Snapshots of Christmas

May the gift of Christmas live in your heart each and every day!

Taking a Break

There are many things happening right now. I haven't been feeling well. I am a little bit stressed and overwhelmed at the moment. My heart just hasn't been here so I have decided to take a little break.

I will be back. I just don't know when, so don't count me as gone. I am hopeful to get my act together while on my hiatus. Nothing serious going on and no one needs to worry. Just a bunch of little things and we all know how the little things can add up and then feel like a big thing. I will still be reading blogs I just don't feel like my mind is clear enough to make good post.
Take care and I hope you are stopping to enjoy the simple moments! Really those are the moments that matter most.

My Kind of Day

I had my nieces over on Saturday so my sister could do some shopping. When I found out they would be coming I knew exactly what we would do... craft!

We started out making snow globes.


Super easy. We hot glued mini ornaments (with the hanger cut off) into the lid of a baby food jar. Filled the jar with cold water and added 1 tsp of glitter. The lid was put on and then hot glue was added where the lid meets the jar.


Next wooden ornament were painted.



Then snowmen were made.


You can find directions here. This was my favorite activity of the day.

Last but not least were paper chains. They are a countdown to Christmas.


A super fun day and I can't wait to have another crafty kind of day.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Joy at Home

Few things we can do in this world are so well worth doing as the making of a beautiful and happy home. He who does this builds a sanctuary for God and opens a fountain of blessing for men. ~ J.R. Miller

After a busy weekend it has been a pleasure to spend some time at home. Like the title of this blog says my heart is always home.

Winter is starting to make itself know. It has cooled down, the skies are gray and there have been some snow flurries. A perfect time to try a new recipe.


Honey wheat bread. Not a keeper, but that is okay. Sometimes you win and some times you don't.

Laundry washed, ironed, folded and put away.


At least for a moment!

With the grey skies and early sunset there have been more and more candles burning.


I love the warm glow.


It gives me pure joy to sit back in the evening and know that my kitchen is tidy and ready for a new day.

The new toy shelf is working out well.


They love being able to grab a container and take off to play with it. Megan and Abe took the potato heads to the kitchen table.


I love it when they play with things that spark their imagination. Not every moment at home is fun, but if you stop and savor a few simple moments you can find so much joy.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

My Weekend

It is tradition that the tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving. Megan was so excited she about drove me crazy last week asking how many days until tree day! Things started out great.



In no time the tree was up and ready for the fun stuff. Or so we thought. It is a pre-lit tree and half of the lights were not working. After some trouble shooting it was determined that they were beyond repair. I had to unclasp, untie and cut all of the lights off. Good news is that we did get it finished and the light strings look even better.


Finally we were able to do the fun stuff!


Here it is almost done. My step-mother-in-law used a decorative fence in her decorating one year and we asked to borrow it. Chuck modified it some and this is the finished result.


A tree that I hope is safe from a couple of wild toddlers!

I didn't go out and join in all the crazy shopping Friday morning, but I did step out for a quick run Friday evening. There was a shelving unit that was part of a three day sale. I thought it would be perfect for holding toys in the living room.

The kitchen that I had out was not working. Abe was trying to ride on the doors and Eli dumped out all of the food and dished. I spent Saturday moving things around in Megan's room so the kitchen would fit and swapping toys.


Ahh, much better.

I spent Sunday afternoon working on an Advent.


You can get a free download from Ann at A Holy Experience. I am super excited to do this!

It has been a long, wonderful weekend. I am sorry to see it end.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Almost Turkey Time!

I feel like I haven't been around much. I have been dealing with a little one just not feeling her best.

Only a cold, but enough to make her miserable, grouchy and needy. Thankfully she has felt much better today.

Lots has happened in my home today. It started off with pancakes for breakfast.


These are suppose to be turkeys. Chuck couldn't see it in the picture, but the kids loved it.

On a commercial Megan saw where cookies were cut into the shape of your hand print and made into turkeys.



I almost didn't do this because of time. I bought pre-made cookie dough and frosting on a last minute run to the store today. I am so glad that I did. Out of all the activities we have done this month this might be Megan's favorite.

The kitchen has been a busy place today.


A couple dozen eggs were deviled, the kitchen sink was clogged (thanks to my mom taking care of that problem!), brownies are cooling and tomorrow I will make the green beans with potatoes. Then it is off to Grandmas. (Chuck's mom & stepdads)


O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness! ~ William Shakespeare

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Can You Tell..

what I have been doing?


I have been spending all of my spare time (ha!) at the sewing machine. The tree garland should be done soon and then there is a table runner in the works.

I am fairly new to sewing and am having a blast! I hope to be back soon with some finished pictures.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Tree Handprint Apron

I enjoy giving gifts that are personal. Megan and I made this apron as a gift for her grandma.


I am so pleased with how it turned out that I plan to make one with the boys I watch. I am sure their mom would enjoy it.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Felt Poinsettias

I am working on some crafty things. Things I can make that are inexpensive to decorate my home for Christmas. I saw these over at Kindra's and knew exactly what I would do with them.

I had to purchase the felt and the bells. The cost was under $6.00 and would have been less if I hadn't forgotten my 40% off coupon! Still much less then if I had bought pre-made poinsettias.


I couldn't find my floral wire so I used pipe cleaners instead. They weren't quite as strong as the floral wire would have been. To counter that I placed cotton balls in the jars for stability.


I thought the cotton balls gave it the effect of snow.


My next project will take a little longer as it involves a little sewing. I don't normally decorate until the day after Thanksgiving but I am anxious to get going this year.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Giving Thanks

One of the things that I really like about Thanksgiving is that it causes you to pause and give thanks.

To help Megan stop and give thanks we have been working on a thankful book.


We are using the alphabet and daily stop to write in the thankful book.


Certainly something I want to keep so I had Megan write her name and year on the back of the book.


I am always looking for few things to do with Megan. I would love to hear ways to help your children to stop and count their blessings.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!