On the First Day of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me...

 Ok So it's been too long since I've really updated our blog so here's a big bunch of updates for you all! SO! Last Thursday night after a very long day I was on the phone with Jer as I was driving home when the doorbell rang. He went to the door to find all the gifts on our front porch (pictured below). I thought he was kidding when he told me but he wasn't! Our 12 days of Christmas started on December 1st. What a thoughtful thing for someone to do for us and totally unexpected!

The first day's gift was a bouquet of 2 dozen roses! They are beautiful and added the perfect amount of beauty to our home.

 Pictured below is our December 2nd gift. A date night! The note said, "For you and your mate, here is a date!" We got the movie Little Rascals and our favorite movie treats! We're starting to think these people know us well.

 I was really excited about our December 3rd gift. A beautiful table cloth that perfectly fit our kitchen table. Once again, think this person knows us? It was also very festive!

 Here it is on our table. Doesn't it look great with the roses as an addition?

 Day 4, always a necessity, Cascade for our dish-washing needs! This is the brand we are loyal to.

 Day 5 and 6, a big pack of batteries and tons of awesome baking supplies. Um hello?! They have to know us now!

 And TODAY'S gift, "Planning for the future never hurts?" Hmmm, now that one i'm not sure about. However there is a funny story about this because freshman year when Jer and I were first dating we had an inside joke about these signs people would put on their car windows like, "baby on board" or, "brother on mission." We thought they were pretty hilarious. :o) Did this person know us freshman year? Maybe not, maybe they are just giving us hints? :o)

We will keep you updated on the second half of our gifts! We're excited to see what they will be!

 This picture is not the best but here is a little sample of what I have been doing these days. I made this dress for my final project in my sewing class. I'm actually quite proud of it.

 This is a new scarf I made. I actually got the pattern for free at Michael's! I really like it. AND it will be at our Open House this Saturday evening from 5-9. Make sure you come and bring a friend!

 Here is our god-daughter Harper (I know we aren't Catholic but we like to pretend we can be her god-parents). Here is she looking especially cute in her Vans and some leggings made by her mommy. Isn't it amazing the things you can create yourself? Including this little human? ;o)

 Last night we went to the Ballroom Dance company Christmas social. We had a lovely dinner and dancing in the Hinckley Center, they even had a live band. It was great fun.

 This is my table scape I was quite proud of when Lauren, Meg, D and I had our last dinner group. I made those paper pumpkins in the center of the table and my mom sent me the place card holders in our Halloween package. I made this delicious pumpkin soup recipe I got from my friend Alison and we ate them in Kneaders bread bowls! Yum Yum! I love dinner group with my girls.

And last but not least. Can't find the right gift for that fashionable man in your life? Well, I am going to post a tutorial this evening to make this very scarf. I may even add instructions to make tassels on the ends. I'm actually making this for a friend of ours that Jer helped baptize in Taiwan. He is kind of an adopted member of the Barton family. :o)

Bear in mind that I won't be giving instructions on how to do each individual stitch but I will give you some places to go find those instructions.

Also, if you don't have a desire to make this scarf but would really like one, I'd be happy to sell one to you. :o) Scarves are awesome Christmas gifts and hand-made ones are even more special and unique.

Stay tuned for my tutorial!