Wishing For Pine Needles

Our Twelve Days of Christmas.....Catch Up!

These twelve days of Christmas have been so full....so full that I've forgotten to post about them!  We'd like to share just a bit of our merry-making....phew!

Happy Christmas Eve To You!

Our Twelve Days of Christmas.....It's Not OUR Birthday!

A friend recently shared a very true statement with me.

Christmas is not OUR birthday!  This profound little thought has become a family theme for us this year.  We are pondering the advent conspiracy movement and re-evaluating what this season means to us.  While we love the traditions and the warmth of Christmas, we have made a concerted effort to make it a less complicated and more meaningful holiday.

This "Our Twelve Days of Christmas" series I've been blogging about has highlighted some of the fun things we do as a family, and having fun together is most definitely a goal for us all during this magical time of year.  And because there is so much to choose from, we have to pick what we like best.

But fun and important are not the one and the same, and while we enjoy participating in festivities and traditions we also know that they are not really all that important.  Does it really matter if we sit on Santa's lap every year?  Or bake the same dozen kinds of cookies?  No!  It doesn't!

What is important is that we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, and that He was sent into this world, fully God and fully man, into the form of a sweet, newborn baby.  It is HIS birthday!  And this is our true gift.

So as we enjoy this special season, we have taken a step back to make it a little less harried, a little less expensive, and a little less the-same-old-thing. 

You see, this leaves us more energy to focus on the Christ child, and this my friends, brings the most complete and real joy there could ever be.

 

Our Twelve Days of Christmas....Sleepover!

Today was spent recovering from our annual sleepover by the Christmas tree.  There was even a time today, albeit brief, that all four children were napping at the same time.  It's true, I tell you!

Sleeping over all cozied up in the family room has become one of our very favorite Christmas traditions, and last night was the perfect night.  Yesterday was the last day of school for this year, there were no practices or lessons to wake up for this morning, and Christmas is in the air all around us!

I'm so thankful for these sweet and cozy times, the memories we are making, and the ones that have already been made.  Isn't Christmastime just the best?

8 more days!

{this moment} and Our Twelve Days

{this moment}

Joining Soulemama today in.....

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

Our Twelve Days of Christmas.....Gingerbread Fun at School

third graders + graham crackers + mountains of frosting & candy = total gingerbread house mania!!!

10 days to go...what kinds of things are you making???

Our Twelve Days of Christmas.....A Baby and a Tree

I've discovered that one of the joys of having a Fall baby is having a Christmas baby!  (I think Lena is smiling here because she loves her mama-made dress so much ;)

And the countdown continues.....11 more days!

Our Twelve Days of Christmas.....Baking with my Boy

I must say, I don't remember either of my girls turning the cookie press into a gun during our Christmas baking.  (Dare I say that Hans may just bring a bit more levity to the kitchen than his predecessors?!)

But weaponry aside, this boy is about the best sugar-sprinkler I've ever seen.

Wouldn't you agree?

 

It's Christmas!

Are your halls decked yet???

(Happy Merry-Making to You!)

{this moment}

Joining Soulemama today in.....

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~Amanda Soule

 

Falling in Love with Lena

Lena is six weeks old already and I can't believe it.  When I was holding her in the hospital for the first time, I just knew it would go this fast.  And I was right.  Shucks!

But each and every day we're thankful for this process of growth.  It lets us know her.  We're beginning to know what makes her tic, what makes her mad, and what makes her flash us those gorgeous first smiles.  We have identified her favorite rattle, that she loves to hold onto any one of our fingers for as long as we'll let her, and that she isn't startled by loud noises. And we are quite certain, mind you, that she likes rocket ships and tea parties and Narnia.

And we (her built-in fan club) just can't wait to find out even more about this amazing little girl!