My Little Snow Angel...

We are officially snowed in on our little street and I couldn't be happier and more miserable! Happy because Nick gets to stay home and snuggle and help with the kids so I can get a lot of work done and and "miserable" because I wasted all of Haley's super sweet winter clothes on yesterday's delicious hobo in the snow winter outfit and will have to concoct something extra magnificent for today's little family photoshoot.

My darlin' little snow fairy, a million kisses for your little frozen pink toes!



My darlin' big dork of a husband, a million kisses to you and your weird lizard tongue too!

xoxoxoxoxo

Baking with a two year old...

Today I am grateful for sticky fingers, chicklet teeth, a daughter who calls every cookie cutter shape "triangles!" and the imperfect cookie cutting methods of an inventive 2 year old.

Haley is presently passed out on the couch, belly full of cookies and cookie cutters still in hand. I love that girl! <3

Goodbye Scrooge...

I have a property tax bill, possessed sewing machine and a broken washing machine to blame for my sour christmas mood. Life's realities have made the past week or so anything but merry and bright. I am determined to claim the rest of Christmas for my family and myself no matter what the circumstances may be! I am forging my own "Christmas Miracle" of sorts and hopefully life will decide to play along after delivering so many lumps of coal.

To start things off, a christmas gift to myself in the form of an old quilt top. Nothing like an undeserved gift to yourself, from yourself to lift your spirits!

Now to do something nice for someone else!

When I'm feeling blue, when I'm feeling low,
I start to think about the happiest man I know.
Now he doesn't mind the snow, he doesn't mind the rain,
But all December you will hear him at your window pane,
Singing again and again and again and again and again:

Christmas is a coming and the bells begin to ring,
The holly's in the window and the birds begin to sing.
I don't need to worry, and I don't need to fret,
And the more you give at Christmastime the more you get.
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
The more you give at Christmastime the more you get.

Christmas is a coming, the egg is in the nog.
Please give a friendly man a friendly little dog.
If you haven't got a friendly dog, a friendly cat will do,
If you haven't got a friendly cat may God bless you!
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
If you haven't got a friendly cat may God bless you!

Christmas is a coming, the lights are on the tree.
How about a turkey leg for dear old me?
If you haven't got a turkey leg, a turkey wing will do.
If you haven't got a turkey wing may God bless you!
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
If you haven't got a turkey wing may God bless you!

Christmas is a coming, the cider's in the keg.
If I had a mug of cider I wouldn't have to beg.
If you haven't got a mug of cider, half a mug will do.
If you haven't got half a mug, may God bless you!
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you!
If you haven't got half a mug, may God bless you!

If you haven't got a thing for me, may God bless you!

Reindeer Munch

  
Materials:

Sugar
Oatmeal
Festive Sprinkles
Glitter
Jar or ziplock baggies
Measuring Cups
Fabric or tissue paper
Ribbon, Yarn, or string

Haley is 2 and there aren't too many Christmas crafts she can completely engage in, so when I saw this recipe for "reindeer food" I was pretty excited. It involves three things Haley loves: playing with her food, transfering objects from bucket to bucket, and "hepping mommy" (helping). I wanted this to be a bit more budget friendly, so I skipped out on the sprinkles, and although we had glitter, I just felt like it's a safer treat for the birds and rabbits this way! :)

She enjoyed it so much that a complete melt-down followed completion of the project as I had to get her and Cameron ready to go to Mema's. She is keeping the girls tonight and tomorrow so I can get all caught up on my Etsy orders and because a demanding two year old and a determined 6 month old don't quite let a momma get much done! Praise God for understanding customers, willing grandparents, and for all the design opportunities he has sent my way.

Sprinkle on the lawn at night
The moon will make it sparkle bright
As Santa's reindeer fly and roam
This will guide them to your home.

Christmas Eve can't come soon enough! ;)

Christmas Tree Pizza

  

Maybe I didn't realize our Christmas tree was lacking a stump until after we stuck it in the oven

...and maybe Haley was more interested in playing with and eating the dough than decorating it with pepperonis and peppers

...and maybe there should be a law against wearing an apple shirt while wearing a cherry apron

...and maybe you're staring at your screen thinking, "that is supposed to resemble a christmas tree?!"

but all maybes aside, christmas tree pizza is absolutely delicious even when thrown together by a less than determined 2 year old and everyone ought to give it a try!

Oh, maybe next year Haley will be more enthralled by the whole pizza making and decorating process, but if not, I can already tell that Cameron is shaping out to be quite the pizza enthusiast...

I can't wait to see their little pizza skills improve from year to year as their pizza eating skills seem to be inherent.



  

A Christmas Preview....

This morning was spent putting up the tree, adorning the mantle, and enjoying the girls' new chalkboard wall while listening to Christmas music and watching football. We still have lots to do, but everything is coming along and I'm starting to think that I wouldn't mind a house festooned in garlands and lights all year round. Isn't Haley quite the skilled tree trimmer? 6 ornaments on one branch has to be some kind of record.

Tonight we are "camping out" in the living room underneath the white lights and reading christmas stories, drinking warm drinks, continuing construction on our paper chain, and getting ourselves covered in a "snow storm" of chalk dust because the weatherman decided to trick us again. I am happy to start a new tradition and have my fingers crossed that when my kids become rotten teenagers they'll still allow it.

Please share your Christmas traditions with me, old and new, I would love to hear them and possibly even adopt some!

Merry December to all, and to all a goodnight... <3

This is the first year I've fixed up a complilation of all my favorite *classic* Christmas tunes to enjoy. It's undeniable... there's a little more christmas magic in the air while making gingerbread houses or trimming the tree with the timeless Frank Sinatra playing in the background and something about the sound of trumpets and bells that can make any person weak in the knees and nostalgic for christmases past. I can only hope that one day when my girls are older and scrambling around a mess of people shopping for christmas gifts, one of these songs will come on, give them a little peace, and take them back to memories of our cozy little home at Christmas no matter where they are <3

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas- Frank Sinatra
Silver Bells- Ray Conniff
My Favorite Things - Herb Alpert
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas - Bing Crosby
White Christmas - The Drifters
I'll be Home for Christmas - Perry Como
Walking in a Winter Wonderland- Louis Armstrong
and many more...

Our family is a little late this year on starting Christmas, we are not putting up the tree and other decorations until Nick is home this weekend to enjoy the festivities with us. I can't wait to share all our little projects! :)

In other non-related cheer: Cameron's first tooth is coming in!

Bring on the bibs and figgy pudding!