Project 320

Check this out! Project 320. This week only. An awesome and fun way to donate money to build a water well.

Busy Elves

For as long as I can remember, I LOVED making lists and I LOVED checking things off. I get this from my dad. We even write additional things after the fact, if we've done something extra that wasn't already on the list. Sick, I know!
Well, this time of year requires a lot of lists. Especially since I am hosting Christmas Day.
I have the gift list, card list, food list, cookie list, cleaning list, Dr. appt. list, school schedule list. The only list I don't need is a packing list, this is my most favorite list to write. BUT we aren't going anywhere, hooray! So instead I need a get-my-house-ready list :)

Get the picture? I also tend to do things super early and then somehow find extra work at the end. When I was growing up, I would pack for a trip days in advance, then I'd end up packing my sister and groceries, etc. (EJ still packs for himself, I haven't quite got that figured out)

Well, tonight EJ and I checked off another one. We put together one of Owen's Christmas presents. A Lego City Corner. I don't know why, but I assumed it would take him several evenings but I decided to join in the fun. I put the bus and bus stop together. The pieces they create are amazing! I was so impressed with myself, but then quickly remembered the box says 6-11 years old. Guess I should be able to do it after all. EJ's dad use to build the sets before giving it to him, so EJ wanted to do the same.
Legos are awesome, but the hundreds of tiny pieces?!?! I am finding them everywhere. Mason seems to be okay, but what happens when the next one starts crawling around :(

1 on 1

I am afraid Owen doesn't usually get the best of me. By the time he gets home from school, I am tired from the morning and usually wish I could be doing my own thing or catching up with whatever I didn't accomplish on my to-do list. Plus, he isn't always in the mood to hang out. Our afternoons still feel a little strange. He doesn't really "play" anymore. He watches some t.v., has a snack, does homework and most days does some sort of art project. Can't imagine where he gets that from.
Well, today I decided he and I should do something special just the 2 of us. So we made our first batch of Christmas cookies. It was so nice not to have another set of smaller hands to work around.

I even got a "Thank You" which he does not generously offer.

Not an Errand

Poor Mason has been my little elf for the past few weeks. I know he is even more tired of the endless errands than I am. The lines will only get longer and the traffic heavier, so I am going full speed. I hope to be done or close to it by the end of the weekend.

But today we had something else planned. A holiday puppet show. A free show put on by our Parks and Rec. This is my 3rd year. It would be nice if they changed it a little, but the kids certainly don't remember. Mason was extremely nervous and sat in my lap the whole time. But by the final act he warmed up and started clapping. Now he is asking to go again.

I did manage to get Christmas stamps and go to the library, but he didn't seem to mind.
Oh and I sent EJ out on his lunch break. I know he is thrilled!

More Decor

Because I have so much time on my hands!

I love to make changes to our house and decor. I would love to have a winter look and a summer look, but I realize that would be ridiculous. So I try and come up with inexpensive ways to adjust with the seasons.

I know a mirror would look best over our buffet in the dinning room. That would be the traditional way of doing things. But I wanted something I could change as often as I wanted. So I finally settled on these 4, 12x12 black frames. I think we spaced them too far apart. Live and learn. Perhaps if we ever repaint we can adjust them.

Obviously these are for Christmas. I totally intended on a more sophisticated look, but in the end thought this was much more fun. Seeing as I have small children, I figured now was the time to be fun.

Each one is like a scrapbook page. With special cutout pieces attached.

I hope to make a generic winter, spring, summer and fall set. Plus a few holidays in between. I'm crazy I know. Any excuse to buy scrapbook paper is good for me!