Here are a couple of photos you'll see on my very first post (Christmas Home Tour):
Have a great Monday!
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sunday, December 8, 2013
December Running
I've been going a little berserk with the Christmas decorating, but it has made me so happy (at least until it's time to take it all down and pack it away) and our home feels so festive! Last year we were still in the midst of painting painting painting, and I kept things to a minimum out of necessity. Not this year! Last night the moon was shining so brightly above that Jonah dragged down the telescope so we could take a closer look- it was so neat, all bumpy and lumpy and bright!
I really enjoyed being on the decorating committee at church this year, and Thursday night was the Ladies Cookie Swap, which was so much fun. I didn't get to take as many pictures that night as I'd wanted to because the women began to arrive earlier than expected- I guess we like to party! =) Anyhoo, William texted me a photo of my girl around 7 o'clock, sans one top front tooth. I knew it was coming, but I fought it big time. Just one more bit of proof that she is not my little baby girl anymore. There were tears, but once I saw that big ol' gap the next morning, the cuteness of it won me over.
There were, however, more tears (not mine this time) when the Tooth Fairy was MIA for about the hundredth time in our teeth-losing parenting adventure. In the end, Mama's quick thinking saved the day. Tooth was taken, fancy apology note and two dollars, plus Caleb's dime (awwww), were left, thus faith was restored. Until next time when we forget all over again. I feel like we should have our licenses revoked or something, considering all the failures we've had in this one area. Clearly we aren't cut out for Tooth Fairy work. Seriously The Worst Tooth Fairy Parents Ever.
We had Caleb's friends over yesterday to take them swimming- that's what he wanted to do for his "friend party." It was extremely low-key, which felt awesome!, and the boys had so much fun. Next weekend we'll have our families over to celebrate Caleb and Isabelle, and then as tradition goes, we'll have Isabelle Kate's party with friends in January. She has finally begun to complain a bit about this now that she realizes it means she will have to wait, but...I don't think I can handle any more crazy this month, ha!
You can read more about Caleb's Winter Pool Party here.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Isabelle's School Thanksgiving Party & the Terrible Afternoon
I still cannot believe that this is Thanksgiving week! I still have some beach things in the trunk of the car that haven't been put away yet...which, if you know me in real life, well...audible gasps can be heard for miles and miles. ha! Maybe my sense of time is slightly askew because I've been working like cuh-razy to complete custom orders (THANK YOU!), and of course it doesn't help that today- a Tuesday- totally feels like Friday because of the few days off. Not that I'm complaining one little bit about that! It was kind of nice to have an early Friday.
And we awoke to sparkly snow! Not nearly as much as in other parts of the country, but it covered the deck and driveway! That was an exciting start (or end?) to the week!
This morning I got to spend a couple hours with Isabelle Kate's class helping out for their Thanksgiving party. I was in charge of Thanksgiving BINGO. Rocked it. ;) Though my mind was mush all afternoon because I used up all my energy with those darling little cherubs this morning, and now I'm sitting here all twitchy and agitated because of the sad state of our home. I just can't seem to catch up with anything these days! And if by chance I do catch up, I blink and then suddenly I'm thrust right back where I started from...or even further back! Ouch!
There's something about colored pencils that speaks to me and makes me happy. They're so cheerful!
Can you tell how glazed over her eyes are here? More sugar, anyone?
After school today was just a regular delight. As in, it really wasn't- it was the pits! Everybody was just in A Mood. I wanted to crawl under the covers and hide. But they always find me, so I didn't even bother to mess up my bed. Times like that always make me feel like such a failure as a Mom.
This was poor Isabelle last week and into the weekend- I found this vision after having been upstairs for a few minutes, probably changing sheets or something fun like that. She was sound asleep in her little cocoon! Look, even Ariel is tucked in, ha! Anyhoo, if I could fit in there, that's where I'd have been this afternoon!
