Christmas at Home and Christmas Candy

So what's increasing my waistline now...?

A couple of weeks ago I did myself the greatest disservice and purchased my very first candy thermometer. Next, I pulled this recipe off line and, unfortunately, proceeded to make the PERFECT toffee. To make matters worse, I slathered melted chocolate and chopped pecans onto BOTH SIDES. Well, now let's just be truthful here - The REAL problem is that I can't stop eating them! *Shaking my fist* Curse you delicious confection! 

Letters for Santa!

I was corrected by my eldest that the North Pole 

is NOT a part of the USA.

On a silent December night.

 I gave an angel ornament to each of my dearest friends that I've made since moving here. I told them that they were angles for befriending me in the first place, and angles for remaining my friends once they got to know me. 

No small undertaking... 

My tree has heart with a little bit of everything on it.

Olive wood Nativity from the City of Jerusalem.

 I have the most heart-wrenching tale of it's demise, but I'll spare you until another day. I'll just say that it surprisingly had nothing to do with the children. Maybe. I don't think so.

 A little bit of Christmas in the kitchen.

The good news is, as everyone knows, 

that calories don't count at Christmas. 

(But someone should tell that to my waistline.)

PJs and Pillow Pet Palooza

Just when you thought getting new pajamas on Christmas Eve couldn't get any more exciting....

Elation!

Should an 11 year old be THIS excited about Footie pajamas?
Well, he is.

  Phase II

 PILLOW PETS!

It's a pillow...It's a pet...It's a Pillow Pet.

I thought they all might burst a gasket when I pulled these things out on Christmas Eve. I'm pretty sure that if you had been standing outside of our house in that moment, you'd have heard the maniacal screaming of the words,  

PILLOW PEEEEEEETS!!!!!!! 

Screaming, screaming, beaming, more screaming.

Lights on Temple Square

This is our little visit to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. I'm not a big fan of walking around outside looking at lights in sub-zero temperatures (Not even if it's the lights on Temple Square). I mean seriously, I nearly missed out on a marriage proposal because of this very issue! Needless to say, it's been a few years since we have taken the kids. I kind of felt bad that my youngest two didn't even remember the place. But since this has been a relatively warm December and I was determined - but mostly because it's been warmer...here we are.

Touching the walls of the Temple.

Reflection in the pond with  floating candles.

 Dad gave him a penny to throw into the pond. 

This is his look of despair.

 "I wished for a Lego set, but it didn't work." 

He was fretting about that Lego set the rest of the evening. Haha The wishing pond had let him down.

Still fretting.

Christmas Love

 

Little Gifts

Neighborhood Gifts

"Wishing you a very Merry Christmas beyond 'Measure'"

Part of the Post Family Carolers.

Last year I planned on gifting a bunch of homemade quick breads. Last year, 5 out of 6 family member came down with Strep in December. I was one of those people, and since I figured my neighbors and friends didn't want a "Strep-Loaf" for Christmas - 

it didn't quite happen.

Enter measuring spoons and cups with a recipe for 

Cranberry Nut Bread for Christmas 2010!

Brilliant. I know.

I'm most excited to share the Caroling that we did! It was a blast and a half! We delivered those babies in style. I'm happy beyond words! My kids all pitched in at every house with their beautiful singing voices, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". People just don't carol anymore and after this memorable experience, I don't understand why. We received a lot of wonderful feedback and that made our Christmas really merry and bright. I believe this will be one of the childhood Christmas experiences that my children will always remember. Loved. It.

Teacher Gifts

We turned some clothes pins into Christmas Card holders. 

For the teachers we added some string.

This is so simple and child can do it. And they did!

This requires three purchases:

1. Clothes pins

2. Scrapbook paper

3. Modge Podge (I love that stuff!)

I won't insult your intelligence and try to explain what to do from there. 

When we made these for the teachers, I only cut the paper to size and the kids did the rest. They were so excited to make these gifts themselves, which means they were excited to gift them.

And lets face it. You're child's teacher probably has more hot cocoa mix and lotion then they know what to do with.

All finished and packaged with a homemade card.

Merry Christmas!

"Your Christmas Cards these will hold.

I made this for you because I think you're gold."

Gingerbread House ala my children

This is Santa. (Just in case you weren't sure.)

 This is the first year I relinquished control of the Gingerbread House.

This would also be the first year we all enjoyed decorating it. Hmm...

I think the kids did a pretty good job! I mean, considering I didn't pull out my Wilton cake decorating tips or create a thatched roof out of Shredded Wheat Cereal. Or even have the kids melt down some sugar to create a shining crystal blue ice skating pond out front. It's just an $8 kit. 

To feed your craving for something truly amazing and a bit more professional, here are some photos I took at the Festival of Trees this year:

I wonder how many painstaking hours went into creating these masterpieces. Maybe not fun to make but it's fun for the rest of us to look at.

Trimming the Tree

The kids decorated the Christmas tree. 

One big beautiful hot mess Christmas Tree! I used to be such a control freak when it came to the tree. I was scratching my head wondering why it was that every year I let the kids just have at the tree and then not change a thing. Oh, I had visions in my youth of one day having my own Christmas tree to decorate. I imaged the many beautiful themes it would have rivaling those you see at The Festival of Trees. I spent the first few years of my marriage as the Christmas Tree Nazi; and then....I just gave up. I would arrange those ornaments to perfection only to have an infant crawl on over and dismantle every single object within reach. Or a toddler waddle over and do some rearranging of his own. 

Now a days I must think it's sweet to see how my children decorate the tree or maybe I'm just too lazy to decorate it myself, and redecorate it, and redecorate it...

The good news is that it doesn't throw me into a tail-spin to look over and see three glass bulbs and a jingle bell hanging from the same branch. (I really must think it's sweet.)