Christmas Celebrations, half way through

Although it's the day after Christmas, as far as the calendar is concerned it's still Christmas here. We have carolled with Church, we've went to Christmas Eve service, Santa's been here, and we've had Christmas with my parents. But we still have Christmas with David's family, the Barnes Christmas and lots of neighbor gifts to deliver, so Christmas is still in 'full swing' here. My kids have really surprised me this year. I worried that they might be disappointed with the gifts, as we made a point to stay within our budget this year and pretty well did it. The number of gifts was about he normal, but there were many more made gifts and smaller lesser expensive things. But you know the kids didn't seem to mind, there wasn't any 'hmm I didn't ask for this or where's the (fill in blank) that I asked for' They seemed to be truly grateful. For that I felt blessed.

Highlights of the days so far have been:

Cody is beside himself about the three sports history documentaries that he got: St Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Indianapolis Colts, that surprised me, I had no idea he'd be so excited. Bought all three on an Amazon sale for $5.99 each!

Sam has enjoyed the 'build it yourself, design your own' lego set that he got, it was half the price of the 'branded' Lego series that are out there.

Jenna is enjoying the bead set and making necklaces, etc. (Dollar General find for $3)

Seth, well God love him has colored up a storm with his crayons and color books from probably Dollar General as well, can't remember bought them back in the summer thinking it would entertain him on a trip drivng, then didn't end up going and they were in the 'gift' stash, so they go wrapped.....

I sewed up a storm for the last month or more and so far those gifts have been loved so that's cool too. Teachers loved journal covers, Mom did too. Brittany loved her knitting needle holder, Riddick and Trinity's stocking were well received. All four kids are currently wearing the Pajama pants that I made them (they are all asleep) I am looking forward to Grandma and Gladys getting their quilts, DH's sisters getting their runners and journal covers, plus the kids getting their blankets.

I am proud to say that I have 'used up' a large portion of my fabric supply this year and created some great gifts, that cost me no 'extra' money in this time that we are going through with everyone having to tighten belts. I was thrilled to still be able to give 'great stuff'

David and I didn't exchange gifts this year. We put the $$ towards some updates for our bathroom, which is sorely needed. WE are getting a new medicine cabinet, light and exhaust fan. Then we will use the paint that I bought awhile back and finish it off. We feel truly blessed that we don't really 'need' anything and can focus our energy on doing things for our home instead of stressing out about buying gifts.

Since my Christmas cards are mostly still laying here on the desk, unmailed, Merry Christmas to everyone, and hopefully you'll get it soon and can call it a New Years card...........

The boys are wrestling in their first tournament tomorrow and the rest of the house is asleep and that's where I should be as well, so From Tulip~

KH

PS--for anyone who doesn't know, those are the 'cousins' my kids and Wayne's two taken last night at Mom and Dad's (Trinity was very relaxed and spent most of her first Christmas as expected, ASLEEP! Although she and her Aunt K hung out for awhile, which was GREAT!)

Yes EVEN Cody sat on Santa's Lap

I thought maybe Cody would have decided that he was TOO OLD for this great tradition, but as traditions go, he had to take part in a long standing Tulip tradition, where if you want the 'treat' bag, I gotta talk to Santa and Tulip Kids have been going up to talk to Santa way up into their teens, I can even think of few 20somethings who've been up there. Hard telling what they discussed, but Cody took his turn.

Sam and Santa

I am sure, although I couldn't hear it, that most of Sam's gifts could be traced back to one or more of the following themes, Legos, Star Wars, or Playstation 2 games. And the ultimate, I have been informed SEVERAL times would be Lego Star Wars, The Video Game for Playstation 2. Do you think Santa could keep all of that straight? Time will tell, I suppose. ;)

Seth and Santa

Seth was very brave and marched right up there and told Santa alot of stuff, of course the few things I could hear were definitely last minute additions, so I hope Santa was listening closely and taking good notes. Of course at this age, ALL presents are exciting, thank goodness!!

Jason and Marshall Kable

Jason and Marshall were in the parade tonight. That's one of our tractors, pulling a rake. I wish I had better pictures, it was hard to find a setting on my camera that was right for the lighting. It was dark, but there were street lights, and headlights and obviously ALOT of Christmas lights, but we managed to get a few decent pictures.

