How We Celebrated 9 Years

Today marks 9 years married to my handsome husband Brian. This past week, on December 26th, Brian planned out a wonderful date night in downtown Seattle. He purchased the tickets, planned the baby sitting, and made reservations without me knowing then told me about a month ago so I could anticipate the night. I LOVE the anticipation of a date, a wedding, a trip, or any big event. There is something twice as special about looking at the menu, hotel, or venue and being able to picture it in my head and dream about it. Where surprises are nice, for our anniversary I really like how Brian did the work and let me have the anticipation!

Brian called my lovely sister Rachel to come and watch the boys. We have left them both a couple times this past year. Once for date night with my sister and another time with my mom because we needed to take Brian to urgent care. I am so blessed to have a sweet sister and mom who are  willing to come watch The Brothers. My sister happens to be a nanny and is great with kids. Shane adores her and Keith is so laid back with being around her that I did not think twice about her caring for them.

We drove downtown, parked, then took the light rail to Westlake Station where we walked a few blocks to the restaurant and theater. We dined at Urbane, a restaurant that prides themselves on using locally sourced foods. I really like eating natural, local, and organic when possible so this was a perfect pick. We had an appetizer of crab cakes that came with a roasted delicata squash, fresh basil, Mama Li's peppers, and  lemon aioli. Brian had a lamb shank with roasted pears and black eyed peas which was unexpected, unique, and incredibly delicious. I ordered salmon with mashed potatoes, sauteed brussels sprouts with roast shallots, and a hedgehog mushroom relish. I always try and order something I can't cook at home because it makes the meal feel special and worth the price of eating out. These two dishes and the appetizer were defiantly a good selection and not something I would typically cook. We wanted to have dessert but were short on time so we got the check and headed down the street to the theater for our show.

Brian had purchased tickets to see Straight No Chaser, an acapella group, at The Paramount Theater. I had seen their viral YouTube video 12 Days of Christmas but never knew they were so BIG and talented! Brian and I had the best time because not only can those 10 guys sing but they are hilariously entertaining. The Paramount is a beautiful setting and the crowd was energetic. The show was wonderful.

We had a great time and I felt loved and blessed by my husband. Taking time to date your wife, especially during the little years, makes a huge investment in marriage. It gave me a chance to unwind a bit, dress up, and, letting some else put my a its to bed a couple times a year lets me miss it and appreciate it on the nights my babies give me a run for my money. It was fun to reflect on the past 9 years with my love and partner in life whom I adore! 

Happy Anniversary Brian!

Do You Want To Build a Snowman Activity

Christmas is over and the holidays are behind us but that does not mean I want my crafting and activities with The Brothers to stop. January is a birthday packed month for me but it does not stop me from carving out time to do activities and make memories with my boys. After Keith goes to sleep at night around 7, Shane and I have an entire hour to be creative, hands on, and imaginative. This past week, when asked what he wanted to do, he asked to build a snowman. It had been hailing that night...hailing hard and as hail does not make for good snowman building we settled for a sensory activity.

We made snow! It was so much fun, relatively inexpensive, and Shane enjoyed every moment. When I can get my active and spirited toddler to sit still for longer that 10 minutes I know I have a winning activity. When stored in an airtight container, the snow stayed good for several days. Additionally, the clean up was so easy because of the ingredients. If you are wanting to build a snowman with your kids this winter don't let the lack of snow stop you! 

Supplies

a shallow bin or cookie sheet

3 cups baking soda

1/2 cup conditioner (white is recommended to keep your snow stay white)

spoon

Directions

 1. Measure and combine baking soda and conditioner in bin with a spoon or hands. 

2. Sculpt, play, and mold the snow. When you are finished, store in an airtight container to keep moist for a few days. 

Do you want to build a snowman?

Sometimes Your Kids Surprise You

Sometimes your kids surprise you with what they are learning. This past week, Shane and I sat working on cards for friends in our cozy Christmas decorated living room. We used cookie cutters and paint brushes to make our cards (you can find a tutorial on how we made cookie cutter Christmas cards here) and I would scribe Shane's notes and messages. When it came time to write who the card was from Shane insisted he write his own name. I handed him the marker and assumed I would just write his name in parenthesis underneath his little doddle so that the recipient would know who the card was from. To my surprise Shane wrote his name and he did a really good job! Where did my son learn how to write his own name? When I asked him, he responded, "I learned the letters from my wall and how to write my name from Mommy and Dad?"

