Pinterest Toddler Christmas

While Christmas Day itself has come and gone, I can't help but publish the posts started and not quite finished by the big day. It's still the Christmas season after all, so in the spirit...

There are so many great Christmas pins out there, from sweet treats and savory appetizers to ideas of crafting genius for a fun girls' night and toddler activities.

With so many choices, I wanted to keep our activities simple and the time we spent crafting educational  and spiritual.

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All three of these learning activities were huge hits. You can't go wrong with a bag of marshmallows after all!

The Sheriff loves glueing and is mastering some handprint art, so we couldn't leave the season alone without some fun crafts along the way. On Momma's latest night out, the boys enjoyed watching Rudolph at home together, and W was beyond excited to make his version for Daddy.

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I'm not so sure that my 7.5 inch footprint looks as cute as his!

We managed to create this classic craft as well, and it hung on the tree with the Christmas tree crafts mentioned above.

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Another Santa favorite was counting (and eating!) while filling out Santa's beard with marshmallows.

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We'll start letter J and make some candy cane J is for Jesus cards to perhaps mail as thank-you notes for the gifts from our family.

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While I wish that I had published this post on time, it's nice to look back on our weeks leading up Christmas and see the fun that was had. In preparing our hearts for Jesus' birthday, we celebrated Advent (at each and every meal of course) with the lighting of the candles on the Advent wreath and singing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" which W expects to hear every Sunday at Mass now. He's also got a stellar version of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" complete with change of pitch for a big finish. Admittedly, most of the Christmas decorations are being put away, but we'll focus on the nativity and the coming of the Three Kings in the next week and keep our fingers crossed that perhaps the "Herald Angels" will make an appearance again at next Sunday's Mass.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 -- Merry Christmas!

We are so very close! Christmas is in less than a week, and I for one am one excited parent to see W's face when Santa indeed brings his requested Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand!

We kept another Christmas season tradition as we met friends for the city's annual Christmas tree lighting.

Not only does each year bring more excitement but we feel more and more like locals too as we know just how to navigate the evening and run into various friends along the way.

We learn a few lessons too. For example, next year we'll arrive early enough for The Sheriff to get inside the giant snow globe for a picture, yes, but also because he was itching to throw some of the white stuff into the air!

He did play a few of the games, and by the end of the night we managed to find a coveted glow stick necklace AND a handheld glow stick as well.

And it wasn't long before the night darkened, excitement heightened, and Santa arrived! This year, accompanied by Mrs. Clause, he had his own float led by Frosty jamming out to a drum line beat from the high school where I taught several years ago.

And after a few quick words, it was countdown time.

Whoa! 

On our way out we found a "snow" machine and another bit of Christmas magic!

Elf Chronicles 2012 -- Year 1, Week 2

Texan's become more of a figure this week now that he's not messing with anyone's airplanes. Hopefully he doesn't get too testy with that theory next week, but with these sneaky guys you never know! 

And who knows if these are in the exact correct order. My brain doesn't have room for that right now! 

December 8, 2012

Texan snuck into some old bows overnight and decided that the Island of Sodor was in great need of Christmas decor.

December 9, 2012

We didn't manage to get a picture of the donut repeat performance. Mini donuts (Frosted Cheerios meets Nutella meets sprinkles) have been requested daily. Guess it makes my job easy.

December 10, 2012

We've been talking about writing a letter (and drawing pictures) to send to Santa, and the jolly's guy's tiny helper brought the perfect stationery for the occasion.

While I had to help draw the trains, I'd say the little guy's helicopter is pretty clear. We colored it blue as the specific request is a blue Dinoco helicopter with Mater inside. Let's hope this year isn't the preview for a lifetime of random gift requests. Thankfully Santa also knows ebay.

Making sure Santa knows which trains one wants is especially serious business. 

This was the first elf appearance at toddler height. Unfortunately, he was accidentally knocked to the floor and spent the rest of the day lounging in bed. 

December 11, 2012

Texan made himself at home and in his first "naughty" act dyed the milk green. He must not have thought it out completely.
a. The toddler just might not impressed but instead find himself totally weirded out and unable to have milk for the day.
b. That's a lot of green milk. Two words: interesting diapers.

The Sheriff did not mind but instead got a kick out of the green milk in our morning cereal.

December 12, 2012

Texan enjoyed a random "bubble" bath in Momma's tub.

