Happy Homemade Christmas stuff - Photo Journal

This was for Paul who stuffs his pockets with scraps of paper for taking notes on things he reads and thinks.  I would have liked to give him a pile of moleskines but I couldn't resist this project which I originally saw on One Pretty Thing ( I frequented this site daily as crunch time approached).

I already had everything for this project on hand and will make more when this one fills up.  I especially love that I was able to use up old spiral notebook paper for the pages.  

Happy Homemade Christmas stuff - Library Bags

These were made back in September but I forgot about them. I'm happy I found them because I was feeling bad about some of the last minute handmade gifts that weren't finished.  

Thanks Marie' for the inspiration for this project - it was fun, quick, and the finished product is very useful.  

The kids can now check out as many books they can carry and Henry will not be lost under all the books they pile on top him in the stroller.  I'll make one for him next year when he is ready to carry his own.

       

 

"Only 364 more days until next Christmas!"

We had a great Christmas and the kids are already counting down until next year's. 

Christmas eve was spent with  25  of the  cousins at Oma & Opa's house.   To add to the chaos William brought along Cookie Dough,  and Suz brought her pet parrot.  The kids dressed up and played the parts of the Nativity, we sang songs, exchanged gifts and devoured food just like we do every Christmas eve.  

The great thing about Christmas eve is there's never a problem putting the kids to bed.  In fact, at 7 pm we had a few kids tugging at our sleeves saying "please can we go home and go to bed now.....we don't want to miss Santa".  

The hard part about Christmas eve is pulling it all together.  I was at the sewing machine finishing some gifts while Paul was busy with the drill assembling a a few more.  We didn't get to bed until 2 am.  

Christmas morning began early but it was a slow and relaxing day.  The kids played all day in their pajamas and I didn't worry about cleaning up or even cooking.  We had the fridge stocked with plenty of leftover baked goods and  also tamales for Christmas dinner. 

All I wanted for Christmas was a nap.....I'm still wishing for that one.  But I got more than I could have wished for with a home full of happy and playful children.  I will blog about some of the finished projects later - first I need some rest.    

Christmas Tree Sleep-over

Last night was our annual Christmas Tree Sleep-over.  There really wasn't much sleeping though.  The older boys read by flashlights while the girls re-decorated the tree.  This was the scene I found when I got up to nurse Henry at 5:00 am.  

After I took the picture I sealed up the rest of my Christmas cards and instead of finishing up my sewing, I decided to go back to bed.  So don't get too excited about those projects I mentioned - they may be put on the back burner until the slower days after the holidays.  A wise friend reminded me that my kids would be better off with a happy well-rested mother than a last minute handmade gift.

Meanwhile Maryanna has been working on her own projects.  cutting up pictures (she said she was making puzzles), and cutting up her pants "because I don't like the purple hearts on them - I just want pink hearts".    

It's Crunch Time

There is little time for blogging.  While most folks are busy wrapping presents I'm still in the process of making them.  I've got 1 knitting project to finish, 5 sewing projects (three of which have yet to be cut out or even drafted), 1 art project, Christmas cards to send off, and treats to get off to the neighbors. It feels like the week of college finals where I'd lose hours of sleep to fit it all in.  

I always tell myself to start in July but I never do.  I just hope I don't make too many careless mistakes in the frenzy of it all.  But I'll be sure to blog a few of them if they do turn out.  It is hard for me to imagine or recall a Christmas eve where after all the festivities I am not alone buzzing away on the sewing machine while the rest of the family is fast asleep.  Perhaps I should write my own version of "T'was the night before Chirstmas"......   

Hand Bells

One of our favorite Christmas activities is playing these hand bells.   Yesterday the boys worked hard on copying the notes on to a large free standing note pad - this made it easier for all to follow along. 

Here they are performing "Away in a manger" for me as I finished up the morning dishes.   Maryanna enjoyed the front row seat and when I asked what she was doing she said "I just recording my dream".  

It's been a snowy slow moving morning and the sound of bells accompanied by the funny things a 3 year says have made it all the more enjoyable.

The Christmas Ornament Dr.

It sure is hard to keep the kids from playing with, re-decorating, and grabbing at the Christmas tree. Even Henry is at and is constantly crawling over to the Michigan football ornament that is within his reach.

But we have only suffered 2 casualties this year so far, the hand painted eggshell from Prague (actually I'm surprised it survived as long as it did) and Boba Fett (fell to the ground and lost his legs which are no where to be found). The rest of the overly loved and handled ornaments were sent to the ornament hospital where James carefully revived them with a glue gun.

The funny thing is, as James was telling me who was responsible for each of the damages, I was counting back to how many ornaments were broken by his own toddler hands. In fact, he blamed Clara for the Green Bay Packer Nutcracker's arm coming off but he was the first to pull it apart about 7 years ago. That particular ornament gets fixed about every other year. He did a fine job of fixing so I suppose it makes up for all he broke in the past.

One of our favorite Christmas tree games is laying on the couch and playing "I Spy" with particular ornaments. The girls however, still like more of the hands on Christmas tree activities like "take the ornaments off and stash them in the bathroom or under their pillows and into purses". Either way, the Christmas tree with all its random ornaments is fun. Thanks James for fixing our favorites and keeping our tradition of silly ornaments alive.

Speaking of silly ornaments, tonight Clara grabbed our Yoda ornament and asked "Is this Henry"?  We all laughed and she asked us the same thing over and over again.  I suppose Henry does kind of look like Yoda or maybe Yoda just looks like a baby.