The Christmas Dress!

The pattern is a dress pattern from 1901 (French).  It mostly comes with a description of the dress and very little instructions.  That means it was slow going for me and lots of phone calls home to my Mom.  The ribbon is silk, the fabric is a fine baby cord, and there are 63 bead caps (buttons were way too expensive)

I love it, but the silk ribbon causes me too much stress.  I constantly worry about her snagging it and ruining the dress.  So do I let her wear the dress lots and ruin it OR wear it a few times and put it away? 

Christmas Day!

HO! HO! MEERRRY CHRISTMAS!
This is the kids waiting at the top of the stairs before we let them head down to see if Santa has visited.  Grahm is not in to talking for the camera!
We put a clock in the boys bedroom and told them they could not wake us up before 7am.  Then I jump in the shower and get my makeup on and fix my hair.  It sounds soooo mean, but it lets me relish in their anticipation a little longer.

First we look at our stockings and of course any presents that Santa didn't wrap. 
This Rody Horse of Charlottes got her attention quick, after a Starburst!

Santa also brought her a doll.  It is Sweetie Pie an Effanbee doll (I got mine when I was two for Christmas - hers says it is 1969 - Santa hunted it down - he likes the old crier's best!!)  Jason and I (and my Mom) gave her my doll cradle.  Jason had to fix the rockers - it has rocked lots of kids, and we stripped it and repainted it.  My Grandpa Jones built it for my Mom for Christmas!  I hope she loves it as much as all the little girls in the past have! [Since I wanted to see her reaction and not through a view finder I don't have pictures -yet].  She sleeps with this doll, feeds it, rocks, and carts it around.  A girl and her doll!

I also made her a little purse, fake lipstick, and powder.  Another Fancy Nancy book!

Jayce asked Santa for:  GI Joe - R.H.I.N.O. Vehicle, Comic Book, Ben 10 Toy, WII Game, Iron Man Figure, and Trouble.  Between Santa, Mom and Dad, and Grandparents he got everything he wished for and a few extras.

Grahm asked Santa for:  Ben 10 Watch, Ben 10 Toys, GI Joe Duke figure, Hippity Hop, and Christmas Shoes.  Between everyone his hearts desires were met!!

When I was a kid my Mom painted Calvin and Hobbes T-shirts for all of us one or two years.  This summer I decided to introduce my family to Calvin and Hobbes and create T-shirts for them for Christmas!  (Jayce was introduced to Calvin and Hobbes as soon as school started this fall, he has been faithfully reading ever since).




Jason and I got everything we wanted.  This was a great Christmas!  Christmas Day was simple and sweet.

Christmas Eve

I just love this time of year.  I love the true meaning of the season and the opportunity to refocus my life.  I also love the excitement that infects my children - it is contagious!!

Christmas Eve.
Along with our traditional soup dinner we were able to share it with good friends. 
We read the scripture story - so simple, so sweet.
This year we were giving Jayce pj's.  Grahm had asked for Christmas Shoes and we all know Charlotte has an obsession with shoes, so I made red elf slippers with bells on the toes.  We let them open them up Christmas Eve.
Of course everyone was very tired from a long day of excitment.

Her Latest Obsession

Ever since our first little snow storm that gave Charlotte a taste for snow (figuratively and literally) she has been begging to go out in it.

Tonight as we left the house she tried to pick up a thin layer of snow to eat - I am picturing all the dirt and grime that she also picked up and quickly get rid of the snow.  Tears of course follow.

On our way into the house she is crying to play in the snow - but it is late, dark and cold.  She quickly is distracted by the fact that their is plenty of snow to eat off the floor in our entry way.  Once again - I am picturing dirt - so I do a Mom freak out and she cries.

I turn away for a moment only to turn back and find her licking the bottom of Grahms boot - there is snow in the tread!  I should have let her eat her snow. 

At this point I am now willing to oblige her and I run out into the storm to make a snowball that she can eat in peace!

New Ornaments!

After Super Saturday I had some memory frames I needed to do something with.  I had them because when I went to order them the company I wanted to order them from did not have them in stock.  The second time in 1 month - should have been a clue.  So I ordered them from another company and I knew they where different, but when they arrived I was too emberassed at how cheap and crappy they where to let any one have them.  So I checked back with the compnay I liked and they were back in stock.  They were much better.

So - I had 14 extra frames.  What to do?  My Mom has been wanting to put photos on the tree, like Pottery Barn has for the last few years.  I realized that these frames where nice ane light weight and would work great - they are only 1.5 inches - so a little small - but I like them!!

Turning Two!!

She officially turned two this month!  Wow - what a ride.  She is just so stinkin' cute and makes us smile.  I love it when she jumps, when she says Ho! Ho! MERRRRY Christmas!  I love watching her play with dolls - she is potty training her dolls. 

For the big celebration she requested hot dogs and fries and Cake Pops of course.  Since we celebrated her Birthday in June we kept it small - we gave her a book (A Fany Nancy) and some shoes she needed.  My Mom gave her an outfit -knickers and a sweater - so cute!! (she decided to celebrate her Birthday on the official day and not the unBirthday day). 

