Happy "Hoo" Year

I had this snowman packed away upstairs in the Christmas decorations. My snowmen haven't come out in a few years. I bought it at Hallmark.

 Well, I wanted a snowman that looked like this Virginia snowman of Sarah's. So, what is a woman to do? Get out the orange and blue paint...that is what. I first painted his buttons. And then I painted him a striped scarf. But I felt like he still needed more.

So, I gave his earmuffs and hand muff a coat of paint too. Better.

Then in honor of the Hoos playing in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta on New years Eve I decorated my mantel.

Here's to hoping the Hoos can win. Uh, they are playing the defending national Champs the Auburn Tigers though. Oh well, my snowman will look good and sorry Hallmark.

Hot Chocolate

We had planned to go caroling at our family get together so we needed hot chocolate when we got back. Well, it rained and it was actually pretty warm out but that didn't keep everyone from drinking hot chocolate. Especially these three.

They loved it. Guess we'll always have to have hot chocolate from now on. I think drinking it out of the Dollar store snowman cups makes it taste better too. ;)

Chinese Christmas

Chinese Christmas is a family tradition at our annual get together. We set a five dollar limit and have a mix of gag and good gifts. The Dollar Wise is always a popular shopping spot and Josh did his shopping at Goodwill this year. What treasures he found! The most popular item this year though was this sock monkey hat Erin brought. Josh opened it and made the mistake of wearing it so everyone could remember it. It didn't take long before Jordan took it.

It didn't last long on his head before Lauren took it. She barely had enough time to pose for this picture before Tim took it from her.

Four heads so far...I hope everyone was clean. Tim thought he had really scored but twasn't to be because Heather still had her turn and she asked Elijah if he wanted it.

And he did. It looks cutest on him anyway. ;)

The revolving photo cube was quite popular too. I think it changed hands a couple of times.

And then there was this. Shannon was able to keep it. Good thing since she is an assistant principal at a school. She might need it.

As always our Chinese Christmas gift exchange was full of laughs, loud but oh so fun! I am already thinking I will shop at Goodwill for next years gifts.

Graham Cracker "Gingerbread" Houses

I have wanted to make gingerbread houses with the greats since I made my first house three Christmas' ago and Elijah saw it and wanted to make one. Well, we planned it and the "big snow" storm came that year, then last year we just couldn't coordinate. So, this year I decided to do it the night of our Christmas get together when all the children would already be here.

I cut the graham crackers with a serrated knife. I was happy not too many broke. Then made the sugar syrup to "glue" them together.

Seven houses ready to go.

 I put a plastic table cloth on the dining room table and set all the houses out with candy and icing in bowls. Besides Elijah each child had a helper. There was plenty of nibbling (adults too) and licking fingers.

 We set the houses on the counter to dry.

 And had a few onlookers.

The children really enjoyed it so hopefully we can do it again next year. My gingerbread house isn't holding up so well though. One side is caving in but at least it held up until last night for our family party. It is also on the side that isn't visible to the kitchen so when I look in at it I don't see the caved in side. Doesn't pay to be in a hurry.

Wrapping it Up

Just four more days until Christmas. I can't believe it is almost here. I just started feeling the Christmas spirit and it will be gone before I know it. Today Joni and Lauren came over to make candy. Lauren had a hair appointment so had to leave early and then she came back to pick up Joni. It was fun to get together and make candy again especially since we didn't make a ridiculous amount like last year.

I baked four loaves of Amish White Bread for gifts.

I packaged caramel corn and sugar cookies too.

 

And then wrapped them up to deliver and take to church tonight.

Tomorrow is our family get together. We had planned to go caroling again but there is a 100 % chance of rain so it doesn't look promising. I'll gladly take rain over snow any day though. After the past two years of cold weather and snow I am happy to have milder temperatures and rain. Even at Christmas.

Cookies, Cinnamon Rolls and Caramel Corn

Yesterday was spent decorating sugar cookies that I baked Saturday.

I used royal icing and flooded them like Sarah's wedding cookie favors. It is a bit more time consuming but they aren't overwhelmingly sweet this way.

