I make no secret about it. Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love decorating the house, buying the presents, having company, eating too much…all of it! I love it!
Obviously Christmas is a very big season for us at Ames & Beans. This year we kicked off the season with a Very Scary Open House on October 31. This year it was the largest open house to date! I love the repeat business and the new customers that many of my ‘old’ customers bring to me. Nothing is better than a customer referal!
A couple weekends later, I hosted a photo op for families with Two Views Photography. What a crazy success that was for us. We filled all of our time slots in a day and definately realized that that next year we will have to offer the seasons for two weekends.
And now I am busy printing Christmas Cards, helping moms pick out the perfect picture and wrapping customers gifts. It is wonderful!
Of course we arent’ done yet. It is not too late to get a great deal on Christmas cards and gifts. So don’t hesitate to call to set up a time to shop!
And I promise when things slow down I will post all my wonderful recent wedding invitations for brides that recently got married as well as a few birthday parties, anniversaries and tons of bridal showers. Please have patience. We ill get there!

Until then, take a deep breathe and smell the Christmas Season. It is fun…I promise!

I have never laughed so hard in my life as I did when Sarah first arrived for her appointment to design her wedding invitation.  She brought along with her Jessica, one of her girlfriends.  Jessica laid down the law right away and claimed Sarah was not allowed to make any decisions without checking with her first.  And Sarah full heartedly agreed and said it was just easier this way.  It was such a fun loving comment…nothing snarky or nasty about it.  I mean when  a mom says it to the bride warning bells go off but the way Jessica and Sarah arrived, chatted and talked, it came across so cute and fun and made me instantly want these girls as friends!

Sarah (Jessica) decided on a square invite with in ecru micah with rubelite mini border and a larger boarder with a funky green print.  Sarah (Jessica) allowed me some creative elbow room to come up with some fun using fonts…so we did.  We mixed fonts and capital size throughout the invite.  And it worked!  I love how this invitation makes you immediately know the wedding is going to be fun, fun, fun!

Another favorite was the day Sarah came to pick up her finished product.  She was decked out–from the neck up.  She just left her hairdresser where they put her hair up and in the veil and her make up was flawless.  She then had on sweatpants, tank top, and flip flops.  She was the most gorgeous casual bride I have seen!

Thank you Sarah and of course Jessica for choosing Ames & Beans.  I absolutely adored working with you both!

During the appointment we

What a fun way to celebrate a 40th!  Brad’s wife approached me with an idea….she had an old newspaper clipping from Brad’s high school football days and we went from there.  I love the picture and the invite found is a perfect match.  We had alot of fun with the play on words for the invite and at the actual party made some coasters with the picture on them!  Although the event was a small family event, the invitation made Brad’s family members chuckle as they anticipated walking down memory lane with Brad.

I get to be the constant reminder in Brad’s life that he has turned 40!  Of course it was back in April but I like to keep giving out gifts.  I know Brad is an avid reader of numerous blogs and I am determined to make mine one of them so I am giving him a cover story…

I have known Brad for years, worked with his mother and befriended his wife (who is WAY to good for Brad).  I say all this tongue in check as I know Brad thinks my husband Jeff is way to good for me. 

Don’t worry Brad…I will be available for Jodi’s 40th!

My uncle was born and raised in the house I currently live.  He was the oldest son of 6 children.  He, himself had seven children and I constantly remind each cousin they are all older than myself! 

During the years I was growing up in the Kansas City area so were my cousins.  My uncle was a police officer for Kansas City and my dad was a highway patrolman out of Lee’s Summit.  My sister and I delighted in going to our cousins house in downtown KC area.  They tortured us relentlessly and we always went back for more.

It was at this house I enjoyed the victory of the US 1980 hockey team as they beat the Russians and later went on to win the gold.  It was at this house that my cousin Fred taught me that if you grab someone’s arm and twist in opposite directions it leaves an angry red mark.  It was also at this house that I first learned the word cancer.  Shortly after the Americans defeated the Russians we lost my beloved sweet Aunt Dorothy to cancer. 

So many years later, we have all grown and moved our separate ways but I came back to the farm, the youngest of all the cousins.  I was lucky enough to buy the original home on the family farm and live smack in the middle of our family history.  During this time I developed a great relationship to my Uncle John who had also returned to his hometown.  Many afternoons were spent  on our long gravel driveway, he sitting in his 1960 something crown vic…ok ok that may not have been the actual year but close to it.  And me standing around talking about where my older and wiser cousins were up to now.  One particular cousin, Steve moved back to our town as well and we sipped a many beers together the past few years.

When my uncle passed on last week, his children decided to lay him to rest at the old family cemetary a football field from my front door.  At first I was nervous on the idea thinking who will take care of it.  But yesterday after a beauitful policeman’s burial which included a 15 gun salute and old junior hopping up for a final goodbye, through tears I realized…this is where he belongs.  He will forever be watching over our farm and family and I am grateful for that.

The night ended with a celebration of family and Uncle John stories, numerous laughs remembering how he was larger than life.  As I sit on a couch a friend of mine donated for the weekend and looked at my family, all the cousins grown, some with their own grandchildren, my sister, my own dad…I have never felt prouder…it was a beautiful moment and one Uncle John truly deserved.  So here is to you Uncle John, thank you for taking such good care of your family…all of us even extended, during your life and now in afterlife.  We will see you soon!

This picture was taken immediately after the burial.  Once the son went down the couch was more flooded with humans and lots of beer later…well I might post those pics later!