Stockings!!

stockings!! P.S. if you like our hangers, they are available at Pottery Barn, in oil bronze too!

closer up! It was fun to do the relief thing, but a little tricky in the felt.

Isn't that fireplace just begging to have something above it!! I know, I'm working on it.

Well I am finally finished making those stockings! They didn't take that long, it's just that they got tossed to the side a bit. Kent doesn't have one...yet. because he couldn't decide what he wanted on his. But I think that we finally have a solution to that.

So the girl ones are white and cream. And the boys are brown and cream. They are felt and faux fur. Super simple construction, but I like the look! 

We've been busy!

We have been busy having quality time around the Cranmer home! Vienna and I made some squares the other day. We also made some paper christmas ornaments to hang above the kitchen table (pics to come) 

Oh and oranges! We have been eating a lot of christmas oranges!!! Seger can't get enough, fast enough!
And the kids can't get enough of the snow!! A great perk of having a husband with a snow plow is one massive hillof snow in your very own yard! Kent takes all the snow off our street and pile sit up and then carves steps up the back and a little slide down the front. The kids are of course in heaven! I love this christmas season when we get to see those rosy cheeks with beaming smiles!

Ramblings

SO many of you don't know me. And maybe that is the fun part about having a blog that you get to hear from and reach out to many people outside of your everyday sphere. Which most days for me means my main floor. I enjoy that there is this whole world out there that can be accessed in the touch of my keyboard.

However I have been finding myself feeling as though my actual little world isn't as large as I thought it was. I am not sure if I am just in a personal impass of closing in because so much in my life is an unknown right now, and I always feel better when it feels like I have some control. (can you say OCD)

I guess I feel as though people are shying away from me. And I am trying to soul search to see if it is me that's pushing them, or if maybe it's just that I am losing those connections. Maybe I just need a good kick in the pants to get out there socially. (I have never had this problem before. I have always been a social butterfly) So bear with me as I discover the root to my new found feeling of being left out.

I do however on a very positive note feel really blessed to have Kent home so much right now. I have even become accustom to having him around, to the point that he has to go do snow removal, and I feel like I did when we were dating and we had to say goodbye. I hated having to sleep by myself, even though that is all I knew! It just seemed wrong when I was so in love to say goodbye to my other half. (how's that for sappy!)

I also feel really blessed that I have been able to spend more time with the kids doing 'good mommy' things. Like crafts and baking, and playing in the snow. (pics to come) I love those munchkins SO much and can hardly wait to hold this new one. Which by the way I have totally popped and now sport a cute little belly, for all to see!

Now don't get worried about me (Mom, Nicole, you know who you are) After all this could just be a fresh batch of hormones, and it's late at night.

family pics

Recently we had our good friend Brad Heninger of Heninger Photography take our family pics. We could not be more thrilled!! He managed to capture some gorgeous images despite the nasty cold wind that day. So here is a peek at a few faves from our first ever (i know, can you believe it) professional family portrait session. We'll be due by next fall for a new set of pics with our new baby BOY!! You heard it right! 

I had an ultrasound this past week to check on things. I am 14 weeks but the Dr. thought that my uterus seemed HUGE, or as he wrote in my chart 'bulky' for how far along I was. Well everything checks out just fine. And while we were there we asked how soon you could see the sex of the baby, and apperently that isn't a problem at 14 weeks when it's a boy! So now we are really going to be searching for just the right name. We are horrible with the boy names!! Wish us luck!

Santa is coming to town!

My good friend Nena is joining in the giveaway event from Sew mama sew. She is giving away this wonderful Santa Clause glitter canvas that will have you kids believing that Santa really does know if they are being naughty or nice! Enter to win on her blog HERE. There are so many chances to win, but alas random generator has the final say. Good luck to you all!

Black and White

This is a few more shots of the black and whites from my Conor Katie photo shoot. This was such a fun day! Oh and I know you two haven't seen these yet...... because, you totallly left the disc that I spent half the day getting ready for you to take!!! I'll send it in the mail! Enjoy a little more of a preview.

Roller Coaster~

So life has been interested this last week. The good news first. Kent and I were able to go away for our 7th anniversary this past weekend and stay over night in the Baker Creek Chalets. They are little cabins in the middle of nowhere, with no phone no TV and it's heaven! It was so nice to walk around holding hands and acting like a couple of teenagers again!

So now the not so good news..... Kent this last week was laid-off. A little scary. They made it clear that it had nothing to do with his talent, just a budget thing. The economy is not god for the housing industry right now. We are optomistic though. We have a side business in it's 5th year doing commercial snow removal. So we are feeling so blessed that we have that in place. This could be that push we needed to make that full time for Kent like we have always talked about. I really feel as though Heavenly Father has prepared us for this. I have been having success with photography and my quilting and the snow business must have been in his plan for a long time! 

* side note, we really are positive about this upcoming change!

It is however been a bit of an adjustment having my husband home withme and the kids. I have realized that I really have a specific way of things running through th day with out totally thinking about it. But when he 'messes' with the plan..... I totally have to learn to chill! Things are slowly finding a balance. The kids of course love not having to say goodbye everyday!

Today, however is bringing projects to fruision! I am workignon those stockings that I have been talking about. SO you should hopefully see some pics in the next day or too! Here's to some happy crafting!