Merry Christmas!

It's the day we celebrate Jesus' Birthday!!!  My heart rejoices.  I love this day!  It's the day that we celebrate the King of Kings coming to earth, leaving His throne and His Father for us.  He traded the crown of gold for the arms of a human.  He gave up all that He had me and you.  He gave His all while we gave nothing.  We contributed our imperfections while He brought perfection.  Thank you Jesus!  Thank you for your unconditional and incomparable love!  The only love and light that we as humans know as totally unselfish and pure.  Thank you Jesus for valuing us.  Thank you Jesus!!!

Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Simple Christmas Traditions

I love traditions.  Traditions are happy moments that we know will come back again.  When I was a little girl I would watch television shows where the families would enjoy their Christmas traditions together and dream of having our own.  We really didn't have many.  My family was really broken.  Life had taken it's toll on my mom and us at times.  We had a few but it wasn't like the families on T.V. but then again who's is?  Now that I have my own kids I look for special moments and traditions.  Some of ours include Adornaments, looking at Christmas lights, Hopeland Gardens Christmas lights, making homemade ornaments, Christmas shows, going to the live Nativity at a local church, singing Christmas songs, something charitable and more.  Occasionally a tradition might get skipped.  I try not to but if we are doing something that works out better, we will skip the other.  Also, if the traditional is feeling like a burden and not a blessing, it can be skipped.  This year we missed two of my favorites. They were both things that help us celebrate Christ.  I'll come up with something to replace those so we keep our focus where it should be.

A small family get together.  Usually, I only invite a few people outside of our home.  Lots of food but the company is small so we can't chat on a small and personal level.

 Rolls, ham, mac & cheese, green beans, field peas with snaps, squash casserole, cucumbers, mash potatoes w/ a splash of something extra and deviled eggs.  Baklava for dessert..... um um good!

 I put on the wrong lipstick by accident.  None the less, I love this pic!

 I'm a mamma's girl to this day!

 We love any kind of competitive game!!

At the end of this dinner, even my doggy was tired!!! 

 Adorenaments are a favorite tradition of mine. 

 12 adorenaments.

 Each ornament teaching about Jesus' names in the bible and leading up to the real Christmas story.  Last year these help lead my daughter to Christ.  She hung on every word.

I love the kids gathering around me to listen and ask questions.

 The tree doesn't look right until we start putting these up. 

 Baking is another big tradition. 

 Getting messy is also a part of the tradition!

 Even I get messy!

 For a nice change, they were only playing!

 We did candy streamers and decorative pine cones this year.  Aren't they pretty?

More to come!

To Prince Charming and Lady Snow!

I had tea with the finest in all the lands.  That's right!! Snow aka Lacey, hosted her first tea party with her fine china that she got for Christmas.  She named her guest, each unique names.  Lady Vain (Sabrina), Lady Ga Ga (Julia), Prince Charming (her dad) and Princess (me) all attended this fine tea.  I can honestly say, I had so much fun!!!!  It's was truly the best event of the season!  The tea (hot chocolate) was great and served with peanut butter cookies.  We talked about all the latest things happening and then we dance.  I even got to dance with Prince Charming ~batting my eyes like a love struck girl~!!!

 All the ladies wanted to dance with Prince Charming.

 Prince Charming knows how dance with the ladies!

 He keeps me laughing!

 I LOVE MY PRINCE CHARMING MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT I COULD LOVE A MAN.

I COULDN'T GET LADY SNOW UP AS HIGH AS THE PRINCE BUT I TRIED AND HAD FUN TRYING!

Update of nothing particular

My camera's batteries failed me. I exhausted all the other batteries in the house literally getting one picture at a time followed by the camera shut down. I missed many valuable pictures. My goal was to get a picture of what was happening in our life everyday during the month of December. I couldn't take it anymore! Last night I went to Walmart and bought a batteries charger and rechargeable batteries to make sure this doesn't happen again since my camera eats batteries for a snack.

Favorite sayings going around the house:

"Mom, I can't wait to be able to read, so I can read my Bible just like you". Lacey

"Please, big daddy? Pleeeease big daddy?" Lacey  ~This is said in her gruff, rumbling voice~

After catching Lacey tossing her hair and making faces in the mirror, Lacey laughed and said "I just really like myself".

"I like you" Lacey

When she was around two she would say "That's great" to anything she liked. She thought encouragement was something offered with your hands cupped like she was carrying water in them because I would clap for her when n she was doing something and she asked why and I told her I was giving her encouragement. It was so cute!

Julia is a real handful. A spitfire! Her attitude makes me laugh and makes me want to beat her at the same time! She keeps me on my toes. This week we struggled with a neighbor's child that begs Julia to do things she shouldn't, like ask her dad for things that I've already said no to. I even made the child go home once after she refused to help clean up behind herself. Julia is learning who she is. She's learning some hard lessons. Her friend begs her to do things she shouldn't. I think it's time we discuss peer pressure. Julia is also working very hard on getting along with her sisters. She's working hard on a lot of things. I love her sense of humor. She keeps me laughing. I love her long stories of dreams and ideas. I love how she wants to find ways to sell things and start little businesses!

Sabrina has been a little depressed at times. She's in the puberty stage where your emotions run high. Sometimes she is sad and frustrated for no reason. It's a part of the curse, thanks to Eve. I'm keeping an eye on these things. Trying hard to help her through it. I can't carry her but I can hold her hand and comfort her.

This is the tree that we hung our bird feeder pine cone to.  Lacey made it with peanut butter and bird seed.  Since my camera was down, I thought I would get a picture this morning but that didn't work out.  The squirrels stole the whole thing!  Chewed it right off the string and took it. :)

Grandma's trick :)

My grandmother had this fun little trick.  She would take a bar of Ivory soap and put it on a plate with a little water.  She saved her old thread spools.  We would dip the thread spool in water then rub it on the soap and blow on the other end making bubbles.  I was looking at some old wooden spools that I had and it reminded me of that lovely treat she would set up on her little porch for us.  I had to show my girls the awesome trick.  The best part of it was the walk down memory lane.  I didn't have Ivory soap but I could almost smell it.  I will get me some Ivory soap just so I can relive that memory, smell and all.  I was thrilled!  My five year old asked me why I was smiling so much!  I guess I couldn't hide my excitement as I shared this with her.

 The great thing about this trick is you don't have to worry about the kids spilling all the bubble juice.  If they bump the plate, just add a little water.  :)