I am learning as a mother that my children are constantly watching me. They are constantly learning from me, for better or worse. To my surprise and joy this past week my son delighted me by writing his own name. However, this amazing ability made me stop to examine my other actions. If Shane learned how to write his name from watching me, what else has he been learning? Am I teaching him negative physical habits from my lack of exercise this past year? Am I modeling positive spiritual habits by praying with him?

The Gift of Generosity

This past summer a sweet, sweet friend of mine found out she was having a second son. I shared the happy news with Shane and Keith and instantly Shane wanted to go get this friend flowers. I knew that my mom, Shane's Grandmother, had purchased flowers with Shane for me the week before so the action was freshly ingrained in Shane's mind. At the time, I can clearly recall that we were running a bit late but Shane was so eager to delight, so open to learning, and so wanted to mimic what my mother had been teaching him about gift giving, about generosity, about thoughtfulness that we stopped at the market.

That afternoon we were late to meet our friends at the park however, we showed up with a beautiful orange and green bouquet. I will never forget Shane handing those flowers over with such joy. He knew they would warm our friend's heart. He knew she would be delighted. Shane was able to experience the joy of generosity and I never want to miss an opportunity to foster that in my son's heart. One day that lesson is going to impact his tithe habits, his purist of a worthy woman, his heart as a friend and a father. One day I hope to send out into the world a man that is more excited to hand a bouquet of orange flowers to someone and bring  them joy then he is to open gifts on Christmas.

 So this holiday season we continued the lesson of generosity. Under my tree yesterday were gifts picked out by Shane. Bright and cheerful red ribbons were tied by his loving toddler fingers, and cards were signed by his hand. This holiday season Shane had already proudly announced before Christmas to my sister that she was getting pink earnings but I was OK with that because my son is learning the joy of generosity. He could not wait to share with my sister! So we will continue to teach, to model, and to practice this through gift giving because it is a lesson I want him to learn. Teaching generosity was the best gift I gave to my son this Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and yours! Today I am spending time with my Brian and The Brothers at home before Brian heads off to work. The smell of cinnamon rolls is wafting through our home, gold wrapping paper and red ribbon is strewn about my living room floor, and there are sweet giggles and Christmas music filling my home with wonderful sounds. I hope you have a blessed day remembering the gift of our Savior and spending time with those you love. 

Mistletoes

Merry Christmas Eve! 

Can you contain the joy and anticipation of tomorrow? Are you eagerly awaiting the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior? Last night we went to look at Christmas lights as a family dressed in our PJs with hot chocolate in hand. Shane sang "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" the entire time only pausing to put a few verses of " Away in a Manger" in. Keith stared in wonder and amazement at the twinkling colorful lights. Today we are writing birthday cards to Jesus in place of a letter to Santa and I am looking forward to seeing what Shane comes up with. He has a lot to say these days and often it makes me laugh. I just love this time of year!

This weekend I wanted to make on personal gift for my parents so that they had a little keepsake of how small and sweet their grandsons were this year. I have been seeing people post the cute little footprint crafts making mistletoe and thought it would be a great idea to make and frame for my parents. It took 10 minutes and turned out great. If you need another card of handmade gift from you kids this one is so adorable and will give lasting memories.

Supplies

1 sheet of white construction paper

green non toxic and washable paint

paint brush

red and black marker

wet wipe or damp cloth to clean up the paint

the sweetest little feet from you kids

Instructions

1. Paint the bottom of your child's foot and stamp onto the center of the construction paper. Set aside and allow paint to dry.

2. Using the red marker draw a ribbon from the top of the page attached to the heel of the foot.

3. On the paper you can write Mistletoe under the picture, the date, and a personal note. 

Cookie Cutter Christmas Cards

Cookie Cutter Holiday Cards

We made holiday cards to send a personal note from Shane to a few of his buddies this past week. I love spending time making these crafts with my toddler and teaching him about the meaning of the season. As a mom, it is incredibly important to me to not focus on Santa as much as it is to teach about joy, gratitude, and generosity as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during the Christmas season. Thus, these cards were a great opportunity to express Shane's sweet little thoughts to our Neighbor, the mail carrier, my sister's new boyfriend, and one of his Sunday school teachers (who also happens to be a great friend of mine). His notes were priceless, the time spent making the cards was so much fun, and Shane even impressed me with being able to write his own name!