The Tractor Parade

The Centralia Young Farmers have started a new tradition at Christmas time the night time lighted tractor parade. We didn't go last year, the inaugural year, but we went th is evening. I tried to take some pictures without much success, I am posting a few. The Sprayer is from MFA. The boys were fired up abou this and think that next year we need to enter a tractor, we'll see, not sure if we can come up with anything, stay tuned.

Pretzel Wreaths

I have spent the day at school today. Seth and I took the supplies to make these wreaths in both Sam's 4th grade classroom and also Jenna's Kindergarten room. I didn't get the chance to take pictures while there, as I was too busy. I always hate that about those events where you are too busy to actually take pictures to remember it by. So my picture of the sample with have to do, I suppose. Anyone interested in making these, they are totally simple. 10 little 'knot' pretzels, your choice of white or milk chocolate or the Wilton's candy melts, (I found red and green at Michaels) Dipping the 'double' side of the pretzel into the melted chocolate, then arrange them on a paper plate or wax paper into a circle, using five pretzels on each layer. The top layer I offset to sort help 'glue' the whole thing together. They harden in about 10 minutes in the freezer or probably 45 minutes to an hour sitting out. I have made them before with the 'mini' M&M's as the 'ornaments' One year we tried shoestring licorice as the ribbon, I can't remember, but I don't think we had super great luck with that. Totally simple project even little kids can do, the Kindergarteners had no more problem creating these than the 4th graders, they were just short for reaching across the table at school, but it worked really well. (note for any beginners, melt the chocolate in a heavy stoneware bowl, in 1 minute increments in the microwave, stirring in between, shouldn't take more than about three times. ) Also another FYI, the one pound bag of Rold Gold pretzels, made 20 wreaths......

Now I should really get back to projects here at home, before the kids get here. (BTW, no freezing rain YET!!!)

From Tulip~

KH

Gingerbread House

Send my Mom of the week star! I let Sam talk me into buying a Gingerbread house kit. And as you see we decorated it. I let the kids do this by themselves, so it's their creation, at least Sam, Jenna and Seth. Cody wasn't interested, I am thinking there was probably a football game on TV competing for his attention! Anyway we are 'merrily' (sarcasm intented!) working our way throught the holiday season. With one fun activity after another. (refer to the above note) I know that we are making great memories and I try to remind myself of that as I was 'chipping' dried icing off the table that had almost cemented the gingerbread house in place that night! My kids were really fired up about the gingerbread being edible until they tried it....... Maybe next year we will bake our own. Maybe not........time will tell.

I have to take this moment to BRAG, I think I am done shopping or if not done VERY CLOSE!! WOO HOO!!!

That's not to say I am just sitting back and waiting around for Christmas, I don't have cards done or baking or sewing, but I have 'part' of the work done, so for that I am THRILLED! I would love to add some pictures of some of my creations, but I am not really sure who all is following this, so not ruin any surprises, I guess I will wait to post those pictures till after Christmas. But know that my sewing machine, has ran EVERYDAY for the last month and I still h ave alot more to go!!

Well I see as I type, that picture finally uploaded, gotta love that slow dial up, going to close for now, tonight is practice for the Church Christmas Program and about a million other things, you know same old, same old around here.

From Tulip~

KH

The Tree

We decorated our Christmas Tree last night. Does everyone else go down memory lane every year withyour ornaments? I do. Guess it's made me feel 'nostalgic' this evening. I have been very blessed with family and friends who have over the years given us beautiful ornaments that have helped us relive and remember good times or times in our lives. I blog about things that I feel strongly about and what a great thing to share some of our favorite ornaments an the story behind them.

I have a set of 20 ornaments, dated from 1980 to 2000. They came from, in the first year or two, my Aunts Olivia and Ethel. They signify life changes that happened throughout those years. Starting in 1989, David has ornaments, in 1990 Aunt Ethel made us a 'Our first Christmas', with our wedding date on a wedding bell ornament. Cody has ornaments from 1994 on, and Sam from 1998 on. There was the year that Aunt Ethel moved to Texas and the ornament is a cowboy hat. After that year the ornaments changed from ceramic ones to wooden to better withstand being mailed to us. Most of them were little mice in winter wear, there was one that was ice skating, one that is leaning over a chalkboard. Several years they were mice or teddy bears. The very first one was a Snowman. This year that snowman is on a little bitty tree on top of my refrigerator, as he kind fits the theme of my kitchen, which is Coca Cola so the snowmen and Santas are here and there among the Coke things.

