50 Days...

...until Christmas.

YIKES!

When I saw that on another blog today, I nearly peed my pants or had a nervous breakdown or something like that. So much to do...so little time. Every year, I vow that "This year will be different" or "I'm going to make more time for really enjoying the holiday season" and it seems that every year is pretty much enjoyable with a touch of insanity. I have to admit that we, as women, tend to bring a lot of the insanity on ourselves by trying to create the picture perfect Christmas we see in magazines and on tv. The reality is that it's insane.

And so, as we enter into this most insane time of the year, I highly recommend some great encouraging friends, a nice hot cup of coffee, a warm fire and this.

When I posted about my Christmas Planning Binder last JANUARY, I know you all thought I was a bit off my rocker. But, I'm tellin' ya that it saves me every single time the countdown begins!

The address book is updated. The Christmas card labels are printed. The gift list is filling up. And I feel my blood pressure every so slowly returning to normal...if there is such a thing during November and December! Ha!

So, we want to know what keeps you somewhat sane during the Christmas season. Do you keep a handy binder like this? Do you wing it? What's your sanity keeping secret? We'd love to hear about it!

"What can I say, except it's Christmas and we're all in misery."

Ellen Griswold (Christmas Vacation)

-Sarai

Traveling Tips

Last year we made treat bags for our nephews and niece. Remember? If you're anything like us, you rotate your travels. That means this season we'll be on the road some... with three kids, three and under and several hours stretched out ahead of us... well, let's just say, we have ourselves some plans.

Usually we like to leave before the crack of dawn to ensure maximum amount of sleepy time. Kids still in their pjs, little traffic on the road, plenty of coffee for us grown-ups. Our latest travel didn't allow for such, though, since our oldest had preschool on the day of travel. That's when the plans come in handy.

First up, the Easy Lunch Boxes. I can't help it... I love them!
The peas and strawberries are frozen, but by the time we wanted to eat they were defrosted and ready to go... plus, you can get organic produce SO much cheaper by buying it frozen! If you want to keep your yogurt cold, add some of that frozen fruit to it... someone taught me that great tip and it works like a charm. And don't let the pinch of powdered sugar fool you even though it makes my kids feel like they're getting something quite special. That is one packed muffin... I experimented with spelt flour, applesauce, sweet potato puree, and raisins. Mmm... recipe to come!

The other thing we sometimes do is "Treat Hour." I take along a little dry erase strip or small chalkboard. At the beginning of each hour the kids get three stars or smiley faces or whatever we want to draw. At the end of the hour if they have at least one "thing" left, then they get a treat out of the bag. Here are some examples from our latest travel:

The trip is normally between six and seven hours, but I keep the entire box of lollipops in there just in case it takes longer. Between, I don't know, poops or spit ups or feeding or potty stops or... you get the picture of why we might need a back up to the back up plan. :) The other things include dollar store items like mini eye-spy books, activity pads in their favorite character, snack bags, candy rings, and a coupon for a smoothie stop. I try to pick out of the ordinary things that can keep them occupied for a good chunk of the hour ahead. The less kids are bored, the better!

We also like to keep a ready supply of other entertainment... music, Bible stories and other books on tape or CD (hitting up the library before hand is great for new titles), etc. Water bottles, favorite blankets and stuffed animals, and a few books per child are other things we make the most of (preferably titles they haven't read in a while or a couple of new books from the library).

Any successful traveling tips you use? We'd love to hear about them!
~Katrina

Fall Subway Art

Happy Fall, Y'all! While it's still getting pretty warm during the day here in Western North Carolina, the early mornings and late nights are cool enough to get me good and excited about some fall!

I've seen Subway art popping up all over blogland these days. Most of it seems to be created with some fancy Cricut or Silhouette machines and while I don't own one of those, I do have a computer, a printer and Microsoft Publisher. I love what a big statement some simple words can make.

Want to make your own Subway art? Simply use your favorite publishing program to combine words that remind you of a central theme...like seasons, holidays, or even relationships. Then, print it out, stick it in a frame and you've got some super easy, super cheap Subway art!

Need some other ideas to get you in the mood for Fall? Try these.

Fall Decorating

More Fall Decorating

Fall Tablescape

Pumpkins and Halloween Cookies

Easy As Pie Pumpkin Muffins

Trick or Treat Buckets

-Sarai

Christmas Planning Binder

I know what you're thinking...She's one of THOSE crazies who thinks about and plans for Christmas all year long. And you'd be right! And you're probably also thinking Christmas was over a month ago! Let it rest for the next 11 months! And sorry, I can't! Go ahead and throw things at me if you wish, but I promise this post can make your life easier!

