A December Day

Painting homemade Christmas cards

An easy little Christmas...

I LOVE decorating for the holidays.  As a little girl, the Friday following Thanksgiving was not for shopping, but for decorating!!  My dad would leave for work and my mom and I would pull all the boxes out of the attic and clean house.  Now, we did not skimp...every surface was covered.  Dad would come home and put the final touches on the tree - the plastic icicles.  It was pure delight for our little home.

I still love decorating, but in a bit more moderation AND I don't like to spend money on decor.  I love the challenge of finding things outdoors to use or at a thrift shop for a buck or walking around my house looking at what can be repurposed into a holiday feel.  I did this last week and came up with three easy new pieces for our home.

I really enjoy fresh garland.  I would drape it over every doorway, window and mantle if it wasn't so expensive.  

I really wanted some coming down my stairs this year and I also was trying to think up a new way to display the Christmas cards we get every year.  We usually just tape them around our doorways, but I wanted something different this year.

Going for a little hunt outside, the kids and I cut a bunch of fresh greens we found.  I always do this and just stick them in vases and watering cans around the house, but this year I thought - why not use them to make my own garland?

I did not spend time wiring them together, I simply grabbed a branch and tied it to the banister with some twine.  I thought I might cover the twine with Christmas  ribbon, but ended up loving the look of the twine.

After tying up the entire length of the banister, I then thought why not just use it to display our Christmas cards too?  Going outside to grab our clothespins and then searching for some christmas paper and my glue gun, I covered the clothespins paper which I've seen so many people do.  Now all we need to do is clip the card to the greenery and line our stairwell with it.  I love it!

The next idea is easy peasy!  Every Sunday night of advent we do a little reading and singing and light the advent candles.  This year I could not find our advent wreath.  No idea where it went!!  I didn't want to go buy a new one, so I just arranged some candles on a platter.  The red candle is the "pink" traditional candle and the center one is our Jesus candle.  Done!!

Lastly, every year we read these 25 little books that tell the story of Jesus' birth and ever year I struggle with where to put the books we have read.  Well last week, Addison was out on the porch with a piece of wood and some nails and - voila!!  he solved our problem!

Enjoy getting creative this year!!

Easy Banners

Want a really quick, easy and cheap way to make cute little banners for any occassion?  Paint chips!!  I saw this in a magazine and LOVED it.  I made cloth ones for Eli's first birthday that now hang in her room, but these little babies could be made for any occassion - Christmas, Easter, birthdays, baby showers -  you name it!!  I did this one for the 4th of July.

Just pick out the colors you want in you banner and grab a bunch.  I felt bad taking 20 or so, so I fessed up that I was taking a lot and asked if I could pay for them.  The man laughed and said no.  He honestly didn't seem that interested.

After cutting them into triangles (these were long cards that I was able to get 2 triangles out of - one from the top and one from the bottom), I punched a hole in the top corners and then strung twine through them.  Hang and enjoy!!

I *Heart You* Day...

Valentines!!  I have ALWAYS loved it.  As long as I can remember.  My daddy used to bring home my mom flowers and one of those big red heart boxes of chocolates and he would give me a small red heart box of chocolates.  My mom would make dinner and we would eat it with candles at the dining room table. (This was special since we never ate dinner at the dining room table, people!)  Carnations would be sent at school with little notes from who they were from...  Making the biggest and best valentines box each year and passing out the cards...  Oh, I just love it all!

I know it's hyped up and super commercialized (what isn't?)  But I still think it's great to take the day and focus on those people you love  - doing something special for them and making traditions and memories.  

I went all out last year and had a ton of fun doing it.  This year we were gone on a last minute trip for the 3 days leading up to Valentines, so I couldn't pull things together quite like I had envisioned and guess what?  Addison remembered every little thing about last year!!  He kept asking me, mommy are you going to do this?  are we going to do that?  I had to tell him that it's okay for things to be a little different each year...

So, this year the kids woke up to huge red and pink balloons in their rooms.  They LOVE balloons.  And these are big, fun ones!  While they watched some special cartoons and Justin slept in, I got out all the red and pink plates, napkins, straws (I was meant to be a preschool teacher!) and make chocolate (sugarfree) waffles with coconut milk whipped cream served with eggs, blackberries, strawberries cut into hearts and strawberry smoothies.  Yum!

Justin had made plans for us to go out to dinner but I usually cook a "fancy" family meal.  I knew Addison was expecting candlelight at the dining room table so while they were napping, I did it up, complete with streamers and more red and pink dinnerware with their gifts waiting for them at each plate. 

