Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to all of you out there. We had a wonderful evening (last night) opening gifts. I got some great pictures and the kids got some really nice gifts. They did a really good job with finding things for mom this year and my hubby went a little overboard. One of the things he bought me was some body wash from bath n body two different scents. The first is Twilight Woods from my older two girls because they love the Twilight movies. Then he took the 3 from the PS I love collection and wrapped them in a box all by themselves from him - that was kinda sweet. Then he went to a local prim shop and picked out a new shelf for me all on his own. The owner Kathy is going to paint it red for me and then I can go pick it up when it's ready. I'll try to remember to post a pic when I get it hung up.

This morning was kinda poor attendance at church but the weather has been rather frightful out here. Snow, sleet, rain then more snow then more sleet. You get the picture. We had planned to go see a movie today - the new Alvin and the Chipmunks but decided to put it off until the roads were better. I think our new truck would've done fine but then again ice can be so unpredictable.

David has a funeral to do tomorrow at one of the vacancy congregations so we may have to wait until Sunday for the movie.

Some of the family's favorite gifts:
Gabrielle - new clothes, books and music
Arianna - books, a new camera, some clothes we need to exchange for the right size
Natania - some american girl stuff, clothes and fashionable boots
Annaliese - also some american girl stuff, clothes and fashionable boots
Micah - a new sled, xmas boxers (he sleeps in these. He does not consider them underwear and gets very upset when they are referred to as that) and some legos
Dad - movies, books and a fun thing from Micah to Dad was xmas boxers also - ones that say "naughty or nice", stripes and I forget the other print. We had a fun laugh at that one.

Well those were some of our favorites among all the gifts. I don't usually buy so many things for the kids but each year they need new PJ's. And then they have some fun things they usually want so it's hard to buy just clothes or essential things. I try to make a good mix of things. And when you have a mom who just absolutely loves to Christmas shop - crowds and all. Well sometimes you get caught up in the fun of finding that right gift for your child. I say every year I'm going to cut back but . . . well one can always hope to accomplish that some day.

I hope you enjoyed your day with family and friends. So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Let the Merry Making Begin

It's Christmas Eve and at our house that is when a lot of the celebration begins. We prepare the rest of the food which this year we bought too much so we will have to finish some of it tomorrow while eating left overs. Micah woke everyone up early to open stockings. I manage to put him off until about 10:30am so we could get a few things started.


On the menu this year is ribs (for later or tomorrow), chicken wings, cranberry chicken wings, lots of dips, hummis and few other things. I'm hoping to make tomorrow or the day after a gingerbread cake. So that will be a nice treat.







It looks like we will be snowed in from the storm that is going on outside today and tomorrow. They are predicting 15-20inches for us. I guess this will be a real "white Christmas". One of the girls is a little disappointed about getting snowed in - she was hoping to go to a movie on Christmas day like we did last year. We don't normally do that but with all our family too far away to travel to we decided to try that. I was actually very surprised at how crowded the theater was last year.

Merry Christmas to all of you. Enjoy your time with family and friends celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world.

Lil' Christmas Eve

Today our family celebrates "Lil' Christmas Eve". We adopted the tradition from our pastor back home in New England. His family has Norweigan background and my husband's side has Sweedish. So the day before Christmas, we start baking and doing those fun little things around the house as we get ready to celebrate the birth of Christ. We listen to carols while cooking and maybe a little bit of cleaning gets done. We finish up the wrapping and put the final touches on our decorations. We baked 3 different cookies today. We usually do much more but the time this year seemed to just get away from me and my little guy started to seem like he was getting a sick stomach. I'm praying not, since it will be no fun to have a sick child on Christmas, especially at his age. He's been waiting and waiting with very little patience, but then I don't blame him for that everyone loves presents.

Children's Christmas Program

Tonight was our church's Christmas program. We had a really good turn out for attendance and some family visitors coming to see the grandkids, neice or nephew of their relative. My daughter Natania had a two verse solo in one of the songs. I'm very proud of her. I think she is a little disappointed in how it went. She got kinda nervous on the 2nd verse, so I think she feels she could've done better. But I'm so glad she even tried. Bev, the lady who handles this each year kept asking for more volunteers and no one was willing to take on a solo verse or two. I know Natania can sing really, really well when no one is looking at her. So this is good practice for getting over those nerves. The hymn had about 10 verses, maybe more I lost track and it isn't the easiest song to sing even the congregation had trouble with their verses. We can't take photos during service so I'm posting a couple from the kids Christmas concert with our homeschool choir. The first is a picture of Natania with her friend Mackenzie. Natania is the blond on the right.