So, it's January and I'm already thinking about next Christmas. (I've even bought a couple of gifts already! Please don't hate me!) I know it sounds incredibly crazy. However, by planning for one of the craziest times of the year during one of the least crazy times of the year helps me to really focus on what I can do to make it as seamless as possible. During the first few weeks of the near year, I update my "Christmas Planning Binder", which is code for simple 1.5" notebook with dividers and is labeled appropriately.

You don't have to have a cute page in the front like I do, but I'm finding that the cuter I make things, the more likely I am to use them. So, thanks to some free digital scrapbook downloads and about 5 minutes of my time I have a nice little cover for my binder.


Inside, I keep all the Christmas planning/event supplies organized with labeled dividers.
In the Gift Ideas section, I keep tutorials for how to make homemade gifts and also magazine and catalog tear outs that contain items I might be interested in purchasing for a friend or family member.

In the Gift List section, I have a handy chart complete with the names of everyone that we purchase gifts for. This helps me to make note of ideas for that specific person, items already purchased and any type of budget for that person. This is just a simple chart I've made with the help of Microsoft Excel and can be done in a matter of minutes. Each year, I just print out a fresh copy.

The Cards S/R section contains a list of all the Christmas card recipients on out list. I have another handy Excel chart here to help me keep track of the cards we send and receive each year.

In the Addresses section, I have an address database containing all the names and addresses for the cards we send. In this section, I also keep a tutorial (thanks, Mom!) for how to properly complete the Mail Merge Action for Word/Excel so that I can print mailing labels to slap on the cards. This saves me TONS of time!

Under the Games tab I keep, you guessed it, games! I have copies of a couple of different Christmas themed games that I can use for parties or family gatherings. Games are a HUGE deal with our family at Christmas, so this section has proved to be helpful.

In the back of the notebook, I have several clear dividers to help keep something wrangled together. I have a divider for receipts that correspond with the items we purchase for gifts. I have a couple of dividers for Christmas letter stationery and mailing labels.
I also stash a little notebook paper in the back for note taking along with an ink pen.

I know this system won't work for everyone, but nearly every woman on my mom's side of the family has a binder like this and it's worked for us for years! So, take this time when Christmas isn't being jammed down our throats to thoughtfully plan and prepare for the most wonderful time of the year!

Do you already have a notebook of your own like this? How do you keep your Christmas plans and ideas organized? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

-Sarai

Christmas Collage

Attention all last minute shoppers, Attention all last minute shoppers... :)

I'm back!

My husband received a glorious gift to basically work from home today; this is HUGE in our world! So after the smallest babe was down for her nap, the oldest and I headed out to pick up a few last minute items.

Enter collage cuteness.


I don't know how many of you use this function, but it's a great way to capture bunches o' photos on the cheap. Add a meaningful title and you're good to go! We made one for each set of grandparents this year and for my brother who will be with us for Christmas. His is a personal congratulations, but the other two are like walks down memory lane for 2009.

Upload your photos to most any photo site and find the collage link. Follow the easy steps to arranging them. I prefer Wal-Mart because of the matte finish. Had I been able to plan ahead a bit more, I could have gotten the 5x7 collages for a mere 58 cents a print. I paid a little more and put them in some (hunted and hunted through) Dollar Store frames. With my one hour fee, these gifts come in at just barely three bucks a piece. The possibilities are endless!

As an aside, we used the same collage function for this year's Christmas cards. Four pictures for a total of nine cents per print. Don't forget all the after the holiday sales at your drugstores. Walgreens hooked us up last year with a boatload of cards (blank on the inside to write our annual letter). I think I got something in the ballpark of eighty for three dollars or less! I love to send real mail, but it can get so expensive in bulk; hunting like this can make it affordable. The mailbox is such a happy place this time of year!

Off to wrap some gifts and maybe even make some reindeer food now that the girls are in bed. I think that calls for some hot chocolate. Extra marshmallows, please!

Any last minute gifts you're wrapping up?

Until after Christmas!

~Katrina

Linky {Last Minute} Love

As my family gets ready to head out for some final touches today, I thought I'd share a few of the ways we're doing homemade within our walls. These projects come from the school of no sew, still thoughtful, and mostly not a lot of dough... basically you'll get an A+ in the subject of being last minute!

