It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I have always loved this time of year…the winter season and the snowfalls we receive, the “good tidings and joy” expressed by neighbors and friends, the parties and the gatherings!  But add having children in the household and it really brings the holiday spirit up a notch. The excitement they express in watching the holiday shows and movie, baking cookies, seeing Santa and all things kid-like really does bring a joy to a mother like no other.

Now that the kiddos are getting a bit more older and refining their crafty skills, it seems I receive a bit of Christmas spirit each day in what they bring home and it makes they day end on such a good note!  Usually they hand it to me and I’ll find something to do with it or it’s special enough that they will keep it tucked away in their school folders or backpacks until the right time to show me.  Some have made it into the trash, like the 12 + foot green and red link garland that we just couldn’t quite find a home for and after a bit of thinking, Caden decided he had enough fun making it and we could throw it away (whew, crisis adverted of how to store that sucker!)!  Then we have things that make it in to the car after elementary school and preschool and sometimes they make it on to the fridge or the tree and sometimes they just stay in the car!  Below are a few of the fun examples that have come home this week!

Small crafts like the ones above make me smile because I can imagine the joy that my children have when making these and expressing their creative sides — to them, it is a beautiful piece of artwork.  Even when I had to ask Isabella what the bottom craft was and she replied to me that it’s a “snow globe mommy — can’t you tell?” and I respond “oh YES…I see it now”…it brings me happiness because I can see that’s she proud that she made this creation to add to the holiday decorations in our home.  To me, it’s a reminder that YES, there IS a Santa Claus and it comes from sharing in the belief of the innocence and joy that children bring to this season.

Ordinary People

I saw this quote today while I was spending useless minutes on Pinterest and immediately loved it.  I think so many of us think that we have to have some special talent or something to offer to be used by God and all God wants is a a person who is willing to be used by Him.

Eddie—A Tradition

Meet Eddie…

he’s OUR very own Elf on the Shelf.  He came to us on December 15th of 2008 and the nice FedEx man delivered him to our doorstep so that when we got home from school and work, there he was!  We got him just as the popularity of this tradition was taking off and I tell you now, if you have small children in your home and don’t have an Elf on the Shelf, go order one NOW!  This is the funnest little tradition known to families.

If you have no idea what an Elf on the Shelf is, go here to see what all the fun is but in simple terms, the Elf travels back and forth to Santa every night and tells him who has been bad or good!  If you touch him though, he will lose his “magic” and not be able to travel back and forth between his home and Santa.  If he falls from where he is perched, you must leave him be…we take this very seriously in our house!

In our house, Eddie always comes on December 1 and although I told the kids last night when I tucked them in to bed that he would be coming throughout the night, the screams and squills that I heard this morning when they spotted him up on our kitchen shelf were priceless!

Trying to find a different place for him each night is also fun (and yes, sometimes tedious) for Kevin and I and as I’m sure you can guess, there have been nights in years past that I have actually woke up in the middle of the night realizing that I FORGOT TO HIDE HIM!  Last year one night, we did forget, and I told the kids that they must have been bad that day and Eddie chose not to tell Santa and that it was their warning!  We do try to get creative and hide him in different rooms, in the Christmas tree, on window sills, etc. Theeennn, on Christmas Eve, before we go to bed, the kids tell him bye and after they are all fast asleep and the Christmas presents put out under the tree, Eddie goes back in to his box for safe-keeping.