A Decidely Lovely Christmas (in pictures)

Welp. We did it. We made it through.

My brother got married.

{my sister, Doria, and me. best picture I had. SO sorry, Doria!}

We had a wonderful time with all of our family.

And then we did something we haven't done right after Christmas before. We left town.

My mom had rented a roomy 3 bedroom log cabin at a gorgeous resort in Virginia and invited us to go along. Because my siblings were working and my dad was hunting, it would just be us, my mom and my niece. We agreed to come for a couple of days and almost canceled several times out of sheer exhaustion, but it ended up being the best idea ever.

The last 30 mins of our drive we quickly realized that we were in horse farming country. Miles and miles of white fences surrounded the land and stunning houses on the farms.

The cabin was beautiful (looked to be brand new) and was nestled in the woods against a lake and surrounded by green horse pastures, stables, a general store, tons of amenities and rolling hills set against the mountains.

Sigh.

And though our surroundings were gorgeous, we mostly stayed in the cabin and enjoyed the wood burning fireplace (my absolute favorite part!), reading, movies, games, and just resting.

{2 books from my wish list that I've been really loving.}

Josh had a blast using his brand new pour over coffee stuff.

(Although there were more than a few Breaking Bad jokes about what he was actually going to use it for. No worries. We like to keep things around here legal.)

I won't go into it all, but basically, pour over coffee is a way of combining the exact right amount of coffee with the exact right amount of water at the exact right temperature and then poured over the grounds using the exact right speed and technique to extract the absolute best flavor from the coffee.

Yeah, it's science.

{I've accepted that he needs a nerd outlet.}

{See? Happy nerd.}

{Ok, maybe a happy wife too.}

Before we left, we took the kids to see the horses at the resort stables.

They loved it. And it made me go instantly back to my 9 yr old self who wanted to own a horse more than anything in all the world.

There were also a lot of chickens, hens, roosters, turkeys and a peacock to keep us on our toes.

{See the darker spot at the bottom of the wall?

Manny may have left his mark on the barn.}

What made it even more beautiful was that they had the stables all decorated for Christmas. I wish I had taken a picture of it at night. So, so pretty.

{The horses were extremely tame and gentle so we all had a great time feeding them straw and grass out of our hands.

And then used lots and lots of hand sanitizer.}

{This captures a little bit of the scenery. Be still, my heart.}

We came back rested and happy with talks of making it a tradition every year. There's something about being away and not feeling the need to constantly organize, clean and declutter. We did a lot of that before we left so when we got home, it wasn't in terrible shape.

I have a lot of new thoughts about simpler living, but I won't go into now. For now, I'll just keep breathing deeply.

Do you do anything that helps you recover from the Christmas craziness?

Well, I sure hope you are finding some time to rest here and there. Happy New Year!!!

Smile kids, we're giving away your toys!

Well, we got a good start. At first, I sat in the middle of the floor and just kinda stared at everything. I hadn't really thought through how I would do this. So I started where I pretty much always start....we threw everything in the middle of the floor.

I began sorting the toys into bins based on category. Toy Story toys, monster trucks/cars, duplex blocks, outdoor toys, dress up stuff, farm toys, tools/construction toys, toys too big for a bin, stuff we didn't know what to do with, etc... Oh, and I had a big trash bag handy that I managed to completely fill without the boys ever really seeing what I was doing. Thankfully, they never asked about it either.

Once everything was categorized we went into the living room and unloaded the big truck that was also filled with toys. THEN, we finally went through each category and I would tell the boys how many they could keep and the rest went into our giveaway bin.

I was really, really proud of the boys. We didn't have one fight about it. Once we got started, no one cried and they actually were really cheerful about giving their toys away to kids that may not have any. {I should throw in at this point that they have had a huge collection of GeoTrax in storage for awhile so this purge was, for them, mainly motivated by wanting to bring the GeoTrax back down.}

This is our first bin....

I will also say that it was somewhat hard for me to see all those toys go in the bin. I'm SO excited to see less in our house and to give to other families. I'm also passionate about teaching our kids to think for others and to have generous, giving hearts.....and that toys and possessions are not what satisfy us.

But... after seeing so many brand new toys (many that Josh and I bought them for our Disney trip this past summer) get tossed in the bin, I had to remind myself a few times why we were doing this.

This is where we ended up after several hours of work. Don't let the angle fool you...the basket and bin both hold a lot of stuff and the trash bag is full of stuffed animals. Whew!

We still have a little more to go and then we start on mine and Josh's room!

Now we just need to get these toys out of that spot by the door and into the hands of some folks who could use them. I'd call that a purging success. :)

If you've donated to families in need, I'd love to hear where! I'm looking for some good places to take this stuff so please... do tell!

Merry Christmas to you!

We wish you a merry Christmas and a year ahead of joy, delight and hope in the Jesus we celebrate all year long.

