Christmas Decor!

We are big Christmas fans around here :) So welcome to our very festive abode...

Thanks to Sister Morin and Mom Krebs for helping these stockings make it on the mantle this year!

Those stocking hangers came from Goodwill for $3 and the wreath and garland from Michael's at 50% off

Berry sprigs in wine bottles? Don't mind if I do.

Our tree! So happy that Chuck and I agreed to get a real tree this year. I'm in love. Please ignore that the ornaments and ribbon don't reach the bottom of the tree. We have a little man who really loves to "admire" the tree. I'm planning on making a new tree skirt, but haven't quite gotten to that yet.

Yard sale box of ornaments for $2. Makes a great centerpiece for our little dining room table

I LOVE our Nativity we got from BYU Bookstore. Although it was looking a little lonely on that table by itself so I made some felt trees to go with it. However, I'm thinking I'm going to make ivory ones for next year so they match the Nativity a little better.

I used this tutorial.

source

I made this sign at a church activity last year.

More yard sale ornaments tied onto ribbon for a simple garland :)

We have other fun things around the house, like lights above our kitchen cupboards, lighted garland with ribbon on the ledge in our living room and of course garland and lights and a wreath outside! I have loved coming up with little things here and there to make our home feel like Christmas. I'm grateful for second hand stores that have allowed me to decorate on a budget!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that the Christmas spirit may find his way to your home too :)

Advent calendar

Man, I love Christmas. I love the lights. I love the hot chocolate. I love the snow (okay, maybe the Utah snow that actually exists this time of year). I love how the Christmas tree lights up our house at night. I love ornaments and garland and nativities. Mostly, I love how the Christmas spirit lights up faces and hearts. I wanted to make an advent calendar this year that embodies that spirit of Christmas. Tammy, Chuck's oldest sister, emailed the family explaining their idea for a service advent calendar this year. It was perfect! (Thanks, Tam!) So, I made up a list of fun Christmas activities and service opportunities (check this link and this link) for the month of December. I had planned to do this:

Our slightly unconventional advent calendar

I put a scripture in each envelope telling the Christmas story. I wanted to do a "service" each day, but didn't want to confine myself to a certain service opportunity each day. So, next to our advent calendar, I have a jar of our Christmas activities. That way, I can choose which service I want to do each day.

It's been awesome to think about others consciously each day. Plus, I love reading the Christmas story. I'm excited for this new tradition and am anxious for when Jackson can really join in on the fun :)

Our service jar

Some of the "service activities" we came up with

Oh, and it was free :) That's always nice :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Family, food and parties. Does life get any better?

On Wednesday evening, Chuck and I had a fun time reminiscing about the Wednesday before Thanksgiving last year. Finding out we were having a baby that day, heading to the hospital, freaking out a little, and welcoming our bundle of joy into the world. My, how time truly does fly.

We were able to spend most of Thursday at Mom and Dad Krebs! My mom got into to town the previous evening so we all headed over around 1pm. Let me tell you, Mom Krebs sure knows how to put together a fabulous Thanksgiving. We had delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, stuffing, green bean casserole, fruit salad and more! Before we all passed out in food comas we decided to head over to Veteran's Park elementary school to play on their playground-it was a gorgeous day! Jack had loads of fun playing in the wood chips, sliding down the side and swinging with Dad. Although, Dad and his brothers may have had more fun seeing how far they could jump off the swings. It was a toss up. Afterwards we headed home with our little tired man. My mom's sister, Marchee got into town that night, so we stayed up and partied with her :)

On Friday, Chuck and I hosted our very first Thanksgiving dinner for a few members of my family. It was so nice to have everyone together in our home. I love having a place for friends and family to gather. We cooked up a delicious turkey breast, green bean casserole and some bread! We also had honey ham and sweet potato suffle and Sarah's deviled eggs - delicious. And of course, pumpkin cake for dessert :) Sarah was awesome and snapped a few family photos for us after we gorged ourselves. She gave these to me unedited (which I doctored a little bit in my elementary iphoto program...did I mention that photoshop would be awesome to own?) so I could use them quick for Christmas cards. So nice!

