Snow: The outside adventure!

I know that some of you are sick of snow - but for those of us who rarely get to see it - it is a blessing and such fun! The day after Christmas, it snowed beautifully at the cabin and we had fun going out and enjoying it!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

After I posted this idea, several of you asked for pictures. Here is the cake I made for celebrating Jesus' Birthday! It was fun to hear from a couple of you who also made this cake!

Thanks for your patience as I catch up in posting all of our Christmas fun! Next week I'll be moving on to other things and for the first time in a very loooong time, I am wondering where to start up again. What do you love about visiting here? Is there anything you'd like to see me post on?

Christmas Eve After Dinner

We tidied up dinner, and cozied up in front of the fire to read What God Wants for Christmas! The little ladies sang Away In A Manger and recited a verse they have been learning. They put on their ballet outfits and danced all around and my sister signed to Breath of Heaven.

Next up, Christmas jammies! We opened the pj's and got changed, I surprised all the mommies with matching pants and we opened new books to read together that night!

Growing up, my sister and I were known for planning little "programs" for Christmas Eve. It was fun to watch my ladies wanting to begin this now as well by doing a song, verse and lots of dancing about! We grew up going to church on Christmas Eve, but being up in the mountains this year - we did not go. However, we had a wonderful and special time together!!

Aside from a traditional meal, what are your Christmas Eve family traditions?

Christmas Eve Dinner

When I lived near my parents, but in my own apartment, it became a tradition for me to host Christmas Eve. I still look forward especially to this night and preparing something pretty for the table decorations!

I had intended to do something about decorations before we left home, but the time was so short - that it went off the list! So, Christmas Eve afternoon - I found a neat basket in the cabin and headed outside to gather some goodies!

I love that you can still see snow in the pinecones!!

My mom had brought two tapers and I had some scrapbooking paper in our car - so this is what happened with what we had:

A piece of paper became a "doily" underneath the basket centerpiece. I spread some pinecones and evergreen sprigs down the center of the table. Mugs from the cabin filled with sugar became candleholders!

Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner happened years ago by accident! My mom remembers that someone gave them a box of sausage and cheese from Swiss Colony and the tradition stuck - we've been having this same dinner along with our favorite chip dip, chips, veggies, and hot sausage in BBQ sauce for the men. A cookie tray at the end is the perfect dessert!

What is your traditional Christmas Eve dinner? How did that tradition begin?

Christmas Eve Cookie Decorating!

After sledding, we were ready to break out the cookie decorating goodies! The cousins did a great job and had fun decorating and eating cookies together!!

Christmas Eve Sledding!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve began with the little ladies receiving a surprise from Grammie - princess snow boots! Of course, we all got bundled up and headed outside for some sledding!


Uncle Eric found an icicle for the littles and they had fun touching, biting, licking, etc...

Cousins, Friends & Snow!

Monday morning we had family pictures taken out at Glen Eyrie by a new friend Heather. It was so fun to meet her!! And, we can't wait to see the pictures!

The afternoon held a visit with my friend Rebecca and her sister - and in the evening it was a treat to help celebrate Nathan's second birthday!

Tuesday was our day to head up into the mountains to stay at a cabin for the rest of the week so we decided to open a few gifts before we went. While doing that, it started snowing! The little ladies had their first small taste of playing in the snow!

All the cousins - enjoying a movie:

My dad got a kick out of the trail of toys left by all the littles:

Just starting to snow:

Rachel concentrating on catching some snow:
Emily's first impression:

Seeing God's Country

The best place to start with an update is at the very beginning, right?! It seems like forever ago that we did this drive, though it was a mere twelve days ago that we left home on our three day road trip.

Samuel was hardly heard all the way here - super quiet and content little guy. The ladies did well - they enjoyed their car fun kits as well as some other fun things, a few new movies and the landscape.

I spent most of my time either entertaining someone or sewing Samuel's stocking - I did not finish it - but I think he will forgive me...

We stopped the second morning to have breakfast with my Dad's mom and two of my aunts -
it was a fun break from all the driving.

Look at all these birds flying south for the winter!

I'm back!

Hi, friends!!

We are having a wonderful time in Colorado - I have tons of pictures and lots of things to update! I'm sitting in Starbucks right now while Daddy is with the napping little ones at my parents house and I'm planning to sit here and write lots of new posts! I've been anxious to check in with all of you!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Love,
Monica

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

We'll be eating this cake today at a Happy Birthday Jesus party! My friends in South Carolina got me started on this idea and I am hooked! So, we're doing it in Colorado this year!!

I found a recipe here - but am going to make some changes. We don't need a huge cake - so I want to only use one box of white cake mix to make the entire cake. I'm going to be on the lookout for some smaller round pans so that we can still make this tall, but it won't be as big around.

So, one box of white cake mix - mixed according to box directions. Evenly divide batter into three bowls. Tint one bowl red, one green and one black (or add cocoa instead).

Pour tinted batters into round cake pans and bake according to box.

Start with the black or chocolate layer on the bottom and top with white frosting. Next layer is red and then green. Finish with all white frosting.

Add a red heart to the top of the cake with red frosting and use one red candle. Note: ours always has a red heart on top of it and I'm not sure what it is technically supposed to mean though I could make up lots of ideas.

Round cake symbolizes Jesus being born into the world (earth is round).
Layer one: sin
Layer two: His blood
Layer three: growing in our new life in Him
White frosting: purity or cleanness
Candle: Jesus is the light come into our world and into our hearts.

Sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, act out the Christmas story and add any other fun or unique ideas to celebrate His birth!!

Merry Christmas!

Good morning!

We are safely in Colorado and enjoying our family!!! We're headed up to a cabin today for the rest of the week - so I'll be away, but look foward to catching up next week!

Wishing all of you a Merry & Cozy Christmas!!

December 23

One from the archive - I took this on a walk during Make Your Home A Haven week!

This is a beautiful reminder to me of the gift of new life that Jesus' birth brings us!!