Christmas Eve preparing for Jesus, Santa, and the reindeer

  

Here's a few more photos from Christmas Eve night.  Preparing for Jesus, the big guy in the red suit, and the flying reindeer. haha.

 On Christmas Eve night, we put a candle in the window to let Jesus know that there is always room in our home for Him. We  usually put the candle (battery operated) in the window inside the house, but Emilee wanted to take it outside. I agreed, but that was a bad idea. The wind Arctic wind  was so bad that night that it immediately blew it down and broke the cover. Thankfully though, the candle still worked and we just took it inside and put it in the window.

Kimberly holding the candle before it got broken.

And now Kimberly cleaning up the pieces of the broken cover from the candle.

Emilee with the candle and Jamie holding the bowl of oats for the reindeer.

The big girls helping Emilee throw out oats for the reindeer.

And now carrots. HA!! look at her wind blown hair! It was FRIGID out there and the wind just cut right through you!

Putting water out for the reindeer.  I filled the bottle up with HOT water in the house and held it to keep warm until it was time to give it up ;)

Jamie took the water from Emilee because she was squirting Jamie with it ;)  You have to watch that girl with the water hose too! She'll come after ya!

Christmas 2010

 Every year, we buy the girls matching pajamas to open on Christmas Eve. This year, I decided to make them. They all have matching PB&J pajamas and all loved them. Kimberly thought it was the cutest thing that they would all match.

 I had some leftover gingerbread fabric from making Emmy's gingerbread dress and diapers, so I decided to make her an apron to wear while making cookies on Christmas Eve.

 I guess some moms steer away from loud toys, but not us. I wanted Emmy to have some musical instruments to use in our homeschool preschool for music time. The drum is filled with different instruments including a large and loud bell that we plan to take to Jamie's soccer games this year to shake when they score (Jamie's been warned ;) 

 I made the girls a TON of sleep pants, sleep shorts, jogging pants, etc for Christmas. Here's Kimberly opening just one of them. This momma had A TON of sewing to do before "Santa" could deliver the gifts.

 I made the girls all slippers. Jamie's the one that asked for them. She wanted soccer slippers and has since worn hers out to town and to school (they have non slip, water resistant soles.) I think they were a hit.

 The big girls are laughing in this picture because Emilee took the wrapping paper off this box (which had a giant tub of Play-Doh goodies in it) and she was so excited! "Momma! You got me one of them?" The girl thought I bought her a crock pot. lol. And she was so happy about it. We had to show her it wasn't a crock pot and for a second, she was disappointed ;)

 

 

 We had the blessing of being able to take goodies to the staff at Christopher House (Hospice Austin) in appreciation this year again.  My girls, me, Momma (Ann), Aunt Susie, Pamela, and Jasmine all went and took tons of goodies for the staff. We got a nice letter in the mail a week later thanking us. Very special.

 The girls waiting for the Bastrop Parade to start.

 Much to our surprise, Emilee was not scared of Santa this year! She saw him after the Bastrop Lighted Christmas Parade was over and sat on his lap. She was a natural! She told him she wanted "a dolly and library books" for Christmas and that's just what JESUS brought her.

Kimberly, Jamie, and Emilee posing with the big guy in red after the Bastrop Lighted Christmas Parade. 

Countdowns

Wow! I can hardly believe how fast the holidays are approaching us! I have many countdowns going right now. The are 4 nights left until Heath's overnight work will be over and he will have a full week off for Thanksgiving! Hallelujah!  There are 9 days until Thanksgiving and we have SO much to be thankful for! There are 10 days until Black Friday and I do love me some savings and sales!  There are 39 days until Christmas! And I do believe there are 45 days until 2011! Wow! I am not looking forward to 2011 though, because it brings too many changes. Jamie will be graduating high school in 2011!

As you might have already guessed or seen, we have had our Christmas tree up for about a week and we love it!

And here is the small tree that is in the kitchen. I made a curtain for the back door window from some fabric I found leftover from last year. Funny thing about that fabric is that I bought it again this year not knowing I had it leftover from last year. Guess I must have really liked it ;) The tree is decorated with Emilee's tiny spoons, measuring spoons, small spice jars, and cookie cutters. For an added "kitchen" touch, I put the rolling pins at the bottom of the tree for more decoration.

Our Advent calendar is small Christmas stockings and is hanging up behind the small tree in the kitchen.

 

This year, I am really going to go all out with the decorations. Emilee loves the Christmas decor. She woke up from her nap to the tree being up the first time and the look on her face was priceless! She was so excited! She yelled, "Oh Me Gosh! Where did it come from? All the stuff! Where did all the stuff come from? Oh Me Gosh!"  So cute!  Yes, she still sounds like a pirate with the "Me" instead of  "My" and I still think it's the cutest thing ever. I still never correct her. It just makes me giggle and happy, so why stop her? winks!

Getting ready for Jesus' Birthday

That's right, I said it! I'm decorating for Christmas! Yes! Already! lol. Heath told me I couldn't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but I told him that he's not in charge of holidays and if he's not careful, he'll wake up in the morning with the tree up already. lol. Okay, so I fell asleep and the tree still isn't put up. But it's going up this week!  I mean, I am coo-coo for Christmas! Only having the Christmas decorations up for 30 days just doesn't seem right to me! So, the tree is going up this week!

So, the Christmas countdown chalkboard is up (and has been for 2 days) and the first craft is finished.  These "interesting" little wall hangers were found at Bits 'n' Pieces (a thrift store in Bastrop) for 59cents each. I had all the supplies on hand for it, so I got this project done for less than $2.

Here is the BEFORE pic...

And here is the AFTER. Not my best work, but in my eyes, anything that's wishing Jesus a Happy Birthday is beautiful :) Or at least that's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!

 

Awesome Teacher Gift for the holidays!

Let me start this out by saying that I WISH that I could give the proper credit to the person who posted this on their blog BUT my computer froze on my so all I have is the photo saved in my computer.  If someone knows who this photo belongs to, I'd love to give the proper credit for this awesome idea.

As you know, we homeschool so we don't have a need for "teacher's gifts", although I have received gifts from Kimberly when she was younger. I will be making this with an "E" and put "E is for Emilee" on it.  It is such a cute idea-too cute to pass up. So, it will be made and then take it's place on the wall over the desk after we get the new desk.

So, what do you think? It's such a great idea isn't it?