Halloween Pinspiration

October is my favorite month. Always has been, always will be for a lot of reasons! First. It is my birthday, which is reason enough all on it's own! Second. Halloween. Costumes? Candy? Costumes? Candy? Really, what else could top dressing up and getting a consistent sugar high the entire month. Third. Pumpkin everything. Carved, cooked, baked, the list goes on and on. I am a sucker for pumpkin. Fourth. The weather is cooling off and I can finally drink hot cocoa without breaking a sweat. So those four things plus all of the haunted houses, fun traditions, candy apples, doughnut eating contests, and goolish movies a girl could dream for. And thanks to Pinterest I have been pinning up a storm. But why would I just tell you about all my pins when I can SHOW you all my pins?

And that is just the start of all the Halloween Pinspiration! 

You can check out my full board here. 

But why stop with just my board? Join in the Pinspiration fun and link up your favorite pins, tricks, costumes, and whatever Halloween-ish tricks and treats you can find. Put your pins to work and share them with your neighbors so we can all have the best Halloween EVER!

Linkup Rules:

Follow your hosts.

Link up your pins, your posts, and all things HALLOWEEN!

And link up as often as you like - it is open until October 31.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

You can look forward to more holiday linkups too!

Thanksgiving - November 5th through 28th

Christmas - December 1st through 21st

New Years - December 22nd through 31st

"...without me actually being there."

As I woke up to get ready for work and Adam woke up to pack for his trip to Texas he said to me, "This will be the best Valentine's Day you could possibly have without me ACTUALLY being there." A long hug and a quick kiss and I was on my way to work. My first thought? Baseball season sucks. My second thought. It doesn't actually suck but it sucks they are travelling on our first married Valentines Day. About an hour into work I get a text from Adam, "Hey... What do you want from Einstein Bagels?" Awesome. I love bagels. He came to my work to eat with me before he had to hurry to catch the bus. About an hour later I came back to my office from a meeting to find flowers and chocolates on my desk. Honestly, some of the best smelling flowers EVER. About 30 minutes later I get an email saying I have a massage scheduled at 7:00 PM. AWESOME. And then after text in between flights and whatnot I go home to find the sweetest note that brought my to tears on my pillow.

Food and flowers. Adam knows me so well.

And he was right. It was the best I could have had without him actually being there. Plus. After the massage I had a dinner date with my good pal Dani to teach her how to grill a chicken breast without turning it into some nasty tasting rubber thing. And Dani always equals a good time. So thanks to my Valentine Adam for making the day so special while you were gone and thanks to Dani for filling in. I sure do appreciate ya.

Love,
Deidre

[CLOSED] Datevitation || Product Review & Giveaway

I hate being left out. I really do. And for a long time I was. Because everyone I know was doing a product review and a giveaway for Datevitation. BUT NOT ANYMORE!

Because TODAY I am doing a product review and a giveaway as well. I am on the Datevitation bandwagon. And I could not be more excited about it. Mostly because I don't feel the need to enter every single giveaway for the coupon book anymore... my own is on the way! "Say goodbye to pre-packaged love coupon books! We are the first and only totally custom coupon book service with the tools for you to create a truly one-of-a-kind gift for your special someone. Our library contains hundreds of date ideas from simple gestures of love (e.g., stargazing or cuddling) to adventurous and exotic ideas for memorable dates (e.g., skydiving or scuba-diving). You get to pick the dates that best compliment your relationship." First up, pros ans cons of my ordering experience.
Cons:

• There were not any real cons... the whole experience was simple enough. Although.. I had a hard time figuring out which dates to put in because there are so many options. But that isn't really a con at all, that is a good thing, right?
• The one thing that is a bummer is a traditional book only comes with 5 coupons. Small number, but pages after that are only $1 each.

