An Explanation & a Simple Thankful Banner

Maybe it's the days that are getting shorter that is truly sucking the time out of my days.  I have never felt stretched as thin as I have in the last couple of weeks.  Hence, the lack of posts.  Gosh... I'm sorry.  Really.  I've let you down.

I really have been working on projects here and there... although, all of them are only half done.  The kid's bathroom is still a work in progress.  Although, they are both finally back in there and out of our tub!  Small victories!

The husband and I are still "training" for the Columbus marathon this upcoming Sunday.  We are both struggling with crazy knee injuries.  In other words, we're getting old... we've had too many kids... and there's just not enough time in the day!  This marathon is not going to be a pretty performance.  But we're okay with that.  I'm just so happy that we'll be out there (miserable) together.

The days are not only getting shorter, but they're getting colder too.  So any days that are nice enough to be outside when shoes are optional, we try to be out there!  We've been spending a lot of time out on the swing set.  And we also found some time to pick a bunch of apples.  Now, to find time to make some pie filling before those apples spoil!  Yes, it's on my to-do list.

I've only had time for ridiculously simple projects lately, but I feel like banners are the best way to pack a punch!  My mom gave me a stack of letters that were already cut out of amazing craft paper but just needed to be hung up.  Here's my mom's banner in her home:

She did such an amazing job adding several rows of twine, lots of buttons and even extra leaves cut out in coordinating paper.  Her banner obviously took a lot of time and she just handed over the part that took the longest... The letters!  Thanks mom!

In order to keep this banner quick and simple, I knew I wouldn't have time to make my banner as detailed as my mom's.  Instead, I used precut paper leaves that I picked up from the Dollar Tree.  10 leaves for a buck.  Can't beat it.  To attach the letters, I used photo splits.  These double sided sticky squares are so much more versatile than just for photos, people!  I use them as often as I can because there's just nothing faster!

I clipped up the leaves with mini clothes pins and that's, that!  Really, couldn't be simpler!  My mom cut the letters out with her silhouette machine, but you could do this project the old fashion way with a little bit more time and patience.  Whew! So thankful I have a crafty mom who was willing to give away a few extra cut out letters.

So what do you guys think?  Are you feeling stretched to the max?  Think it's because of the days getting shorter?  Too much on your to-do list?  Too much time spent on cleaning up messes that other little gremlins are making?  (More on that later).  

Janice