Our Neck of the Wood: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

So Neat…

http://www.teamlongbrothers.org

Be blessed.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Our Tree

Still trying to catch up on Christmas…as I think we’ve finally found and downloaded all the photos we snapped.

Advent really was special this year, B seemed to understand it in a way that made our evening countdowns come alive. To be honest, Little A didn’t have a clue but was thrilled to be her brother’s shadow in as many ways as she could!

Each night, just before bed we’d find a book under the tree to unwrap…the nuggets took turns unwrapping and then C and I took turns reading. Then we’d read the Jesus Story Book Bible and then head to the stairs to ‘discover’ a surprise tucked into our family Advent Calendar.

The surprises were often ornaments for our tree…which these two worked together to hang after discovering each night.

Ella was always in on the fun…she’d often nudge her way into the scene and all the ornaments on the tree would sway!

This was our tree once all of the surprises had been hung. Yes, a random assortment of ornaments…but most reminding us of sweet memories we’ve enjoyed together, first as a family of two…then three and now four!

Be blessed.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Advent Books

Last Christmas, a friend had the idea of wrapping up each of their family’s Christmas books for Advent. The idea was to open one book each day, to sort of ration the crazy amount of books that come out this time of year to better savor each for enjoyment and to help little ones wrap their hearts around the true meaning of Christmas.

I remember hearing about the idea and tucking it away in my mind, hoping I’d muster the energy to wrap up 25 books this Christmas…which I surprisingly did!

With that said, it was a total hit…the nuggets loved it! Each night, after brushing teeth and getting ready for bed we found the wrapped package corresponding with the day of the month tore it opened and enjoyed.

I wanted to share some of the titles we came across…each were great, the ones with *** were fantastic (in our opinion). I don’t know if anyone will reference this list, but if anything it will at least provide me with a reminder for next year. I hope to keep collecting as the nuggets get older and look forward to title suggestions from other nugget parents!

Who is Coming to Our House? by, Joseph Slate

My Little Christmas Story by, Christina Goodings

***Happy Birthday Jesus! by, Michelle Medlock Adams

Christmas in the Manger by, Nola Buck

Angel! Angel! What Do You See? by, Cherie Pless Dittmer

***Stable in Bethlehem: A Countdown to Christmas by, Joy N. Hulme

***Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star by, Christine Harder Tangvald

***A Star for Jesus by, Crystal Bowman

***Christmas Angels by, Crystal Bowman

***J is for Jesus: The Sweetest Story Ever Told by, Crystal Bowman

***My Christmas Gift by, Crystal Bowman

***Jesus, Me and My Christmas Tree by, Crystal Bowman

***My Christmas Stocking: Filled with God’s Love by, Crystal Bowman –Addresses St. Nick (Santa)

The Christmas Star by, Marcus Pfister

***The Crippled Lamb by, Max Lucado

***Humphrey’s First Christmas by, Carol Heyer

***Mortimer's Christmas Manger by, Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman

Punchinello and the Most Marvelous Gift by, Max Lucado

Alabaster’s Song: Christmas though the Eyes of an Angel by, Max Lucado

Unwrapping the Christmas Creche by, Lisa Flinnn and Barbara Younger

Tonight You Are My Baby: Mary’s Christmas Gift by, Jeannine Q. Norris

Long Ago in Bethlehem by, Jerry Smath

Mary’s Baby by, Jane Chapman

The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving by, Jan and Mike Berenstain

B is for Bethlehem: A Christmas Alphabet by, Isabel Wilner

The Little Shepherd’s Christmas by, Carol Heyer

This is the Stable by, Cynthia Cotton

The Christmas Baby by, Marion Dane Bauer

A Star So Bright: A Christmas Tale by, M. Christine Butler

The Christmas Story by, Maggie Downer

Be blessed.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Our Little Family’s Christmas

This year, we headed south for Christmas. Since our gift for the nuggets couldn’t fit in our luggage or be shipped…we decided to celebrate a touch early.

A couple nights before heading out, we unveiled a playhouse, that we’d been working on for the past several weeks. We had kept the project a surprise by covering it with a big blue tarp during the kiddos waking hours. Neither C or I have any idea how we pulled the surprise off, other than that our kids must be REALLY used to seeing tarps, tools, etc. laying around the house due to our myriad home improvement projects…neither nugget had a clue!

I can’t by any means take credit for the house, C really deserves the credit. I simply designed it with the help of ideas from pinterest and our first little neck of the wood and C implemented. I don’t think that we’ve ever poured our hearts into a project like we did with this…we’ll both admit that we were/are probably more excited about the house than the kids are as is identified by silly details like house numbers, TCU flag, door bell, flower box, valances and mailbox.

Our play kitchen that B got for his second birthday fits snuggly on the left side of the house, while C fashioned a kiddo-size tool bench for the right side of the house. The ‘second story’ is a reading nook and hopefully future sleep over spot.

Both nuggets were speechless when we let them come down stairs…then slowly they ventured in, tried out the light switch (many times) and slowly made themselves at home.

It was probably 45 minutes later that B even noticed his stocking filled and hanging by the fire place…

Little A didn’t know what to make of the commotion…

With help, she settled right in and explored the contents of her own little stocking.

After the stockings contents were dispersed (all over the place), the nuggets (and their Papa Bear) continued exploring the house…

Our early Christmas was truly a magical evening. It was such an honor to watch A & B accept the gift that C and I had worked so hard and deliberately to give them, a truly tangible reminder of the joy that God must feel when He sees His children accepting His Son as their Ultimate Gift.

More to come on our little family’s Christmas celebrations!

Merry Christmas!

Be blessed.

Seeing Double!

I can remember the days of my mom dressing my brothers and I alike, usually just on special occasions.

I’m sure at some point I thought “I’ll never make my kids dress alike”, which I guess is easier said than done because look how cute they look! (I admit, I’m totally biased!)

So until they complain and tell me their too old…they may (every once in awhile) get dressed similarly.

Be blessed.

Could Just Eat ‘Em!

These two have taken to ‘cuddling’ on the couch.

I’ll be honest, it often isn’t long before one squawks out of frustration…but the short glimpses of their affinity towards one another makes my heart melt!

Be blessed.

A’s First Braid!

Little A sat still long enough for me to finagle this little braid…I can’t say it lasted or that it’s happened again, but it was a braid and this momma had to capture this ‘first’ milestone as I’m sure there will be many more!

Be blessed.

Pajama Party

Just before Christmas, we invited some neighborhood friends over for French Toast, goop and cookie decorating.

Pajamas were encouraged as was multiple servings of sugary goodness!

Just before the chaos ensued, due to the large quantity of sugar consumed, C worked with the nuggets to assemble a ginger bread house to be decorated.

A and B were captivated by C’s handiwork…

Later, after breakfast the little ones got to work….

This nugget could hardly contain his joy as he quite literally dove into the decorating process!

Evidence of a morning well had!

We hope this might be a tradition around our neck of the wood…we’ll just have to wait and see!

Be blessed.

B’s Christmas Program

B sang this year!

Truly!

Well, not every song, but for some of the songs!

At other points in the ‘performance’ he stood up and put his back to the audience, covered his ears and yes…even picked his nose (and ate what he found)…oh, we couldn’t have been prouder Winking smile !!!