This one is from our concert. She really loves to sing so we are encouraging anything musical for her. She is part of the choir, takes voice lessons twice a month and piano.

We Should be Doing School

We should be doing school but my little guy just loves the snow. It's a good thing we don't live in the south (LOL) at least from his perspective. He then begs his sisters to come out too. Who could resist the begging of this face?


Here's a cute pic of all three of them together



Between the two storms I think we now have 10inches so I think we have the "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" covered.

Decking the Halls

I finally had a few moments to take some pictures of this years decorations. I'm not completely done. I'm still hoping to work on the kitchen a little bit more but that room is always full of school books or dirty dishes.

This year I did a little bit of outdoor decorating with the sled and the box of greenery under the window. I've wanted one of those sleds for a while now and found one at a reasonable price at the antique store down the street.




Onto the livingroom/dining room area.














After getting the tree up and decorated we lost some lights. I hate when that happens. A few years back we had the same problem just on a different tree and in a different house. We were living in Indiana then.




We have another tree in the dining room. It's a collection of victorian ornaments that we've bought over the years. We've come a long way since the first few years of marriage when we didn't have alot in the way of decorations.


Let's not forget among the fun of decorations and gift giving the real meaning of Christmas.


Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Luke 2: 7, 11, 14

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

Join us at the 2009 Holiday Home Tours over at the Nesting Place

Glory in the Highest

Last night our family went to the Chris Tomlin concert his Christmas tour "Glory in the Highest". If by any chance you don't know who he is, he is a Christian contemporary music artist. If you ever get the chance to see him in concert I'd highly encourage you to do so. It was an absolute fabulous concert. It was my kids first concert so that was kinda fun too. It was a little pricey for our family to go but well worth the money.

He always takes along a guy named Louie, I'm thinking he might be his manager or something like that. But he gave a message during the middle part of the concert that was just really, really good. He started out by talking about Christmas and how chaotic it can be this time of year for everyone rushing around, buying gifts, decorating, etc...and sometimes you just feel like it's chaotic. Or someone's life could be filled with chaos right now, filled with lots of problems. Then he related that to how Mary and Joseph must have felt on that first Christmas. And how people must have really thought she was crazy telling people she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and to put it in todays words that she was the gossip of the neighborhood. He continued to talk about how they must have been scared and tired, the long ride on a donkey is so similar to when women walk the mall to get the birthing process started. He imagines that Mary must have been praying for rest but not in the inside of cave, not in a stable. She must have been pleading please don't let the baby be born here. How they both must have felt the choas of that night and the chaos in their lives. But then God broke through the choas with the simple cry of a baby. He sent Jesus to break the chaos in our lives, to give us peace. This simple cry would be heard around the world. The same baby would have a triumphant cry. Triumphant over death, he would be the long expected Savior - the Messiah that we had been waiting for.

So if you ever get the chance to attend one of his concerts, you won't be disappointed.

A Funny Little Story

Yesterday I sent my hubby, my son and two older girls shopping at Sam's Club while I took the younger two girls with me to Kohl's to shop for Christmas dresses. They finished at Sam's club before we were done but my cell phone wasn't ringing when they tried to call. My husband decided to send Micah my 7 year old and Arianna into Kohl's to find us. The funny part of the story is Micah's conversation with Arianna. He said to her "Mommy's lost that's why mommy shouldn't go out alone". Arianna said I wasn't lost but then Micah said "If Mommy doesn't come home she's grounded".

He says the funniest things.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I hope you enjoy your day and your tummy's get plenty of turkey and trimmings. I'm planning to hit the shopping tomorrow more for the fun of it than for any "Black Friday" sales. It just seems to be one of those traditions that I have. A day away, by myself, enjoying the sites and sounds of Christmas, getting a jump on my own shopping but I definately do not go at 4am. I enjoy my sleep. We will also with sticking with traditions and starting our Christmas decorating while our bird is cookin'

Christmas Fun

Here are some pics of the things I've been working on for a few weeks now. They were from some free patterns of various places, one item was from a pattern by Sweet Pea Primitives and another from Moonchild Prims. I've really enjoyed working on so many different things. My 7 year old son tells me that we have to keep some of them for ourselves. I'm thinking he might be right.

