I heart Pottery Barn! 35, day 6

Hidden among all the Toys R Us coupons and the EVIL Bed Bath and Beyond Flyer, there is was. The most magical of all the Holiday mail -
The Pottery Barn Christmas Catalog.

This is my new 1984 Sears Catalog. I LOVE IT. I can look at it over and over again, and still not feel like I've read it enough. Sometimes I even look at in different rooms in my house, and plot and scheme and yes, purchase. Here are some things I'm in love with:

See, I knew it was fashionable to have cameras laying around. Awesome.

This frosty favorite has a shelf life of one month each year, but it will be the most fun month of the year. He will look amazing on the bar pouring out a white Russian or a Candy Cane-tini. Yum. Just Sayin.

This was my biggest dreamiest thing. I already have this window with seat - ready to create this magical seating area - minus the pumpkins. Loving the drapes, not crazy about the storage under the table - only because I imagine it cluttered
with random legos.

I always love this.



Michael has voted that I not dangle large stick stars from our dining table, but I really just like the shelving behind this. I didn't take his vote away from him - it's his birthday week.

These guys always do the BEST trees. The only thing that can top looking at this catalog over and over again, is a trip across the bay to the Pottery Barn store. Friday. Yep, going FRIDAY!

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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35, day 5

Finish Family Christmas Card, check. This has been on my list for weeks...but something has always gotten in front of it (Birthday adventures, Thanksgiving, Holiday Shopping, The Plastic Christmas Army...). I narrowed it down & finished it off this evening. Looks pretty fantastic, yep, pretty sure.
Monday after a holiday is a real downer. I always want just one more day and that day is Monday. I spent Monday wishing it were Sunday. My husband spent Monday, dreaming of ways to make the Plastic Christmas Army more energy efficient. He's changing entire bulb fixturing from the 90's and adding LED bulbs. He's the green in our relationship.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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Holiday Cheer, 365 Day 4

I did something today that I said I would not do. I bought more Christmas gift. I've got to stay out of the stores or cancel my subscription to the Mobile Register.
Regardless, my day was very enjoyable. I slept in. I did some #5 and cleaned my room, while Mike worked on some Stucco for the downstairs addition. Memaw made a giant Gumbo - yum. I hung some more Garland on my Fireplace Mantle (I was straight out of that 3M commercial), put up a tiny Christmas tree in Madison's room and started my outdoor lighting. Mike and I dragged out the Plastic Christmas Tree Army from it's cozy home in the attic.

Every time I see the plastic Christmas Army, I remember a Windy Christmas 3 years ago when the Army still lived at Aunt Angela's house. We arrived at her house on Christmas morning and all the army was overturned and everywhere. Grant stepped out the car and exclaimed "It's a Christmas Massacre!"
My hands were frozen, but those guys are lit and in my yard. Tomorrow, the porch and the start of the ice sickles. Oh, Boy!

It's really starting to feel like Christmas at the Ellenburg Home.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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35, day 3

Day three was a relaxing day, filled with family, shopping and left over Iron Bowl Turkey. Madison brought her Jessie doll everywhere we went today. And she can now Yodle like Jessie. Its the funniest thing I've ever heard. I love the imagination of an almost three year old. She is constantly surprising me.

Highlights of the day included: Amazing Mike fixed the tiny leak under the kitchen sink without an injury or cussing, Bought Grant more Christmas gifts (Mike is really spoiling these kids this year), received my new business cards for 2011, enjoyed a little college football and watched Grown Ups in the Man Cave with my Super Duper Husband.

Downside of today: I got sucked into watching Summersby this morning. Darn you Summersby! (I told Mike, "Darn this movie. I've watched it 5 times and it always ends the same" - Mike loves this movie) I hate when I can't remember how a movie ends as I decide whether or not to channel surf...I'm a happy ending movie lover. I need that. This blog will remind me to Channel Surf when I see Summersby.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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Day 2 Photos

Trying out my new Birthday Lens. Today's subject is my Ten year old son, Jackson. He makes an excellent model. (If you can stand listening to the Beyblades Theme song, Barf) I'm mostly kidding. I like that I actually found a few fall leaves - the season has been so wacky here.

