Family & Goin' Huntin'

Christmas was great!  We had such a great time with family celebrating our Saviour's birth.  My girls got WAY to much stuff, and yesterday I spent hours cleaning and organizing this house too accommodate new toys and a New Year.  I packed up and put away our Christmas trees and decorations, and before I can blink I will be pulling it all out again for another Christmas.  Today my favorite aunt and my favorite cousins came into town from Houston to celebrate a  late Christmas with us.  We all went out to eat with my grandparents and we had such a great time enjoying each other's company.

This is my cousin Katherine and Delilah

Christina and Celeste

Trinity ate like a big girl today.  She refused for me to help her.

My Grandparents, Mom, Aunt, Cousins & Daughters

After we ate we went to our newly remodeled mall, and the girls played in the new play area for kids.  They had so much fun, and after about half an hour of playing it was time to go.  When I told Celeste we were leaving she looked at me and said, "But Mom I didn't even get to play!"  Nice try!

                                     

                                               

Every year I look forward to my family coming from Houston to visit.  We always have such a great time together.   It's sad to see them go back home.  Oh, and speaking of leaving....my husband has convinced me to go to our deer lease this week and "hunt" with him. 

                                   

I would never shoot an animal, but I'm going to stay warm indoors with the girls, and have fun.    I'm not really a country girl, but I'm going to give it a try.  Delilah has already gone once and had a great time so I'm hoping I will too.  I will be in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone or internet reception, so I will be back this weekend to tell you ALL about my hunting experience with my family.  So have a great rest of the week, and Happy New Year!

I HOPE everyone

has a Blessed

and Christ filled day!

Marshmallow Cocoa Mix

I really love to shop...that's no lie!  It's one of my favorite things to do on any day, but during Christmas my gift list sometimes is so long that I don't look forward to shopping.  What? Did I really say that?  I don't like to just buy a gift just to buy one.  I like to put some thought behind the gift I'm giving instead of just pulling something off the shelf because I THINK the person might like it.  After several years of frustration I decided that most of my gift giving was going to be made by me!  Now don't roll your eyes!  I know how some people feel about homemade gifts, but mine are super yummy!  No it's not fruitcake...no offense to anyone who may give fruitcake as gifts (I personally like it).  Simple, easy & delicious marshmallow cocoa mix.  I put together this cocoa mix every year, and people LOVE it! Or at least they tell me they do!  Here's how I make it...

Ingredients:

25-oz pkg. powdered milk

1-1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer

3 cups hot chocolate mix

1-1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 cups mini marshmallows

Combine ingredients

Equally divide into four, one-quart jars

Attach gift tags with instructions to each.

Makes 4 jars

Instructions to make:

Combine 1/2 cup mix with one cup of boiling water.

Makes one serving.

I usually buy some Christmas fabric and cut circles out, and place the fabric over the lid, and under the ring that screws on the jar.  I love using raffia to tie around it, but you can use anything.  I also make a bunch of candies and goodies to go with the cocoa.  I wrap them all up in a basket and tie with a  beautiful bow.  And there you go, something easy, cost friendly, and fun!

School Christmas Parties & Teacher Gifts

Last Friday was the last day of school for my girls until 2010.  So what do most schools do on that last day?  Christmas parties!  I had two to attend, and good thing they were at different times.  I wanted to make the girl's teachers a gift this year instead of buying the same thing I have done in the past...a candle and picture frame.  So I went to Hobby Lobby and gathered up some materials and made this...

I also made one for Delilah's teacher with monkeys in the corners to go with the theme in her classroom.  It was so easy and I thought turned out cute.  I left space at the bottom of the chalk board so the teacher can write on it with chalk.  Celeste's party was so cute and fun.  The children exchanged books this year, and Celeste was excited about the book she picked.

                                                

Trinity got to sit with the class to eat lunch.

I made some cute reindeer cupcakes for the children.  They loved them!

Celeste made me this adorable angel.  They wings are her footprints.

                  

                                       

Our next stop was Delilah's party.  Celeste and Trinty hit the halls running.

                                         

The girls enjoyed games, food, and stocking stuffers.

This was a great end to the first half of the school year.  I can't believe it!  I hope all your little ones who attend school are enjoying their Christmas break!

Christmas Card 2009

I'm so excited to join the Christmas Card Carousel at Walk With Me By Faith.  This will be my first year, and I hope you enjoy our card.  As some of you may know already I tried taking my girls pictures on the beach on Thanksgiving, and it was a total failure, but they did awesome the second time around.  Here are some pictures before I show you the final card that I love so much. 

It was so hard trying to get the girls to all look and smile at the same time.  I love to look through all the pictures and see their different faces.  So funny!  I chose three pictures for our card this year...

                                              

And finally our card..

Merry Christmas!

The Nester Christmas Tour of Homes

Welcome to my blog! My name is Jessica, and I hope you enjoy touring my home that I have decorated for Christmas.  Some decorations have been passed down to me from my grandmother, some were made for me as a child, some I bought, and some are made by my daughters (my favorite).  I'm not going to do much explaining with words..mostly pictures.  Enjoy! 

Our tree...rotates...love it!

Some of my favorite ornaments...birds, nativity, personalized & homemade...

My mom gave me this set of ornaments a few years ago. 

I love them because they play music when opened up.

I decorated the top of the entertainment center with lighted garland and angels at the top.

My grandmother made me this stocking when I was 2. 

I have used it every year since then, and I always will.

My grandmother has gone on to be with the Lord, and this brings back sweet Christmas memories

when I hang this every year.

My grandmother also made this tree skirt that my mother used for so many years.

My mom recently gave it to me.

My daughter made this wreath last year in school.

I added the bow.  I love it!

Ok...the next tree is in my daughter's room.

They really wanted to decorate it themselves this year, so I let them...

and this is what you get when a 6, 3 &1 year old decorate a tree...so proud!

My entry way table decorations. 

The three candles under the nativity represent gold, frankincense & myrrh.

A few outdoor decorations...

These beautiful girls were my helpers.  They did a great job helping.  I hope you enjoyed touring my home.  Thank you to The Nester for hosting this great tour of Christmas Homes.  Head over to her blog to tour other homes.  You are more than welcome to come back to my blog anytime.  This week I will show our finally finished Christmas card, and also some homemade Christmas gifts that I have been working on.  Thanks again, and enjoy this wonderful time of year which we get to celebrate our Saviour's birth.