Raising Cubs in a Campground

It isn't free. Thank you to the men, women, and their families who make the sacrifice every day for our freedom.

Tonight the kids and I painted an ornament that I picked up at JoAnn fabrics. I really like the idea of having a photo ornament each year, but they can be pricey and heavy. While at JoAnn's I found a wooden star that we painted with metalic paint and embellished with gold glitter glue. It was easy, it was quick, and it will remind us of Christmas 2009. Not too bad for 99 cents! I originally went to the fabric store to purchase holiday fabric and I'm so glad I did! It's 60% off right now and there probably won't be much left by the time Christmas has come and gone. My plan is to sew gift bags in time for next year's gifts. I bought up to 1 yard of 6 different fabrics for only $1.99 a yard. The ribbon will be the most expensive part of the project, but the bags will pay for themselves in the long run. I do think about how we will miss out on the fun mess and chaos of a bunch of wrapping paper but Santa can wrap gifts if he wants and there's always the 25 days...

Let's face it. No matter how early we finish our Christmas shopping there are always things that keep us hopping most of the 25 days in December. There isn't much time for blogging and personally, after the November I just {barely} survived, I don't want to spend very much time on the computer period. I plan to spend December decorating, making gifts, wrapping gifts, addressing Christmas cards, listening to music, reading to my kids, and doing as many advent activities as we can. Each year my little elves help decorate our tree and in true sibling fashion, they do it as fast as they can so they can be the one to put the good ornaments on. They are 3 and 5. I wouldn't expect anything less. They don't want to sit and listen to me explain where each ornament came from. They see an angel ornament, but I see the ornament I brought back from Hawaii when I was 18 so I could add it to my angel collection. S ome day they might want to know the stories behind the orname...