It has been wonderful to slow down this month and to really take in Advent and the anticipation of Christmas. Brad’s sister gave us a precious gift of handmade Jesse Tree ornaments last year for Christmas so it has been sweet to read the Bible and share those stories with the kiddos every night. Let me assure you that these family times have been filled with chaos of a 1.5 year old pulling hair and flopping all around and a 3.5 year old screaming because of the pulled hair and chatting about random thoughts that have come to mind but the time has still been sweet. I trust that God is tucking away words in their hearts that they will remember even in the midst of the chaos. It has been good for me to remember the stories of God’s faithfulness and His promises fulfilled. While anticipating Christmas and remembering Christ born as a baby it has brought peace to my heart to remember that the baby grew to be a man and died on the cross to save me from my sins and He rose again from the dead! He is seated in Heaven but He is coming back! I am anticipating His return!

While making breakfast this morning I heard sister in the next room singing. . .You take my morning and turn it into dancing. This is a line from a praise and worship song called Restoration. The line from the song really reads you take my mourning and turn it into dancing but it was so sweet to think on her words as she sang them over and over. It is Christmas Eve! I am giddy with anticipation just as the children are and He really has taken my morning and my mourning and turned it to dancing. I have great reason to dance, worship, sing, praise and rejoice! I have a King who will one day return for me. He loves me so much that He sent His son that I might have life! I have LIFE!

Wishing you LIFE and a Christmas full of dancing, remembering and anticipating!

Yep, still sewing a few more gifts (not last minute though. . .just in time)! These little clutches from Bend the Rules Sewing were made for some friends. I finally decided to try out the pattern after seeing Aimee make so many and they all turned out so cute. It was a simple pattern and fun to make. Off to do a bit more just in time sewing!

Our local sewing store has a huge sale once a year and it fell at the beginning of December this year (how convenient). Brad and I went to look around and in particular to check out the sergers. From that outing we brought home a little red box (an early Christmas present)! Yiipppeeee!!! I have been super afraid to use the serger as it just feels a bit overwhelming (so much to thread) but I finally gave in last night (with much encouragement) and we plugged it in. I am still a little overwhelmed with it but it really is pretty incredible! Brad has been a huge help (he is the instruction reader in the family)! Who in the world thought up making a serger and who in the world made it work! Amazing! Lots of serging to be done in the new year!!!

to my sweet Hubby! We had a birthday lunch celebration for him and sister was so excited to show him the cake that she had concocted for him with lots of green icing and LOTS of sprinkles. Brad had hoped for a chocolate cake but in sister’s world there is only one cake (that she likes to pick out at the store) and that is a Funfetti cake so I made hubby the chocolate cake earlier in the week and we celebrated with the sister made Funfetti cake with EXTRA (did I mention the vast amount of sprinkles yet) sprinkles today. As a side note, speaking of the Funfetti cake by Pillsbury, on the side of the box there is a recipe to make cookies from the cake mix and they are actually really good. It was super fun to celebrate Brad as we are all SO very very thankful for him!!! We started celebrating earlier in the week with my mom and we are off to dinner with his family for celebrating tonight. He is definitely worth all the celebrating!!!

Finished up these this week and sent them on their merry little way. There is just something about Christmas Cards that I love! I am not sure what it is but I love addressing the cards and thinking about all the people who the Lord has brought across our paths and how our stories are linked together. It is always a sweet time.

So, remember way back here when I said that I was hoping not to buy any more fabric for the rest of the year? I have decided that was VERY unrealistic (my hubby helped point that out to me as well)! I had forgotten the great sales that pop up around the holidays (sticking with this as my excuse) remember this. Gee! Plus look what arrived in the mail today. . .

Fabrc.com was having a sale (when are they not) and it was just to cute to pass up! I just have a thing for fabric!!!

Things in the workshop are moving along very slowly but I did finally finish the teacher baskets that I began working on so very long ago. Glad to have those finished up since the big Christmas party is this week. We just need to make some tasty treats to fill the baskets with and they will be good to go. I am thinking of some chocolate covered marshmallows with a little peppermint on top. Yummy!

With the baskets finished I am moving on to the next project. . .

Everything else is moving along with the tree up and ornaments hung. The Christmas cards are signed and awaiting the Christmas letter which is written just not printed and the Christmas card picture which is taken (always a trip getting a good picture of the kids together not trying to kill each other but let me tell you about the wonder of the marshmallow) but not yet printed. It has been sweet to slow myself this season and really be present during Advent. Definitely hard but definitely worth it! I will post soon about our goings on during this Advent it has been sweet to celebrate and anticipate as a family.

Sister is having a parade at school this week in which her class is to dress up like an angel or a shepherd (other classes will be representing the rest of the manger scene). I was really surprised but she chose to be an angel. I am not sure why I was surprised but I was a little surprised. She is not a huge fan of costumes. Princess dresses yes but there is a line somewhere when things become a costume and not a princess dress. Knowing that she would not want to wear a costume I asked her how she would feel about a very cozy angel outfit. She was hesitant but seemed intrigued with the idea of being cozy in a costume. I chose flannel for the angel outfit. Through the whole project she was hesitant that is right up until the point when I added the feathery furry stuff and then she was all in! She is pretty excited about the costume now. I also knew that she would not wear a halo so I made a little bow out of the feathery furry stuff. I can’t wait to see her all dressed up!

I get very excited about the white stuff! It just feels so peaceful and tends to bring a hush over the house. I even got sister up from rest time to let her peek out the windows as snow is definitely special and I needed someone to celebrate with! I knew that if I called hubby at work and told him it was snowing he would not be nearly as excited as I would need him to be so I went with the 3 year old! It definitely paid off! I did send Brad a text that it was snowing though. . .with no reply! Of course the snow did not stick but it was beautiful while it lasted.