advent calendar

One of our favorite traditions is to countdown the days until Christmas with an advent calendar.  In years past we have done the cheesy cardboard chocolate ones, the Lego ones, and wrapped Christmas books.  For the past several years we had a little wooden one with numbered doors behind which we stashed little treats and trinkets.  

The problem with that calendar was that we have 3 boys which = bickering over whose turn, complaints about who got what, waking up extra early to open the calendar and all of that = one unhappy momma.

So this year, I got smart.  I started a Pinboard of advent calendar ideas:

view the board here

And I decided to make this year's countdown to Christmas about spending meaningful time together, rather than about "stuff."  

24 embellished pockets hang from strings attached to a picture frame.

I put the more time-consuming activities in the weekend pockets.  Our weeknights are busy with three boys in hockey, guitar lessons, homework, etc.  This is meant to be fun and stress-free.  If we can't get to an activity one night, we simply switch it out or double up on another night.  So far the boys have loved it!  Their favorite was definitely the special hot chocolate party:

{Intagram pic}

And mine would have to be the giant popsicle stick snowflakes:

{Instagram pic || idea pinned from here}

Thanks for visiting!

elf on the shelf 2012

Wilfred is back!

Here's what our silly elf has been up to this month:

I'm back!

tire swinging

fresh squeezed juice for breakfast

spreading Christmas joy

sneaking into the jelly belly stash

checking on Santa's presents

cocoa and Christmas stories

gaming

snowman sing along

shoulder ride from Santa

winning at the game of life

sweet tooth

tp bungee jumping

To see more elf antics from past years, click {here} 

happy holidays!

It has been a whirl-wind of a month.  

It would be foolish of me to expect any less from this month of holiday cheer.  From parties, to shopping, gift wrapping to card addressing, every day is filled with so much to do.  And every day is filled with memorable moments.  

I am forcing myself to slow down this month and enjoy the season.  This means less blog posts, no December Daily, and more reflecting.  It means more moments like this:

And more time to create some new holiday decor:

To make the wreaths: simply tie a ball of yarn to a foam wreath form, and wrap, and wrap, and wrap.  It helps to watch a fun Christmas movie while you do this, or pass it to your kid and claim that you have to go make dinner ;).  Tack an ornament to the foam wreath to hang in the center.
To make the book page wreath: tape several old book pages side by side (mine used about 12 pages), accordion fold them, glue the two ends to one another to form a ring, carefully squash the ring flat holding the center together.  Embellish the center with a paper doily and flat ornament.

Simply more time to experience the magic:

Because the magic is everywhere.

Wishing all of you a blessed and magical season of peace and love.