December 13, 2012

In his second "touchable" position, Texan snuck into The Sheriff's room and found himself interested in one of W's favorite library books.

December 14, 2012

Mini donuts appeared. Again.

December 15, 2012

After a Friday night hayride through a neighborhood full of lights, W woke to Texan putting on a light show of his own.

As The Sheriff says immediately after we find him each day, "What's he going to do tomorrow?" 

No Understanding

I was planning to post our second week of Elf on the Shelf antics this week, but it doesn't seem right. On this overcast day here in TX, my hearts is heavy with anger, grief, anxiety, and disbelief. It's only fitting that the sun isn't shining when our nation, our world, is devastated by the Connecticut school shooting. I don't have any answers on gun control policies. I don't have clear cut opinions on how to transform the culture of violence that permeates our world. All that I have is the one place I know where to turn.

Heavenly Father,

We approach you today with hearts torn in so many pieces. Many of us have no personal connection to the tragic shooting today; some truly unfortunate ones do. We cannot begin to understand such evil. We can't begin to feel the horror of parents waiting to see if their children were the ones to come out of that school. We can't imagine how the Christmas season will for some be changed forever.

Our hearts are filled with fear. We live in a world where we tell our children that it's ok and we are here for them; they are safe and we will always protect them. We know deep within that this isn't really in our control.  So today, Father, we give that fear to You. We lay it down at the foot of the Cross.

And we pray for our children. We pray not only that You always protect our little ones beneath Your wings, but also that You guide our children be lights in a dark world.  Let the love You've placed in their hearts shine from within on outward to touch lives, change lives, and create a world of peace.

We know these children are with you now which doesn't necessarily heal our hearts just yet. Let them be angels to their families, friends, and community to bring comfort.

Protect us today and everyday, Lord, and bless each and every member of our world touched by the tragedy today.

In Jesus's name,
Amen.

Snow Day And Santa Clause

We are on a Christmas Dash from here on out as we make memories and explore traditions, and I want to be sure to have a place for all of these moments.

The first full weekend of December brought J's company family party complete with snow, "sledding," and of course, that jolly fellow himself. 

We arrived a little late, and W looked on with skepticism when we arrived. What is that white stuff and what does one do with it? 

He looked back, and if you could hear his thoughts, I'd imagine they go something like, "Is this right, Daddy? Just walk in? And then what?"

It was pretty cold on his fingers, and thanks to the invitation's warning that the "snow" will be wet and cold, we were fully prepared with gloves.

Which made things much better!

We enjoyed snow as we imagine Northerners do by tossing snowballs at Daddy and building mini "Frostys." I imagine our friends up north feel about playing outdoors every day in the cold much like we do about playing outside with our tiny people in 100+ degree summers. To us, though, this was a magical afternoon.

We missed the hayride out to the petting farm as they stopped running the tractors at dusk, but The Sheriff took it in stride. In fact, he was laid back throughout our entire wait in the Santa line, until...
it was our turn.

And then?

I wasn't going to make him sit on Santa's lap alone in distress, so I sat my pregnant self on him complete with overstuffed bag and screaming toddler.  After all, his mission was to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. Perhaps I could have prepared him better for sitting on the strange man's lap. He made out like a bandit with not one but two candy canes and even told old Kris Kringle that he wanted "Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand" to which Santa responded, "Oh!" just like every other response he gets from this request. Thomas the Train loyals will know just what he wants!

One quick hot dog dinner later, and we were ready for more snow, this time conquering the big kids section with a bit of sledding. W really wanted to participate and wiped out on his first ride, making that change of clothes suggested and brought totally necessary. Our little just-a-southern-boy-in-the-snow trooper got right back up and couldn't wait to ride down again and again. 

The evening ended with a fireworks, a show that produced a toddler "whoa" with every rocket. I'm grateful that J works for such a family friendly company and the memories we made at our first family snow day! 

Christmas Dash -- O Christmas Tree

We met the first weekend of December with a decorated tree and lights up outside of the house.  While I think it's important to give Thanksgiving its time, I wanted the "hard" parts done before December began this year so we could have the entire month to enjoy our decorations and have time to take part in holiday festivities throughout the city and with friends.

We picked out our tree before pulling back into our driveway from our Thanksgiving trip to LA and had it mostly complete by the end of the weekend. There are so many traditions I'd love to include with tree decorating, but if there's one thing I've learned this Christmas season, it's that we don't have to do everything right now. I am learning from our toddler that simple can be best.  Traditions can be flexible;  one part of preparing to celebrate Christ's birth is spending time together in peace, love, and joy. 

