Blogmas Day 7 - Handmade Christmas

Handmade presents are so special.  I don't receive handmade presents unless their from the kids and it doesn't matter if it's something scribbled with some unidentified picture (you know how little kids are) it still means so much to me.

Before having children I tried making handmade gifts for others.  One year I painted ceramic figurines, another year I painted wooden sculptures and another year I tried making candles (oh, that was a mess!)  I did make a shadow box for my dad and another for my mother-in-law.  My dad loves fishing so I made a fishing theme inside.  I made it look like the inside of a fishing cabin where I glued a small table and chair and a tackle box and fishing rod and even some small fishing magazines.  These are all items I bought at a craft store that is supposed to be for doll houses.  It turned out so adorable.  It hangs in the extra bedroom at my parents' house.  I wish I had a picture to show you.  I made a garden theme for my mother-in-law.  Those were fun to put together.

This year I decided to make salt dough ornaments with the kids.  The recipe is on my box of cookie cutters.  I pulled out all the Christmas shapes and then mixed up the dough (using flour, salt and water).  I rolled out the dough, just like you would when making cookies, and I pressed each shape with the cookie cutters.  I stuck them in the oven on 350 degrees for 20 minutes just like the recipe said.  Well, let's just say, the ornaments didn't come out right after it baked.  Some were still soft in the middle and others grew bubbles and got all lumpy.  I have no idea what happened there but I allowed the kids to paint them anyway.

 

There may be a few worth saving but for the most part these ornaments didn't turn out as I had hoped.  At least the kids had fun. 

Without fail, year after year since my son was born, my most favorite gift to create and give is a calendar for my husband to use at work.  I've created the calendars at either Artscow or Shutterfly but if I'm running low on time (like this year) I just create one at Walgreens and it's usually ready the same day.  The thing I love, love, love about Artscow and Shutterfly is that when you sign up for an account and create/buy products you will randomly get e-mail offers for free or discounted items.  Same with Walgreens.  I'm always getting e-mails for discounted prints or a free 8x10 print.  I've also used those sites to create photobooks too.  

 And I can't forget this one!  I always wanted to be a writer.  That is my dream.  Well, if you can imagine, becoming a writer and getting books published isn't easy.  A few years ago I decided to create a fun book for my parents and I found a website that allowed me to do just that.  I wrote the story and my husband drew the pictures.  I wrote the book about two dogs my parents used to own, Boston Terriers named Rocky and Barney.  Rocky and Barney were brothers from the same litter and they were such humorous dogs with different personalities.  They really kept us entertained.  So it only made sense to create a children's story about Rocky and Barney.  Of course, if you didn't know these two, you wouldn't understand it.  That's what made it so special.  You can see the book here.  Rocky and Barney's Day Out.  That's probably the most heartfelt gift I ever made anyone. 

Blogmas Day 6 - Opening Presents

When I was a child we would go to my grandparents' house on Christmas Eve for dinner.  The house was packed with aunts, uncles and my many, many, many cousins.  My grandparents always had cards for each of us with money inside.  That was their gift to us.  We'd usually exchange gifts that our aunts and uncles gave us as well.  Then we'd get home and the present from Santa had already been placed under the tree.  Even though it was probably about midnight by the time we got home I was able to play with my new gift from Santa and that is when we all gathered around the tree to open the rest of the gifts.  My dad never wanted to wait until Christmas morning.  Christmas morning was usually spent playing with all my new gifts.

Now my parents drive to Long Island, New York to my sister's house and have a Christmas Eve party there where they all open gifts from each other.  I've been able to visit for the Christmas party from time to time but in recent years we stay home here in Pennsylvania.

If you didn't know this about me, I used to live on Long Island and came here with my parents when I was 14.  The rest of my family still lives on LI.

Since my husband and I got married and moved in together we decided to exchange gifts on Christmas morning.  I like it so much better that way.  We've kept the tradition going with the kids.  When they go to bed I put all the gifts under the tree so they have a nice surprise when they wake up.  Even before breakfast they waste no time tearing into the presents.  Then we go to my father-in-law and his wife's house to have dinner and exchange gifts with them.

I wish I had a photo from my childhood Christmas to share but my parents have them at their house.  So I'll just share one from last year.  I have to be honest, Christmas has become so much more meaningful and so much better since having children.  

I also want to take a moment to thank Sandra and those on Sandra's blog who stop by and read my blogs and comment on them.  I love the visits and the comments.  I don't have many followers and don't receive many comments on here so it's been nice.  THANKS! 

Blogmas Day 5 - Favorite Christmas Food

Honestly, I'm not sure if there is any particular food that I look forward to the most when it comes to Christmas.  As a child we used to go to my grandparents' house for Christmas Eve dinner and they would have a turkey among so many other things to eat.  In recent years we've always had ham; whether we make it here at home or we go to the in-laws for Christmas Day dinner.  Then there are the sides of potatoes, veggies, biscuits and whatever else is decided on.  Then there is dessert.  My sister-in-law makes a dump cake, which I haven't tried.  My husband loves it and begs me to try it but excuse me, I just can't get myself to consume anything named DUMP cake ... lol.  I usually make a chocolate cake and a few years ago my son suggested we turn it into a birthday cake for Jesus so I always make a cake that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS. 