Supplies

cookie cutters (I used stars, gingerbread men, and circles)

washable, non toxic paint

construction paper

paintbrush (optional)

markers or a pen

plate or piece of cardboard (to put paint on)

Directions

1. Fold several pieces of construction paper in half. Lay them out so the seam of the card is on the left and the card will open from right to left.

2. Pour a small amount of paint onto a plate and spread it out so it is larger than the size of your cookie cutter. Dip the cookie cutter into the pain and then stamp it onto the paper several times. You may need to dip it several times depending on how thick your pain is. You can repeate with several shapes and paint colors on as many cards as you need/want.

3. Allow the paint to dry for a few minutes then using fingers or a paint brush you can add some details such as eyes on gingerbread men, dots to the circles to make ornaments, or pain the stars in yellow.

4. Allow the cards to completely dry and you can scribe well wishes, jokes or a message on the cards. 

We made a snowmen cards with a joke: What do snowmen eat for breakfast? Snowflakes with milk!

The Stars Were Brightly Shining on our star cards.

Merry Christmas on the ornament cards.

Have a Sweet Holiday on the gingerbread cards.

Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn

My family is in the midst of celebrating Advent and preparing for Christmas! I can hardly contain the joy and excitement as we anticipate the day. On Saturday our Advent activity was to make something for a teacher so Shane and I spent the evening making some treats for his Sunday school teachers. Our home smelled sweet and nutty and the results of this Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn was perfection. We packaged our treats up in some mason jars and party bags and tied a ribbon around the top and our gifts looked beautiful. I have loved our Countdown To Christmas Advent Activities this year and you can check them out here. The memories have been so sweet to soak up with The Brothers.

Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn

Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

8 cups plain popcorn (I pop mine in a brown paper bag in the microwave)

1 1/2 cup raw cashews

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. dried cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

Ingredients

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a medium pan melt the butter and stir in the honey. Mix in the spices and salt.

3. Put the cashews in a large mixing bowl and stir in 2 T of the honey butter mixture until the nuts are coated.

4. Spread the coated nuts on a large parchment lined baking sheet (or a buttered non stick backing sheet) and bake in your preheated oven for about 6 minutes, stirring half way through. The nuts will be slightly brown and fragrant.

5. In the same large mixing bowl mix the popcorn (make sure to sort out any unpopped kernels) and the remaining honey butter mixture until evenly distributed. 

6. After the cashews have been toasted (they will smell amazing!) add the popcorn mixture and give the batch a big stir to mix things up. Pop the baking sheet back in the oven and toast for another 4 minutes, stir, then toast for another 2-4 until everything looks a light golden brown. 

7. When the mixture is done allow it to cool. As it cools it will harden so stir it up every few minutes to avoid large chunks from sticking together. Once the mixture has cooled, store it in an air tight container or into a cute and festive goodie bag, tin or jar for a festive gift. 

Favorite Comfort Foods

Today I am sharing my favorite family recipes and linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals. 

I adore cooking. I like the process of creating something delicious out of otherwise ordinary ingredients. I feel calmed with the chopping of vegetables, creative when I master something new, and successful when I sit down to table surrounded by those I love and see the delight on their faces when I present a beautiful meal. I like the sizzle of hot butter in a pan, the smell of roasted garlic, the beautiful change that happens when flour is added to a sauce and it thickens. Cooking is a delight.

In my home I like to try a new recipe once a week. However, there are a few favorites that I always come back to. As opposed to sharing an original or adapted recipe I am linking you straight to my top ten comfort recipes to keep you full this holiday season. 

The Pioneer Woman's Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole

Image Credit: The Pioneer Woman 

Look at that picture of broth gravy, hearty wild rice, and a crisp topping. I often add shredded chicken to this one and freezes beautifully.

100 Days of Real Food Meatballs

Image Credit: 100 Days of Real Food

Sometimes we use this with whole wheat noodles and a tangy marinara sauce and sometimes I make chicken meatballs and serve them along lemon and garlic roasted broccoli with a roasted yam. Either way these have to be Keith's favorite way to get protein and his carrots. My little 11 month old gobbles these up.

100 Days of Real Food Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Image Credit: 100 Days of Real Food

I hated baked beans growing up from the taste to the texture to the smell. Brian loves baked beans so I tried making my own to see if I could tolerate them. This recipe is AMAZING and I find I eat them straight out of the pot because they are so good. I serve them with BBQ chicken or with a whole wheat roll and honey. Either way I bet you will love them.

