the hungry wolf

Do I have your attention? 

I've been feeding my wolf today friends :-)  and he's been hungry....ok, so I got the analogy from this book I've been reading (no it's not eclipse).... now you might ask yourself, "Hmmm.. Kellie reading... yes I say the same thing I think I've started the book 5 times... just saying.. reading is really not my thing but sometimes I feel like reading....

Anyways, I have been feeding my wolf all day and it is happy (aka. me:-) I'm very happy:-) Plus my brother and SIL came over last night and we ate Casey's pizza and played games and had an awesome time!! I love them both so much!! :-) So does the Kirbster, he loves uncle Jess :-)

He kind of looks like an iguana... 

I have NOT beautified myself once today and that's ok because I'm not going into public until tomorrow:-) although my FIL came over to bring the Hubs snow blower (which snow is something we don't have anymore yep it was 50 degrees here today and sunny and the snow is gone) and said, "Kellie, so glad to know you dressed up for me to come over." I said, "anytime!" I've been wearing Hubby's old red nike basketball shorts and a t-shirt with my hair pulled back. Yep, your jealous right??

My day has been like an only child... all about me:-) 

(I apologize if your an only child reading this)

It has been filled with trashy TV shows, and lifetime movies, making broccoli cheddar soup, cleaning, snuggling my puppy, watching movies with my husband, and sewing on my new machine!!! Who would of thought that I would get so excited about learning how to get thread on my bobbit?? I also am knitting and crocheting!! :-) 

Check my first creations on my first ever sewing machine!!!

This on is my favorite:-) 

Need a smile today??? 

Well, who doesn't... check this out!! :-) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j76QiWDFkI

So my friends... what makes you happy and make sure you are feeding your wolf to bring in the new year :-) 

And according to my new book...

Try feeding your wolf with:

Yoga: (+ 5 years) 

the yoga philosophy isn't the number of years you've lived, but the flexibility of your spine

Omega 3s (+5 years)

helps prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis 

Just being a girl adds 10 years to your life!!!:-) so... wahoo:-) 

so in the words of some old school Bewitched, "C'est la vie "

This song has been in my head all day!!! click to listen

Goodnight:-)

art.

Alright.... so here I am almost a week later... relaxing.... and I started a post, but didn't finish so here we go I will recap with lots of pictures this holiday season!!! :-) 

There are many different types of art.....

 art of marriage....

(click here to read poem by Wilfred A. Peterson)

Happy Anniversary to my loving husband...

He is the perfect man for me:-)He just gets me and can handle me at my worst, he brushes my hair, cooks for me, snuggles, he's the grounds keeper at out house, cleans the bathroom, kitchen, vacuums and seriously a man that cleans is awesome anyways the list could go on and on, and get quite sappy. The truth is he's mine, and I love him, despite the daily ups and downs we are in love. :-)

Here are some pics from our anniversary...

(Benge Family Christmas 2010)

This is also on our Christmas card from Shutterfly! :-)

Can't wait to get them in the mail!! :-)

Make a wish foundation drive through the lights...

Then my hubby made reservations at this restaurant, where we had our rehearsal dinner! And it was delightful, they even gave us an anniversary dessert! (Creme Brulee) 

The restaurant was originally a home they converted into a restaurant and the decor is so festive:-)  

Once we got home we exchanged our gifts. I got my hubby a fishing seat,and he got me a beautiful bracelet! So beautiful! What a great surprise!

Our cake topper!! and cake :-)

My 1st year anniversary canvas...

Hunty's year 1 canvas... needless to say he is more patient and talented then me:-)

 Hanging in the laundry room!

The Art of Christmas nothing... The great thing about Christmas is that you get to spend time with your family, relax and try to get a little cleaning done:-) 

Here are some pictures from the past week....

Hope everyone is having a relaxing break!! 

*shutter*

Question: What goes, "snap, crackle, and pop"? 

Answer: A firefly with a short circuit!! :-) 

Did that make you want to say, "Rice Krispies?" 

SNAP..... that exhilarating moment when your finger hits the big silver button on your camera. When you capture and never live without remembering that moment, because in that moment.... you felt...

                                                  good.....

(that feeling of buying your FIRST home!)

the pizza you work so hard on, but then burnt it black as charcoal when you get caught up talking to your new found neighbors in your new home....

CRACKLE..... looking at your friend and loved one and just cracking up...... because someone smushed your face... capturing that uncontrollable laughing moment is....

                              priceless....... seriously.... funny... :-) 

POP.... not literally... like your addiction to caffeine... but you want the color to pop out...

maybe on your honeymoon...

or in the fall....

perhaps, in April when your first tulips come up... :-)

whatever the case may be using your shutter of your camera 365 days of the year is always going to create memories...

SHUTTERFLY!!!

I was introduced to Shutterfly by a book party at one of my co-workers house, she won a party for her guests to all get free books and it was so fun and I got a free book and bag!!! I made our engagement book! 

