Giggles and Grace

Monday, December 3, 2012

{25 Days of Christmas: Day 1}

Up first, The Story of Christmas by Patricia A. Pingry.

I chose this book first because Christopher is obsessed with Jesus right now. He loves reading his little Bible, praying, singing Jesus Loves Me and telling us what Jesus does and doesn't do. I thought this book would be right up his alley and what better book to start with than one that portrays the true meaning of Christmas.

Our activity was making cards to send to the Holiday Mail for Heroes program (you can read more about that here!) When I taught preschool we did this each year and I think it's such a wonderful program to shower our service members with gratitude and love during a time of the year that it's hard to be away from home. A simple message that we put inside all of our cards is, "Thank you for your service and sacrifices today and every day! Merry Christmas!"

I had also wanted to do a North Pole Breakfast like Jessica at Little Pumpkin Grace but found I just didn't have the time this year and since Christopher isn't really that into sweets I figured I would save the sugar for next year when he'll probably be addicted :)

Here are a few pictures from our 1st day!

~~Pink~~ Red pancakes for breakfast!

Opening his first book! All this practice with wrapping paper he'll be a pro by Christmas!

So excited there was a book inside!!

Asking Elfie if he is enjoying the story

Coloring cards for Holiday Mail for Heroes!

Some of our finished products. I also included some regular Christmas cards too.

In case you are just joining us, here is the post with all the Christmas books.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

{25 Days of Christmas}

The Countdown to Christmas is on!

This year we are starting a new tradition of counting down to Christmas with 25 books and activities. I started making a list of Christmas books a few months ago and pulled out all the Christmas books that we already had. 25 books sounds like a lot, so if it's your first year and you don't have many just choose a lower number and build up to the 25. Other cheap/free resources to get books are thrift stores, Scholastic flyers, yard sales, gift cards, put on wish lists and of course, borrow some from the library or better yet swap with some friends!

After starting with a list of 70+ Christmas books I finally narrowed it down to "25ish" (I love books and Christopher loves reading so I had to throw in a few extras!!). I tried to pick books that I knew would interest Christopher or books that weren't too long for him. Here's our 25...

This year I wrapped each book but next year I would love to make these reusable fabric bags! Cute and save on paper/time... who knew wrapping/numbering 25 books would take so long?

Follow along and join in too :) Tomorrow, after some much needed sleep, I will post about how our first day went!

Friday, November 30, 2012

I am thankful for...

For the month of November, every night, I wrote down something that I was thankful for. I've found that daily looking for the big or small blessings in our lives can change our outlook and remind us that we truly do have a lot to be thankful for. In my Sunday school we have a phrase "Grateful not grumbling." and I certainly want to be someone who is grateful throughout life and not grumbling throughout life. I am blessed EVERY DAY and for that alone, I am thankful!