Macrina Bakery Apple Pie

Image Credit: Macrina Bakery

My husband loves apple pie. I have made it for his birthday, around Thanksgiving, and I find on a night we just want something special this is the recipe I always go back to. The crust is perfect and the filling has tart granny smith apples and a sweet brown sugar filling. This pie is perfection.

Mix and Match Mama Spicy Bake Tacos

Image Credit: Mix and Match Mama

When I need a quick and easy meal this is what I turn to. The only change I make is using homemade whole wheat tortillas and our own taco seasoning that I mix myself. Otherwise, these are the most simple and filling tacos and I like how the spinach is mixed right on in with the meal so my family is getting the balanced nutrition they need.

100 Days of Real Food Slow Cooker Fajitas

Image Credit: 100 Days of Real Food

Yes, I have several recipes posted today from 100 Days of Real Food but the food is so good. I like that these fajitas are made in the slow cooker. They are so tender and the sauce is so flavorful. You will love coming home to this meal after a cold long day out.

The Salish Lodge Bake Oatmeal

On Monday I shared a recipe from The Salish Lodge for baked oatmeal. I have been making this one a lot the past few weeks when time allows. It takes about 45 minutes to bake but is quick to mix up and everyone in my family, even Shane, eats this.

Pioneer Woman Pot Pie with 100 Days of Real Food Whole Wheat Crust

Image Credit: The Pioneer Woman

I LOVE pot pie. In fact I think it makes one of the most perfect meals. I like to use The Pioneer Woman's filling because it is perfection but I try and make it a bit more healthy by using a whole wheat crust from 100 Days of real food. Sometimes I also make a makeshift pot pie and plop some creamy mashed potatoes on top because it saves even more time and I like to think a few calories.

My three other favorites are my mother's pistachio recipe, vegetarian lasagna, and an amazing chicken with dried fruit wrapped in dough with an apricot sauce. I will be posting these favorites in the coming weeks! They are my mealtime childhood memories in a pan. 

One more quick note. On Wednesday I wrote a post commenting on the negative image of police officers in the media and how it has been impacting our family. Please take a moment and read about it here. 

Thankful Thursday: Chloe

Before I had The Brothers I had my sweet little girl. Her name is Chloe and she is an absolute love. Brian and I got her from the Tri Cities in six years about and she was our first practice at parenthood. The Brothers love her and so do we. I am thankful for my dog Chloe. 

Our sweet little Chloe in 2008

A Positive Police Image

I notice I don't watch the local news any more. I am not reading any news articles on the internet and I spend less time on social media these days. I am not trying to avoid the reality of the world but I found that my heart can't handle report after report and post after post of negative publicity on my husband's profession. I am married to a police officer.

This last week, on social media alone, I read about law students getting test postponed because of the emotional strain they were under in light of the Ferguson incident. I read personal comments about officers being racist, shooting people with no just cause, and people accusing law enforcement in general of misuse of power and authority. I am sure the news had similar stories of the bad and negative when it comes to law enforcement and I could not bring myself to turn the news on.

I find myself asking where are the positive stories? Where are people's reaction to the good that my husband is doing? Where is the respect and appreciation for Shane and Keith's father? I am married to a man who has worked overtime this past week. He was ensuring that protests did not turn to riots and mobs did not destroy businesses that people worked their whole lives to build. My sons have a father who does not tuck them in most night because he works at night making sure that the streets are free of mobs, speeding cars, drunks, violence, and assault. Where is the appreciation for the person that you call on when you need help?

I am amazed that the positive stories of service that officers do is not highlighted in the news more often. Last Saturday my husband's department took hundreds of toys to underprivileged children and I wonder if it made the local broadcast. Last Friday, a Sheriff's Department in California did the same in their community but I was hard pressed to find much media coverage of either event. Is the violent death of an officer in the line of duty the only way he or she can be seen as a hero, a good person, or a newsworthy story?

I am writing to ask for a change on social media to help off set the negative publicity officers are receiving. Find a positive story in the news and pass it on. Share a positive personal experience that you had with an officer. I am writing to ask that you look for something good an officer does in your community and tell someone else about it. These men and women are doing good across our nation but I don't see people taking the time to talk about the good. Instead I am seeing the negative stories, the personal hate, the bad experiences with law enforcement time in time again and it is time for a change.

