christmas day magic.

it's been so long since I have sat down to write anything at all. the christmas season proved to be busier than i ever anticipated. i never did quite accomplish everything i intended to. before i knew it, christmas day had arrived. and, despite the fact that my husband and i both came down with the flu, christmas in our home still seemed quite magical as always.

i love the peace, the joy and the excitement christmas brings. every year seems a little more merrier than the last. our children are now a year older and all truly understand the meaning of christmas and it's celebration. also, excitedly this year, we had a white christmas. it was truly beautiful watching the pureness of snow fall all day long. actually, it was absolutely wonderful. i love when it snows.

our home was filled with happiness. children playing with new toys. guests arriving. family and friends preparing a christmas meal. mingling and merriness. and then the calmness of christmas night. the peace. the joy. the still twinkling of christmas lights after all are in bed. a time to remember the many blessings of our christmas day.

i'm hoping christmas was as magical in your home and in your heart as it was in mine.

weekend plans + some things.

what are your plans for the weekend?

i have lots of ideas on my list and hope to complete most of them. i plan on submerging myself in all things christmas. i have decorating to finish and christmas baking to begin. christmas cards to address and teacher's gifts to sew. christmas shopping to do and perhaps a date with my husband too.

i hope your weekend is happy. here are some things i hope you might enjoy too-

lovely uses for toilet paper rolls

pretty party treats i had to share

downloadable subway art

holiday cards i'm loving

creative gift toppers

enjoy the weekend! hoping i see you back here on monday with lots of things completed on my list of christmas things to do!

photo via design sponge found here

she's four.

my little smiley girl sia is four years old today. i'm having a hard time believing it is really true. she is my baby and now she has become this little girl. so independent. so well-spoken. much wiser than her age. she loves to write and draw and play games. enjoys playing wii bowling and baseball with her brother. she loves running and jumping. and is often found playing school or house with her big sister. loves comfy clothes and wearing pajamas. she is my pickiest eater, but loves bread and cheese just like her mommy. she is competitive and determined like her daddy. wants to beat her brother and sister at everything. she's only four, yet she has mastered so many things just from watching her siblings. she helps me with the laundry, making beds and cleaning. she likes to organize things. her heart is huge. she'll call my name and when i answer she simply says " i love you" with that deep raspy voice of hers. it makes me smile and my heart melt. she'll always be baby, no matter how many birthdays come and go. i love my little sia with my whole heart and then some. i'm just having hard time believing she's already four.

give good.

today, i am loving this.



(print by dazeychic. found here.)

oh christmas trees.

last night, our family bundled up and headed out to find the perfect christmas trees. i had decided a couple of years ago that i like the idea of having two christmas trees in our home. one in the family room and another down in the basement since it is where our guests stay and we do most of our entertaining. it didn't take long before we had two of the most perfect trees wrapped, tied and loaded into jeff's truck ready to go home. and now, the fun of decorating begins!

i love, love, love this time of year!

a little christmas tradition.

i've been meaning to share this with you...


a little more than a week ago, our little elf arrived. here we found him sitting above the coffee bar in our kitchen. tinsel, as we call him, came to our home a couple of years ago and continues to come each year during the holiday season.

just after thanksgiving, he arrives and sits upon a shelf so that he is able to see and hear everything. the children can talk to him, but he cannot speak. nor can he be touched or his magical powers might be lost. each night he returns to the north pole and tells what he has seen or heard throughout the day. when we wake up each morning, tinsel is (almost) always in a different spot. i love the excitement as slade, elle and sia try to find where he might be. or, once in awhile i will hear them telling him their requests for santa claus!

quirky as it may seem, my children have come to love this little christmas tradition. they are always very sad to see their tiny elf friend leave on christmas day. but for now, tinsel is here to stay and my children know he will be watching and listening throughout each day!