Happy Birthday Mom!!

I love you so much! Thank you for:
*always having us sit down for a home cooked meal at the end of the day!
*not strangeling me during the sassy years or the "big bang" days
*putting your foot down with me which now I realize wasn't an attempt to "ruin my life"
*taking me to 5+ NKOTB concerts
*allowing me to believe that Joey Mc was actually looking at me...even if we were in the nose bleed section
*giving me the love of arts
*teaching me to crochet and knit
*to always moisturize!! I don't miss one night!
*reading me the entire series of Little House on The Prairie before bed
*for making Two Poots wedding so pretty and special. I still tear up when I think about how pretty it turned out!
*showing me what true love looks like. You and dad are an inspiration!!

I hope you have a great day! I am looking forward to taking you to Anthropologie tomorrow! You will not want to leave!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

XOXO
Amber

P.S.
Happy Birthday to Kjirsten!! I love you and miss you girl. Lets get together really soon!

(Ummm...clearly I loved the sun that summer!!)

Lovelies for your Friday afternoon...

Doing a little window shopping this afternoon and fell in love with:

This lovely print from Tollipop


These adorable thank you cards from The Black Apple. The first shop I ever bought anything from on Etsy. I love her stuff!!


These brooches from Enna.


This I heart Arkansas necklace holds a special place in my heart because that is where Scott proposed to me (in a diamond field while digging for diamonds)and where we got married. I think I NEED this necklace. Don't you? You can find most states here by Truche.


I want this print to hang in our entryway. I love it!! I love all the prints from
Dazeychic.
*All images found on Etsy and sources are listed*

What have you been "window" shopping for these days?
XOXO
Amber

My Reading List...

I love the library! I tend to check out too many books at once and can never read them all, and that is even after I have rechecked them out twice. Yikes!! I am getting better though. Here are a few of the books I currently have on my nightstand:





Wish me luck!! I know what I am going to be doing in my spare time. I would love to just spend a day curled up under a warm afghan reading!
What are you currently reading? I am always looking for something new to add to my list at the Library!!

Oh...if you haven't already signed up for Janels amazing giveaway...go right now! You can sign up here!! I would love to win an orginal painting by her!

Tomorrow is Friday!! Woot Woot!
XOXO
Amber

Upcoming Projects from Crochet Today

I just picked up the latest issue of Crochet Today and I am in love! There are so many projects that I want to start on. I have to keep telling myself to finish the things I have started but it is very hard to control not running out and buying up tons of yarn!
I did break down and buy yarn for this pretty little neck warmer. It only called for one skein so I thought that was not going overboard.

After I finish that I want to move on to this adorable vest... I know I would get a lot of use out of it and the pattern seems pretty simple too. Bonus!!


The theme in this issue is granny chic and these projects are beautiful!



And you can download a free pattern of these cute little potholders
here

(All images found on crochettoday.com)
I will be posting my very first tutorial hopefully this weekend! I need the help of Scott though so it might be later this weekend, but it will be on crocheting a ripple afghan. My aunt has helped me read patterns and I want to pass her knowledge on to you. It has been so helpful!!

P.S. I went to the gym last night and have been eating very healthy this week!! I am heading there again tonight. I feel so good once I am there and on that treadmill it is just talking myself into getting there!

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week!
XOXO
Amber

Oldies but Goodies...

Recently Poot and I have been watching a lot of old movies on TMC. Today we watched this adorable film:


A very cute little film made the year Two Poots were born....1977(gasp!).I suggest seeing it if you haven't.

I loved the apartment that they lived in so much! The decor was amazing but I wasn't able to find any actual pictures of it on my many google searches. So I decided that I would post some home decor from the 1970's. I so wish my parents still had all their stuff from their first little home. I was lucky enough to score their gold plush chair though...but the couch is long gone. So here are some looks I would love to incoporate into Poot Manor:





And this just cracked me up!

(images found on flickr.com)
Is anyone else finding themselves influenced by the 1970's?

Well, Kansas City was dumped on with snow again his weekend so I was unable to get up to Omaha to see Jessica. I was bummed but knew I didn't want to get stuck out in the bad weather. I really hope this is the last of the snow!

Oh and one last thing, Poot found this picture the other day and it reminded him of me...It pretty much sums up how I feel about birds.I love them in their cages but that is about it!

Ha!! I think this fear stems from my fear of bats. Anything with wings freaks me out!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!
XOXO
Amber

Random Bits this Friday Evening...

