to watch a football game with my parents, we stopped at Target and picked up an new paper towel holder (no more apples).  When we first got married, forest green was “IN” and our kitchen was decorated in apples, sun flowers and a bunch of forest green.  I’m so glad that styles are more streamlined now.  I find I am constantly purging my decor looking for peace.  Maybe it’s because my life is chaotic?

Then it was off to Wal-Mart (the evil store) to pick up three new canisters.  They are smaller than the ones at Target or what I had – and clear!  I like how they take up less room on the counter.  And, seriously, who needs 10 lbs of flour ready at all time to make rolls?

I love how the backsplash turned out!  Now I need to find some new salt & pepper shakers.  Has anyone seen a cool set?

I had to take a few minutes away from organizing, editing and adding the finishing touches (like a blog banner and my project) to the My Mind’s Eye December newsletter to quickly share with you my Thanksgiving pie success!

(PSA: Have you signed up for the newsletter, yet!?  You are going to LOVE this issue.  We have a fun variety of projects to help you enjoy Christmas!  If you haven’t signed up for the newsletter, yet!  You still have Tuesday and early Wednesday morning to get in on all the fun!)

One delicious cherry pie:

One delicious pumpkin pie (at least I’ve heard this since I don’t like pumpkin pie – which really is a shame because it smells so delicious):

I can cook, I do cook, but it’s not something I look forward to.  My problem is that I am easily distracted when I cook so something that will take someone else 30 minutes to make can take me 2 hours and by that time the kiddos are “starving”! 

Since I am easily distracted when cooking, I tend to burn things.  So, when it’s a big occasion like Thanksgiving, I purchase extra ingredients just in case I have to remake my part of the meal (like I did the ghost cake at Halloween and the cupcakes for Pack Meeting a few days later).

Guess what!?  I didn’t even have to remake either of these.  They turned out right the first time!  Miracle of miracles!  And… it was the first time I made pumpkin pie!

Thank you to those of you who gave me your advice on facebook!

P.S. I’m not the only one in the family to learn something new at Thanksgiving:

Breathe in, breathe out.  Breathe in breathe out. 

Go…

Did you feel it?  I did it.  I’m in – really in (I think).  I took a leap of faith. 

• Faith in the blogging system
• Faith in me, that I will open up and share things
• Faith in you, my blog readers, that you’ll be gentle on me
• Faith that you will even find anything I have to say of value

I think I’m ready. 

It really is time.

This is really hard for me.  Opening up, being me, showing my vulnerable side.  I sort of learned a long time ago that people didn’t want to hear my problems.  I’m one of those people who aren’t supposed to have trials, issues, hurts or disappointments.  Well, I do. 

We all have trials.  Some trials are obvious.  While other trials are not so obvious.  Sometimes one person’s trials look like blessings to others – weird, I know!

My trials, for the most part, are not obvious.  And though I’m opening up, you most likely will not read them in the blog.  Most of my trials are meant for me alone to bear.  Alone, but never truly alone.  I have my big brother who has already born my trials for me.

I believe that once you put something out there, you can never take it back.  I have realized that I move past things and even forget they happened.  So, I will not be sharing those types of issues.

I will, however, share concerns and triumphs and even set-backs.  Please know that even though I don’t share them openly, the trials are there.  My life is not all sunshine and roses, but I like to be the kind of person who focuses on the beautiful flower and looks past the thorns.

I enjoy my imperfect, crazy life and am blessed beyond measure through it.

I get to teach at the 4th Annual Inspiration Unlimited hosted by Teresa Collins!  Pretty Awesome, huh!?

I haven’t taken the opportunity to travel and teach since my boys are still pretty young.  I had the opportunity to teach at CHA in January and loved it.  I enjoyed it so much that I thought: I could do this once a year.  That wouldn’t inconvenience the boys too much, right?

So, when Teresa asked me to join the amazing ladies at her event, I jumped at the chance.

I look forward to meeting those of you who are lucky enough to attend the SOLD OUT event!

Inspiration Unlimited will be held September 22 – 24, 2011.  But, don’t worry if you aren’t able to make it.  I have plans for you, too.  You just may find a class kit or other fun prizes coming your way as we get closer to the event.

Hugs!

In the meantime, check out the class I’m teaching this month using Teresa’s Blingage!?  If you can’t make it to the class, you can order kits online!

Reserve the date – join me in class!

Christmas Elf Boot

Taught by Amber Packer
Friday, November 19
6:30 pm

If the BOOT Fits … 

… Hang it on your door! Amber Packer combines the Holly Jolly collection from My Mind’s Eye and Blingage from Teresa Collins to create a stylish, classy and definitely feminine elf boot! The elf boot is approximately 11” w x 18” h and will fit perfectly on your front door. You’ll love this boot so much that you are not going to want to take it down when the holidays are over.

Want to take the class, but can’t make it or don’t live close?  We’ve got you covered: BUY THE KIT!

Here are the important details:

**CLASSES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY DISCOUNTS***

You CAN have a kit mailed to you, it will be mailed no later than the class date (November 19) To be directed to the class, you can click on the class title or the picture…

If you would like to get a kit, just indicate that option when you book your class and we will send kits no later than the retreat date…Now for the fun stuff…

To sign up for class or reserve a kit to make at home, follow this link: http://stores.apage4allseasons.com/-strse-2084/Christmas-Wooden-ELf-/Detail.bok