Chicken-Scratch-Saturday: Ornaments

For those of you with little kids, here's a Christmas tradition that we've been carrying on since ours were knee-high.

We kinda like it, and you may, too.

Each year, Santa puts an ornament in their stocking. Some years they've been higher quality ornaments, and other years they've been cheaper, it doesn't much matter.

Santa always puts their name and the year on the bottom of the ornament, so they don't get them mixed up in later years.

And last year? I found these awesome shoebox-sized Christmas boxes on sale after Christmas. I got each of the kids one, and put their names on them, so when we're taking the tree down, their ornaments can be wrapped and put in their own box. This makes things a little less hectic when it's tree-trimmin' time.

This is not a picture of one of our boxes, but they're exactly the same.
Except ours have a cuter pattern.
And they're see-through.
And made of plastic.
And well, pretty much not like these at all.
But you get the idea.


When it's time for the kids to head out on their own (and we're getting closer over here at the Funny Farm), they'll each have a box of ornaments to take with them as a head start on their first tree.

For our adopted kids, a few years ago we took all our ornaments that didn't really "belong" to any one in particular, and we let them take turns choosing ones that they liked till they were "caught up" to their years. We added their names, and voila, they had enough ornaments as they would have had if they had been born into our family.


So go ahead!  Start this tradition with your kids.  They'll love it!






Image courtesy: boscovs.com

*************


Read it.
Like it?
Follow it.
Please?
Thanks.
(Follow my blog by adding yourself as a follower with Google Friends Connect in my sidebar!)


***********

Don't forget, I will love you forever if you throw me a vote on Top Mommy Blogs. You know the drill by now, don't you? Just click the juggling chick and you've voted. You can vote every day till like, forever.



Thanks!


*************

Check out my blog-hoppin' schedule in my sidebar, and come join the fun!

*************

Rudeness disclaimer:

I love all your comments,
I read every one!
But I can't hit 'reply',
I've no time for fun.
Please don't judge me,
Please don't hate.
If you have a question that just can't wait,
Send me an email at farmbeachgal@yahoo.com,
And I'll answer right back because I'm, you know, the Mom.

Wordless Wednesday: Oh Christmas Tree (take 2)

We finally got to it.

We got our tree.

We got it home and got it up.

We decorated it.

Yay us!





Here's the "shack" at the Spruce Grove Tree Farm that we go to every year.

 





Here's the kids in the midst of some shenanigans.

We're "on the wagon."

View from the top of the hill.

Tyin' her down.

"Mom likes ME best"!
My sister got these for all the kids.
Funny.

Trimmin' the tree.

All done!
My sweet six kids and their adorable little cousin.

*************


Read it.
Like it?
Follow it.
Please?
Thanks.
(Follow my blog by adding yourself as a follower with Google Friends Connect in my sidebar!)


***********

Don't forget, I will love you forever if you throw me a vote on Top Mommy Blogs. You know the drill by now, don't you? Just click the juggling chick and you've voted. You can vote every day till like, forever.



Thanks!


*************

Check out my blog-hoppin' schedule in my sidebar, and come join the fun!

*************

Rudeness disclaimer:

I love all your comments,
I read every one!
But I can't hit 'reply',
I've no time for fun.
Please don't judge me,
Please don't hate.
If you have a question that just can't wait,
Send me an email at farmbeachgal@yahoo.com,
And I'll answer right back because I'm, you know, the Mom.

Wordless Wednesday: Oh, Christmas Tree

Wanna see what a Christmas tree looks like in a busy family of eight?







*************



Wait for it....




************

************


That's right.

The day that I had set aside to go on our annual tree expedition came along, but the usual zeal that goes along with it was conspicuously absent.

And it was a little foggy.

And a couple kids found a ride to the mall.

And bleh.

So.... next weekend?

Hopefully.





*************


Read it.
Like it?
Follow it.
Please?
Thanks.
(Follow my blog by adding yourself as a follower with Google Friends Connect in my sidebar!)


***********

Don't forget, I will love you forever if you throw me a vote on Top Mommy Blogs. You know the drill by now, don't you? Just click the juggling chick and you've voted. You can vote every day till like, forever.



Thanks!


*************

Check out my blog-hoppin' schedule in my sidebar, and come join the fun!

*************

Rudeness disclaimer:

I love all your comments,
I read every one!
But I can't hit 'reply',
I've no time for fun.
Please don't judge me,
Please don't hate.
If you have a question that just can't wait,
Send me an email at farmbeachgal@yahoo.com,
And I'll answer right back because I'm, you know, the Mom.

Chicken-Scratch-Saturday: Family Tree Skirt

This is another Christmas idea I got years ago, and again I quote Family Fun as my maybe source.

It is our tree skirt for our Christmas tree.

I don't have the instructions for it, but it was pretty easy no-sew project. You just cut out a tree skirt shape out of any heavy fabric you like (I used a green velvety-type). It's basically a great big donut with a slit cut from edge to center. If you need to, just use your existing skirt as a pattern.

Then you turn the edges under and glue them with some tacky glue or hot glue. Glue on some rick-rack for trim, if you'd like.

Then pick some fabric paint that will contrast nicely with the material you used. Pour some onto a paper plate and coat each family members hands, one set at a time, and help them press their hands onto the fabric in pairs around the edges. You can go back later and touch up empty spots with a paintbrush if needed.

Have each person in the family write their name on a piece of tracing paper. Cut out each name so it's a workable, stand-alone square piece of paper. Then on the back of each name, squeeze some good old-fashioned Elmer's glue on the letters, tracing each letter just as the child wrote it. Press this onto the tree skirt just above or just beneath their handprints, pull up the paper, and sprinkle with glitter so you've covered all the glue-letters. Repeat with each person's name.

Finally, write out the year on the skirt with the glue, and sprinkle glitter over that, as well.

Pretty simple, and yet this is maybe the one thing I'd run back into the house for if my house was burning down.


Here is a picture of ours. Pay no attention to the dog and cat hair.
















(Names blacked out)

Ours has the year 2001, because that was the year I made it, but then when Bella joined our family in 2003, I added that year. James and Julie's handprints were added six years later, but I still have to go back and write in their names and the year.
 
I'll get to it.

No really, I will.


Let me know if any of you end up making this, and show me a picture!



*********************


Don't forget to vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs! Just click on this brown button with the juggling chick. You can vote every day till like, forever.



Thanks!


***************

In case you didn't know it, I'm like the queen of blog-hoppin' lately. It's kind of like square dancing but without the dated outfits, smelly gym, and elderly caller.

Since today is Saturday, that means I'm linking up with:

Camera Critter's Life With Dogs Pet Blogger Hop
Tutus and Tea Parties' Pinteresting Party

Check out my full schedule over in my sidebar.

Come join the fun!

*************

Rudeness disclaimer:

I love all your comments,
I read every one!
But I can't hit 'reply',
I've no time for fun.
Please don't judge me,
Please don't hate.
If you have a question that just can't wait,
Send me an email at farmbeachgal@yahoo.com,
And I'll answer right back because I'm, you know, the Mom.