The build-up to Christmas was really exciting for us. Not just because of presents and the anticipation the kids have of seeing them under the tree in the morning, but because of the family time that we get for a few days straight without interruption. No school, no sports practice, no work for Jon and myself, no having to run kids around anywhere. Just time in the house - playing board games and charades, drinking hot chocolate, watching movies and eating tamales until we can't eat anymore.

The snowfall on Christmas Eve made things even more exciting.  Jon read from the scriptures and I read a story that a friend from church had given us. We try to make sure the right perspective about what Christmas means to us is included in the season but we're not militant about it. Kids are kids and they are going to be crazy excited for gifts and will talk non-stop about Santa coming to town. We're okay with that. In fact, we enjoy and encourage it. These moments for me to see their belief in this part of Christmas is so very short and I like to enjoy it all. I fully expect them to grow up with happy memories of Christmas and come to understand the deeper reason for it all, just like I did.

And with that, we told them it was time to spread some Christmas cheer so we ventured out to do a little caroling. Now, we in no way think our singing will ever bring anyone cheer. As we practiced in the car we kept laughing at how bad it sounded and would scratch that particular song off our list. So we kept it simple and asked that the Spirit would drown out the song.

We pulled up to one friend's house and saw their family walking down the sidewalk. Jon rolled down the window and told them we were coming to their house to carol. They were actually heading to their neighbor's to do the same so they asked us to go along. This neighbor's adult daughter died in a car accident a few years ago so the holidays can be especially tough on them.

Between our two families there were 15 people standing at the door. You can imagine their surprise.
Trae stood at the very front and on the porch steps. When we were done singing, the woman asked him to come to her. He hesitated a little but went up as she held out her arms. She hugged him tightly - not once, but twice and kissed him on the cheek. It was the sweetest thing. It was like a grandma's hug; something Trae has never experienced. They both exchanged big grins and for that moment, I knew she felt close to her daughter. I mentioned something about it in the car and Blair asked how she could feel that way when Trae was so little and isn't her child and her daughter was older. Jon told her that no matter a child's age, they will always be our babies and she was really missing her baby then. I told Blair that it was comforting for her to be around someone who could fulfill that longing for family and in this case, just a hug from a child was all that was needed.

"Oh, the magic of Christmas." she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Finds {Christmas style}

It's been a while since I posted any Friday Finds. It's actually been a while since I've been out on my scavenger hunts at all. I sure do miss them. Last week while I was out looking for ugly sweaters for a friend's party, I ran across this footed bowl. It was just $1.50. I loved the Jade green and thought it was perfect for holding some of my old Christmas ornaments since the glass jar I usually use crashed to the ground last year.

I also picked up this pine cone wreath for a dollar but thought it was too drab and tired but really well constructed. It actually looks better in the picture than it really was.

I needed it to be a bit more festive so nothing a little spray paint and highlighting some details can't fix! You know I love acorns...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My most favorite find was a faux bois tiered serving platter but I haven't taken a picture of it yet. Believe me when I say it's super cute and at $3.00 a steal.

 

It's good to do a little thrifting every now and then, don't you think?

 

Have a great day.

New trimmings for the tree

 

I'm breaking with our tradition of silver, white and green ornaments for our tree and going with gold, blue and green. The handmade family ornaments are staying which is a jumble of different things that are too precious not to use but the background colors will look a little something like the picture. I've spray painted branches gold and am working on the peacock ornaments. Wierd? Or is it more wierd that we haven't finished decorating yet?

 

Have a great day!
xo
Laura

Last minute flowers

The good thing about being a last-minute Christmas shopper is that most everything is on sale. Last night Jon and I went shopping and most of the items were a quick & easy find as well. There was only 1 thing that we couldn't find but made a suitable substitute. And because of the sales, we came in under budget. Me likey.
We even scored a deal on our tree because we were late getting that up to. There's a silver lining everywhere.

Poinsettia's were all discounted as well so I brought one home and plopped it into a McCoy thrift store pot. I felt bad that they were looking on the droopy side. Although I love red, which is one of my favorite colors, I decided to go with the creamy white/yellow. I figured if I can keep it alive all year, that color would work through all the seasons. Has anyone ever kept their Poinsettia all year?

