This Makes Me Happy...Christmas Cards

I admit it. I love writing out our Christmas Cards. I love getting my spot all set up at the table and my holiday coffee poured. I love listening to the sounds of Christmas playing on Pandora in the background. I enjoy writing the ages of each of the kids on the back and thinking about how much they have grown. I enjoy thinking about each person or family I am sending each card to, and how important each recipient is to us. There is something so calming and comforting about this most simple of tasks. I love receiving Christmas cards too! I love seeing how each family has changed and grown. It may seem simplistic, I know. But Christmas cards make me happy.

Weekend Plans

Well, December is moving along rather quickly, don't you agree? The weekend is here already! We have a quiet weekend for the most part. And I am glad! Friday evening we will attend a Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Afterward, Steve and Rhett are going to camp for one last visit during hunting season. Steve is really hoping Rhett will be successful in his first year of hunting.

Saturday morning I will not be visiting my father in the nursing home because...He is home!! For good! We found out last week that he is independent enough to live at home with just some help from the wonderful community nurses. It has been almost a year since his brain surgery, and he has made remarkable progress. Our family is truly blessed! Saturday will be a quiet day and then we will attend Mass in the early evening. I am putting some beef in the crock pot early Saturday morning for beef pepper steak and jasmine rice for dinner. Madison and Ryan are going to the Christmas dance at school...The Snowball Dance...and they are eating at a friend's house before. She is very excited and her dress is gorgeous!

Sunday morning I have brunch planned. I am planning Christmas confetti pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. After brunch, we will probably watch the Steeler game and relax. Sunday evening is free. When we have a big brunch, we usually have a light supper like sandwiches or pizza. I will probably be working on my Christmas cards too. Then it will be the usual Sunday night routine of baths, showers, backpack packing, and an early bedtime! Well, that is our December weekend. Hope yours is jolly, whatever your plans may be!

We started our Advent calendars last week. I have gotten these for the kids since Madison was little.

Flynn loves finding Zip every morning. He sure is tricky!

Peyton made a sample batch of Christmas chocolate chip cookies. Because we had to make sure they are good enough to share with the neighbors, right? : )

I took this picture with my phone and sent it to my oldest sister, Mary. She made this darling jumper for Madison when she was three. It is thirteen years old, and I am so thankful I get to use it again!

I was so excited to find these on our shopping trip this week. I thought the girls woukd enjoy making a special treat this weekend. I had never seen these before!

Christmas Schedule 2012

If you have read this blog before, you know I am an organized person. I can't lie...that is just how my brain works. So it should come as no surprise that every year around this time, I write out a schedule for Christmas. And by write, I mean write. By hand. With markers and stickers. Because, again, that is how my mind works. After having taught second grade for so many years, I think my mind is stuck there permanently. Not that that is a bad thing! : ) Anyway, at first glance it may seem like I am even trying to micromanage Christmas. Really, that is not my intent. I began doing this several years ago because there is just so much to do... shopping, wrapping, and baking, and so many things happening at school... plays, dances, and dress down days, and all the other things that need to be done... haircuts and Christmas cards that I knew without some type of schedule, it would not be enjoyable. It would be chaos.

It really isn't anything more than organizing all our events in one place and adding a few stickers to make it look nice and festive! The real reason I do this is that I want this time of year, which always passes so quickly, to be what it should be for our family. Quiet. Calm. Cozy. Fun. We are, after all, preparing for the birth of Baby Jesus on a quiet, calm, holy night. Therefore, I strive to have everything completed by December 17 every year. That way, we have a whole week to prepare, to enjoy, to relax and take it all in. Here is our simple Christmas schedule. Happy Planning!

Deck The Halls!

Well, it is finally here...Christmas...the best time of the year! We decorated our home for Christmas on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. I could barely wait until the turkey was cooled to pack up my autumn and Thanksgiving decorations so the holiday decorating could begin! When all the autumn decorations were packed away, we gave the house a good dusting and got to work. Here are some pictures of our cozy country home all ready for the holiday season!

This is the table in our mudroom. The bowls are for keys and the basket is for Kirby's leash.

This is our kitchen table all decked out with the dish of red and green Hershey kisses!

The sideboard has the replica Santa cookie jar just like the one my mom had.

Here is our Kitchen Christmas tree. I actually keep this up all year.

I love this new little sign I got off of Etsy. And sadly, it is true!

Another favorite...and also true!

The open cupboard in the kitchen holds some special teacups that belonged to my great-grandmother.

Our sweet little snack plates...

and our everyday holiday dishes. These were a gift from my grandmother many years ago.

 Some special mugs perfect for afternoon hot cocoa!

And just because I was standing there...my kitchen sink!

This is the hearth room...a favorite spot this time of year.

Our Christmas mantle

This is the sweet little tree in the hearth room. I keep it up all year as well. Now it is decorated with snowmen.

This is a wall near the kitchen and family room...

This is our main Christmas tree. It is in the family room.

Underneath...the beautiful manger scene Steve's parents got us for a wedding present.

Also in the family room...our bucket of Christmas DVDs and videos.

Here is Steve's tree. It is in his den. I actually just got this for him last Christmas.

Here is our dining room table.

And our last tree...the tree for the kids. This tree is in the basement and is the one the littles put their ornaments on. This is also where Santa leaves the presents!

And tucked underneath...the Little People nativity. So sweet!

Last but not least...our Home for the Holidays candle which burns every evening in our Holiday home.

Happy Christmas Season!