Tuesday's Tip!!!!

It's that time of year where we sadly take down all of the joys of the Christmas season and pack them in boxes to be reused next year. While living in Tampa, we would merely switch our Christmas wreath for a Gasparilla wreath and the decorating of pirates and beads would commence. I am tempted to break out our pirate gear just for a little winter fun. Nonetheless, our company is gone and so is our tree.

I carefully packed away each ornament and admired them for the last time until next Christmas. Which are your favorite ornaments? Mine are the ones our children have made through the years, especially those with their sweet pictures on them. I treasure them!

When I pack away our ornaments, I pack them in the box labeled with the child's name on it. EACH child has his or her own box of ornaments. When we decorate the tree, they can put up their very own ornaments that they have made or been given through the years. One daughter's godparents give her a sterling ornament each year, so I write her name on the small ornament box along with the year and who gave it to her. This helps us remember her godparents each year and we are able to remember and pray for them:). Then the ornaments all go back in the large rubbermaid box at the end of the Christmas season. I have DH and my ornaments in their own box too. It keeps all of us happy and organized. Happy Tuesday's Tip!!!

It's Better to Give than to Receive

Christmas is right around the corner. Have you started your shopping? One of my sisters-in-law was wrapping all of her gifts yesterday! I like to buy gifts all year long, but I have only wrapped the ones I took to North Carolina during my 24 hour visit home for sweet nephew's baptism. Have you started your shopping?
This time of year reminds us first of all of the reason we celebrate: Jesus Christ was born and later died on the cross for our sins. Stores and the media encourage us to get wrapped up in Santa Claus and gift-giving, but Jesus' birth is the real reason we are celebrating. Our children receive 3 gifts since that is what baby Jesus received (gold, frankincense, and myrrh). They seem to enjoy thinking of three things they'd like for Christmas. They also know that all 3 gifts will not be huge gifts. In fact, the sisters have told our son that if he gets his DSi, that will count for all 3 gifts! Ha!
I thought I would highlight some of our favorite places to give. This year our church is supporting the Angel Tree Ministry once again. These children have parents who will spend Christmas in jail. DH and I allowed our children to choose some children from the tree that they would like to bless with gifts. It was sweet to watch them pore over the names and the sweet wishes of these children. We were saddened by the ones where there was no message from their parents. Our D chose a 9-month old baby boy. When she went to the desk to have our name put beside this baby boy's name, D asked about the baby boy. The lady from our church knew his whole story and shared it with the children. They were captivated by the story and couldn't believe a new baby had never met his father because his father is in jail.
Later that evening I thought our D was upset because she did not get the new bunk beds in her room. I called her name because I was going to hug her and love on her since I thought she looked disappointed. When she walked in the room, she said, "Mommy!", and dissolved into huge sobs. "Mommy, that baby doesn't even know his Daddy. It makes me so sad. I am also so sad for the family from home who lost their grandmother. Mommy, I have been praying for them because I am so sad." As you can imagine, my steel magnolia self (more like mushy oatmeal than steel!) joined her sobs with tears of my own. I sat and rocked our big 9-year old girl and held her and cried. How humbling to me. I thought she was sad over a set of bunkbeds but she was sad because of real brokenness and despair. Her heart had been touched through one baby boy's story on the Angel Tree. What will you be touched by this Christmas? How will the Lord use the heartbreak of others to teach you things in your own life?
If you are interested in the Angel Tree MInistry, just click here. This is one of many wonderful places to give this Christmas!

All I'm Gettin' for Christmas...

All I'm Gettin' for Christmas is 2 newly-improved sets of teeth! Yes, folks, that's right. Two of our precious triplets are sporting new braces. Thankfully it's just a partial set on each of them, but STILL. Let's just say that I'm hoping one of these five munchkins really wants to study dentistry!

Take a deep breath

This is the time of year where we are all running around, trying to keep up with what is coming next. It never fails that we forget a gift for someone, our cookies are ugly like mine were at our Cookie Party, or the fancy meal we planned is served cold. IT IS OKAY. No one is perfect. Let me repeat: no one is perfect. That great looking woman with the pretty blonde hair and the tan and the fantastic figure has burned cookies or yelled at her husband or not even started her Christmas shopping yet. This is a busy time of year for everyone. Simplify first. If Christmas cards overwhelm you, wait until January (though Mama Henley will be sad because I LOVE Christmas cards). If you just can't make one more dish for a party, go to Costco, buy the salmon, and throw that baby on a pretty platter with some greenery. My mama says parsley goes a long way! Whatever you do, don't let your friend's amazing craft for the 20 first graders get in the way of your ability to enjoy the season. We all have gifts. Some of us can decorate like Pink, Green, and Southern. Others have the gift of their time. They can't make a craft worth a hoot but they can sing or read stories with the best of them. Still others are able to bless teachers and schools financially with nice Christmas gifts. Then there are some who have the gift of reminding all of us what this time is really about: the birth of Jesus Christ. Enjoy this special time of year where families come together to celebrate Jesus' birthday and the blessing of family. Take a deep breath and walk out of the room if someone says a comment that offends you. Celebrate your health, your LIFE, your family, and our Lord. Don't sweat the small stuff, my sweet friends! Now read this again to remind yourself that you are FABULOUS! MERRY MERRY!

Are you feeling behind?

