...last day of 2009

(1.)  PJ day at school (2.) Daddy Daughter "dance" (3.) St. Patrick's Day (4.) me (5.) great nephew Baby Max born (6.) Emma's recital (7.) weekend with the girls (8.) beach vacation (9.) our 12 year anniversary (10.) the Cub Scout (11.) cute kiddos (12.) great niece Baby Raven born in Oct together for xmas.

January through December 2009... a picture for every month.  I made this mosaic here... (in case you're wondering!)  It's been a great and full year... I'm thankful to the LORD for good friends, healthy family and another year to walk with Him.  I took a photo every day in 2009.  It might be a hard habit to break.  I'll post photos of my "project 365" for 2009 later in the week.

But on to new things... I love the near year...  truly LOVE the new year... For as long as I can remember I have relished in the fresh start the New Year brings... and with that resolutions.

Ali Edwards has inspired me that last several years to have "one word" as a focus for the new year...  it's a tradition I have embraced.

2009: love (read my post for 2009)
2008: joy (read my post for 2008)
2007: faithful (read my post for 2007)

My one word for 2010....  I'll post tomorrow.  What's your one word for 2010?

some favorites of Christmas...

on the 23rd... put on our Christmas best and had a little photo shoot.  It happened to be a warm day... made from some great photos.  Also went to see Santa...

On the 24th Em helped make sugar cookies... she had a blast and made a huge mess.  But it kept her busy for some time!

Snow on Christmas Eve... this is a first for me.  Never in my life have I had a white Christmas.  And also a first for my kiddos.  Pretty special gift to get snow on Christmas Eve.

 We tried to go to the Christmas Eve service - got in the car and tried to drive and we could not get out of our neighborhood.  So we turned around and went home.  Had our traditional scavenger hunt for pajamas.  Then we had our own time together reading the Christmas Story from the Bible and our last candle in our Advent Wreath.

The calm before the storm... this is about 6:30 AM Christmas morning.  You can see the sun coming up over the houses in the back.  Danny will be home soon from work, the kids are awake (I can hear them) but they can not come down until Daddy gets home.  I'm sipping coffee...  Things are about to get real messy!

One quick photo before they begin!  Santa left a note with the trampoline... They were very excited to see he brought a trampline in a box... just like Emma told him to do!

Hudson asked for a bath robe.  Emma asked for a pillow pet... they both asked for a trampoline... Santa came through!  Happy kids... now Daddy has to put the trampoline together... after the snow melts! Spent the rest of the day at Grammy and Pop-pop's... Grammy made an incredible meal.  Pretty wonderful Christmas together...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours...

"For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called 

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

Christmas Eve...

Have a wonderful day today friends...

We're off to deliver last minute gifts and baking, Christmas Eve service at church, reading of Jesus' birth, the lighting of the last Advent candle, our traditional Christmas Eve PJs, looking at Christmas lights and hopefully early to bed for everyone.  I pray this day draws you closer to the LORD as we prepare to celebrate His birth. 

Handmade Silhouette Ornaments

 

yes!  I made these... and it was SO easy...

this is why I love blog land.

Found the idea from The Shabby Nest... you could spend all day looking at her blog.

I took profile photos of both my kiddos.  Printed them out on regular paper - wallet sized.  Took my black fine tip Sharpie outlined each profile.  Filled in the rest with black wide tip Sharpie.  Then took my fine tip scissors and clipped away.  Mod Podged the paper...  love the result.

Favorite things...

What a mess... this is progress.  My desk... I'm really glad I have a surface where I can get messy and not have to clean it off for dinner...  even if you do not have a desk or table (besides the kitchen table) you can set up a card table during the holidays to work on your projects... cover it up with a sheet when guests stop by!

This happy guy was a gift from a student... he's SO cute.  The candy cane is a stir stick.  Makes me happy.

 

Our Christmas Memories book...  this year will be the 13th page we fill with a photo.  Truly fun to look back to Christmas years past.  This is last year's Christmas eve PJ photo...

