Best Days

Countdown to Christmas!

by Stacy on November 30, 2011

It’s that time of year again, my favorite time of year! The time when we start to prepare for Christmas, get in to the holiday spirit and really focus on what it means to be a family. To do this in our house, we have countdown activities every day in December leading up to Christmas. In years past we have focused on crafts, but last year I felt we were a little too commercial for my taste, so this year our focus is just on spending quality time with one another and creating lasting memories. My biggest wish would be for this to become a tradition my children enjoy with their own kids someday.

Here’s a list of what we’ll be doing this year, I have not associated specific dates because I like spontaneity and because well, sometimes things change! Feel free to borrow any ideas and I will try to blog about as many as possible to show you how they went. If you do any of these activities with your family, I would love to hear how they turned out.

- Reindeer Thumbprint Ornament (C)
- Trim the Tree (T)
- Decorate the House & Yard for Christmas (T)
- Christmas Socks Day (T)
- Christmas Movie Marathon & Christmas Cookies (T)
- Snuggle up & Read Christmas Stories (T) My absolute favorite
- Paper Christmas Trees
- Popsicle Snowflake Ornaments (C)
- Dollar Store Shopping (O) *
- Kids Wrapping Party (C) New Technique*
- Christmas Movie Matinee (O)
- Tree & Snowman Shirts (C)
- Hill Country Holidays at Westin La Cantera (O)
- Make Gifts for our Neighbors & Y Friends (C)
- Go Visit Santa (O)
- Make Gingerbread Men & Gingerbread Girls (T)
- Afternoon at the Carnival w/ Kinder Class (O)
- Riverboat Ride (O)
- Christmas Light Spectacular Car Ride (T)
- Christmas Celebration at Sea World San Antonio (O)
- Snowman Sundaes for Happy’s Birthday (T)
- Christmas Pizza Night (T)
- Helping Hands Wreath (C) *
- Family in Jammies Party (Y)
- Jesus’ Birthday (T)

(*) Notes about a few of our traditions: (T = Together Time, O = Outing, C= Craft)

Dollar Store Shopping – each year we take the kids to the dollar store to let them shop for people on their list. We make a lot of gifts also, but shopping is part of the fun too. Here they can pick out anything they want and not worry about the price.

Kids Wrapping Party is another fun tradition we have. The kids make all their own paper and then wrap as many presents as possible on their own. Our wrapping has evolved over the years and now includes a 10 ft Christmas mural we work on a few days before the party.

Helping Hands Wreath: This is a great project and is very similar to the way we build our nativity manger for baby jesus. When the kids do something especially nice or helpful they get to cut a small piece of tan yarn to add to our manger for baby jesus. The more good deeds they do, the more comfortable he will be when he arrives. This year the kids will also get to cut out a hand from green construction paper when they help around the house. When we’re done, we’ll use these hands to create the wreath.

I hope you find some inspiration here and some new ideas for your family. If you’d like even more ideas, check out our ideas from 2010 & 2009.

{ 15 comments }

Life in an Instant: A celebration of gratitude

by Stacy on November 27, 2011

Baking / Kisses / Crafting / Spending time Together / Creating / Sharing / Lovin’ / Hugging / Passing on traditions & making new ones / Being a family

This year I tried to capture moments I was thankful for, as they were happening. I did it all with my iPhone and the help of a few apps. The result was magical, documenting my gratitude not only helped me to truly enjoy this special time with the ones I love, but looking back on these precious moments fills my heart with so much joy. I am so very grateful for each and every one of the reasons I have to be thankful this year.

Thankful for helping hands in the kitchen,

the very best sweet hugs & kisses.

A Nana who likes to craft,

siblings who love each other,

and teaching them to be thankful too.

Knowing my children have grandparents who want to be a part of their lives,

and to have known a love like this.

Thankful for the happy home I have built with my best friend.

Life is good and I am blessed.

To celebrate this feeling and in hopes of helping it spread throughout the holiday season, I’d like to start a new series we can all participate in – Life in An Instant. A chance for us to share those moments that matter most.

Follow along as I capture Life in an Instant here

Catch these moments as they happen in your Facebook feed

Or leave a collection of your own

If you’d like some help getting started or have questions about which apps to use, I’m happy to help.

{ 4 comments }

Sometimes you just have to get out and play

by Stacy on September 3, 2011

I’m not quite back in to blogging mode just yet … still soaking up the last moments of summer, but I do have a guest post up over at the Grass Stain Guru. I hope you’ll pop on over and check it out and while you’re there … tell Bethe I said Hi!! She rocks on so many levels

It’s called Sometimes you just have to get out & play and I really hope you like it. It’s an older memory of mine, but an absolute favorite moment of parenting. And to all the sweet commenters out there and folks who’ve asked questions while I was away, I hope to be back in the swing of things come Monday and you folks are on the top of my list!

{ 3 comments }

The Joys of Summer

by Stacy on July 8, 2011

Summer is in full swing, filled with all the things a summer should be: sunny days on the beach, homemade ice cream, babies in buckets, bare bottoms, picnics with the ones you love, creative water play, days at the park, lots of cuddles and a little silliness thrown in for good measure.

The perfect summer defined, the only problem is this summer is flying by way too fast! The kids are growing and times are changing, Happy will start an actual Kindergarten this fall and I find myself wishing I could just hit pause. Slow things down a bit and learn to appreciate the moments while I’m in them; something I am always striving towards. It works too, as long as you keep focusing and walking that tight rope. Take your mind off enjoying them for just a minute and they’ll slip away like sand through your fingers.

These photo are all snapshots of my Life as they happen, shared on Instagram. Join me there as steet for updates on your iPhone or stop by Kids Stuff World for a shot of us in action anytime, right there on the right side bar -> See us?. Instagram yourself? Let me know how to find YOU! I’d love to see what you’re up to this summer.

{ 18 comments }

What a difference a year makes

by Stacy on June 19, 2011

Last year, there they were all cherub like, dressed up in Daddy’s clothes singing Frances England songs refusing to sit or stand still long enough to be photographed.

Life seemed so much simpler then … all those 12 months ago.

Well boo, I had a video of Sweet singing to her daddy all sweetly but I can’t get the sound to work :/

This year, they’re all grown up, still not sitting or standing still but even more reluctant to be photographed. Lucky for me, I’ve learned some new mad iPhoneography skills. Father’s Day Photo Shoots in just a few seconds flat. Whatever did I do before I had an iPhone?

Happy Father’s Day baby! Sorry nothing quite turned out the way we planned, thank goodness we’re so good at rolling with the punches and adapting to whatever comes our way. We had a blast this weekend and sure are proud to call you Dad.