Christmas Archives |

Christmas Eve / Morning – 2012

December 29, 2012 By Laura 4 Comments

With Christmas 2012 behind us, we ultimately decided to blog a little bit of it, before we move on to wrapping up our year of projects for you, revealing a new one, and jumping into the new year with both feet, and some bigger projects than ever, that you are welcome to follow along with us. I cannot wait to get to all of that, and hopefully you all might have some great ideas and help for us along the way. It’s going to be too much fun!

But first, our little Christmas. We try to keep the entire season quite simple and stress-free. (Not always an easy thing to do – right?). We celebrate Advent, we decorate, make some handmade gifts and shop a little, bake, drive around neighborhoods at night with cocoa to see people’s Christmas lights, and stuff like that. We also try to not get too distracted from remembering that Jesus’ birth, and what the course of His earthly life would mean for us all, is the whole purpose of our own celebrations, personally. Some years Christmas Eve and Day is more simple than others, with a little more or less gifts or family/friends around.

This year we went to Christmas Eve Mass, and had a quiet evening at home, with a little festive food spread. While we had bought the kids a few gifts, Michael and I decided not to put them out the night before. First because, one, two, or all of them tend to get up during the night to use the bathroom or get a drink of water, and I really didn’t want them to see anything. Secondly, I was kind of curious what their reaction would be. There have been Christmas’ where the only gifts they received were from extended family and friends. But this year, since this year has progressively gone quite well, and we could afford more, I actually asked them all what they might want for Christmas. That’s something I’ve never actually done. Their requests were easy enough: certain books (Olivia and the Trio), a new basketball (Shane), a Pillow Pet (JackMichael), socks, (socks?), and Patriots or Tim Tebow calendar (Alexis). So we got them those things, and a few more surprises. But when they got up in the morning, there was nothing more under the tree than there had been all week: packages that had arrived for them from other family, and a large gift bag each from a sweet family friend. Still, they were bouncing around the house all happy-chatty and excited because well . . . it was Christmas Day. And they love Christmas.

(After Mass on Christmas Eve.)

But Michael and I were pretty excited, to give them their gifts! So after breakfast and an hour or so of chilling in our pajamas, we asked the kids to go upstairs for a few minutes, until we called them. After the 4 “Why?” ‘s, and our refusal to answer, they went up, and we got everything around the tree. Despite the fact that there is a lot more to our simple Christmas than presents, that happens to be all I took photos of this year! lol. Since I do intend to get back to some major scrapbooking some day, and I take photos of the kids through their childhood for their/our own memories, I always ponder if I should bother blogging these kinds of things. But our oldest (Alexis) and husband say yes – it’s our family blog in the end, and they want these memories a part of it too. Not just all of our projects and things we do. So I put together a small collection of some of my favorite photos of them opening their gifts. Note: I am TERRIBLE with on camera flash. Ugh-hate using it. But the important thing for our family history is having these (any) family photos someday – perfect or not, they will be treasured more and more as time goes on. So I am embracing candid casual photography, to most enjoy these times with my family. There is a little description with each photo. But I’ll also say that aside from what they are sitting in, and a small gift each from us, they also got a few small things together, and one bigger item (which has not yet arrived), and will be part of another post (a major room revamp), coming soon.

If you look through the slideshow, you can use the arrows to go to the next one. Anytime you want to get out of the slideshow mode, simply click ON the photo, and it will close out.

[Show as slideshow]

However you and your family does Christmas, we hope it was beautiful, meaningful, peaceful, and you were surrounded by love and happiness.

Save

Christmas at Home

December 28, 2008 By Laura 6 Comments

We hope your Christmas was as beautiful and filled with peace as ours was. Of course, I don’t necessarily mean auditory peace, if you have a house full of excited kids as we do, but you know, inner peace. That quiet kind of Christmas joy you feel in your heart, that tends to bring such moments of clear perspective of your whole life, all that truly matters, and all that you are blessed with. I love those Christmas moments, and hope you all had many of them.

While I did take lots of photos of our kids on Christmas Eve and morning, I won’t be posting all of those. Suffice it to say, they had such a wonderful Christmas, that seemed to go on for days here. To see them embrace every moment with such beaming happiness and anticipation in their eyes, is truly a big part of our Christmas joy. They even each had such beautiful and surprise gifts for us. And the HEART they put into them. <sigh/melt> Now we know what all of their ‘Club Days’ in big sister’s room was all about. We really had no idea. I can’t tell you how much fun they have been having for weeks. But here are just some fun Christmas shots I took around our home here and there, now and then, in quiet moments, and moments of loud celebration.

