Stocking stuffers

Do you agonize about what to put in your children's stockings without having it cost an arm and a leg? Sometimes, I feel like the stocking should be the ONLY gift because I put so much money into it :) I want to give them things that are either useful, practical, consumable or fun...not some knick knack that will break or just add to myriad other piles of stuff.

One of the things I have done in the past and did it again this year is give the children silly string, well, all except for Charity. I didn't think she'd be able to hold down the nozzle. I bought them at the dollar store and I think they were worth the purchase. The pictures show proof.

This is the crew all lined up ready to aim and fire.

In action...


Matthew with string all over him, after he declared, "I hate this." This is so funny because he had been wanting to spray it ever since he opened his stocking. I made them wait until the day after Christmas because we had other things going on. He got into it a little while after this photo was taken. I think he'll enjoy it more next year. I think he just didn't know what to expect as the recipient of the "ready, aim, fire."

All out of string, time to do pick-up.

Some more Christmas projects

In the spirit of trying not to procrastinate...I've been wanting to make these projects for some time and this seemed like the perfect time to do it. What's better than homemade gifts at Christmas? Made from the heart and made with the hands.

One of my favorite crafters, Jill, posted some photos of felt food on her blog a while back. I was inspired to make some for my littlest of cooks, Charity, age 2.

While I was immersed in other projects, my oldest three daughters took the reigns and made these pieces...aren't they just the cutest? The possibilities are endless.

Here is Charity on Christmas day with her felt food, her apron made by Stephanie, and a set of dishes with utensils. I really tried to fix the first picture but it wouldn't cooperate. Can you make out the food? A fried egg, a piece of bread, sliced oranges, lettuce, strawberries, bowtie pasta and sauce, potatoes and gravy, ice cream cone, quesadillas, pancakes with syrup, and a chocolate chip cookie.

We also made a game of memory using fabric scraps, wooden squares, and Mod Podge. It's the first time I've used Mod Podge, not sure if I like it or not. I need my junior high-school friend, Debbie, to give me tips. She designs for JoAnn's, Michael's, and Plaid and she uses it by the boatload.

I cut out the fabric, and glued it on the wooden squares. Several of the children helped. They did most of it after they saw what I was doing. I just love it when they come and say, "Can I do that?" and it's actually something I can turn over to them.

Sewing projects for Christmas

Have I ever told you I'm a procrastinator? I probably never got around to telling you. Yeah, I'm working on that.

Years ago, a sweet old friend of my mother-in-law's made Christmas stockings for my children. She died after my fourth child was born so the other six didn't have the pleasure of receiving her handmade works of art. I went in search of some kits to make stockings just like she made. They are needlepoint on canvas. I found one and bought it to make for my fifth child. Well, you know how it goes...another baby was born and another baby was born. I never found the time to work on that stocking. We ended up using various ones we had received over the years, one that my grandmother decorated for me when I was a teenager, some that my dad gave us, etc. But, I always felt guilty that my six younger children didn't have a lovingly handmade Christmas stocking just for them.
I still plan to complete that one I bought so many years ago, but in the meantime, to take the edge off my guilt, I decided to sew some. I found this tutorial online and followed the example. I made six in less that a few hours.
On Christmas Eve. Yeah, I'm working on that procrastination thing.

Here are a couple pictures. And the link to the youtube tutorial in case you want to make some. Don't wait too long.
Just so you know, it took me until the fourth one to make it perfectly. The tutorial, while very good in some ways, leaves out some helpful tips. I had to undo some seams and make adjustments. One good thing to know, if you add a loop to hang up your stocking...lay the loop down after the lining layer of fabric (when you layer the outer fabric, cuff, and lining...the loop goes between the cuff and the lining). Trust me.



I made three with the plaid fabric as the main one and the cuff is a different matching fabric. Then, on the other three, I reversed the fabrics using the plaid as the cuff. The inside is lined with a nice, soft flannel. I'm going to take them to a local embroidery shop to have names put on them.

Our trip to Indianapolis

I survived the freezing temperatures of Indianapolis. It was in the teens the first day and warmed up to the 30s by the time we left. A noticable difference and much more comfortable the last couple days.

We had a good time exploring Indianapolis before the conference started. I did some shopping. Found a wonderful children's consignment store called Once Upon a Child. We used to have one here but it didn't last long. I was happy to find this one thriving with some great clothes and toys. It was so well-organized and arranged; it was a pleasure shopping there. I got some shorts and tops for Tommy since I've had a very hard time finding shorts for him here. You'd think I would be able to buy shorts anytime of the year here, but it's been impossible to find simple, elastic-waist shorts for him, size 6/7.

I also bought some fleece pullovers for my older girls at a different store. The selection in colder climates is incredible compared to the choices we have here. I guess stores don't want to put out too much merchandise that won't sell since it doesn't get very cold.

