Getting ready for Christmas?

What? Christmas already? What happened to Thanksgiving. I am just enjoying the fall colors, the frosty mornings and Christmas music? Ugh! I am wanting a simpler Christmas this year. I want to do the little things to make Christmas meaningful for years to come. I want to make more of my Christmas presents this year. I want to bake more this year and give away goody trays. Let's just see if we can actually accomplish these goals I have set for my family this Christmas season.
We always pick a card off of the angel tree and I let the kids help pick out the items for that child. We sponsor our Tigist, from Ethiopia as part of our Christmas present for our family. What can we do this year? I am open to ideas to make the meaning of Christmas bright in someone else's life. I want Jesus' love to shine through us all this season, and to not be so commercialized and consumed with the gifts that money can buy. I want to do more than that! Let me know what your family does to make the meaning of Christmas special for you and others.

Halloween Photos

Halloween was a bit different for us this year. I usually comes up with some great costume idea that all goes together - the Flinstones - the Tinkerbell movie - , but not this year. They got to pick out their own this year, well, except Destiny of course. She was the flower her Mommy chose for her and she was really not so fond of it. The hood kept bugging her and all my photos of her are horrible. She loved the candy and would bite right into it, paper and all. All of her candy in her bucket was mush! The boys chose to go trick or treating with their friends around town and both Shaine and I took a turn taking the girls around. My kids are getting too big and it makes me sad that they don't want to go as a family any more, but I do understand! I never got to go out on my own as a kid because I lived on a farm, so that just would have been the greatest! There was an adult Halloween Party at the bar in Bryant that we chose NOT to go to. I got a bit of guff for not going, but I really am not a partying type of person. I really just enjoy being with my children and seeing them have fun. SO - maybe next year, or maybe not? And really - who cares?

Hair Help!

Anyone have any help for my little Destiny? I am going to a Hair Workshop this weekend, but I am looking for pointers on how to even comb through her hair. I find the back is very snarly... I am using Carol's Daughter products and totally LOVE them, but I can't find a leave in conditioner to get through those snarls. I find myself putting her hair in pony tails because I know it will save a few days of combing snarls headaches. Destiny screams and I don't really blame her!!! Anyone out there have some great tips for me?

Rocket Man

Devan begged and begged for a rocket, and we finally decided it looked fun after his birthday. He used his birthday money to buy a rocket and just NOW we finally got Dad's help to build it. It was great. I was a bit leery as to if it would even go off, but it sure did and FAST! I only got one firing picture and then it was WAY up in the air. We will certainly have another launch soon! It was so fun.

Treats for School

I love to make FUN treats for school, so this afternoon we made cupcakes and then MOM got to decorate them. Dannika went and played at her Grand MOM Chere's house, while Destiny got to taste one! They really turned out cute and I love the little mohawk dude! I hope those little preschooler's will love them tomorrow. Hmmmm... what can I make for Wednesday? We will have to see!




To find this recipe you can go HERE. I made these once before when Dyllan was in kindergarden or preschool, and I remember they were such a hit. They have a ton of cute things at the Family Fun Site.

Choir Concert

Dyllan had a choir concert in Clear Lake last week and it was so fun to see all those kids dressed up and singing! Dyllan was front and center - impossible to miss. He really seemed to enjoy the day of practicing and then putting on the performance for his parents. He has such a great voice - I'm so proud of you Dyllan!

Kirby

The little Yankees fan! These pictures were just fun to take! I love how Kirby always has a great theme for his pictures. If I tried that with Devan it would be VIKINGS - VIKINGS and more VIKINGS. I can only take so many purple pictures for that boy. The Yankees was a new one for me. Thanks for being such a great sport Kirby - even in the cold weather!