What the kids made and gave for Christmas- part 1 Jack

I had a few people ask what the kids made for each other for Christmas. I got this gift idea from Design Mom. She had some other wonderful ideas for kids to make, and I may be pulling them out on another time.

Jack made each of his brothers and his sister a shirt.



*We bought plain t-shirts.
*He then traced out a design on plain paper.
*Then he transferred the design to a piece of canvas and traced it with a fabric pen.

*Jack then added a little paint to each one.

*After they were dry then "we" sewed them to the shirts.
They were a HIT!

Christmas memories

Remembering this Christmas Season:
(memories and photos in random order and not necessarily connected together)

All the kids making each others gifts- how much thought and preparation put into each one, and how excited they were to give them to one another.



After Tucker had made and wrapped his gifts I asked him to go put them under the tree. Jay and I watched as he walked into the family room and "hucked" them at the tree as if to say, there you go!


Luke adoring the present we almost did not give him.


The surprise for Jack and Savanna of something they were not expecting.


Finishing making the kids presents from me until the wee hours of the morning- having the needle break on the sewing machine on the very last stitch, and sighing in frusrtation and elation at the same moment.


Having the wire fit the frame exactly as I needed it too without planing it.


Giving Tucker my rocking chair from when I was little. Sewing the back pad for it and assembling the seat. How he had accidently seen it in the garage over the last week, (before it was reupholstered) and how cute he thought the little chair was. How he said it would be good for him.

The snow that forced us to stay home and not run any "last-minute" errands on Christmas Eve. How staying home is really what we needed to do anyway.


A Christmas just our family. Different. Not bad, but different.


Sleeping in on Christmas Morning!?! Having to wake up the youngest littles. A first ever I think!

Having it be daylight when we came downstairs to open presents.




Having breakfast finished cooking in the oven before we were even finished. Pausing after Santa gifts for a bite before we opened our gifts to one another.



Changing rooms that we spend Christmas morning in.


Luke and Jack spending the whole morning on into the afternoon and then into the evening with legos- and how patient they were with Tucker for the first few hours, but towards the end his "breaking" is getting old.


My "pearl" necklace from Luke- so thats where all the buttons went!

Yummy food- so easily prepared and easy to snack on all day. Not spending the day cooking.
Candlelight Christmas Eve Dinner.


Watching the entire "Sing off" series with the family on Hulu.


Getting a HUGE package from Grandma and Grandpa- nothing beats getting real mail and having that real mail be Christmas presents from Grandparents!


Having our annual caroling party


How after watching Prep and Landing Tucker did not want his tree lights on. How he had big huge tears and a pouty turned down lip quiver and asking for us to "give the tree the attic." (can't you just picture the ladder and opening to the attic like one giant mouth taking things?!)


Snow drifts on the window for real. Not canned sprayed on, not shoe polish. The real deal.

Having a real white Christmas. How fun.

Red Envelope # 15

Write Christmas Cards to teachers-
Wow was this a fun one. I had no idea the kids would get so into it. After Luke had already written, signed and sealed two I realized he was writing full poems. I am tempted to go open them up just to see what he wrote.
Tucker joined along and used up half a pad of paper that I had just received. (and today he was using his left hand)
Jack and Savanna had fun picking out just the right vintage card for each of their teachers.

kindergarten christmas party

I loved the words for the bingo game.

I loved going to see Luke have his Christmas party-(I missed the Thanksgiving feast- got there right at the tale end and had more than a few parents tell me I missed Luke saying the prayer for the feast, and what a beautiful prayer it was) It is always fun to see kids in their classrooms. They had fun centers-There was one with a pair of Santas long underwear and Luke thought the poem that went with it was so funny that he kept repeating it all day long. I love that they still get to have parties.

tuck singing

One of our family gifts for Christmas was a music stand. It was a joint gift to our family from my sister and from me. I saw it about a month ago, and she knew how much I loved it so we went in together for it for Christmas. I was mostly thinking of Savanna, and that she would finally have something to put her music on when she was practicing, viola or her choir music.
But the one who has used it the most by far is Tucker. He is a little possessive of it. He sings so loud. And he does it so seriously.




We will see how well he shares it once Savanna starts using it.

Holiday Highlights

Highlights from trip
not in any sort of order..just a rambling list of memories as they came to my mind on the drive home
(this is long, no punctuation or grammar checked, and lots and lots of photos)


not cooking any meals for 11 days, but still eating better home cooked meals than we do at home-

meeting pauls fiance Mary-
seeing how Luke "took"to her so quickly



luke being happy about getting the one thing he asked for Christmas- a silver bell from santas sleigh

my oh so appropriate charm from jay- a snowflake- to remember this years weather

savanna wanting her hair curled almost everyday

luke spotting every train, and every train track on the drive, and proclaiming oh so loudly "look its the polar express!"

jack finally getting to play with his Christmas gifts, and getting excited about them


sitting in the hot tub

falling snow

jack's baptism and his happiness, joy and glee

savanna still enjoying toys


movies, movies, movies

reading a book

stitchin

tucker taking to grandma the day we were supposed to leave to go back home


having the flexibility to stay longer

attending church together as a family with grandparents twice





kids playing happy


once again fitting everything into the van for the trip home

jay surprising me with a after Christmas deal of a lighted christmas tree for our family room

tucker waking up at midnight new years eve and enjoying our new years toast



watching the fireworks at the top of pikes peak outside, and freezing our tails off






party with the barton family on new years eve, and the kids having a blast, dancing and just being themselves



prada high heel grown up shoes-


going shopping on a date with jay in denver to the beautiful mall

tucker getting his own phone from his uncle and loving it


boys playing PS2 with their dad

savanna getting set up on email and webkins, and enjoying the world beyond her home

driving around manitou springs, Garden of the God's

tucker standing on jack's board


going to the same stores as home, walmart sams target, ross hobby lobby,

and then going to the ones we don't have REI, crate & barrel, the container store, gatherings,

eating eating eating

tucker excited for all the excitement



having jay all to ourselves- no work, no church

jay playing with the kids

lukes constant pleading of "will you chase me"

christmas morning 5 am wake up

christmas morning waiting on the stairs


tucker and his 1 piece outfits

luke making snow angels



all the kids playing outside in the cold (oh so cold)

grandpa using the special santa phone to call the north pole

driving around looking at christmas lights

jay putting tucker down for a nap and not giving up

luke and the reindeer food


beautifully set table for meals


jay getting the kids beds ready for night- without me asking for help

kids presenting the nativity story, acting it out and playing multiple parts each

luke announcing "hurry! a baby is coming"

and then "oh i forgot my sheep"


the 3 wisemen



having jays laptop available to check email, pay bills, and feel connected & using it more than he did

tucker being our best all around traveler ever!

borrowing a dvd player for the car

kids picking out presents for each other

luke being so excited to see a present with his name on it


enjoying the time to just be

car making it for another trip

tucker overcoming fear of dogs

taking 742 photos

While on a date with jay to the beautiful mall, understanding fully what luke said when we went "looking" for christmas toys .... "there are so many things to want!"

letting go of preconceived thoughts of how things are supposed to be, and enjoying the moment the way things are