Moments from our Advent Calendar
{Last Minute HomeSpun Christmas Gifts}
7:00 am
If you’ve waited until the last minute to finish up your Christmas shopping or you forgot about Great Aunt Edna, Homespun Christmas Gifts are still a great choice.
Here are a few gifts that are easy to put together, but still show your thoughtful, albeit, tardy heart:
The gift of you
Don’t forget the best gift you can give to those you love: you. Your time and attention are valuable to those you love. Create a coupon book, like this one. Or make a commitment to a loved one to write more, be healthier, complain less. Sometimes we spent oodles of money and countless hours shopping, when all our family wants is time. With you.
The gift of food
We tackled many of our teacher gifts in our kitchen. It was also part of our Advent Calendar, so I multi-tasked and got my kids involved. If you don’t have time to bake, buy something like chocolate covered cherries and create your own unique gift wrapping with scrapbook paper and small jewelry boxes:
I’ve been buying mason jars for the past few months. (I found them at Hobby Lobby for less than $1 each). I grabbed some leftover Christmas scrap booking paper from my stash, bought some tags from the craft store and festive wax baking paper.
And I cut the wax baking paper in circles:
I found these fun felt gift bags at The Dollar Spot at Target and slipped the jar into them:
I cut circles for the mason jar lid:
And I cut the wax baking paper in circles:Used cookie mix from a box (shoot me) and added Andes Mint Chips to give them a gourmet flare:
I used ribbon to tie the tag around the neck of the jar, layered gooey cookies and baking paper to create this:
I found these fun felt gift bags at The Dollar Spot at Target and slipped the jar into them:
The gift of sentimentality
My favorite gift to give and receive is the thoughtful kind. I love invoking special feelings of love and remembrance. Photographs, memory books, and letters are such special gifts. They have lost their place of priority in our busy electronic world. If you want to really bless someone in your life, give a sentimental gift. It’s always a winner!
The gift of paper
I discovered this amazing site in search of Advent activities for my. calendar. Boy, was it a hit! And it’s entirely free…you just need household supplies like paper, paperclips and a printer (color is even better). It’s called The ToyMaker. If you need a last minute gift, fire up your printer and print a slew of activities. The best gifts don’t always cost money!
My kids spent HOURS playing with their whirleycopter. And over the Christmas break, my kids have an extensive list of things to print.
Of course, they had the perfect target:
My New Office Space
7:00 am
I have new office space {not that I had an old office}.
I’ve moved all my veryimportantbusiness to my bed. Under my new electric blanket.
After spending the night in one of my sister-in-law’s beds, equipped with a heated blankie, I knew I must add this to my list.
Well. Santa came early (thank you sweet hubby who is also cold at night).
And he brought duel controls.
I must be on the nice list.
I think I was a bit eager the first night. I put the blanket at full power.
I dreamed of being boiled alive that night.
It was a rough night.
I’ve learned the error of my ways and applied ointment to all my blisters.
Oh, I jest.
Seriously, love my blankie.
And I totally get my toddler now.
THAT Family Tree Society-Issue 23
7:00 am
Picture of the week:
The Week in Review: Well. We had a busy birthday-anniversary-birthday week! It was fun, hectic and veryexpensivethankyouverymuchforasking. But the BIG NEWS of the week is about Baby Jesus. He lost part of his thumb and pinky in a Nativity-related accident. My son is pretty sure He can “fix himself” though.
Introduction into the Society: I’m happy to Welcome Mrs. 007 to The Society. I love her blog name (we’re big Bond fans, but the older ones…) She submitted this awesome post called We are Kindred. Go, give her some love, but watch your back, she’s got a spatula.
1. Tell us a little about your blog (name/reason why you blog):
The name of my blog is Mrs.007 and it is called that because that is my name. I am Mrs. Bond in real life and it just seemed all clever and fitting. I blog because I need/love to write, and the fact that I have fallen in love with this whole Bloggy World has been a big surprise to me. It’s also a way for family and friends to keep up with our little family.
2. How long have you blogging?
I started blogging on my Myspace page a couple of years ago. Then I stumbled upon some other blogs and decided to start fresh on my own website in May ’08. Now I struggle to keep up with the 70 blogs in my Google Reader on top of trying to write on my own blog. I really love it though!
3. How would you define THAT family?
I would say THAT family lives under “Murphy’s Law”. On any given day at any given moment ANYTHING can happen. I think it’s wonderful and chaotic and sometimes painful to be a member of THAT family.
4. When did you discover you were a part of THAT family?
I guess I suspected something when I realized that I was buying band aids every week and meeting deductibles WAY too soon! I have gotten very used to that old familiar feeling of all of the blood in my body rushing to my head. (either out of embarrassment or because I am watching one of my kids get hurt or almost get hurt)
5. Where can we find your blog?
You can find me here… http://www.mrs007.com
I’m new and I am still finding my way, but I am here to stay!
I Caught Santa Winners
1:27 pm
Congrats to the following I CAUGHT SANTA winners:
I am not your mother , Bubba’s Sis, The Eck Life, Fried Okra and There Must be More to Life than Laundry and Dishes!
Please email me and I’ll tell you what to do!
