Sitting With Santa

As I write this, the food is made, the presents are packaged and everything is ready for the big day.  The weekend will be filled with lots of family time and making memories. I hope this holiday season brings you and your family all that magic that is Christmas. Please take time to remember the true meaning of the season, which started in that manger in Bethlehem.


Merry Christmas!

Holiday Lights

We decided to bundle up and I do mean bundle up because the temps were in the teens, and go to an outdoor lights display. My brother, my Aunt Louise and Logan joined me on this outdoor excursion. It really wasn't that bad and the snow added to the beauty of this display. I was surprised at all the things we got to do for the $6 admission. They had horse drawn wagon rides, 4 amusement rides, Santa, and a barrel train ride. It was so much fun to walk on the snow covered paths and see all the lights.

I hope everyone is ready for Christmas. I went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients and tomorrow will be filled with making things for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This time of year always goes so fast and I feel like there is never enough time for everything we want to do.

Entrance to the Light Display

The Horse Drawn Wagon

Ready to Ride The Twister

He has got to work on his solider stance!

They had a beautiful area set up where you could take pictures, too bad they didn't have magic dust to make a toddler smile for the picture.

He loved the Frosty The Snowman.

This is the cabin where Santa was. It was really neat because it is originally from my hometown but they moved it piece by piece to this park in Dayton.

Asking Santa where the reindeer were.

Swan Lake

Taking a break and eating some snow!

Looking at the cute little window displays.

We Have A Winner

Random Integer Generator


Here are your random numbers:



3

Random Integer Generator


Here are your random numbers:



3

Timestamp: 2010-12-23 02:13:22 UTC


Shannon Wilcutt
at The Wilcutt Girls

Congratulations! I will contact you by email for your address.

200th Post, Breakfast with Santa and A Giveaway

Well  if that title didn't get your attention, I don't know what will. I am so excited that this is my 200th post so to celebrate I will be giving away one of these

That's right, $15 dollars to spend on something warm from Starbucks! If it is as cold as it is here in Ohio, I am sure you will put this to good use. Just leave me a comment on this post and I will enter you in the drawing that will be selected by the random number geneator. I will pick the winner on Wednesday, December 22, 2010.

We went to Breakfast with Santa last Saturday and had lots of fun. This always a fun event with 2 hours filled with activites.  Logan enjoyed his breakfast and Madison picked at cereal and bananas. We had a visit with the big guy, decorated cookies with Mrs. Claus and made crafts. I love all the fun activities that this time of year brings.

This weekend my brother, Logan, my aunt and I are going to bundle up and brave the cold tonight to go to a place called Woodland Lights. It is an outside walking light exhibit that I have really been wanting to go to. I finally just decided we can't wait till it warms up (because that may never happen), so we are going to brave the cold. We all have out winter gear out ready to go. I love reading about what all you guys are doing this time of year.



Trying to decide what to eat first.

Excited to be at the Breakfast with Santa!

Coloring a paper with Aunt  Court

Trying to decide which cookie he wants to decorate

Madison needed a little help with the sprinkles.

Showing off(eyeing) her masterpiece

Time for stickers

Tracing handprints for the reindeer ornament

Christmas Fun

So I saw this question/answer post on The Sneaker Teacher's website and decided to use it on my blog. It was a fun way for me to learn more about her and her holiday traditions. Also I am on snow day #2 today so I actually have some extra time to catch up on blogging.

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I do wrapping paper espically now since Logan and Madison are around. This year they each have their own wrapping paper with no tags, since a certain little three year old can now read his name.


Real tree or artificial?
I have an artificial tree.  We always had a real one growing up and thinking back we had some very "interesting" trees, especially when my dad decided we would save money and cut them down out of our back field. OH MY!

When do you put up the tree?
I always do my decorating the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I am off school that day and then I can enjoy the rest of Thanksgiving weekend without worrying about decorating.

When do you take the tree down? I usually do it before New Years just because I want to get everything put away before I go back to school.


Do you like eggnog?
No Way!!!


Favorite gift received as a child?
My grandparents got me a real (as in not kiddie jewlery) birthstone ring for the Christmas before I turned 13. I remember feeling so grown up opening that little box wrapped from the jewelry store.


Hardest person to buy for?
 My mom

Do you have a nativity scene?
 I have a small one on my shelf that was a gift from a co-worker.



Mail or email Christmas cards?
 I love mailing cards and receiving them.



Favorite Christmas movie?
I love the movie Christmas Vacation, in fact that may be on my snow day agenda today!



When do you start shopping for Christmas?
 I do a lot of shopping year round and am usually about done by Thankgiving.



Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes.





Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My grandmas homemade dressing



Lights on the tree (colored or clear)?
 Clear





Favorite Christmas song?
 I love all of them and always start playing Christmas music on November 1st. If I have to pick one it would be White Christmas.



Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We go to my mom's side of the family for Christmas Eve, which is about an hour away. For Christmas day it is a 45 minute drive to my grandma's house.



Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
 Of course I can! Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donnor, Blitzen, and Rudolph!  I just read the Night Before Christmas to my kids yesterday and they were upset because Rudolph is not in that poem!



