Christmased and De-Christmased

Howdy.  I sure hope you all had a happy Christmas.  Ours was everything merry.

Like most parents with a one year old who has everything he needs, we didn’t have a real extravagant Christmas.  Fred got a wagon {which my aunt and uncle graciously gave us---it had been collecting dust in their garage, but looked good as new!}, a play table, and few play clothes.  The boy was thrilled!

We spent Christmas Eve in Birmingham with my mom’s side of the family.  We have a little tradition that wherever we are on the eve of Christmas, we go to the Mall for a last minute whirl.  Call us crazy, but it was way too much fun for words. 

The day after Christmas, we had Sunday lunch with my dad’s side.  Again, loads of laughter was had by all.  In case you noticed in the picture collage, I fixed a cranberry casserole for our lunch contribution.  If you’re a cranberry kind of person, you gotta try it.

Yesterday, we de-Christmased the house and did some new year cleanin’.  It felt so, so good.  My motto about when to take down Christmas decorations: when it’s over, it’s over.  Bah humbug, right? =)

And here’s a little idea of what to do with this year’s Christmas cards, especially if you have a child who likes to look at faces:

You can find these cheap 4x6 photo books at Target.

It keeps Sam entertained for at least two minutes.  And, hopefully, it’ll help us remember to pray for our friends and family as we show Sam each page.

Hope you ALL had a wonderful season!  It’s almost 2011.  Where’d the year go?!

Hiatus

Sorry for the blog hiatus.  Some weeks I have the time to post everyday.  Other weeks, not so much.  Here’s what I’ve been up to, in collage form:

In other news, Santa dropped off an early Christmas present Tuesday evening.  I was super surprised, and, honestly, can’t even remember when I told him I would like to have one of these.  He’s so thoughtful!

I think right after Scott and I got married, I expressed my love of old church pews.  Being the sweet, attentive husband he is, he found this antique pew on Craig’s List from a guy in Columbus, GA.  I think I was more impressed that he even remembered I liked them than him actually buying it!  It’s beautiful and old and has lots of personality.  I love it!

Can you believe Christmas is in 2.5 weeks?!  I’ve still got lots to do.  And a birthday party to prepare for! 

Holla!

Fireside Coffee

I’ve got a recipe that’ll make ya sing “Fa la la la la” at the top of your lungs.  It’s a cup of pure bliss.

If hot chocolate and coffee were to get married and have a baby, Fireside Coffee is what they’d produce.  And maybe their two dogs would be called Cinnamon and Nutmeg. 

Here’s the line up:

• 1 cup instant coffee (not to be confused with real ground coffee)
• 2 cups Swiss Miss cocoa (you can find this in a larger container, but emptying packets works too)
• 2 cups Cremora (For all my Publix sisters out there, Cremora is a Walmart thing.  Sorry.)  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1.5 cups sugar (forgot to put him in the picture, sorry!)

Mix, and keep airtight.  Use 3-4 heaping tablespoons per coffee cup and fill with hot water.  Stir and enjoy!

For the past three years, we’ve given batches of this to our friends as a Christmas gift.  I think it’s becoming a tradition. 

  

Merry, Merry!

Caffco

I have a secret.  Actually, it may not be a secret to some, but it was to me until three years ago.    

There’s a little place called Caffco that I visit about three or four times a year, especially during the Christmas season.  It’s tucked away on Highway 231, behind Southern Homes and Gardens.  “Year-round indoor yardsale” is the description that comes to mind when attempting to explain this little gem.  You need wall decor?  Caffco’s got it.  Christmas ribbon?  Tons.  Cellophane bags for wrapping?  All sizes.  Easter, fall, and Fourth of July paraphernalia?  You bet.

It’s the coolest.  And the best part is that it’s cheap.

See these stars on my mantle?  Caffco.  I love them.  And I loved them even more when I saw the $5.00 price tag.

   I’ve been eyeing this guy since October.  Don’t you think he’d be so cute in a bookshelf?  Maybe with a plaid Christmas ribbon tied around his neck? 

Don’t be fooled, though.  They’ve got non-Christmasy things, as well. 

This is how Sam feels after a trip to Caffco. 

If you decide to take a whirl yourself, you won’t be disappointed.  Tell ‘em Emily sent you.

Just kidding.  Please don’t.  They’ll ask you who Emily is. 

 

Here’s driving directions, for those interested:

1. Take Highway 231 towards Wetumpka.

2. After passing Southern Homes and Gardens on your left, look for an iron gate (shown above).  The iron gate will be immediately after the entrance into SHG.

