Merry Christmas 2016

Christmas always seems to have so much anticipation- celebrating Jesus, giving gifts, family parties, school events and church programs.  The look on your kids' faces when you open up handmade gifts from them and the tackle hugs they give each other when the buy them something they love, is worth the late nights wrapping and individual runs to the store.  We told Peanut and JellyBean that we would give them $5 for each other to buy gifts for one another and they matched it with their own $5.  At first we told them they didn't need to buy for one another but Jellybean was very teary eyed and asked why she couldn't give her siblings gifts.  We explained that homemade gifts or 'coupons' are gifts from the heart.  They didn't like that idea for each other but on Christmas morning I got a beautifully drawn picture from Jellybean and Peanut made a big coupon book full of babysitting, cleaning, painting my nails, and other sweet ideas.  She also gifted me a tin full of candy and taped the label "Mom's emergency candy stash."  So sweet. Literally. 


We follow the need, want, read, wear gifts, stockings and a Santa gift.  For Peanut from Santa she got a songwriters journal https://www.amazon.com/Songwriters-Journal-Diary-Notebook-Elizabeth/dp/144131413X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482932568&sr=8-1&keywords=songwriters+journal

JellyBean has been begging for these Sharpies: https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Permanent-Markers-Assorted-24-Count/dp/B019QBPDSM/ref=pd_lpo_229_bs_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3PHB985R3W8TNXVBD4B2

Wear: We got Peanut some athletic black leggings and a red and black plaid shirt from Old Navy, in a woman's small and she can't even bend her elbows, so it looks like we will be returning that after the mad rush of returns and spending of holiday gift cards.
JellyBean got a cute pair of jeans, a long sleeved shirt with a gold Heart on it and read "of gold", and a gray fuzzy vest all from Crazy 8.

Need: We bought them these scrapbooks0 http://www.hobbylobby.com/Scrapbook-Paper-Crafts/Albums-Refill-Pages/Album-Kits/12-x-12-Lacey-Charm-Album-Box-Kit/p/143211  Not this exact one, but a gold album with black accents for Peanut and a cute pink and purple one for Jelly Bean.  I went through our year of photos and printed them off at Costco.  This was a huge hit.  They NEED their memories and it was fun to hear the girls talk about our trips to the cabin, their birthdays with family and friends, etc.  I put Little Mans photos in a Planes album I had bought for his first birthday and had yet to do anything with.

For read we got Peanut a Teen Study Bible and it is gorgeous and something she has been asking for.  She had outgrown hers. JellyBean got a new Adventures Bible, it might be more than whats shes ready for, but we have read her others several times over.

For want we got all 3 a trampoline that the hubby picked up on a Black Friday Deal. We had it hiding in our shed with a tarp over it and had the girls walk through the snow to discover it.

For stocking stuffers they got candy, hair ties and bobby pins, makeup remover wipes, nail polish, playdoh, Peanut got a Taylor Swift Ornament, Jellybean got Ballet shoes ornament and Little Man got a firetruck ornament that he insisted having the string cut off so he can play with it so I don't know if it will ever see a tree branch.

Sun wasn't even up yet before they tore into their scrapbooks to put them together.

Santa brought Little Man a Little People Airplane.

The girls gifted each other makeup and makeup brushes.

The girls gifted their brother Paw Patrol movie and Octonauts bath toys. The girls got their Dad a book and 2 movies.

The cold, dark walk was worth it.  They were so surprised.

My hubby spoiled me with candy, gloves and mittens {my hands froze when we walked with our Co Op to look at lights} a book light, a magazine, Almond Rocca, a Hobby Lobby gift card, and gum.

I got him a heavy Chicago Bears fleece blanket, a Bears freezer mug for his tea, a box of Hillshire farms meat, crackers, spread and cheese and his favorite trail mix from Target.

We attended Christmas service at Deer Flat and our kids helped walk in Jesus's birthday cake as we all sang Happy Birthday.

After we gave hugs and wished our Church family a wonderful day we headed home to grab snow clothes and food to go to Uncle Mark and Aunt Susan's for sledding, food, and games.

Grandma Jewel and Grandpa Gary put alot of work into their Saran Wrap ball. It was filled with Pioneer Woman goodies, gift cards to restaurants, movie tickets, Cabelas, flashlights, CASH and papers with #'s on them for big ticket items that wouldn't fit into the ball {i.e. IKEA cart, 2 games, and a tool kit}. It was also filled with lip gloss, toy cars and planes, lotion, makeup brushes, Star wars socks, and so, so much more. It was so fun to see my brother in law get princess lip gloss or the kids almost cry when they would get a Cabelas gift card.  There was some wheelin' and dealin' after it was all over. Like my niece trading Jellybean a chapstick and Jellybean gave her a $10 bill. 

Grandpa Gary was getting into it and Grandma had to try to pry it from his hands!  This was such a fun game to do.

Another wonderful Christmas with our family, church family, and the hubby's side.