The keys to keeping my travelers happy

I don't profess to be an expert on children.  I'll just tell you what works for mine.

In order to keep happy travelers, I must have:

1.) snacks- fruit snacks, crackers, teddy grahams . . . the more the merrier

2.) a pen and paper for Hallie to doodle on

3.) a portable DVD player with Elmo for Claire

4.) a random array of stuffed animals and figurines for Hallie to play with and Claire to throw

5.) endless silent prayers . . . plus entreat your family and friends to pray for you too!

The girls and I just returned from a week visit down to California to visit family and friends for Christmas.

Claire (a.k.a. The Screamer) stayed happy on the airplane ride downand saved all her lung power for screaming at friendly people while at my Mom's.  Hallie started to cry when her ears hurt in the descent.  She tried drinking juice and blowing her nose and finally found relief from sucking her thumb.  Her tears were so large and so sincere.  I was so relieved that my sweet girl could relax.  On the way home, Claire had a couple screeches but they were short-lived.  Hallie is a world-class traveler.  She was such a pleasure to take along.  The hours it takes to travel with children can certainly be harrowing.  But it is so worth the people we get to spend time with and the memories we make.  Here's to many more happy (even if humbling) travels!

A Handmade Holiday

I've found that in order for me to have a complete Christmas, I have to hand make some things.  It really changes my heart to spend time on a project for someone.  It makes me think of them throughout the processl  In the end, I feel like I gave a gift and gave service.  And isn't that the point of Christmas -- to put a little Christ into it?  Whenever I make Christmas gifts I think about how Grandpa Skaggs used to tell me my homemade gifts were the best gifts I could give him because they were "gifts of the heart."  I started making gifts on November 1 this year.  Here are a sampling of some of the gifts . . .

An apron for Mom

Ornaments for Grandma Skaggs

So romantic . . . I need one of these too!

A car mat (this was version one, before I made these).

Baking love!

Oh how Hallie and I love baking!  Although, I swear by boxed cake mixes, cookies from scratch are always a delight.  And thank goodness they are easy!  My urge to bake really starts on October 1.  Pumpkin muffins and sugar cookie cut-outs start calling my name.  But come December, I have so many things I want to bake, I would need to bake daily to keep up.  Here is one of our favorite anytime cookie recipes.

I love Christmas parties!

I love a Christmas party!  So, I jumped at the chance to go with the gilrs and Grandma to her Christmas party at her ward on Saturday, December 4.

We planted ourselved right next to the food table so we could feed our little girls quickly.  To our surprise, they let the tables on the opposite side of the room go first!  It was a long wait.  But we snuck some desserts to keep us occupied until our turn.

Claire kept Grandma very busy (and got her jacket very messy)!

Hallie was in heaven when she realized writing on the table was encouraged.

Red punch and a cupcake with green frosting?  A kids delight!

I wouldn't mind a Christmas party every other day in December.  A girl can dream, right?

Pictures from Daddy's Birthday

I professed just some of my undying love for my husband on his birthday post here.  But, I failed to share some pictures of his day.

We started the day by opening presents.  Why wait until late?

Love these cuties in their morning best!

For Daddy's birthday lunch, we went out to Buffalo Wild Wings.  Daddy loves wings. 

Chris was thrilled with the menu.  Don't let Claire fool you.  She was a handful and a half!

She is such a mature little four-year-old.

And, since Chris pointed out there aren't enough pictures of me on here. 

Here is one where the flash makes my eyes look like I am half past crazy on the cukoo clock.

Happy Birthday, Chris!  I'm so honored I get to be the woman you share your birthdays with!

Busy with the good life

We've been keeping busy lately.  Here are some of the things we've done.

Hallie

Hallie made a choo-choo train for her friends.

We catch her bouncing on the cushions frequently.  That's against the rules, silly girl.

She has drawn several Christmas books -- filled with snow men, Santa, and Christmas trees.

She went shopping with me for gifts for Daddy.  She brought along her punch mustache.

Hallie loves to play "Go Fish" with her princess deck of cards.  She always says "No, I'm sorry Mommy.  I don't have that card.  Go fish."  It is so polite and pleasant.

Claire plays along.

So does Mommy . . .

Claire

Claire looks like this A LOT lately.  She wants to show the world she is boss.

We'll still love her to bits -- but with a lot of sighs and rolled eyes to get us through it.

It's a shame, really.  Because we adore her like this.

And like this.

And this too!

Decorating the tree

Confession: We started decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving.  To us, Christmas is such a magical time of year, one mere month is just not enough for it.  And personally, I don't need to look at turkeys and fall leaves to feel thankful.  I feel we are just as grateful for that wonderful Thanksgiving holiday even if we have a Christmas tree in the next room.  While I'm confessing, I might as well say we listen to Christmas music beginning November 1.  Again, one month is not enough for us.  And consider my lineage.  My father played Christmas music on a date with my mother . . . in February.  Christmas craze runs deep in my blood.  And it does with Hallie too.  She was thrilled to get the decorations out.  Every box was like she was opening an actual Christmas gift.  We decorated the tree when Claire was fast asleep.  So, it was just Chris and I watching with wonder at the excitement of our child.  We ate every seccond up.

It's Christmas time . . .

I really love my home year-round.  But there is just something about Christmas . . .

My parents gave me this nativity.  It is the one we kids grew up on.  I love it.

We bought the train frames on our honeymoon in Disney World.  The village I also grew up with.  My parents handed it down when they got a new one.

 See the little elf peeking up on the top shelf?  We had an elf just like him in my third grade class.  He reported on us to Santa.  When I saw him last year, I knew we had to have him too.  Chris grew up with the same version of The Night Before Christmas.  We bought the nativity of the children last year after Christmas for three dollars.

Santa was an after Christmas steal from Kohl's several years ago.

Some of our Christmas books . . .

I am so glad Chris built me so many shelves to put decorations on.

We had the little tree all through college.

Looking at all those beautiful decorations makes me realize how blessed we truly are.  People in other countries have dirt floors and don't have the privilige of owning shoes.  And how many people in our own country are homeless?  We own so many books just for Christmas alone.  We are truly rich.  That's coming from a teacher's wife.  We aren't merely income rich, we are blessings rich.  It's a wonderful life.

  Speaking of . . . we've got to watch that movie.

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a great Thanksgiving at home this year with Mom Hinkson and our good friends Ann and Jared. And, I am thrilled to say that by making some things ahead I didn't feel too totally tired at the end of the day. Since Chris' birthday was Thanksgiving (and Ann's was too) we celebrated on the day before. On Thanksgiving morning, we watched the Macy's parade and picked up around the house and then I started cooking around 9:30 and didn't stop until we ate at 3:00. When Ann and Jared arrived, we let the kids play in the backyard and then watched Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving while the final touches were made on the food. We were so stuffed after dinner we couldn't even touch dessert hours later. It was fun to laugh and talk with each other and then crash at the end of the day. What a blessing that with such a crazy year we can still have fun and enjoy the many blessings we still have.

Our Thanksgiving table . . . with our yearly bread cornucopia

The menu

Our thankful wall

Some of the food . . .

Carson hard at play in the backyard.

Hallie wearing the turkey hat we made together.

Mom and the kids play

Claire in her favorite place . . . Grandma's lap