Snowmen, Christmas trees, snowflakes, mittens, bells, stars and candy canes. I remembered at the last minute I had a gingerbread house cookie cutter and was only able to cut one. Maybe next year.

I also made cinnamon rolls and put in the freezer for Christmas morning. I plan to take a couple of pans to Courtney tomorrow at choir practice.

I waited till Tim was home when I made a batch of caramel corn so he could stir. I plan to make at least one more batch tonight, maybe two. I am giving it as gifts and of course we want some to munch on.

I finished decorating the cookies first thing this morning even before coffee and my Bible.

The only other thing I plan to make for gifts is Amish White Bread. I will bake four loaves tomorrow.

I have been in the kitchen a lot less this year so it felt good to spend the day preparing goodies. Now, to deliver on Wednesday evening.

Here are the recipes I used. Sugar cookies with this icing , Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls with this icing  and this easy delicious recipe for the caramel corn.

The True Meaning

I used to have a house filled with snowmen, Santa, and other decorations at Christmas. Not that anything is wrong with those things afterall they are part of Christmas these days. But I didn't even own a nativity. A few years ago I realized I was sending the wrong message to others who were visiting my home at Christmas. Over the past few years I have changed the way I decorate.

The snowmen and Santa stay in the attic. I still like them and may use them in the future, just not now.

The first year Seth worked he bought this nativity for me. 

When the church was cleaning out a couple of years ago I picked up this old Baptist hymnal.

I crosstitched this a couple of years ago and actually forgot about it. I found it upstairs in Sarah's closet last week, framed it and put it in the bookshelves.

I think my outward decorations are a reflection of my heart. I want to be surrounded by things that remind me of my Savior and what this season is all about. I want nothing more than for my home, life and my Christmas decorations to reflect why we celebrate.

Linking to Home for the Holy Days

Christmas Tour

The women at church got together last week for a "Christmas House Tour" of three homes. We tried doing it last year but had to cancel because of snow. It snowed a little Wednesday night but thankfully the weather was good for Thursday. My house was our last stop.

My entry table.

I stayed with a simpler theme this year. Mostly fresh greenery, pine cones (which I painted the tips white), candles, etc.

Stockings hung on the mantle. I wanted to sew new stockings this year but didn't get around to it. Something about not being able to thread my sewing machine just put a damper on my plans. Hopefully next year.

This is the first year none of my children's ornaments went on the tree. Seth put his baseball ornaments on the tree last year but since he is out of the house I didn't put them on this year. Sarah took most of hers with her after Thanksgiving. Well, I found out that without the kid's ornaments I really don't have any. I just used some Shiny Brites I found at an estate sale and a few other balls, spray painted white snow flakes and of course Spangler candy canes. Spangler candy canes are a must for me since my mom and grandfather worked at Spangler Candy Company way back in the day when I was a little girl and we lived in Ohio. I wanted to hang some more of my vintage ornaments but dropped one and broke it so decided to put them elsewhere. My tree may be a little bare but I'm not sure what else I want on it so I'll leave it for now.

I put Granny's old ornaments on a tiered server with greenery and pine cones.

I love these ornaments.

My living room coffee table. Beth told me when they left my house after the tour Katelan said she liked my silver tree and silver dog. How sweet. She played with Riley.

Fresh greenery I cut and it still had the pine cones.

My dining room hutch. Just greenery, pine cones and white ornaments in the dining room.

Instead of doing a deep cleaning to my house before the "Christmas House Tour" I spent a few hours baking a gingerbread house and decorating it. This is the third year of making one and I used a different pattern this year. Besides being in a hurry on Thursday and some of it not being as neat as I would have liked it turned out well. It smells so good.

From this angle someone said it looked like a church. Hmmm, maybe next year I will look for a church pattern.

Just like the women at church loved going around and visiting a few homes and seeing everyone's decorations I love going around to all the blogs and seeing decorations. This is my first year but I'll be linking to a few blog parties.

2011 Virtual Holiday House Party at Jenniferrizzo.com

2011 Christmas Home Tours @ The Inspired Room

2011 Christmas Tour of Homes at The Nesting Place