Merry Christmas
from all of us
at the Point!
Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
I’ve been quiet in here lately. I have been spending time with my children and husband and breathing. Or trying to. It’s not been as easy as I had expected. It turns out there aren’t really elves that come in the night and wrap your gifts or clean the bathtub. Those things require my attention. So they haven’t gotten done.
We’ve had parties and shopping and errand running with each of the kids. Now I am in return mode, where I return all of the things I bought and have decided not to use as gifts. If I don’t return them now I will forget and they will sit quietly in the back of my closet until next Christmas when I find them and wonder what they are doing there.
Yesterday we celebrated Jacob’s 21st birthday. I held it together all the way until 8AM when I saw him. I started to cry and wave my hand around in front of my face trying to make myself stop. “I remember the day you were born and I was so happy to see you and….waahhhhh!” I hugged him and he politely tolerated it. Happy birthday Jacob. You get to spend breakfast listening to your mom recall what it was like to nurse you and rock you to sleep. Good times.
Since it got cold here yesterday, I decided it would be a good idea to wear my new black Spanx pantyhose. I’ve been chomping at the bit to wear them, but if I try to wear hose when it’s not cold then I am miserably hot and maybe, if I’m being honest, a little complainy about it. So I wait….and yesterday was the day. I looked so cute all bundly and black-legged.
But there was a problem. About an hour after I left the house the hose started creeping down. I’d feel them slipping down my abdomen and hips, rolling toward my legs. I’d find a bathroom, go in and start pulling them up from the feet, working them back up into place. When I couldn’t get to a bathroom I was left with reaching up under my top and hiking them up a little….so ladylike…..so precious. All day long. When I was in the car they would roll down, cutting off the circulation to my lower body. If you happened to be driving next to me and looked over to see a woman appearing to be behind the steering wheel wrestling with herself, now you understand. I was being assaulted by my pantyhose.
Around 6:00 I was heading home and I stopped at HEB to pick up a movie for Jacob to watch for the evening. It’s our birthday tradition. I went to get back in the van and decided that since I was just heading home anyway, I would rid myself of the misery that was my Spanx pantyhose. Right there next to my van in the parking lot of the HEB I pulled off those torturous things.
What I didn’t realize is that a man was walking through the parking lot at that same moment. He caught sight of me and froze. Poor guy, he just wanted to pick up a few groceries for his wife and got to see me disrobing as an added bonus. I met his eyes while slipping my right foot out of the hose and said, “Some things are a matter of life or death.”
Maybe it was the expression on his face or maybe it was the realization that I had probably mooned him only moments before, but I don’t think he understood. Either way, I tossed those hose into the back of my van and took off.
I’m done with Spanx pantyhose forever.
We’ll be spending the weekend going to a couple of parties and otherwise just hanging out. I’m still crossing my fingers for those elves to show up in the night. I need my floors cleaned and it’s unlikely to get done if left to me.
Have a great weekend.
I still have so much to do to be ready for Christmas I have decided the best plan is to avoid thinking about it. If I start to think about it I get overwhelmed and wonder if it wouldn’t be better to just wait until next Christmas to celebrate….I need another year to get everything done!
Last weekend I took a little break and hung out with my 18 year old daughter Hope. She and I did some shopping then went to Sea World to experience Christmas Shamu style. We had nice long walks through the Candy Cane forest and watched shows where the sea lions save Christmas. It was magical. Odd, but magical.
The best part was spending one-on-one time with my sweet girl. We had long, deep talks about growing up and becoming a woman. She shared her heart with me and it warms me to the core. I don’t need anything else for Christmas. I am content.
OK, maybe a little piece of jewelry or a new camera lens….but nothing else. Oh, and chocolate.
Hope and I spent the night in the city and went early Sunday morning to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
All of the kids have been dying to see it, so we decided to preview it. My review is that while I am a fan of the book and I thought the movie was amazing, it is extremely violent. I spent most of the last half with my eyes closed. No way will any of my kids under 13 see it. Too violent, too graphic. But I did think it was a good movie for the lovers of Tolkien and fantasy.
After the movie we had to rush to a few grocery stores then head home. We were having a Christmas party at our house at 6:00!!! I had been texting instructions to the kids at home all weekend. “Be sure to sweep off the front porch,” and, “Wash all of the pint sized mason jars you can find!”
I had about an hour after I got home to get the food ready and change my clothes. And make the layered dip….I just loved this idea I found on Pinterest!
It was a Mexican fiesta and a really fun evening rich with friends and laughter and a very stubborn pinata.
Monday we finished up the last of the shop orders. No more stockings this year. We made about 100 of them over the past month. It will be a fun memory for the kids and I. We really enjoy doing it together. If you’ve ordered from us please know that we feel privileged to be a part of your holiday.
Now I’m left with more Christmas shopping to do, all of the gift wrapping and baking. Tons of baking. We always take cookies around to our favorite shop owners, neighbors and friends, but it’s not looking like it’s going to happen this year. I hope I’m not losing my superpowers for getting things done. I’m going to need that after the New Year. I’ve got plans.
So, what do you have left on your Christmas to-do list?
