A must see video

Handmade Gift Carnival

Handmade Gift Carnival has some fun and HEALTHY ideas for making gift giving personal and handmade!

Current Web Readings

Herbal Tea Recipe

Overnight Buckwheat Pancakes
JJ can have these!! :D

Handmade Holidays Felt Fairy House
Could be for birthday too. And what is so great, is this would be easy for the kids to make, so you can have them help and make it into a fairy party and these are the favors!

Bee Keeping
Believe it or not, I have wanted to do this for quite a while. Scared of bee stings (and JJ's possible allergies to bees) now keep me from it. BUT, there is no reason he could not make hives and sell them when he gets older!!! :D

What you NEED to know about soy and hexane...

Current Web Readings

Bug Farm
A cool game where you are a beneficial bug in your garden. How cool is this? Can I just say I want one?! :D

Plump Stocking
A bit late for Christmas, but not for those after Christmas sales in order to stuff next year's stocking!

Best Books For Girls: 20 Books She Has Loved
From one of my favorite blogs

Can Beans Cure Morning Sickeness??

No Poo Hard Water Epiphny
for those who did not have the wonderful results most of us have with no poo, this read is for you. Tells you what to try if you have hard water.

Homemade Deodorant
Oh this looks SO sweet. I so need to make me some of this!!!

Hairstyles from Yesteryear
Tutorials on beautiful hairstyles. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Doing a little happy dance right now!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like ....

STRESS! LOL!! How come after every Christmas comes a stressful shopping day, followed by a stressful time of cleaning up the tree and ornaments (Not to mention that someone stole all three of the kids sleds - I don't know why - they were the cheap circle ones and nothing special, but my three kids are now sledless and I am so sad).

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. I had a most WONDERFUL one. So wonderful that I did not take any pictures! LOL!! I was too busy enjoying my family. I have to share with you what made this year one of the best.

It wasn't the presents (which I got some REALLY nice ones), and it wasn't the food (Brian made duck and it tasted amazing), and it wasn't the fact that it was a nice quiet time at home, just the 6 of us (well as quiet as a house full of 6 - 4 being kids - can get).

A couple weeks ago, we went to a city run Christmas event. At the event, a reporter approached us and asked the kids if they were here to write letters to Santa, and what they were going to ask Santa for. She pried and pried, finally they let her know that we don't do the Santa thing. She continued to try to get them to "well what WOULD you say if he were real?" The kids really had no answers.

She thanked us and we walked away. About 5 minutes later, she came up to Brian and me. The kids were sitting down watching a performance in the main lobby. She asked us if not doing the Santa thing relieved us from the pressures of feeling like we had to provide a lot of toys. Now me, I was thinking, I would think that believing in Santa would mean a parent could provide less toys because they could just blame Santa or the kid (for being too naughty). We mentioned that actually we try to limit the amount of gifts the kids get at Christmas anyway (regardless of the Santa thing or not, we just don't want a lot of clutter in the house). But that the one thing I noticed was that because the gifts came from an actual person instead of an imaginary being, they were more thankful for the gifts they got, be it books (which what homeschooled kids doesn't like to get books?!?!) or clothes, the children are more appreciative.

SO skip forward to yesterday, Christmas day. We beginning opening the gifts, and the children, even JJ,reaffirmed what I had said. With each gift they opened, they were so thankful. Many times, after a gift was opened, they would stop, put down the gift, and give us a hug in thanks for giving it to them. To those who were not here, comments of thanks and "how did they know?!" showered forth. It was truly touching and one of the best Christmases ever.

Today will be spent in writing thank you notes, and the following days will be spent in adoring play and reading of the special gifts we received.

Christmas Web Readings

Bible Printables for Christmas

Beautiful Christmas on a Budget
tutorials on inexpensive gifts to make and give! :D

Advent Christmas Unit Study 2007
GREAT collection of links!!!

Hot Chocolate on a Stick
OH YEAH! YUMMO! This blog is GREAT!!! This link is just to hot chocolate on a stick, BUT ....
THE WHOLE BLOG is worth checking out!!! This blog is all about making and giving gifts!! WONDERFUL blog!!!

DIY Therapy Sacks

Tutorial of Felting for Kids
I have NOT seen it done this way before. NO MESS!! This is a mom after my own heart!!! :D :D :D

Patchwork Soup Mix in a Jar
GREAT idea!!!

Tradition
Christmas Traditions of the McDonald Family.

