My twist on the traditional Christmas letter

Have your Christmas cards been sent yet?

Me?

NO.

I don't know where the time has gone.

But my "letter" has been written.... more like designed and my pictures are on order. So maybe tomorrow they will be addressed and stamped.

Back to my letter. What started off as a letter years ago has turned into a crossword puzzle. I got tired of writing what seemed like the same old letter year after year. So one year I decided to make up a family crossword. I've been making one for about 6 years now.

I start by writing my clues (usually a short sentence). Then I get out my trusty graph paper and begin plotting out different words from my clues trying to figure out what ones would work best and where.

Once it's on paper it's time for the computer. I create my little boxes (by cutting and pasting them from the previous year ~ they are already the perfect size) and move them around according to my penciled out design. Once the boxes are set, I type in my clues ~ making sure to leave a spot for the missing word and add corresponding numbers into the correct boxes. Finally, the fun stuff. Changing the font and adding pictures, which I try to use as "helpers" for the clues.

** oh, and don't forget to put an answer key on the back **

Yes, its a bit tedious and every year I swear I'm going to launch the computer out the window, but for some reason I really enjoy creating it.

He is the finished product ~ in bits and pieces ~ because remember, I haven't sent them out yet and I don't want to be a fun wrecker!

Christmas decor tour ~ day 3

Only two days? No way, of course there is more!

Why is it when you have people over everyone hangs out in the kitchen?

Even at our first house (all 1400 square feet of it), everyone hung out in the kitchen. It was tiny! Enough room for a sink with cabinets on one wall (4 on top, 6 on bottom), and on one wall adjacent to that, the fridge ~ yes, that is as deep as the kitchen was. And the other adjacent wall? The stove with a few cabinets above. The rest opened up through a large arch into the ummm... dining room? I don't think I can call it that. Eat in kitchen ~ maybe. There was enough room for a table. A very small table ~ from Ikea for $129 for the table and 4 chairs. Similar to this one. Oh, and if you are wondering, we still have that table, and it is perfect for when the kids are coloring, gluing and painting on it ~ well not on it, but sometimes). Before that we had a nice oak table, but we had to pull it out and rearrange for just about every meal. Annoying.

Anyway, I think I was suppose to be talking about my Christmas decorations. Oops, its late and I've been working on creating my Christmas cards maybe I'll tell you about those at a later date.

Did you get a tree this year? Was it a real one? Did you your hubby have to trim off any low branches? What did you do with these fragrant little lovies?

Here's what I did.

So easy, simple looking and wonderful smelling!

 I never know quite what to put up here ~ since you can see it from both sides.

Here is the fall decor:

And now as Christmas:

I do want to get different

letters/words, but this is

what I have for now.

And since we are having a small holiday brunch with a few close friends on Saturday morning, I bring you the dining room (hopefully we will leave the kitchen ~ ha):

A little fall (see what I mean about seeing it from both sides?) :

And now:

Oh, and since I'm working on my Christmas cards tonight, I am just wondering if you are getting the pictures you want of your family? 

Personally, I'm having some problems:

Day 2 of our Holiday tour

Welcome to day 2 of our holiday tour. 

Yesterday I showed you the entry way and sitting room.  Today we'll move on to our fireplaces.

Ready?

We'll start in the basement.  Remember this post and the idea I got from here?  Well, it was time to redo my branch and get rid of the leaves.  So, I purchased some inexpensive red and gold ornaments (not quite as nice as the ones at Restoration Hardware, but I will be watching for clearance ones after Christmas) and replaced the leaves with them.  Once again here are some before and after shots.

Before:

After:

And our upstairs fireplace:

Before:

After:

Thats it for today's tour ~ come back tomorrow for more!

Welcome..

Ahh, The Christmas season is in full shiver bloom and I don't know about you, but I am enjoying the sights and sounds of Christmas at my house.

Welcome to our home ~ first stop the entry way:

Before:

After:

The sitting room:

Before:

After:

Don't forget to look here  to check out the mantel and here for the dining room!

Oh, and on another note, I had a lovely girls night on Saturday. 9 of us went and saw "New Moon".  Of course the book was better, but the movie was pretty good and followed the book well.  LOTS better than "Twilight" and  Oh, and the muscles.....

Oh, sorry I got side tracked. Then we went to dinner and had a great night of conversation and laughter. A wonderful night with friends!

Have you seen it?  What did you think?

Something to Think About Sunday

What if Jesus Came?

Would you have to change your clothes or clean your house before you let Him in?

Or hide some magazines, and put the Bible out where he could see it?

Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?

Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about fixing up things?

And I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two with you,

Would you go right on doing, the things you always do?

Would you go right on saying, the things you always say?

Or would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you go?

Or would you maybe change your plans for the next few days?

Would you be glad to have Him meet your closest friends?

Or would you hope they stay away until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?

Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know, the things that you would do,

If Jesus came in person, to spend some time with you.

~ Stacey Chillemi

ABC book ~ shhh.... Don't tell!

I know, I know, its Friday. And that means Friday Funny ~ well, read through to the end and hopefully you will get your smile on for the weekend!

But first I bring you a Christmas idea for the little ones in your life.

Personal, Handmade, Easy and Inexpensive! What more could you ask for in a gift?

Go get yourself a very cheap, flexible, photo album. One that holds 4x6 prints, is made of plastic (remember its for a child) and holds at least 26 pictures.

Next gather your pictures ~ one for every letter of the alphabet.

Add text to them.

Print them yourself, or upload them to get printed somewhere else.

Voila a little ABC book.

Here are some of the pictures I am using for Smiley's book (Don't tell her):

I am LOVING this book! Hopefully she will too!

Oh, and before I forget, I am linking this post up

Here:

And will be linking it Here on Tuesday:

One more thing! Let's see if I can at least get you all to smile today:

Once again,

I was disqualified from my neighborhoods

"Best Decorated House"

contest due to my bad attitude!

*Quick disclaimer ~ no, this is not my house, but come back next week for a little holiday tour.*

2,506 reasons

Why I have not been blogging much this week.

The last two nights I have been volunteering at our church for a 3rd grade advent retreat night.  At it, the 3rd graders come to 8 different stations to do a craft that puts Jesus in perspective.

My station?  An Advent chain.  You know, a paper countdown to Christmas chain, except with things we can do for and with others listed on each slip ~ one for each day until Christmas.

What a lovely thing we can do this time of year to redirect our children's focus (at least try) away from themselves and their I wants. 

Back to the 2,506 reasons:

100 kids x 25 slips = 2500

4 sessions of kids and parents = 4

2 full evenings  = 2

= 2,506

And yes, I was lucky enough to cut out the srips for all of the kids ~ gotta love a good paper cutter!