Merry Christmas and What to Wear Where Update

Were you wondering how those family pictures turned out?  This is the best one and I love it!  As for the rest?  Well, they showed how crazy life can be with two little boys.  I'm glad I changed up the boys outfits to include a bit of red.

I'm not sure if I will post again before 1/1/13, so please join me that day and link up for What to Wear Where- Outfits for a fresh start.  I plan to post some of my wardrobe plans for the year and an outfit that always works for me.

I hope you all have a very happy Christmas celebrating with family and friends!

 

What to Wear Where- Christmas Eve

Don't let me scare you, but there is only one week until Christmas!

We have been enjoying our many Christmas traditions over the past month-putting up decorations, driving around to look at Christmas lights, watching movies and the daily hunt to find "elf."

And though our church is small by current standards, we enjoy many Christmas traditions together- a cookie swap, craft night for the kids, Advent devotionals written by members, Christmas music worship and finally a Christmas Eve service.

Christmas Eve by forever29blog featuring old navy

Old Navy / Chinese Laundry high heel shoes / Shine shoes / Xhilaration® Junior's Pajama Set - White

Nate is already beginning to grasp the true meaning of Christmas and attending church on Christmas Eve is one way we can reinforce why our family celebrates Christmas.

And after the service we will come home and change into our new Christmas pajamas!  The boys will hopefully go to bed easily and mommy & daddy elf will get to work!

I hope you will link up your Christmas Eve outfit (even if it is pajamas!) and share one of your family's holiday traditions. 

I wish you all a very happy Christmas and W2WW will be back on 1/1/13!  Bring your outfits for a fresh start and a new year!




 

When You Can't Fix It

In the wake of the Newtown tragedy and similar scenarios that have no clear cut solution I often feel frustrated. The frustration of having to acknowledge that such evil resides in this world is overwhelming, but ultimately the most frustrating fact is that what's done is done.  Too many lives lost and innocence stolen from so many more.

And so what can I do?  There's nothing I can donate; nothing that can rebuild that community.  

I recently read that there is one thing that individuals affected by any type of tragedy say others can do to help them.   

You can be grateful for what you have.

I can be grateful for what I have.

I can be grateful that my children are safe and healthy.
I can be grateful that I have a home and a car and countless things that I don't even need.
I can be grateful that I have wonderful relationships.
I can be grateful for each new day.

I had already purchased this journal for me

and one of these planners for each of the boys

Prior to Friday's events I had already made it a goal for next year to start journaling.  To daily list things I am grateful for and to jot down notes to the boys in their own books.  Notes about adorable things they did and fun times we had together.  And because I'm honest I'm sure a few frustrating mom moments will find their way in there too.

I pray that these books will be for them when I am gone, but I realize far too often it is the other way around. 

Motherhood Lately.

Tis the season...to be overwhelmed, right?

I know a whole week off of blogging may not seem like much to the five of you that are reading, but for me it's when it starts to feel like a little piece of me is missing.  And then of course I'm not really even sure what I want to write. 

Reading When Did I Get Like This? (What's that? Reading? Gasp, I know...getting a head start on one of my 2013 goals.) has been consuming most of my free time.  Then I read this article this morning about the sense of purpose related to blogging.  It really helped me see that I should just run with my ideas.  Those When Did I Get Like This ideas I scribble down while Nate is eating breakfast and then type out as he has "rest time" ever so loudly above my head now. 

So today my purpose is to keep it real and share a few of the snipits of my life that has been keeping me so very busy.  

Motherhood lately is

-wrapping a book for the class book exchange at 7am on the basement floor in your bathrobe because you don't want to be the mom that forgets to send in by the day it is due.

-attempting a "crafty" Christmas activity only to put two frosting covered boys in the bathtub 10 minutes later.

-waking up at 3:30am in a panic because you remember that the elf (yes, that one) is in Nate's room and I had to figure out how to get it out.

-trying to forget that next week my baby boy turns two.

-being baffled that I am having full-on conversations with that same baby boy.  His favorite thing is to inform me that "It's broken.  Needs batteries." every time something is not working.

-Nate refusing to wear the cute appliqued Christmas shirt I got him because the first time I asked I acted sad when he said no and now he thinks it's funny.

-successfully hiding that the reason we went to church on Sunday night was for Mommy to swap cookies.  AND I smuggled cookies back in the house without detection.

-being asked "Why you keep fighting with me?" on a particular afternoon when some correction was much needed.

-giving in to a Christmas request for Pop the Pig- a disgusting game which I hope is quickly forgotten after it arrives.

-deciding how to wean the boys off "chocolate bunny," possibly the worst impulse purchase to date.  It's crack I tell you! 

-putting an inflatable Christmas monkey and bear in your front yard because the boys adore them.

 

What to Wear Where- Christmas Parties!

We are barely into December and the holiday party season is already in full swing!

I don't have any dressy parties on my calendar this year, but I couldn't resist putting this look together with some new finds.  This is a good example of using accessories to transform an old, standby outfit.

The black and gold combo is a departure from my typical colorful choices, but I did feel very sophisticated.

And these accessories did not break the bank- necklace, belt and gold dot tights were less than $40 total.

Dress- Calvin Klein via TJ Maxx, old (similar)/Necklace- Forever 21 (I like this one too)/Belt- Stein Mart (glittery belt!)/Tights-Merona (exact)/Heels- Nine West, old (updated version)/Bag- Deux Lux via TJ Maxx (I can dream about this one...)

Time to link up and show off what you're going to wear to one of your holiday celebrations!  Snap some pictures or make a Polyvore board...and remember I'll pin one of your fabulously styled pics to the What to Wear Where Pinterest board!

I'd love to have you (and more of y'all) link up on 12/18 with your Christmas Eve look (even if it's pajamas!) and hope you will share a bit about one of your family's holiday traditions.

 

Rewinding to Craftier Times

I haven't had the crafting bug lately, but I know many of y'all are new to my little corner of the internet so I thought I would re-share two of my favorite holiday crafts!

Salt Dough Ornaments

I made these ornaments for Cole's polar bear first birthday party last year.  They were soooo easy and you can make them in any theme and get much more artistic with your painting if it suits you!  Get all of the details here!

Peppermint Bath Salts

These easy-to-make bath salts are an excellent hostess gift. Hang onto this recipe as it can be adapted with any scented oil for other occasions.  Y'all can find the directions here.

And as for my crafting, I think I'll stick to cookies for this year!