Turning two brings some serious officialy changes - no more sippy cups, no more whole milk - and the biggie no more Binky!  I knew eliminating the binky would be difficult for Charlotte.  She was more attached to it than either of the boys.  They never asked for it when they where upset, and she would.  When they approached two and we told them it was time to be done, THEY threw it away.  Charlotte at the mention of that would start crying!!  Oh, Dear!

Well, I remembered reading once that a mom had slowly cut up the binky.  So we tried this.  We started in October.  I cut a slit, two nights later I made the whole bigger.  Two nights later I made it bigger and so on, until the nub was barely big enough to hold on with her teeth.  She stopped asking for it and it disappeared.  By November we were binky free!!

Neige $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Neige $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Here is to keeping my fingers crossed! I love their clothes!

Sewing for boys!

Here are the pants I made for Grahm.  I was really worried that they would look homemade.  I think fabric selection is really important when sewing for boys.  The fabric I used was a pair of my pants that I hated.  I used an Oliver and S pattern.  They are really great patterns, easy to use.  Maybe we will try something else for boys after the new year!

(yes they are wrinkly - he hates clothes, irons, etc...)

All I Want For Christmas is My Two...

First off - I have not actually taken a moment to brag about how great Jayce's performance was at the Christmas Party.  He and Jack did great, it sounded good!!  They did not seem nervous at all (my stomach had butterfly's for him).I am so proud of him.  He did not want to sing and I made him.  He was great and I hope it helped him get over his fear of performing.

Jayce has been soooooo slooooowwww getting his two front teeth in.  He lost them back in early May of this year and he finally got one in two days before Thanksgiving.  I thought for sure we were going to get to sing the song - All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth - this year.  6 Months!!! 

The next week he lost another tooth.  The gap would have been 4 teeth wide, except the one had come in the week before. 

Good news, his other Central Incisor has finally cut through - this Sunday.  He now has his two front teeth!!

The World Through His Eyes!

As we piled out of the car to pick up miscellaneous items at JoAnns (only to have to go back a few days later, because shopping with kids - means the one thing I put in the cart that I had to have, does not make it home.), I hear Grahm exclaim...

Jayce, Jayce - hurry look at my coat. 

JAYCE, JAYCE - LOOK!  IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A SNOWFLAKE!

JAYCE!

I smile and keep rushing through the parking lot.

MOM, MOM!  THEY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE SNOWFLAKES!  HURRY AND LOOK AT MY COAT.  MOM, LOOK!

MOM! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!

I think he made several people smile that day.

Humble Pie a la mode

This past Saturday was our Branch Christmas Party. Jayce and his friend Jack were singing a duet, Away in a Manger. Of course Jason had to work and asked that I try and record the performance for him. I told him in advance that I didn't think I could. The performance was going to be in The Chapel, the most sacred room in our meeting house. This is where we partake of the Sacrament.


After getting everyone dressed for the party and arriving late, I asked our Branch President if I would be permitted to use a camcorder during the performance. He informed me that it would be okay, since this was a very relaxed meeting. I was still feeling nervous and guilty about it. Under normal circumstances recordings of any kind are not permitted in the Chapel, no pictures, no audio recordings and no video recordings.

I had it all planned out, I was going to sit near the front and very discreetly video the performance of Jayce and Jack singing. When it was their turn, I sat Charlotte on the bench next to me (so she would not shake the camera) and started to get ready to record. She started to cry, which meant you would not be able to hear the singing.

So, I stood up to dash to the back of the room with Charlotte and camera. I think everyone noticed us and my camera. I was dying. A great friend offered to take Charlotte for me. A little relief, still dying of embarrassment.

This was quickly replaced by pride as Jayce and Jack started singing.

Then Sunday night when Jason was home we hooked everything up to the TV to watch the performance and wouldn't you know it, there was nothing. I must have forgotten in all the craziness to push record. I am taking it as a further lesson that some things should not be done in Holy Places. I try very hard to teach my children the sacred nature of our church buildings and I think I still need lessons also. Humbling!!

My Ramblings about Santa

I often have mixed feeling about Santa Clause. On one hand he is a wonderful embodiment of Jesus Christ and on the other hand he inspires gluttony. I guess like so many things in life there are a good side and a bad side (if you can call it that).


Today, I decided that Santa Clause does something wonderful for children. Besides helping to teach children to give and of course try to be their very best. He teaches them about faith.

Jayce is at that age where they start to question Santa Clause. I was beginning to think this might be our last year of him believing. He told me his friends don't believe in Santa... and then he added that they needed to watch Polar Express and then they would know. However, after a rough morning and one phone call to Santa - I realized that he had made a decision (perhaps not a conscious one). He was not believing because he always has, he has chosen to believe inspite of what others say. Perhaps his ability to choose to believe in Santa is a luxury of a child, but I believe he has had a fundamental lesson in faith. There will come a point in your life where you have to choose to believe, not believe because someone else does or because you used to.

I try to bring Jesus Christ into Christmas when ever I can. I compare Santa Clause to Jesus for them. This time of year parents can easily back themselves into a corner by threatening no toys from Santa if the kiddos don't perform well. We have done this several times, in fact last night the 10 minutes allotted for playroom cleanup was closer to an hour - because we had threatened no toys (oops).

I explained to Jayce that just like Jesus will do anything for us because he wants us to live in Heaven with him. Santa does not want to bring a lump of coal and not give you toys. He loves us and wants us to be happy.

I Believe!