Merry Christmas Eve!
He also left them some elf cookies. These three cookies came straight from the North Pole, but in case you’re wondering I’ve also seen them at Barnes and Noble. :)
They are my favorite Christmas present every year.
And a quick shot of our tree. We took the table out and put it in our breakfast nook this year. Kenny’s entertaining the kids right now so that I can wrap so I better get to it! I just didn’t want the day to go by without saying how grateful I am for all of you. It means the world to me that you take a minute out of your busy day to read this blog. I love connecting with you all and truly consider you all friends. Thank you for being a part of my life this year! One of my favorite parts. :)
Christmas in the kitchen
Painters and carpenters have been in my house “finishing up” for weeks now. Â I started putting things on the mantel and then had to take them down to paint the mantel. Â I wanted to put garland on the stairs, but there were too many places that needed touch up paint on the stairs. Â You get the picture. Â Let’s just say that this year was a bit of a wash as far as holiday decorating goes around my place! Â But that’s ok. Â Next year we will be a bit more settled and hopefully have a table or two! Â The one spot I was able to spruce up a bit was a corner of my kitchen.
A little Christmas decor in my bay window was enough to help us get in the mood for the season. Â I love having a bay window in the kitchen. Â I’ve always wanted one. Â My window guy tried to talk me out of it because he said it would be such a pain to clean. Â What!? Â It’s so not a big deal to climb on the counter get on a chair and wipe it off once a week. Â Glad I didn’t cave!
Poinsettias in a pitcher and candy canes in the other corner. Â Our candy canes are quickly depleting. Â I’m clearly not the only one who is climbing on the counter.
So while we weren’t able to do much for holiday decorating this year, we at least have a touch of Christmas in the kitchen.
Our Favorite Toys! (2013)
Sharing a few favorite toys today! Â Mostly because I am just now ordering a lot of our Christmas so toys are on my mind! Â I thought this would be my year to get back on top of things and have everything Christmas related done by now, but apparently next year will be “the year”. Â :) Â A lot of odds and ends to finish the new house have kept me so busy this month so I’m doing most of my shopping on-line. Â At the LAST minute. Â Lovely!
I have to admit that while I love shopping for extended family and friends, these three are the most fun to surprise! Â I love finding that perfect gift for each of them that I know will have them squealing Christmas morning. Â TOO much fun.
This pic is from our family photoshoot last month and I adore Kole’s little face he pulls when we say “smile!” Â Not quite his natural smile but at least it’s better than this…
:)
1.  Rudolph Memory Challenge – Getting this because we are obsessed with Rudolph around here and memory/matching games are always a hit with Kole.
2. Â Pete The Cat Books – Kole LOVES Pete the Cat books. Â He discovered them in preschool and they have become fast favorites. Â Darling stories.
3.  Melissa and Doug Car Carrier – This was a Christmas present from last year that my little buddy  has played with over and over.  Wooden toys are the best and Melissa and Doug toys hold up so well.
4. Â Go Away Big Green Monster – I think we’ve read this story over 4,629 times. Â Or more. Â We talk a lot about monsters at our house so I ordered this book for Kole last March for his birthday. Â I had no clue he would love it as much as he does. Â It’s a simple book that would be great for even a 1 or 2 year old.
5.  Maxbox Mega Rig Shark Adventure – I just ordered this because I know it will be a fun toy in and out of the tub!  Sharks rank right up there with monsters (basically anything scary that could “gobble you up” is a hit with Kole right now).  Plus I just thought the ship looked like fun.  Anything that encourages imaginative play is a good thing.
6. Â Wooden Digger – Â You can’t go wrong getting a digger or truck for a toddler boy! Â I just bought the wooden digger from this set at Pottery Barn Kids because the wooden Melissa and Doug cars were such a hit last year. Â A bit of a splurge for one truck, but all of the parts are so movable like a real digger. Â Perfect for scooping pretend dirt! Â Or even better – real dirt if mom’s in a good mood.
7. Â Assorted Dinosaur Set – LOVE our dinosaur toys around here. Â The gobble you up thing again.
