Christmas

It is Tradition at Our House,
that When It is Your Birthday,
You Get Sweet Rolls and Breakfast in Bed;

Hence,

Christmas Morning

Always Starts with Sweet Rolls,

and Singing

"Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

Because We had Church at 9AM,

We Got All Fixed Up and Sweet Roll-ed,

Before We could Peek at What the Jolly Ol' Elf Brought!

{SURPRISE!}

After Checking Out the New Goods and Stockings,

I Pulled Out a New Christmas Tie for Each of My Gang

[And Then We Went to Church]

And Upon Our Return Home,

This is How We Christmas-ed:

{Merry Christmas}

*

We Were Glad to Have Grandpa T and Aunt K Join Us

for Christmas Eve, Church, and our Christmas Day Festivities.

We Ended the Day with a Trip Out to the Cemetery,

To Wish Merry Christmas to Ryan's Mom,

Whom We Lost

just 12 Weeks Before Christmas.

We Sure Missed Her

*

Christmas Eve

Traditions:

{Christmas Eve Morning Breakfast & Family Gift Exchange}

{Christmas Eve PJ's}

{The Nativity Story}

{Milk & Cookies for Santa}

{...And His Helpers, Who Stayed Up till 2AM Putting Stuff Together!}

To: Each of YOU

May Your Christmas be Merry & Bright

Photo: jackiestringham.blogspot.com

Homemade Christmasy Things:

{Carmel Apples & Gift Tags}

Important Mail Box Business

Letters to Santa.

Cookies Galore

In Keeping with Grandma T's Cookie Making Tradtion,

Aunt K. had all the Grandkids over for an Afternoon of

Cookie Making Mayhem,

to Allow their Parents to Christmas Shop!

Thanks Aunt K. for Keeping the Tradition Alive and Kicking!

Christmas Card Clothesline

I Love Getting Christmas Cards!

{Rope & Clothespins}

Primitive Christmas Tree Garland

I made this Garland Several Years Ago,

and its One of My Favorite Things to put on My Christmas Tree

I used String and/or a Thin Ribbon to Thread Together

Dried Apples, Oranges, Buttons, and

Dried Cinnamon/Applesauce Cutouts and Beads.

I also added a Tie Fabric Here and There.

I made Several Strands of the Garland

not One Long One,

as it tends to be a Little Heavy.

To Make the Apple-Cinnamon Cutouts:

Combine

1 Cup Applesauce

1 Cup Cinnamon

Until Smooth

Divide into Two Portions and Roll Out.

Cut out Shapes or Form Beads,

{Make Sure to Use a Straw or Toothpick to Make Holes}

Bake at 150 for 3-4 Hours, Until Center Looks Dry.

Remove and Let Cool.

To Make the Apple Cutouts:

I Sliced an Apple, and Used a Small Heart Shape Cookie Cutter,

Let the Apples Dry on a Rack or use a Dehydrator.

For Dry Orange Slices:

Thinly Slice an Orange,

Let Dry on Rack or use Dehydrator

If You Have Leftover Pieces or Don't Want to Do the Garland,

Simply Add an Ornament Hook to Dried Pieces.

Ornamental Oranges

Slice, Dry, Hook, Hang.

Merry Mass Exodus

Of the Christmas Cards

[Good Luck Lil' Fellas]

Tis the Season

We Spent a December-y Friday Evening

Making Cookies,

Watching a Christmas Movie,

and Wrapping Presents.

{I Love Christmas!}

Pretzel Rods

All Through the House

{A Few of My Favorite Things}

12.05.11

Grabbed a Group of Friends,
Bundled Up to Our Eyelashes,
Braved the 19 Degree Temperature,
Jumped on the Public Transportation,

And Went to Marvel at the Downtown Lights

{Sparkly}

Christmas Kick-Off Getaway!

We thought it would be Fun to Start a New Tradition

and take a Weekend,

and Go Stay at a

Nearby Hotel

(4 Miles from Home!)

And Go Do Fun Holiday-y Things.

First Stop:

The Movies.

Then We Filled the Rest of the Evening With

Dinner and Swimming.

The Next Day?

More Swimming,

Christmas Shopping,

And Chocolates

Then We Returned Home,

Filled the House with Friends,

A Service Project,

Hot Chocolate,

and

Laughing Till Our Gills Hurt.

Christmas Tree-ed