Christmas Crafts

Oh, how I love Christmas crafts!





Star and bell suncatchers are easy and fun to make.







These applesauce and cinnamon ornaments sure make our house smell yummy!








The activity the kids love most is decorating snowman sugar cookies.









































The survivors, but they know the clock is ticking.

Commercial Seepage

TV advertisements are seldom viewed in our household. This is largely due to us having TiVo and the fact that most of the programs the kids watch, such as Dora and Backyardigans, only have commercials at the end of the show.

However, holiday shows such as Rudolph and A Charlie Brown Christmas are broadcast on major networks that place commercials intermittently throughout the program. Yes, we are able to fast forward through the ads, but when I am in the middle of fixing dinner, I am not always able to grab the remote. Agitated pleas fill the air, "Mommy, bring Snoopy back!" Of course when brainwashing toy ads fill the screen, the natives settle back down.

And so, my children are being exposed to commercials. Is it making an impact? Yes, in a way...

I am downstairs piddling around the kitchen, when I hear Laurel finally stirring from a good night's sleep. Walking into her room, I happily sing, "Good morning, Sunshine," and lay down next to her to snuggle.

"Good morning, Mommy," she replies and smiles and stretches. "Is today Christmas?"

"No, Sweetie. We still need to wait six more days."

Laurel takes this information in, smiles and states, "Yeah! Six more days 'til Christmas. And then the commercials come!"

Visions of Sugar Bums

Laurel just before she lays down for her nap: Mommy, I'm going to dream 'bout sugar bums!

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
~Clement Clarke Moore


Laurel's dreams of sugar-plums came true, we assembled our gingerbread house!





A little icing here...

and a little icing there.

Laurel doesn't like what Ian is doing to the house.

But finally she buys into it and helps out.

The kids had a great time making the gingerbread house. I'm sure a little bit of candy will be missing from it each day, and I will continue to find candy on the floor and sugar on the walls until Easter.

Stockings

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
~Clement Clarke Moore

I don't know about that "not a creature was stirring" bit, for certainly someone in this household was stirring in order for this to happen...



Me: Ian, why are your socks on top of your dresser?
Ian: They're ready for Christmas.
Me: Christmas?
Ian: Yes, Mommy, you silly. I'm putting toys in the stockings for all the little children.
(If you look carefully, the socks do have bulges and there are toys sticking out a couple of the openings.)

Santa, do you have need of an extra set of hands? This boy is ready and eager!