Below you can find some stories of the good our nation's police officers are doing. Please take a moment to read some stories, like them, share them and help balance out the negative stories flooding the news about police officers. That is my husband out there at night with the protesters, that is my 2 year old son's daddy working to keep you safe, that is my 10 month old baby boy's father who is putting his life on the line and I am proud of him because he is a good police officer despite what the media is feeding you about his profession.

credit image: KOMO News

Officer's escorted this 4-year-old 'Cancer Ninja" to his final resting place and KOMO News did a segment. 

credit image: Police One

Officer Mike Hill of the Jennings, La. Police Department  brought Blaize, who is menatally disabled, by the department to visit. It has always been a dream of Baize's to be an officer (Facebook Image)

credit image: Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation

Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation Annual Shop with a Cop Event (Facebook Image)

Clay Ornaments

If you read last weeks post on how we celebrate Advent, you  saw this sweet picture of  Shane's clay ornament that we made for our Toddler Gingerbread House Decorating party. We also made this cute Reindeer Craft if you are looking for something fun to do with your little ones.

Today I thought I would share the recipe for how to make these little classic clay ornaments. They are so easy and fun for your little ones and I bet you already have everything you need to make them in your pantry and around the house. Shane and all his buddies enjoyed making their ornaments and as a mom I LOVE having handmade ornaments filled with sweet memories to hang on my tree for years to come.

Supplies

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup water

rolling pin

cookie cutters

baking sheet

paint or markers

ribbon or string

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl, then stir in the water mixing until smooth.

3. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using the cookie cutters, cut the dough into desired sheet and law on baking sheet.

4. Using a skewer poke a hole in each ornament for the ribbon or string to be thread through.

5. Cook in the preheated oven for 2 1/2-3 hours until dry. Dough may puff slightly.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

6. Using paint or makers decorate ornaments, allow to dry, then thread with ribbon or string. 

Baked Oatmeal

My husband and I were married in winter at The Salish Lodge in 2005. Our wedding was warm and cozy. There were stuffed mushrooms for appetizers and oysters on the half shell. We served hot chocolate and had roast beef with horseradish sauce and roasted vegetables.  For dessert there were four different kinds of cake from Macrina Bakery. The aisle was lined with lanterns filled with tea lights and the room was filled with the smell of evergreen from the Christmas trees adorned with glitter snowflake ornaments. It was beautiful.

When I came across a recipe from The Salish Lodge in the local newspaper years ago I was so excited. The food is amazing and this recipe does not disappoint. It is one of my family favorites. If you have 45 minutes on a weekend morning this makes a perfect breakfast and the leftovers can be cut up and eating like a soft bake granola bar. Top it with sauteed apples or add in berries for a bit of variety.

Adapted from The Saliah Lodge

Ingredients

2 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup 2% milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix ingredients together. Pour into prepared baking pan.

3. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm or cooled for soft baked snack.

10 Christmas Gift Favorites

I love Christmas-how it brings warmth to the winter months: bundled up babies, twinkling lights, baking round the clock to warm the home and fill bellies. I'm thankful for holiday parties and the opportunity to gather with family and friends and fill a home with laughter. I'm thankful for the opportunity to teach The Brothers about Christ birth, the reason for cutting a tree, and the anticipation of Christmas through Advent. I get giddy at the thought of decorating my home for Christmas and making it cheerful with evergreen scented wreaths and four stockings hung from the mantel with care. 

I love gift giving, too! Shane has been learning about giving and gratitude this holiday season. He has helped selected gifts, wrap them, and if I am being honest he has helped unwrap a few with his name on them already. I love helping him be intentional about picking a gift for those he loves. Shane put thought into what brings joy to others and from there he has grown a deep love of giving.  Here are a ten gifts that Shane and I picked out to give to others this season.

1. 100 Days of Real Food

I have written so much about this cookbook and the author's blog. My family and I have made a radical change in our diet switching to minimally processed foods and we have seen a huge health benefit. I lost the last few pounds from having two babies 23 months apart, I have been getting sick less, and everyone's digestive system is working better. The biggest change I have seen is in Shane: better focus, improved sleep, healthier complexion. I have given this cookbook as thank you gifts, hostess gifts, and now it is wrapped under my tree for someone.

2. Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

I have a signed copy of this book from my dear friend Stephanie. I was originally given her first book, Bittersweet, which I have passed along to a friend. I am currently finishing this book and I can't put it down. It is a rich blend of recipes and comfort writing. It's the kind of book I put my bathrobe and slippers on to read at night with a hot cup of tea and some Christmas Music playing. I love this author.

