The REAL Santa

I had wanted to do a lot of the activity and cooking ideas from THIS GREAT SITE FOR SAINT NICHOLAS this year, but I was lucky enough to order some items and find new slippers! Next year.... Angelica LOVED discussing all about Saint Nicholas and has been calling him the REAL Santa ever since. That morning at mass she even included him in our after church prayers! She was so excited to go down for her nap so Saint Nicholas could come and find her slippers....we didn't do first thing in the morning this time as we get up really early to make 815 mass. Last year I started including a new Christmas book in their goodies so we can slowly build our collection.....and a holy card...and the goodies of course, but this year started the tradition of new slippers!! They were very excited and of course wanted to start eating the candy right away! Hope you were good and that Saint Nick brought you coins instead of coal!!!

Michaela's Treasures

Emma's Treasures
Angelica's Treasures

Tree Find 2009

Last Saturday we decided to brave the VERY cold and windy weather and head to Hubert's for our annual and now traditional tree hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. We bundled up the girlies and started our search...we actually ended up with the first tree we saw. So far we have stuck with the Douglas Firs, but interested in maybe trying a Noble one year. The girls had a blast, especially Emma who loved hiding behind all the trees..and Michaela who was all nice and cozy nestled inside the Moby. There were so many good pics I put most of them in the slide show but posted our favorites. Took a few video clips too....the last one makes me laugh when Angel asks to go to the house where we drink! She was referring to the farm's fun Cider House where you can go warm up afterwards and have some delicious and hot cider!! Angelica LOVED it!! So glad I have continued this tradition with our family...so special to be doing the same thing with them that I did when I was a kid!

Rags to Curls

Last night we put the girls hair in rags. They had fun having a tea party and drinking hot apple cider...so cute. Then they enjoyed playing with a nativity scene that Marmee gave them that had been Alli's years ago. This morning their hair was BOUNTIFUL curls...and oh so pretty!!

Holiday Treats

My little Baker Elf has been helping me FINALLY make some of our favorite holiday goodies, plus some new ones. With all these snow storms, we have been home bound and happy cooking! So here are some of the ones we have made (click on pics for recipes) and hopefully a few more to come!! PLEASE feel free to leave a comment with any of your favorites as I am always up for adding to our list and trying something new and yummy!! Hope your holiday baking and goody making is coming along as well!!

Recipes below (click on pic)

Christmas Pretzels
Holly Cookies

Chocolate Mint Sticks

Puff Balls

Peanut Krispies

Peppermint Bark

More Nativity Fun

I ordered this magnetic Nativity Set and reversible board and Angel is really enjoying it...helps make more real the story of the birth of Jesus. Think I might have to get the Easter ones too!

And THESE just arrived and I am eager to make our own gingerbread nativity.

More Advent Fun...

...and learning how to use finger puppets...a work in progress. (Funny - last year my hubby kept telling Angel to bring him the lion....um, I don't think lions were present at Christ's birth...and more importantly I think Joseph would be offended, although at first glance...the beard does look like a fuzzy mane!!)

Happy Saint Nicholas Day

Patron Saint of Children

God, we pray that through theintercessions of St. Nicholas

you will guide and protect our children.

Keep them safe from all harm and help them grow to become

loving disciples of Jesus in your sight.

Give them strength to always mature into deeper faith in you,

and to keep alive joy in your creation.

Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!! We have been trying to figure out how we want to celebrate this special day in our family. We have some time to keep adding some traditions as the girls are still young to do and participate in a lot of the ideas I have. But, we have decided that along with the nuts and clementines and chocolate gold coins that will appear in the shoes....we are going to a holy card, book either on Saint Nicholas himself or other religious story, and a religious ornament that they can add to their collection each year and take with them when they leave home. Angel was very excited last night as we read about Saint Nicholas and how he took care and loved the children and gave them treats. So many stories and legends about truly this unknown Saint compared to others. I found THIS SITE a lot of fun to find fun ideas to celebrate the day and a lot about Saint Nicholas. Hoping to get some cookie cutters for next year and come up with a Saint Nick breakfast!! Any fun ideas you do for today??