First up, since we decided to each receive three gifts just as Jesus did, one of them ended up being from sister to sister. Of course, we turned to our old friend the Hobby Lobby who cooperated nicely by having fleece on sale this past week. The girls picked out fabric for each other, I did a lot of cutting, and we sort of tied things all up together. Their favorite part was decorating each other's packages with markers and Christmas stickers. Since they both love blankets, I can't wait to see their faces in a few days! For complete instructions, lots more detailed than I even did, check 'em out here. (While you're at the Hob Lob, pick up a plain long sleeve tee with your 40% off coupon. Make Daddy an article of clothing that's sure to be an, ahem, custom design!)

Next are stocking stuffers for my extended family, but I think they would work just as well for gifts. Thanks to Big Huge Labs you can easily make covers for CD's of fun, inspirational music. I'm thinking personal black and white photos!

Lastly, some good friends of ours got my creative juices flowing when she e-mailed to ask for some help in writing a song for her husband. They have a ten dollar limit on Christmas this year, and I had a ball thinking up ideas. Here are just a few to get you going:

*Dessert of the Month Club (My husband's getting this one: basically each month he gets to choose one of twelve desserts I'll make for him.)
*A jar or bound index card file filled with things you love about a person, quotes, scripture, etc... one for each day, week, or month of the year
*A coupon book with fun things to redeem from the practical (clean a car, paint a room, etc.) to the romantic (back rubs, candlelit dinner, etc.) depending on the person of course
*Homemade bag of fun mix like trail mix with a promise to go on a hike, for example, if that's your thing or tropical chex mix for that person who just needs to "get away"
*All natural bubble bath (I'm totally making this either before or after Christmas for the girls' sensitive skin!) or sugar scrub

Sorry to throw it all into one post here, but my camera is still awaiting a major download and the big day is... yikes... less than a week away!

Have a creative weekend full of all things merry and bright!

~Katrina

Christmas Tour Of Homes

This week, the Kelly's Korner Show Us How You Live series is participating in The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes!



I've always thought it would be so neat to live in a community where everyone went all out in their Christmas decorating and then all the neighbors got to "tour" their homes. This virtual tour is a MUCH better idea, though, because I don't have to clean my house before I show off our Christmas digs :)

You're probably used to getting a little something from all three of us Simple Girls with the posts in this series, but this time, you're stuck with me, like it or not! Between a crazy end of the year time at school for Brooke and traveling and kids and family and pregnancy for Katrina, there's simply no time left in the days! My hubby's hanging out with the guys in his discipleship group tonight, so I'm free to do as I wish for the evening...and I'm spending it with you all! Call me devoted. Call me addicted to blogging. Call me crazy for not curling up by the fire with a book and some coffee. I might just be all of those things! Whether you're calling me names or not, WELCOME to my Christmas-ified house! Let me show you around!

We'll start with our trees. (You can read about all the Simple Girls' trees here.) Yes, we have more than one. Here's our Winter Wonderland tree. It's filled with snowflakes and snowmen and penguins. I've added some pictures of my favorite ornaments.

This is our Memory Tree and it's filled with ornaments from my childhood and those that were passed down to me from my maternal grandmother's Christmas tree. This little corner of our house is dedicated to the memories of Christmas past and even some cute little wooden snowmen (handmade by my mom and step-dad!).

This tree finds its home in our lime green, black and white kitchen. It's adorned primarily with black, white and silver and has a few hits of green (hoping a good after Christmas sale will help me tie in more of the green!). I love those monogram ornaments!

While we're in the kitchen, I should show you our super simple, yet classy table scape.
I love that my everyday black damask dishes are the perfect touch for our Christmas table. Some lime green, napkins are the perfect thing to break up the black and white on the plates. The centerpiece, anchoring a homemade table runner, is just a couple of serving platters topped with a hurricane vase from target. The bottom of the vase is filled with small ball ornaments in silver and green. A simple pewter snowflake tealight holder tops each place setting.

Now, onto the living room...The Willow Tree nativity takes center stage on top of the fireplace. I've added soft, light fabrics, sparkly ribbon and lights to create an ethereal feel in this corner of the room. The stockings are hung, the fire is going, the presents are under the tree...bring on Christmas!!

Here are a few other touches around the house:
A sparkly outdoor wreath welcomes our guests. Garland, lights and snowflakes top our kitchen cabinets for a really nice glow. A cute snowman wall plaque hangs in the hallway. My 10 cent (yes, TEN CENTS...thank you, Target after Christmas sales!) Christmas card holder shows off all the fun photo cards we've gotten so far.

These cute little guys always make me smile! Some of them make noise and do little dances, while others are just for snuggling.