Below is one of my new favorite Christmas ornaments. A friend of mine made it for me, and I just think it is so cute and fun! I smile every time I see it on my tree. It has a soft white feather on it too-you can barely see. I love polka dots. : )

{A} made waffles, one by one, for like 3 hours one day a few days before Christmas, and threw them in the freezer. They were delicious as part of our late-morning Christmas breakfast. Thanks Honey!

Chocolate Buddies.

There’s a few more Christmas-sy areas of our home I may take some shots of and share over the next couple of days as well, just for fun. We really enjoy making our home reflect the Christmas season, and many other holidays as well. Thanks for coming to see!

Save

An Early Christmas Gift, from CatholicTV

November 21, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

So {A} expressed her wishes in her last post, that she hoped we would blog about our wonderful, unexpected, fill-our-hearts with joy, early Christmas gift. And since I took photos, why not!?

After Mass on Sunday, Fr. Bob Reed, who is Director of CatholicTV, and who also helps out with Masses at our parish, asked us to stay after Mass as he had something for us. Once we all went outside, he proceeded to transport a huge wrapped gift from his trunk, to our van! We were so confused. He said it was an early Christmas gift for us from himself and everyone at CatholicTV. Now, as many of you may know, we willingly let them film our family for a new series on Catholic families, for their TV station. We were the first family to do this, so maybe that is why they have expressed their gratitude many times, which was enough for us!! But here, we had this gift from them.

I asked if we should wait until Christmas to open it, but he said “Oh no!! Open it TODAY!!”. Now our plans were to go shopping from there but……you can bet those plans got a little rearranged. We went home first to open the gift.

Now, we are thankful for anything. Or nothing. From anyone. But as I looked at this box, I had an inkling. Or maybe it was wishful thinking. It my heart, I was a little bit hoping and praying, that it was just what it turned out to be. Hold on.

So here are the kids waiting to open it. Daddy was in the other room doing something, or something. I forget. But we were waiting. And wondering. Hmmmm.

Then we let them tear it open, which took all of 1/2 second.

Next, Daddy had to open the stapled box, and carefully cut the tape of the styrofoam box as well. Clearly it was something breakable. (That was a good sign to me!! lol)

He lifted off the cover, and though each piece was wrapped in plastic, it was clear enough that my little prayer had come true. The kids cheered! Can you tell what it is??

Here is a better look. The beauty of each piece is just……….

I can’t tell you how HAPPY this gift made us. So how did I have an inkling of what it was?? Many weeks ago, when that man from Bethlehem was selling religious wood goods at our parish, I told Fr. Reed how we need to get a nativity set, and soon. I told him we’ve never really had one, except for the Fisher Price Little People set our little ones had. He then mentioned a place he knew that made beautiful sets, but then told me to be sure we didn’t get one. Now WHY would a priest tell you not to get a nativity set? I was just about to ask him where he recommended, since he said he knew of a great place.

We even used that Little People Nativity Set last year, even though our youngest ones were 5 years old and a little old for it! We figured, hey, it was better than nothing. The thing is, our home was always too small before, and lacked a good display area for a nativity set. We couldn’t really afford one, anyway. Later, we added on and had more space, but then with 3 toddlers thrashing about the house, I didn’t want anything get get broken, IF we had one. But it was definitely time, to have a REAL one. Michael and I have wanted one ever since we’ve owned a home, and it was always sadly put off, for one reason or another. A nativity set IS what Christmas is, and we wanted it to be part of our home, for every Christmas season from now on.

But to receive such a BEAUTIFUL set, as a GIFT, from Fr. Reed (whom we adore), and CatholicTV, just adds sentiment to this set, that we will always treasure. The children will always remember how, when, where, we got it, and it just makes it that more special. It’ll be a family treasure, for many, many generations to come.

Michael will be building a stable that is just right, to accommodate our new Nativity set. We are all very excited to set it up in a place of honor. I’ll be sure to take and share photos.

To Fr. Reed (if you’re reading) and Catholic TV — THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts, from our whole family here “at #19”. Your beautiful, thoughtful, amazing gift will never go unappreciated, and will always mean more to us than you will ever know.

And here is the STAR of the show! The very reason we celebrate every Christmas…..

Save

Amazon Affiliates