Birthday Party for Jesus! Wait til you see this.

Mom & Me at Faith Bible Church in The Woodlands is hosting a birthday party for Jesus on
Tuesday, December 6th
@ 10am in the gym. 

First let me start out with this is for anyone who would like to join us! 
We would love to have you!!!

For those of you who know me I thrive a little on the craftiness of it all and since I have shut down all my extracurricular crafty business (cakes, sewing and such) I will be going a little crazy on Christmas this year.  I have wanted to host a birthday party for Jesus for a few years now and this year it is going to happen and BIG!

I have a tentative schedule of activities and partly need a couple of volunteers/donated items and partly to entice you come.

The Christmas Story Skit
Needs:
    
         Characters and Needs - by the way we need volunteer actors.

• Mary - pillow case, strechy head band/ribbon- Abby Stevens- girl
• Joseph - pillow case, strechy head band - Emily Sanders- boy
• Lambs - I'm thinking white or black outfit, ears, black nose and maybe a tail (As many as we can get)

1. Mikey Johnson -girl
2. Kaitlin Lipe- girl 
3. Jennifer Hunter - boy

• Animals- Cow(s)- ears, nose, tail?, donkey, camel, a cat?

1. Cat- Jennifer F.- girl
2. Cow-
3. Camel-
4. Donkey-

• Angels - 3 - any fairy wings out there?  White pillow case?  Must bring a flash light.

1. Mikey Johnson- girls
2.  
3.  

• Shepard boy- maybe a staff- Emily Sanders - boy
• Kings - 3 crowns - I have some yellow foam ones

1.   Mikey Johnson - boy
2.   Angel Frank - Boy
3.   Tara Edwards - Boy

• Star carrier - I'll provide the star

• Thinking it would be neat to make a manger out of a big box- anyone just get a new fridge or washer?
• Anyone have hay?    

Crafts and Fun

Handprint snowmen ornaments - Andrea Carrier
     NEED - someone with a small amount of talent to draw hats, noses and scarves on the hands and assist the kids in putting their hand prints on the balls.  I will have a pattern and it is really easy.

Christmas Photo booth Shoot - Kaitlin Lipe

     NEED a photographer - I'll provide the camera.
     Props will include -

• Frosty the snow man hat and nose
• Santa beard and hat
• Elf ears and hat
• Reindeer antlers and red or black nose
• Missletoe- Mommy kisses only =)

Cocoa Cones- Tara Edwards

NEED some one to assist the kids.
A craft for the kids to do!

Paper Bag Antler hat-Angel Frank
I only have the girl picture but I will have both girls and boys!
NEED someone to assist the kids

 

Christmas Lacing Cards

For the little ones.  Just a fun craft to do.

Pretty sure the mom's will be able to figure this out without help.
Pine Cones + Poms

We will be going on a pine cone hunt in the next couple of days!

Oh and let us not forget the yummy snacks and hot cocoa with marshmallow snowmen!

I will be in heaven getting all the last ends together.  Please spread the word and let me know if you have any questions!

Mikey

And signage just got easier!!

I just discoved the whole how to make a painted sign and I'm trying to figure out what signs I am going to paint for Christmas.  While surfing through pinterest I found an even easier way to do signs!!!

Here's a simple tutorial.  Quick low down.. distress wood, print off your words (but backwards-see the tutorial), attached to board, get wet with brush and pull off.  Voila distress signage with out having to paint the letters.  I think I'll paint the letters again so I get a clean look but how easy it that?

http://diddledumpling.blogspot.com/2010/05/tutorial-vintage-looking-painted-sign.html

Thanksgiving- Oh My!

Thanksgiving 2011

We hosted Thanksgiving for my mom, Richard's parents and Richard's brother's family.  7 adults and 5 kids and whole lotta food!

The adults dining room.

The decorated fireplace!  Here is the result of painting on wood.  Here is a tutorial @ http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.com/2011/08/p-is-for-personalize.html.  Love it!

We went on an acorn hunt.  A lot harder than I thought it would be but we got enough :)

Honeyed Pears in Puff Pastry

The 3 turkeys that the kids made.  Frita's is on the right and her turkey has on pink glasses!

The kids table.  Menus, turkey napkins, a "thankful" coloring sheet and place cards.

The Thanksgiving banner

So much food but so good.