Sparkly ornaments in a silver pail add a nice touch to the bathroom counter. Simple pillar candles and Christmas books are a nice addition on the sofa table. That little metal snowman is one of my favorite Christmas things (He's like a gigantic bobble head doll! His whole upper body bounces and it's so cute!) The penguin salt & pepper shakers are perfect for our kitchen color scheme. And really, no Christmas would be complete without Christmas candy on the coffee table for constant munching :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you've enjoyed enjoyed your time with this Simple Girl! Now that you've seen how we decorate for the season, head on over to The Nesting Place for the list of links of other participants in the Christmas Tour of Homes!

Many wishes for a truly blessed Christmas season!

-Sarai

Plan a Caroling Party

As a follow-up to Brooke's great tip below...

I am thinking many of you join us with your love for Christmas music. Here's a way to start a tradition you can take to the streets. I also love that it has an old world kind of feel to it!

Call or e-mail your neighborhood or other friends who like to make semi-fools of themselves (Unless you actually sound like our dear Sarai; yes, among everything else, that girl can sing! I can still hear her rendition of "Holy Ground" as I got ready to walk down the aisle. Sigh.)

Anyway... :)

Decide on the particulars such as a time, place to meet, songs to sing, and houses to visit. Though we'd love to do our whole neighborhood, for example, it's too much with most of the choir four and under. So we each picked a handful of houses that are meaningful to us or that we thought could really use the cheer. We also chose to do three classic choruses that we can easily teach the wee ones... "Joy to the World," "Jingle Bells," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

As the organizer you might think about delivering a little packet in sweet nativity bags ($1.00 at the Hobby Lobby for ten if you get there during one of the 50% off Christmas stuff weeks!) Attach the official invite to the front, which I simply printed right off the computer. Inside we also included a simple "songbook" (literally a cover with our songs stapled to it-- nothing too difficult!) and a CD of the chosen songs. For an exhaustive list of lyrics check this out.

In preparation for the big night, think about gathering other necessary supplies: a neighbor with a trailer to haul around little (and big!) bundled up bodies, lots of flashlights and bells, a card table full of portable hot chocolate at the meeting place, and an appetizer contribution (This dip is way easy and sooooo good; we just substitute the cheapest bag of Italian blend cheese and only a 1/2 cup of the mayo and 1/2 cup of the sour cream). Because, of course, afterwards everyone will have worked up an appetite!

May the smallest of our sopranos, altos, and whatever-o's take smashing afternoon naps before the caroling we all go!

~Katrina
ps... Sorry for no pictures, which would have been cute too... I'm waiting on Santa to bring that hard drive...

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

Update from Katrina: So sorry I couldn't join in this week to show off the Christmas tree spirit! My husband has been out of town, our Internet has been down, and our computer refuses to hold any more pictures! Whew, anyway... I'll try to do another post here soon with pics of our special story tree and the girls mini bedroom trees. Until then, enjoy Sarai and Brooke's below... makes me want to hurry on over to their houses for a cup of cocoa!
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Once again we're participating in the Kelly's Korner "Show Us How You Live" series. This week, we're showing you our Christmas trees! Enjoy!

In our house, one Christmas tree apparently isn't enough! I could go through the story of how we came to have three trees in our house every year, but instead of boring you with that, I'll just show your our pretty trees!

"Winter Wonderland"
(Big Living Room Tree)

Sometimes I think filling this 7.5 foot HUGE tree (the tree at the base is 6 feet!!) is too daunting a task to be worth it...and then I get it all finished and remember why I love it so much! This tree combines my love for snowmen, my husband's love for penguins and our combined love for snow. The main colors in our living room are blue & red, so I've incorporated lots of shiny ball ornaments in those colors to tie it all together. There are tons of snowflakes and penguins and snowmen filling nearly every inch of this tree. The silver snowflake ribbon wrapping the tree gives it softer edges and really makes the tree sparkle. And I really love the 3D snowflake topper.

I have a bit of a confession to make about this tree. All our trees are fake and I don't do pre-lit (which most people think I'm crazy for!). In my opinion, pre-lit trees just don't have enough lights on them. I read somewhere that in order to have an adequately lit tree, you should have 100 lights for every 1.5 feet of tree. Well, we go for a full 600 lights on this tree. And for anyone out there with an non pre-lit tree like me, let me fill you in on my tree lighting secret. Our branches snap into the base (or trunk) of the tree. We assemble a row of branches at a time, starting with the bottom. After we have an entire row snapped in, we string the lights in and out of every branch before moving onto the next row. This keeps us from having to shove our hands in each row once it's all put together and it give us a break from going 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round :)

This tree has no name, but it's all about bling and sparkles and glitter :)
(Small Kitchen Tree)

Not really sure why I think I need a tree in my kitchen, but apparently I do! We have some bling-y monogram ornaments, some sparkly garland and silver, black, white and lime ornaments to match our kitchen decor. A small panel of black & white gingham fabric bunches at the bottom for an instant tree skirt.

