Holiday Season in Pictures

Here is the holiday season, in no particular order. Yep, I've been a total lazy bones. In fact, I took less than 100 pictures over Christmas. That is amazing! Maybe I was just enjoying the atmosphere and some good family gossip! 

Some of the outtakes.

These last two I love.

Advent Day 14: Fire hall Christmas party.

Advent Day 15: Family kid's Christmas party.

Advent 18: Decorate the tree.

The ornament for this year. Claire picked out a grilled cheese sandwich for herself, and Emma a school bus. 

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

Advent Day 20: One of Daddy's concerts!

Go Daddy, Go!

Advent Day 21: Cookie Party

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas!

Welcoming our new train Emily.

Did you know dreidel is gambling game?!

Then there was snow!

There was also an impromptu family sledding trip. I couldn't take another minute of sort/organizing/trashing the ladies' room so out we went! 

There was also some of this, which I still think we're trying to catch up on!

I'm Still Alive!

• I'm still alive!
• My house is still standing and packed to the gills with an embarrassment of riches. 
• I'm chowing down on delicious turkey salad with grapes that I just threw together.
• My house is lacking in the food department and they're calling for snow tomorrow.
• We played at the neighbor girl's house today and ransacked it. Care to have us over sometime?
• I was lamenting having DH home for TWO WEEKS but I just realized it almost over!
• I'm working 4 days, IN A ROW, and may die. That's usually half a month of work for me people!!

I have much more to share, pictures to post, and the year to wrap up. To be honest, it doesn't really feel like the end of the year and despite it being the 28th already I have yet to start wrapping up 2012 in any fashion. I think I'm letting the holiday linger a bit too much.

Hope you're gearing up for a great weekend!

Oh Christmas Tree

It's a quiet evening, and for that I'm thankful.

Cookie Time

We have sugar cookies to cut and decorate, gingerbread people to liven up, and tiny, graham cracker houses to spruce up! Hopefully I come out with the same number of fingers and children...

Productivity

Since the days are dwindling I made myself a busy little elf over nap time with Pinterest assisting. Bottles for cousin to give to the neighbors. I then took sweet forever to monogram tiny, little espresso cups for tomorrow's cookie party! Super excited for that and all the cute pictures to come!

Right now it's very late and I have presents to wrap and ladies to put to bed. We had a late night seeing Daddy's final concert for the season.

First One Down

I'm coloring gifts this year in our house. What's your system?

Giving

I very much want to raise children who are givers. I'm excited that they have reached an age of understanding and awareness. Although I'm not sure of how deeply they understand the idea of poverty and need, I'm clearly not giving them enough credit for what they do know.

This is what they voluntarily removed from their room. By themselves. 

I was quite shocked. This was the first year I involved them in toy removal and I really hammered in that there were children who went without and that since they had so much they could afford to share with others. That it would be kind and generous to do so and how good it would feel to give to others. While I folded laundry they set to clearing out. I was very proud of what they did. But I was also a little teary-eyed. The farm? Those books? Didn't my babies want to keep their crocodile? They loved it their first Christmas! But alas, it will go back to babies, which is becoming a familiar phrase around our house now. They freely offer up their things that sit unused. 

After they made their donate box I went in with them and we straightened and re-organized. There just might be enough room for big girl beds! One thing I was a little disappointed with was the inability to donate stuffed animals. I freely admit that many that we received go out as soon as they come in, and that the little crappy ones I throw out whenever they are left around, I'm astonished at how attached they seem to be to some of them. Of course the regulars that live in their beds are going no where, but I have half a bin full of ones they don't play with, and that they adamantly chose to keep.

So how long do I honor their wishes? 

I hate stuffed animals. 

Then while they were busy playing in their room, I peeked into their closet only to be reminded it was full of birthday toys and toys from LAST CHRISTMAS! I think there is even one in their from the Christmas before! 

Hi, my name is Mandy and I am the toy nazi.

Jeeze! I now have days until another toy invasion!

Unless the zombie apocalypse hammers down on us Friday, in which case I won't have to wrap all of this OR make my first car payment!

Zombie can't be that bad, right?

Terrible Friends

You guys are terrible friends! You comment on my advent board with such kind words but no one mentioned I FORGOT A NUMBER!

Yep! There's not a 15 to be found!! Whatever will HAM do Sunday? LOL

How are your holiday preparations? Have you kept up with your advent calendars?

I'm happy to say that barring some reorganization, I've managed to keep up with it. Of course some of my own Christmas prep is horribly off track but the ladies are happy and active so I'm happy.

Today, salt dough ornament painting!!

Lellow!- December's Photo Challenge

Lellow, oh how I love baby speak!

