Christmas Rewind...

We got Snow, about 12-15 inches of the white stuff,5 days before Christmas !
The kids had alot of fun snowboarding and sledding ! Now, wouldn't this have been a really great Christmas Photo card... with their Santa Hats !


Maddy had her preschool Christmas program. Kids are so cute at this age. She participated nicely, but the tights made her " itchy" ( see last pic.. !) Funny !




I snapped Maddy's picture on our way out going to Christmas Eve Church Service. At our church We got all three of them to cooperate for a quick pic. Our tradition on Christmas Eve is to attend church service, then we open gifts that are sent to us from the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and from each other. That's alot of gifts and it's a little crazy ! So, they were very good at church and had patiently waited the entire day for this !



READY....SET.... O P E N !!!!!

This is my traditional " before bedtime " photo of the kids in front of the tree...
with their " Jingle Jammies " from Old Navy !


This is Christmas Morning....



We wish you a Happy & Healthy New Years ! Hope that many blessings are in store for you in 2010! I am so ever grateful to God for carrying us through another year here in PA. We are already so blessed ! Be careful & be safe when you celebrate .

A few favorites...

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite decorations around our home this Christmas.

Because we at least visit Hershey's Chocolate World once a year.


My NaNa made several of these one Christmas when she was still with us. She collected the plastic rings from the milk gallon caps and crocheted a wreath.


My absolute favorites are made by the kids at their school and includes a picture if them from the year. This is Grant in Preschool.


This is Jackson in first grade. Maddy made a magnet in preschool, I think I'll come up with a way to turn it into an ornament.


This is a very small Nativity set, I got it this year at Walgreens. Maddy loves it and she carried it everywhere for about a week. I have 2 Nativity sets that are packed away in boxes where all my China and serving dishes are... Since we have lived here in the townhome, I love this little one.


The stockings hung from the chimney with care....


A Christmas Button Tree My girlfriend Annette made and sent to me last year !


A snowman ornament that I decided to hang in the center of the wreath above the fireplace.

Preschool...

Preschool was a "wrap" last week. Maddy's Christmas program was Thurs. The class also shared treat bags, I enjoyed doing this the most this year, because I don't get to do this for my boys anymore, and because I can reference Christ since it is a Christian preschool. Oh, and at this age, children believe that Santa's reindeer will be at your home on Christmas eve and it is magical to throw out the reindeer food that night.

Treat bags for preschool friends.

Reindeer food for treat bags. Label & recipe found HERE

Santa giving a goodie bag to Maddy !

sewing like crazy !

I bet I have put together about 20 of these key chains so far...I love them...can't wait to make mine !

I also made heat packs filled with flax seed and juniper / menthol sea salts. I say I've made about a dozen of these ! Another item, I wish I had but have not made myself one yet!

I got the idea for this "corsage tee" from this terrific blog HERE. I may need to make one of these for myself too ! I only need a white tee in my size and about 12 more hours in the day! I really think I should have started back in September! Feeling the crunch ! Whoa... is it 6 days left!

At the Ballet

I took Maddy to see the Nutcracker this past weekend. It was a very nice production and it was at the local middle school which makes it very convenient, in the sense that I didn't have to travel to Philly. It was also nice, because no matter where your seats were... it was a pretty good view of the show and that makes the little people happy ! We had met friends there ( another mother /daughter ) and Maddy was excited to be there with her friend Amanda ! I was thrilled that Dana came
armed with lollies to share ! That was a lifesaver during the last few scenes! Thanks Dana !

I am lovin' these !

I posted about these a few days ago (okay, maybe it was weeks ago). These are so simple to make... thanks to Heidi Swapp's blog & video HERE. I downloaded a Christmas digital kit from House of 3 and have made several tall candles.

I picked up these cute 3" candles from Wal Mart today and made them using the fabulous downloads that Rhonna shared on her blog for the 21 Day Challenge. I love how they look for gifts !


They really are as easy as 1 2 3 . Buy the candles , print and heat !

The hardest part for me was the packaging / wrapping ! I am terrible with that sort of thing ! As crazy as it sounds, I love to papercraft but HATE gift wrapping !



Can't wait to give mine as gifts !
Thank You Heidi Swapp !

Quick Post...

Found a few more great gift and craft ideas I want to share quickly with you...
If you go to Nordstrom's website.... ( no, I wasn't shopping there! I received by mistake someone elses Nordstroms catalog in the mail and there is a tear out of gift tags and a link for more ideas on their site )
Go HERE
and you can download PDF files to create 3 dimentional birdhouses... would look pretty with sparkle and bling added too! Could be used as ornaments.

I just love Heidi Swapp and she has a video tutorial on her blog on how to create these beautiful pillar candles using digital images from House of 3 . Soooo easy and looks soooo beautiful, you gotta take a look at what she did! Her blog is linked on my sidebar under "Ephemera" Heidi Swapp Blog. House of 3 is also linked on right.
Then, my BFF in ALA , made these very adorable nativity sets. This would be a neat craft for the kids to do. I think she posted that she used them for a center piece for the Advent retreat at her church. You'll find Annette linked on sidebar under friends...
She also has a great Etsy shop , if you still need gifts ! ; )

First Snow

Today we have the first snow of the Season. It's very pretty. Makes it feel like a White Christmas, although we still have 20 more days to go....

I wanted to post sooner about the projects I am aiming to get completed in the next few weeks. Title of that post " Can she do it ? " It is beginning to seem like I may not, but there again I work better under the pressure of getting it done the night before I need it. Alot of my plans are sewing projects, and I really should leave room for error ! I'm telling you , I am getting some fabulous ideas from Amy's
Idea Room blog ! Awesome ideas there! I'm also considering a few things I saw on Heidi Swapp's blog... or look on
The House of Three site for great kits and ideas...sidebar badge link.

I need ideas for a male teacher.... Jackson is in 4th grade and has a male teacher.
probably will go with a giftcard on that one!

I hope you're all enjoying the season. Remembering Jesus as God's gift to us. I hope to post finished projects soon ! Have a Merry Merry Christmas !