you should see this place

It’s crazy around here. Have I mentioned we are moving? In one month? During all of the holiday hustle and bustle? I knew because of our crazy travel schedule this December and the fact that we are relocating to a new city would mean I’d have to scale back on the Christmas decor, but I just could not live I tell you without a Christmas tree. So we busted out the 6 bins of Christmas {and left 2 more boxes in the garage} so that I could go through them and make sure I got to all our tree ornaments. 

Please allow me to give you an idea of what my house was like exactly one week ago. {And truth be told, not much has changed since these photos were taken.}

Now, you know when you move it allows you the perfect opportunity to go through all of your stuff {All. of. your. stuff!} and get rid of things so that you aren’t packing and hauling what you don’t want or use anymore. It just so happened that our only free Saturday in a 6 week time period was this last Saturday. SO we went into Operation Seek and Purge in overdrive while trying to also put up the tree. Ha!

I am a teacher…currently not teaching with a garage FULL of classroom stuff. And going through ALL of that stuff made me super nostalgic and downright emotional. So I spent an entire {8 hour} day last week going through classroom memories and boohoo-ing over the fact that I am not teaching right now. {Hello? Self-imposed unemployment. Move on and get over it, right? What can I say? I’m a mess.} Going through and purging your things is a lot of work! And my getting all emotional about it did not help matters around here. {Insert a thousand apologies here for that one night last week I was not very nice to my husband because of my bad mood and poor attitude and ridiculously irrational and emotional state.}

|| Isn’t he beautiful??? Oh my goodness – I love him!!! ||

There were piles like this everywhere. Ev.er.y.where! In multiple rooms. It was crazy. Needless to say, I am sooooooooo glad we had the garage sale, got rid of a bunch of stuff, and made some cash money to go towards painting our new house. {Holla!} 

We have currently replaced all of the garage sale piles with empty boxes for packing. If you would like to donate packing boxes to our move, we are accepting all offers. I am also accepting offers for prayer and spa dates. This gal needs the Lord’s wisdom, peace, and joy right now, and a little massage wouldn’t be so bad either. ;)

favorite Christmas stories

I said I would post about some of my favorite reads from this past year a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to sit down and devote any time to that. So instead, I will tell you about my favorite children's books for Christmas time. The first thing you should know is that even if I weren't a teacher, I would still love children's books and collect them. So while I don't have the pleasure of hearing the pitter patters of little feet in my house yet, I still have a basket of children's Christmas books. I probably have close to 60 kids books in my Christmas tub, but only about 10 of them make it into my Christmas book basket next to the tree.

I have spent a good amount of time in Barnes and Noble every single December for the last 7 years combing the shelves and display tables for new and old Christmas books alike. Each time I go, I collect and take stacks of books to a cafe table and read them while sipping a peppermint hot chocolate. As I read, I make two piles: "Those that Didn't Make the Cut" and "Those that I'd Like to Add to My Collection". I jot those titles down or (more recently) take a picture of them with my iPhone. Then I return December 26th with a list of books that I hope to snag for half price (usually with a gift card that I received the day before).

I am fond of so many of the books that I have collected over the years, but the stories that are dearest to me are the stories that retell the nativity of Jesus. As a little girl I was captivated by Bible stories. My favorite part of the day in Elementary school was when the teacher took out these lovely picture cards that beautifully illustrated a portion of the Bible and read to us from the back of each one. Is it any wonder then that the Christmas books I love the most are beautifully illustrated stories about my most favorite person?

Here are just four of my favorites:

1. The First Christmas by Carol Heyer

This is a gorgeous book! I cannot wait to read it to my kids one day after I have read them the account from Luke. It is a straight forward account of Jesus' nativity. The words are great, but I seriously cannot get enough of the illustrations. No frills. Simply perfect.

2. Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

This book is written by one of my favorite Children's book duos. It is one of the cutest and most endearing stories. Mortimer takes over Jesus' nativity scene each night, kicking Jesus out of the stable each time. Until one night when he overhears the family in the home talking about who Jesus is and realizes his error. 

3. Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer

Humphrey is a self-absorbed camel who complains about losing his blanket and carrying such a heavy load along this long journey that his master is forcing him to go on. His tune quickly changes the moment he lays eyes on a tiny baby in a manger.

4. This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten

I think the illustrations in this book are beautiful. This story is written in a style similar to "The House that Jack Built." I love the flow of the lyrical prose. I think this book may be one that the kids ask to hear over and over again. I have been bold enough to read it in the public school classroom and my students have always asked to hear this one again.

Happy reading and Merry Christmas Eve! 

i did not get the memo

Apparently Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol is not a children's movie.

It wasn't what I expected, but it was a good movie nonetheless. Just don't watch it with little, little ones. It airs on the scary side and it has adult themes that are very serious with A LOT of talking. Too much for young ones to care to listen to for a long period of time.

However, this movie...

 

is great for little, little ones!

For someone who doesn't have children yet, I love kids movies and books. Can being a teacher be a good enough excuse for watching Veggie Tales while wrapping Christmas presents? It was available on Netflix instant streaming and I wanted to have something festive on while I wrapped. Plus, I'm just a huge fan of the talking, Scripture quoting vegetables. What can I say...

This cartoon was ADORABLE and really funny. Plus, it gave us some history about the real Saint Nicholas that was largely based on fact. I read up on Wikipedia after I watched and I thought the writers did a pretty good job of telling as much fact as a child's attention span and understanding could absorb in 45 minutes. I also liked it for the way they explained Saint Nick's attachment to and love for Jesus as being the reason for his desire to give and to share with those in need. I give it two thumbs up. I say grab your little ones and a bowl of popcorn and cozy up on the couch with this one!