Christmas Carols - Love Came Down At Christmas

I love love LOVE this song. I heard it first just a couple of years ago on a Shawl Colvin album my husband bought. I LOVE her version. Sadly, I cannot find a copy of it anywhere online for you to hear. There is a very nice Jars of Clay version all OVER youtube, but this version I shear comes CLOSEST to Shawn Colvin's version:



EDITED TO ADD:
I just love Ravelry. A complete stranger (to me, but won't be after this, I am gonna track her down! :D ) found a link for the version of the son I was wanting to share!! THANK YOU (you know who you are!!!).

SO HERE is the way to listen to this song! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this CD and it is almost practically all I listen to at Christmas!

Love Came Down At Christmas, by Shawn Colvin

Christmas Carols - All Is Well

I have never heard this song before, but it is SO VERY beautiful!!

Take a listen:

Christmas Movies - White Christmas

Oh how I LOVE this movie! Brian watched this all the time growing up, but I did not watch it until after Brian and I got married. It is watched at least twice during the season. And the kids just LOVE it. All the singing and dancing... WONDERFUL!!!

And it has some great lines! And I love how it shows the respect for the elderly and how people cared for one another back then. "Doing it for a pal in the army." And there are LOTS of laughs in the movie.

Definately something worth checking out and watching. I think you will love it as much as our family does.

Christmas Readings

Twas The Month Before Christmas
A little late, but still GOOD stuff here!

Fabric Water Bottle Carrier Tutorial
This would make a GREAT gift for anyone living in TX (don't look Katie!) :D LOL!! :D

Christmas Movies - A Charlie Brown Christmas

OK, so my husband, being totally a Charlie Brown himself, loves this movie. We watch it at least twice during the season.

It does have the redeeming value of it actual has Scripture in the movie talking about the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

However, that being said, I will admit that I did NOT let the children watch this when they were younger. Having three daughters, they would look at Lucy as an example. Lucy is a very harsh little girl. And she is a bit of a bully.

Now you may disagree with me, and that is totally fine. But I wanted my children to have an understanding of how to behave properly before watching. Yes, I might be a bit more protective (I am sure some of you are reading OVER protective), but there is no harm in waiting a few years before showing a movie to your child. :D

Christmas Movies - Elf

Yep, call me a heathen, but I love the movie

ELF

Will Ferrel can sometimes be a bit much, but he does it just right in Elf. We watch this movie at LEAST 3 times during the season. I quote this movie a little bit too.

I will warn that there is one bad word in here, said twice, with an accompanying action. This happens near the end of the movie. The son says it, then the father repeats him. My children know where this scene is, and we just skip over it (at least until we get a Clear Play). :D

I like smiling...Smiling's my favorite!

Please share some of your favorite movies in the comments below!!

Christmas Movies - It's A Wonderful Life

I thought it would be fun if we shared some of our favorite Christmas movies!! While we do not watch a lot of TV, during the month of December, we have a movie on every day - yes, even Christmas.

SO you HAVE to start of the season with Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart!

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Can you believe that I did NOT watch this movie growing up. I cannot recall watching it before I met Brian (but then again, my mom has a better memory than I do and would know FOR CERTAIN if I had or not. :D

This movie is one of my all time favorites. Brian and I quote the movie frequently to each other. IN fact, "Brian (last name) lassos stork" is how I told him we were pregnant with our second child! :D

Christmas Web Readings

Holiday Open House and Christmas Links

My December Basket

16 Christmas Photography Tips
Some REALLY good tips on what to do to avoid the "why didn't any of my pictures turn out?" syndrome. :D

Current Web Readings

Tutorial on Doily Bun Cover
Ok, if these do not bring up images of Laura Ingalls on the Prairie, I do not know WHAT will. I ADORE these! I need to find some old doilies at the thrift store so I can make each of the girls one for Christmas!!!

Handcrafted Christmas: Homemade Soap"
I just LOVE Monica's Handcrafted Christmas posts!! YEA!!! :D

Online Pilgrim Coloring Book
Print out pages to color this month as you discuss the Pilgrims

White Lie Designs
BEAUTIFUL romantic knit designs

Girl's Simple Openwork Shrug
I am going to have to make these for the girls for Easter. Now to just figure out how to sew Easter dresses and I will be al set!! :D Oh wait. I need headbands too. OH HOW CUTE!!

Notebook - easy to make, easy to use
This is SO CUTE!! I want to make one for myself!