These candy canes were quick and fun. I baked them in the oven and scented them with coffee, vanilla and a little cinnamon.






These little guys look so great in my wooden bowl with some primitive greens.


These prim snowmen were fun but I'm not completely sure if I liked how they turned out. I didn't coffee stain the pure and natural batting, I only tea stained it. I think they should maybe be a little bit darker.






I made two of these one in green and one in red.

These were also baked in the oven. I left them a little crinkled. I didn't iron them I just smoothed out a little bit and then stuffed them. I think the crinkled look helps them look a little old. I love the graphic that is pinned with rusty pins.





I made 3 of the following little ornaments. I think they came out really nice. It was my first attempt at sculpted noses.


These little tea light holders were really fun to make. The brim is sprinkled with german glass glitter. I'm pretty pleased with these.


I made three of these also. I finished them up last night.
Now I'm finished for a few weeks and have boxed up my supplies. It's hard to find the space in a small house to keep the projects I'm working on out until they are completed. It's been awhile since I did so much crafting but these are for a good cause. Our church is doing a fundraiser on 12/5 a cookie and craft sale. I don't really think they will get what they are "worth" the way you would at a craft fair or a prim shop. I think whatever is left over I will try to sell here, on ebay or maybe even open an etsy shop of my own. When my oldest girls were little I had a very successful crafting business doing fairs and renting booth space in craft malls. That was a long time ago or at least it seems that way so it's been fun working on crafty things again.

I'm thinking too that I might do a Christmas giveaway. I've been enjoying reading other blogs and seeing what they have to offer this time of year. So check back around December 7th or so I might have it together by them. I certainly need more blogging friends/followers - it's lonely out here in a small town. I'm not a small town girl, somethings just won't change, no matter how much one tries.

Simple Woman's Daybook November 23

Outside my window...gray, kind of a misty rain

I am thinking... of how many of the kids will be able to get in to see a doctor before the holiday

I am thankful for... that our doctor is just down the street. I like him alot and we see things the same way.

I am wearing... my red bathrobe still.

I am going... to be cleaning up the house today in the event that everyone feels well enough for Turkey on Thursday.

I am reading . . . email and blogs, haven't had much time for anything else the past two weeks with sickness.

I am hoping... that everyone gets better soon

On my mind... the lack of sleep has caused nothing to be on my mind right now

From the learning rooms... oh my gosh, last week was a complete bust. That's when all the sickness started. So I guess our learning will have to wait. And we were on such a good roll with our writing program and history.

Noticing that...life can be very lonely in a small town where you are not originally from plus the homeschooling. We live so far away from our homeschool support group that it is hard to make friendships easily and then friends that you can connect with often.

Pondering these words . . . God works all things for our good. I've had some doubts some days

From the kitchen... nothing

Around the house... lots of cleaning up and piles of craft things that are waiting for the churches craft and cookie sale on 12/5 - it should be fun.

One of my favorite things . . . is the crowded stores at Christmas time. I just love the listening to carols over the intercoms and the decorations.

From my picture journal...these two just had birthdays this past weekend

Stop by Peggy'sto read other daybooks. Have fun!!

Happy Birthday Micah!

My son Micah turns 7 today. Unfortunately he is still sick. So it won't be much fun today. We had to cancel his first birthday party with friends. He would've had 3 of the kids he knows over for the afternoon. So now we will have try again next year.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my Arianna. She turns 14 today. Some of us are feeling a little bit better so I am going to take her to see the Twilight movie this afternoon.

I know, I know

I know it isn't Christmas yet so I shouldn't be changing my blog background before Thanksgiving even gets here. But we are transplants to the midwest and around her people seem to go from Halloween to decorating for Christmas unlike New England. I suppose a lot of the New England tradition comes from the history back in those states and the founding of our country. But I am just itching to get my holiday decorations up and out for viewing enjoyment. With everyone being sick, myself included, I decided to change around my blogs a little. I'm not quite sure I like this background but it will do for now.

