Best of 2010

Before I say adieu to 2010, I thought it would be fun to do a recap of the best 2010 original posts of Darling Darleen blog.

So here you have it...

January: Organizing Playroom

January: Shared Gender Bedroom

February: Apothecary Chocolate Party

March: Perfect Settee

March: Faux Bloom

April: Easter Pics

July: Superhero Birthday Party

September: Bathroom Make Over

September: Tea Party

October: Halloween Garland

November: Frozen Homemade Pies

November: Classic Birthday

December: Miss Chloe born

Christmas Cards

I did get Christmas cards out this year...just a week late. I designed the card so it would be a holiday card and Chloe's newborn announcement. So I used different shades of honeysuckle pinks and peppermint greens. The 5x7 card had Chloe's stats on one side and the holiday greeting on the other side with a picture of all the kids. After I printed the cards through Overnight Prints on premium paper. My order got to me quickly even with Christmas that week. Thanks again to Jennifer for taking the pictures and getting them back to me so quickly. She also took the pictures of my family from our last Christmas cards.

Christmas

This year's Christmas was not one of my greatest. I was off by a lot and many of our family traditions didn't get done. When Christmas Eve arrived, I got flustered then emotional when I realized I hadn't baked any of our traditional Christmas once-a-year dishes, cards hadn't been mailed out, no neighbor gifts to hand out and not an act of service done. Not feeling the Christmas spirit this year! Thankfully I had a husband who talked reason in me and reminded me that I just had a baby. Hello? Hormones talking! Good enough reason to move on.

Anyway, the kids seem to not mind or even notice. Here they are in their pajama gifts that they opened Christmas Eve night.

And thank you online shopping....Santa did arrive on.

Newborn Pictures

Just a week old, Chloe had her newborn pictures taken. The talented Jennifer Woodbury came over to my house, while I was in slippers and lounge clothes, and photographed Chloe (who happened to not be coorporating that morning). I was nervous but Jennifer captured her. I love all the pictures! Jennifer wanted to take some pictures of me and Chloe. I was reluctant at first, since I was only one-week postpartum. But I'm so glad she did. Those pictures are some of my favorites. PS--check out Jennifer's blog. She captures the best pictures of her girls.

**The knitted white baby cocoon and gold metallic hat are from Mutze. The flower headbands were handmade by Julie Christensen.

Gilt Addict

I'm confessing my addiction to Gilt--the online designer sale website. I admit. I have to get on the site at least once a day to see what new deal is lurking me in. I do have pretty good resistence in saying "no" to most sales, and then there are times when the sale was too good and that "no" should be been a "yes" and then there are some sales that I just "yes" and I'm happy I got a good deal. I did buy some of my children's Christmas presents off the site. And I really wanted to buy a Vespa scooter that was on sale a couple of days ago, but that wouldn't of gone well with the hubby and pointless with four kids.

My three favorite finds this week:

Juicy Couture winter jacket

Missoni pumps

MacLaren stroller sit liners

To join Gilt, click here.

Sparkly Nail Polish

Perfect glitter nail polish to wear for the holidays. Butter polish has good coverage and very opaque.

Still Going

This little girl is still in major sleep mode. I'm wondering when those little eyes will stay open for more than 20 minutes. She's been such a good baby--letting me get my sleep at night, crying only when it's her next feeding. A little too good to be true. I'm sure this will all change by tomorrow because she just hit her two-week mark. Isn't that when all the dream sleeping ends?

**For those who are wondering--I am STILL shipping out jewelry orders for Christmas delivery. All orders being placed before this weekend have been rushed so they can get to their destinations in a timely manner. Order here or here by December 18th for delivery before December 24th.

Ice Skating Party

Look at this winter ice skating party that I spotted over at frolic! It makes me want to leave my warm house, bundle myself up and embrace the cold. How much fun to have a winter picnic with some backyard ice skating. Out here in the New England area, ice skating on your backyard pond is quite common. It gets freezing cold during the winter!

images by geneve hoffman

Evergreen Wreath

The traditional evergreen wreaths pull the smell of Christmas into your home every time the door opens and closes. They are elegant, yet brings the natural look. And you can do some really fun winter projects with them with other greenery.

I picked up our evergreen wreath at the local market along with magnolia leaves, eucalyptus leaves and red berries to add to its beauty.

Cut branches to desired length

Place them in between evergreen branches and floral wire

Arrange around the wreath

Simple as that.

Holiday Cards

I love opening up my mailbox during the month of December and seeing a stack of holiday cards and then displaying them for all to see. They always bring a smile! I am hoping we get something out before the year ends. Maybe not before Christmas, but before the New Year is still good in my eyes.

This is the Christmas card we mailed out last year. It was a tri-fold with the smiling picture on the front. Don't think we will do as good, but this time it will include our newest addition.

Birth Story

Honestly...I don't have some amazing birth story. Wish I did.

No, all my deliveries (besides my first) have been scheduled, even down to the time. It really lessens the excitement of having a new baby. This is one of the reasons why we didn't find out the sex of our third child. To be surprised.

Yes, I have C-sections. And I just had my fourth. Recovery has been worst than the other three. Pain. I thought number three C-section was painful. This one is much worse. But this is what I have to go through to have children. Not sure why, considering all my sisters and mother have child-bearing bodies.

After my first child I swore I'd never have another baby. Even to this day it was such a terrible experience for me. I tell people that it was the closest thing to death. I labored for 48 hours, pushed for 3.5 hours with no anesthesia and then it ended up in an emergency C-section. I can sympathize for women who have died during labor. Thank goodness I live during a time of modern medicine.

Of course the end result makes all the pain worth it. For that I am blessed. I feel so blessed to have my little Miss Chloe and my other three children. They make me so happy and bring so much joy into my life. But seriously...thank goodness we have decided to make this our last.