Christmas Activities

Last weekend we were preparing to go out and do a few Christmas-y things like attending a "Kidmas" event at the library and going to a nearby animal park to see Christmas lights and animals. It was chilly so I was putting Noah's coat on him and he decided he wanted to wear a new winter hat he bought at the school store last week. And then he proceeded to steal by new red plaid scarf. He looked so adorable in his hat and the scarf that I let my little scarf thief wear it. 

Noah's favorite part of the event at the library was the "piano lady" who was playing Christmas carols. He loves to watch people play the piano and could have sat there all night if we'd let him! 

The animal park is a BIG attraction around here and we ended up having to wait in line (in our car as you drive through parts of it) for nearly two hours. I figured Noah would get impatient and we'd leave before we got through the line but I was wrong! He was patient! J found some Christmas tunes on Pandora and he was happy.  

While there Noah got to see Santa. I was really disappointed with this Santa. He didn't seem to know what to do or how to deal with a special needs child in a wheelchair. He didn't even ask Noah his name or what he wanted for Christmas or anything! 

Have you done anything Christmasy lately?

Linked to 5 Minutes for Special Needs

 and
5 Minutes for Moms

Oh Christmas Tree

I love our tree.

Gone are the days of a themed tree and now I love hanging all the ornaments that were given to us by family and friends and have special meaning to us. They might not match and my tree won't be in a Martha Stewart magazine but it's made of love and each year as I pull out the ornaments I fondly remember who gave us what ornament or remember the events that some ornaments represent.

Last year, I bought some red ball ornaments and had them on the tree to fill it in and bring in some continuity. This year, I just wasn't feeling the red so I didn't put them on it. But the tree just didn't seem complete and it also didn't feel like "me." I ended up buying some teal snowflake ornaments and some Christmas balls that were hot pink, teal, and bright green and scattered them around on the tree. I love it! 

The Tree

A Collection of Some of my Favorite Ornies

The "Yay, it's the Christmas Season" Tradition

My Mom has a tradition that I love. (Confession: I love just about any tradition that involves presents.) My Mom doesn’t like to give us Christmas things (ornaments, decorations, shirts, etc) for Christmas because we have to wait a whole year to be able to use them. So, years back she started a tradition where she gives us a gift on Thanksgiving Day that I have dubbed the “Yay, it’s the Christmas season gift.” It could be any of the afore mentioned things like ornaments, Christmas clothes, decorations, and what not.

Since my Momma is the queen of gift baskets and usually makes me a gift basket for just about every holiday, I received a cute green and red gift basket yesterday full of little Christmas trinkets. My favorite thing in the basket was the gingerbread man and woman salt and pepper shakers. (I collect salt and pepper shakers.)

Anyways, it’s a fun little tradition to celebrate the start of the Christmas season. Do you have any fun traditions to celebrate the upcoming holidays?

It's Christmas Eve!

It's Christmas Eve! The Christmas season has flown by this year but it has been a fun and meaningful one for my little family. I think that I've enjoyed our Christmas tree more this year than any other year and admist the hustle and bustle of our busy life we've managed to squeeze in some fun things like our recent trip to Hollywild Animal Park. 

Later today we will be traveling to my parents' house as we do every Christmas Eve. We'll attend the Christmas Eve Candle Light service at our church which is one of my favorite things about Christmas. After that we will go back to my parents' house where we have a meal made up of appetizers and finger foods. We will spend the night at my parents' house (Noah thinks if we are not at my parents house Santa won't find him!) I'm sure once my excited "Mr. Christmas" drifts off to dream land he'll be dreaming of Christmas.

So this will be last post before Christmas. I hope each of you have a great Christmas!

I will leave you with one of my favorite Christmas songs, Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant. 

Lights, Santa, and Animals: Oh My!

On Sunday night we took Noah to a local wildlife park called Hollywild. Each year during the Christmas season, Hollywild hosts a benefit called “the Holiday Lights Safari Benefit.” The blurb on their website sums it up pretty well. 

You drive your own vehicle through nearly 100 acres magically decorated with millions of twinkling lights, dazzling holiday themes, light sculptures, a life-sized Nativity, plus HERDS OF LIVE ANIMALS and much more. 

We had never been to Hollywild at Christmas time and it was an experience that we won’t soon forget. 


