This is all of us being us after the Winter Wonderland trip. Joyfully chaotic as always.
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There’s a small park not too far away that is covered in Christmas lights. We’ve talked about taking the kids there after dark and letting them play. Just seems magical to me. So the other night when Matt got home we discussed how it’s supposed to rain every night until Christmas (excepting that night) and that it would be the perfect time to go. SO glad we went! More memories I hope they keep.
Welcome back to Children’s Book Tuesday at TheJoyfulChaos! It’s the last week of the Christmas edition! This week I’m bringing you two more stories of Jesus’ birth. Christmas (Touch and Feel) (Board Book)
I like this. We actually have one lift the flap book and two different touch and feel Christmas books. I like including the toddlers and babies in our story time. I chose this one over the other two mainly because I couldn’t find it this morning. That’s usually a good sign that it’s a favorite around here!
The next book, as usual, grabs me first because of the pictures and the color scheme. So gentle. So peaceful. Baby in a Manger
I also like that Mary actually looks pregnant in the pictures. It always drives me a little nuts when she doesn’t look big in pictures and story books. I know it’s a throwback from generations past, but it doesn’t keep it from driving me a bit crazy. My kids know what a big pregnant woman looks like and I think it’s easier to “see” her as real when it’s more, well, real. ANYway, I also love that this book is written in rhyme and that it brings the story altogether with current day “us” at the end – even mentioning the act of communion on the last page. Mary and Elizabeth together here. So sweet!
Next week we’ll be back with wintry themed books, but feel free to review any book you love! Write a post about a children’s book ~ and include a link back to my site. Then enter your name or website and your specific post URL (if you have questions about this just ask – I used to be a little confused too) in the MckLinky below. That’s it! Oh, that and go check out everybody else’s books – leave ‘em comments – we all love the love!
It always does with my family. My parents and one of my sisters and brother-in-law came yesterday and it was grand! My kids’ Christmas starts about a week early usually and they enjoy presents nearly through the New Year.  Granna and Grandaddy with all the kiddos The picture with their aunt and uncle did not go so well. Check out BigMan.  Uncle Tom and Aunt Meredith with all the kids I love cooking for this day. Is that weird? Even this year with so much “help” and a 2 month old.
I just started early. I boiled the eggs and then stuck them in the fridge. I made the cornbread and left it out to dry out some. I boiled the chicken then refrigerated the broth. I boiled the sweet potatoes then waited to peel and mash them. Over and over I would cook a portion and then put it away to combine later. It was all a several day process. And the slower process allowed my frazzled nerves to let the kids help more along the way. And it worked out perfectly. Amazingly. Well, perfectly if you don’t count me forgetting that I set the oven to broil and then forgot about the marshmallows atop the sweet potatoes (but doesn’t everyone like their casserole with roasted marshmallows?). I made the dressing, giblet gravy, the aforementioned blackened sweet potato casserole, freezer rising rolls, sweet tea, and Matt made sugar cookies and chex mix.  Christmas Cookies! We also had pumpkin, chocolate, and coconut cream pies, a hen, fruit salad, green beans, cranberry sauce, egg nog, chocolate covered pretzels, and coffee. Oh my, the eating! While we were all doing this in the kitchen:  I love the exchange here between Granna and BigMan This was happening in the living room:  Sweet Grandaddy and Finalist bonding time Then time for the gifts! The compromise was that the children must wait until after dinner for the presents but it will definitely happen before dessert!
And while all the older kids were enjoying presents the youngest was enjoying this:
Tell me – how do you balance all the celebrations, cooking, and insanity of this time of year?
I love how the picture of TheOldest and TheMiddlest (when I was very early pregnant with ThePrincess) looks like they’re looking at the tree. I love how before we got the tree put up ThePrincess drew a picture of a Christmas tree and taped it to the wall where she thought the actual tree should go. I love how MyOldest, last year, made paper ornaments and that we saved them for this year – he even made the hangers out of paper. I love how my daughter used her Nana and Papa money to purchase, not a toy for herself, but a $2 HUGE pink plastic ornament that she wanted at the top of the tree. I love how we have a 3 foot piece of tinsel that the kids love and that I just left right where they put it. I love how we have white lights AND colored lights. Boring goes to the circus. I love how my aunt has sent a Christmas ornament for every child every year since the first was born – how they are themed each year and growing in number. I love you can see the “Joy”ornament from here. The embodiment of my life – this tree is absolutely joyfully chaotic. What does your tree say about you?  |
  
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