This week I have been working on some little odds and ends. I am so bad about putting things off until the last possible second. So needless to say Poot did not receive his Valentine's gift on Valentine's Day. Here is one of his finished gifts:


I still have one more thing for him that I hope to finish before next weekend!

I get to see this face tomorrow!! My dear friend Jessica who I met the very first day of class our freshman year in college. We have been the closest of friends ever since!

I am heading up to Omaha if the weather cooperates (please snow... I have really had enough). We are going to celebrate our birthdays with a girls day!! Here are some of the goodies I have been working on for her: (I don't think she reads this so I hope I am okay with posting them)

An embroidery using on of Elsie's patterns from the RVA coloring book. I am going to have to make one for myself!!

Crochet earrings!!



A mixed cd...in an awesome cover if I do say so myself!

I also received my necklace I ordered from Laura at
Violet Bella!!

(Bad photo! Sorry... I just didn't have enough energy to keep trying. It was a rough day at work)
And she suprised me with a gift of matching earrings! It was so sweet! I love them so much Laura. Thank you! And if we head to Texas this summer we definitely have to meet up.

Well...I am off to cuddle as much as I can with my Poot before I leave in the morning. I already miss him and I am not even gone yet. Yep... I am pathetic! Have a great weekend!
XOXO
Amber

The Exercising Blues

I made a promise to myself that starting in January of this new year I would get back into exercising. It is now February 18 and I still have not managed to hit the gym once! I have attended a couple of yoga classes so I have to give myself credit for that! I just don't know what my problem is. I have good intentions of doing it but once I get home I don't want to get back out! I don't want to have dinner at 9pm. I realize these are silly excuses but this is how I keep talking myself out of it.

I found a couple of great blogs that I know will get me moving in the right direction. They give great tips, daily menus, inspiration, and even playlists to get you moving.

If you are finding yourself in the same funk I am in check out
Have Your Cake or
Trainer Momma

These blogs have really started to lead me back in the right direction. Poot and I have done really good about eating better but this exercise thing has been another story.

What helps motivate you? Are there any other blogs are websites that you read for inspiration? I would love to hear what works for you! I have a closet full of clothes that are just begging to be worn again!
XOXO
Amber

Crocheting = Love

Last Wednesday's craft night was a blast. I feel like I got so much accomplished because I actually started and finished one project! Here it is:

My grandma was giving me trouble over putting ears on it but I think it is perfect. She kept suggesting that I take it to work and give it to a child!

My mom suprised me with some Valentine goodies:

She crocheted that envelope which I just adore! The print is her lastest painting which I can't wait to hang up and I was so excited to get my own checkered pot holder!

My Aunt made me more cuteness to turn into earrings!! I think I might of jumped up and down when she handed me the tiny granny squares!!


This week I am working on making more earrings to send out to some of my favorite peeps! I am also going to start a pair of fingerless gloves and bought some pretty yarn this weekend while in St. Louis.


I think I can officially say that I am a crocheting addict! Anyone else with me on this? I can't wait to go through my yarn this weekend and start on my granny squares!! What are you working on this week?
XOXO
Amber

St Louis Round Two

On Saturday we decided to head away from all the maddness of Mardi Gras and enjoy the wineries of Augusta! They are more our cup of tea! This is one of Poot and I's favorite things to do on the weekend. There are so many Missouri Wineries! A new book was just released and there are now 91 wineries in mighty Missouri and the list keeps growing. I believe that Poot and I have visited close to 70!! Crazy huh? The wineries in Augusta do not disappoint.




After visiting our last winery of the day we came out to discover this:

Yes a flat tire. This is the eleventh tire that we have had to purchase within the last 6 months. We got the tire replaced on Sunday and kept saying "Happy Valentire Day" all day! It was just what I wanted!! While waiting for the tire to be fixed Poot picked me up some of these:


I also had the most amazing gluten free pizza at Pi Pizzeria on The Loop!! They use only local organic ingredients! It was delicious!

Before we headed home we decided to stop by and say Hi! to the penuins at the zoo. I couldn't believe that we actually went to the zoo during a snowstorm but 1. the zoo is free 2. the penguins are inside and very very cute!


My favorite find of the weekend was this pair of socks!

Hello...My favorite color to wear and moustaches!! Score!

I decided to start the next afghan I am making for the family reunion auction. It is a giant granny square. It is so quick and fun! I am definitely going to have to make one for us!


Overall the Valentire Day weekend was a blast! Thank you Poot! You did an amazing job and I felt like a princess all weekend. I love you!!

I will be back tomorrow with a glimpse at last weeks crochet/craft night!! Lots of cool things were made!
XOXO
Amber