I do make a batch of sugar cookies and use my Christmas shaped cookie cutters.  I'll hold off on that recipe until it's time for the Christmas cookie post.  :-)

I can't wait to read what everyone else eats for Christmas.  

Blogmas Day 4 - My Favorite Christmas Music

I LOVE Christmas music.  My list is long ... but I will pick one song here.

In my house, we are big Duck Dynasty fans.  Last year my husband bought me their Christmas CD Duck The Halls.  It's been in my car since and every time we are driving somewhere (ALL YEAR long) my daughter asks to listen to "Away in the Manger" sung by Sadie Robertson.  So I decided to post the song here.

It starts with Mia, a little girl who reads from Luke 2 (Hey, I posted that the other day).  Then Sadie, Mia's cousin, sings the song.  Such a beautiful voice.

I also enjoy other classics such as Silent Night, O Holy Night, Breath of Heaven to name a few.

Blogmas 2014 - Day 3 My Favorite Christmas Movies

When I was a child I loved watching Miracle on 34th Street.  Every year I looked forward to watching it with my mom.  The movie came out in 1947 (Wow that is the year my dad was born) but I actually enjoy those old classics.  My mom and I used to watch a lot of the old movies together, like Singing In The Rain and some other ones that the titles aren't clicking in my head right now ... but anyway, back to CHRISTMAS movies ...

This movie is about a man who fills in for the intoxicated Santa at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and he is such a hit they hire him to be the Santa for the mall.  He claims he's the real Santa and even ends up going to court because people think he's mentally unstable.  In the end they all find out he truly is the real Santa, including this young girl pictured above (Natalie Wood) who didn't believe in Santa at all before he came along.

I also enjoy National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  Oh, that one just cracks me up each and every time I watch it.

Clark Griswold wants nothing more than a perfect Christmas with his family but everything seems to go wrong for him.

The most recent movie that I enjoy a lot, and my family enjoys it as well, is Elf.  My kids insist on watching it all the time.  When my son was 3 he wanted to watch it throughout the entire year.  That's okay, it never gets old in my opinion.

 After sneaking into Santa's sack at the orphanage as a baby Buddy grew up in the North Pole where he lived with the elves.  But when he grows up and finds out he's a human he takes a trip to New York City to meet his dad and live among other humans.  His dad, who is on the naughty list, is obsessed with his career but Buddy helps him to learn what really matters in life.  If you haven't seen this movie yet I suggest you watch it.  It's cute and humorous. Good for the whole family. 

Blogmas 2014 Day 2 - What Does Christmas Mean To Me

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” -- Luke 2: 4-14

As a child Christmas was all about giving and receiving gifts and spending time with family and loved ones.  Santa left a special present for me under the tree on Christmas morning.  But through the chaos of it all my parents made sure I knew the true meaning of Christmas was about the birth of Jesus.  I always believed it.  Never doubted it.  

Jesus was born into the world to teach people how to live correctly and then died a brutal death on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven and we could have eternal life in Heaven.  Jesus died for each and every one of us.  I don't know anyone who could love us more than that. 

And still, I've passed on many of my childhood traditions to my children.  We leave a gift from "Santa" under the tree and exchange other gifts.  We allow them to have fun picking out what gifts they want and then tearing open each present on Christmas morning but we teach them that the best gift of all is the birth of Jesus.  He is the reason why we celebrate Christmas (and Easter) and that is what this season means to me.  

Blogmas 2014 - Day 1 Your Favorite Christmas Tradition

I decided to participate in Blogmas 2014 created by the wonderful Sandra at The Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.  I often participate in her Happy Homemaker Monday but haven't been able to do that in awhile.  I will get back to HHM eventually but I am going to give this Blogmas a try.  I don't update my blog often because I never know what to write so this shall be fun.  Hopefully I can find the time every day this month to complete this. 

And wow, can you believe it's December already?  Where did the year go?  Unbelievable! 

Ok, here it is. 

Your Favorite Christmas Tradition

When it comes to Christmas my family has a lot of traditions.  We bake sugar cookies with my Christmas shape cookie cutters, we go to the mall and let the kids pick out a new ornament or two for our tree, we stay home on Christmas Eve to watch as Santa goes by on a firetruck and we take a trip to the nearby amusement park to see their lights display and see Santa.  But I think my most favorite tradition of all is setting up the tree and all the decorations.  Every year it's done the day after Thanksgiving.

I've never been great at dealing with crowds so Black Friday shopping is out of the question.  Plus, before having children when I worked I had the day after Thanksgiving off and my husband took the day off.  It was a perfect day to get the decorating done. 

We have a prelit artificial tree which seems to make things so much easier.  I don't have to worry about stringing lights but I do add a few pieces of garland and the glass balls while the children put the rest of the ornaments on.  They love doing it. 

Then I arrange other decorations around the house, including our ceramic nativity scene and the stockings.  The children also enjoy sticking the window clings to the living room window. 

My husband hangs the lights and decorates the outside of the house.  I didn't take a picture of that yet.