We have many ornaments that were given to our children over the years. The boys have enough ornaments among them that they have their own tree. From Batman to the 101 Dalmations, to Scooby doo and the St Louis Cardinals their tree is their own creation, filled with their memories. Jenna, who also has her own tree, opted to 'borrow' several of my 'old' ornaments.

Our tree (s) certainly are a reflections of our life and our passions. There's one from my favorite Christmas movie, 'It's a Wonderful Life' There are several farm themed or tractor ornaments. There's Americana ornaments, stars and flags. There's ornaments to remind of us of places we have been, things that we love and so many stories that I am not even sure I could tell them all. It's is one of my goals to 'write all the stories' of our ornaments for my children. With my passion for scrapbooking, I even bought a really cool Christmas Album one year with ornaments on the front of it. Hopefully one day, I will get it done. But days like today, just getting the tree decorated seems like such a big challenge, that one might have to wait till our tree is sized back to 'just' mine and David's ornaments......... but I think that will be shame as there such good stories in all those ornaments that will leave with my kids, hopefully I will get it done and SOON. As Sam and I drove to do some errands today, we were talking about things (I love taking him with me alone, as then HE really talks ALOT and I love that!) We figured out in talking about currents events and mention of the new President, that Cody will be able to vote for the NEXT President. That was one of THOSE moments for me, that wow, OMG my kids are growing up. Made me really relish decorating our home today for the coming holiday with them as there won't be many more of those years where we are all here to decorate the tree, where I tell them the stories that I have told them every year of the ornaments on our tree. Maybe my New Years Resolution will be to make that album, maybe I can have them help me, while they still are around to.

Told ya I was feeling nostalgic today.

From Tulip~

KH

Counting my Blessings

With Thanksgiving looming on us quickly, I thought this was the perfect opportunity list my blessings, and there are alot so bare with me!
I am thankful for four beautiful children who entertain me, frustrate me, laugh with me, make me cry (mostly in the good way) have wonderful and different personalities. I couldn't be any luckier unless there was more (which is pretty unlikely, BTW)
I am thankful for my husband, who's my best friend, my lover, the guy who makes me maddest and gladdest (is gladdest a word?) all in one.
I am thankful for my parents. They are my number one biggest fans, they totally support anything I do, no matter how crazy they have thought some of the things were. They always encourage me and remind me often that even on those days I wonder if anyone does, SOMEONE loves me!
My baby brother, I can remember wondering what mom and dad were thinking, they had a perfect kid and then went and had another, ugh!!! But now you're my best bud, we can talk or not talk and we totally know what the other one needs and we try to be each other's solution, not their problem.
I am thankful to be 37 years old and have a grandmother who is my best friend, who I talk to 3 or 4 times a day, everyday. We talk about cooking, sewing, parenting, and just stuff. My grandma is the coolest lady I know!
I am thankful for my aunts, they are my 'second' moms and I love them for all that they do for me, whether its a shoulder to cry on or just someone to gossip with, I am very blessed as I have FIVE of them!! O,E,K,L, and P~hugs to you!!
My uncles, OMG, where do I start, from the one who was my big brother growing up, to the one who delights in scares my kids with his false teeth (just like he did us as kids!), to my Anchor Fest co-worker, to 'Ugly' (yes you're hair is on straight) and my almost birthday buddy and my actual birthday buddy, man have I got some cool ones. Of course I was thankful to have a really super cool one, who's watching my boys play sports from a play way up high and I know he'd just love to see them.
I can't go through and name everything about all of my cousins, 'cause I'd never get through it. 15 first cousins, plus steps, plus more....... but you all have such a special place in my life. From fishing with the Angle cousins and always having those great times at Wilson park, to cruising with E.D. being thrilled when that girl (then that second one) cousin arrived, I love you all very much, and I am glad that you are part of my life.
Friends, how do you start counting friends, you'd never catch them all, but here's a few, you know who you are, the ones I scrapbook with, the ones I grew up with, the ones that I email, the ones that I talk to on the phone ten times a day, the ones that I sit with at school/sports functions, the ones I go to church with and so many more.
I know that so far I have only mentioned people, well there are alot of things that I am thankful for as well, some of them being,
health
a home
security
to live in a free country where even if we don't like how things go, we have the right to choose
I can attend the church of my choice, worship how I choose whenever I wish to
I can feed my family healthy nutricious food, or junk, again my choice!
And there are so many more things, but I just don't think that I can list them all.
I am glad that I have this forun to share these thoughts, and I am very thankfully counting my blessing here tonight,
From Tulip~
KH