Merry Merry Christmas

Heartfelt: Christmas photo cards and holiday cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

My cheap and easy Christmas decor

Ok, I just wanted to share a few really simple ways I've decorated for Christmas this year. How my home feels really effects me. I have to pull in the reins on myself all the time because I LOVE home decor projects and if I were to ever open another etsy shop, it would definitely be full of fun decor items that I repurposed, brought back to life, etc.

Having said that, you know my goal this year is simple and to spend less so here is what I came up with.

1. Epson salt "snow"...

I got this idea from one of my favorite bloggers, Melissa, from The Inspired Room. My pictures don't pick it up well, but I love how the salts shimmer in the candle light like real snow. It adds such warmth and soft glow to our living room. And I love anything in a mason jar! :)

{Epson salt was ~$2.50 for a 1/2 gal carton at Target and filled at least 10 jars. I already had the candles and jars.}

2. Work with what you have...

We put up maybe a third of our ornaments this year so I found these cuties in a box and stuck them on top of candle holders I already had. I love how they glimmer in the candle light.

{free!}

3. Plant in galvanized tub...

I will be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest poinsettia fan. I think they're overdone and I get really turned off by the shiny green and red paper their pots come wrapped in. But... I had picked up this little silver planter at Ikea for about $2 for an amaryllis bulb that I was growing. When that thing bloomed it was gorgeous and after the blooms died I just had to have some kind of colorful plant in it's place.

{Poinsettia plant - $3.47 at Walmart; metal planter - $2 at Ikea}

4. 3 tiered pie tin stand with leftover ornaments...

I made the stand with dollar store pie plates and glass candle holders to use as a craft fair display for my shop so I just pulled that out of the closet and filled it with silver, red and tiny green ornaments. I felt like the top needed something so I just plopped in a pillar candle I already had on hand.

{free since I already had everything, but the entire thing would have cost me less than $10.}

5. Old Christmas card collage...

I have saved Christmas cards for several years waiting for a project to come along. Finally, last night I just couldn't wait anymore so I took some of the cards and taped them together in a collage. (I think even if you didn't have Christmas cards on hand you could just use cute wrapping paper.) Then I printed off the words "comfort" and "joy" in a font and size I liked, cut them out and glued them on the collages. I stuck them in the floating glass frames we already have above our couch. I chose a harder font to cut out so that part was time consuming but I like how they turned out and I spent NOTHING. :)

{free!}

6. Wreath...

I started with a vine wreath form from Hob Lob and some bulbs I already had.

I found this wooden letter "H" (also at Hobby Lobby) and painted it silver.

Using floral wire, I secured the "H" to one side of the wreath...

and I hot glued the bulbs to the other side...

I only lost one bulb in the process and definitely would have preferred shatter proof bulbs but this is what I had on hand. (I did pick up the little green bulbs in the $1 section at Target. They were out of silver or red so I settled for green.)

Finished product...

Please excuse the pictures as I was taking them after dark.

(It looks like someone wanted to say hi....)

{wreath - $3 with a 40% coupon from HL, wooden letter - $1.50 at HL, floral wire - $3 at HL, little green ornaments - $1 at Target}

linked with I {heart} naptime.

{linked with Works for Me Wednesday}

A Simpler Christmas update

I thought I'd just pop in real quick and give you an update on how my plan to have a simpler Christmas is going. (You can catch up on the full plan here.)

So far we have...

--started our Jesse Tree....

I can tend to want to over-do projects and make them more elaborate than I have the energy/resources for, but I stuck to my plan here and went as simple as I knew how. I just printed out the ornaments, cut them out and had the boys help me glue them to red, green and blue construction paper. After punching holes and tying raffia through them they were done!

I plan to use these in years to come, so I was content with how easy that was. For our tree we are just re-using the branches and vase from our Thankful Tree.

Now here the update on how it's actually going.... we have stayed a good 4 days (or more) behind consistently. Manny can barely sit through the short devotion much less understand it. We ad-lib and change words a lot so Isaiah can understand it. It's a struggle and we miss a lot of days.

On the plus side, Isaiah has really enjoyed it and it has done all of us a lot of good to just sit and hear the Word together as a family. I love how it's stringing together the stories of the old testament with each one pointing to Jesus. I really do feel that my heart is engaged more this year than in years past, and that's what I've prayed for.

--Put up our Christmas tree and a few decorations...

I really wanted a table top tree this year, but didn't have the energy to go to a store and didn't want to spend any money on it. My parents gave us their tree, but after assembling every. single. freaking. branch. we stepped back and realized how huge it was. It completely overwhelmed our small space and so back in the box it went. In exhaustion, we settled for our normal tree (the one where you can see the pole through the branches at just about every level), Josh strung 4 completely different kinds of lights on it, we put up only our very favorite ornaments and called it a day. It is a sight. Bless it.

