Shutterfly Holiday Cards

Remember this blog post (I know... way back when I actually blogged...)
well anyways... I finally got around to actually using my freebie promo and designed our very first holiday cards!

I had wanted to send out Christmas cards, but about the time I was still shopping for gifts for people two days before Christmas, I decided it was a little unrealistic.

So, I am making a last ditch effort to send out New Years cards...

And yes, those will be late as well (considering its new years eve and all).

But I had 5o FREE CARDS! I HAD to use them for something!

Without further ado.... Happy New Years from The Griffins!!

Elegant Snowflake Holiday Card

Create photo new year's cards with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas With the Griffins

A Christmas Present from Shutterfly

I love photography.

I love to sift through old photos, reminiscing the tastes and smells of childhood.

I love that traditions are captured in a single frame and treasured for always.

I love the formality of black and white, the coziness of sepia and the life of vivid colors.

And I love that Shutterfly allows me to indulge in my fetish.

Shutterfly is perfect for ordering prints, sharing photos, ordering special photo gifts, printing invitations, making photo calendars and photo books so much more…

Not only do they have a variety of products and services, they have reasonable prices and awesome promotions and discounts.

This month, Shutterfly is offering a special Christmas promotion of 50 free Christmas Cards!!

I was so excited to hear about this fantastic promotion.My Soldier and I were already talking about sending out Christmas cards this year and a friend of mine offered to take a "family photo" of us and our new little puppy.


I think I have narrowed it down to these favorites.
I love the elegance of black and white against a splash of Christmas red!

Now all I have left to do is take some pictures!

Happy Christmas card shopping!!!

Delta.

Remember last week when I said I had a surprise?

I got an early Christmas present from My Soldier...

He was so excited to give it to me, which makes it all the more perfect.

Any guesses?

Need some hints?

Meet my Christmas present!

Isn't she perfect?
And by perfect I mean- we never sleep, she chews everything,
my house now has a halo of black hair around it,
and I have nearly broken my ankle twice by tripping on her toys.

But isn't she just perfect?!

The entire ride home from the breeders she didn't want to be held.
Poor thing, I think she was petrified. She loves her moose though. They are great friends.
Until Delta eats her that is...

I don't think she knew what to think of us at first...
but one night of cuddling and she's attached to me now.

If only she could look this adorable for 8 hours a night....

I am absolutely in love with her though!

I think this just might be the best present ever.

Happy Veterans Day

I awoke this morning, disgruntled that I had to work on a holiday.

Annoyed that my husband was still cozy in bed and I was rushing to get ready instead of snuggling with him.

I left a card by his coffee mug, "My Sexy Soldier...Thank you for being My Hero..." and quickly kissed him goodbye.

At work I grabbed the newspaper and scanned the headlines for what I expected to be filled with grateful articles for our many military men and women....

There were announcements of parades, free dinners and discount sales.

Pictures of retired veterans and military families with patriotic attire and flags.

and then there was his photo. just a single small paragraph.

and a face too young to be remembered in such a way.

there was another photo. a woman beside a grave.

an article about a mother who recalled the memories of her boy's childhood

and the love he had for his country.

And it hit me like a slap across the face.

today wasn't just a day for them.

It isn't a day for discounts or free meals,

parade floats or waving flags.

or even for hero cards and thank you's.

I woke this morning to kiss my soldier and tell him I am proud of him.

They woke this morning to remember their last words

to picture their smile and confidence

to close their eyes and feel that last embrace.

Being an Army Wife, I take to heart the days set aside to honor my husband and the military.

I am touched when people say thank you when we are out and he is in uniform.

I cry at every commercial that shows a service member being sent off or welcomed home.

I feel it. all of it.

But this morning, when I saw his photo,

the young man whom I have never had the priviledge to meet...

I had to check my heart.

I realized once again how blessed I am to have my soldier in my arms.

Today became not just a day that I was to honor my own soldier...

to be proud of him and the man I fell in love with.

But to really take thought and honor all those who fight so bravely.

all those families who have sacrified for us.

all those who wake up this morning and know that Veterans Day isn't just another day.

But a day to honor the greatest sacrifice that can be given.

A day to remember the hero they love.

From the depths of my heart

thank you to those who are fighting today.

thank you to those who cannot wish their soldier

Happy Veterans Day but honor their memory and sacrifice alone.

thank you for the many sacrifices you have made.

thank you for being strong so that I didn't have to today.

You will never be forgotten.

You will never be taken for granted.

You will always be honored for your devotion and sacrifice.