"Memory Tree"
(Small Hallway Tree)

This tree takes me down Christmas Memory Lane. Ever part of this tree (except the lights and the actual tee itself) are from my childhood. The tree skirt is one we used every year at Christmas when I was younger. Every year, my brother and I received a special Christmas ornament for Christmas, so all those ornaments are on this tree. Even the little Christmas trolls were used to decorate our house when I was little! There are some handmade ornaments (made by my mom) and some of my favorite ornaments from our childhood tree on there too. The tinsel-y garland, glass ball ornaments and the tree topper all belonged to my maternal grandmother and were given to me when she passed away. When I decorate this tree, I'm reminded of the traditions kept year after year and the many blessings of past Christmas seasons.

So, whether you have no trees or 10 trees, my hope is that your Christmas will be filled with lots of love!

-Sarai

I agree with Sarai, the more Christmas trees the better at my house too! I love the lights and the ornaments and the tree toppers. I love everything about Christmas trees. I am still a real tree kinda gal! The smell of pine filling the house makes it really feel like Christmas in my little part of the world. I have not had the chance to put up my trees this year, but I have some pictures of trees past to give you a little idea of Christmas tree goodness at my house!

I never thought I would go with a theme for a tree, but as I have grown up, my tastes sure have changed. Red and gold ornaments fill this tree with lots of red and gold glitter snowflakes tucked in the branches. I have found lots of great ornaments on sale over the years. My other favorite part of this tree is something you probably can't see, it would be my tree skirt. My mom found some vintage lace fabric with Santa faces on it. I know it sounds kinda random, but it fits so nicely with the cottage style of my house.

Several years ago, I found some amazing Shabby Chic ornaments on sale at Target for around $2.00 a box. I could not pass them up. I found the perfect place to use them on my tree that I put up on my sun porch. The ornaments are pink, blue and clear etched glass and they are accented with lots of white and glittery snowflakes and icicles. I love how it adds that special Christmas touch to my sun porch, which is one of my favorite places to spend some quiet time during the busy days of the holidays. The tree topper was a great find too! I love the vintage style of the star! So fun!

Just posting this makes me excited to get those trees up for this year! May your home be filled with the glow of the Christmas season!

Brooke

Advent Adventures

It's such fun to watch the girls start to really get it when it comes to the Christmas season. And so this year we decided to begin the tradition of an Advent Calendar that we hope speaks to their little hearts.

The supplies:

Not pictured: 12 computer printable mailing labels (or numbered stickers), computer paper and your trusty (or in our case lately our not-so-trusty) computer

I had visions of a cute galvanized bucket version of the calendar, but I think I haven't yet mentioned on this blog some exciting news... we're expecting our third bundle in May!! That would explain why I decided to go much more simply and why I consider the following to be another of the project's necessities.

Moving on. :)

So, basically, if you don't happen upon the "Christmas card holder" thingy from the Dollar Tree, you can use string, twine, or an old clothesline along with twelve clothespins. Either way the materials are easy to work with and way affordable. As an aside, you don't need to have the cardboard pieces on the clothespins. For the flip side without cardboard, I actually just modgepodged right on the pins themselves and they're sturdy.

The original little details were cute, but some vintagey paper turned them much cuter. Just cut out 24 little squares and mod podge those babies on the pins. You'll notice that I put twelve on one side and twelve on the other to save space and help it fit easily on our mantle.



Then I printed the numbers one through twenty-four on mailing labels (two per label). Again you could use number stickers or hand write the numbers with marker... whatever is easiest.

Print out/write out your list of adventures, cut with fun scissors, hang the line on your mantle, and clip the papers underneath. Pay no attention that the snowmen still somehow turned themselves upside down. Voila! Twenty-four days of small, sweet projects to have fun and to give to others. I'm giddy!