{I did decorate with a few new and really inexpensive items that I've enjoyed. I'll post about those later.}

-- I have almost completely caught up on all my etsy orders....

and honestly, this has demanded most of my time. I forgot to mention in my original post that my shop turns into more than a full time job during the holidays, which is a blessing, but is all-consuming for awhile.

Our house is a wreck....toys everywhere, crumbs dug into the carpet and all over the kitchen floor, laundry clean but unfolded and piling up, dishes done sometimes and sometimes not, dirty toilets, I've found crayon drawings on permanent furniture, there's yogurt that's been stuck on the table for days, I've found the fridge door standing wide open for who knows how long....you get the idea. It's real life around here, y'all.

(this is semi-picked up and un-staged)

--Christmas cards are done!

--Shopping almost done...except for the gifts I'm making this year... (Amazon has been one of my very best friends this year. I heart you, Amazon.).

--My brother's wedding is this weekend and most preparations are in place....

Sigh. There's still plenty to be done and then there are the actual holidays, but there has been a shift in my mentality this year. Maybe part of it is being pregnant, but I have just given myself an out from the pressure and expectations that I normally put on myself. (Maybe you do it too and they're ridiculous, right?!)

It's ok if my house isn't gorgeous. It's ok if my gifts aren't high end or beautifully wrapped. It's ok if we don't get to our Jesse tree devotions every night. It's ok if the food I bring to the party came from a box. It's ok if my own family eats a lot of pizza, soup from a can and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner right now. It's ok if we're not spending our nights by the fireplace (that we don't have), sipping hot cocoa and singing carols, but instead are passed out on the couch by 8:30pm. It's ok that we have to turn down some things because we are desperately trying to preserve sanity. It's ok that I can't do the "super easy" diy projects I've pinned on pinterest. It's ok that I can't enter a fancy blogger's Christmas Tour of Homes.

But, you know? I don't think any of us feel like we're missing out in the least. I'm actually really enjoying this season with my family. I'm enjoying the freedom of not doing it all.

This..... isn't reality for me....

...and isn't this kinda how it was for Him?

{A photo of a manger from the period of time of Jesus' birth.}

I think it was pretty simple for Him too.... and then He went and saved the whole wide world.

So, deep breaths. It's ok.

Fun Giveaway of my little creations!

So most of you know I have an etsy shop called Happy Little Lovelies, right? Ok, well I do. I've been creating, making and shipping my jewelry for about a year and a half and I LOVE it. It's the perfect creative outlet that I need and I'm so grateful for how God has blessed it.

I also have a sweet sister-in-law...

...and another sweet friend (who lives in China).

I've known them both for what feels like forever and love them both dearly. Said sister-in-law and friend have a blog called Getting Through the Day and it is chock full of tips and practical ideas to help you do just that....get through the day. You know, stuff like meal planning, organization, schedules, getting out the door in a timely manner, etc....things that moms of young kids are constantly tweaking (they both have 4 small kids!). Seriously, you should check them out. :)

Also, they just so happen to be hosting their very first giveaway today and have decided to feature my shop! Isn't that nice of them? All you have to do is subscribe to their blog and leave a comment....super simple! The giveaway ends tomorrow at 6am so please head over there and introduce yourself to them. They would love to meet you!

Christmas Morning Cappuccino Mix

A few posts ago I mentioned that we enjoy Christmas Morning Cappuccino every year. Well, I thought it to be unfair to even utter the words without sharing the joy with you sooo....

This recipe has been part of our Christmas morning tradition for years now. I got it from my Gooseberry Patch Merry Christmas cookbook. Gotta love those Gooseberry Patch girls!

I make a big batch and take it over to my mom's house that morning and we have it with her amazing breakfast casserole. She keep a big coffee urn of hot water going for the next several days and we just slurp down this spicy, warm goodness. :) Oh, and if you really want to go overboard (plus impress and amaze your family), plop a few of these homemade marshmallows on top. ohmyWORD. (You can read my post about them here.)

It would not be completely inappropriate for you to now go slap your grandmother or name your next child after me. :)

{If you're especially picky about your coffee like me, you may take issue with the instant coffee this recipe calls for, but you're just going to have to trust me. All the other ingredients will make you forgive it.}

Three Lines!!!

Yesterday was a really fun day for us because we found out that we're having a girl!!!

I'm not gonna lie. I really wanted a girl. I've been praying for her to come into our family for awhile now, but really wanted to be just as excited to have another fun, cutie-pie boy. {I guess now we don't get to see what my true reaction would have been, but I like to think it would have been the picture of graciousness. ;) }

We hope to adopt one day, so I just told myself...and Josh....that if we didn't have her biologically we would adopt her. In fact, I think my exact words to him were (after enduring a lot of flatulence at my dinner table *again* one night), "You WILL get me a girl. Either biologically or by adoption...you WILL get me a girl."

