Merry Christmas - part 2

Had to share this fun little thought that bounced through my head. It came to me as a realization that we have grown.

For Christmas this year, I gave my hubby a toaster because ours shoots green and blue sparks when you use it. He normally toasts his bread for breakfast, so I thought it would be a good idea for him. He got me some of my own clothes that have lived at my mom's house for quite some time. I also got some awesome new socks and a beautiful watch (because all, and I mean all, of mine are dead). It wasn't all thrill and excitement. But we were filled with joy and smiles watching the girls open their presents.

Santa got each girl exactly what they wanted. Hazel girl got the doll she asked for and food shaped erasers (dog ate her donut, it was a very sad day). Amber girl got the cat she asked for (grandma got her one too so she glows with excitement). Violet girl got a peanut.

I think my favorite part is that they keep getting mixed up as to who gave them what. Also, that beyond their Santa gift, their favorite presents so far are the ones that are Christian based. We've got nativities, Noah's ark, and monkeys that pray.

I'm ok with the Christmas spirit missing me this year. Because the Spirit of Christ lives within me and brings me joy daily.

Getting excited for New Year's Eve. Oh what fun we are going to have being together as a family and enjoying the joy of doing just that.

Praying that you all are having the most wonderful holidays and that the Spirit is living in you.

Merry Christmas

The girls and I have been having lots of great discussions this season about God. They are all very concerned about people that say they don't believe in God. They are so concerned about the fact that all of those people are going to hell.
The girls have been amazing with their focus on what they are giving for Christmas rather than what they are getting this year. There hasn't been the eternal greed and want this year. It has been a wonderful Christmas so far.
The girls have been very concerned about the thought that Jesus is not allowed into their school. We keep reinforcing to them that they may take Him into school all they want. This seems to help and I truly look forward to the results of their efforts.
My spirit has been down a bit lately. It occurred to me that I missed some of our regular traditions and that's probably the reason why. This year, I need to focus on our traditions because that's what the girls are going to remember. Those special moments together as a family.

I pray that you and your family enjoy all of your traditions and have the most amazing Christmas serving and sharing with each other as Christ would have us do.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Hello again.

I'm back. Hopefully I'll be able to get back on track and write a couple times a week on here. Even if it's not every day. I'm finding that keeping up with my Violet girl and everything I want to do and need to do, doesn't always go hand in hand.

Since I wrote last...I didn't knock on wood hard enough. The flu raged through our house again. It took me down for almost two whole days and did my system in for a week. Took out the girls again in varying degrees but the hubby didn't get it again. He instead cleaned the entire house...and cleaned is an understatement. It was quite wonderful for the most part. The smells while I was nauseous wasn't so wonderful.

We celebrated Christmas inbetween all of the fluing. The girls all got something that they REALLY wanted which is always a good thing. I think my favorite one (besides the new coat) might be the family trip to the hotel with waterpark. Instead of things...an adventure to remember.

We did a homemade Christmas with my dad and stepmom and assorted children. I had a blast trying to figure out what to give them that we could make and wouldn't automatically go in the trash...not that they would ever do that but I didn't want to burden them with something I would want to throw out.

First up the giant brandy snifters that lived in my cupboard for probably close to 5 years. I found them together on the same shelf and I knew someday that I would create something to this effect with them. 

To hold the small glass in place, I colored some salt red (a little love and to give it a patriotic flair) and placed some white on top of that to make it a winter wonderland. The girls helped me place enough Christmas trees in the snow for each grandkid.

The small glass has dried blue glitter glue and some chestnut snowmen painted white. I imagine that the snowmen jumped in together and created a big splash.

 This is the plastic top of a pie plate with an unknown number of girlie hand prints glued to it to make a frame. We added the heart in the middle because this girlie and grandpa have a special gift exchange going that has to do with hearts. And because I ran out of hands.

A few Radtke Customs SO bookmarks.

A Radtke Customs jingle bell bracelet.

An advent wreath painted by the monkey circus. Plastic cups with flameless candles to make them glow. Forgot to print off the instructions and prayers that I had found to go with. Eh.

I think these were my favorite to make. I found the plastic ornaments for a fantastic deal and had always wanted to do this with the monkey circus. I decided this was going to be the year. We dug out the craft bin that the receivers of this gift gave the girls before my Violet girl was a part of the family yet. We went digging through and started placing an assortment of goodies in each one. Word of warning...dump excess paint out before packaging. The one ornament's paint leaked because it wasn't fully dry yet (bad planning time wise on my part) and it mixed to look like someone poo'd in the bag.

 

 

My Violet girl found a game like this in a Christmas craft book and she was bound and determined to make it. Only the sample in the book was throwing things in Santa's mouth. Good thing I found this picture.

This was a fun one for the girls to do. The body of the angel is their foot and the wings are their hands. Then they each drew a head to attach to the body. They flew around our house for an entire day before I hid them so they wouldn't get ruined.