3. Take a left into the gates, and follow the road all the way down.  You will eventually come to Caffco on your right.

Christmas Tunes

We Dudleys are Christmas tune-aholics.  I tried ever so desperately to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to whip out my Bing Crosby holiday playlist but gave in after giving it a second thought.  Resisting putting up the tree before Thanksgiving was hard, too, but we Scott somehow managed to fight that temptation.  :)

Here’s a few of our most favorite Christmas albums:

-Red Mountain Church’s Silent Night

-Ella Fitzgerald’s A Swinging Christmas

-Ben Rector’s Jingles and Bells

-Frank Sinatra’s The Christmas Collection

-Indelible Grace’s Your King Has Come

-Barlow Girls’ Home for Christmas

…just to name a few.

Happy December 1st!

At Last

I finally finished our Advent calendar last night.  And somewhere in our house I could’ve sworn I heard the Hallelujah Chorus as I sewed the last stitch.  At one point, I stopped and checked Pottery Barn Kids to see how much theirs cost---and then quickly decided I’d just fight my flesh and press on.

I won’t be quitting my day job to become an Advent calendar maker.  Don’t worry.   

But, seriously, the five or six naptimes it took me to complete it was well worth the time.  I’m proud of the finished product and hope it will serve its purpose for many, many years to come.  Can you sense the humility in my heart? ;)

   

In case you’re thinking about cranking one out tonight, here’s a brief tutorial:

• First, find different colored and patterned fabric.  Scraps work great since you’re going to be cutting them into small squares.
• Hem 25 (or 24, if you’re stopping with Christmas Eve) squares so that they’re big enough to be used as “pockets” for holding a message inside.  I hemmed mine big enough to hold a 3x5 index card.
• In whatever order you’d like your fabric squares, monogram the 25 numbers on each one.  I went with light blue so that it would show up on even the darker fabrics. 
• For the base, I used cheap burlap and basically made a pillow case.  I didn’t add a top stitch, but it would give the burlap a nice finishing touch, if you did.
• Place the numbered squares in order on the burlap, and pin down the squares.  I did five squares per row.
• Sew each square to the burlap, leaving an opening at the top of each square so that it’s a pocket.
• Fill each pocket with scripture readings, activities, candy, etc.  Since it’s just me and Scott participating in Advent this year, we’re planning on following a scripture reading plan and reading excerpts from a book called Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (Google books, score!).       

Be back soon with a recipe!

You may cringe…

because I’m about to ramble about Christmas gifts.  I know, I know---it’s 80 degrees outside, and most of us still have pumpkins outside our front doors.  But working on a budget requires thinking these things through and preparing for the months ahead, you know what I’m $aying?

After some website-hopping last night, the idea of making homemade gifts this year isn’t sounding so bad.  Here’s a few handmade gift ideas that are being contemplated:

Coasters from lifeingraceblog.com

Dish mat from Darby

Trivet made with a 6x6 tile (that’s my idea)

Tote bag from Sew, Mama, Sew! 

Do any of you make your own Christmas gifts for family and friends?  Ideas? 

In my imaginary Beaver Cleaver world, daydreams of Dudley children making each other Christmas gifts puts a grin on this Momma’s face.  I’m sure it’s not quite as flowery as I’ve imagined it to be, but it sure would be fun, I think. 

On a not-so-unrelated note, the Husband and I are thinking about celebrating Advent this year.  It starts four Sundays before Christmas, which is November 28th this year.  Honestly, I wasn’t even 100 percent sure I understood what Advent even was until this past week! 

In a nutshell, the word Advent means coming, so for four weeks, we remember and anticipate the coming of Christ.  Prior to Jesus’ birth, God’s people longed and waited thousands of years for this salvation, this Baby.  So, basically, Advent is like a re-enactment of that longing and anticipation.  Of course, being on this side of Jesus’ birth, there is no waiting.  Salvation has come.  Praise the Lord! But, because Christmas is a season with many distractions, hopefully Advent will help this easily consumed family become more worshipful and meditative as we approach Christmas day.

I guess every family is different in how they go about celebrating Advent.  If you’ve got any ideas or suggestions, I’ll take ‘em.   

This Advent calendar is from Sew, Mama, Sew! and I think I’d like to try to make one myself???  If you happen to be a professional fabric calendar maker, I’d love any advice you have to offer, too.

It’s almost Friday, friends.  Can I get a “whoop whoop?”