Maybe if I get this pot, or create one like it, it might have more of a reason to live. Cute isn't it?

Wreath rescue

I really haven't done much for Christmas by way of decorating this year. Time just escaped us. But we did put up the tree and opted for a smaller one this year so the ornaments would stand out a bit more. Next year I'm going back to a larger one since it is now overpowered. I said I wasn't going to buy any this year, but I lied. I bought a few.

I still need to get the kids their ornaments for 2011. I add one every year for each of them so that one day I can present them with their box of childhood ornaments for a tree of their own.

Since I didn't make a swag from the branches that we cut from the tree, I needed a wreath for the door. A quick trip to a thrift store did the trick. I picked up a sad, misshapen wreath for $3.00.

Aww, poor thing.

After de-thrift store-ing it, it looked good as new.

Using what I had on hand, I grabbed some ribbon, a pick that I use on Christmas packages and a pair of old child's skates that I bought at a flea market for a dollar.
After 5 minutes and a little tying here and there, I had a simple, vintage wreath.

The End

The dinnerware - before I forget again

Taking a quick break from yelling for the Seahawks...

As I was just putting away the last of the Christmas china today, I remembered that I never posted a picture of it. I had a few questions and emails about it so I thought I would share that here.

Over the years, Jon's mom got all of the girls in the family a set of holiday dinnerware or its accessories for Christmas. She started me out 17 years ago and I added to it ever since and up to 2006.

This particular pattern, Royal Limited's Holly Holiday, was a store brand but similar to the much more expensive Lenox pattern.

It was discontinued when the Meier & Frank Co. was sold to the ZCMI dept. stores and then to Macy's. You can still find the pattern on Ebay and at Replacements but for much higher prices than they were originally. They have nice detail and so far, it hasn't worn. I only wash them by hand and since it's only used from the day after Thanksgiving up through New Year's, they should last me a very long time. Unless the tornado, aka Trae-man, gets a crazy idea.

Bowls, platters, salt/pepper shakers, gravy boat, goblets, a cookie jar and other things complete the set.

If you're on the lookout for Christmas dinnerware, now is a good time to buy.

Even stores like K-Mart and Wal-Mart have inexpensive sets on sale right now that were specifically brought in for the holidays.

In my town, K-Mart has a 16-piece boxed set on sale for about $20.00. It's basic white with a gold or platinum band and is surprisingly elegant. And did I mention cheeeep? Just mix it with chargers, solid colored bowls or vintage pieces and you'll have an even more beautiful setting.

Lenox -$143.00, 5-piece place setting

Lenox - $95.00, 5-piece place setting


K-Mart - $19.99, 4 piece place setting

Now back to our Seattle Seahawks.
Have a great rest of the evening!

One thing leads to another

Yesterday I had every intention of leaving the house.

I said I was going to the thrift shop but then I decided to get the kitchen clean before I left. I like coming home to clean dishes.

I did that and then decided to get the bins out of the garage so I could put away the Christmas ornaments. While I was downstairs, I decided to fold the laundry that I had earlier pulled out of the dryer. Seeing there was more to do, I processed another load of laundry. As I walked by the computer, I realized I had some work waiting for me there.

See where I'm going here? Or should I say, where I'm not going?

I didn't get around to the thrift shop or the fabric store.

And I'm still working on clearing the house of Christmas decorations. The tree is at the curb and the ornaments are safely packed away for next year, I mean later this year.

After Christmas ornaments. I was good this year and bought only a few.

Storing lights this way makes it easy for next season's unravel.

Now the living room is looking a little blah so I thought it was time for a change. I pulled out left-over paint from Reese's room to see how it would look on the back of the shelves.

One thing just leads to another...

Now I gotta get back to the kitchen that was somehow messed up again.

See you later!

Merry Christmas to you

How was your Christmas?

Our Christmas Eve was quiet but nice. We did have one that was sick but luckily it was a good day for her to relax. I'm happy that she's feeling better now.