Thanks Jackson, it was super fun.

35, day 2

I kicked off my day two with the extravaganza of Black Friday Shopping. During this adventure, I realized a couple of things:

1. I am not made for Black Friday Shopping. This is why the Ellenburg's shop year round & hide things all over the house.
2. There is nothing I need bad enough to camp out for hours in a line filled with overzealous strangers. Keep it.

Knowing these two things, I was still compelled to get out into the frenzy and see it again. I hadn't hadn't shopped Black Friday in 5 years and needed a hefty reminder of why I don't do it. Mr. Ellenburg and I, headed out just before Midnight to check the crowds. My toy shopping is basically done, but I might could purchase a few stocking stuffers. Checked ToysRUs - Line, 2 miles long. That's out. Maybe the boys might like some Old Navy Jeans, Line half mile long, in the rain. That's out. What I really needed (more than anything) while I'm out is a gallon of milk. I hate buying Milk at a gas station - say what you'd like. So, off to Wal-mart. I'm small town, my Wal-mart is not too busy. I even had decent parking. I checked out the crowd. What do these people want to buy? Looked like the demand was for Video games, Fleece pull-overs (needed for the 5 days of cold weather we will get) and some kind of robot cat. (Weird) I felt a strong urge to purchase this $8.00 Stick Vac - ps I am in love with it.

I just bought one. My crowd of overzealous strangers bought them in fours. By the way, this little charmer is magical. My days of complaining over my crumb trailing two year old may indeed be over.
After a small rest, in my comfy bed. I enjoyed a steamy cup of Dark Magic (my Favorite) and busted out my new lens for a few pics of Jackson. Then I decked myself out in my Roll Tide gear and put up the Roll Tide Tree in the man cave. It is beautiful.

We have a gathering of some kind every tide game, unless we're at the game. Iron Bowl is always a lot of fun. No win this year, but still loved the game. The Iron Bowl, I love it and I hate it. I love the smack talk that goes on for the weeks before and after. I hate that when it's here, I know that when it's over, so it is the season, win or lose.
Day two was a good day.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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35 is the new 21

So, here I am at 34, and 365 days yesterday. So, what do I look like today - basically the same. Thirty-Five. That's a big number. It's not Forty, but almost. It's not Thirty, but almost. So, I put a lot of thought into and here's what I've come up with. Thirty-five is the new twenty-one but with cooler stuff. I still feel young enough to do anything I want, and now I pretty much can. I couldn't do that at Twenty-one. Thirty-five. It feels good.
It's my birthday, and a national holiday. This makes enjoying one's birthday a challenge. Yesterday on 34, day 365, my family took me out to dinner at my favorite Mexican Restaurant, the one with the paintings of men holding chickens - that could be any of them right?

Have you ever noticed that? Anyway, My Sister & Brother in law joined us. It was a good time. I Had a nice party. I got some great gifts. My wonderful husband really blew me away with this lens.

Pretty sexy right?
Today, I slept in, had lunch at my Sister & Brother in law's (Thank you so much Sister for creating a wonderful Thanksgiving Feast) and worked on her family Christmas card and my family Christmas card,
looking good right? (I'm kind of going through a card creation obsession)

And I squeezed in the Saints game, had a minor altercation over Turkey & Watched Sleepless in Seattle ( I love love love that movie). It's really been a nice day.

I've got big plans for Thirty-Five. Lets see how many I can list:

1. I'm going to write something every day. I used to write a lot, Now - not so much.
2. I'm going to post a photo everyday of something. Photography is my passion. I've got a million things I want to try, now I'm going to get out there and try them.
3. Continue to grow the Business side of my Photography Business.
4. Develop some kind of Fitness routine I can stick to - I am the queen of running for a solid 2 weeks and then taking off the next 2 months.
5. One Word: Organization.

It's a tall order. Thirty-Five, here I come.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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