Little Portrait Book
SOOOOO loving this BLOG!!! These would make awesome Christmas gifts for grandparents or Aunt's. :) I would love to make several of these. Now I just need to find TIME!

Current Web Readings

Girlss Simple Openwork Shrug
This ADORABLE pattern would be GREAT to make to go over Easter Dresses! Now I just need the courage to learn to make Easter dresses. :)

How Doing Something Good Can Keep You From Helping Your Children
A REALLY good read.

A Homemade Christmas
This blog is BEAUTIFUL!! And these projects are BEAUTIFUL!! Everything here is just BEAUTIFUL!!!

Japanese Sign For Organic
For those who are shopping at Asian stores and want to know.

HappyBird's Crafting Haven
LOTS of cute ideas here!! WOW!!

Ever Wonder Why Did Indigenous People Had Straight Teeth?
REALLY good read - just a TASTE of what is out there.

GREAT ideas for Christmas!

Thanks to the Recaliming The Home group I am on on Ravelry, I got some GREAT ideas for Christmas!!

Heart Photo Ornament tutorial included! (great idea for the grandparents!)

Fairy Houses - AA would LOVE this! I plan on giving her the "kit" to make it - I will be collecting bits and pieces here and there for her to make her own!

How To Make Your Own Waldorf Doll - I have ALWAYS loved these but never had the money to buy one (let alone THREE). :D

How fun for you and hubby to make one of these coloring tables or a play table.

OK.... I am TOTALLY loving this idea for a reading corner for the kids.

Current Web Readings

FIsh Bag In A Soap
This is SO CUTE!! What a fun gift to give the kids (although I wonder what the CPSIA would say about it.

Crochet Doll Pattern
This is SO CUTE! A quick and easy doll you can make with different dresses and a sleeping bag! Add some straps to the sleeping bag and you have a carrying purse to keep your doll in!!

Homemade Christmas
HUGE list of ideas for homemade gifts.

How To Make Shrinky Dinks with Recycled 6 plastic
THIS BLOG ROCKS! What an AWESOME idea!!!

Tutorials
OH MY HOW CUTE ARE THESE! She two good tutorials here, but my FAVORITE is the roll up kitchen playmat tutorial. TOO CUTE!!! WOWSERS!

Freezer Bag Recipes
I so hope to do MUCH more camping this year. The kids really enjoyed it year before last. I just wonder if JJ will be able to do it now with his really bad reactions to environmental allergies. :( BUT maybe he will be just fine!! :)

Current Web Readings

Freezer Cooking Links
This is a GREAT collection of all sorts of links on freezer cooking!

Napkin Set Tutorial
This is a GREAT two part tutorial (be sure to click on the second part) for napkins and a matching pouch!!

Dare To Make It - Holiday
This is a list of over 100 tutorials for making your own holiday gifts. This list is GREAT and I bet there are several new ideas for you here.

Homemade Lotion Bars
These are GREAT and so easy to make! I have not made them myself, but plan to soon! WITH THE KIDS!! :) That is how easy they are! :) This blog is great and I am really enjoying it! Thanks to Kathy for introducing me to this blog!!! :)

Lat Minute Mexican Beans and Rice
This blog is GREAT if you are wanting to learn more about your health and eat better. It is a weekly read (where I catch up on all the posts from the past week). This recipe looks so good!!

Cheaper to Wash Dishes by Hand or Dishwasher?
Interesting information! :) Good read!

Boxy Bag Tutorial
Oh this is a GREAT tutorial! GREAT pictures. Makes it look so easy that I might actually try this! (Although it scares me to death to do anything like this as I feel I can only sew flat things.) :)

Christmas Movies

I LOVE the movie It's A Wonderful Life. I will admit that I had never seen it until I met my beloved, but it has since become a Christmas tradition to watch the movie at LEAST once (we usually end up watching it more often).

I was excited when it came out on DVD because I wanted extras - lots and lots of extras!! How disappointing that there really was nothing special on there. How wonderful to find an interview with Jimmy Stewart online. Yes, you have to read it, but it is still a WONDERFUL read!!! :)

You can read the online article with Jimmy Stewart for yourself and enjoy!!

I also wanted to mention that I finally got a copy of the movie It Happened On 5th Avenue. I first heard about this movie on Home Living. This movie is going to be a holiday classic in our home along with the above movie. It is sad that this movie (and how many countless others) have been lost because no one cares about them. I hope you get a chance to watch it. It is REALLY cute!!