Angel, star, or ribbon at the top of the tree?
I have a star on the top of my tree.



Open present Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
 Always Christmas day. When we were little, Santa would visit the family celebration on Christmas Eve and we would get a small present.



Favorite children's Christmas song?
Jingle Bells

Most annoying thing about this time of year?
 I love this time of year. I am not annoyed by the crowds because I am done shopping and decorating so I love just sitting back and taking it all in.



Favorite ornament theme or color?
 I love all the ornaments on my tree. There is not real theme just that each one has meaning to me.

Turkey or ham on Christmas day?
 Alway turkey for lunch and ham for dinner.



What do you want for Christmas this year?
 The only thing I have really asked for was Amazing Grace perfume by Philosophy. My parents surprised me about a month ago with a new TV that was my Christmas from them.

Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa?
 No

Age you discovered who Santa was?
I think I was about 4th grade but since I had a younger brother, I still had to play along. I still love the magic that Santa brings.


Egg nog, hot chocolate, or apple cider?
It is a toss up between hot chocolate and hot apple cider.

Traditional colors (red & green) or other colors?
 Love all things red and green.

Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof?
 No

How does Santa get into your house?
 Last year I gave Logan and Madison a Santa key but as a child I always believed he came down the chimney even though we never had a fireplace (don't judge I was a kid)!

Do you prefer gifts or gift cards?
 I still love getting gifts, however gift cards are still nice too.



Favorite children's Christmas cartoon?
 Rudolph
 

Christmas Home Tour

Today I am hooking up with The Nester and Kelly on the Christmas Home Tour. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I love looking at Christmas decorations. As luck with have it, I am off school today due to snow, so I have to whole day to tour homes. I mean sure I should be cleaning or doing something else productive, but what fun is that. So sit back and enjoy the tour and then head over to their sites to see all the Christmas magic!

This is a little catch all bench that I have in my entry way. I got it new in the spring and knew I wanted to add a little Christmas decoration to it. I found this little tree at my schools fundraiser craft show and the little snowman was a gift at our church ladies Christmas party. Above it is a set of pegs I bought and my Christmas card holder.

This shelf was made by my grandfather,so it has extra special meaning. I love to decorate if for every holiday. All of the items on it are either gifts from dear friends or students. The little snow guy standing next to it was one of the first Christmas decorations I bought when I moved into my apartment. His body is a tomato stake covered with fabric.

My TV area again is filled with decorations that have been given to me as gifts. The NOEL plate was an after Christmas purchase that was 75% off because I loved it but not enough to pay the original price!

Logan and Madison's stockings are hung and will soon be stuffed full of goodies.

This is my one of my favorite areas this year.  I bought these frames last year from here. The lantern in the middle is from a former student, who passed away in a house fire. I fell in love with the wreath in the middle and just had to have it this year. It matches perfectly with the frames but the lighting is funny in this picture.  The candle in the middle is on a timer to come on a night, so that is why it is not lit this morning.

I love my tree. My brother makes fun of it and calls it my Charlie Brown tree, but it matches perfectly with my primitive decor. The ornaments are ones I have collected over the years or gifts from my students. I love taking them out every year and remembering the background of the ornament.

This is one of my end tables. The Christmas ball is a gift from my aunt and it lights up and plays music. The candle and snowman picture, I bought at various craft shows.

The shelf behind my couch has special meaning because it was also made by my grandfather. I want to add my Christmas decorations to it as I find things that suit me. It has lights on it, but again they are on a timer that comes on every night.

That is all for my house, head over and tour more beautiful homes on the other two sites. May you and your family enjoy every magical moment of the holiday season.

Let The Christmas Season Begin

I can't believe how fast the Christmas season is going. Next week is my last week before Christmas break (thank goodness) and all the Christmas activities are in full swing. Last weekend we had Christmas with my cousin and her husband at my aunt and uncles house. Due to space issues it was adults only, so Logan or Madison. I have to say I did enjoy a day full of hot food on a plate ( I am sure all you parents know what I am talking about) and adult conversation. We will be doing plenty od celebrating with the kids throughout the rest of the season.  Mandi and Steven sell souveniers witht the play Sp*m-A-L*T , so they won't be home for the holidays. My aunt prepared a yummy meal with ham, pineapple souffle, sweet potato casserole, broccoli and califlower salad, and lots of desserts.

We have a busy weekend ahead and hopefully the weather will cooperate. Saturday we are taking Logan and Madison to the breakfast with Santa.  School has been super busy with lots of fun crafts and projects. The kids did their holidays around the world project this week and they did not disappoint. I am so happy with all the hard work they put into these projects and the families that help them. I hope everyone is enjoying all that the holiday season has to offer.

The table all set

My aunt loves to decorate for Christmas

The presents all wrapped and under the tree

Mandi and Steven opening gifts

My mom, me, my grandma, and my dad

Daisy Dog was taking it all in

The desserts

Chocolate-Chocolate Cake (they say it was good, but it was way too much chocolate for me, I am not a fan of a lot of sweets).