Happy New Year Festivities

My Happy New Year party was a few days ahead of the real New Year's Eve. I spent two days with the little ones and we had our own party. 

It may or may not have been a forced party when it came time to do selfies. 

But with a few bribes and a lot of retakes we made it thru the picture session. 

Sorry, but I'm gonna get some pictures. This may be my only proof of a New Years Eve Party. 

More selfies to get in the mood. 

We had the noise makers and the 2017 glasses and New Year hats to make it official.

Our party food was pizza, holiday cupcakes and ice cream. 

And more selfies.

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The end!! 

Happy New Year!
 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

and Christmas came

A favorite holiday that goes by too fast with family and friends and too much food and gifts. But I love it. 

We enjoyed the traditional food spread. 

We always read the Christmas Story, The Newborn King, from the same book every year making it a Christmas tradition. 

The adults draw names and and we pass around the gifts with ooh's and ahh's and some haha's. And the little kids are loaded up with gifts too. The little ones wanted to play santa and pass out the gifts to everyone. It was sweet they wanted to "give" the gifts out. That may we'll be a new tradition. 

It's more than just about the gifts. The reason why we give gifts. Jesus is the reason for the season.

 

Toy Soldier

There's a Christmas Toy Soldier in my life. I've been working on it for a week now. 

Since it's a girl toy soldier, the top has a twirl to it, stripes down the sleeves and straps across the chest. Red and gold bling everywhere. Pants with side stripe like every toy soldier/nut cracker has. And black boots for sure. 

After looking at hundreds of Christmas Toy Soldier's helmets online I decided on what style I would make. Trust me when I say no two helmets are exactly alike. Even while in malls with Christmas Toy Soldiers on display, I would stop and take note of every detail. 

This helmet has a feather, gold trim to match the top and pants, black bib, and black chin strap. 

I cut and formed a heavy sheet of sewing stabilizer interfacing into the size and shape of the helmet,  then sandwiched it with thin quilt batting on one side and gold sequin fabric on the other side, using spray adhesive to adhere in layers. I did the bib the same, then hot glued the bib to the helmet edge. Then hot glued all the embellishments and attached an elastic sequin band for the chin strap. 

And a Christmas Toy Soldier can't be without her shoulder tassel decoration, for lack of proper term. 

It's for a 2 and 1/2 year old who is going to be a Christmas Toy Soldier for a day.

 

First Days of the Holiday Season

The tree is up. With Christmas music playing in the background as I decorate the tree, I'm reminiscing of the ornaments from the past 40 years. It got kinda sappy  with all the reminiscing and stuff. 

 

It's time to pass the kids personal ornaments on to them. The Hallmark's "Baby's First Christmas" from the 80's presented to them by an aunt on each of their first Christmas. Each an angel ornament from their early daycare years Christmas party.  And a few other individual ornaments from their young days.

The stockings are hung, the candles are out, the Nativity scene is set, and one of my favorite Santa and Rudolph sets are ready. They're all old and have been used every Christmas for years. Rudolph's tail is broken. 

The first party of the Christmas season to attend was an engagement party. Though, not Christmas themed, it was beautiful for Trent and Natalie with tree lights, fire pit, good gumbo, family and friends. 

Me, Natalie, Trent. 

Shopping is 75% completed. Waiting on the UPS and FedEx guys to deliver. I got a little carried away sitting on the couch in pj's shopping online. I miss the hustle and bustle of the stores and malls during the holiday season. So will have to make a trip to the mall to get my hustle and bustle and last minute items. 

 
 
 
 

Thanksgiving

There was the traditional food and family on Thanksgiving Day with thankful hearts for all our blessings.

A yearly duplicate picture of sisters is taken. Same girls. Same pose. Same background. A year older. 

Outside games of sidewalk chalk and remote control racing. Swinging on the swings.  Inside relaxation with the newspapers' Black Friday shopping sales for all the girls. 

Evening comes. People slowly depart car by car. Thankful for all who came. 

 

Pre-Thanksgiving

School's out for Thanksgiving Week (aka: fall break). My job of course is MawMaw Daycare.

So the week is going something like this:

1) Not only are there three little ones, but there are four dogs between the two houses we spend our days at. 

2) One house has a Christmas tree in progress.

3) Everyday had been a beautiful weather day which makes for good use of the outdoors.

4) We helped and watched one of the dads start to decorate the Christmas scene outside. 

5) It's getting to look a lot like Christmas after we do Thanksgiving....

Dancing

Time flies by. We just attended a first dance recital this past summer and now a mid year class dance showcase was performed.

It was a little behind schedule as friends and family of the dancers lined up waiting  to file in on the coldest day of the season so far. 

We took our seats and waited for the showcase to begin. 

Tiny feet making almost all the moves!

But she was loving every second of the two minute routine.

A large group of the baby ballerinas dressed in pink and dancing to This Little Light of Mine. 

The grand finale' with the all the dancers putting on a little show. 

Great job little Dancer!

....a lot like Christmas

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go...." Santa seems to be coming to town for Thanksgiving. The mall has Santa's picture place ready and waiting. 

And there's Christmas music and Christmas sales, and Christmas decorations everywhere. 

 

 

I saw the moon

The great big moon was bright and big just like the news said it would be. 

 

Last time there was a     Moon was in 1948. Then now in 2016. The next time will be in 2034. That's in eighteen more years. So hopefully I'll get to see it twice in my lifetime. Hopefully I'll live to be eighty. That's when the big bright moon will show up again. 

The blue shape in the picture must be a planet or something. It shows up in every shot I took. 
 

 

Back to Halloween

I have to post a few trick-or-treat pictures. 

A dirt bike racer racing from house to house for treats to fill his pumpkin bag.

Along with his ninja partners in the neighborhood. 

And super girls in their quest for treats. 

With a few lit up jack-o-lanterns in the night.

Making their way through the streets.

The best way to end the evening is checking out your bucket full of goods.

 
 
 
 
 
 

The little ones are so busy these days. I spent one day engaged in watching them do what they like.

A stop at the dirt bike track in their neighborhood to watch my little dirt bike rider. He's all about practice, practice, practice for his first big race.

All decked out in his practice racing gear - helmet, gloves, boots, chest protector, race pants. The shirt was from me, but you can't see.  It's a perfect dirt bike rider screen print that matches his bike color and racing number. 

These two were in a Halloween pageant with beauty dress and a Halloween theme outfit. Its a Sunburst Preliminary with chance to proceed to the state level and then the national level.

 The Halloween theme was a fun dress up part of the pageant. The little one was a pirate skull outfit. Complete with the pirate eyepatch in the form of the headband.

 She won queen in the 2/3 year old division. She kept saying she only wanted a trophy. She got her trophy and a crown.

The older one was a Halloween bat. With arm gloves that could fly as bat wings

She won queen in the 4/5 year old division and a few side awards. She likes the stage.

 
All are so little with so much energy.