 The dinner menu was this....
But wait we had the most unbelievable pumpkin pancakes ever.  Literally the most moist pancakes I've ever had!!  http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2011/09/25/pumpkin-pancakes/
Pumpkin Butter and rolls -
http://ohsheglows.com/2010/10/05/happy-thanksgiving-homemade-pumpkin-butter
Spinach Artichoke Dip
http://myblessedlife.net/2010/01/baked-spinach-artichoke-dip.html
Chocolate dipped pretzles

Fresh Green Beans
Cream Corn
Cranberry Confit
Individual Sweet Potato Cups
http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/thanksgiving-dinner-side-dishes-00400000055576/page33.html
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Glazed Butternut Squash
Wheat Bread Stuffing - Betty Crocker

Turkey
Ham
Rolls
Apple Pie- Betty Crocker
Pumpkin Pies
Honeyed Pears in Puff Pastry
http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2010/11/honeyed-pears-in-puff-pastry.html
Let me say that Richard and I love to cook and we had a blast.

Here is Franky.  No one had held our 17" alligator lizard since Richard caught it in San Antonio- I think we were all too chicken.  All it took was one of Zach's boys saying "I want to hold it" and viola Franky was loved by all.  Little Lou even wanted and actually held him.  I can't get over how much he looks like a snake with legs.

I think Grammy needs a lizard- she really likes him.

One awesome photo shoot thanks to Mama De

Here are a few pics that didn't make is to the Christmas card.  I'll post those after the cards are sent out.  My friend Kaitlin and I are always up for a deal and she's usually the first one I call with an unbelievable deal.  While on my 3 store venture for Black Friday sales- I really took it easy this year and chose to not look at the sales flyer b/c I didn't think I could resist camping out- I ran into Petsmart and got a way too big terrarium, a couple of lights, a lizard carpet, shavings etc for our new pet, Franky the 17 inch alligator lizard.  Pictures to come.  Turns out he is very friendly and does everything in slow motion.  He's growing on me.

Next up was Lifeway for all the $5 Veggietale dvds that we don't own for the kids spiritual gift and then I ran to Joann's for some flannel- each year I make the kids and Richard matching pajama pants.  As I ran into Joann's I ran into Kaitlin- she told me of this awesome deal at www.cardstore.com 70% off everything, free 2-day shipping and free postage.  Wow!  This meant a photo shoot, an editing session, choosing the pictures and ordering the cards.  But it happened and the pre discount total was $215 and we paid $64 for 200 cards (this included cards for Richard's business).

Mama De always does our photoshoots and is sooo generous and patient with us.  Plus she rocks!

Sweet Frita was a trooper!  Poor thing woke up sick that morning at 5am.  She's always up for a photoshoot.  Mama De has trained her well!

We literally had to watch out of the corner of our eye for flying objects- we were on a disc golf course.

At this point in time Bubba announced that he had to go potty and now when he sees this picture he says "Oh look that's when I had to go pee."  Ha!

October-Halloween, the pumpkin patch & a few random pics

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We headed to TGR Exotics (a place that raises animals for zoos) for their annual pumpkin patch event. 

 

Painting pumpkins!

A few of the Wegner girls joined us for a Mom & Me & Dad too event.

The baby joey was so sweet.  I could have held her all day.  Poor Bubba is surrounded by too many lovey dovey girls!

Kisses! The camels were awesome!  So cute until they burped- one of the rankest smells!

Playing in the corn with Daddy!

This was a good effort to try and get some good pictures - at least the kids enjoyed climbing in a tree even if Bubba had a broken arm.

The Ladies!

Me and my Bub.

These two set up this seating area for some cartoon viewing.  Poor Bubba glasses (bifocals by the way), a patch (only 2 hours a day buy the camo motif helps) and a cast.  He's such a champ.

A little bit of team work and the main reason I mop when the kids aren't around.

The Cryer's hosted our annual small group (not so small anymore- about 10 couples and 27 kids!) I love our Christian Family!!

So Bubba wanted to be God's Mighty Warrior for Halloween and I thought it would be a great idea to make the kids costumes this year, thank you Martha Stewart.  They lasted about half-way through the first Halloween event.  Oh well they were cute while they lasted.

My little dragon- made out of striped tights (plus size halloween ones b/c they were cheaper than the fuscia kids tights), gold foil cupcake holders, kitchen sponges and a little glue.  She loved her tail.

We did not tell Bubba that knights slay dragons.

Frita was so regal in her princess costume made from trashbags, a white plastic table cloth, doilies, tape, staples and glue.  Bubba's costume was made out of foil, mini foil cupcake holders (about 100!), pie pans, casserole pans and lot of hot glue (I burned my fingers many many times)!

Next up was Trunk or Treat at Faith Bible Church!  And now enters the back up, recycled bird costumes.  Bubba was the peacock.

Little Lou was an awesome chicken!  She added her own waddle!

Flamingo, Peacock and Chick!  My flock of birds.

A whole lot of "uppy" and poor chick did not understand that she wasn't supposed to eat each piece of candy before the went to the next house.  She did stand at each door until they gave her 2 portions.  She knows how to work a crowd and fearless!

Heading out on a chilly day.  They looked too cute to not snap this picture!