We made these cute gingerbread friends this year.  I had to make eggless, dairy free, ginger free gingerbread, but it worked!  

Aeven, Lachlan and Ilsa

Christmas Time's a Comin' and I know I'm Going Home

This is truly a season of joy.  I love Christmas.  I love the tree and the lights.  I love cookies and candy.  I love Christmas songs on the radio.  I love watching cheesy Christmas movies.  Most of all I love that at this time of year people seem to be more willing to openly talk about Jesus.  It seems like people are more accepting of the idea that a little baby came to save us when there are lights and decorations commemorating the day.

My emotions run so high this time of year.  I get so excited about the goings on and at the same time I feel so deeply about the events that have preceded us.  In my own life I mourn the losses that have occurred during this time of year.  I laugh and cry at the memories of chatting with my Grandmama at Christmastime.  She had the best Christmas tree because she let us throw those shiny icicles all over it and make a huge mess.  She always had the best snacks at her house.  She made Chex mix or Trash as she called it every year and she always had those hard Christmas candies in dishes laying around the living room.  She made this delicious orange cake that I guess everyone but me hated.  It was so good!  I miss her this time of year, but I also rejoice for her because I know that Jesus was born to save her and give her eternal life with him.  I'm thankful for that in the same breath that I'm sad that she's not here anymore.

I am still emotional about the baby I lost right after Christmas a couple of years ago.  It was such an exciting Christmas that year feeling a baby grow and thinking about the next Christmas when we would have another little one.  I am so thankful to God for the sweet baby girl he blessed us with this year, but I miss the baby we never got to meet.

I also have such strong emotions about the first Christmas.  Now that I have children the idea of God sending his son for us is almost more than I can handle.  Seeing my own new baby makes me think about the face of the baby that would eventually die for me.  A sweet baby was born and lived a perfect life only to be ridiculed, tormented and killed because I can't live the life God wants me to live without that sacrifice.  My heart hurts for my Father in heaven because He had to sacrifice His son and at the same time my heart is full of joy because my Father in heaven loves me more than I can even imagine or contemplate.

This is truly a season of joy because Christ came and I know I'm going home someday to be with my Grandmama, my beautiful babies I have yet to meet and most importantly my sweet Jesus.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

I hosted a baby shower right before Thanksgiving.  It was an autumn theme with a little sugar and spice for the baby girl.  I thought the decor was cute but very easy to put together because of the time of year.  I used pumpkins, gourds, fall flowers and cranberries.  It was a fun theme.  I made a pumpkin pie cheesecake and we had hot apple cider to top off the autumn/sugar and spice theme.  Here are a few pictures.

I used these pears as party favors.  Each one has a card attached that says "sugar and spice and everything nice."  They are rimmed with a little glitter to look like sugar.

These pots have a small cup in them to hold the bunch of flowers tied with ribbon.  I put paper towels in the bottom of the pots so I didn't have to use so many cranberries.

I glittered the vase to go with the sugar part of the theme and then glittered the honored guest's last initial in the vase as well.  I really wanted a pumpkin for this instead of a vase, but would you believe I couldn't find one?!  I was so mad about that!

I think this picture speaks for itself.  Seriously though, don't you just want to smoosh those cheeks?  Don't you just want to wrap this up and put it under the tree?  Don't you just want this baby to wear this hat every single day?  I think you know what I'm saying here.

Have a Holly Jolly...Lights!

We went to see Jolly Holiday Lights tonight!  I LOVE Jolly Holiday Lights!  Driving through the park looking at all the lights displays, making fun of the ridiculous ones and loving the cute ones.  It's the best!  The funniest one this year was a pumpkin carriage being carried through the air by a unicorn pegasus.  What was that?!  Other than that they were pretty standard.  The snowmen with feet playing sports and Santa Claus on the computer were a couple of contemporary classics.

The thing that really topped the night off right though was eating Sunday fried chicken at Cracker Barrel afterward.  Is this not the best combination ever?  Christmas lights and fried chicken?  So choice.

Best.  Night.  Ever.