8. Â Go Away Monster Game – Kole has played this game in therapy and loves it so much. Â I want to buy it for him but it looks like they aren’t making it anymore!? Â I haven’t seen it for less than 50 bucks used. Â Yikes! Â Still working on this one…
9. Â Plasma Car – All three of my kids have loved their plasma cars for years now! Â I can’t recommend these enough.
10.  John Deer Tractor – K I haven’t ordered this yet but I’m dying to get it for Kole!  He would love it!  But I’ve already got several things for him for Christmas and I’ve found with kids (especially toddlers) that too much at once is just too much.  I love for my kids to really play with and enjoy each of their toys so I don’t like to give them too much at one time.  So one of you need to get it for your little boy.  It will make me feel better.  :)
11.  Zingo – Another favorite of Kole’s.  Zingo is just a fun way to play Bingo.  Toddler style.  If Kole has a willing playmate (thank you Ellie!) he’ll play this game all evening.
12. Â Mindscope Neo Tracks – Kole has played with these at a friend’s house and loved them so much. Â The tracks bend and flex and can be put together in so many different ways. Â I know this will become a favorite!
13.  Jenga – Such a fun and simple game.  Kole loves it.  There is such a joy he finds in crashing things that I’ll never understand.  But if it makes him happy, it makes me happy.  :)
Hope this post gave you a few fun toy ideas if you’re still scrambling like me! Â Like I said – next year. Â Christmas cards will be ready to mail by September! Â Gifts will be bought by October! Â Decorating will be done in November!
And just like every year during this crazy, busy month it will all eventually get done and work out.
Favorite Things 2013!
He loves them both so much! Â He has been wearing the pj’s and wanting the dinosaur story every night since. Â So I checked Amazon for more books and matching pajamas and found so many darling options! Â My kids will definitely be seeing more matching books and pjs in their future. Â :)
My two favorite cleaning supplies right now:  Bona for my wood floors and Meyer’s Lavendar spray for my countertops.  Love them both.  (Meyer’s has so many good scents – I’m just really enjoying Lavendar at the moment!)  A cute basket full of good cleaning supplies would make a great gift.  Especially for someone who doesn’t mind cleaning.  We do exist.  :)
I got the Epson LabelWorks Label Maker last Spring for my birthday.  My husband knows me well.  :)  I’ve only used it a few times to practice labeling, but come January I know the two of us will be inseparable.  I’m in love.  This is a fabulous gift for the organizer in your life!
I’ve shared this candle as a favorite before, but feel the need to mention it again because I just can’t imagine a better scent for this time of year. Â It will fill your house with the smell of fresh pine and I have one burning round the clock come December! Â In fact as you can see from this picture, I recently stocked up when they went on sale. Â :) Â The color and label on the candle change each year but the heavenly scent is always the same. Â Bath and Body Works Fresh Balsam candle. Â A long time favorite and one of my favorite gifts to give this time of year.
HGTV magazine has become one of my all-time favorite reads. Â So many fun decorating ideas. Â I find that by the time I’m done reading through an issue I’ve torn out half of the magazine! Â A subscription to this fun read is on my Christmas list this year. Â :)
While I haven’t been able to spend as much time scrapbooking as I would like to, Project Life albums and accessories still make my favorites list. Â Now that our new house is finished I’m anxious to start catching up the kids’ albums. Â Or at least attempt to anyway. Â :)
I use mine in my pantry (just setting them up in the new pantry now!) but you can use them for so many different things. Â Really fun gift idea.
One last current favorite of mine. Â My girls have been busy making cards for EVERYONE we know. Â Makes me smile seeing them around the tree. Â And filling up every other nook and cranny throughout our house. Â :) Â Santa will need to bring some new paper and markers to replenish our stock!
Our favorite Christmas Movies!
The same movies – just in an ever so fancy carrying case. Â I’m not ashamed to admit that I watch these with or without my children, although having the kids around makes me feel a little more legit. Â But really, it just isn’t Christmas without a plastic looking Abominable Snow Monster. Â Or without a cute toddler trying to pronounce “Abominable.”
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns
Christmas Classics – full gift set (all included)
If you have little girls, here are a four movies my girls have LOVED. Â They loved them when they were 2 and 4 and at ages 7 and 9 they still love them and get excited to watch them every year. Â Thank goodness. Â It will be a sad day for me when they are too cool for the Barbie movies!
