Advent Activities - first week (1-8)

This year has been so fun preparing for Christmas with the girls. With  my schedule how it is, I finally feel like I have the time to enjoy the season with them and truly make each moment magical.

Each morning, the girls take turns on the various advent preparations we do. One of them gets to move the star forward a day on our countdown calendar. The second gets to open that day's advent activity envelope which is always propped up for them next to our small, antique Christmas tree in the morning.

The first day, we enjoyed making Christmas picture frames at Home Depot. The first Saturday of every month, Home Depot does their kids workshop from 9 AM - 12 PM. I thought this would be a fun advent activity for them, as they love being creative and doing their "art projects." The time was complete with swinging hammers, screwdrivers and lots of paint. Home Depot even gives them their very own orange apron and a pin for every workshop they complete. We will definitely be doing this more throughout the year!

 

 

 

On the second, after Kasen went to bed, we took full advantage to the hot chocolate bar permanently set up in our house right now and watched some Christmas movies. One of the movies we watched was Veggie Tale's Christmas Story. It was such wonderful timing for questions that have already been escaping the girls' mouths; since we have never made a huge deal out of Santa around Christmas, the questions about who he is and how he does what he does have been coming up. Without trying to kill the magic about that side of Christmas, we have tried to give them the answers they were looking for. The Veggie Tales Christmas story talks all about St. Nicholas and his desire to help people in need. It also talks about why we give gifts on Christmas because God gave us the greatest gifts - Jesus - because He loves us so much!  It was fun for them to understand that Christmas gifts are given because we love people - not because we have to.  It was also great for us to encourage that the idea of Santa comes from a real man who loved to help others because of God's love, so we should long to help others in need too.

The third day was a sad day....we were supposed to make ornaments. However, we have a rule that if we aren't obeying that day, we don't get to do our fun activity. And it was that kind of a day (probably because I let them stay up late and have lots of hot chocolate...dumb mom....). So, we didn't get to do this activity. I'm saving it for next year. The good news is, though, that we have had fairly obedient children since then! :) However, they did have a fun night as Grandma came over to play with them so mommy and daddy could escape for a few hours!!

Following our discussion about St. Nicholas and why we give gifts on Christmas, I thought it was important that the girls go through all of their toys and donate those which they don't use or feel like they could give to others who don't have a lot of toys. Their playroom is seriously exploding and knowing that Christmas and birthday's are right around the corner makes it all the more urgent to purge where necessary.  So, why not make it an advent activity so that they can bless others and be grateful for what they have? This was our fourth activity.

The fifth day I had to go into the office for work. So I had a simple activity of coloring Christmas sheets. I printed about 30 free ones off of the Internet and let them go to town. Now we have Christmas Coloring Sheets as decoration on our art project door. Totally festive and fun for the girls to participate in the decorating with their creativity.

On the sixth day I had the kids make a Christmas gift for daddy. I wish I could post it here but, alas, he will read it and know. So you will have to take my word for it that it was really fun and the girls are reminded every day to keep the secret (it's torture for sure!)

Friday night, the seventh day, lent a little more time to do something more in depth, as the next morning wasn't as early. So that night I had planned a trip to the mall for dinner, ice-cream and visiting Santa. The kids' cousin Ella and friend Gavin joined us as we had Chick-fil-a (or Chicken Way) for dinner, Baskin Robbins for dessert and then stood in line for the magical experience of visiting Santa. Kasen did not meet Santa this year as he is pretty nervous around...well, anyone except mommy when it is night time. The girls loved it, though, and I loved how even through they know the truth, it is still a fun, magical time for them!! (I wish I would have a picture, but they wouldn't allow us to snap our own this year...boo!)