Pros:

• There are a ton of options to pick from. Have in mind before hand what you want your book to entail. Mine is full of a lot of pampering.
• The illustrations are super cute.
• Ordering is simple. Pick the coupons you like. Put them in order. Pick a cover. Write a message. Pay and you are done!
• You can change the message for the illustration or use the generic one. Easy to customize.
• It is an economical gift. Books normally start at just $20. But as a special treat for my followers, I have a promo code worth $10! Just enter ‘SKINNYS’ at check out for half off your book.
• They ship quick. But, if you want this for Valentine's Day you MUST order by February 3rd. That is the order cut-off day for a holiday shipment guarantee.

Sadly I just ordered my book and I don't have it yet. So I am sharing photos from Datevitation so you can get a better idea of the product and what you could be winning. If you are really interested and want to know other blogs that are hosting a giveaway right now too, let me know! And I will send you their way. I entered every single giveaway I could until I joined the host a giveaway bandwagon. How could I not!? These things are cute and super easy for a customized gift!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I cannot WAIT to get my book. I want to tell you what is all in it and everything. But that will have to wait until after Valentine's Day. Because I might already be ruining part of Adam's present by showing you this... hopefully baseball is keeping him so busy he misses this post. FINGERS CROSSED! And fingers crossed to you that you will win the prize!

Love,
Deidre

PS. The winner to the 63String giveaway is Mikyla Arrington! Email me in the next 24 hours or a new winner is picked!

Dear Our Tree,

Adam and I have been enjoying our time in California. And I know Christmas is done... but I wanted to share our little tree back in Utah. This is the first chance I have had to upload these photos because we were so busy getting ready to leave, celebrating with friends in Utah, cleaning, packing, and (shhh...) opening a few gifts before we left so we didn't have to lug them all down here. So just for you. A special glimpse of our first Christmas tree together and a shot of each of us opening our "big gift" which happened to come in tiny boxes back in Utah.

My niece (before she even knew I would be marrying into the family) made me this ornament last Christmas. She saw rain boots with bows on the back on one of my Pinterest boards and then surprised me with an ornament when I came down to visit!

Adams big gift. A Nikon watch. He is clearly excited. I had him open it last and he didn't expect it because he thought I would be going over budget if he got it... little did he know I am an AWESOME bargain shopper and got everything on sale thanks to coupons, discounts, Black Friday, and Amazon. Winning.

My big gift (even though I don't look excited, I am, Adam didn't catch the BIG smile just the pre-gift) was a new lens for my camera! I am so excited to get better at photography and to have more lenses to play with.

Other things under the tree? Clothes, hair clippers, movies... those sorts of things! What was under your tree? What was your favorite gift?

Love,
Deidre

Dear Christmas,

Enjoy your special day. Enjoy your loved ones. Enjoy the laughter and smiles. Enjoy the festivities. Enjoy the food, the jokes, the presents, the surprises, and the magic of this holiday. Enjoy it all.

And of course, have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Nativity,

I have started to collect Nativity Scenes. Not only because they are beautiful and precious, but they are a beautiful and precious reminder of what this season is really all about. Here are a few that I love.

In church yesterday we had a wonderful discussion about the Nativity and all the people involved.

The shepherds. Hard working, possibly under-educated, and yet still took time to come to the birth of the Savior. Because they knew it was important. Because the nativity is for everyone.

The wise men. Not only did they go to seek Jesus when he was born, but they believed and did not go report. They offered gifts to the boy. They spent years searching for the boy. And wise men still seek him today.

Joseph. You cannot have a nativity without Joseph. And I wish I could know more about this wonderful man. He worked hard in his profession, and even more, he worked hard as a father. He took the responsibility and the title of father when Mary became pregnant. Even though he wasn't married to Mary yet, he stood by her. He was everything he needed to be in terms of support and love. And he was there even when he didn't need to be.

Mary. Possibly scared and possibly unsure... she was given the responsibility to give birth to Jesus and be his mother on Earth. In a time where a woman could be stoned for becoming pregnant out of wedlock, she took this and she knew it was a blessing. And not only to have a child that she would would need to care for, to worry after, to cry with, and all other motherly things, but to have that child be the Savior of the world. She is an amazing woman. So often people focus on the fact that she was the earthly mother of Jesus, but something so impressive to me is the moment she found out that she would be. When the angel came she wasn't even taken back or fearful. She was ready. She listened. She must have been so in tune with the spirit and spiritually prepared to listen to an angel that appeared right in front of her.

