Christmas 2008

Despite living so far from the rest of our extended family, our little family of 4 has spent many wonderful Christmases together. Each holiday season just gets better than the last, more thoughtful, more meaningful, our emerging traditions taking root and becoming more innate.

Outside looking in.

We made a concerted effort to be more eco-minded this year re-using gift bags, tags, and boxes, hand making gifts from recycled and/or reusable materials, saving bows and ribbons for future use, using scraps of fabric to make beautiful wrap, and trying to purchase items that aren't packaged in that gratuitous people-proof plastic packaging! It's HARD finding such things!!! We don't buy Christmas trees but we turn our big macrame hanger into our "tree"-it works quite well being tree shaped to begin with!

On a personal note, each holiday season seems to get more organized and on schedule for me-and that's saying A LOT! I actually got our Christmas cards out BEFORE Christmas!!!! Usually I'm lucky to get them out right after New Years! This time of year can be NUTS for someone with ADD but if I can keep my own stress at bay, it's a wonderful time as well. I was reminded of a comment I recently left on another blog regarding the wonder of traditions. I often find myself wondering why I knock myself out with all the preparations, baking, gift making, card making, honoring and reveling that goes on and I need to remind myself that I'm making traditions for my children-a few I had growing up but many new ones. They start here with ME and Huz so that hopefully they can be passed on.... and someday my great-great grandbabies will wear MY apron or use my cookie cutter. So, it's worth all this initial effort!

Christmas Eve-Making pie and cookies for Santa

Dinner! Before and after!

CHRISTMAS MORNING!

Clockwise:
My whittling kit, Danskos!, a piggy bank Lo made Dea for saving money for her Europe trip, the hobby horse I made Lo(I heart my scroll saw!!!), funky tie that Lo made Huz(for how to, go here), the COVETED new TUTU, Dea's new luggage for the Europe trip, coffee intermission, the painting Lo made for me, faux Uggs, the fabulous hummingbird(my fav bird) mask that Dea made for me-I just about started bawling, it's amazing and the best part is that it was molded from her own face. It's going right up above our Mexican dance masks.

One of our favorite traditions is spending the rest of Christmas Day over at the O's house. This year we had a great time sharing a big meal, hanging out and relaxing, exchanging gifts and playing "spoons". And the kids get along so beautifully!

I have a very fun blog to share, LITTLE NUMMIES. This blog by Kellie Strickland is totally dedicated to showcasing the most clever and yummy eats for kids(and the inner kids of adults!). I perused her site after she contacted me about featuring my penguin snacks and I highly recommend you check her out!!!