I just love having parties! And this one is with you and some of my favorite blog friends. Perfection!
I’ve been so impressed with the dollar store Christmas ideas so far…..
Now it’s YOUR turn! WOOHOO!!! Just link up your Christmas ideas/crafts using dollar store type items. Please don’t link to any kind of shop. Make sure to visit other party goers to join in on the fun!
It’s been such a whirlwind of activity around here lately that I can barely keep up. In between shop orders and Christmas decorating we’ve had various little colds and stomach bugs.
Last weekend I took the 6 younger kids to the city to do some shopping then go to a holiday blogger’s event. The Westin Resort hosted us and we got to decorate cookies, do crafts, faux ice skate and see a cute little play. As I was sitting there with my kids around me helping them make wooden toys or decorate cookies I was thinking how nice it was to just show up and participate. I’m usually the one hosting. There was no preparation, no clean up, no covering all surfaces, no extra cost….just show up, sit down and enjoy.
I could get used to this. Thanks Westin!
Sunday we hung around for a while then I got the urge to finish the little details of the Christmas decorating. A couple of weeks ago we got it mostly done then stopped. So I made my Dollar Store Christmas Decor and we fixed a few lights, did a little sweeping, put away boxes, you know the drill. I was thrilled to get it finished. I’m seriously thinking of not decorating next year. OK, I know I won’t really be able to do it, but right now I’m tired and wishing for Santa’s elves to come and fix the broken lights and put the boxes away.
Speaking of Dollar Store Christmas, tomorrow is the big link party! You all are so clever and amazing….I hope you will link up your ideas. It can be anything related to dollar store and Christmas. Woohoo!
All this week after school and lunch is done we’ve been heading out to the shop to fill orders. Just to let you know, we will be closing for the holidays on Sunday, the 16th. So if you’re planning to order from us for Christmas, you have 3 more days. After that I will be in hibernation.
This next weekend is full again. Parties and activities and hanging out with friends. I just love that about this time of year. Being together.
So what are you up to? Staying busy? Shopping? What’s your favorite part of the Christmas season?
Is that too many questions? I’m just so interested in YOU!
With 3 boys in the 6-13 age range, I have to find toys that they can share but still fit their unique personalities. They love all things heros, building, power, wheels, anything monster-like. True boys. No doubt about it.
These 3 guys bring so much joy to my life that I want to find Christmas gifts that bring them joy too.
Aren’t they cute? They make my heart flutter.
One thing my boys LOVE is Transformers. Is it a truck? Is it a robot? Wait! It’s both! KRE-O Transformers are exactly what they like to play with.
The versatility makes them perfect for brotherly sharing.
When a big, rattly sounding box arrived in the mail a couple of days ago from Hasbro I rushed it off to my bedroom and closed the door. I ripped the box open and dumped its contents onto my bed….
Oh my goodness….the boys will flip when they open these on Christmas morning. The big Destruction Site Devastator will make the older boys happy and the smaller boxes will thrill the younger guys. What little boy doesn’t love a set called, “Cycle Chase” or “Decepticon Ambush”?
What’s a decepticon anyway? Or an autobot? Just using words Mom won’t understand will please them. They like to show me how advanced they are, “Hey Mom! Did you know that a decepticon can destroy an autobot, unless Ironhide is using his spinning drill?”
Wow, really?! I didn’t know that. You’re so smart and clever. Go play now.
I’m following the Transformers Facebook page for ideas I can share with my boys. Printable comics using the KRE-O characters, drawings, contests…maybe sometime I can surprise my guys with something I learned off the Facebook page or Twitter by telling them, “I hear a recon drone is on a quest for Energon.”
I can’t wait to see their faces when I say that.
I just hope they don’t expect me to have any more conversation after that. Then my cover will be blown.
This is a compensated post, but all opinions and thoughts are my own.
I have really been looking forward to this week. I’m joining up with my friends and doing some dollar store Christmas projects. Whoop! Whoop!
Before I show you my project, I’ve got to introduce you to my dollar store peeps. These are some amazing women that I am blessed to call my friends. Gina from The Shabby Creek Cottage (one of my besties and by the way has an AMAZING holiday room tour you don’t want to miss!), Lindsay at Makely School for Girls (has so many cute projects on her blog I can’t stand it), Stacy at Kids Stuff World (my partner in crime and such a special person you don’t want to go through life without knowing her), Andrea at The Cottage Market (her blog is just a cheerful place I can go when I’m feeling down), Richella at Imparting Grace (who I’ve gotten to know this year and have fallen madly in love with), Karen at The Graphics Fairy (she is one of those people that generously spreads joy to the people around her) and Tonya at Love of Family and Home (she is such a treasure and so talented I can hardly stand it!).
Whew! That packs a punch! What a great group. OK, now I’m all swoony from thinking about my friends. But on to the dollar store project.
Last Friday night James and I were going to go out for a date. So after dinner I said, “Hey, want to do something really romantic? Let’s go to the dollar store!” He went for it. While I wandered around in serious mode looking for something to make a Christmas decoration with he walked around the store with an elf hat on waving cheap toys at me and saying, “Let’s get this!” Fun.