Jesus Christ. His birth is the reason for Christmas. His birth is the center of the Nativity. Jesus Christ is a brother, a friend, a carpenter, a teacher, a Savior, and so many other wonderful things. We are so lucky to have someone on my side through everything that knows everything I feel and everything I am going through. A man who volunteered before the creation of the Earth to come down and sacrifice himself so that we could all return to live in heaven. A man that led by example. A man that was perfect.

Merry CHRISTmas. Here is to remembering the reason for the season. What is your favorite part of the Nativity? What do you think about on Christmas Eve? How do you share the message of the season with your family?

Love,
The Skinnys

Dear Knowing,

I love this song. It is one of my holiday favorites. Because there was so much to this man. The man that we celebrate this holiday season. Jesus Christ. I love thinking about him as a child, with his mother Mary. I know that my parents think so many wonderful things of me, and I know that Mary thought so many wonderful things of her son. I like to think about all the things Mary thought of her son and what she knew. Did she know from that moment that Jesus Christ would be more than a carpenter. He would be our Savior, a teacher, a leader, an example.

I am so grateful for Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the man he is, that he would volunteer his life to save mine. That he would go through the atonement to help save me in the last day. I am grateful for his time spent in the garden that he knows all the things I feel every day. The joy, the sorrow, the trails, and success. He knows me and He has faith in me. I know. I know who He is. I know what He has and will do for me. And I know that Jesus Christ, my brother, is the reason for this season. Let us celebrate Him. Love, Deidre

Dear Beach Boys,

In honor of our arrival to California yesterday, today's Christmas tune is from the Beach Boys. And what says Christmas Beach Boys better than Little Saint Nick? 

Nothing... that's what! Enjoy your weekend finishing up your shopping and gathering with family. 

Love,

Deidre

Dear Gingerbread House,

This week a bunch of my girlfriends from college had our monthly get together. It used to be a birthday dinner with just the girls, but lately we have started incorporating the husbands and dates... I know, we are so nice, right? Kidding... It is fun to go on a date night with a group of friends because it is like 5 dates in one as we all play catch up and chat. This month in honor of the holiday season we built gingerbread houses. And not just any gingerbread houses. Real ones. Because Michelle took the time to make all the gingerbread. Impressive. We had two houses and as the boys sat around chatting and the girls started decorating we decided... this should be a contest. Boys vs. Girls. And so the competition begins. Here we go!

It took the boys a little while to get started. They were busy talking about football with BYU's upcoming bowl game and the recent USU coaching announcement. So the girls had a little bit of a head start. But I was surprised, once they started going they REALLY got into it. The competition was on! Here are the finished products. Can you guess which one goes to which team?

Everyone at the house was pretty bias... obviously we all wanted our own house to win. So we put it to an Instagram (@lovetheskinnys) vote.

Looks like left took the cake. I was honestly surprised by how many votes the boys got... not that they didn't do great, but take a closer look... There house is not as tall as ours. That is because their foundation crumbled and so their house turned into... as Sue would describe it, a hobbit hole. Chito says they clearly won, even if the votes didn't state that, because their house was more sturdy.. and we all said. No on wants a sturdy gingerbread house. They want a cute one. So let's take a closer look at the winners. 

Wreaths, a snowman out front, a beautiful walkway, and icicles. Clearly, the right team won! We don't mess around. Sorry boys, better luck next year. Except next year, one thing is for sure. We will be buying the kits. Making gingerbread is super hard!

