Red The Elf on the Shelf

It has been a while and one day I will do an actual update for you but today I just want to show you our latest escapade with Red, our Elf on the Shelf.
The kids love finding him in the morning and to be honest- it is a lot of fun.  I think my mom loves it the most of all of us...
Tomorrow the kids will wake up to find their poor little Red has been kidnapped!

This elf on a shelf thing is fun.  I love Christmas...  Now if only I wasn't 5 days overdue and wasn't such a procrastinator....  Anyways Merry Christmas!!!

Clay Making

My new favorite thing to do with Ruby is work with clay.  This is a picture of the nativity Ruby made last Christmas (when she was 3.5)  I am in love with it. 

She loves to work with clay.  From left to right they are the shepherd, sheep, cow, Joseph, baby Jesus and manger, Mary, donkey, horse, wise man, and on top the angel and a star.    I love the eyes.  She loves large eyes- and if I had a close up of baby Jesus you would see that he has one large eye and one small eye.  I love to see her create things with her hands- she loves it too.

This year I made nativities to give away for Christmas.  I made 14 of them in total.

My little army of Josephs and Marys.

The finished product.  This is of course the small version but I have made the 'extended' version in the past.  I like giving these to people I love.  They are inexpensive but take lots of time so they are full of heart- and super cute if I do say so myself.  

Stay tuned for the clay cake toppers I made for my sisters wedding!

Merry Christmas Eve

(Take note of the tree skirt- I finished that yesterday and I love it!!!)

Things we love this Christmas season:
Amazon Prime (free 2 day shipping on almost everything)  how will we ever live without you?
Packages and letters in the mail
The green grass- yes I said Green- there will be no white or brown Christmas here- it looks like summer out there!  It may not be as warm but I will enjoy it as long as I can.
Our REAL beautiful Christmas tree adorned with mostly homemade decorations and a new tree skirt.
Each other- we are grateful to be together and healthy and happy.
The real reason we celebrate Christmas.  Though Santa is fun we have really been trying to focus on Jesus Christ this season.  We have made a point to talk about different parts of the Christmas story every day and read books that focus on the nativity.  It has been a special Christmas for us all.  We watched these videos yesterday together and the kids loved them.  (Though Ruby had a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that they were just actors and it wasn't the real Joseph and Mary.  She just thought they were being being video taped like she always is.  We had to explain to her that there were no cameras back when Jesus was born...  she couldn't believe it!)
Friends that we have made here that make it a little easier to be away from family at this time...
Simple traditions that are passed down- things like decorating the Christmas tree, making the house dark and turning on the Christmas tree lights and laying under it- just enjoying the beauty and wonder of Christmas.

Things we will miss this Christmas season
Family- of course.  It just isn't the same without everyone.  I keep thinking about what everyone is doing back home and wishing that we could be there too.  Luckily it won't be too long until we are back visiting.
Snow- I know I was just bragging about the green Christmas that we are having- but lets be realistic- how can it really feel like Christmas without snow?
TOFFIFEE- Cannot find the stuff anywhere.  How can it be Christmas if I don't have toffifee in my stocking?  I know that they sell it down here (they actually spell it toffifay down here) but they must not sell it in ohio.  So if anyone hears my plea- buy me a pack of toffifee and I will come and get it in January!  (while I was writing this I looked it up on Amazon- they sell it, of course, 15 pieces for 10 dollars- does that seem right?)

We would just like to say Merry Christmas.  Thank you for all you have done for us and for all the packages and love that we have received.  We are grateful for this time of year to celebrate the miracle of Christ's birth and the magic of Christmas.

Together Again

After a long week and a half- which I sometimes exaggerate and extend to 2 weeks maybe 3 (if I need the pitty)- our family is finally back together again!
Justin finished up his exams and got on the plane and came to us!
I am so glad....
Now to wait 16 more days for this baby to come...
I hoping its less then that- but am sure it will be more....
Ruby was so glad to be reunited with her dad- and consequently will NOT leave his side- not for anything- she isn't letting him get away from her again!
We are having a great time visiting our families and finishing up all of our Christmas stuff...
I only have 3 nativities and innumerable hair clips to make-
But it seems minimal compared to the list I had...
Well I am off to celebrate some more!
Ok I just said that- really I am off to bed- I think I'm getting sick and I have a long day of shopping tomorrow.
If only Justin would be happy with little girls hair clips for Christmas- then I could be done all of my shopping....