And lastly, the tree skirt. My Violet girl and I worked on this one together. She picked out the colors for each of her cousins. Amazingly, she picked their favorite colors (I think for all of them) and she had so much fun picking their eye colors and putting on their mittens and buttons. The monkey circus insisted on creating some gingerbread men for my mom as well and she got a set of chestnut snowmen because she was the one who helped them collect the giant bag of chestnuts this fall.

So, that what has been keeping me busy inbetween all of the fluing that's been going through my house. Now to get past the back pain or find a place in the house to sit and create comfortably. May start interviewing this Violet girl of mine for here because some of the things she says is amazing. She's having a green lunch today...key lime yogurt and pickles...not mixed together, just at the same meal.

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and new year. I finally get to put all of the presents away and start decluttering my house. Hoping to get Christmas down before Valentine's day. Praying I talk to you all again soon.

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Me Monday - St Nick Comes Tonight

Truth About Santa Claus by James Giblin

Love this book. Spent all morning trying to remember the actual title. Which meant looking through my notes (not there or there or there) and then going to the library website (non-fiction Christmas) and then I popped over to Amazon to see if they carried it and had a picture of the book cover (no luck). I have requested it from the library and will scan the cover once it's in my possession.

I found this book two years ago while searching for a good book to explain to my hubby why I celebrate St Nicholas and Santa Claus. I celebrate St Nicholas because he was a real man who lived his life to help those in need. If we had more people in this world like him, we would be getting better instead of worse. I understand that Santa is the embodiment of St Nicholas placed on Christmas for those who don't want to celebrate the birth of Christ. I wanted to celebrate St Nicholas and then have limited presents on Christmas day to celebrate the gifts given to Jesus for his birth. The hubby didn't follow my thinking and with how shy my girls are, placing them out there with no Santa like most of the population just seemed cruel to me.

I found this book and read it for myself and then shared it with my girls. I think I've tried telling 5 people about this book so far this year and decided that I just needed to post about it and then I could share it with everyone. I really enjoyed how the author shared the facts as well as the legends that have grown over the years.

Tonight St Nicholas comes to all the houses and fills the stockings with goodies. This year I had the girls write their letters to Santa and place them in their stockings for St Nicholas to collect. The hubby had to speak up and wonder how St Nicholas would get the letters to Santa..."by email" was his response. Grrrr....why can't he just understand and not cause issues?

So the stockings are hung by the bar with care...but the fireplace isn't finished yet. (Put that on my list of things I need to share...hubby's handiwork.)

Not sure what St Nicholas will leave this year. I got some movies that the girls have been talking about and I got some juicy oranges. Gotta go dig through my bins to see what else little I have for them.

Praying that St Nicholas brings you the answers to your greatest need this holiday and that your stocking is overflowing.

Do you celebrate St Nicholas or Santa Claus or both?

Recycled Project - Advent Calendar

I loved advent calendars growing up. Raised in a Catholic family we did the advent calendars, lit the advent wreath, and had St Nick come to visit. I am trying to keep some of those traditions alive for my kids. Since today is the first of December, I thought I would share my advent calendar with you.

It has morphed to this as my kids have grown. The first year was little toys wrapped in paper and tucked into an old popcorn tin. A new little toy every day. Then I stuck the toys into old socks because wrapping 50 little toys was just too much for me. Then I decided to put little candies in Easter eggs and tucked them into the same original tin. 75 eggs was easier than 75 toys every year.

This year, I looked at my stack of recyclables and decided to do something with them for advent instead of the usual. Still stuck with the candy idea instead of toys. Almost went to the picture idea because we've been having issues with sneaking candy. May need to work on that idea for next year.

First I tore off the top of 6 egg cartons and painted them while the girls did random art projects of their own. Thought I had pictures of the painting part, guess I was having too much fun. Then I glued two bottoms together to make a set. Was going to try and make it closeable but then all the candy would fall out of the top half. Eh...the girls will love it this way as well.

Then I spent last night tracing a plastic egg to make 72 circles to cover each pocket full of candy. Cut them all out and put them somewhere safe until this morning. (Yes, did this last part all before 5am and washed the floors and did the dishes.)

I chose for our selection some mint chocolate M&Ms, some mint truffle kisses, mini Tootsie Pop Drops, and mini Blow Pops. I was just going to do the chocolate mint but then I saw the Tootsies and the Blow Pops and knew the girls would enjoy those as well.

And this is how they wait on my counter for the girls to wake up. Which the alarm has just rang for me to go and do. Another filled day awaits...but I so need a nap. Glad today is Thursday and I know the day will end with the hubby taking me out for our weekly date. Wonder where it will be tonight.

I also wonder how many of you celebrate Advent and if you do calendars. Would love to see them.