Noah had a blast and I was so impressed with his behavior! We had to wait in line (in our car) for about twenty minutes while we slowly crept forward to the entrance. He waited pretty paitently. Once finally inside the park, we noticed other people re-arranging where their children were sitting in their vehicles. Many people in SUVs were leaving the back open and putting their children in the back. This wasn’t a good option for Noah so we quickly decided to let him sit in the front with me so that he could see better and we could see his reactions. We later realized this was a very wise idea; I don’t think he would have enjoyed things nearly as much as he did if we hadn’t. 


While the lights were nice, the “forest” where the animals roam free was our favorite part. It was SO cool. We saw a zebra, an ostrich, tons of deer, and more!  Before entering the “forest” we bought some animal food (which was just broken up bread) and were able to feed the animals right from the car. Noah absolutely loved this! 


There was also a huge ox amongst the roaming animals. He decided to come pretty close and I got scared and quickly rolled up the window. That ox was seriously like an inch away from the window and he was nearly as big as our vehicle! Noah thought this (me being scared and rolling up the window quickly) was hilarious! 


After going through the forest twice, we headed to “Santa’s Village” where there are more animals, baby animals to be exact that you can pet and feed. You can also see Santa. We didn’t spend too much time in Santa’s Village as Noah was getting pretty tired at this point and it was pretty cold. We did stay long enough to get a picture with Santa and check out some more deer. 


Hollywild was just an awesome family experience and is something we will probably make a new family tradition for as long as Noah wants to go.

On the way to Hollywild -
Noah's shirt says, "Caution, I break for reindeer."

I loved the whale made of lights - reminded me of Jonah.

Deer roaming around the "forest"

Noah checks out a deer.

Noah and Santa

O Christmas Tree

Over the past few years, we’ve had “themed” Christmas trees. I’ve done different themes like a “snowy” theme with all snowmen and snowflakes or an angel theme with all angels and stars; that sort of thing.

I really didn’t have a theme in mind this year. I just figured I’d start and see where I went. As I started going through the boxes of ornaments, I felt like I was greeting old friends. I picked up a snowman framed ornament that held a picture of J and I on our wedding day that marked our first Christmas as husband and wife.  Then I came up on an ornament that Noah made in school. Next, I picked up an angel ornament my Mom bought me at the beach right after we lost Darcy that is made of seashells.  Then I came across an ornament that my BFF gave me. Way at the bottom of the box was a handful of candy cane beaded ornaments that I made when I was about twelve.

And then I realized that this year’s tree would be a “memory” theme. Each ornament that is on our tree holds a memory or was given to us by a close friend or family member. Well, except for the ball ornaments and I just basically used those as fillers because I like them. 

While Martha Stewart might not approve of my tree, I love it. After Noah’s in bed, I’ve spent many nights since the tree has been up sitting downstairs with the tree lights on watching Christmas movies/specials while sipping hot tea or hot chocolate. When I look at that tree I feel wrapped in love from all the memories I see.  And isn’t the gift of love exactly what the holiday season is all about?!?

Wishing you Joy

Well, it's Christmas Eve!! It still hasn't sunk in yet.....

We are off to spend the evening at my parent's house just as we do each year. I think that Noah thinks Santa will miss him if we aren't my parents!! I've mentioned staying home and going over there on Christmas Day but nope, he won't hear of that! I do enjoy it though. We go to the Christmas Eve church service and then go back to my parent's house and have appetizer/snack type foods. Then we usually watch some type of Christmas movie - I think it's been Elf the past two years and then it's off to bed!

I leave you with this year's Christmas card. I designed it myself and am pretty proud of it. I made three different ones before this one and they just didn't say "us" to me. Then finally, when I was finished this one, I knew I had captured us.

Happy Christmas Eve!!

Hung by the Chimney

I love our stockings. We don't have the traditional red and white stockings that many people have, our stockings are each unique and fit our personality.

Until three years ago we had the traditional red and white stockings and then for Christmas, Santa brought me a new stocking that totally fit me. It's a pink high heeled shoe and says "Princess." I just love it!

So after receiving that stocking, when Christmas rolled around the next year I was on a mission to find stockings that were unique for Noah and J as well. We ended up with a Superman stocking for Noah and a Clemson stocking for J, both found on ebay.