You can use Shutterfly for cards, stationary, calendars, and large prints, even on a canvas.... it's so easy and you get 50 free prints the first time you start... they are always giving discounts... and you can send all of your pictures to Target to pick them up, or they will be sent to your house within a couple days....

I have loved Shutterfly for a long time and this Christmas we are going to use them to do our Christmas cards, and one of my college roommates used Shutterfly for their Thank you cards and they were beautiful!!! 

Don't you love that feeling of running to the mailbox in December to see the Christmas cards and pictures and letters from your family??? To me it's this tradition that I do every year. We are now getting ones at our home, but every year I would get to my mom and dad's I would immediately ask mom where she kept the Christmas letters (because my mom knows me) I love to read them all! :-) 

So as the years fly by..... embrace your family and loved ones and let that camera capture the beauty that lies within your heart and share it with those you love... 

and one day.... we will be lucky enough.... to be like our grandparents... still loving one another's company.... loving their children and grandchildren with so much evidence than the simple hug you get when they see you, or the cards you get that say we love you and are proud of you... 

Then, we can share our own stories of our time with our own children and grandchildren... and won't that be great! ;-) 

So without further a-due... check out shutterfly and all it has to offer...

Here are some examples... and make them your own to tell your own story of the year and your own beautiful life. (just click on the text to take you to the examples.)

Christmas Cards 

(This years choices, colors selections are so cute!!)

Holiday Cards

Thanks Yous

And you can "Like it on Facebook!"

Have a great night and stay warm... we have been a little under the weather at the Benge household so you would of seen a lot of this....

I'm feeling MUCH better!!!! ;-)

A sweet puppy who just want his mommy to play with him... ;-) 

Have a great time and don't forget to check out Shutterfly, they are giving bloggers 50 FREE CHRISTMAS Cards from Shutterfly...  to learn more ..

click here

Enjoy your Christmas season, and don't forget to capture those moments with your family with that camera!!

snow what???

That's right... SNOW!!! We do live in IOWA and my husband and I just had a discussion last night on the way into town about it being December 10th and there was still no snow on the ground. Check it out.... (this one is from this afternoon)

We love looking at all of the Christmas lights around town so we drove around last night, and since our outlet outside of our house doesn't work and we don't know how to fix it, my husband who I love and is really in the Christmas spirit decided to put Christmas lights up around the garage and fence last night, while I created quit a masterpiece in the kitchen (if I do say so myself) check it out: Gourmet White Pizza and due to our blizzard tonight I wasn't able to get the greatest picture, but here is my attempt. 

(This isn't even the half of it! It has continually gotten worse and this now isn't even the half of it. Nolan and I keep looking out the windows going, "WOW", "I can't believe how windy it is"..... 

Just sayin' I prefer, staying indoors.....

while the roast, potatoes, and carrots cooks slowly in the crock pot.....

As well as a little baking.....plus some black tea with honey for me... I have had a sore throat the past 2 days.... 

I have just been dying to blog this December with so many creative thoughts running through my head....ahh.... December... you are here... our year of 2010 is coming to an end....years just go faster and faster the older you get....

Last weekend I was in a craft show and had a great time... I sold my MIL beautiful mittens and jewelry...

Last weekend we also had the opportunity to get our tree up, since my rule is it has to wait until after my birthday...

We thought since we didn't have anyone to take a picture of the 3 of us, we would try to get a picture of the Kirbster in front of the tree, and there was a lot of bribing to just get this picture and it's not that great... :-) Oh well you can see the tree some Christmas decorations my husband did a great job at putting up the ornaments and we worked together to get this tree up, all fake baby, no pine needles all over this year... 

This week we celebrated.... Congrats to my hubby for passing his CAD classes this semester only one more semester to go, and I had an observation at school which went really well! 

Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knows those who trust in Him." 

It was so fun to get out the snowman dishes we got for our wedding a week from today, is our one year anniversary! I can't believe how the time has flown. Every time I tell Nolan, "Can you believe we have been married almost a year?" He goes, "Yes, and will be for 50 more!" Gotta love that man... :-) 

I just can't help it... I put my carharts on to go outside tonight.. and the Kirbster came with me... he hates the cold, but loves his mama. :-) 

I may be a little of a quote/bible verse "junkie" but I don't care... It's fun.. I found some bible verses I wrote down in college and posted them  in my room by my bed to remind me that God is in control and will give us peace. Needless to say, college was one of those experiences in life that I loved and if I had to do it again I would go back to UNI, even though I still need to decide if I'm going to go back for my masters, I'm sure glad I'm done with my undergrad. :-)These verses just remind me of some of the days I went though. 

~ God's Peace~

Which is far beyond human understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Jesus Christ. 

Phillipians 4:7

~Letting go of those reigns we try to hold onto so tightly~

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean no unto thine own understanding. In all the ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6