Countdown to Christmas

For the last few years I've gotten the kids Advent calendars with a piece of chocolate for each day.  That was fun, but then last year I started seeing other people's Advent activities and how they put the emphasis on doing things for others.  So this year I put together a list of activities to do every day in December leading up to Christmas.  Some of them are fun, family activities, and others are ones where the kids get to serve or help others.  I am so excited about this!  I really want our kids to have fun with the giving part of Christmas!  I'm praying this will be a fun, humbling experience for all of us.  Below is our Advent activities list (in no particular order), most of which were taken from other blogs and friends.  And don't worry, there will be a piece of chocolate each day for the kids also!

1. Watch a Christmas movie
2. Get a new Christmas book
3. Buy our favorite nonperishable foods and donate to food pantry
4. Make Christmas favors for Allie's class
5. Mail our Christmas cards
6. Go to our city's Christmas tree lighting - hand out a McDonald's gift card to someone there
7. Bring hot cocoa to a Salvation Army bell ringer
8. Friends' Christmas party - take them a new Christmas book
9. Pick out our Christmas tree
10. Bake and deliver cookies for neighbors
11. Draw or color Christmas pictures for Daddy's office
12. Get a pretzel at the mall, then tape quarters to the ride machines
13. Look at Christmas lights
14. Get donuts for breakfast - take some to the boys' teachers
15. Make pine cone bird feeders
16. Visit a nursing home and take cards and treats
17. Take presents to Sunday School teachers
18. Give a treat to our mailman
19. Take baked goods to our firestation
20. Drive through Chick-Fil-A and pay for the person behind us
21. Make snow globes - give one to a neighbor
22. Decorate a gingerbread house (actually, I bought a train)
23. Deliver presents to our Giving Tree family (through our radio station)
24. Give treats to our garbage collectors

Brian came up with the idea to hang it from the kitchen curtains.  Perfect!

Activities are listed on the back of the stockings

Here are a few other decorations around the house:

I couldn't have found a cuter stocking hanger!

Simple Gift

Last year we had some guests over for Thanksgiving and they brought me a hostess gift.  I'd read about those in magazines, but never had I gotten one or thought of giving one!  It was kind of neat!  So this year when we were invited to Thanksgiving dinner with some family we don't see too often, I decided to bring a hostess gift.  And now that there's Pinterest, I don't even have to come up with anything on my own!  I decided to do something Christmas-y since Christmas decorations will be going up the day after Thanksgiving.  I found a free printable and printed it out on a textured cardstock paper.  I found the perfect frame at Home Goods, so the whole project cost less than $10!

I love how this turned out!  If you'd like the printable or another cute Christmas print, go here!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thank You Veterans!

Thank you to all our veterans!  And especially to our favorite veteran...

We love you Grandpa!  We're so thankful for your service and your life devoted to Christ.  What a role model for your children and grandchildren.  I'm so glad God made us family!

Leaves, Shoes, and a Form

What random thoughts are flying through my head today!  First off, let me tell you that I might have set a new record.  Only 5 days after Daylight Savings began I have officially gotten all the clocks in the house changed!  How awesome!  Until I forget that I changed them and keep subtracting an hour from the time.

A few days ago we were outside playing and I noticed there were quite a few leaves in the yard.  Enough for a pile to jump in?  We tried!  I figured it was a pretty sad leaf pile, and my suspicions were confirmed when Brian came home and laughed at it!  I'm sure it's no Montana leaf pile, but you work with what you got!  Spence and Allie didn't know any better and thought it was the most awesome leaf pile ever!  They would run and jump, then push all the leaves back into the pile and go again.

Our super cool Mom raked up this rockin' pile of leaves!

 And this picture is for you, Rita and Gale.  Thank you so much for the birthday money!  These are my new sneakers!

And finally, just something I thought was somewhat odd, but was glad to do.  When Coleman started Kindergarten, birthday treats were banned.  I was a little sad because, well, that's what you do when it's your child's birthday.  You make cupcakes or cookies and send them school to share with the classmates.  But apparently childhood obesity ( which is nothing to laugh at) caused school officials to create strict nutritional guidelines that did not include birthday treats.  After getting over it, my lazy self said, "Yes!  I don't have to make cupcakes for 20 kids!"  This year, about a month before Spence's birthday, the school sent home a letter that stated store bought birthday treats would be allowed as long as you filled out a form.  I was expecting one or two lines then a signature required.  But take a look at the form!

I had to laugh, and share it.  Oh well, at least they're concerned with our children's health?  And I totally get not allowing homemade goodies.  You just never know.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!  And for my loved ones in Montana, throw a snowball for us!

Happy Birthday Spence!

Today my sweet Spence turns 6 years old!

November 7, 2006 - Welcome sweet baby!

1 year old

2 years old - Pretty sure he'd gotten the nick-name Messy Marvin by this time!

3 years old

4 years old

5 years old

November 7, 2012 - Look who's six!

Excited about his birthday presents

We love you so much Spence!  Happy birthday!

Sea World

Sometimes it's fun to plan a birthday party, and sometimes it's fun just to pack up and go on a trip!  That's what we decided to do for Spence's birthday (and mine).  Sea World sounded like a fun place to go, and it definitely was!

We stayed at a hotel close to Sea World that offered a shuttle to the park. Since it's off season, the park is only open from noon to 6:00, so we got season passes so we could go Saturday, Sunday, and any other time we want until January 2014.  It was nice not to feel rushed to do everything in this trip.  But we did a lot!  Here are some of the best pictures:

Loved the elevator door in our hotel

Our hotel was very "green," including this horse sculpture made from pieces of wood

Welcome to Sea World!

Getting ready for the Shamu Express

Allie was really excited to ride the roller coaster

I thought Bert was the serious one!

One of Spence and Allie's favorite rides - notice Mommy is not on there with them!

She could not get enough of the Shamu Express

Waiting for Shamu

The day was a little too long for someone!

Shamu and his friends were so amazing!

We began our second day by posing with Shamu

Feeding dolphins on my birthday

Allie played in the water while the boys rode the bigger roller coasters

And she posed with the gang from Sesame Street!

It was definitely a memorable birthday trip for Spence and me!  Can't wait to go back again!


Sea World