Misc Ramblings

I feel like I always have all these little tidbits to add to this and then never get it done, because it doesn't seem like a developed enough idea to add it to the blog, so this blog will just alot of updates and odds and ends......
Our magazine is out at least to subscribers. I got my subscriber copy yesterday. I love it, maybe it's because I love the subjects. But I was really thrilled with the finished product, I was a little involved with the editting, sometimes it's just interesting to see someone else's take on what we do. Locals, the Centralia grocery stores are both going to try and get extra copies. I have discovered that HyVee and Gerbes in Columbia both usually carry it as well as Barnes and Noble. I would venture the guess that any store that carries a large variety of magazines will have it. I believe eventually it will be for sale on the website, as there is a link to order the current issue, but right now it's still offering Oct/Nov.
Okay for anyone not local who might not know I don't think I ever mentioned the end of the football season for Centralia. The 8th grade boys ended out 4-2, which I thought was a very successful year, they lost to Troy, who had about 100 boys and I am guessing is a much larger school and I don't have any opinion on the Macon game as I didn't go, but Cody says that have a running back (I think remember my football knowledge) that was a super star and was unstoppable..........
The High School team ended up the District Champions and the Conference Champions. Their season ended at Regionals with a loss to Blair Oaks. They had another phenomenial (sp?) year, we are all proud of them.
Now wrestling has begun, High School and the club have started practices. The Open house is Monday night and we are looking forward to a new sport getting started. As I know of them I will post the boys' tournaments on the side bar. There are only 4 8th graders this year, so Cody and compnay will have a big responsibility of leading the rest of the club, I feel confident that they will rise to the occasion. Seems like the club is smaller this year, but I have been in there when the younger boys practice, I may be very surprised when I see the whole group together. The boys weighed the other night and if they were in the same age group (and THANK GOD they aren't) they could probalby wrestle each other, Cody is 116 and Sam is 111 (and YES four years apart in age, but built so differently) Not sure when to say the first tournament will be that they will participate in, because there are ALOT of Sunday ones, which we aren't thrilled about, ours is now on Feb 8th, which is also a Sunday. Getting an available date that wasn't another teams tournament, not a High School tournament, not a Freshman basketball game, you get the picture........
I am getting alot of Christmas shopping and sewing done. I am looking forward to my annual shopping trip with my college friend Toma, we are trying to work out the details. We giggle and go out to eat and sometimes actually shop, but we do this every year and sometimes thats the only time we get together. I am glad that we do get together. I don't know if I am feeling nostalgic or what, but I have been craving time spent with friends and family who seem to far flung from us. Was telling Kimberly how much I missed Kenneth Earl today, you know its bad when I am whining about not seeing his ornery @$$ :)
Okay so since I have mentioned it in this blog, Trinity is cute little sweet pea. I have spent some time with her and her brother and her momma this week. We had Riddick stay the night here one night, to help his momma get a little more sleep and rest up some. Seth and I went down one day and helped her do some things around the house and we've regularly checked in on them this week. Seems like everyone is doing really good. We are celebrating Riddicks third birthday tomorrow night at the pool hall for which I am baking a 'Lightning McQueen' birthday cake.
We've had 4+ deer shot off of our land during fire arms deer season, Jason shot one of them and right now David is cutting up the meat, which we will enjoy this winter. David and the boys have went a few times, but not with much luck.
This coming Sunday David, Cody, Sam and my Dad will go and watch the KC Chiefs football game, I guess they are looking forward to it, mostly they are trying to figure what they will wear to stay warm. It's 4H Day at the Chiefs and the tickets were available at a very discounted rate, so they are going to go.
Well since I have sat down to type, everyone has suddenly gotten 'needy' so I must close this entry. I am looking forward to the holdiay season, actually looking forward to getting out the boxes and boxes of decorations and starting to do some baking and all of that.
From Tulip~
KH
PS~Happy 6th Birthday, Brennan and Brayden Swann in Houston, TX!