On Friday we had yet ANOTHER thanksgiving meal with Dad and Kathy and a few members of her family. It was a wonderful meal and a great time! We also discovered that Jackson has a great love of egg nog. Grandpa Woods put some in his sippy cup and he just laid in Dad's lap chugging it until it was gone. Literally. The sippy cup did not leave his mouth until he had drained every last bit. What a funny little man :)

It was a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday! And I officially wish you all a Merry Christmas season!

Jack turns one!

On Saturday, Jackson had his 1st birthday! We hung ballons on his door frame and let him discover them in the morning when he woke up. He wasn't too sure about them at first, but once he realized how much fun they were, he loved it!

I'm not so sure about this dad.

"Smile birthday boy!"

Woo Hoo! He ran back and forth through the ballons dozens of times.

Opening his first present of the day: Shoes from Grandma!

Don't worry, I still got my spoon!

We had a fabulous party with family. It was so fun to see him enjoy his family, open presents and play :) Pinterest inspired me to do some fun decorations for his party. It was really fun to put together, although more work than I had initially bargained for. Lucky for me I have an awesome husband and family who helped me to pull it all off. Mom Krebs made the awesome table cloth and runner! And Mom Woods helped get all that food get on the table! Good thing she brought ham to our Thanksgiving, because our pulled pork took twice as long as expected to cook. Whoops. Thanks to Sarah, we have all of these fabulous pictures!

Leah's friend made Jackson's little cake :)

Three generations :)

Lucky boy got to have BOTH Grandmas with him on his birthday!

Love these kids.

With Auntie.

Jackson's the first grandchild on my side. Enough said.

This guy loves to point.

Loving his "tools" that the Krebs family gave him .

Thanks for the cars and trains, family!

A toy remote. Which he loves. Thanks, Dad and Kathy.

He was not too sure about this. He didn't end up eating any of it. I think he was a little overwhelmed.

The whole crew!

His new tricycle!

Aunt P and Justin

The Woods girls with Meacy :)

I seriously cannot believe that he is already a year old. It's hurts a little to know that he's growing up so fast. Sometimes I wish I could freeze time and just let him play and be carefree forever. 

Some awesome things he is doing now:

1. He is a pointer. He will point at things he wants, at things he doesn't want, at new things. Anything.

2. He loves to splash and play in the bath tub.

3. He does the sign for milk for almost everything, but mostly food or drink. At least he learned one sign.

4. He can clap now! And is awfully proud of himself.

5. When he knows he isn't supposed to be doing something or going somewhere he will stop and wait for me to see what I will say. It's pretty cute.

6. He can point out my nose every time. He's pretty good with mouth and eyes and sometimes ears, but not nearly as consistent as he is with the nose :)

7. He LOVES to read. We probably read for a couple hours every day. He will go get a book, hand it to me and then climb into my lap. Melts my little heart.

8. The little man is in the middle of his 7th ear infection in his 12 short months. We have seen two doctors who have recommended getting tubes in his ears. We see his pediatrician this week and will make the decision then.

9. He's still an awesome sleeper! He sleeps around 11 hours at night and takes two naps during the day (usually a total of about 3ish hours). 

10. He had SO much fun playing with everyone and everything at his party. I can't believe he was such a good little man. We took him to the doctor two days later and he had a double ear infection about which the doctor said, "He is in his own category of awful." Guess he was having so much fun he didn't even think about it :) He did sleep 13 hours straight that night :) Everyone must have worn him out!

11. He is great and putting things into containers. He loves to put his balls in the wagon that Grandma Woods got him and just push them around. Sometimes he likes to put himself in the wagon too :)

12. He gets SUPER excited anytime anyone comes to the door. 

13. He's pretty good at waving. In fact, he waved at everyone he saw at the grocery store last week.

14. Which makes another point. He is so friendly! He will just grin at strangers until they smile back and then he will start laughing. He LOVES it. Guess where he got that from?

15. He loves to play with my paint brushes and pencils and markers. I thought it was amazing that he knew exactly what to do with them when I first put them in his hands. Kids are amazing learners!

16. He loves to give kisses. Open-mouthed ones. So watch out. 

17. He is such a happy little man.

I love this guy so much. I'm so grateful that he came into our lives a year ago!