month twelve.

Happy December!

 No, I haven't finished my Christmas shopping already! But we ARE starting THIS today and I am oh, so excited about it! It is our "advent calendar" for this year. I wrapped 24 books, labeled them and each night until Christmas the boys will get the chosen book read to them before bed. You can see my friends' version HERE who first shared this idea with me. For more advent ideas, see HERE. 

These are the books that were selected for our first (annual ?) advent book reading, most of which we already owned. A few were a last minute rescue from our second hand store. You may also notice that I mixed in winter themed books with spiritual related books. We will be doing our Scripture advent reading separately.

Here is the list of books that we'll be reading:

1. Footprints in the Snow (Cynthia Benjamin)

2. Little Einstein's Christmas Wish (Disney)

3. The Little Drummer Boy (1968 Little Golden Book)

4. The Elves and the Shoemaker (Little Golden Book)

5. The Christmas Story (Little Golden Book)

6. Room For A Little One (Martin Waddell)

7. Owl Moon (Jane Yolen)

8. The Little Lost Angel 

9. Katy and the BIG SNOW (Virginia Lee Burton)

10. The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Graham Percy)

11. The Little Drummer Boy (Ezra Jack Keats)

12. Who Is Coming To Our House? (Joseph Slate)

13. Noel (Little Board Books)

14. Jingle Bells 

15. The Snowchild (Ill. by Deborah Kogan Ray)

16. The Christmas Mouse 

17. Socks for Supper (Jack Kent)

18. Father and Son, A Nativity Story (Geraldine McCaughrea)

19. Madeline's Christmas (Ludwig Bemelmans)

20. The Apple Tree Christmas (Trinka Hakes Noble)

21. Spunky's First Christmas (Janette Oke)

22. Winnie the Pooh's Christmas (Bruce Talkington)

23. Red Boots for Christmas (Carol Greene)

24. Mortimer's Christmas Manger (Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman)

I also needed a new chapter book to start with the boys and came across THIS gem at the library:

So, looks like we're all booked up for December!!??  

(sorry. I couldn't resist!!!)   :)  

What are some of YOUR (and your kids) favorite reads during "the most wonderful time of the year?" 

thankful.ness

I better jump on the bandwagon before it leaves without me! Can you really believe it is ONE WEEK away from Thanksgiving!!?? We all hold on tight to the end of autumn here while the retailers are SCREAMING Christmas at us. We love Thanksgiving around here. It is such an amazing tradition that brings our hearts close together. It is always the week of John's birthday...which means I get to try a new chocolate cake recipe, and we always try to focus our hearts on the blessings of the year. SO, with a week countdown...here's my thankful.ness for today.


*I am thankful for a full home. One that is always on the verge of chaos, creativity, ideas and abounding personalities daily taking form. Our little home is quickly filling to the brim with our treasures, toys, accessories, and projects waiting to take wings. It is always a balancing act between keep and leave. The boys spill over onto our climbing area in the basement when the energy can be bound no longer, and when they take to outside it is always with elation of checking up on their fort in the wooded area budded up to our property. We live in a wonderful, quiet little area other than the usual barking of dogs back and forth. There is a dog a couple of houses down that literally drags his owner out the door to come over when the boys are out playing.  We have a special stash of doggy treats just for our canine visitors. We are thankful. 

welcome, september.

September brings:

cool weather, crunchy leaves, candy corn, caramel apples.

school, sweaters, soups, socks.

hoodies, hot cocoa, hay rides, home.

apple picking, apple pie, apple cider, The Apple Squeeze.

birthdays, The Big E, bonfires, beautiful surroundings.

mums, maple leaves, muesli, my mom.

fall foliage, fun, football, fashion.

pumpkins, preparations, possibilities, parks.

door sweaters, delicious homemade cooking, long drives, dreaming.

taffy apples, thankfulness, togetherness, treats.

saying goodbye to the garden, gourds, ginger snaps, God's goodness.

Did I forget anything? Pray, tell.

COMING SOON: some delightful sharings of postcards I have received.

From personally watercolored ones to one that traveled all the way from New Zealand!

Huge THANKS to everyone who participated (or is in lieu).

p.s. if you have a postcard sitting on your counter and oops...didn't get it out on time...I will definitely send one in return if one happens to show up in my mailbox with a sept. postmark! I would hate for that postcard to go to waste! ;)

TIME TO CATCH UP...

INSTRUCTIONS TO READ THE 'CATCH-UP/FALL' POST I PROMISED:


1. BE IMPRESSED THAT I FOLLOWED THROUGH SO QUICKLY.

2. GET SOMETHING GOOD & HOT TO DRINK

(preferably something caffeinated...you may need a boost to get through this one).

3. AND MAYBE A GOOD, CRUNCHY/CHOCOLATY SNACK

4. GET INTO A VERY COMFORTABLE SPOT; WARM, FUZZY BLANKET SUGGESTED

(but not necessary if you are south of the border).

5. WAIT UNTIL CHILDREN, HUSBAND and/or PETS (as applicable) ARE IN BED OR BEING PREOCCUPIED BY SOME FORM OF LONG-LASTING ENTERTAINMENT.

6. ENJOY CATCHING UP WITH OUR LIFE FROM THE PAST, er, 2 MONTHS.

7. LEAVE A COMMENT

(for extra credit!!!)

8. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS POST IN ANY WAY JEOPARDIZES YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM

(so, maybe you should consider a MAC!?!?!?)

p.s. LEAH, this one's for you, my friend...in all your *waiting-glory*

{FALL WEATHER}

{FALL EXPLORATION}

{FALL AROUND THE HOUSE}

{SCHOOL*TIME}

{JACK TURNS 2}

{TRIP TO NH}

{JOHN's BIRTHDAY}

{WORK ON THE BASEMENT}

{AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS}

{THANKSGIVING at the NEINER'S, sr.}

{OUR GUESTS}

TRIED TO WARN YOU: it was a long one.

NOW YOU KNOW HOW I FELT AFTER SHOPPING ON BLACK FRIDAY::visual overload!!!

EVEN so, HOPE you ENJOYED it!

NOW ONTO THE CHRISTMAS SEASON...

"dashing through the snow..."