The Christmas Gift-card Tree for Hudson's teacher...  Thought it turned out cute.  I had never done anything like this before... found the tree in the dollar spot!

Every year we get a frame from this store... I usually place my favorite Christmas attire photo of the kiddos.   

Just a few of my Christmas favorites...

Four days until...

Christmas!

Look at what my creative next-door neighbor did!  This just makes me happy... simple Christmas.

We had a lovely time with family this weekend.  Lots of activity over the weekend.  Having a catch-up day today...  finishing up the last minute Christmas cards... gifts... errands.  I need to wrap EVERYTHING.

Tomorrow... a few of my Christmas favorites.

Crazy Christmas week...

This was the Christmas survival week...  Our week began with seeing family on Danny's side.  Sweet Baby Raven... with Momma and Daddy Becca and Justin... these are the "grand kids" pictured above.  We had such a great time with everyone.  Raven... seriously the cutest little baby.  Hudson adores her.

 

We  all went and saw "Ice".... it was cool!  And cold.

My fun friend came over and we did some Christmas gift painting...

And we did our Advent wreath on Monday night... since our Sunday was packed and the kiddos did not get into bed until 10:30 and Hudson had school the next day!  Tuesday - shopping and dance party.  Wednesday more shopping and getting ready for Thursday's Winter party for Hudson's class.  Thursday... winter party.  Friday grocery shopping for my family get-together - lasagna dinner night....

I'm tired.

I knew this week was going to be like this... there are a few things I would have done differently if given the chance to re-wind.  And yes... we said "no" to things this week, too... believe-it-or-not.  Sunday afternoon...  that's when things will slow down.  There is an end to the Crazy Christmas week ...

But, I love it...  Love.  It.

Our Christmas Card

Sorry for the spoiler for those of you who actually receive this in the mail...  all for the love of blog land!  I kept things simple this year... (and have frantically reminded myself that it's much better to have the whole Christmas card process completed by Dec. 1 - just for sanity's sake!)  Something I failed to do this year... but I won't make that mistake again!  I'm all about learning...

Took this photo with the self-timer in the back yard.  (Got a lucky shot!)  Then had my friends at C*stC* print them up... cheep!

The Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas 2009 to 
our dear friends and family!

Our Year in Review...

Hudson (7 1/2) began First Grade this year at the elementary school in our neighborhood.  We have enjoyed walking to school every day with our neighbors!  Hudson has embraced reading and science. He enjoys writing his own books, riding his bike, playing with his friends and all things Star Wars!  He joined a Cub Scout pack earning his Bobcat badge and is well on his way to Tiger Cub badge targeted for January!  Hudson's favorite color is green and he dressed up as Darth Vader for Halloween.

Emma Grace (5 1/2) has enjoyed Bridge Kindergarten this year.  She continues to embrace dance.  She performed a ballet and tap routine last Spring.  Emma Grace has a great sense of humor, a huge affection for animals and loves to play pretend.  She is often playing "the puppy" in Star Wars with Hudson.  (and Hudson lets her!) Her favorite color is blue and she dressed up as a Lady Bug for Halloween.

As for me... I'm all about everything I can do and be involved with Hudson and Emma's schools.  I am still a Pre-K aid teaching two days a week -- I love it!  I also just finished taking one semester of a Biblical Counseling course through my church... it has been life changing.  The course has been especially helpful in learning how to counsel my kiddos.  I'm also hoping the Lord will bring together moms from our school to come together in prayer... through the organizations Moms in Touch.

The Lord has given Danny many opportunities to minister to others as Chaplain at the Police Department.  He has facilitated a study of the book of John this past semester and Romans last spring.  You can pray for his ministry there... Danny and Hero participated in Career Day at Hudson's school demonstrating K9 Police work...  they were a big hit!

We wish you a Merry Christmas as we celebrate our Savior's Birth!

With Love,
Danny, Kim, Hudson, Emma Grace,
and Officer Hero

Christmas Tour of Homes

Christmas Tour of Homes visitors... welcome...!

