Snow/Ice Day #2... No School

It's official! We are now celebrating Christmas season. I finally finished the last of the platters I had to paint. I don't know for sure how many I painted this fall. Well over a hundred. ahhhhhhh. Makes me want to go soak in a hot bubble bath just thinkin' about it!
SOOOOO, the kids and I had another day at home all day (due to icy roads). I went at it ~ gung-ho! I rolled out homemade biscuits and made soup for lunch. The kids and I made, baked, and decorated sugar cookies, wrapped some presents, danced around the living room to Christmas music (which somehow turned into a game of London Bridges Falling Down), and mailed off some Christmas cards. I made dinner, and now I'm hiding from everyone as I sit behind the desk blogging. I'm really tired, but it was a fun day!
I think tomorrow we will definitely make our way to Chick-Fil-A with friends for lunch. Ice or not.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

My most prized Christmas possession... our Christmas stockings. They were handmade with love, mostly by my sister-in-law Theresa. They are beautiful and I adore them. There is so much thought and care put into these stockings, both from her and myself.
I spent hours and hours searching for the perfect stocking for each of us (me, Alan, and the kids). Theresa knew I was wanting them... I had a stocking kit for over a year and had dreams of hand making my family's stockings, yet I just knew that it was one of those things I would probably never actually follow through with. She swooped right in and wanted to make them for us. I just love her!!

And they are even more beautiful than the pattern calls for. She added extra bling to all of them. She added extra snow swirlies on the snowmen, extra sequins all over, and there are matching bows that we added to each of the stockings that kind-of ties them all together.

I wrote and sequined the names and I sewed the toppers, made Selah's cupcake and the tree on hers. Selah even did some of the beading and sequining on her topper and tree too. She really enjoyed it.
And Theresa did the rest! She is amazing at it. (I'm trying to convince her she needs to make them for her family now.)

One afternoon last year Theresa, Lou Anne, and I went to every fabric store in Springfield searching for the perfect fabrics for the backing/lining. The snowman has a fabric that is snowmen... Selah's sugarplum fairy stocking has fabric that is candies and cookies. My Christmas tree stocking has ornaments all over the fabric, etc. (See what I mean now by "lots of thought and care into each one?").
Theresa and I then made stockings out of the fabric. I made the pattern, cut the fabric, and Theresa QUILTED each one of them. I took the felt part home, added sequins all around the edge of the stockings, and blanket-stitched the felt stocking front to the quilted stockings.

Perfect. Beautiful. And quite notably my favorite Christmas heirloom.


Thanks Sister!!!

Snow/Ice Day... No School

Yea!!! Our first snow/ice day. We woke up, snuggled under a blanket on the couch and watched some TV, and the kids were ready to head outside. Of course, I let them go out!! 20 degree weather, but they just had to throw a few snowballs (more like ice balls). We were having hot chocolate by 10:00am this morning. They were having a blast! We had some friends over to play for the afternoon, and they all spent even more time outside. I was a bad mommy... I let them play on the trampoline, slipping on the snowy surface. (not jumping, just sliding around). The kids just laughed and laughed. Selah and Jackson had fun riding the scooters and electric toys on the icy driveway. Oh to be a kid again. I can't believe how tough they can be when they're having fun. They had little red faces and ears and cold fingers. By the end of the day all the gloves and hats were so wet, I'm surprised they even kept them on!
Needless to say, I think they each had at least 3 cups of hot chocolate by the time the sun went down.

I'M GOING ON A DATE TONIGHT!!!

OMGosh!!! I cannot believe it!! Alan and I are going out on a date tonight! We don't hardly ever do that. (I remember thinking we would never be that couple who doesn't go out alone on a regular basis... well... never say never).
Anyway, for several weeks now we have been planning for the kids to SPEND THE NIGHT with James and Lydia (ahhhhhh... we don't even have a curfew!!!)
We are planning to have dinner at the brand new Olive Garden in town that just opened this week... then to Tulsa to Christmas shop. Toys R Us, the mall, and who knows where else. THEN... (there's more!) we are going to the movies to see the 9:30 showing of "Four Christmases" I can't hardly wait. Less than 5 hours to go!!!

Flashback Friday

Christmas 2006... Paper-Rock-Scissors contest at Grandpa Gene and Grandma Lou Lou's house. A little nutty and SOOO funny! Even the little ones wanted in on it.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, our family comes to find you
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, we bring a saw... 'tis is true
We walk around, look up and down, I see you tall... 12 feet abound
On Alan's face, a deep set frown, I'll keep on searching 'til you, I've found.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, there you are, so lonely
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, so full and fragrant and dark green
The kids all watch, wide eyes and smiles. We take you home, you'll be dressed in a while
Oh Christmas Tree, A big "thanks" from me, for your beauty and the memories.

I always get pictures of the kids here every year... my favorite pics each year, I think!






The guys carrying our tree to the wagon
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James is such a stud... one arm, even!


"Tree Farm... here we come!!!" We had so much fun on Saturday! I painted a few plates, we decorated the trees in the dining room, the game room, and finished the trees in the kids rooms (I know, a bit much. Did I ever tell you I LOVE twinkly lights? And what better way to get them in every room than at Christmas time and on trees!)

I have looked forward to this day for a couple weeks now. We were waiting for Janice to be able to join us in the festivities. To start it off, I gave the kids each a Christmas Build-A-Bear (which they loved!) We met Dad, Janice, James, and Lydia at the Tree Farm. We snapped pictures and then hitched a ride on the wagon to the back of the farm. We walked around 'till we found the perfect tree. James and Lydia found theirs too. Then we went in for hot cider, then home to decorate.
After dropping James and Lydia's tree at their new house, we all went to our place to set up the tree. We ate chili, made homemade popcorn balls (another fun new-to-all-of-us adventure), and watched Shreck The Halls. It was such a FUN night!!! I'm so glad we live close enough to family to enjoy this together!

Addendum to Addictions

To tack onto one of my blogs, a few back, on Addictions... I don't know what I was thinking?!?!? 2 of my biggest addictions are French Fries and Bubble Baths. I have no idea why I didn't think of those when I was writing that blog. I have several batches of fries each week (I know... it'll probably be the death of me). And I take a bubble bath almost every day. Sometimes twice a day. I'm hoping for some nice bubble bath from Bath and Body Works for Christmas. I always use the kids shampoo/bubble bath/body wash stuff. I never spend the $$ for Bath and Body Works since I go through it so fast. But I'm in the mood for some "grown up" pretty smelly stuff!!

Momma's Darlins: Christmas plaid Apron top Giveaway!!

This is one of my favorite kids' clothing blogs. This lady makes the most adorable stuff, and pretty good prices! I wish I would have remembered this earlier, you know I would have ordered that red and white snowman outfit for my girls! Maybe I still will... it would work all winter, right!?!?!?

Momma's Darlins: Christmas plaid Apron top Giveaway!!