W commenced tree decorating with his newest ornament. 

Reuniting with this Hobby Lobby purchase brought nothing but smiles.

Of course before ornaments make their tree debut, they must be tested and toddler approved.

Trains included.

Although not quite clad in anything picture worthy, I'm thankful J captured our decorating moments this year as W needed a bit of assistance in getting the ornament loops around a tree branch.

Tiny hands, symbolic duck...

Our perfect Christmas tree!

I love a fully decorated tree with garland and mesh and bows and lights galore and have such an appreciation for those of you with the eye for themed and matching trees. Our style, though, stays true to what I remember as a child: a tree full of ornaments, each one holding a family memory, each one a link from past to present. 

Baby Shower Crafting -- Paris Themed Edition

A couple of weeks ago our moms group threw a Paris themed baby shower to celebrate our dear friend Lindsey who will be welcoming a baby girl into her family in a few weeks. I was in charge of a few decorations and with a bit of Pinterest inspiration, crafted a little pink and black wall hanging that I'd like to share. 

Excuse the picture quality, but I was a definite fan of how this project came out, and if baby #2 is a girl, she just might have a nursery built around something of the sort. 

Materials:

--Square canvas to fit your fleur-de-lis

--Wooden fleur de lis (found at Hobby Lobby)

--Wooden letters 

--Acrylic paint (background and letters) 

--Spray paint (optional--I used black spray paint for the letters)

-- 1 page scrapbook paper (thicker cardstock is better)

--Mod Podge

Directions:

I should give these more like a recap since I don't have pictures of every step AND I changed my colors along the way. 

Trace fleur de lis on scrapbook paper (and use the back to avoid pencil lines). Keep pencil tip as close to the edge of the wood as possible. You want a perfect fit. Carefully cut out fleur de lis next, remembering you want the paper to keep a close fit on the wood. 

Paint background of canvas. Don't forget about the sides!

Paint letters, making sure to cover front, insides, and outsides. This is where my picture doesn't match final product. I was originally going to the letters pink but decided the canvas needed to be pink and the letter black. I spray painted over the pink (with much frustration and a black hand for the day, mind you). 

Paint sides of wooden fleur de lis with color of choice as well. 

 To cover the fleur de lis, paint a layer of Mod Podge over the wood. Also cover the back of the scrapbook cutout with a layer of Mod Podge. Very carefully, start at the top and line up the scrapbook paper with the wood. Press out air bubbles as you lay the rest of the paper down. If necessary, you have a minute or so to lift up the paper and shift around if it won't lie correctly. When the scrapbook paper is in place and fully smooth, be sure to rub hands several times over the top to seal.

When completely dry, paint a layer of Mod Podge over the top and allow to dry completely.

When everything is dry, place layers on top of each other and hot glue down. You can use the back of the canvas for hanging or hot glue a ribbon on the back to provide a "hook."

Happy Crafting! (And we can't wait to meet that little girl Lindsey!) 

Hey That's (Mostly) Pin-tastic! Easy Chicken and Dumplings

J is a huge pot pie fan so when I ran across this recipe that has a similar feel to it, I knew we'd have to give it a shot. It also has that "easy weeknight dish" vibe working for it.

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After trying this, not once but TWICE, I thought I'd share for this week's link up with AP.

For my first dance with this recipe I grabbed the "Grands" biscuits, and we ended in disaster. I followed the very simple recipe directions and the bottoms of the biscuits would not cook. I tried flipping them midway, and that just made a mess. I scraped more than half of the dough off and we ate the very tops with our filling.

We knew it needed another attempt. I found regular biscuits at the store, well as regular as you can get. The smaller ones are called "Grands Jr." and for the life of me could find nothing smaller. 

And following the recipe again:

Looks great right? Like the picture above?
Turns out that the underneath wouldn't finish cooking (again!) so we had to shave off the tops and throw out uncooked dough.

Glancing back at the recipe before writing this post, I checked out the comments section and so many people  complained about the biscuits not cooking. So I don't feel so bad! 

A few readers gave suggestions as well, such as quartering the biscuits first or even baking them a bit by themselves first to get the bottom browned. 

I'm not giving up on this recipe because the filling is tasty, the prep is super easy, it's a good comfort food sort of meal, and my family eats it! I'll have to keep ya updated! 

Thanks for the link-up AP!