Blogging while the kids fall into a deep winter's sleep

I have five things to quickly add and store away in our Christmas memories of 2014.

1. I found these pictures on my phone from Kami's Christmas orchestra concert:

2. Christmas season arrived, and some of my youngsters, who had been as good as gold all year long suddenly became...well...quite the opposite! Sunday I subbed in our church nursery singing time, and I brought along this little prop:

And I got ideas about it, and it has been sitting in our front room right beside the Christmas tree every since.  I told the kids that each time they noticed someone being kind they could add a piece of  "straw" to the manger and get it ready for baby Jesus.  They are noticing kind things that others are doing for them and being extra kind themselves so that someone will notice and add more straw!

I still can't report that they're perfect, but it's a lot better!  I've decided that Christmas season is pretty hard on little kids - all the parties, treats and candy, late nights, no schedules and ON TOP OF ALL THAT the anxiety that "elves are watching them" every second of the day, as my older kids are sure to remind them of FREQUENTLY;)

I may have to build a sturdier manger next year...perhaps a good (first) building project for Nolan.

3. We spent a good part of one day filling bags with "reindeer noses" for the younger kid's friends and classmates:

Cute idea - thanks pintrest!

4. Isabelle decided this year that we needed "nice" Christmas stockings, and she wanted to make one for herself. Then she decided she wanted to make one for the whole family as her Christmas gift to them. Sounded like fun to me!  We drew out a pattern and made some that I really like - they're fully lined and everything! We got busy and cranked them out yesterday. Isabelle sewed while I cut them out, and then we both sewed and I was impressed with how well she did!:

Caden took these pictures today and I thought they were ALL cute, so I have to add them all:)

Below is the stocking she chose for herself.  Before we even went to get fabric, she told me that she wanted chevron on the bottom and polka-dots on the top.  She found just what she was looking for!

5. My little boys have been quite the kitchen helps lately:)  I found them washing dishes a few evenings ago.  After I took this picture, I noticed that they were using hand soap AND dish soap because they were impressed with how silky the soap felt with the two combined.

I got them all set up with some sugar cookie dough yesterday, and they got down to business:

They decorated them just the way they like them:

Then we brought them along to the extended Gee family Christmas caroling get-together that we have every Christmas Eve, and they were a big hit with all like-minded sugar-seeking children:)
mmmmm, mmmmm, MMMMMM!;)

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!