Monday, December 30, 2013

Our Little Hero

Both Alyssa and Billy have served
as firefighters. Billy is still a
volunteer firefighter in Medicine Park.
So.... it's only fitting that Weston
should be a little hero, too.
Isn't he the sweetest thing?

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!

Merry CHRISTmas!
 
I hope you find 
CHRIST
in the midst of your
CELEBRATIONS!
I will be celebrating with my husband 
of almost 34 years.
And with all of our children
and grand children.
FOURTEEN stockings hang on our
fireplace. That's FOUR more than
last CHRISTmas!
We are BLESSED!
 
And here is a closer look at the portrait
that sits on my mantle.
I LOVE Nativity Scenes. I hope to pass
that love on to my children
and grand children.
May we all embrace JESUS this
CHRISTmas Season.
After all.... HE really is the 
REASON for the SEASON.
 

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRANDY!!!!!!!


Today is Brandy's Birthday!
Brandy is the perfect wife for my
son Andrew. And she's a wonderful
Mommy to Brilyn and Asher.
 If I had to choose one word to
describe her, it would be
DELIGHTFUL!
Because she is so pleasant.
She's always got a smile on her face.
And - she makes Andrew HAPPY!
He's always smiling, too!
I'm so happy to have her in the family.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRANDY!!!!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Our Family Is GROWING!

Our family is GROWING!
I baby sat Caelie Saturday night,
so Deuce could take Andra
out. Normally, when they go out,
Caelie goes along but Saturday night
was special!
 
Deuce had reservations
at a steak house. 
There were flower on the table
when they arrived.
And a musician was there
to play "their song".
And someone even snapped this
picture for them. 
Deuce proposed and Andra
said "Yes!" 
So that means we are getting a
new daughter in law and
a new grand daughter.
It's now official!
  Caelie will soon be Grace, Olivia,
Brilyn, Asher and Weston's
COUSIN!

Friday, December 20, 2013

Remembering the Nativity

I love CHRISTmas. I love seeing nativity
sets and things that point you to the
REAL meaning of this special season.
 And while I was in Texas for
Grace's Birthday Party, we found a 
CHRISTmas Nativity Production
that did just that!
It was a drive though.... or hayride.... your choice!
We chose the hayride and were tucked in
with blankets and served free hot cocoa!
 The scene started with an Angel visiting Mary.
Then, there was no room in the inn.
And then.... a beautiful manger scene.
With a real live baby.
 Then we saw the boy Jesus working
in the carpentry shop!
 And Jesus as a young man being
tempted in the wilderness.
 The Last Supper.
 And then the arrest. The government was
against Jesus then, and is becoming
so again, now. So sad, isn't it?
 They crucified him.
 Yet, he still lives.
This little drive through was narrated
and if you chose to drive your own car, 
you would be given a CD and you would
play a track at each scene. If you needed a 
CD player, that was also provided.
All free of charge.
And the message was straight from
the Bible.

For anyone wanting to attend this,
it was at a Baptist Church in
McKinney, Texas.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Grace's Birthday Party at Home

This year Grace got to plan her 
own Birthday Party!
They did it the weekend after
her birthday instead of the weekend
before - so that if Weston came late,
I could still make it!
And Weston came late, so that
was a good thing!
 
 As the girls arrived they went to the
make up table and did
their own make up!
Then they put on dress up clothes
and had a Tea Party Lunch! 
Everything looked so lovely!
 Grace chose the gold table cloth.
Her Momma would have preferred a different
one, but It was Grace's Birthday, so
she had the final say.
I actually think it looks quite nice!
 Grace also got to serve her guests
their tea!
 Isn't this little guest just beautiful?
She was as sweet as she is pretty, too.
 And didn't these three do a lovely
job on their make up?
After they ate they went to the craft
table to make a few crafts.
 And while they were busy making
crafts, I was able to switch the table from
"tea party lunch" to "birthday party".
 Now.... isn't that a pretty table?
 And just look at that cake!
My daughter, Heather, made it herself.
 And each guest got to take home
a little doll!
 I think those lovely little girls thought
it was pretty cute.
 Grace blew out her candles and we
had cake and punch and then, she
got to open presents!
It was a really nice party and I think
all of the girls had a good time.
And they all behaved! There was not a
single disagreement or 
temper tantrum.
Grace has pretty sweet little friends
for which I am grateful.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

More Pictures of Weston

 Doesn't he look like a perfect little doll.
 He's s a bundle of sweetness!
In some pictures he looks like
his Momma and in some 
pictures he looks like his Daddy,
so I am hoping he gets the best
of BOTH parents!
 

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Look Who Is Here!

Weston is here!
He was born last Monday.
He had some breathing issues right
off the bat, but is now breathing just fine
home and doing well. 
 To see this video at full
resolution, click HERE.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Brilyn's Gingerbread House

 Brilyn is pretty crafty!
Her Daddy is an artist and I think
she might have inherited some of his talent.
 Just LOOK at her Gingerbread House!
I applied the frosting and she added
the candy pieces all by herself!  
If whe wasn't happy with how a piece
looked..... she ate it! 