You are heroes.

My Not So Wordless Wednesday....

After I curled up in Hubby's lap Sunday night crying because

I "just wanted to be home with him" and didn't want to go ANYWHERE,

I prayed that we could just have one day this week where we didn't have to do anything

but come home from work and just relax, watch a pointless movie and snuggle...

What I didn't exactly expect is for Jesus to answer my prayer so... ENTIRELY.

I opened the front door to this mess at 6:30 am.

We've had a TON of rain the last few days and the culvert collapsed, creating a swimming pool in our yard...and our neighbors. It wouldn't have been all that bad except the rapids eroded our driveway to the point that we were TRAPPED in our house.

We had DOT, the town code enforcer, our contractor and the neighbors

checking out the damage.

So it wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked for a day off with My Soldier,

but Jesus does have a sense of humor. And he is into details.

And He did answer all my requests...

Maybe next time I'll ask for a little less dramatic event.

Fragments.

no more migraines. Praise the Lord!
MRI + claustrophobia = mild panic and the longest 40 minutes everrr.
working saturdays suck.
new houses are not suppose to be continually messy.
loads of laundry. piles of dishes. muddy carpet on front steps.
still no pictures...working on it.
dark chocolate makes it better. way better if its Dove.
NEED to be in Colorado tomorrow. minnie ears and giggles are waiting.
time change on Sunday. blessed hour of additional sleep.
shopping lists.
yards of ribbon and lace. glue and clips. buttons and elastic.
unhung picture frames and uncompleted photo albums.
sleep. pillow. blankets. sound machine.
surprise next Saturday!
guesses?!

He is my hurricane, I am a tree...

Every time I hear this song, I can't help but cry. My soul is overwhelmed.My heart broken yet so entirely complete.
I can't fathom the depth of such great love, yet I feel emmersed in it.
He is jealous for ME.Jealous for YOU.

I can't get past the first line before I find myself crumbled before His feet.He is so faithful to meet me in that place.
He is my hurricane. I am a tree.
Have you bent beneath His wind and mercy today?Have you allowed your spirit to be humbled to that place where you feel Him so close you have no words? That only tears are enough?
To be in the presence of the Almighty and whisper- Oh how I have missed you...Oh, how I have longed for you.
Be still in that place today. Draw Him near and He will draw near to you. He is jealous for you.


*****


He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane,I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all Yeah,
He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us, Oh! how He loves.
We are His portion and He is our prize, Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,And my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don't have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about, the way...
Oh, how He loves us, so
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all, Yeah,
He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us, Oh! how He loves...

-David Crowder Band

Click here to listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93sojNBYSt8

I Pinky Swear...

For any of you who still follow me after all this time....
I swear this post didn't make me a liar.
I really will be blogging more.
swear it.cross my heart.pinky promise.
This week hasn't exactly gone as planned...see I had every intention of posting pretty fall picturesand before and after photos of my half-decorated house...

I had posts written in my head just itching to be typed and uploaded. I was going to tell you all about my cousin's precious little girl who just turned a month old and my gorgeous niece who is crawling and babbling and sitting like a big girl!

instead-I have been popping excederin like it was candy.
laying in a dark room with NO noise
head burried under a pillow
an ice pack under my neck AND over my forehead.
I've been miserable with horrid migraine headaches.
I have NO clue why or what caused them, but the last three weeks have been hell.I swear out of the last 23 days, I've had a headache 20 of them and a migraine at least 7 of them.

U.G.H.
If any of you have ever experienced them, I am SO sorry.
You have my deepest sympathy...
Thankfully I have an amazing husband who has been waiting on me hand and foot.
Who prays over me when I wake up and before I go to sleep.
Who takes the day off to go to the doctors with me and brings me ice and gingerale.
Who watches football with headphone because I can't handle the noise
but have to be "next to him".


Tomorrow I have an MRI to see what the heck is going on.I'm a little nervous because I'm a teensy bit claustrophobic, and I've heard stories.ahh. but I would be locked in a tube for hours if they could just.make.them.stop.

*****

I'll leave you on a happier note... a teaser until I have the opportunity to post again..

Welcome to my first home sweet home.

I'm BaaAAAckk!!!

HELLO! my long lost bloggie friends!

Did you wonder if I'd dropped off the face of the earth?
Nope. Just MOVED.

We are finally in our new house!!

It still looks like this...

But it's a work in progress right??

The FABULOUS news?!

We finally have internet hooked up!!

SO, remember to come visit me again!!!