Finally I saw some nutcrackers and decided to make something to put on my piano. It needed a little jazzing up for the holidays. I also found little frames, so $18 dollars later I was ready to tackle my idea.
I printed out some pictures from our recent family photo day and put them in the little frames. My plan was to glue the frames onto the nutcrackers to look like they were holding pictures of the kids. Occasionally I had to break the weapons off of the little men….so sad.
Then I GLOBBED (technical term) hot glue onto the hands and pressed the backs of the frames onto them.
It held pretty well, but I’m going to be brutally honest with you, it didn’t look that great. It was hard to get the picture straight, they were all kind of boring and tipped over too easily. It needed more work. Bummer.
I went out to my workshop and cut some scrap wood into blocks of different heights and spray painted them. I also cut a long 1×4 and painted it. It’s times like these when I’m glad I keep spray paint around. I can knock out a project with spray paint.
I globbed more glue onto the blocks and put the nutcrackers on them. Then more globbing to glue each nutcracker to the long board. I used about 3 sticks of glue on this sucker.
Some of the pictures are still crooked. I guess I could take them off and re-glue them. But I probably won’t. I’m tired now.
I like it. It’s a fun new addition to the Christmas decor.
All week you’ll get more dollar store ideas from these other ladies and on Friday…YOU can join in the fun! Come back Friday and link your dollar store holiday ideas! It can be anything….decorating, crafts, clothes…anything from the dollar store. I can’t wait to see what you make.
Let’s get our dollar store idea hat on!
Our Christmas tree project has been a blessing! All of our homemade trees are spreading cheer throughout the house.
The trees I am showing you today are Grace, Jacob and Hope’s contributions. As my 3 oldest children, they weren’t as into it as the younger set. But they happily joined the party and made some really cute trees.
Grace decided to make a bunch of bottle trees in mason jars. She glued them into various jars with hot glue and added epsom salt and glitter.
I love the addition of the glass. It adds shine to the mantle.
Jacob built a small chalkboard tree. He cut a triangle out of scraps then glued a smaller triangle to the back as a stand. Spray paint with chalkboard paint and he was done.
Tip of the day: Be sure to season your new chalkboard by rubbing a piece of chalk sideways on it then erase it.
Hope came up with the idea of making a marshmallow tree. She made a simple cone with cardstock and hot glued marshmallows to it. So cute!
I love how each tree reflects its maker. Also, knowing most of the trees we made won’t last until next year, I’m appreciating just having them more. Next year we’ll do something different.
Are you including your kids in your decorating this year?
Ever since Shutterfly let me do a giveaway (congrats to Tammy!) I’ve been planning to take family pictures. I watched their cute video about Family Photo Day and realized it would be pretty easy to take a unique family picture. I’d dream of simple backdrops and little fun props. “Let’s make a giant chalkboard and draw things on it!” I’d think. “Everyone in red and holding jingle bells!”
But it never happened. I just didn’t have time between school and filling shop orders and taking naps.
So this morning I cupped my hands to my mouth and shouted, “FAMILY PICTURES IN TWENTY MINUTES!!”
Pandemonium.
We dragged a couple of bales of hay over to our red storage building, hung last year’s wreath on the door and called it done. Line up kids….let’s take your picture. We did have fun despite my constant, “Levi, take the hay out of your mouth! Noah, don’t tilt your head so much!”
I still have to edit the good pictures pictures, but here are a couple of the rejects.
I will definitely be printing some of this morning’s pictures through Shutterfly. Just not these two.
I like following their Facebook page and Instagram too. They keep showing adorable photo ideas!
A couple of nights ago I got to hang out with some local bloggers and share ideas for family photos. I learned some great tips on nearby places that are good for pictures and maybe next year I will actually do that. It was so nice to sit and talk and enjoy a meal together.
I hope you will take some family pictures this year. If you can’t make it just like your dreams then just stop everything one day and do it. BAM!
Follow me on Facebook to see more of our reject family pictures!
This is a sponsored post, but all opinions and pictures of children are my own.
Since this time of year is so busy, I needed to put something simple together for my school table.
This table is in my dining room right next to the table we eat on. It’s central to everything in the house…its the room we walk through to get anywhere else. So it’s important to me that it looks nice despite the fact that 11 people eat there and do schoolwork there everyday.
I decided to do something silly and easy. I rounded up some jars and some leftover ribbon and spray paint, bought a few bags of marshmallows and went to town.
I spray painted the rusty old jar lids and tied ribbons to the others. I filled the jars with marshmallows and voila! Finished.
10 minutes…tops. And that includes gathering the supplies and cleaning up. Booyah!
The boys think it looks, “SNOWY!”
If you decide to make your own marshmallow wonderland, here’s a tip: PUT the marshmallows in…don’t just pour them. If you don’t place them purposefully then all you see are the small ones and the big ones end up hidden.
Sounds like a life lesson in there somewhere.
What do you like to do on your holiday table?
Follow me on Instagram for more holiday home dec ideas!
My friend Angie at Country Chic Cottage has LOTS more quick Christmas crafts!
