Ornaments

 Here is a cute idea for homemade ornaments. I made these and gave them out as hostess gifts for my baby shower for Harper.

 

I also made them for us and for gifts. They are fun to make and easy and pretty cheap to do. Just get the clear ornaments - they come in all sizes at places like Hobby Lobby. Then fill them with shredded paper ( you can find this in the wrapping section of most stores). I found 3 cute ribbons and tied them at the top and then put a sticker on the outside for the monogram. Super easy and I think they are fun. You could do them in any color!

I made some for my big tree in browns and leopards! I love how they turned out!

TRIM the TREE!

Okay - a few items of business first before I share my day!

• Due to some technicalities - I had to take the giveaway posts down early. Sorry about that but below are the winners. If you are a winner - please contact me by Sunday or I will draw a new winner. (kellyskornerblog@gmail.com)
  

Lisa Leonard $100 gift card - #17 - punkinmama at www.moreontheotherside.blogspot.com and #1076 Deena at www.deena-lovinglife.blogspot.com

Blog Makeover - #451 - Kim at www.kyndallssmile.blogspot.com

and if you didn't win a blog makeover -

If you would like to order a blog makeover, Danielle is offering my readers $20 off her custom blog makeover package! For more details, email thedesigngirl@gmail.com

Danielle is also running a special on her pre-made blog templates. For the next week, you can purchase a pre-made blog template for just $20!

Be sure to stay tuned for her upcoming Christmas giveaway! Follow this blog to enter!
And she is donating $5 from each blog sold to COMPASSION!!!

Faith Baby ruffled bloomers - #160 - Pinkpolkadotaa at www.pinkcashmerecardigan.blogspot.com

And www.faithbaby.com is donating a portion of all bloomers sold to Compassion during December as well!

Poor Laurie - her girls have been sick so much lately so she had to take Sarah Kate to the doctor today so I kept Emily for a few hours. It was during Harper's nap time so she helped me put up my big tree. She was a great helper.

She is also a precious little model!

Harper woke up right before Emily left and she went in her room to help me get her and Harper was SO happy to see her. She literally sat on the floor and smiled at Emily for the next 20 minutes and watched her EVERY move.

Emily wanted them both to wear tutus and flowers. Can you see how happy little Harper looks as she looks at her big cousin. I have a feeling she will be looking up to her for many years to come.
Years before I ever got pregnant (I know this will come as a shock because I spent a lot of time storing up treasures in hopes I would one day have a baby girl) I bought a bunch of pink,green and brown ornaments when they were on sale and have been saving them. I had planned to get a little white tree for Harper's room.
Until I went to Wal-Mart and found this cute pink tree for $15. And I am in LOVE with how cute it is in her room. I may keep it up all year long.

Tomorrow I am doing the "Show Us Your Life" blog tour on Christmas trees - so please come back and post pictures of yours (present or past). I love to get ideas on trees! I have FOUR so I will get them all posted - it will be up by the morning!

And finally - I made brussel sprouts tonight which is something that would have made me gag previously but my mom made them for Thanksgiving and I'm now obsessed. And they are super easy. I posted how I made them here in case you want to fall in love with a vegetable. ha!

It's beginning to look a lot like christmas

Okay - so no giveaway today! I will be doing two more next week and then I probably will take a break until about February. But I am possibly giving something away next week that will blow your socks off. So you might want to check back! (OH MY GOODNESS it's big!)
I had kind of a tough Mom day yesterday. I think God was trying to show me something. We talked in our Bible Study about how we keep life from being all about us - how to keep our eyes on Jesus and I shared how going to El Salvador kept me from having pity parties because I kept thinking about the children and mothers I met there.
and then I came home and had a pity party. Pitiful.
Harper hasn't been taking naps and yesterday afternoon she mostly cried and fussed for 5 straight hours. I was starting to wonder if almost 11 month olds can have colic? ha! I didn't get anything done and I was just a mess by the time Scott got home. I was pretty convicted last night about how I didn't stop during that time and remember how blessed I truly am.
But today has been so much better. Harper took a long morning nap and I got two Christmas trees up (yes - we have four) and even cooked lunch for Scott. I have felt SO behind for weeks and just one good day makes me feel so much better. It's cold and icky outside so we are home in our PJ's and it feels good to cross a few things off my list. I thought I would give you a few sneak peeks at my decorations.
I'm hitting up Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby tonight and then trying to finish my other trees and the mantle and then I'll be done!!! This weekend we have a Christmas party and two big Christmas services at church I'm helping with and then I can finally relax and enjoy the season.
I'm so thankful because both sides of our families have decided to not exchange gifts this year. WE love giving and there is nothing wrong with giving gifts at Christmas but I think it has reached a point where we are just buying to buy and none of us need anything. So instead Scott's family is sponsoring a Compassion child and we are going to sponsor a child survival program with Compassion. And then my family decided we would all take the money we would normally spend on gifts for each other and pool it together and give it to the Arkansas Baptist Children's home. I am so happy knowing that instead of giving my dad one more razorback tie or my mom one more bath and body gift basket .......we are giving a child a warm, safe home to live in. To me - that is what makes this time of year special. (not that giving should only be in December). And it gives me back my peace and joy.
Instead of stressing about buying the right gift - I'm going to sit back and be thankful for the reason for the season. Every night when I rock Harper - I'm singing "Silent Night" and "Away in the Manger" and even "Mary did you know" and I think about Mary and how much she must have loved her son. We are going to drive around and look at Christmas lights in our PJ's and watch Christmas movies and just try to be still and thankful.

These two people are the ONLY gift I will ever need.

We are going to buy a few things for Harper. I want to keep it to a minimum but I do want her to have the excitement of opening gifts on Christmas morning. We haven't decided what to get her yet. Any suggestions????
And yes - she has learned to open drawers and doors now. It's time to baby proof. I just can't believe she will be ONE in 6 more weeks. This year has gone by way too fast. I have to start planning her birthday party. I just can't believe it's already here!