I bought some things at Target and then accidentally left the bag in the rental car when we turned it in. I realized it on the plane before we taxied out to take off. Too late. Funny, because as we were in the terminal waiting to board, I heard an announcement on the loudspeaker calling a customer to come pick up items left in a rental car (different company). I thought, "Well, if we leave anything, I guess they'll find it and make an announcement."

When I got home, I phoned the rental car company and they said the car had already been rented to another customer. They had to contact the customer and ask him to look inside the trunk. Sure enough, my package was there. They will be mailing it to me.

One thing we enjoy is trying different restaurants when we are traveling. We found a BD's Mongolian Bar-b-que restaurant. Unfortunately, there aren't many in the south. I think there are two in Florida but mainly they are located up north. If you ever get the opportunity to go to one of these places, do go.

We had the pleasure of hearing a wonderful speaker/author Andy Andrews. I have read one of his books and my husband has read a different book of his. He has a powerful testimony of the Lord working in his life and he continues to grow daily as a Christian husband and father.

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to visit the campus of Verity Institute where my daughter is a student. It was fun to see the same places she has mentioned and those that I have seen in photos.

We enjoyed so much great music at the conference. A family from Canada played instruments and sang such beautiful songs. Gil and Kelly Bates sang with their 17 children. The Indianapolis Training Center Bell Choir played and the choir from Headquarters sang. I hope I can visit Indianapolis again and get to know that city better.

This is a seating area at the Indianapolis airport. It is made to look like luggage, how clever.

The view from our room on the 12th floor after a night of snowfall.

This was taken at Verity, where my oldest goes to school. It is the room she stayed in before the winter break. The girls had to pack their belongings and put them in storage until next semester. It was neat to see where my baby stayed.

This is a gazebo on the campus. Very nice.

The formal banquet on Saturday night.

With Bill Gothard.

Me and my husband.

This table of candles was a surprise to celebrate Bill Gothard's birthday. The table rotated and it was so beautiful all lit up.

Out for a few days

I'm in Indianapolis for a few days. It's snowing. You know, I think this is only the fourth time I've seen snow in my life. I'm definitely a Florida gal. I think there must be some secret to staying warm that hasn't been shared with me...maybe I don't have the right layers or the right fabric or something. Or could it be that my blood is too thin and I don't have the right coat of skin to withstand the freezing temperatures? Whatever it is, I am really appreciating my warm climate at home.

Be back with pictures when I'm in Florida again.

Carolyn has noticed she cannot see far distances very sharply. A visit to the eye doctor resulted in a pair of glasses. She loves them and I think she looks cute.

Our cold, wet camping trip

Well, we knew that there was rain in the forecast, but we went anyway. You can never be sure how accurate it is, right? We've been waiting for a long time to go camping and the time was here. This campground has been having some construction and repaving going on so they weren't taking reservations for the past few months. We missed camping last year because of another trip we took instead.

We stayed four nights. The first full day was beautiful and we were able to take a walk, play on the playground, and visit the CCC museum (Civil Conservation Corps). With no rain that day, we cooked on the fire. The next two full days, it rained pretty much all day, so we went to town. Ate out and did some shopping. We also like to visit libraries when we go on vacation. One of the libraries was showing the movie "Up" and had popcorn too, all for free. We enjoyed that.

Hot chocolate faces. Kayla and Charity.

Allison and Stephanie warming up by the fire.

Hamburgers on the grill.

Carolyn trying to keep Charity warm. This was at a roadside picnic table where you can launch boats into the lake. We left the campsite in the morning before breakfast because it was flooded. So, we went in search of a place to have our breakfast of cereal and milk and whatever else looked good in our cooler.

Our flooded campsite. Both of the tents are ours. The green tarp kept us dry. We only had a little bit of water inside. I think it seeped in from the ground.

The water drained from the right side where you see the flood of water, into our site on the left. It was a steady "river" of rain flowing across the street to our site.

Tommy showing his shells that he found.

The first day when we had nice weather.

On the playground.

On the boardwalk to the playground.

Going camping

I'll be camping the next few days, so don't expect any new posts until afterward. Plus, upcoming photos of Carolyn with her glasses.

More photos of the sewing projects

Kayla needed a formal gown for a banquet at Verity so Allison made that one first. Once the pattern is made from your measurements, the bodice is sewn together. Then you can be really creative and make whatever kind of sleeves you want to have. Kayla wanted a little jacket, so her gown has tank straps, sleeveless.

This jacket is from a store-bought pattern. Here are photos of Kayla at the banquet. See the previous post of photos of how Allison made sleeves for her own dress. It's really very easy. At least, Allison makes it look easy. I've learned to let her do her own thing when it comes to sewing because she has surpassed me in skill.

This is Kayla with one of her roommates right before going downstairs for the banquet. She's gotten very close to this young lady, a sweet, godly girl from Kansas.

Kayla and another one of her friends.


A group of girls in the same graduating class with Kayla.