Homemade Christmas

We decided to do a lot of homemade gifts for this last Christmas. I think we're going to make it a tradition actually because we enjoyed making the gifts so much. Although this year I am starting the gifts much sooner. So without further ado, presenting... Homemade Christmas! We did some more than this but this is most of it.
Matt made this little dinosaur for our nephew. He has a few more he wants to sell.

I made a quilted wall hanging for my mom and my mother-in-law. Since it's Christmas-y I decided to quilt snowflakes into the background. Hopefully you can kind of see the snowflakes in the picture.

The whole wall hanging. I got the idea from "O Christmas Tree" on the Moda Bake Shop website and changed it to fit my needs.

Matt made a beanbag toss game for the kids. This was their Santa present. They each got a box and 4 beanbags. Matt made all of it, including the bean bags. I knew food storage was good for something!

I made 4 capes-- one for each of my girls and then for two of my nieces. It was easier to make in bulk!

I put their initials on the back. The hardest one was a "B"!

Matt also made a measuring stick for his sister and brother-in-law (we had them for Christmas) that said: "The Smiths measure up". It was cute and he's going to make one for our family!

We loved having a homemade Christmas. We have decided to do this a lot more!

The week just slipped away

I make our blog into books. I have all the years so far. This post is completely pictures. Pictures of a beautiful, wonderful Christmas. Obviously I don't expect you to stare at each picture in wonder. But take a glance. Hopefully you can feel how great a Christmas it was for us. The week just slipped away.

Just for my records: Christmas 2011. Indiana, at my grandparent's house. Emily is 4 yrs, 4 months, Nathalie is 2 yrs, 8 months, Charlotte is 8 months.

You Sexy Thing, You

Sorry folks. I had a great many plans last week which were foiled by a mutiny my body staged. Apparently months of 6-7 hours of sleep and high stress weren't acceptable. Go figure.

After mastits, a head cold, pink eye, the flu and a throat so sore I could barely breathe, I have resurfaced to the world of the living. But not without great gratitude, let me tell you. Matt is grateful too. My children, not so much. Sick Mommy gives them fast food, movies and lots of leeway. Healthy Mommy isn't so fun. And Emily informed me today that " 'Yes' is a good word. But 'no' is a bad word. You shouldn't say bad words."

So, because I promised my mother to publicly humilitate myself over the InternetS for the rest of eternity, here is a picture of the organ we fondly referred to as my "Quasimodo Eye". In the height of my cold and flu, my body decided that it would focus all its energies on my eye, i.e. viral pinkeye. Not a darn thing to do about it except pretend that I am hideously deformed and not make eye contact with anyone I know at Kroger.

Remember, it was like this for a week. And Mom, you owe me big time.

It's okay. You can laugh.

Highlights from the month of December

The month of December was hectic. I was sewing for hours every night, finishing up Christmas projects. (Not a procrastinator or anything...) We had events to go to, things to prepare and lots of church activities. We still managed to fit in some wonderful things though. One night we took a walk so the kids could see the Christmas lights in our neighborhood. "So magical!" was Nathalie's favorite description and Emily kept telling me the lights were "magnificent".

The kids loved all the Christmas decorations at home too. We kept it simple, a few decorations and a tree but that was plenty for them! Charlotte loved the bells on the tree. The older girls pulled off the tinsel, cut it into tiny pieces and scattered it all over the main floor. Yeah. That was great.

It was also fun to talk about Christmas. I was so busy I didn't do anything special, but we did read the scriptures detailing Christ's birth over and over. The favorite activity of the Christmas season was listening to "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". I pretty much know every word now.

Christmas gets more fun the older my girls get. I can't wait until this Christmas!

Daddy Time, pt 2

The evening that Matt and we raked leaves, we got a phone call from my dad. "Hey, I'm going to be in Ohio tomorrow. Can I come visit?" We were so excited. My girls were thrilled.
Even though the visit was short, only Sunday evening, it was worth every minute. Matt made some delicious burgers, the girls and I cooked up dessert and there was a hold of lot of book reading, cuddling, playing and holding going on.

We sure loved our night with Grandpa. I'm so lucky to have a wonderful husband, a wonderful dad and a wonderful father-in-law. It's the good life.

Resolution Fail

Tonight we had FHE (family home evening). It was about setting goals. We all set one (or several)goals. And then we set a goal as a family: To be more like Jesus by being nicer to each other.

So after FHE we had some dinner. Emily pinched Nathalie. Emily was sent to time-out. Nathalie got reprimanded for singing Little Mermaid loudly (to the point of being unable to hear).

Enter bedtime. 7:55, girls lights out. Lots of giggling escalates into whoops and shrieks. I go up there. Put them back in bed. Several minutes later, little footsteps thumping down the hall. Matt goes up. 8:30, still laughter coming from their room, constant for the last 30 minutes. I go up there. Matt goes up there. 8:45, I am putting Charlotte to bed. Still constant giggling and laughter. I lose it. Yell at the kids. Matt scolds them. They are sad. I am stressed, Matt is stressed. We bicker for a minute about the kids.

9:15, Charlotte is crying. Girls are talking and laughing. I go up. Lose it again and make Emily go to the toy room to sleep on the couch in there. Both girls crying, plus Charlotte too. Matt goes up there. Saves the day. Calms the girls down. Charlotte cries herself to sleep.

9:30, Nathalie is crying. I go up there. Retrieve her blanket. Emily is crying. Ask Emily what is wrong and she says, "I want Daddy." I ask, "Why?" She doesn't respond. I say, "Because I'm mean?" A nod. Yes.

EPIC. RESOLUTION. FAIL.

That was quick.

Daddy Time, pt 1

Back in November, we had a beautiful Saturday afternoon just hanging out with Matt.
The kids helped him rake. He buried them in leaves.

While I did a little cleaning, Matt and Emily made some molds and talked for an hour.

We love this guy.

Don't know where to begin

So I'll just post what I want to tonight. Here are some pictures of my beautiful girls.