This year I made them wallets because they're starting to carry money around with them when we go out.  (Addison more than Eli)  I made these out of felt and included some goodies inside.

Eli's had 3 felt hair pins and a note from daddy asking her to go out on a date with him next week.

This was Addison's wallet. He LOVED it!  His included money and a note from me asking him to be my date next week.  Sam enjoyed dinner and will no doubt get something special next year...

For dinner they had mac n'cheese, carrot sticks and toast cut into heart shapes plus a valentine cookie for dessert from their awesome valentine package aunt kristen sent!  We lit candles and sat with them while they ate.  It was a blast and much more relaxed than a "real fancy dinner".  They were excited when friends came to watch them and Justin and I were excited to go out and eat better food alone :)

I really enjoy loving my family in this way; I love creating these memories for my kids and doing special things that really don't take so much work, but that they love so much!  

Celebrating!!!!!

DISCLAIMER:  this is mostly family photos and videos...

Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, we decided to change things up a bit.  We pushed our tree and christmas day traditions to Monday.  At first I was disappointed, but it's really only a mind game - what does it matter what day you celebrate on?  And this way, our celebration ended up being longer and slower - it was lovely!

Sunday morning we let the kids open one present.  It was a Melissa and Doug wooden nativity set.  They loved it and played w/it all morning leading up to church.  Church was wonderful - small, laid back, merry and worshipful.  It was really great getting to see people on Christ's birth and wishing Merry, Merry and all that.

After, our friends hosted a brunch for those who didn't have other plans.  There were 9 adults and 7 kids.  The food was amazing, there was a fire going and the kids had a blast together.

playing operation

reading w/daddy

the boys all "herding their sheep"

handsome boy eating his lunch

We stayed most of the afternoon and then loaded the kids into the car for a drive around the Cape to look at Christmas lights.  The kids were all snoring within minutes so Justin and I were able to enjoy a 25 min. quiet drive!  

This is the tree in Rockport's square, outside the restaurant we had our rehearsal dinner at.  We reminisced about seeing it w/snow falling all around it 7 years ago.

When we got home, Justin still had to wrap his presents (this he does every year on Christmas Eve...) so the children and I went to the church basement to run like crazy.  It was a blast.  They've asked to go back down there just about every night since.  Once we ran them ragged, it was a quick dinner and off to bed!  Justin and I stuffed the stockings, filled the tree and then settled down to watch Elf.

Christmas morning we heard the kids start whispering around 7.  We laid in bed and listened to them, knowing they were peaking outside their door to the stuffed stockings hanging on the banister.  Sam wasn't up yet so we just let them talk and play, turning on the heat and coffee and talking in bed.  When Sam got up, we went and got everyone.  It's tradition to open stockings on our bed - and yes, every stocking present is wrapped and yes, we rotate pulling out one item at a time.

Addison already discussed the order of events the evening before...  "First mommy, you and daddy come wake us up and we get our stockings and go open them on your bed.  Then we'll go downstairs and play w/our stocking stuff while you cook breakfast.  Then we'll do the Christmas story and then we'll GO OUT TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!  HA AH AH AH AH HA HA!!"  (imagine that getting faster and faster and louder and louder)  Yep, he's our planner.  So the kids did their coloring books and such while we made dutch blitz pancakes, pineapple, pomegranites and eggnog.

doll house people

castle book

this was a huge hit, Kristin!

walking pony

veggietales worship cd

new apron...

(that she wore ALL day, juanita!)

daddy's kindle

this one plays with the house WAY more than eli.  i try to not take it personally and know that one day she will love it :) oh, and a whole other post on the befores and afters of the doll house to come!  i worked on and that sucker!

this guy, however,  has not stopped playing with his castle!

The opening ended near noon and we had a great afternoon of playing, relaxing, leftovers and naps.  We got the kids up early to go for a Christmas walk.  We popped popcorn to give the birdies and animals a Christmas treat!

scattering popcorn

While I cooked our Jesus's birthday dinner, everyone played!!

Then it was time to eat!!  Lasagna, salad, crescent rolls, wine, jello salad and "spicy drink" (punch)  We always have this dinner w/candlelight and this year ended with the children picking out presents "for Jesus".  They picked 2 chickens for a family and 2 soccer balls for a school from the World Vision catalogue.

our centerpiece - felted wool by my talented friend, deanne

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!