And when she was finished she was pretty
proud of her results.
She couldn't wait to show Daddy!
Of course, by the time he saw it there
were fingerprints in the snow
and the little trees had probably been eaten.
But - she absolutely LOVED this activity!
This house is a kit we bought in the
bakery section of Walmart.
It has Royal Frosting included which
actually makes it stick together great!

 
A Closer look!
We added M&M's.
However, the kit really has enough
candy if you can save it for 
the house. Brilyn ate quite a bit of ours,
so we needed something more.
Plus.... she kept paving the walkway. 
I think she must like the
cobblestone look!


Friday, December 13, 2013

Handprint Snowmen Ornaments - So, So Cute!

We made
Handprint Snowmen Ornaments
and they turned out so cute, I just had to share.
We did this early in the month - before Weston
was born, so we will have to make him
one later. 
Anyway.... aren't they DARLING?
 
Here is Grace's!
Her handprint almost fills up the ball.

And here is Brilyn's!
 And Olivia's!
Brilyn and Olivia's hands are
just the right size to make 
super cute snowmen.
So - this is probably a good craft 
for two and three year olds!
And look at Asher's itty bitty snowmen!
Aren't they adorable?
I did his handprint whild he was sleeping
and he barely even stirred.
He's a sweet boy.
He likes to snuggle but is content to 
sit in his swing if you have
a chore or two to take care of. 
You don't hear so much as a peep out of
him unless he is hungry....

Anyway...... to make the ornaments.
You need:
Large Blue Christmas Ornaments
(other colors would work, but blue looks like a night sky)
White Paint
(I used the acrylic Folk Art stuff from Walmart)
Sharpie Markers
Q-Tips
Paper Plate
Paper Towels

Put a little paint on a paper plate. Place your child's
hand in the paint and smear it around to get good
coverage. Dab the painted hand on a paper towel to remove
excess paint. Then apply hand onto the ornament and remove.
Don't worry about getting a "perfect handprint".
Snowmen are not perfect!
 BUT - if there is any stray paint you can
wipe it away with a corner of a
damp paper towel.
Allow the paint to dry. 
Then.... with a Q-Tip you can touch up
the handprint. Add paint to thin areas to
give them a little more shape. 
Your "handprint" is more of a 
size reference than an exact replica of
your child's hand.
After touching up allow the paint to dry
again. Once dry... use Sharpie Markers
to add eyes, noses, mouths,
scarfs, buttons and hats.
Dont forget to add your child's name
and the year so you can look back
and see who created this lovely
ornament and when!

And enjoy!
Kids seem to love making CHRISTmas
crafts and any grandparent would
love to receive one of these for
CHRISTmas!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Some of my Favorite Christmas Things!

 Of all of our Christmas decor, the Christmas
stockings have to be my favorite. 
For my own kids, I worked on the
stocking during my prenatal visits....
to kill time in the waiting room. 
For my children's spouses and for the
grandchildren, I did them whenever I could.
This year we've added FOUR!
Asher and Weston
were born into our family.
And Andra and Caelie are soon to
be married into our family. 
(according to Caelie... Deuce and Andra seem to be taking their own sweet time)
And this tradition we started
just last year, but it's already a favorite.
Look.... do you see anything?
Maybe a closer look will help!
It's Jingles!
He's our Elf on the Shelf and he
is so much fun!
He found his way into the candy
machine - which he thinks is
a ball pit. That silly elf!
I wonder what he will think of next? 

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Grace Making Ornaments

 Grace can handle making ornaments
all by herself.
I showed her how...
and then she made TONS!
 She even clear coats the ornaments
all by herself.
She is getting to be such a big girl
and she's developping so many skills.
And she made super cute ornaments!

To make ornaments like these you need:

 2X2 Photos - printed on plain paper
2x2 tiles - I got mine at a discount store
and got hundreds for $2.00
Modge Podge
Clear Spray Paint
Ribbon
Felt
Hot Glue and a Glue Gun

Lay out your tiles and cover then with a thin coat
of Modge Podge. Place pictures on tiles. Let dry COMPLETELY.
Apply another coat of Modge Podge. Let dry.
Coat with Clear Spray Paint.
Allow to dry.
Hot glue a ribbon on to hang
and glue felt on the back for a backing.
The felt is optional but it
gives your tile a more finished
look - and the kids one more thing
to cut. Our girls LOVE cutting.
And for some of out ornaments I had
peel and stick felt that the girls could
apply themselves. For other tiles I
had plain felt that had to be glued on.
Both worked fine and made cute 
little ornaments.
 

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRACE!!!!

 Just five short years ago, I was in Okinawa, Japan
celebrating the birth of this little princess!
 It doesn't seem possible that she can be
5 YEARS OLD!
What a blessing these past 5 Years
have been! 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
GRACE Elizabeth McGriff
You are the most precious
GEM
EVER!