Choosing the ideas was my favorite part of the project! Here's our list, in no particular order, just in case you need something to get your wheels turning.
*Pick out a gift for a child from the Samaritan’s Purse catalog
*Build a gingerbread house
*Take a bag full of cans to the church food pantry
*Share Christmas coloring books & crayons at the Children’s Hospital (hint: I got these after Christmas last year from the drug store for dirt cheap... like ten cents a book! And the crayons for maybe a quarter a piece during the back to school sales.)
*Make treats for Daddy’s work & neighborhood friends
*Open this year’s special Christmas book & read it (hint: Keep your eye out. I found our copy brand new for $1.00!)
*Act out the Christmas Story
*Make a homemade ornament
*Have a morning filled with Christmas movies & making popcorn/cheerio garland for your mini bedroom trees
*Surprise Daddy with lunch
*Call two people just to say,“We love you!”
*Pick two or more of your toys to give to the Goodwill
*Choose/make something lovely for your sister’s gift
*Choose/make some things lovely for Daddy and Mommy's gifts
*Send your grandparents something special made by you
*Read as many Christmas books as we want by the tree & drink hot cocoa
*Make snowflakes to hang in the window-use the messy glitter!
*Take our homeless friend a box of goodies
*Learn our caroling songs
*Send a pretty picture to and pray for our Compassion Child
*Dress in our pjs and go see the Sugar Plum Fairy at the library
*Go see Santa at the library and take him our letters
*M have a date with Daddy; H have a date with Mommy
*M have a date with Mommy; H have a date with Daddy

Here's to a beautiful season of Advent!
~Katrina

A Tradition of Love

***Be sure to check out the post below to see if you're the giveaway winner!!**

Welcome, Kelly's Korner readers! Welcome, everyone!

We hope to participate in the Christmas "Show Us Your Life" series for the next several weeks. And you're in luck because you will get three simple girl styles for the price of one little click.

So as our sidebar says, grab a cup and stay a while. We're so glad you've come by to visit!

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Christmas as a whole is a favorite tradition in our family. From the day after Thanksgiving until after the New Year, we're lean, mean, Christmas celebratin' machines! We're all about Christmas movies and music and books, family and friend gatherings, opening gifts, giving to those who are less fortunate, food, food and more food, more Christmas goodies than you can shake a stick at and Christmas decorations galore! I love that every year, no matter what, some things just stay the same. It makes Christmas feel familiar and comfortable and very much like home. Here are a few of those traditions that make Christmas one of my favorite times of the year.

Family Pictures: While this is one is near the top of my favorites list, my husband would have it at the bottom of his :) Every year, for as long as I can remember, my mom's family has always taken family pictures when we gather for Christmas. It's so much fun to look back over the years at each year's pictures. This is one from a few years back of most of the grandchildren and their significant others.

For us, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the Christmas Story...both the reading and actual event. I love that we pause (at nearly every gathering) to read that wonderful account of Jesus coming to live among us and are able to celebrate the blessings He's given us.

This one's a fairly new (about 4 years) tradition of ours, but it always makes my heart happy. This is what I call my "Memory Tree". It's just a small tree that sits by our front door and is filled with all kinds of vintage-y things. Growing up, my brother and I got a Christmas ornament every year in our stocking or under the tree. I know that those often times those ornaments, and the other items that accompanied them, were huge sacrifices on our parents' part to give us a fun Christmas. All those ornaments (as well as some others from our childhood Christmas tree) are scattered on this tree. It's also trimmed with colored glass ball ornaments, silver and gold tinsel and an angel/star combo that belonged to my Nanny (my mom's mom). When I decorate this tree, I'm reminded of Christmas Past...the good, the not-so-good and the love that remains through it all.

So, I guess you could say that my all-time favorite Christmas tradition is just that...LOVE. From the little baby born so long ago, to the love of family and friends, it's what makes Christmas, well, Christmas for me.
~Sarai

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I'll never forget sitting in a peaceful, candlelit church when the clock struck midnight. Driving past homes adorned with soft, twinkling lights afterwards. The inevitable lone indoor light on, probably with parents trying to give Santa a hand in putting together a bicycle or train table. The exciting thoughts of getting up so early you were never quite sure you actually ever went to bed.

Sweet traditions. The things we just can't forget. The things that tie us to our pasts and make us feel, as Sarai said, like home.

Since having children, this has taken on even more meaning to me. Now we get to help shape this feeling of home and remembrance for a couple of Christmas angels. Such joy to see it all again through their eyes! These are some of our favorite ways to do just that.

Beginning traditions. Since our girls are so young, there are some tradition we are starting and hope last for years to come. One of those is an advent calendar. I'm in the process of creating that now, so be sure to check back soon. Twenty-four days of having fun and, more importantly, giving to others... maybe squeezing in a visit to someone quite jolly along the way. Another one is a good, old fashioned Christmas carol through our neighborhood. I can't wait!
A specially chosen Christmas book. I had to go and get these out of the attic for you! Though I've been doing this for a while, I still never tire of titles like "The Crippled Lamb" or "Christmas Tapestry." I'm so excited to find and add this year's title to the collection. I hope our children will love pulling out these stories as much as I do.