Barbie in A Christmas Carol
Barbie A Perfect ChristmasÂ
Angelina Ballerina Nutcracker Sweet
Care Bears Nutcracker
Barbie in the Nutcracker (Which isn’t photographed because it has been playing over and over in the playroom this week.  Lots of music and a “scary mouse King” so Kole loves this one too!)Â
K these next two movies are a bit on the cheesy side, but my girls LOVE them. Â Really fun for Elementary age kids who love dogs!
We are also big fans of all of the Mickey Mouse Christmas movies. Â So much fun for little ones. Â Aside from “Mickey Saves Santa” (more for toddlers) my girls still love all of these too.
Classic Holiday Stories  (my personal favorite – I adore all 3 of the cartoons on this DVD)
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas
Mickey Saves Santa
Mickey’s Magical Christmas Snowed in at the House of Mouse
Holiday Celebration with Mickey and Pals
Hot Chocolate Station
I put the hot chocolate powder in a clear glass jar with a tablespoon in it so that we can easily measure portions. 2-3 scoops per mug!
I’ve sprinkled these small poinsettias throughout my house this year and I’m loving them! Having real plants that bring color and warmth is always a good thing.
I love coming around the corner of my kitchen and seeing a brightly colored hot chocolate station all set up and ready to go.
The rest of my shelves are still bare, but the kids and I don’t mind. We are too busy sipping our hot cocoa to care. :)
This has been so much fun. Some days we’ve had a cup right after the girls get out of school. We make our hot chocolate and sit down at the counter together and talk about how their day went. Other days we’ve waited until evening when homework and baths and dinner are done. A special treat we all enjoy together each day during the month of December. Like I said, it’s the little things. Simple family traditions. Quiet time spent together that make this time of year so special. That and lots of chocolate. Chocolate makes everything special too.
Past Christmas Posts (weekend reading)
Various posts that include my Christmas Decor for 2011…
My new kitchen!
This side nook was one of the first things I told our architect I wanted when we sat down to plan the house. In our last house our dining table was in between the kitchen and family room. It was a tight space and we were always bumping into the table and chairs. I wanted the table off to the side so that it was out of the way of the kitchen/family room traffic flow.
I originally had a banquette here – built-in bench seats but then decided to take them out. I think they’re so fun! But I didn’t want everyone to have to slide in and out for one person to get in and once we decided to put french doors on the right side of the nook instead of a window I thought a table and chairs would work better.
I always pictured a round table in this spot, but after we put our old temporary table in we started thinking a rectangle table might work better after all. I’m excited to find a fun rug for this space to cozy it up!
I decided to make our kitchen counter and cabinets wrap around and into the nook. Creates some extra storage and it will be a fun space for a pop of decor. I adore the three little drawers in the middle. :) Perfect for random things like napkins.
This is the butler’s pantry. It connects my pantry (on the right) and the formal dining room (on the left). I love this space! I had so many ideas for it that I had a hard time choosing how it should look. Originally it was just closed glass shelves. But then I decided to go with open shelving. And of course in my opinion everything is more fun with some wide planks behind it. :) I’m also a huge fan of corbels (they are on the outside of the house too) so I added some under the shelves.
The bottom section is just cupboards and drawers for more storage. You can see our pantry door to the right. Pantry is a post for another day!
They intimidate me just a bit.
:)
Thanksgiving re-cap
We’d rake a few leaves and then instead of hauling them in the wagon the kids started giving each other rides in the wagon.
And of course I had to take a break to take pictures of them. My dad came out in the yard to see how things were going and just shook his head. What would he do without us? :)
My girls sang and my niece played her violin for a little impromptu performance for some friends of my mom’s. My girls have such pretty voices. They did not get this from me. But I do sing a lot. While I clean. When I drive. So I’m taking credit.
And we spent LOADS of time drooling over this little guy. Oh my word. My nephew Finn is the CUTEST. And getting so big. I think I held him for a total of 268 hours. Or more.
I bought him the little outfit he has on. I feel it’s my duty as his favorite Aunt (sorry Carly – you know it’s true) to keep him looking stylish at all occasions. The two of us are tight. I know he misses me right now. I sure miss him.
Wouldn’t take much.