Saturday...the day I had been looking forward to forever!! We had found out that one of our downtown parks put up a free skating rink for the first week of December, with skate rentals. So, this definitely had to be added to the advent calendar for my girls who "ice skate" with their socks on the wood floor whenever possible. Opening that envelope was priceless as they squealed for joy. Mia even tried to explain to me that she was so good at ice-skating because of her sock moves on the hardwood...explaining any differently to her would have been a waste of my time that would never return, so we let her live in her delusions for a few more hours.  The rink was wonderful...and difficult. Because of the fall like weather we were still having, it wasn't real ice but rather the fake plastic that can be skated on. I found it more challenging than I thought it would be. But we figured it out and the girls slowly got the hang of it. Most importantly, it was a fun experience that they can't wait to do again....on real ice! Grandmama and Papa came with us to watch Kasen and encourage the little ice-skaters....so it was extra special for the girls!

 

We have moved on to week two as the excitement builds toward Christmas day :)

Pear Pie Crescent Rolls

My cravings for pie got the best of me. I, however, am way too impatient to wait for an entire pie and then watch half of it sit on the counter all week potentially going to waste. So I decided to make these tasty treats...and they were super easy...and super delicious!

First I used a traditional pear pie recipe and then trimmed it down for my 8 crescent rolls:

2 Medium sized pears, peeled and thinly sliced

1 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 Tbs all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

sprinkle of ginger and nutmeg

1/3 tsp of lemon juice

Mix it all together. Try a pear slice, or two, just because you can. (I wish I had a picture of the mixture to insert here)

Next, I pulled out a tube of Pillsbury crescent rolls.

On each triangle I placed a few slices of the pie mixture on the wide part of the triangle. Then I loosely rolled them up. Following the directions for the crescent rolls, I baked them at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

They are perfect size for the little hands in your family, and small enough that you don't feel guilty eating more than one. :)

Enjoy!

Countdown to Christmas

This year I am getting the family more excited for Christmas (not like we needed any help) by doing Christmas activities that lead up to Christmas. I know there are a lot of fun traditions out there: advent calendar, elf on the shelf, etc. We have always had a Christmas calendar from when I was a little girl that counts down the days by moving the star over nativity characters. This year, in addition, I have added activities to go along with each day.

Each day the girls will find an envelope on the counter with a card inside instructing them of their activity for the day. It also shows the current day and how many days left until Christmas! The design is really simple, black card stock with printed candy cane paper and the item written in a pretty candy like script.

I have been so excited for these little activities. I think it will be a fun way to spend time with each other and a chance to teach lessons like gift giving, thankfulness, creativity and the true meaning of the season.

Here are some things we will be doing counting down to Christmas:

• Hot Chocolate and watching Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer
• Make Glitter Ornaments
• Donate unused toys
• Make Christmas Gifts for daddy
• Ice-Skating at the Park
• Visit Santa at the Mall
• Play board game in front of the Christmas tree
• Drive around and look at Christmas lights
• Sledding
• Make a pizza snowman
• Paint toenails in Christmas colors
• Christmas stories by the fireplace
• Make Christmas goodies for the neighbors
• Host a cookie decorating party
• Homemade Carmel Corn and watching Frosty the Snowman

We no doubt will have a lot of fun! I'm excited for the extra special time with the family and I totally love this time of year.

Merry Christmas!! I'll post pictures as we countdown :)

Christmas Decorating

Surprisingly, I have discovered that I truly enjoy decorating for each season in my minimalistic type of way. I don't have a lot of decorations for each season, especially fall, but little touches here and there really get me excited. Add a few scented candles for the appropriate season and you have yourself a masterpiece...but I get ahead of myself...

This weekend we said good-bye to the pumpkins and brought out the Christmas decor. My decor is a healthy mix of sentimental items from when I was young, new items that add some bling, and traditional decorations. And, as always, it's just a little bit here and a little bit there.

First, our beautiful Christmas tree which was given to us by my husband's grandparents. Our main level has 15 foot ceilings, so this 9.5' tree looks perfect nestled in the corner of our living room. I have it sparsely decorated with red, silver and white. Mixed with the abundance of lights, the tree sparkles when lit up. There is a red velvet tree skirt to add pizazz.

On top of the piano in the living room, I have draped pre-lit greenery and decorated it with white and red berries, a few snowmen (my favorite) and some scented cinnamon pine cones.

