Monday, December 21, 2009

Decorating the tree

We have decorated our tree but Rebekah was quite concerned that we didn't have a star for the top so the other morning I got out some stickers and yellow paper and we made a star for the top and star ornaments which she decorated with star stickers. She was pretty excited about making the ornaments.
So the next day we set about making some dough ornaments. I found the recipe online somewhere. It's pretty easy - 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup table salt and 1/2 cup warm water. You mix it together, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to cut out the shapes. Place them on a baking pan and bake at 250 for 2 hours or until hardened. (The bigger ones took more like 2.5 to 3 hours) Let cool. 

They recommend using acrylic paints but since I was dealing with a two year old we used crayola craft paint. It worked out okay. Probably not as shiny and when it was thicker in areas it cracked as it dried...BUT it cleaned up really well and at this point that is more what matters. 




So if you receive these as gifts from Bekah please act surprised! :) She worked hard on them! :)

Yesterday was our church's Christmas program. Last year Bekah didn't want to be up front. For the Palm Sunday program she was held by her teacher. This year she participated in the program and lasted about half way through. Not sure if she was bored or just tired or if she had had just enough. She was really excited about it and kept asking "now, now?" I think she would have gone up and joined the adult choir if we had let her! :) She did participate though and I got some cute pics and some video of her doing some of the actions. Hoping next year she will make it through the whole thing! :)

Lizzie was too young for the Christmas program but had a good time hanging out in the nursery with her pal. They were pretty cute together! :) (Of course I'm a little partial. )


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Really?

Really? A month since I have posted? I've written a hundred posts in my head...not sure why you didn't get them? lol

It's been a VERY busy month. This is what's been going on with us since last time I posted.

Lizzie got an ear infection.

The next week Lizzie, Rebekah and DH all got H1N1. Rebekah had an ear infection. The "Big Red Chair" is the place desired when not feeling well.


Two days later Lizzie turned one. Had to cancel her party as no one wanted germs as a party favor. Had a nice quiet evening at home. Bekah helped to make pancakes and Lizzie got to open a few gifts.



Birthday pancakes as I had no cake that day.

                                 

*This is a two year old who is having a hard time just watching her sister play with her new toys. Hard concept to understand for a little one.

Following week back at the doctor - DH and Lizzie have sinus infections.

Had a quiet Thanksgiving at home alone.

Bekah was a big help with the green bean casserole and the stuffing.


She also set up our "centerpiece" for the table.


She was excited to eat at the "fancy" table but....


did not find a single item to her liking and didn't take one bite. (Perhaps all that work tired her out!)


After her nap she was more than willing to take a bite of pie! :)

Two days later had Lizzie's birthday party. It was great fun, noisy and quite enjoyable. Quite a few were not able to come as it was a busy weekend but we enjoyed the fun and fellowship with those that could.


These were made by my friend Amanda -- check out her baking blog.






Lizzie received this tea set which Rebekah immediately took over ...
and convinced the boys to join her in her tea party.


The Party girl with my Goddaughter ... seems just yesterday we were celebrating her first birthday!

We got our first big snowstorm. We had about a two foot drift in our driveway that DH had to shovel through before he could go to work. Bekah "helped".




We had Rebekah's third birthday party. Her birthday isn't until the 22 of December but after talking to some of those we wanted to have come it was just too busy a time of year so we decided to do it earlier. We had it at our local community center which was fun but not sure I would do it again. If I did I would do it differently.


The night before I made her banner - good thing I rolled it out to check it - had done the whole thing backwards ... had to take it apart and redo it.



She kept closing her eyes so I told her "Big eyes"  - this is what I got...big eyes! :)


Her big Minnie Mouse balloon - she certainly had Big eyes when we brought this out!


A big cupcake for the birthday girl!


We have also enjoyed walks around our neighborhood - before it got super cold! Many of our neighbors decorate for Christmas so there are a lot of lights to see.


Now we have Bekah's b-day coming up; Christmas shopping to complete, crafts to make, Christmas cards to go out, packages to ship and a few other things that I am sure I am missing as well as all the daily "stuff" we need to do each day. Not a lot of time for boredom around here!

Hope you all have a very blessed CHRISTtmas!

I got this from Amanda and wanted to share it with you.

C, the first letter in Christmas, stands for the person who alone gives any day eternal significance: Christ our Lord. It is easy to shove Christ aside on this holiday, but we should celebrate the birth of Jesus, whose very name means “the Lord is salvation” and whose title, “Christ,” points to His role as the Redeemer of humankind. If Jesus is not Christ in your life, celebrating the birth of an obscure Jewish carpenter’s son is meaningless to you.


H stands for history. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not myths or fantasy, but are historical realities.

R stands for rejoice, an appropriate response in recognition of what Christ has done.

I stands for the Incarnation, describing that glorious event in which God became man.

S stands for St. Nicholas, the fourth century bishop of Myra, a Christian whose story — embellished by years of telling — nevertheless exemplifies Christian faithfulness and charity. Christmas should remind us of the faithfulness of God, without which we have no hope of redemption through His greatest gift, His Son (John 3:16).

T stands for tradition, the stories and customs associated with Christmas.

M stands for the magi, or wise men, directed by God to find and worship Christ. We shouldn’t forget that no one is wealthy enough, powerful enough, or far enough away that he or she should not bow before Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15).

A stands for advent, a word referring to Christ's coming. Christ came once in Bethlehem — as an infant who grew to manhood, died for our sins, and rose again the third day. Christians eagerly look forward to His Second Coming — “the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13).
S stands for salvation, made possible by the coming of Christ. The gospel story is so simple we often forget it, but so profound it affects every individual. We are all sinners, separated from God, with absolutely no way to reach God except He reached down to us through His Son. With the coming of Christmas comes recognition that because He came, He died, and because He died and lives again, we also may live (Rom. 6:8; 8:11).

Christmas is not primarily a celebration of human life, although each human life is valuable; not primarily a celebration of peace and love, although peace and love are noble. The center and circumference of Christmas should be the celebration of the birth of our Lord: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).