Christmas Joy

 Christmas is here, Glory to the newborn King!

Our month has been busy.  I enjoy all the traditions and activities that come along during Christmas time, but I'm also looking forward to the slower, quieter days that follow with the New Year.

I don't want to forget -

Taking the girls to school for their annual Breakfast with Santa.

Abigail didn't want her picture with Santa this year but after her 3rd grade teacher offered up 5 paw prints to do it, she was game.

We got our Christmas tree a little earlier than usual.  The man told us these trees last up to 8 weeks, J came home and said well we only need it to last 3 of the 8.  And so far it's held up well, not too dead yet. 

Beverly sent the girls a computer advent.  Each day they unlock another part of the Christmas town.  They've had fun doing the new days activity.  I love the snowman they created to represent themselves.

I bought a bunch of felt heart ornaments last year after Christmas and this year made them into a banner to hang over the fireplace.  I think next year I want to make a paper banner that says "joy to the world" or " the Lord has come" or something.  My stocking might hide it so maybe I'll divide it and put half the saying on each side of the fireplace on a bookshelf.

I also want to remember how and where Ash sets up her own nativity scene.  This year she's kept it right in front of the fireplace.

The first graders and Kindergartners put on a Christmas program, they did How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Ash had a speaking part she said, "and the Grinch with his Grinch feet, ice-cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling."

It was a very cute program!  

Abigail is in the school choir this year.  The choir also was a part and sang a couple song in the beginning.  Christmas Feud was Abigail's favorite song.  You can actually still catch her singing it around the house.

We had a little snow.  Thankfully it came on a Saturday and the girls played in it all day long.  We're really hoping we get a white Christmas this year!

One of my favorite Sundays of the year is the Children's Christmas Program at church.  I love listening to our children sing praises to our King.  And the story they tell is so important, how a baby came to bring light to the world.

A favorite tradition of mine is getting together with my sweet friends (friends that God put in my life so many years ago) for our annual cookie decorating party.  I am so thankful for these beautiful, Christian women and I love that our children are growing up as friends too.

The talk around the house has been about Beyblades.  After Luke introduced the girls to them that's all they've thought about.  The girls were so thrilled to get beyblades from the boys.  I always get a little chocked up thinking about the special relationship these 5 have.  They consider each other family.  And I do too.

School days were busy.  Especially that last week.  The girls came home with many cute projects. Abigail had a gingerbread decorating afternoon with all the 4th graders.  Ash had a pajama day - filled with watching Polar Express, eating popcorn balls, and doing a book exchange.  Abigail was given an award at the assembly for respecting others.  Her class had a pancake breakfast and watched Home Alone.

One evening we drove over to see some Christmas lights we had heard about.  It was the best lights we've ever seen.  Christmas lights to music is very cool.

We celebrated Christmas with my sister yesterday.  The time with her and her family was nice and I was so happy to see them!  But it's sad to think that after spending 33 Christmases with my sister this year we wont be together. Maybe that's why I've been so teary today.  I cried as Jason said goodbye and told him I didn't know why I was crying but as I write it out now I know.  

I understand how it has come to be this way but it still is hard and makes me sad.

I don't want to leave on a sad note because I do see joy all around me - like the joy of watching my 2 girls together. 

Merry Christmas!

Added color

I happened to walk into Target one day and saw the cutest clipboards in their 'cheap' bins for only $2.50.  I knew right away they'd be cute hanging in Abigail's room above her desk.  I also found a pack of 3 frames for a buck, perfect.

So, I arranged them out on the floor, grabbed a hammer and some nails and went to town hanging them up.  

(If you know me, you'd know this is not a typical Amanda job, I'd usually ask J to do this for me.  He was shocked to see I had hung them all by myself.  I'm not saying it was hard, but it's just something I'd still usually wait for J to do.)

She already had the cross, and hand print heart.

I love how it turned out.

It adds some color to her walls, which we painted white awhile back.

Now guess who else needed a clipboard and wanted it hung up in her room too. ;o)

Everything Friday

Well this is going to be a random post. Sometimes I just want to write down the 'stuff' that's been happening around here.  It's my everything and anything post.

This week I made some carrot bread.  And you've gotta make it too. It's so yummy, we ate the whole loaf in less then 24hrs and I plan to make another one soon, like on Sunday soon.

Look at this adorable craft!

Ash came home from school with two, one for her and one for Abigail.

If Easter dinner was at my house I'd use them on the table for sure.

We also colored eggs last night.  The whole family got into it.  We went back to the ol' traditional, magic crayon and dye.  Classic.  We had fun writing sweet little messages to each other and drawing pictures.

 

I'm doing a little home re-decorating.  

The front living room curtain rod broke and that has lead to a new rod, raising the height of the rod, and new curtains (and now patching up some holes).  I'm going for a look I saw in a Ballard Design catalog.  Amy suggested I just make them myself out of drop cloths.  So, that's what I did.  We hung the new curtains yesterday (just to see how it'd look) and now I need to add the ribbon to the bottom.  I can't wait to finish them.

Plus I'm changing up the master bedroom.  We've had the same pictures hanging in there for almost 10 years now.  Time for something new.  I've seen this idea in a few different places and love it.

  I also need to put this up.  I'm working on finding, editing and printing out some of my favorite photos of me and J.

And then there's the ever present 'want' of finding new pillows for the back living room couch.  I've been saying this for months.  I think I'm a little bit further in that search.  Is it okay to ask for pillows for Mother's Day?

I've got a date night tonight with my husband and girls.  We're going to the movies.  Do you have any plans for this Friday night?

Heart Attack

Since I could post about V-day 3 days after the fact, I figure I can post about one of my favorite v-day tradition/decoration now too.

I saw on a blog a couple years ago, (not sure which blog) about a mom who did a 'heart attack' on her kids bedroom doors each year for Valentine's day.

I loved the idea and started doing it with my family.

I cut out hearts,

we write a sweet valentine note to each member of the family,

and then I hang them above the fireplace.

It's like a little heart attack banner of love.