My newest addition to the winter season is my hot chocolate and coffee bar set up on our built in hutch. "Baby it's Cold Outside" is proudly displayed on my homemade chalkboard, while my decorative snowman pot is displayed next to it. My fun snowman dishes are out of the cabinet ready for use at anytime during these seasonably cold days. Candy canes, marshmallows, cinnamon, cream and chocolate are proudly displayed and ready for use.

The fireplace mantle, which also houses the TV (unfortunately), has two different groupings of decoration, incorporating my love of snowmen, pretty red sparkly ornaments, and scented pine cones.

A few extra decorations throughout the main level....

...and finally the kids' tree. The girls had so much fun decorating it this year.  Every year it is fun to see their personalities come out while doing the project. Mia is so particular in doing it "just right" while Lilia's different approach and creativity is something to chuckle at.

What fun decorating things do you do in your house?!

Making it all work

Since having three children, the laundry never lets up, the house is constantly chaotic looking, chores seem impossible and life, well, just happens. With two children it seemed stressful many of days, especially being a mother who works full time both in and outside of the home, but three has brought a whole other level of crazy!

Questions like..

"Is my house ever going to look normal?"

"Which is more important: clean clothes or clean toilets?"

"Should we have a family day or clean the house?"

would cross my mind daily.

 

When I went back to work after Kasen was born, I was stressed about continuing some of the "Mommy time things" that I had become accustomed to that I knew were beneficial, working out being one of those. So I put together this daily schedule to keep me sane. I still follow this schedule pretty closely except my day does start at 5:00 AM now, giving me plenty of time to workout and get ready for the day at the gym (let's be honest...if I don't get ready there it ain't happening at all!)

 

Since returning to work, my house has fallen apart. I barely seem to keep the main level of the house acceptable for anyone who may show up at my house; the bedrooms have been classified a danger zone. Now, I have come to realize that I get really stressed out when my house isn't clean, laundry is piled up, dishes are in the sink and there are crumbs on the floor, but I don't have the time, or the desire, to be a crazy cleaning lady all hours of the day. Not to mention that, though a clean house is inviting, an unused house is a turn off. I have three children who I want to enjoy and actually LIVE in our house, so things cannot and will not be perfect. 

 

As I processed through how to keep everything up, I continued coming back to the schedule I grew up with: work/school during the week, chores on Saturday, rest on Sunday. Though I love the concept of this schedule, it leaves very limited time for family activities (especially since the weekends are all we have with Casey working nights.) After scouring blogs, talking to other struggling mommys and finding unique ideas on Pinterest, I came up with this cleaning/home schedule for myself.

 

Some people have said "as easy as 15 minutes a day..." however, I don't know how they manage that little of time. I do know though, that I have found that no more than an hour a day makes all this possible. Usually that time is broken up throughout the day - kitchen clean up doesn't happen until after dinner; the dishes get in the dishwasher, the counters all cleaned off, spot cleaning on appliances, and the floor swept under the table (I do have 3 kids under 5!) If I'm working at home that day, I will do the laundry and cleaning early in the morning - that leaves the rest of the day for family time and work. Similarly, if I'm in the office that day, I do my "chores" in the evening after the kiddos are in bed. It's just a matter of manipulating it around, and with a small list like this doesn't make it feel overwhelming ultimately causing me to just sit on the couch and eat ice cream and watch TV.

 

A few rules I've set for myself:

1. This schedule is only to maintain cleanliness; it is not meant for deep cleaning
2. If for some reason I don't get one day done, I do not try to do two days in one. This causes the schedule to feel daunting and it probably won't get done. Instead, I move on to what is on the schedule and pick up the missed activity the next week. 
3. It doesn't have to be perfect!! Life happens...you will still find dust balls on the baseboards, crumbs on the floor and fingerprints on the glass but we live here and I'm proud of that!
4. Even though I'm mom, I am not responsible for all the mess. My children must clean up their messes before creating new ones and their toys must be completely cleaned twice a day: before nap and before bedtime.

