Outakes

Here are our attempts at getting a picture for our christmas card. It's always an adventure and you never know what you might get.

1st. attempt. Owen cross-eyed and Fiona bug-eyed. Not sure how that happpened.

 A little better, but now Gwen is looking off somewhere else.

Third time's the charm! Perfect. Except for the the fact that the card is vertical and this will not work.

So we start all over.

Fiona won't have anything to do with it. I mention chocolate.

That always works. Except in the excitement I think her head it to tilted and Owen has a funny smile.

Again, change the pose a bit 'cause this has gone on long enough. Owen still smiling funny and Gwen is ready to call it quits. Attach bird ornament to top of camera. I wish I had a picture of that!

Good enough, that should work. And you know what I didn't even use it!

This is the picture I chose. After all this is what I take each month and it just works.

Here is what the card looks like. I used Basic Grey's Eskimo Kisses line, and a stamp set from Inkadinkadoo.

A season of Advent

Preparing our hearts for the Christ. We started incorporating advent into our traditions when the boys were babies. Every Sunday for the four Sunday's before Christmas we light a candle, read some scripture, sing songs together and pray. This has become one of our favorite things to do. In all the business that can come with this time of year, it is a time to sit and really think about the miracle that is Christ's birth.
 On Christmas morning after stockings are opened and breakfast is eaten we will light the Christ candle in the center, read the Christmas story and sing.

This year had been expecially fun as both of the boys are able to read the passages in the Bible and follow along in the hymn book. Fiona can also sing along as she has memorized many of the verses. All those little voices singing songs to Jesus! It is a beautiful thing to hear.

 For Miles; advent is his favorite part of Christmas. And for that I am thankful.

May you find time to reflect on the miracle that is Christmas.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

On the coffee table

This is my coffee table display. It was cheap, easy, and I used what I had. This is the first year I have had this coffee table. I finally convinced my Mom that it would work better in my house that in hers. So we did a sewap this summer.  I have plans to spruce her up a bit, but not the time to work on it. It was a good will find, a Lane piece for 6.00!

For the base I cut strips of Jute webbing. No worries about  them all being the same size, it won't matter. Then I wove them in and out and tacked them down with fabric glue.  I wanted to do more strips but I ran out of webbing so it is what it is. The basket was a Target clearance find. I went to my basement canning storage and grabbed jars in various sizes. Some are new and some are antiques. I just wanted the variety. I have every size from 1/2 pint, to 1/2 gallon.

Each jar is filled with epsom salt and a votive candle.

 I then scattered fresh greens and leftover ornaments to fill up the basket

 A picture of my favorite canning jars. Mason with a star embelem!

And here is is all aglow.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a Merry Christmas!

sneak peak

And they are off~

Snow Fun

Our first major snowfall! They say we got 18 inches, it's hard to tell with the drifting as it is more than that in some places. The children had so much fin playing in the now yesterday and today! I stayed inside as much as possible, I did venture out to take photos, but I prefer snow form the inside in front of a warm fire.

  I just love this photo of all of them together and all smiling and all looking at the camera. Now if I only would have checked my settings BEFORE I took it then the colors might actually be correct. My boys would not be caught dead with purple sleds, they are blue! I must learn photoshop!

Here are some more shots from the day.

My little artist

This boy constantly amazes me with his drawings.

 Every day it seems like he learns something new and they just keep getting more detailed.

Sniching candy... and hearts

"Princess can have candy all the time, 'cause they are princesses"