[its beginning to look a lot like christmas!]

This year I've noticed that a lot of people were just not in the holiday spirit. Perhaps its the toll of the economy or the fact that it hasn't really been that cold. Not sure...  I know I myself was dragging, and if  it wasn't for the girls dragging the Christmas decorations & the tree into the house and leaving them in a pile for me in the front doorway, I would have been happy not to bother with any decorations. But because of the girls and their persistence we got our tree up the day after Thanksgiving, but I  did NOT want to put ANY of the ornaments from the previous years. I was just so bored of seeing the SAME tree EVERY year. And I found out I wasn't the only one! I really loved all the white & silver trees I've seen lately in the magazines & blogs, but I didn't have it in the budget to get all new ornaments, considering we had to replace a bunch of the lights which decided not to work anymore. But then my in-laws surprised me with four boxes of silver globes!! I already had a ton of white snowflakes accumulated from over the years and so we were able changed it up a bit with little cost. I am so pleased with the results and have been enjoying looking at the tree.

Avila's class had a holiday party in which she crafted this awesome snowflake ornament from foam which fit in perfectly. Below we found these doves at the dollar tree and I had to have them! Too funny! we couldn't resist adding a few of our picture ornaments from our usual frame ornament tree.

So the girls went to Grandma and Grandpa's for FOUR days!! The first day I spent cleaning the house and then I was able to do some projects that have been on my mind for... literally years! I always wanted matching stockings... but didn't want to spend a ton of money, and I saw these on one of my fav blogs DEAR LILLIE and I already had a bunch of burlap and trims in my fabric stash, I made five stockings for NOTHING!! I swear the sewing machine was the BEST Christmas present EVER!

Here's a better view.. I should've taken pictures before I hung them cause now most are too high, oh well I was able to take 2 of my favorites... yes.. Coco gets a stocking too. hehehe

I LOVE receiving mailed Christmas cards, I wish more people would send them *hint* *hint*, I may just cross you off my list if you don't reciprocate!!! hahah just kidding.  We LOVED the ones with family pics on them, the girls loved checking the mailbox everyday and adding them to  our card garland.  Yes we added ours too cause it was my favorite one out of ALL the years we've made Christmas cards. I'll post it and more pics from our annual family photoshoot tomorrow!

 

Thanks to my good friend Fara who came over and helped  made me a batch of toffee for the family who have been waiting anxiously ALL year for it. I am the worst at making them, I either burn it or undercook it. 

So instead of toffee I made these cute boo boo pillows, the tag were also courtesy of DEAR LILLIE.  A perfect size pillow to soothe little bumps and bruises, burns and other ouchies. 

The girls and I beaded necklaces as presents. I made burlap gift bags and again gift tags were printed from DEAR LILLIE!!

For the class teacher gifts this year we made spa pillows filled with rice, flaxseed and lavendar. I love that you can put them in the microwave or freezer and use them to ease headaches and bruises. I think they will come in handy after a day with 34 little munchkins! :-)

We packaged them in clear bags and made our own gift tags.

Well that's about it, I still have to run out and get some stuff I forgot for Christmas dinner tomorrow... but I wanted to post this picture that Avila drew of her daddy. Not bad for a 7 year old! Love that she even drew in his green lantern shirt, it totally cracks me up!!

I hope its looking a lot like Christmas at your house too, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! xoxoxox