We enjoyed making tamales all evening and watching movies. A friend came over for dinner which made us so happy. The kids had a sleep-over in the family room. It's a warm, cozy space which makes it easy to sink into the couch and not want to leave. We tucked them all in - even the 13 and 15 year-old still like to be tucked in for the night. They all had trouble falling asleep because the anticipation of the morning is just too much.

It was heartwarming to see all of my children sleeping soundly together with pillows piled everywhere and blankets stacked high. I knew that everything I ever wanted was right in that room- just a bunch of happy kids.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas and look forward to a

bright New Year.

I think it's gonna be good!

Tradition and the tree

The other day Belen turned to me and said she wished we didn't have to exchange gifts at Christmas. She said she didn't like seeing people run around, worried about money and lists. She wished it could just be a time when we focused on Christ and service to each other.

The extras, she said, just shouldn't matter.

I agreed and wondered how I got such a mature young woman. But then I thought back to all of the Christmases past and remembered that she and Charley seemed to have always been like that. I don't remember a long list of requests for Santa. I couldn't even remember what we got them until a few years ago when the requests did become more item specific, like an American girl doll or a scientific calculator.

They always asked about other things. I'd get questions such as, "Are we going to make tamales again this year?" "When are we going to watch "It's a Wonderful Life?" "Did we get a new family puzzle for Christmas Eve?" "What are we giving to the food drive this year?"

Sometimes we measure whether or not it will be a "good" Christmas by the amount of presents we can afford or if we buy that exact item on the list. Call me naive, but I think it can always be a "good" Christmas when you surround yourself with those you love and keep family traditions alive. It seems that is what we, including our kids, remember most.

I know I can only recall a few presents that I received as a child because I kept them for years as prized possessions and my parents never went overboard on gifts. What I can really recall was our annual trip to downtown Portland. We'd get all dressed up to go eat, visit Santa, shop as a family and go ice skating. It was the highlight of Christmas for me, for my brothers and sister as well. I was always so proud to see my dad gliding with such ease on the ice. And now that they are both gone, those times seem to have more meaning.

My conversation with Belen reminded me of that and something I heard long ago, that children long for our "presence" more than anything. Long after the toy has lost its appeal, those familiar, simple family traditions will remain and go forward.

****************************

A note to Santa that I found under the tree....

Admiring our family tradition of meaningful Christmas ornaments. They all tell a story.

I purchased this as a teenager from a dept. store where I worked. It was my first ornament for my someday house.

Reese's favorite; his space ship.

One of a collection of Sterling silver ornaments handed down from my mom.

Ornaments collected from places we have lived. This honors Utah.

A bird's nest on the tree means good luck for the New Year.

More birds in a dome, a sterling cross ornament on the left, and Reese's dinosaur in the background. Mercury glass in the foreground.

An angel on top of the tree each year.

The globe ornament from that same dept. store when I was a teenager. My mom bought one that day too. The ribbon on it is metal and says "Peace on Earth."

Now I'm off to tidy up the house and get ready for the evening. Enjoy your day and

have a great Christmas Eve!!

Trimmings, tutorials, tips - Christmas week

Welcome to my Christmas House
which is constantly evolving around here. I think there should be more lights on the tree and I still have boxes to get back down to the garage but so far, so good. Everything I have done is simple and easy. No highly involved tips and tutorials here. This week should be joyful not stressful.

Trimmings
This year on the staircase railing, I mixed synthetic garland with cut boughs from the tree. It adds a little thickness and smells good. Ribbon, beaded garland and pine cone lights finish it out. I've had all of those things for years. I keep base colors simple so when I want to change things and use trend colors or lean towards a theme, I only have to buy a few extras in any given year.

This year I am displaying the Christmas cards received. I just used small clothespins to hold them to the garland. That cool card is from my friend Alysa, my 1st mission companion in Japan. Love that girl!

A few trimmings of metallics and beads. More on that during the week.

Some of my favorite ornaments are the ones that the kids make in school. Not only are they sweet and simple, they have an American Folk art quality to them. Charley made this in 3rd grade with a clothespin and tissue paper.