Has December surprised you and arrived earlier than you thought? Is it December 8th yet you feel like it should be December 1st? Are you without a Christmas tree, decorations, or cards? If so, it is time to simplify! If you are having a stressful year, change some of your traditions and make it easier on yourself. DH & I love Christmas and seeing all of our old decorations and ornaments. We have been given some beautiful ornaments over the years from Tiffany, Christopher Radko, Waterford, etc. However, we needed to simplify this year. Therefore, we did not even open my ornament boxes. Instead, we allowed the children to decorate the tree with their ornaments, both the ones they made and the ones they have received as gifts. I have a rubbermaid container for each child with their name on it in black marker. Each Christmas, we pack away each child's ornaments in their very own box. Then, they can decorate the tree with their personal ornaments. It is so much fun for the children to see their old friends and now they remember their ornaments from year to year. This year's tree is not our biggest or nicest tree, but it is so special because it is decorated with our children's special ornaments that they have made through the years and the ones grandparents, godparents, and friends have given them. It is beautiful! Don't be afraid to simplify because sometimes it turns out better than ever!

Pink Christmas Tree

I am debating doing something totally different this year... a PINK Christmas tree!! I would love a lavender one, but not only can I not find the perfect shade of lavender, but pink matches our decor better. A pink pre-lit tree would be super easy and carefree! I also LOVE the traditional Frasier fur, but I have heard you can't find them here. I don't know if that's true or not, but if it is, I think I'd rather have a fake! What are your thoughts? I want to order one soon if I'm going to do it!!

Christmas Shopping Tip

Having four girls and a boy is lots of fun! Having triplets as part of the 5 is even more fun. We love it. However, it can be tricky on birthdays and at Christmas. We have to carefully plan in order to manage the number of toys that come into our home and the amount of money we spend on Christmas too. It is way too easy to be out of control, especially when you LOVE giving gifts like I do. Our 3 oldest girls LOVE their American Girl dolls. Our family rule is that you have to be six to have your first doll. Our 2 oldest girls are now 8, and our K received Kit when she turned 6 this summer. With a 2 1/2 year old sister to boot, we are a DOLL HAPPY family. We love dolls. We have dolls of all shapes and sizes. So, our 3 big girls are just salivating over the American girl doll beds. I agree; they are fabulous. They are also fabulously expensive. The girls are going to ask Santa for a doll bed, which means THREE expensive doll beds. In comes Ikea to the rescue. We visited as a family this summer and I pointed out their nice wooden doll beds for $19.99, not $109.99. I told the girls we could paint them. And it worked. All 3 are now asking for the Ikea wooden doll bed which can be painted in their favorite colors WITH their doll's monogram, per their request. I mean, no doll bed is complete without the doll's monogram. For Pete's sake, Emily Bennett needs her monogram on her headboard! By golly, Santa is not going to hesitate on this request. In fact, I heard his elves are already contemplating how to paint the beds! If you have a little girl, check out the Ikea doll beds!

Merry Christmas!

What a perfect night! We attended church as a family with my parents. THen, friends and family joined us for a potluck supper that we used to do every year. We have missed the last 2 years because of a birth and then a death. It was a wonderful reminder of what Christmas is all about to do it again. DH asked us to sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" together which was very sweet. Then, we shared a meal spread out around the house. All of the food was wonderful!!! It was fun to gather friends together who don't know one another & to enjoy fellowship. It was a perfect evening.

Our beautiful C, who is known to light up a room, had a panic attack after dinner. I think it was a combo of moving stress and being afraid of Santa. So, I called & spoke to Elf Elvis & he said Santa would leave our gifts on the back deck! We just heard Santa drop off the gifts, so they are now safely inside. We can't wait to celebrate Jesus' birthday tomorrow!!

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a GOOD NIGHT!

Children say the funniest things!

We have always told the children that they will receive 3 Christmas gifts, just like baby Jesus did.  If our Lord and Savior was happy with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, surely they can be happy with three things.  This also does not mean three very expensive gifts, rather, three things you'd really enjoy like some new art supplies, an outfit for your doll, and maybe a doll itself.  With 5 children now, we often have a gift that the children share.  One year Santa left a trail of candy and we found a new children's kitchen in our playroom!

I digress....  so, when the triplets were 4, we were in our favorite local toy store.  I heard A say to D, "You know, D, we only get 3 presents, just like baby Jesus did".  D sweetly replied, "I wish He had had FOUR!!!", with her hand on her hip.  I laughed right out loud!   If only Jesus had had 4 gifts, it wouldn't be quite as difficult to decide!  So cute.

My D

On Saturday we visited a local toy store to see the visiting Calico Critters Kitty character who was in the store for a few hours. The children each had their picture taken with Kitty & enjoyed playing in the store. I actually encouraged the children to look around for ideas for their Christmas presents.  In our house, each child receives 3 gifts since that is what baby Jesus received.

The children were actually very sweet and not greedy.  They even had difficulty choosing their items!!  In the end, I left with a few ideas for each of the children.

That night, when I went to bed, I found a note on my side of the bed that made me burst into tears!!  I have transcribed it below:

Dear Momy and Dady.  I love you so much.  You dot have to gev me a crimes presit.  Becus oll i need rile is a hug.  Becus i have the gradis famley in the hadt waid wrde.  Yo al are the biet famley. love, dj

I will save this precious note forever!!  I am planning to frame it & am mailing copies to the grandparents & godparents! So sweet!!! It is nice to see glimpses of your hard work making a difference!