We've Been...

...sending and receiving Christmas cards

....celebrating 18 years of marriage (on the 18th) xo

....enjoying family time

....saying goodbye to another season of the Nutcracker

....wrapping and more wrapping

....still shopping

....talking about some big family decisions

...thankful for the teeny tiny bit of snow that fell Sunday morning

.....going on a date with Will to see Hugo in 3D!!!

....thinking of the New Year and what it will bring

....keeping in mind what's really important.

Ziggy and Gumdrops and Snowflakes

He's a good dog.

Especially when he's been 

at Doggy Day Care.

I was able to knock out

most of my shopping today.

Finally.

Tomorrow

I wrap.

Last weekend

(I know it's Thursday and I'm just now posting about last weekend)

We made these gumdrop ornaments.

When all the cousins were here

I set up a craft table.

I think everyone

except Hannah

was burnt by the glue gun.

So maybe this craft should be

13 and up.

Styrofoam balls

pins

gumdrops

ribbon

I love the all white one Hannah made.

So, it looks like 

we won't be having a 

white Christmas this year.

I'm seriously bummed out.

We live in New England for crying out loud.

I guess the paper snowflakes 

will have to do.

Weekending with Family

It was a really good weekend.

But also a stressful weekend.

For me.

Stephen, my oldest child

got his license Friday. 

Now, obviously I'm not the only mother

who has experienced this stress.

But, when it's your child.

Your child who takes the keys

(to YOUR car)

and walks out the door

and out of the driveway 

and down the street

ALONE

for the first time..

...just let me say

OH MY GOD.

I cried

and almost ran after him

screaming like a mad woman.

I'm so not ready for this.

The rest of the weekend was fun!

I had my whole family

except for my brother David and his

daughter Cameron...who we missed ...

here for dinner.

My mom buys each of the grandkids Black Dog tee shirts

and we try hard to get them all together for a photo.

Two of the kids didn't want to pose

but Ziggy sure got in sporting his Black Dog bandana.

Really not a great photo

but I didn't spend much time snapping pictures.

One of my favorite things about Christmas..

being together with family

and making memories for our children.

Christmas Pantry and Cookies

Every other year

I've hung real garlands of pine

around my pantry.

I love how it looks for about

ten minutes.

Then it starts drying out and the needles

fall all over the place.

I couldn't fine any fake stuff that I liked this year.

So I ended up with lights and my trusty 'ol

leopard ribbon.

And the clothespins.

That was the other crafty thing I was 

working on the other night.

I bought a bunch of clothespins

and glued Christmas paper on them.

I'm going to hang all my Christmas cards

on the ribbon.

Notice I only have 2 so far.

C'mon!

I love getting Christmas cards!

Where are they??

I should talk..

mine are still in a pile

waiting to be addressed.

Griffy and I made these Giant Chocolate Chip cookies

from a VERY old Bon Appetit magazine.

October 2001..

They're so good

with a cup of tea

and fun to give in pretty packages.

:)

Christmas Crafting

My glue gun and I

were up late last night.

Humming along to

Pandora's Christmas station.

Back at it this morning

along with my little elf

Griffin.

I seem to be running out of 

room at the craft table.

We're making our own version

of a snowglobe.

We've done the ones with 

the distilled water and glycerin

and glueing the tree on the cap.

I thought we'd try

this one.

It's just Epsom salt

bottle brush tree

craft paper on the top

and a ribbon.

It's pouring rain today.

And as much as I love

a rainy day...

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas.

Christmas on the Porch

This weekend I want the kids to 

go in the woods and cut me down 

a little tree for my porch.

Until then..

my basket of greens 

are at the ready.

I'm constantly snipping them

and putting them all over the house.

Even the decoys get bows

and a little greenery.

I strung little white lights

around my porch.

And they'll be staying up year round.

I love how it looks out there now!

Notice the NO SNOW on the ground.

It was 60 today.

Yuck.

Let it snow

Let it snow

Let it snow!!!!

Corners of My Home at Christmas

I think I could decorate every corner of my home

if I had the time.

I like to walk through each of the 

rooms in my home and see 

a bit of Christmas.

I cleared a shelf in the study room

and declared this room to be a 

crafting/wrapping room for the month of December.

I love having all my wrapping supplies

not just ready to go

but looking pretty in glass jars.

I had to include this one

with Griffy and Ziggy

in the kitchen coloring.

Wrapping paper

ready to go to work.

Now I just need 

presents to wrap.

Seriously,

when am I going to start shopping?

And as I was posting this blog

thinking Griffy is coloring nicely

on his paper

he was coloring his face.

Happy Christmasing!

Our Advent Tree

December 1st means our Advent Tree!

Last year we started this new tradition.

The kids love it.

This year I bought these bags for the little gifts.

So fun!

Griffy opened first today.

No picture..but he got a moo-ing cow.

Dollar bin at Target.

Happy December!

And love that so many of you listen to 

George Winston's December.

It's my all time favorite.

:)