Like most everyone else, I've got a super busy day of prepping, cooking, and cleaning for tomorrow. I think I'll just crank up the Christmas music and tackle that looooong list head-on! The smallish people around here had best just stay out of my way if they know what's good for them. Unless of course they're actually being nice! =)
ps- If anyone is interested in seeing some of Isabelle's Christmas outfits I'm making, I'll be posting them on instagram here. Apparently my identity crisis lives on because I keep changing my username, but this week, it's roseruffleco. ha ha
And we awoke to sparkly snow! Not nearly as much as in other parts of the country, but it covered the deck and driveway! That was an exciting start (or end?) to the week!
This morning I got to spend a couple hours with Isabelle Kate's class helping out for their Thanksgiving party. I was in charge of Thanksgiving BINGO. Rocked it. ;) Though my mind was mush all afternoon because I used up all my energy with those darling little cherubs this morning, and now I'm sitting here all twitchy and agitated because of the sad state of our home. I just can't seem to catch up with anything these days! And if by chance I do catch up, I blink and then suddenly I'm thrust right back where I started from...or even further back! Ouch!
There's something about colored pencils that speaks to me and makes me happy. They're so cheerful!
Can you tell how glazed over her eyes are here? More sugar, anyone?
After school today was just a regular delight. As in, it really wasn't- it was the pits! Everybody was just in A Mood. I wanted to crawl under the covers and hide. But they always find me, so I didn't even bother to mess up my bed. Times like that always make me feel like such a failure as a Mom.
This was poor Isabelle last week and into the weekend- I found this vision after having been upstairs for a few minutes, probably changing sheets or something fun like that. She was sound asleep in her little cocoon! Look, even Ariel is tucked in, ha! Anyhoo, if I could fit in there, that's where I'd have been this afternoon!
Like most everyone else, I've got a super busy day of prepping, cooking, and cleaning for tomorrow. I think I'll just crank up the Christmas music and tackle that looooong list head-on! The smallish people around here had best just stay out of my way if they know what's good for them. Unless of course they're actually being nice! =)
ps- If anyone is interested in seeing some of Isabelle's Christmas outfits I'm making, I'll be posting them on instagram here. Apparently my identity crisis lives on because I keep changing my username, but this week, it's roseruffleco. ha ha
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Five Things To Do Now To Get Ready for the Holidays
Here are some practical tips for getting in gear for the busiest time of the year, with less stress and lots more joy.
1. Clean your candle holders, vases and other glass/ crystal
These items gather dust like the Boss, and just about every solid surface in our home displays two or three (or twelve) candles and other glass goodies during the holidays. To make them sparkle again, carefully place them on the top rack in the dishwasher and run them through a gentle cycle. Of course, make sure that they're dishwasher-friendly! Lots are! This is one of the easiest things to tackle ahead of time, and nothing twinkles quite like spot-free glass and crystal accessories. Plus, when you're elbow deep in tangled strings of lights and pine needles have found their way to every crevice, it feels so good to have this part already done.
This is also a great time to take inventory of candles, such as tea lights, tapers and pillars. Many are already on sale, and I've found that if I wait for those After-Holiday sales, it's pretty slim picking. Hot pink nativity candle, anyone? Yeah, me either.
2. Vacuum the corners of your ceilings and above door jambs
Not very glamorous, I know, but the holiday season gets so busy and hectic so quickly- no matter how hard I try to not let it!- and this is one thing I don't want to have to deal with during all that chaos. Dangling cobwebs were fine for Halloween. Not so much for Christmas.
Perfectly cleaned homes aren't necessary for friendly get-togethers and meals. We're human, and we have busy lives! Nobody should be judging you, but cobwebs are, well, gross. If you're a regular ceiling corner-vacuumer, then I suppose you've got this covered already. But I'm not so much anymore, until the thought of some poor guest looking up to find Charlotte and her family perched on my ceiling gives me just enough incentive to do it.
And once that chore is complete, then I can go make a mess in the kitchen with this cutie!
3. Decide on your recipes now and purchase as many ingredients as possible ahead of time (and stick to that list!)
So many recipes for cookies, tarts & pies, rolls & bread, plus festive main course meals, so little time! Pinterest never fails to tempt me with about 1,2000 new treats to try by the time we sit down to Christmas dinner, but choose I must! I have found it best (and less stressful) to plan meals, parties, and even gifts around our favorite standbys, and limit the newbies.