I have high hopes that, as this continues, any part of my house will be welcomed to guests and that my feeling of stress at the end of the day will be non-existent on the home front end. 

 

My final suggestion: find yourself an awesome husband like I have! My hubby helps me out whenever he knows a clean house = happy wife! It makes it so much easier when you can tag team on it. :)

 

If you have any creative ideas about how to make life work smoothly, I'd love to hear them!!





Kasen's Dedication

For each of our children, the moment that we have been able to dedicate them to the Lord has been a really special for us as parents. Consequently, we have tried to make it a big occasion, celebrating with family and friends the wonderful gift that the Lord has entrusted us with.

This Sunday, we had the pleasure of dedicating Kasen, 3 months old, back to the Lord. As parents, Casey and I consider it a blessing to stand humbly with our family, admitting that our child is a gift to us for a time, fully belonging to God and what He has in store for his life. We believe that the Lord has wonderful things in store for our son, and commit to raise him according to His ways so that our son can learn to love and know the same God that we serve.

Following the ceremony, we do what we do best...PARTY! Everyone came over for a potluck lunch and yummy desserts. We fellowship, laugh, and watch the kids run around. All in all it was a special day for us, one that we pray stays on our hearts for the years to come.

(I have a great video of the event that will not upload for some reason. Hopefully I'll have it up soon.)

"Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had hold plans for you: A prophet to the nations -- that's what I had in mind for you."

Jeremiah 1:5 MSG

Reality Sets In

As the afternoon wears on, I sit here mentally making a to-do list and emotionally preparing myself for a day that has held so much meaning these past few months. Six months ago it felt like an eternity; 3 weeks ago it seemed like an impossibility; today it is reality. The event is Wednesday, October 3, 2012, the day I head back to work after 12 glorious weeks off with my new, expanded family. The time I have spent focused on family has truly been a blessing beyond what I expected (you can read about it here), one that I will treasure for always.

A few weeks ago I panicked at the thought of returning to a full time schedule of work. Life still seemed out of sorts, schedules were often varying, and our world didn't quite feel "normal" yet. Today, I feel ready...well, mostly. Life has created patterns again throughout the days, children have settled back into daily schedules, and I feel like I could conquer the world. My only fear is making it all happen once again.

As always happens, I have created patterns throughout the day of things to do and accomplish, strategically placing them within the allotted hours of the day. Most of these patterns I don't want to give up, nor do I think I should, so the challenge comes in re-arranging the day once again. So, in order to help me cope with the change, here is what my "new" first day looks like:

5:30 AM - Rise and Shine
6:00 AM - Feed baby boy
6:30 AM - Work out at the gym
8:00 AM - Arrive at the office
2:00 PM - Head home
2:15 PM - Throw a load of laundry in
2:30 PM - Work at home during kids' naps (husband heads out for gym & work)
4:15 PM - Start working on dinner
5:00 PM - Dinner Ready
5:30 PM - Bath time for baby boy
6:30 PM - Kasen in bed, girls clean up playroom
7:00 PM - Girls in jammies and read books
7:30 PM - Girls in bed, clean up kitchen/house
8:00 PM - Fold load of laundry (one load of laundry each day keeps in manageable)
8:30 PM - Finish any additional work, mommy time, prepare for next day
10:30 PM - Bed Time

I know it can all be accomplished with grace and dignity; the prayer comes in asking for the strength and rest to do so.

The challenge I fear the most: the emotional pull. I have thoroughly enjoyed the dedicated time I have had to my three children the last few weeks. The ability to focus on being mommy for a little while without the mental pull of my job has been a delight and much needed for my mommy's heart. As I look at tomorrow and the change it will bring, I am so thankful for my family and what they mean to me, and to my husband and the support he brings. His dedication to our children throughout the day makes it possible for me to love and enjoy my job outside of the home, ultimately making it easy to come back home to slip the mommy hat on once again.

I truly treasure every aspect of my life: family, children, job...I'm, once again, up for the challenge of making it all flourish within any given day. That is after I do the ironing, cleaning, writing out children schedules, making my lunch, etc.

Bye! Must get on with it :)