Tutorial
Just get a clothespin and any kind of paper you'd like to use. Cut the paper into a rectangle, round the edges, accordion fold the center, pinch it if you'd like, and clip with the pin. Could it be any easier?

I cut the paper afterward a little more and crumpled it.

Here we used a page from an old book and wrapping paper. You could also paint the pin or use vintage clothespins as well. For those, you'd just have to glue the wings to the back since they don't have a spring hinge.

Tip

So if you're like me and like a lot of lights, you know how quickly they can become tangled and never can stuff them back into their box when you go to store them. A lifesaver was when I cut cardboard into an "I" shape and wound the cords onto it. They store easily this way and best of all, never a mess of lights.

So that rounds it out today. Have fun out there! I'll be back with vintage ornaments, our annual "gingerbread" village, and making Mexican hot chocolate - our fave!

Out.

Laura

Christmas House week

This week I'll be posting about the Christmas House, aka my house.

We were a little late on getting up all of the decorations. Blame that on work schedules and someone in the house having somewhere to be every single day and parents who kept saying we'd get to that tomorrow. But we didn't want anyone in the family to miss out on our annual trip to the local Christmas tree farm. We tried something else last year so we knew opting for the sleigh ride/cut your own thing might not work out again. Remember that story and the pepper spray incident that followed?

So to begin the week filled with Christmas crafts, tips and vintage ornament goodness, here's the weekend recap:

There was the tree farm trip where they let you roast hot dogs, marshmallows and make hot chocolate. My favorite thing they do is measure your child's height so when you come back next year, you can see the difference a year makes. Now is that hometown service or what?

We also like that they're friendly and give you twine to tie the tree to the car. They wouldn't want anyone to hold the tree with their arms out the window like idiots. Who does that anyway??

On to a fun office party where the kids won gumball machines and a 5 lb Hershey chocolate bar.
Jon and Frank made a true Pennsylvania Dutch main course of Chicken and waffles. I had never heard of that before moving here. It was actually tasty. Everyone else brought sides or desserts and the kids decorated cupcakes.

Next was a seriously sweet party complete with a chocolate fountain where we indulged in dipping fruit, cheesecake and other delicious goodies. There was also a raucous round of white elephant gifts where the Superman snuggie was a hit. But first we had to compete in getting a cracker from your forehead to your mouth to determine the order of the present pick. We were number 10 and took home that sweet lamp.

And finally untying the tree and bringing out the trimmings. I'll reveal the finished product later. I think it's our best yet. It's filled with new and vintage ornaments and stays within the color scheme of the house; blues, silver, grey, greens, metallics and a pop of color here and there.

Charley said it made her cry when we turned off the lights and stepped back to admire it. She's a sweet one, Charley that is.

See you tomorrow-

Have a great day!

Holiday charm

Just like the fall parade, it has become a family tradition to attend our small town's Christmas parade and welcome Santa to his little house on the square. It's just a good, old fashioned community get-together. There's even free hot chocolate which was nice to warm the toes. It turned out to be a little chilly but that made it feel more authentic I guess.

Belen wasn't there this year because of basketball commitments so we missed her being with us. The other kids enjoyed seeing all of the lights, their friends and some new additions to the parade.

Candy was tossed from the floats which the kids really liked. People also worked the crowd handing out candy so no one was missed. Blair held up her "Darrenkamp's" bag, our favorite locally owned grocery store, to Mr. Darrenkamp when he walked by us. When he saw her, he exclaimed that she gets extra treats because she was carrying the right bag. That made for a happy 5 year old! It made for a happy me too when I needed a midnight snack and ate some pretzels.
Rounding out the parade of course was the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus in a horse drawn sleigh.
(Unfortunately the video I shot of that wasn't downloading properly but here are a few pics.)

I hope you get to enjoy Christmas and holiday parades wherever you are!

All bundled.

Passing by

Reese and Charley and the Darrenkamp's truck.

My friend Ryan, aka Buddy the Elf.
I would've never recognized him until he said my name.
Good thing I had the camera ready

He was on "Deal or No Deal" once by the way, but didn't dress as an elf then.
School bus representing.
The End.