Pre-Christmas Busyness

We had a super busy Christmas season this year.  I don't know why, but it felt busier than any other I remember, and I don't think it's just because I had more kids.  Honestly, I just wanted everything to slow down.  I am definitely going to make an effort to have a simplier, calmer Christmas season next year.

At the beginning of December, Cora had a Christmas program at school.  She did an excellent job remembering all of the words to her songs and standing on stage to perform.  It was a big improvement over a year ago when she ran off the stage at her old school.

On the morning of Cora's program, I had a horrible stomach bug.  I felt well enough to go and watch her sing - but just well enough.  Right after she finished, we had planned to go chop down our Christmas tree.  Against my better judgment, I decided to go.  

I survived walking around the tree farm, but by the time we got in the car to go home, I felt terrible.  I got home, crawled into bed, and basically didn't resurface until the next day.

I think it took a whole week to get our tree decorated because I felt so crummy and life was so busy, but we finally got it done.

As usual, lots of homemade gifts and crafts kept me busy in December, as well.  

Courtesy of this blog, I made these nativity blocks that my kiddos could play with (since Cora always wants to hold baby Jesus in my good set).  Sadly, I don't have a better photo, but the images are all paint.  I love the way they turned out, and I love that the kids will have a sweet family decoration to pass down.  I hope they fight over it.  ;-)

I have a bunch of other crafts I didn't think to photograph, but I did take some pictures of my Christmas gift to my in-laws.  They have been saying they need some artwork in the guest room at the Little Vacation House.  When a neighbor was giving away some scraps of barn wood she had acquired from a barn in Kentucky, I jumped on them.  

Jim pieced them all together per my instructions and put some dark felt on the back to keep white walls from showing through (totally his idea... kudos to him on that one), and I hand-painted a quote on the front.  

I am so crazy about how it turned out, I have decided to make one for myself to put in our front living room.  I have to get some barn wood (I hopefully can get more from that same barn), and I still haven't decided what I will paint on it, so if you have an inspirational quote or Bible verse that describes my life or family, let me know!