I love when God does what I want Him to! We are seriously, SO thankful for a healthy baby ....and, according to the nice tech, we have a very fiesty girl who would barely stay still for her pictures, shoved her head up against the camera over and over and then kicked me with Mia Hamm force. I don't know where in the world she would get that from. ;)

Sorry for the quality of these pictures. They were taken with my sad phone camera.

{Grammie helping Isaiah sound out the word "girl" on the picture.

Once he figured it out, he ran around the house, jumping on the couches

and doing a happy dance for at least 10 mins.

He REALLY wanted a baby sister and has been convinced that's

what we were having all along. I can't wait

to show her the video one day.

He's already a precious older brother to her.}

{At this point, Isaiah was having a melt down and Manny

was the excited older brother. Is this how it's going to

play out?}

{Our beloved Zoe Brennon}

My (Slightly) Simpler Christmas Plan

I have been thinking about this so much lately. This idea of a meaningful, quieter and simpler Christmas is something that has eluded me and my family every year. Not that I'm complaining....we are so blessed to have both mine AND Josh's family 15 mins away (including extended family). Our boys enjoy time with their grandparents on a weekly basis and are growing up calling their cousins "best friends." I absolutely LOVE this. It's important to me and I can see how it has enriched our lives in countless ways.

Having said that :) .... one of the challenges of living so close to our families is balancing our holidays between them. Here's how it looks right now:


Thanksgiving: every year we alternate who we spend it with. This year was our year to be with Josh's family. Next year we will be with my family, etc.


Christmas Eve: we arrive at my aunt's house (all extended family on my mom's side come) around 3pm for our yearly tradition of singing, eating, my grandmother reading the Christmas story, opening presents, etc. At around 5:30 we leave and head to Josh's parents' house (30 mins away) for their tradition of Josh's mom fixing a huge dinner and all us kids and grand kids being together and opening presents with each other. This is my most favorite day of the year!


Christmas Day: as soon as we can get up, we head over to my parent's house for a wonderful breakfast and Christmas Morning Cappuccino (I'll have to post the recipe later) and then us kids and grand kids open presents with my parents. At noon we round ourselves up and go to have a big lunch with Josh's extended family. Sometimes (because the morning is so rushed) we go back to my parent's house and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening.

I'm tired from just writing that.


{Now, I'm sure you practical planners out there already have a million solutions as to how we could do this better (and I'm sure they're great!). I have thought through some big changes that would make things easier too, and we will probably have to implement them in the future (esp with a new baby coming), but for this year at least, this is what we're doing.}


So, one of my dilemma's is carving out our own family time in the midst of this craziness. The other (bigger) dilemma is having time to really reflect and celebrate JESUS (you know, the main character in the story) with the boys. The way we're doing it now, I fear, will only leave them with the impression that Christmas is when we see lots of family, eat lots of food and get LOTS of presents.


My "Miracle on Main Street" Plan:

(We live off of Main St. Get it?)

--use Christmas Eve morning to celebrate Jesus' birthday with canned cinnamon rolls and birthday candles. I love the idea of a simple breakfast everyone will love that requires no prep on my part. This plan, however, will require me to be completely ready for the next 48 hours of festivities by the time we wake up.

--implement the Jesse Tree this year which includes a daily bible reading and short devotion. I'm actually thinking of foregoing the traditional tree in favor of just having a table top Jesse Tree. (I really love how Ann did her decorations so beautifully and simply. Raffia bows with paper snowflakes and popcorn and cranberry garland. Sigh.)

--doing a major pre-Christmas purge. Since we are preparing to fit 5 people into a small house this is a necessity anyway but especially essential when I know that we will be schlepping lots of new gifts home. My plan is to attack the boys toys hard in the next few weeks and pare down to only their very favorites. I plan to donate what we don't keep. Fingers crossed there.

--plan, plan, plan ahead. Have I mentioned that my brother is getting married on December 17th and the boys and I are in it? Yeah... So, I hope to finish up ALL Christmas shopping this week, send out Christmas cards in the next couple of weeks, bake and freeze goodies.... and basically just stay as ahead of the game as I can.

Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful to look back at this season and remember more sweet moments than hectic ones? To really sink into the fact that Jesus came quietly? And that there was no endless flood of people or special deals or tons of merchandise being lugged from house to house? And that Him coming means so much more -- the difference of life and death for us?

I usually look back and am grateful that it's over. I just don't think that was what the Father had in mind for His Son's birthday.

And I really do think it's going to take a miracle to have a peaceful heart in the midst of this season (especially if my little plan doesn't work), but... given His track record... I'm pretty sure He can handle it. :)

Praying for a peaceful heart for you too, friend.

(found here)

{If you're trying for a simpler Christmas this year, I'd love to hear your suggestions}