Significant ornaments. Back when my husband and I started dating we chose an ornament for each other. Once we got married we started choosing one ornament together to represent something significant from that year of our lives. I try to write on a little tag that goes with the ornament so that each year as we unwrap a story is told. I also have a box or ornaments for the girls that I plan to give them when they turn eighteen. As I looked at my eldest's box I had to smile because her last year's ornament was of the nativity, which marked the year she learned of Baby "Jeshush."

An empty manger becomes full. We leave the manger of one nativity empty until Christmas morning. We reread Luke's account once more on Christmas Eve just before unwrapping that one special gift (Christmas jammies!) Then in the morning when we wake to cinnamon rolls, stockings, and surprises we get the best present of all... the baby is born!

But again, as Sarai said, the best tradition of all is love. That's what I hope these gestures speak to our hearts and to the hearts of our children!

~Katrina

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When thinking about Christmas traditions, I am immeditaly taken back to my childhood home and think of the sights and smells of this holiday. So many memories flood the mind of time spent with family and friends, baking, wrapping and unwrapping, traveling and so much more. I am anxious to get into the season to experience these special once a year moments with those I love.

As Katrina shared, my family also keeps the manger empty until Christmas morning. It was also such an honor to be chosen to place the greatest gift of all in the scene. Althought I do remember one year, when my little brother took it to the extreme. Realizing that Jesus was one important baby, he thought that it would be necessary to guard the manger scene with his Matchbox police cars and troops and troops of army soldiers. He loved telling people about how Jesus would be safe, I think he might even still get a kick out of telling that story even now.

Each Christmas morning, the house would be filled with the aroma of fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Christmas morning breakfast is a long standing tradition in our family. Even though the menu might look simple to some, the company is sweet and helps us to really start the day off by spending time with one another. Over the last few years, we have been traveling during the holiday season, and we take this tradition with us. Can't wait for those country ham biscuits and cinnamon rolls!

Reading Christmas favorites is a special tradition with my family as well. We always take time out to reflect and share the Christmas story from the Bible. My mom has been givine me a special Christmas book each year. Katrina definetly mentioned some of my favorites, but my all time new favorite is Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo. Maybe you and your family might like to check it out.

One of my three trees has become my butterfly tree. This is a very special tree to me as it symbolizes to me the new life that we are offered in Christ. Even though the tree is small, each ornament is a simple reminder that each day God is transforming us into new creations. Such a promise!

~Brooke

Serving Up Sides & Giveaway Reminder

Whew... things are busy over here, but I promised so here goes... :)

Thankfully a neighbor plans to smoke our turkey all day Wednesday, so that takes a huge (like 20-lb.!) weight off my shoulders. Instead I can focus on the other goooood stuff... side dishes, baby!

Maybe one of these can help fill in a gap on your menu...

1. The kid-in-all-of-us friendly option... mac and cheese. A couple of years back when it was my side of the family's turn for Thanksgiving, I was determined to make a crock pot recipe that got rave reviews. I tried it for the first time on the day and, let's just say, noodle soup wasn't exactly my cup of cheese.

This time my wiser, older self (ha!) tried a new recipe ahead of time. The family loved it! Score... finally a homemade mac and cheese that's a keeper. Our only change was one cup of cottage cheese instead of two.

2. The more adult friendly option... pear and walnut salad. We try out all kinds of salads pretty frequently, but I taste tested this combo for my hubby's recent birthday. I had to use up a bunch of pears given to me, so that was my inspiration. Two for two... more rave reviews!

In a big bowl mix arugula and/or Romaine lettuce, sliced pears, and thinly sliced red onion. Toss with a raspberry dressing (our FAVE from the bottle variety is Trader Joes). Serve each bowl individually and top with walnuts and crumbled bleu or feta cheese.

3. The everybody crowd pleaser... sweet potato custard. A couple of years back I tried Rachael Ray's spin on the old sweet potato classic. The maple syrup on top helps this one to stick around. In fact, if you have that ingredient already, this is a pretty easy addition to any menu.

4. Whoa, almost forgot something... the BREAD! Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman this year. No kneading required, and I already had all the ingredients on hand... tested this recipe yesterday and it made so many I went ahead and froze them for the holiday. If they make it that long! :) Mine didn't turn out quite so pretty with the three cute sections, but still keepers.

