Crochet

I want to be crafty.  I want to knit, crochet, quilt and all those other make by hand things.  I just can't.  Oh I'm sure I could learn, but right now I just don't have the time to devote to learning properly.  However, I do dabble in the crafts. 

 Recently I had a friend teach me how to crochet and I ended up making this

I'm so proud of my little throw pillow.  I ended up giving it to my mother-in-law for Christmas and she likes it.  Thanks Carol for teaching me.

Church Christmas Party

Our church had a Christmas Party and like every other we attended.  There was plenty of food and by far the best set up for it.  It was a simple ham, baked potato and salad spread with rolls.  Four tables were set up each with all the varieties of food on them and after prayer we chose a table and dished up.  I think I had the whole family dished up in the time it usually takes me to get to the table to start the dish up process.  There was a small program with the primary children portraying the nativity and then some singing.

Chris was Joseph

At the conclusion of our singing we sang one last song to welcome a special visitor.  Can you guess who it was?  Santa, of course.

Even Ben went up to sit on his lap

Chris

Evan

Peter really wasn't in to Ol' St. Nick.  You know....strange old man with a fluffy beard and you're suppose to sit on his lap.  Didn't work for him.

I got Lex to smile though.  I did have to stick my tongue out at her though.

Balloon Blow Up

I checked out a book about bread, weird I know, and inside it was an experiment with yeast.  I knew I had to save it so I would have something for the boys to do while home from school during Christmas break.  This was just the thing and they were excited to see the yeast at work.  You take a normal balloon and put it over the top of a pop bottle filled with warm water, sugar and yeast.  The gas from the yeast working blows up the balloon.

Here we are just getting started.  You can see the foaming yeast in the bottle.

Our finished balloon.  I didn't have the right size bottle, mine was smaller, so the inside of the balloon filled quickly with yeasty bubbles and became too heavy to hold itself.  The boys were amazed at the change regardless.  I'm sure they would like to do it again.

1 balloon

1 Tbsp yeast

1/4 cup sugar or honey

1 cup very warm water, plus extra for filling a mixing bowl

1 liter sized plastic soda bottle cleaned and dry

1 piece of string rubber band

Stretch the balloon by blowing it up and letting the air out a couple of times.

Stir the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of warm water together, and pour it into the plastic bottle

Put the balloon completely over the opening of the bottle, and hold it in place with string or a rubber band.

Fill a mixing blow or pot halfway with warm water and put the soda bottle in it

The yeast will make the water in the soda bottle bubble and foam and watch- like magic the gas will blow up the balloon.

Benjamin

My little boy is growing up too fast

O Christmas Tree

The day after Thanksgiving is a special day in our house and it has nothing to do with Black Friday shopping.  This is the day to bust out all the Christmas decorations and start setting them up.  With this a tree is a must, so Doug and I bought one after our date bringing it home to surprise the children.  I'm not so sure if surprise was a true emotion felt Saturday morning, but joy and happiness were.  They were so excited and couldn't wait to set it up. 

Straight and ready to cut open

Even Peter helped, sort of.  He really didn't want to get close and touch it.

The kids and the tree that they decorated.  Not a bad job, really.

Finished tree unless you count the un-decorating that Peter tries to do every day.

Thankful

Thanksgiving was low key this year and I liked it that way.  Kaytie and William came over with their kids and we had a small dinner and played games.  Before we ate we all went around the table and said one thing we were grateful for.  A couple of days later Evan brought home this paper he made in school.

Let me just say that I am thankful for my children and the simple things in life.

Outfits

Lexie got this princess dress for Easter and lately I can't keep it off of her.  I'm really loving how she accessoried with the belt, winter themed hat, pj's underneath and not to be forgotten the Buzz Lightyear slippers.

For Chris this picture can and probably will be used as leverage.  Loving the shorts, name shirt, belt and dopey look. 

I promise that I try to not let my children out of the house looking like this but please forgive me if I've had a hard day and they slip by.