Love,

Deidre

Dear Christmas Tree,

I am coming to the close of the Mama E Christmas Tour. Not because I want to. But because I have to. I didn't take all the photos I wanted in the quality that is good for sharing... Oops. Next year I will capture it all for you, because you need to see this woman's decorating skills! And Christmas is a lot more than Christmas at our house. We are taking photos traded out, everyday wreaths exchanged, trees in every room, lights outside, garland on the banister... not one detail is left out. My mom has incredible decorating skills. Now I am going to leave you with the final tree. This tree is where all our presents go. It is in our American themed basement, so she even ties that into the tree. But we have had a bear tree for as long as I can remember. And this year I learned some tricks of the trade and helped her fill the tree with all the decorations. So without further ado...

There you have it. Mama E's Christmas Trees. More coming next year!

Love,

Deidre

Dear More Santa,

What did I tell ya? More Santa where that came from! You can find a little Santa everywhere in our house. And his reindeers. Don't mind that some things are a little blurry. I just struggle sometimes.

These ceramic reindeer pulling a sleigh have been in my home for as long as I can remember. Always with beautiful pearls for their reins. I always wanted to play with them and re-arrange them. Somehow I didn't break them and they are still standing today.

Here are the final two standing wooden reindeers. We used to have a really big wooden reindeer that could hold poinsettias in them, but the antlers seemed to break every year. So I think we laid him to rest. And then you can see little Santa in the bottom right hand corner with a sign that says, "I Believe!"

Santa. Is. Back. Skinny and round. My talented mother made the Santa wreath that hangs over the stockings and fireplace. She also cross-stitched all of the stockings. Sadly... there are only three up this year. I wont be home to celebrate with my family because we are heading down to California to celebrate with my new family. Isn't my mom talented at crafting? And decorating, clearly.

A little more Santa up on the shelf. Except he gets his own shelf. He doesn't have to share with the other Santas.

And last... Kitchen Santa. A man has got to eat, right? And Mrs. Clause is probably busy running around taking care of elves! Santa needs to learn how to cook and make toys. 

Now... which one is the real one? Hopefully I can figure it out soon so I can tell him what I want in my stocking this year.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Santa Shelf,

You might have noticed the shelf decorated over under the clock by the gingerbread tree. My mom leaves no shelf un-decorated. The shelf in the living room is something I like to call the Santa shelf. All Santa, all the time. Every variety. Have a looksie.

Don't worry, there is more Santa where that came from!

Love,
Deidre

Dear Family Tree,

A few more steps pass the entry way and you enter into our family room and kitchen area. We have really high ceilings, which means a really tall tree. And always a gingerbread tree. When I was in elementary school my Mom let me help decorate a pile of the gingerbread men. You can still spot the child crafts on the tree.

See the orange lights? Well. One year some of them starting smoking and almost caught on fire. A few faulty wires and crazy coated bulbs can cause some serious problems. Needless to say they were turned off and replace before our house caught on fire. Good thing my mom has a keen sense of scent. Oh, and can you spot the child's crafting in the bottom right hand corner?

This is the tree that we always find our Christmas Eve gift under. We all sit in the living room where the tree is before bed and open our gifts... which are always pajamas. 

Love,

Deidre

Dear Christmas Tour,

You will be hearing from me a lot this week. Because it is almost Christmas. And I have a lot to say and a lot to share. I went home to Mama E's this weekend and I feel like you need a proper tour of her home. She is big into themed trees and going all out. So I want to introduce you to the trees in her home and all her decorations. I didn't get a chance to take photos of them all on our way out today, but she might have time to snap photos and send them. Fingers crossed, because I think after you see the first few you will be dying to see the rest!

This is the first thing you will see when the front door of my home is opened. This tree changes colors from year to year depending what is going on. For a long time it was silver and black from a wedding, but now those decorations are on my tree, so you will see them later. The tree is full of some new things and some old things. Red, gold, and angels. Garland up the stairs full of lights. And in the back you can see more trees coming!

The angels have been around forever. We have always had an angel tree. For a while it was in my bedroom, then it was moved to the front room, then the living room, and now the entry way. There aren't as many harps and angels, but these three angels are part of my childhood, and I love that my mom still uses them.

What a great first impression, right? My mom is ALL about Christmas, and this is just the first few steps into her Christmas Wonderland.

Love,

Deidre