It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Last weekend Joey/Dad/Hubby went into our bedroom closet to get a new book of checks. Simon/Cooper/Big Brat followed him.

The closet has been, for years, our hiding spot for Christmas presents. Everyone knows it and knows if they snoop the presents go back. Everyone but Simon.

Simon came running from the bedroom shouting, "Mommy, Mommy, guess what I saw! It's for me".

Simon saw his 'big' present. An Imaginext Bat Cave. I have no idea how he spotted it because it was hidden under bags and bags of other things. Somehow the little Batman logo stuck out like a sore thumb. When dad shooed him from the bedroom and wasn't going to let him have it, Simon started to cry.

What can any good parent do but give it to him. We very well couldn't follow the "they will go back rule". So we gave it to him. Made a big deal out of it. Had him sit on the couch and close his eyes. I came into the living room and shouted, "OPEN!" He acted like it was Christmas morning! He was so excited that we got him the 'espensive' (that's how he says it) Batman that he wanted from Wal-Mart. "This is the best Christmas ever!" He said it would be okay if that was his only gift. What a sweetie pie. He has played with it every day since. He even has been sleeping with Batman and Robin and the Bat Cave on a few occasions.


I finally finished up my Christmas table runner. Rachel of P.S. I quilt had a tutorial a while back for a table runner, but after I re-looked at it, it really wasn't what I wanted. So I snooped around her blog some more and found a table runner she had made for her MawMaw and loved it. I used the vintage fabrics I scored at the nearby antique mall, and finally got it done today. I also made 3 others for my mom and sisters and gave those at Thanksgiving. I loved hearing my sister say that I have too much time on my hands. This table runner was super easy to make but looks complicated. I love it.

The 3-tiered serving tray you see is an idea that I saw in a Gooseberry Patch Christmas book. I haven't been able to come across an evergreen tree that I'd like to swipe some boughs from. I just love Christmas and all the decorating that comes along with it. The ornaments are all mostly glass, some vintage, some not, just a cute combo.

I'll leave you with some other random shots of our house all dressed up for Christmas. If you have your house displayed on your blog, leave your blog info. I'd love to see what you have done.

Holiday Memories

I can't help but feel a little nostalgic this time of year. Yesterday we spent the day with my parents. A yummy lunch, with the now traditional pizza. Opening gifts, the traditional way with the littlest ones opening first, everyone one at a time so we can all see what they get. A heartfelt gift from my mother. And then a long drive home.

We all couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that mom got our 'big' gift from a garage sale, but after the trip home I couldn't help but feel nostalgic about the Longaberger basket that I received. It was a 1998 Dresden Tour basket, that is signed by 3 or so of the basket makers. 1998 happens to be a special year to me because that was the year my first son was born. I received a Christmas basket that year (1998) that I still have.

I got the basket down this morning, and after cleaning the dust off read through the cards that I've been storing in it. It was fun to go back through old birthday, Mother's Day, and Christmas cards. Plus there were some photos from when Alex was born. Pretty special.

We were discussing last night what we wanted to do this year for our Christmas dinner, and I found that I didn't care what we had for dinner because breakfast is the important meal to me. My mom would always make a fancy, huge breakfast. And that's what I enjoy doing for my family. Joey on the other hand likes the big dinner. This year we are going to do both. Some of my favorite dishes for breakfast and some of Joey's for our late lunch. I want our kids to have special memories of the time we spend together. I really don't remember too many of the gifts I received as a child, just the special time we spent together.

This year make time to create small, special memories with your family.

Last night it snowed buckets and I am forced to spend the entire day at home with my family....here's our plan

Here's what we've done already:

• Made chocolate chip pancakes for the kids
  
• Changed Simon's bed, because it was "Durtie, Wet, and Uckie"
  
• Played a little Texas Hold 'Em Poker with Alex...I lost
• Played some other card games with these cute Christmas cards I have (Alex is 10 and unfortunately for me has to be entertained constantly like ALL the time. Simon is 2 and has been playing at the dinning room table for 4 hours All. By. Himself. No joke!)
• Did a little laundry, dished, and vacuumed.
• I'm making the kids do their own lunch because why should I? I've got the day off! Oh, and I had to show Mr. Not-Independent how to make hot cocoa. I mean come on. He was trying to follow the directions on the package. Come on, Man! (Guess I'm a little edgy towards him today, and he's been at his friend's house playing in the snow for a couple of hours...so I've had a break....what's wrong with me??!?!??!)
  
• Nap time is coming soon, and the rest of the day is going to be lazy, like the next 2 weeks!
• Dad will be home around 3, and I'll have to act like I've been busy all day doing 'housework'
• Tonight the girls are leaving for their mom's, and I'm sure we'll just laz around.

I love Christmas Break!

haaaggghhh

...as in wow....what a busy couple of days.

Thanksgiving on Thursday, which for us meant the start of Christmas shopping at 6 a.m. Which means you have to get up at 4 a.m. to make it to Meijer at 5 a.m. to wait in line until 6 to get the much coveted gift.

We spent the day with my mom's family in Indiana and had lots of goodies. I need to get my aunt's recipe for her Pumpkin Cheesecake, because it was the bomb! so much so I had 3 helpings of it.

Friday was the official start of the Christmas shopping season for the rest of the world and Alex wanted to see what the hype was all about so we got up kinda early (6:30 a.m.) and made a trip to Kmart to get a Handy Manny Talking tool set for $9.99-normally $34-ish but they were gone! :( That's why you get up early. We did get a few good deals. But I went over my limit so now we are going to be eating Ramen noodles and grilled cheese all week....no joke.

Friday afternoon we got the tree set up.

I actually did get some help from Coopie


But the help didn't last too long

This morning we put the lights up outside and Alex and I made some cute fruit decorations/ornaments.

Dad bitched (sorry mom) griped about the tradition that he started with the girls, where a kid puts the angel on the top of the tree. This is him griping...

But being the great daddy he is he suffered through it.

We took some family photos by the tree. This is the picture I wanted to use but of course....I can't

Daddy took some smoochy pictures with me.

And now it's pretty peacefull around here. The girls are with their mother, Alex is at a birthday party and Simon's trying not to fall asleep in his room...even though it's way past nap-time.

I think I'll join him in nappy land.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.