My grandmother gave me many old Christmas ornaments a long time ago... finally this year I decided to do some decorating with them... 

My sweet and wonderful friend made this for me... a lovely  planter from a Clementine box... it makes me so happy... I love looking at this every day...

In my entry... happy colors, happy patterns, happy hello!

 

This whimsy cookie jar was also a gift... I bring it out at Christmas.  Love it.

Can not get enough of the hand made things from my kiddos...

Since we've moved into this home 7 years ago we've kept our tree up on a table... because the living room has vaulted ceilings... it just helps make the tree seem bigger... and we've always enjoyed it that way...  Leaves more room for presents, too.

One of our new ornaments this year from our vacation...

Thanks for stopping by my Christmas Tour of Homes...

Christmas Tour of Homes 2008 - click here

Christmas Tour of Homes 2007 - click here

luncheon, shopping, creating...

We had our teacher luncheon today... lovely time with some lovely ladies.  I really do feel fortunate to work with ladies who love the LORD and truly care about the kiddos in pre-K.  We're all in need of a good break though... so I'm happy we have some time off.

This is usually the place in December where I feel the most overwhelmed.  Feeling as if I'm running out of time and everything I need to buy will soon be gone (as is the money to spend on the things)...  But I'm taking deep breaths and counseling myself... don't you worry blog readers!  I will be just fine... it's times like this that I reflect on what is MOST important right now... and not all my expectations of what I want to get done, accomplish and do...

Deep.  Breath.

So here we go... into a weekend with lots of family in town to enjoy and share a meal. 

preschool par-tay!

We had our Happy Birthday Jesus parties at preschool today... a photo of the sugar marathon above.  It was a great day... very full and crazy!  Books have been read, kiddos are sleeping and I'm off to watch The Office...

Lots to do...

Between living life and taking care of everyone today... I've been finishing little teacher and classmate gifts for Emma's class.  Tomorrow is our last day until 2010... I'm really glad.  We have our Happy Birthday Jesus parties... it will be a fun and full day.  I usually try and work on these things early - like last month... but for some reason I didn't... having to pay for that today getting them ready for tomorrow...

 

Emma's class is called the "Macaw's".  I've used this idea before.  Taking those pre-painted wood cut outs (located at all the crafts stores) and making it into an ornament.  I add a few details, too with a paint pen and a little glitter.  I also wrote on the backs... "Macaw class 2009"  I placed them into a mug that you can decorate yourself.  Got this idea from a sweet friend a few years back...  I tied them up in cello bags and some curling ribbon.

Now... I'm off to get everything ready to go tomorrow morning.  The morning always runs smoother when I get everything I need (including socks for all three of us) the night before...

Christmas program...

Tonight was our Christmas program for Emma's school and where I teach pre-K.  We had a great night.  Hudson got to see some old friends, too...  I really love where I teach and the people there.  It's been a long day working with 4 and 5 year-olds who are very excited about Christmas and then the program tonight... I think I will sleep well.  Tomorrow holds are large "to do" list...

Outdoor Lights...

Close-up of the hot glue for the lights around the brick.  I put these up before the weather became cold.  I used hot glue last year, too and it pulled right off.  A little brick residue was on the glue that stuck to the light but you can not see where the light was. 

 

"You are the light of the world -- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.  In the same way, let you good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."  Matthew 5:14, 16 NIV

The Second Sunday in Advent

The Bethlehem Candle

"This candle reminds us to make ourselves ready to receive Christ into our homes and our lives."

"... and she gave birth to her first born, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  Luke 2:7 NIV

Our Tea Party Lunch Menu

The Menu

Frosty's fruit salad (recipe here)

Oriental green salad (recipe here)

crackers with meat and cheese

cream cheese apricot dip (recipe here)

veggie platter

scones (Target has the best!)

Oreo balls (recipe here)

Christmas cookies

I tried to keep things super simple.  I did things as far ahead as possible and store bought the Christmas cookies and meat platter. My sweet friend brought the tea...and it was super yummy and lovely in an adorable tea pot.