I am thankful for my husband and can't say enough wonderful things about him! I could probably write a book about all the ways he supports Christopher and I and how he shows us love, etc. but I'll stick to a few short sentences. I know at the end of the day he's got my back and I've got his. We've been through a lot in our three and a half years married and I can't wait, Lord willing, to see what the next 50+ bring!
I am thankful for Christopher. Everyone tells you what having a child will be like but you truly cannot understand until you become a parent. Everyday he teaches me something new and makes me laugh and smile. He is a little ball of energy and sometimes IT IS HARD, but so worth it. He can turn my day around with one little smile and he is a wonderful blessing to Tim and I. I can't wait to one day add more children to our family but for now I am enjoying getting to love and be loved by this little man.
I am thankful for my mom2mom group at church. I joined this group of women when Christopher was about eight months old and have grown so much as a mother and a woman of God with them. I enjoy our meetings every other Thursday and get togethers whether they are planned or run-ins at Target!
I am thankful that we have two reliable cars. I am confident that when I get in my car to go somewhere that it will start and will safely get me and my family from Point A to Point B. I am thankful in the winter that it keeps us warm and on the hot summer days of travel that it keeps us cool. We've piled a lot of mileage and memories into these vehicles!
I am thankful for Audio Bibles. Let's face it, there are somedays this Mommy is just too tired or can't find the time to read my bible or the words all jumble together. Listening to an audio Bible helps my close my eyes and focus on the words or listen while keeping my hands busy.
I am thankful for facebook. Yeah, I said it. I love facebook and the ability to keep in contact with the people that mean the most to me with the click of a button. I also love, with my family not being right next door, getting to share lots of pictures of Christopher growing up.
I am thankful that on Sunday morning I have the opportunity to get up and go to church with no persecution. I don't have to worship God in secret nor worry about punishment for doing so. It really is a beautiful thing that I take for granted way to often!
I am thankful for lazy days at home with Christopher. I AM BLESSED to be a stay at home mom. I know some are not cut out for it or some financially aren't able to do it and I do not take it for granted that I get to spend all this time with my little man. Even on the worst of days I cannot imagine being anywhere else. Getting to see all the little moments and enjoy my time with him is amazing and I know I will have these memories for a lifetime!
I am thankful for our cats. They may be crazy sometimes, take up too much room on the bed, chew the lights on the Christmas tree, etc. but I wouldn't want it any other way. I love having pets to curl up with at the end of the day and enjoy all the moments in between.
I am thankful for online yard sale sites. Right after I had Christopher a friend of mine told me about these online yard sale sites for our area on facebook and I was hooked! I have gotten so many (80% probably) of Christopher's clothing/toys/books, etc. on there for 1/8 of the prices in stores. It has helped us save a lot of money and I've even gotten to know a few ladies really well from those sites!
I am thankful for music! There is a song for every situation, emotion, etc. and I love singing along, not to mention dance parties with a handsome (almost) 2 year old!!
I am thankful, thankful, thankful for nap time! Christopher naps about 2-3 hours (I know, lucky!) and I get a lot done in that time or some days just get to RELAX!
I am thankful for owning a nice camera. I LOVE to take pictures and capture the little moments here and there and having a nice camera makes it that much easier. One day I would love to take classes and work on my skills but for now I just enjoy snapping pictures.
I am thankful for our Sunday school class. They have all become like family to Tim and I and I know they are always there for us. We have gotten so much support, prayers, advice and love from this group of people and we look forward to spending quality time with them on Sundays and in our get togethers outside of class!
I am thankful for those who have served or are serving our country. What an amazing and selfless sacrifice! I know many of them are away from their loved ones, miss holidays, etc. with not a lot of praise and they allow us so many freedoms. I truly don't know what else to say to them except, "Thank you!"
I am thankful for our home. We will have lived here two years come Spring and I am looking forward to, Lord willing, raising our family here! Even though I joke with Tim that there are many things I would change (our ugly standard kitchen maybe?) I really do love our house!
I am thankful for Christopher's desire to read his little Bible, listen/sing to Bible songs, pray, talk about Jesus and go to church! I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE listening to the words, "Jesus, Pray, God, Goliath, Bible, Church, Heaven, Noah and on and on." come out of his little mouth. He has such a desire to learn more about God and I can't wait to see his relationship with his Savior grow!
I am thankful for play date Tuesdays. Every Tuesday we meet for some Mommy time, play time and yummy food. I look forward to Tuesday each week and am sad when we have to miss! God has brought us all together in such interesting ways and I cannot imagine my week without these ladies and their little men (yes, we all have boys!! We would definitely welcome girls though!)
I am thankful for my family. There are many time, especially since having Christopher, that I wished they would live right around the corner. I miss being able to stop in for dinner or going over just to say hey but that makes our visits, phone calls and e-mails so much more special. I know that I can be "real" with them and I love that they are honest with me always. Our relationship is tried and true as they call it and they always show me unconditional and unending love. I can't imagine my life without any of them and I am thankful everyday for them.
I am thankful for baking. I love tinkering in the kitchen and all the yummy things just waiting to be made. I also love being able to send in extra treats with Tim to work so we don't eat them all!
I am thankful for movies! I love getting wrapped up in a great storyline and losing myself in a movie for an hour or two. It's sometimes just the escape and relaxation I need after a long day.
I am thankful for visits with friends. whether it be planned or something last minute. Each minute I get to spend with someone close, or someone I'm just getting to know, I cherish. Relationships mean a lot to me and I love getting one on one time or group time with people I love!
I am thankful for the people Tim works with and their families. I love that they don't only work together but they really are a group of friends. We have lots of parties, picnics, get togethers and, in a place I didn't know many people, they became a second family to us!
I am thankful for crafts and opportunities to be creative. I love being able to do little crafts and am looking forward to, as Christopher gets older, doing some with him (that is, if he sits still for two seconds by then.)
I am thankful for toys! Something to keep little man busy and learning throughout the day. I try and switch out toys every other week that way we have "new" toys to play with and aren't doing the same puzzle everyday for two months!
I am thankful for decorations. I know Tim will roll his eyes at this one but I love decorating whether it be for holidays or just decorating the house. He always tells me if he lived by himself it would be white walls with nothing hung, and I love to paint and hang things. We try to compromise, I don't let him not have any decorations and he holds me back from going too crazy!
I am thankful for family time! I love spending time together as our little family of three. I love the times we are just lounging around playing, laughing, etc. without having somewhere to be. It's nice to not be worrying about housework, the television off and computer rest while we make memories.
I am thankful for my cell phone. Although I rarely use it (I've been known to not check it for two or three days and then forget where it is), it is nice to have in case of emergencies or when I'm in the store and have forgotten to bring my list... whoops!
I am thankful for my relationship with God. I don't always have it 100% figured out but he is always there for me and will always love me. I love that no matter how angry I get, if I don't read his word, if I say something I shouldn't, if I fail, when I'm not perfect and the times where I feel like I don't matter at all... he is there. There are times that things don't make sense to me, and this side of heaven not everything will, but I know he is right beside me leading the way and letting me rest on him.
I am thankful for life. That this morning I got to wake up and live another day.