Just for My Brother

Big brother, can you believe we forgot about these two? We brought them out today. I hope it brightens your day!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room

Merry Christmas to you and yours! 

I hope you enjoyed the blessings of the day and prepared a place for sweet Jesus in your hearts. Oh and I hope you made lots of room for cookies in your tummy, too!

(Almost) Home for Christmas

As I type this, my big brother is traveling over 8,000 miles home. 8,000! I am so excited to see him and truly start the Christmas celebrations. I never feel it's the real deal until we're together. Will you get to see your loved ones this holiday? I certainly hope so and that you are surrounded with those that care for you.

Homemade Advent Calendar

Were you as enamored with all the gorgeous countdown calendars floating around on the web this year? I certainly was, so much so, that I just had to create my own.

Supplies Needed:
close pins
gold spray paint
little brown envelopes
off-white card stock
edge rounder
white paint pen
brown Sharpie
twine
string of lights
**All supplies purchased from Hobby Lobby

Directions:
I laid out the plain close pins and coated them with the gold spray paint. (Make sure you are somewhere well ventilated!) Meanwhile, I cut the card stock to fit the little envelopes and rounded the edges off with the edge rounder. I used the white paint pen to write the numbers 1-24 on the front of each envelope. I then came up with a list of favorite Christmas/winter related activities and wrote each one on a card. I then stuffed the envelopes and pinned them to the twine. Finally, I added the light string and wha-lah! A pretty, advent calendar to help remind you to enjoy the special days of anticipation!

Cookie Day

Thumb print and peanut butter dough

Ready to press into the peanut butter cookies

 

 Cinnamon bread for the lucky neighbors

Today was cookie baking day for the Christmas 2012 season. I know this is a tradition for so many families, but I think, as I am sure everyone does, ours is so special. 

It was a very relaxed day. No rushing, no harried feelings to stress the special tradition. We tied on our aprons, mom poured herself a whiskey sweet (inappropriate? never), we turned on our mellow Christmas tunes and began the process. It is a wonderful process with the best results. Warm, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth results.

With more than a week from the big day, we are waiting on the sugar, baklava and biscotti, but the thumbprints, peanut butter, fudge and cinnamon bread are ready for delivery to some very luck neighbors.

Have you baked your cookies, yet?

It's Beginning to Smell like Christmas

After finding a rather sad looking apple in my bunch last weekend my mom suggested a lovely way to use it. 

Select any apple that is overripe or just seen a better day and cut it into slices. Add water to cover the slices, add a little ground nutmeg, a cinnamon stick and a few cloves. Then just put it on low on your stovetop and savor the delicious "warm-apple pie" scent throughout your kitchen. So comforting and cozy. This batch should last you about a week, being sure to add water when necessary.

(Sorry, for the less than desirable phone photos. Does anyone else dread the lack of light this time of year?)

Shining with the Christmas Spirit

It is not my goal to entice the snow to fall with this picture, but I just adore my snow-smore man. He is a sweet reminder of the whimsical season that is Christmas. (For the record, snow for the 24th-25th would be most welcome!)

Do you wish for snow on Christmas too?

Christmas at Union Station

My mom and I made it down to the old train station here in Omaha that is now a museum. As you can see a local family from the area donates a tree for the gigantic lobby. The picture does not do it justice, but it is stunning! I think it gets prettier each and every year. (Sorry about the random people in this photo- it was crowded!)

Magic

It's official.

Is your tree up and twinkling?

Best Group Dance

Yep, this was on tonight. Besides the scene where Linus shares the Christmas story, this is my favorite. I like to whip out the side to side-head bob-shoulder lift-running man moves at the occasional wedding reception. Hope you get to enjoy your favorite Christmas show/movie this season!

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