Of course I love to try new recipes, but I can't reinvent the cookie sheet every night! One or two new recipes throughout November and December is a good goal. Besides, in our family, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without our annual Chocolate Spiders or Chocolate-Dipped Mexican Wedding Cakes!
4. Plant your Paperwhites & other blooms
Okay, so technically these should have been planted last week to ensure blooms for Christmas, but I actually plant mine for New Year's, so phew! I'm safe. There are several varieties of plants and flowers on the shelves now- I swoon over Paperwhites so they're always my first choice- and most require at least 5-6 weeks to sprout and bloom. Plant them now, follow the directions given, and enjoy fresh, fragrant flowers throughout the season.
These Paperwhites are from WalMart and cost $5. All in one kits like this are available at home improvement stores, some drug stores, and other discount stores.
My little sickie thought that disc of dirt was the neatest thing to watch after adding the warm water!
We scooped out the soil and placed it in prettier pots, divvying up the bulbs as well. Some years I plant a few one day, skip a couple days, then plant the rest, but...this year it got done in one fell swoop. Or I was afraid it wasn't going to get done at all!
5. Decide what's most important to you and your family, make your plans, and mark your calendars
A little chaos at Christmas time can be exciting and fun; too much, and your body, mind and spirit suffer. Nobody wants to feel overwhelmed and overextended during this most Joyous of Seasons!
Decembers are especially crazy for us because we have two birthdays (the 12th and 15th) thrown in there! Good intentions aren't going to make things go smoothly...we need a plan! And I'm not talking just about attending or hosting parties. We mark our calendars for our annual Family Cookie-Decorating Day, special shopping trips with each of our children, and fun outings like ice skating or skiing. There's time for spontaneous things, too, but without a basic plan, I feel frazzled and unproductive, and those things that we enjoy feel more like boxes to be checked rather than memories in the making.
Furthermore, I'm finding that I need to be super specific about the times I devote to sewing for my shop, Rose & Ruffle, during the holiday rush (thank you, by the way!!!) because I just won't stop until every last order is finished. That can mean I'm tempted to pass on something we might do as a family- which is a horrible feeling-, and that I never have enough time to make special things for Isabelle Kate and the boys. Those things are integral to my daily joy, so I need a plan!
In our family, one of our most important and cherished tradition is the Prayer Basket. Each night during December we gather around the tree and take turns pulling out a name from the basket. Then we pray together for that person, family, school, or country, etc. Someone who didn't get to draw a name chooses a song to sing, and that's how we end our family time together, right before the youngest head off to bed. It's my absolute most favorite thing to do each year.
Taking the time to plan and prepare helps me enjoy things so much more. Like when you're a little kid and you're just bursting at the seams with the wonder and excitement of it all.
For additional ideas and inspiration, check out my boards:
My Christmas Pinterest Board
My Christmas Breakfast & Brunch Board
Other good Christmas-related reads:
Sarah, from Thrifty Decor Chick, wrote a great post about letting go of the guilt and stress and simply enjoying the season.
Sarah, from the Yellow Cape Cod, shared the secret to decorating your Christmas tree like a pro!
Michelle also wrote about preparing from the holidays on her wonderful blog, Iron & Twine.
1. Clean your candle holders, vases and other glass/ crystal
These items gather dust like the Boss, and just about every solid surface in our home displays two or three (or twelve) candles and other glass goodies during the holidays. To make them sparkle again, carefully place them on the top rack in the dishwasher and run them through a gentle cycle. Of course, make sure that they're dishwasher-friendly! Lots are! This is one of the easiest things to tackle ahead of time, and nothing twinkles quite like spot-free glass and crystal accessories. Plus, when you're elbow deep in tangled strings of lights and pine needles have found their way to every crevice, it feels so good to have this part already done.
This is also a great time to take inventory of candles, such as tea lights, tapers and pillars. Many are already on sale, and I've found that if I wait for those After-Holiday sales, it's pretty slim picking. Hot pink nativity candle, anyone? Yeah, me either.