I am linking up with the lovely Marcia for December's Photo Challenge and you should too!

I was so excited to have yellow as our challenge this month. I was excited to hunt for yellow amid the crazy amounts of green and red that December brings. Sadly, my house is only half decorated and my ambition level is hovering around 7%. The archives are the next best thing, right?

My first day playing with macros.

Miss Rosie, in yellow. She shares her birthday with Marcia!

Undecorated trees look best with lots of bokeh!

Lastly, one of my favorite Christmas pieces. The light my Goggie made me. Awe. It used to sit in my bedroom window at Christmas. The ladies wanted it in their room, but I'm partial to it's current intact condition. 

:)

Christmas Spirit

Well the last few days haven't felt very Christmas-y thanks to unseasonably warm weather. I did enjoy the outside play, but it just wasn't screaming Christmas for me. Just three days ago I felt like everyone was rushing Christmas, and now I feel like I'm falling behind. I'm excited to be more intimate and creative with my gift giving. I'm happy to be instilling good qualities in my ladies. What isn't feeling so great is the listing.

People want lists. 

It just doesn't feel right anymore to give people lists of things I want. It's harder to give lists as an adult because you have the ability to buy things as you want. No longer do I save up my allowance for the latest toy. Adulthood also bring awareness. So I'm aware that people asking for these lists might now have the means to provide my requested items. That leaves me feeling terrible, especially when said people have asked more than once for lists.

Cue my parents. I know they can't spare much, they have a new grandson you know, yet I've been asked repeatedly for lists. Mother has even mentioned it on FB! She is starting to hound. I am expected to provide lists for my entire family. My conscious tells me to keep it simple, but as a parent and adult, all the simple needs and desires are met. I'm also picky about some things, so I can't ask for something I just won't use. Asking for money isn't an option, that includes gift cards. I think gas cards or grocery store certificates are very practical gifts! Everyone drives and eats, right? She thinks it's not personal. Ugh, tick-tock.

So what do I ask for?

December Goals

I sat down to post about this month's goals and got side tracked...

If my bills are late, I'm blaming Marcia for my new addiction with her extreme generosity!

Where was I, goals....

For November I started half way through and still couldn't finish it all, sigh. A whopping 7.5 out of 10. I do have a defense, the end of the month was really shitty. Yup, I said it. Terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad month! December is my fresh start!

Family

• Pick up new glasses
• Make DH follow-up appointment

House

• Finish painting baseboards and trim. Ignore children and do it!
• Decorate for Christmas (it's on the advent!)
• Better meal planning

Craft

• New Tree Skirt?

Christmas

• Lists to Mother, sigh
• Camera Gifts
• Print pictures
• Finish cards
• Write out cards(TO THE POINT)
• Scrabble gift?
• Order/buy remaining gifts
• WRAP, WRAP, WRAP

So what are you trying to accomplish this month?

Advent: Days 1 & 2 & 3

Day 1: the ladies picked out Christmas books at the library with Daddy.

Day 2: we set up a small tree in their room. We stopped at just setting it up with the intention that they will earn something new to add to the tree each day. It will also give me a place to hang the ga-zillion salt dough ornaments we will make.

I'm also excited to make a small tree for the in-laws with them. This will be character building and all that jazz, right? Teaching them to give and the spirit of the season? I'm not a horrible mom looking for photo ops, right!?

I'm making them earn lights and decorations for their tree. Yes, I make them work for everything! Tonight they will get lights for good behavior, and then from here out I'm thinking an ornament a night for good behavior or special rewards. I'm not laying on the Santa's watching game, I really don't think our ladies associate Santa and presents and I think I love it! You should just be good. I know that's vague but you get the idea, they know what is expected. I won't hold it over their head and while we're on the topic, I would like to say that I'm completely opposed to this elf on the shelf business. He's creepy, I'm tired of him littering my FB feed, and I feel that if you have to rely on a creepy moving doll to control your chitterlings then you're doing it all wrong! Rant over.

Day3: We set up our Advent for Cousin's house. We decorated the border with thumb print lights. Since I have no clue what I'm doing, and I wanted to maintain the tree shape, we opted to put stickers over the spent numbers. Everyone is happy! 

And can I say that painting vertically on the wall with your thumb is infinitely more entertaining than sitting at the table! Who knew? I was more concerned about getting paint on myself. 

Does anyone else feel that Christmas started early this year? Am I alone here?

Happy Advent Season!

Since we split out days between home and cousin's house, I split my calendar. After putting it off and putting it off, this morning I skipped breakfast and in my post car-buying induced haze I created this little number. It will get the job done!

So hooray for fun times ahead and a fresh, new month!