3. Barefoot Dreams Bamboo Cardigan

Speaking of bathrobes, this cardigan from Barefoot Dreams, is the most comfortable and easy piece of my wardrobe. I got it for myself with some birthday money when it went on sale and oh, heavens, it is a dream. New mom friends this is such a great purchase. I justify the price because I wear it every single day and because I got it on sale.

4. Green Toy 

Santa happened to let me know that both my boys are going to be getting a toy from this brand. I normally try and avoid plastic but after a few little mishaps with wild boys hitting each other with wooden toys I am finding this is a happy and softer alternative. I like the colors, the size, and that they are really sturdy toys made of recycled plastic. I purchased one of these for $5 on Black Friday from amazon!

5. Stumptown Coffee

I live in the Seattle area and I like coffee. I have a cup almost every day. I really like this brand but it is a splurge so it's not an everyday cup for us. As a holiday gift, to those that know coffee, this is a treat and makes for a fabulous choice. I like this brand because they use a water decaffeinating process and 

6. P.K. Hallin Books

I have written about this author several times. I love the message and the illustrations. Shane identifies with the main character and thinks the books are written about him. My favorites are Brothers Forever, Thank You, God, and Let's Be Kind.

7. Vanilla Extract

Brian and I spent part of our Monday date night making vanilla extract. What a guy I married! It has been marinating in my pantry for a few weeks and is ready to be wrapped up. If you hurry you can make your own. You can find my post about it here. 

8. Illumine Candles

Part of making a house a home is filling it with life. During the holidays I like to have my Christmas lights on, music playing, and it I am not baking I like to have one of these candles light. It makes the home extra festive. These candles are made of soy and burn clean. 

9. Kendra Scott Earrings

I have several pair of these earrings and really like the pop of color and how light they are for a dangle earring. I am sticking to studs these days because Keith thinks my dangling earrings are toys but it does not mean that I can't give them away this Christmas to others. 

10. Gap PJs

Every year growing up on Christmas Eve my siblings and I opened up PJs. I adore this tradition and have carried it on with my kids. For a while I bought Carters and found PJs and Costco but now when Gap has a sale I snatch up these PJs. I like how they fit my slender child and my sturdy baby and that they are well made. I hope to pass along Shane's to Keith and so I am willing to spend a bit more on good quality clothing.

Today I am linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals for Friday Favorites.

Thankful Thursday: Snow

Snow!

I am praying for a white Christmas this year.

This past week we had our first dusting of snow. I adore how it makes the world fresh, crisp, and clean. Our family enjoyed a beautiful walk and we were blessed to spend our first day of Advent getting our tree in a picture perfect setting. Shane ran and ran through the Noble Firs and laughed harder than I had ever seen. I am thankful for snow.

How We Celebrate Advent

ad.vent

noun
the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

My family celebrated advent together every year. Each chilly December morning we would gather round and open a box one number at a time. Each morning we would take turns opening, counting, savoring the chocolate treat inside. Little did I know then the meaning of advent-the anticipation of our King. Each day that passed awakened a yearning and joy for the holiday to come that would celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus. I love advent.

My sweet little family of four started celebrating advent in a new way this year. I had long been wanting to replace the chocolate and the longer devotional reads for something a bit more age appropriate for my toddler and infant. This year we started a Christmas Countdown which I found on another blog. I adapted the original to fit our family's personalities and current stages but oh, how I love watching The Brother's anticipation and joy as they countdown to Christmas.

1. Pick out a Christmas tree

2. Decorate the Christmas tree

3. Read a holiday story

4. Make an ornament for the tree (we made examples for our toddler Christmas party)

5. Play Christmas music and sing-along (I am sad to say we did this in the car so I missed the picture!)

6. Bake a holiday treat

7. Decorate a Gingerbread House

8. Cut out paper snowflakes and hang them in the window

9. Have a pajama dance party (which did not last long. haha.)

10. Have a slumber party by the Christmas tree

11. Make a snowman

12. Write down what you adore most about each member of the family

13. Watch your favorite holiday movie with cookies

14. Take a photo each hour of the day

15. Have a cup of hot cocoa

16. Make holiday greeting cards

17. Play a game together

18.Go on a Christmas lights drive 

19. Make a gift for your teacher

20. Donate a gift{s} to charity

21. Have breakfast for dinner

22. Take an outdoor stroll

23. Go out for ice cream

24. Write a letter to Jesus