It's Official

Well it's official the flu has arrived at our house. Not just one or two of us but all of us have the flu to one degree or another. Annaliese even had the vomiting part to go with it. So we did end up canceling the two birthday parties schedule here this weekend. Micah was so sick that he really didn't care anymore. Arianna only had one friend who could make it that day but who wants to share the flu with anyone. It has sent our school week down the toilet and probably part of next week too. It seems to take a number of days before you get any of your strength back. My sickest child even wants to know if we will still put our Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving weekend and if I am making gravy. Hopefully we will all be doing better in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

Birthday Blues

My daughter Arianna will be 14 this Friday and my son Micah will be 7 on Saturday. It can be a kinda crazy weekend with birthdays back to back like that but now they are sick. We've been fighting colds and sore throats around here this past week and now it has hit the two of them. Micah might even have a little more going on stomach wise so I'm waiting to see. He's looking very pale. Arianna is suppose to have a sleepover party on Friday that might get canceled now. Micah was planning his first birthday party with a couple of friends on Sunday afternoon. So now we will have to see what happens with either of them. So we might have some birthday blues around here.

A little bit of Crafting

I've been working on a few items for our churches cookie and craft sale held in December. I thought I'd share a few of those photos.


I had so much fun working on these little guys. I made 8 of them but I'm going to keep 4 of them for myself. The pattern is from the Old Glory Company. It was the first time that I tried baking things in the oven. My hubby and kids would come in and ask what I was cooking. The smell of coffee, cinnamon and vanilla just waffled through the house. They were quite disappointed when they couldn't eat these little guys. But boy did the kitchen smell good.

Here's a whole pan of them. Don't they look great!



This snowman isn't really all that prim. He is lightly tea stained but I thought I should have a mixed variety because ya never know in such a small area as where we live right now how many are really into the prim decor.


I have some other items that I've been working on but they aren't finished yet. Mostly Christmas ornaments hopefully I will get those finished and can post them for next week. I figure if they don't sell very well at the church bazaar then I will either open an etsy store (never done that before) or sell them off my blog. Years ago I had a small craft business and did pretty well selling out of a booth and at fairs. Now with so many kids and the homeschooling I have really run out of the time needed to invest in something like that so that you have enough inventory to make the booth rent each month.

Daybook - November 2nd

Outside my window... the sun is shining (yeah) and the yard is covered in leaves

I am thinking... now fast the Thanksgiving and Christmas are approaching

I am thankful for... my children

I am wearing...I'm still in my red bathrobe about to get into the shower

I am going... to the grocery store this afternoon and maybe Goodwill to see what they might have for new Christmas items

I am reading... A Legacy of Grace. Just started reading this last week. Some homeschool mom's are going to do a book group/discussion using this book by Francine Rivers. I think it will be a good group.

I am hoping...to get back on my diet and our eliptical machine. I've gained back some of the weight I lost and I really need to get back onto taking weight off. I find this time of year harder for me than others because of the cold and lack of daylight hours. I sometimes I think I have some of that seasonal affective disorder.

On my mind...when will we be able to move on from this location. I feel like the Israelites wandering around in the desert crying out how long?

From the learning rooms...finishing up World War I and moving into the Great Depression for a couple of weeks.

Noticing that...the kids are moving a little slow this morning. They must be tired still.

Pondering these words..."I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11

From the kitchen... don't know yet

Around the house... lots of piles of craft items and some of the finished items for the church's Christmas sale

One of my favorite things . . . primitive and country decorating

From my picture journal...

If you'd like to read other woman's daybooks then hop on over to Peggy's and join in the fun.

Daybook-October 26th

FOR TODAY...October 26th
Outside my window... misty rain, wet ground

I am thinking... how much work I still need to do on the crafts for the church sale

I am thankful for... our homeschool group and choir group

I am wearing... jeans and a shirt

I am remembering... how much I love to decorate for fall and Christmas

I am going...to have less driving this week

I am reading...reading to the kids a book Kingdom's Dawn by Chuck Black

I am hoping... for some sunshine this week

On my mind... my day with my friend Tonja going to one of the local prim shops

From the learning rooms... working through finishing WWI and moving into the Holocaust

Noticing that... the trees are pretty bare around here

Pondering these words... to store up our treasures in heaven

From the kitchen...I think we will be making soup tonight

Around the house... need to do alot of school paper filing and sorting

One of my favorite things . . . baking this time of year

From my picture journal...


If you'd like to read other daybooks go on over to Peggy's click here.