Christmas crafts and projects...

Today I have been working on projects for Christmas Eve (we're hosting)...We are doing a birthday party for Jesus...cupcakes, treat bags and other goodies. These are the placemats for the kiddos... Logan and I decorated the dining room with paper chains...which we made while Mason and Mya were napping...

Tonight I pieced together ornaments to use as placecards. I think I am going to write each person's name on the roofline of the stable. Fortunately our Christmas Eve is just immediate family so I only had to make 10 or so...I must confess that I got the craft kits from Oriental Trading (kind of cheating) but I still had to assemble the WHOLE thing...stick by stick and person by person...I have a couple of welts from the hot glue gun. Just as a sidenote I am a HUGE believer in craft kits. If I order several projects right before any given holiday we have them on hand and they actually get done. If I wait for my creative juices to begin flowing...they don't.

Gingerbread Train- Polar Express

These pictures are backwards from the actual process (I am beginning to be bitter at blogspot because I can't ever move my photos anymore!). Anyways Logan and I made a Gingerbread train today and he did SUCH A GOOD JOB! We had a really good time making our own Polar Express. Logan was especially excited to 'clean-up' the extra decorating candy! Blessings~

Wheelbarrow Races...?

Pretty amazing for a Nana, huh? I think Papa was feeling pooped! Papa's make really good horseys!

Logan's turn being the wheelbarrow!

I think I need to begin an exercise regimen....

Daddy was a pro.

On Friday night we went over to Greg and Judy's for a yummy birthday dinner! My actual birthday was on Tuesday but it didn't work out to do dinner until Friday. It was a pretty standard evening...laughter, conversation, good food...wheelbarrow races? After dinner Greg was playing on the floor with the kiddos and somehow the grown-ups got going on wheelbarrow races. Me and my big mouth piped up about how easy it was. Needless to say I am slightly out of shape and could HARDLY do it unless Ryan held me by the knees rather than the ankles. It was really funny and I was actually laughing out loud. I couldn't help but snap a few pictures of the chaos that was occuring!

One of the best parts of Christmas!

One of the best parts of Christmas for me is sending and receiving Christmas cards. I love Christmas cards for a variety of reasons. I love seeing the updated family photos that fill the cards. I love the letters that accompany many of the cards--it is wonderful to hear from many of those we love. I love seeing the cards displayed in our house as a constant reminder of the community of friends and family we are SO RICHLY blessed with. I love the way all of our kiddos grow and change throughout the year...and I love saving the cards (at least those with pictures) and keeping them in a jar on our dining room table ALL YEAR. The goal of this is to be able to pray for a different family at each evening (and it is nice for the kiddos to have a picture). We did this last year, but weren't as faithful in the practice as we had set out to be. We are going to give it a whirl again this year so keep those photo cards coming! I LOVE THEM! This is the only time during the year when I check the mail. The minute I see our mail gal pulling up...I go running (literally)! Blessings and Merry CHRISTmas!

Everyone's a Critic!

When I walked in the living room the other day I found my precious babies DUSTING! I was cracking up because what kid doesn't love cleaning with a baby wipe but I really did need some dusting done around this place...

Logan aka Man of the House!

Well our playroom is coming along quite well (as far as projects go) and I am getting so excited. The space will be such a blessing, but having contractors around has created MANY funny moments. Logan is under the impression that when his daddy is away he is the man of the house. He is prepared to keep those contractors in line (haha...they are wonderfully polite guys NOT in need of being watched over) letting them know the house rules and preparing for possible enforcement of those rules. Here are a few of the funny moments:

***On the first day the contractors were here, Logan sized them up and told them that their boots were dirty and they should NOT come in the house with them on as to "make his mommy's floor filthy". He informed them that he would clean their boots if they needed to come in the house!

***Later that day he asked one of them not to park the work van in the driveway because that's where his mommy parks.

***Upon noticing that sheet rock was being ripped out, Logan loudly declared, "My daddy is not going to be happy about this guys!"

***One afternoon he told the guys that they needed to be quiet because Mason and Mya were sleeping.

It just cracks me up that he feels the need to supervise the coming and goings of the construction guys. He thinks he needs to 'hold down the fort' when daddy's away...Aren't little boys the cutest?

A 1 Corinthians Christmas

A First Corinthians Christmas- A friend read this at our last MOPS meeting and I was quite fond of it! Blessings!

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strand of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the tree with shimmering angles and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties anod sing the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, even though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and lots of presents.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Bonus room, playroom...etc.

This last week has been filled with holiday festivities and errands for the garage turned bonus room/playroom (that is still up for debate and the answer is completely dependent on whom you pose the question to). Anyways we are coming right along and hope that the project will be completed by Christmas Eve. WooHoo! I am so thrilled and excited about the new year with this added space. I took these pictures this morning, but I should have waited until this morning as lots of things changed today. Have I mentioned I am SUPER excited?

Snow...Maybe...Please...

In honor of the (potential) snowfall in the forcast, Logan made some snowflakes for the kitchen window. We thought if the snowflakes saw some friends in our window they might hurry up and come to our yard (that wasn't really our idea so much as his idea). All that to say our little budding artist (Logan) has all ten fingers and toes crossed that we wake up to a blanket of beautiful, white snow!

Wednesday's Holiday Fun!

Today while Mason and Mya were taking their beloved nap, Logan (& I) made Christmas cupcakes. Some were for dessert and others were to deliver to his cousins and a couple friends. He did the pouring, mixing, watching and cleaning (I use that term loosely). He had a GREAT time baking and was so proud to deliver his wonderful treats later that afternoon. It was definitely pretty sweet.

Later that evening we had a special Christmas/ Family movie night. We got pizza and watched a fun Christmas movie together. The anticipation of the big event was probably as fun as actually watching the movie, but the kids thought it was the coolest thing. I found a video at Target that compliled Christmas episodes of Bob the Builder, Thomas and some other favorites. It was right up the kiddos' alley! What a special treat....Pizza, a movie, andpopcorn all in the same night...

Christmas Joy!

This year I got one of the Little People Nativity Scenes to put on top of the wood stove (which we don't use) and some GREAT Christmas books to display nearby. The kids have been enthralled with the manger scene and all the different storybooks that tell the story of Jesus in a slightly different way. When I am reading Mason or Mya one of the Christmas books, Logan will go find the coordinating figurines to help them better understand (usually the three wisemen). It has been such an exciting, PEACEFUL season thus far. The only exception has been shopping for the kiddos Christmas outfits. I sort of saved that project because I really enjoy shopping and dressing them in coordinating clothing. I thought when I got a free afternoon I could get a coffee and do some shopping I enjoyed...bad idea. There aren't really a lot of Christmas clothes to be found right now, so that proved to be a little more stressful than I had planned. Oh well, all's well that ends well, right? The other fun Christmas activity we have been up to (at least with Logan) is some good ornament making fun. So far Logan has made a couple of Santa ornaments and two reindeer ornaments. He is making them himself (foam shapes) and he is sure to let us know who they are for. What a blessed season to rest, create, be, celebrate, relax and focus on Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

Now if only I could get the letter done...