Tuesday, December 20, 2011

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.



Thursday, December 15, 2011

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.







Tuesday, December 13, 2011

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.



Thursday, December 8, 2011

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.


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.
:)



Wednesday, December 7, 2011

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.



Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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!!!!





Monday, December 5, 2011

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!




Thursday, December 1, 2011

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.
:)