dear santa, i've been a little crafty

WARNING:  this post is a little picture heavy

 

Maybe it's just me, but I think some girls just really enjoy doing crafty things.  I see it on FB and I definitely see it on Pinterest.  The latter is probably where I got my drive to do a little more that usual these past few weeks.  Pinterest may be addictive, but it has also forced me to do some projects for myself that I have enjoyed spending time on. 

I'll start with something simple.  I used a piece of ribbon in my box and shut it in the side of the french doors we never open.  Then I used some wooden clothespins and spray painted them with extra paint I had in the garage.  Ta Da!  Now I have a place to hang my cards.  I think I did see this one on pinterest, but maybe not.  ?

Next up is something I came up with as gifts for all the teachers in adventureboy's life.  We also plan on giving out a few to other helpful people we know.  My mother in law passed down some canning jars so I thought I needed to use them up!  I put some scrap booking stickers on them and then sprayed them with glitter!  Easy!  I wrapped a piece of ribbon around the top and put a little tea light in it.  I plan to fill these little candle holders with some chocolate covered pretzels in a ziploc.

Last year I saw everyone making advent calendars for their families and I thought to my self it might just be a nice tradition for us to start too.  I searched the web and saw LOTS of stuff.  Then I saw some friends filling little envelopes with activities for their families to complete each day.  I decided to make it fast and easy since I wasn't sure if it would fit our family well.  I cut some rectangles out of wrapping paper and folded them in half.  I wrote the activity on the inside and the number of the day on the outside.  Then I hung it from our garland with ornament hooks.  It was really easy!

I loved it so much that this year I decided to go all out and make a durable version that will hopefully last for many years to come.  (We just have to make it through the next couple in reality of toddler world)  I have been working on this at night and during nap time for a couple of weeks.  I started by making a template for all the little boxes.  Then I traced it onto the backs of some of my holiday scrap booking papers.  After cutting them out, fold the bottom half up and glue the two side flaps down.  This leaves an opening at the top.

 Then I needed cards to go inside with the activities written on them.  I cut out a bunch of rectangles from white paper and rounded the corners with my scrap booking photo rounder just for flair.  Punch a hole out of the top and add a little ribbon! 

I added some black number stickers from Hobby Lobby to the outside of the envelopes.  If you watch Hobby Lobby ads then you can get all their scrap booking supplies at 50 percent off.  I used twine and more clothespins to hang them all from my mantle and now it's finished!  Just in time!

Just for fun, look closely at my mantle (the sun was glaring in the front door, I know).  You will find my little turtle friend on his back next to Santa.  Snuggleboy broke his legs and I set him up there and forgot him!

The following is a list of some of the ideas for family activities.  There are tons of these on the web!
 

Read your favorite Christmas stories together

Read the Legend of the Candy Cane and pass out candy canes to friends

Go Christmas Caroling

Read the Christmas story in the Bible and set up the Nativity

Buy a toy and donate it to Toys for Tots

Dance and Sing to Christmas music

Wear holiday PJS and go for an ice cream treat

Color Christmas pictures and mail them to someone special

Make a paper chain for your tree

Make a list of things you are grateful for

Make Christmas candies and take them to a neighbor

Look at old Christmas photos

Bake /Decorate Christmas cookies

Drive to see some Christmas lights and enjoy a treat in the car

Make and hang edible treats for the birds

Watch a Christmas special on T.V.

Go to Bass Pro Winter Wonderland

Make paper snowflakes to decorate the windows

Family Game Night

Dress fancy for dinner and use the China!

Paint a Christmas picture while listening to Christmas music

Read the Night Before Christmas on the 24^th

two little turkeys

Our Thanksgiving was a great one and I hope yours was too.  Here's a little photo of what we did the day before to prepare for the eating to come.

We went to the Nature Center with Papa Bill!!!  It was tons of fun and of course we saw many deer.  Papa Bill was amazed by how close the deer would get and just stare at us. 

You have to remember that my iPhone makes it seem farther away, but those deer stayed about 10 - 15 feet from us.  They didn't even mind when adventureboy yelled and growled at them.

I made some whipped cream for the chocolate pie and of course the two littlest turkeys got to try it out when there was just a tad bit extra.  I think snuggleboy enjoyed it for sure.

The boys tagged along to my "breakfast with the girls" at Village Inn recently.  The waitress plopped a regular adult menu down in front of adventureboy.  This menu had a very large picture of chocolate pie right there staring up at him.  Well, he didn't want pancakes, hash brown, or eggs, he just wanted chocolate pie.  So we ended up with a deal that involved a chocolate pie on Thanksgiving day.  He talked about that pie every day and is still asking for it even though he knows we finished it off together!

For those of you that haven't heard yet, snuggleboy is changing his personality.  He is becoming a little mischief maker.  He got in trouble all morning long on Thanksgiving day.  He was in to everything!!  When Daddy got out of bed after trying to sleep as late as possible, snuggleboy climbed up in his lap and promptly fell asleep!  (Mr.HotGuy works in retail and you know the hours they worked this year!  Yuck!)

During dinner, adventureboy told me that his brother was making a "concern face".  So, here it is just in case you were wondering what that might look like. 

Oh, and I wanted to let you know, the chocolate pie was enjoyed by all!

changing perspective

Years ago my thankful list would have been very different from what I would write today.
Everyone is posting their lists on face book and mine would be very similar if I were to post it on this little bloggy blog of mine. 

1. Almighty God and Savior
2. Family
3. Good Friends
4. the usual number four

I kept thinking I should post something here for you all to ponder, but it seemed like my list would be the same thing I have been reading on good ole face book.

Or would it??

My life has changed a lot as I said earlier, so I think I need a back up list.  A list I can read in those moments when I wonder how I still have hair.  Here it goes.

1.  straps.  straps in highchairs, carseats, strollers, you name it just straps.
2.  p.j.s till I feel like changing
3.  the power of one marshmallow
4.  dustbusters
5.  iPhones
6.  dishwashers
7.  cherry Dr. Peppers from Sonic
8.  notes from Mr.HotGuy
9.  bags of chocolate chips that can disappear slowly with no one noticing
10. praise God straps are legal
11. bubble baths and a good book
12. The You Version Bible app that I have strategically placed on my iPhone
13. Sesame Street
14. a soft bed with cozy warm blankets to "taco up" in
15. skype
16. the usual number 16
17. wait...  this isn't your usual list
18. oh well, do I really need to make it to an even 20?
19. nope.


Did you know God loves a cheerful giver?  I'll have to keep that in mind while I'm cooking this Thanksgiving morning!

2 Corinthians 9:11
"You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."