December, you were a joyous month filled with daily waves to any Christmas tree we encountered (Alice considers them people and addresses them with a beaming "hi"), the purest pleasure of giving the perfect gifts to our families and friends, and lots of Charlie Brown Christmas music - not to mention non-stop dancing to The Nutcracker. (We turn into sugar plum fairies over here when Tchaikovsky is on.) Alice learned somersaults, how to tickle other people's feet - and laugh maniacally while doing it - and she added some new words to her ever-increasing vocabulary (snack, snowman, Santa, reindeer, tree, chocolate, marshmallow, gloves, outside, come, and "brrrrr"). Experiencing Christmas with and through the eyes of a child really is the best. Thanks to all for the pies, gifts, cards, and treats. And thank you, God, for your Son, the Bridge between you and us. We never would have made it to you if you hadn't made the Way first.
Enjoy!
Alice was absolutely smitten with ornaments! She insisted on looking at each one...and we indulged her
bear train ("ber choo choo!")
Alice and my 1st Christmas ornaments nestled together :)
Alice's favorite Christmas book was a pop-up I found at a consignment sale before she was born
building castles side by side
speaking of castles, this is the calendar I designed for my sister's Christmas gift through Artifact Uprising
Callie & Alice playing in a giant box. Boxes are her favorite. I got kicked out.
Chili-Movie-White Elephant-Christmas Party with our small group. Jack makes THE BEST chili ever.
p.s. I'm building a dining room table next week! Kind of running out of chairs and space here...
I've been gathering art work from the ends of the earth for Alice's big girl room and am finally getting around to matting and framing them. Luckily, my friend Tracy recently acquired a mat cutter and is letting me borrow it for the month, so I've been flipping thrift store frames. These 3: $3 per frame, $12 for glass, $3 glazier points; total cost: $24 for 3. The mat board I already had from my college days as an art student.
I bought these postcards from Netherlands artist, Lieke van der Vorst (http://www.liekeland.nl/). So graphic and whimsical!
Another framing project. Found these frames at Joseph's Coat for $3 a piece and then picked up some glossy gray and matte gold spray paint. Paint + matting = voila! I still need to get glass cut for the smaller one but that will be $4. Total on these two: $17.
Rabbit by Yelena Bryksenkova
Princess and the Pea by London illustrator, Amyisla
Alice chillin' in her big girl coat (Carter's) from Gramma Jo and lamb hat made by Aunt Tarah. So. Stinkin.' Cute! A little old man came up to us yesterday to tell us she is classy and has style :) Spot on, old man, spot on.
Alice in all her Christmas gift glory. Cardboard bricks from Grandma Linda. Aunt Tarah and Uncle Chris helped her play with them.
One of my favorite gifts - a leather fly swatter from my sister. Alice loves it as much as I do, only she thought it was her scepter.
french oven from the esposo. I love this man.
Seussical-like wooden cars for Alice, love Aunt Lynnie
Lady Alice playing in my wedding pearls
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!