2. Vacuum the corners of your ceilings and above door jambs
Not very glamorous, I know, but the holiday season gets so busy and hectic so quickly- no matter how hard I try to not let it!- and this is one thing I don't want to have to deal with during all that chaos. Dangling cobwebs were fine for Halloween. Not so much for Christmas.
Perfectly cleaned homes aren't necessary for friendly get-togethers and meals. We're human, and we have busy lives! Nobody should be judging you, but cobwebs are, well, gross. If you're a regular ceiling corner-vacuumer, then I suppose you've got this covered already. But I'm not so much anymore, until the thought of some poor guest looking up to find Charlotte and her family perched on my ceiling gives me just enough incentive to do it.
And once that chore is complete, then I can go make a mess in the kitchen with this cutie!
3. Decide on your recipes now and purchase as many ingredients as possible ahead of time (and stick to that list!)
So many recipes for cookies, tarts & pies, rolls & bread, plus festive main course meals, so little time! Pinterest never fails to tempt me with about 1,2000 new treats to try by the time we sit down to Christmas dinner, but choose I must! I have found it best (and less stressful) to plan meals, parties, and even gifts around our favorite standbys, and limit the newbies.
Of course I love to try new recipes, but I can't reinvent the cookie sheet every night! One or two new recipes throughout November and December is a good goal. Besides, in our family, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without our annual Chocolate Spiders or Chocolate-Dipped Mexican Wedding Cakes!
4. Plant your Paperwhites & other blooms
Okay, so technically these should have been planted last week to ensure blooms for Christmas, but I actually plant mine for New Year's, so phew! I'm safe. There are several varieties of plants and flowers on the shelves now- I swoon over Paperwhites so they're always my first choice- and most require at least 5-6 weeks to sprout and bloom. Plant them now, follow the directions given, and enjoy fresh, fragrant flowers throughout the season.
These Paperwhites are from WalMart and cost $5. All in one kits like this are available at home improvement stores, some drug stores, and other discount stores.
My little sickie thought that disc of dirt was the neatest thing to watch after adding the warm water!
We scooped out the soil and placed it in prettier pots, divvying up the bulbs as well. Some years I plant a few one day, skip a couple days, then plant the rest, but...this year it got done in one fell swoop. Or I was afraid it wasn't going to get done at all!
5. Decide what's most important to you and your family, make your plans, and mark your calendars
A little chaos at Christmas time can be exciting and fun; too much, and your body, mind and spirit suffer. Nobody wants to feel overwhelmed and overextended during this most Joyous of Seasons!
Decembers are especially crazy for us because we have two birthdays (the 12th and 15th) thrown in there! Good intentions aren't going to make things go smoothly...we need a plan! And I'm not talking just about attending or hosting parties. We mark our calendars for our annual Family Cookie-Decorating Day, special shopping trips with each of our children, and fun outings like ice skating or skiing. There's time for spontaneous things, too, but without a basic plan, I feel frazzled and unproductive, and those things that we enjoy feel more like boxes to be checked rather than memories in the making.
Furthermore, I'm finding that I need to be super specific about the times I devote to sewing for my shop, Rose & Ruffle, during the holiday rush (thank you, by the way!!!) because I just won't stop until every last order is finished. That can mean I'm tempted to pass on something we might do as a family- which is a horrible feeling-, and that I never have enough time to make special things for Isabelle Kate and the boys. Those things are integral to my daily joy, so I need a plan!
Taking the time to plan and prepare helps me enjoy things so much more. Like when you're a little kid and you're just bursting at the seams with the wonder and excitement of it all.
For additional ideas and inspiration, check out my boards:
My Christmas Pinterest Board
My Christmas Breakfast & Brunch Board
Other good Christmas-related reads:
Sarah, from Thrifty Decor Chick, wrote a great post about letting go of the guilt and stress and simply enjoying the season.
Sarah, from the Yellow Cape Cod, shared the secret to decorating your Christmas tree like a pro!
Michelle also wrote about preparing from the holidays on her wonderful blog, Iron & Twine.
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