Simple things we enjoyed November 2015

A 10 year anniversary trip to Aruba where we read, rested, relaxed and had uninterupted conversations with each other in the sand and sun.

I also found some heart shaped coral!

Watching our kids play together, using their imagination and tightening their bond.

Thanksgiving day 5k and a guy who is bsck to running after his mountain bike crash/injury.

Holiday preparations! And the magic that surrounds the season.

If I could stop the hands of time

If I could stop time, I'd freeze these last few weeks. We are caught in that wonderful place where fun and exciting things are happening every day- simple things like smiles from our little guy, holiday festivities, and new family traditions (Elf on a Shelf and Christmas movies) and old favorites (Bentleyville and bell ringing for the Salvation Army).












Our little girl has concerts for Sunday school, preschool and dance.











We've enjoyed Christmas parties and she is over her fear of Santa.






She's excited to give the gifts we've chosen and made for others. She understands giving. And wants to give. She's keeping secrets of gifts we've bought and writing out names of those we care about on presents. I'm aware of how much she's grown and learned in the last year and I love to see these glimpses of a child wise beyond her years mixed with the awe and wonder of delight that is just as it should be for her age.

I love our home decorated for the holidays. And since I'm home on maternity leave (best timing ever) I can sit and enjoy quiet moments at home with my little man, the Christmas tree twinkling, baby sleeping on my lap, beautiful snow outside our windows as I appreciate the warm house, healthy baby whose playing, exploring, smiling (!!!), and these moments that I know won't last forever, but sure wish they could.


























- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Gingerbread house

I've never had good luck building gingerbread houses... This year I bought a kit that had slots for the base so I was thinking the added stability and less stress building would mean more time decorating.

It started off well:







With the walls in place, we decorated the roof:









Assembly from there did not go well:



As I was trying to reconstruct the dilapidated gingerbread house I realized my daughter was eating the building materials (frosting) right from the package.












We got back on track and just decorated the pieces and gave up on assembly after I discovered a bite out of the roof.



I had visions of an award winning gingerbread house, and really would have been fine with one that at least stood in its own, but instead we had good memories- and a sweet snack.

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Crafting with Corks

I have a thing for wine corks. I have collected them over the years from drinking wine (obviously!) and they have made great souvenirs from travels, like the trip to Napa Vally and Door County, WI. And I have friends that save them for me too. I save them in a giant wine glass I got from my brother as a "you're the best sister in the world" gift (I love that guy!), but it was overflowing, so I did what anyone would do and crafted with them!

The thing I love best about these projects is that they were very simple and I had everything already on hand to make them so they cost nothing. And it recycled the corks! Simple, cheap and cute craft projects = a happy me:)

A little hot glue and a wooden base~ viola! A Christmas tree!

I'd make a tutorial except this project is so easy a description will surely suffice: Hot glue corks together.
The reddish corks got the color from the red wine they helped keep in the bottle; the green corks I painted.

Another tree, all the corks match unlike the previous random tree.

A Christmas ornament

I made the with a friend- I love joint projects- 2 people creating something together!!

Wine cork memo board

~Angela

Homemade Nativity Set

 

Most of the supplies I already had (LOVE projects like that!)

 

 

Here is a supply list in case you don't have everything on hand:

 

I cut the wood from wooden scraps. The pieces measuring approx:

1.5 X 1.5 inches square and 7 inches high (Mary- the red)

1.5 X 1.5 inches square and 8 inches high (Joseph)

1 X 3 inches (Baby Jesus)

 *I made a couple of these and the sizes varied depending on the size of wood scraps I had, so use your own crativity!

I purchased the wooden circles at a craft store

 

Small amount of wire (4 inches)

Small wooden star

Paint

Hot glue

Raffia or ribbon

 

I painted the pieces and sanded the edges for that rustic look. I also drilled a hole to attach the wire into for the star that is above their heads.

 

I used raffia that I had on hand to tie around the pieces of wood, but it is strictly for decorative purposes as I hot glued all the pieces together first.

~Angela