Nothing too terribly complicated and all too delicious!

Come quickly, Thursday...

And happy, happy Thanksgiving from the three of us to you and yours!
Katrina

... don't forget that giveaway below!!! You have until Thanksgiving. The necklace is so beautiful just like its creator! I'd be lying to say I'm not drooling over it myself; instead, I just can't wait to see who wins it!

Tablescape Thursday

A special welcome to the Between Naps on the Front Porch readers. Thanks for popping by to check out us simple girls!

It's almost Thanksgiving! This is the first year we've been responsible for mostly the whole shebang, so I've been little-by-little getting things together. Since we don't plan to use our formal dining room until then, the adult's table is pretty well set. Minus the whole ironing stuff thing! (How, oh how, did my grandmother even iron people's underclothes? Saint of a woman!)

So glad you're here to check out this simple and affordable tablescape. As many of our other readers already know, this is a favorite combo of ours to be sure. (Forgive the bad lighting as it's a glarey kind of day outside... so much prettier when those blinds are open wide!)

I went with the traditional fall colors grounded by a lot of black, mostly because this speaks to our house in general. Especially the dining room!
The centerpiece is an old urn I found at a local antique store for under ten dollars. I love it and use it for almost all of the seasons. The inside is stuffed with funky gourds, pumpkins, and such... picked up for a quarter a piece at Wal-Mart. Speaking of store finds, I found those napkins several years back at Garden Ridge also four for a dollar!
During the same trip to Wal-Mart, since it's not a convenient stop for me, I picked up two cheap-o packages of split peas and beans. I layered them in tiny juice glasses found at a yard sale for a quarter a piece and popped tiny tealights right in the middles. Each place setting, along with table's center, gets some candlelight this way. And I'm realizing I'm getting a lot of bang for all those quarters!
Each place setting also gets a simple place card... scrapbook paper, letters, and stickers. All I need to do now is add a little hole punch with gold, black, and silver ribbons to tie everything together. A couple of years ago I did this same kind of idea except with little gift tags tucked into brown paper sleeves... inside each one was a reason we were thankful for the guest. We have another thankful tradition I'd like to begin this year, so I just stuck with the names.From the lighting fixture, I hung candle rings turned mini wreathes with two coordinating colors of ribbon. The picture doesn't really show it, but some of the small jewels really pop against the dimmed bulbs and candlelight.
Great places to get beautifully cheap scrapbooking supplies are dollar stores or Big Lots. Same goes for pillar or tealight candles.
As for an adorable assistant photographer, replete with bed head at three in the afternoon, I can be of no further assistance. Except to say that she's at the top of my thankful list. :)

Hope you have lots of joy around your table this Thanksgiving!
Katrina

ps... Check back, hopefully this weekend, for some easy side dish recipes. Yum!

At the Kids' Table

I'll squeeze in a peek at the grown-up's table on Thursday. In case you need any last minute details... in the nick of time, of course. I can promise you it's all simple, cheap, and easy. Have you tired yet of that combination when it comes to us?

I can hardly wait until my niece and nephews arrive next week! They have a twelve plus hour drive to get here, and we appreciate the effort made by their family to spend Thanksgiving with us. Though the kids' table isn't officially set up yet, here are some quick ways to give it personality.

**Fun paper products...
Don't have a pic of this one... but check out your dollar stores! I got some sweet little turkey plates and cups with leaf napkins for a whopping three bucks.

**Opportunities to color while they eat...
http://www.alphamom.com/holiday/2009/11/thanksgiving_day_kids_table_cr.php

**Goofily cute centerpiece...
http://littlepageturners.blogspot.com/2009/11/turkey-day-this-is-turkey.html

**Sweet place cards that make good of all that leftover candy (gonna put just a simple white card underneath each one)...
http://theidearoom.blogspot.com/2009/11/oreo-cookie-turkeys.html

When it's time to make the long trek home, I like to send along a little pack of goodies for each kid. Us Simple Girls have a much more elaborate version done up for our annual weekend away in the mountains (B & S, do you have any pics of those to share?). For the kiddos, I keep the travel bags silly and simple but full of stuff I know they'll enjoy.

Contents: Scribble-Bear (I want one!) and a pad of paper (top sheet has a little see-you-later note from us), candy necklace, box of raisins, bag of Skittles, fruit strip, and a baggie of Goldfish.

For less than six bucks total, there's a final reminder of us to them... and hopefully a little extra sanity for their parents! :)

~Katrina