Christmas at the New Cottage
The holidays this year have left me spinning. It has been a whirlwind of activity. I felt like I might lose my balance at times, carrying a heavy heart for those lost between shootings here in Oregon and in Connecticut, juxtaposed with my happy and boisterous children, excited for Santa to come.
Despite battling pneumonia and bronchitis and literally splitting my gut (coughed so hard I had a hernia that sent me to the ER and ended up having surgery to repair it in early December) I managed to accomplish many of the goals I had set out for myself to help our family enjoy our first Christmas in the new cottage.
I got those Christmas cards out and enjoyed making a little banner in which to hang those our family received in return.
It was fun to pull out the old hot glue gun and get creative.
Next on the list was setting up and running my son's 1st grade holiday classroom party. I'm not sure who is worse to manage, 1st grade kids or their parents? Getting grown ups to help out is like herding cats. In the end, the party went off without a hitch and the kids had a blast, which was the whole point.
Since I was rather, out of commission due to the surgery, I found time to complete some lingering projects. My little girl finally got that hat and scarf set I had promised her!
I baked up goodies, the kids and I then delivered to family and friends. I blared the Christmas music whenever possible to keep up the holiday spirit and the family and I celebrated our weekly 'Friday Family Movie Night' with plenty of holiday movie classics.
I think my favorite moment this year was wrapping up gifts for the kids after they had gone to bed on Christmas Eve. The hubster was thrilled I'd bought him a goofy holiday movie called Elf and we watched it while wrapping, laughing as we went.
Santa was greeted with milk and gingersnap cookies and it was time for old ma & pa to catch a short winters nap before the children awoke us at the crack of dawn.
It's has been a magnificently busy month and I've still got a New Year's Party to host!
What has been your favorite moment of the holiday season thus far?
Cheers, Jenni
Despite battling pneumonia and bronchitis and literally splitting my gut (coughed so hard I had a hernia that sent me to the ER and ended up having surgery to repair it in early December) I managed to accomplish many of the goals I had set out for myself to help our family enjoy our first Christmas in the new cottage.
I got those Christmas cards out and enjoyed making a little banner in which to hang those our family received in return.
It was fun to pull out the old hot glue gun and get creative.
Next on the list was setting up and running my son's 1st grade holiday classroom party. I'm not sure who is worse to manage, 1st grade kids or their parents? Getting grown ups to help out is like herding cats. In the end, the party went off without a hitch and the kids had a blast, which was the whole point.
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| Make a Reindeer Puppet craft project |
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| Christmas Bow Wreath craft project |
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| What holiday kid party would be complete without making snowflakes? |
I baked up goodies, the kids and I then delivered to family and friends. I blared the Christmas music whenever possible to keep up the holiday spirit and the family and I celebrated our weekly 'Friday Family Movie Night' with plenty of holiday movie classics.
I think my favorite moment this year was wrapping up gifts for the kids after they had gone to bed on Christmas Eve. The hubster was thrilled I'd bought him a goofy holiday movie called Elf and we watched it while wrapping, laughing as we went.
Santa was greeted with milk and gingersnap cookies and it was time for old ma & pa to catch a short winters nap before the children awoke us at the crack of dawn.
It's has been a magnificently busy month and I've still got a New Year's Party to host!
What has been your favorite moment of the holiday season thus far?
Cheers, Jenni
Sorry to hear you had to have some surgery during December. I hope you are feeling much better. Your daughter is a cutie and I love her hat and scarf.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful New Year's Party and a great 2013.
FlowerLady Lorraine
Happy Holidays FL! I am wishing you and yours a wonderful year ahead!
DeleteHi Jenni; Lots of sympathy for you about the "busting a gut" episode. Jane and I have been afflicted with a very severe cold, lasting about 10 days so far, and we have been coughing in unison again and again. Time to go and see a doctor,(when they re-open after the holiday) I think! Anyway, I'm glad you have had some good times too. My favourite moment was watching the grandchildren open their presents from us (Holly had to have a bit of help, being only 8 months old!). Your little girl looks so smart in her new hat - and very like you!
ReplyDeleteAfter 27 years of teaching I can say with confidence and experience the parents are much harder to handle. When I started teaching adults in many ways it was more difficult than it was children.
ReplyDeleteWe have been to and from the hospital all holiday so can empathise with you.
Jenni,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post! I'm glad the holidays went well. I like the clothespin idea. It is so green in the background. Glad the party went well. I don't know if I could handle a classroom of little kids. Give me teenagers any day of the week. Scout looks posh in her hat and scarf. Happy New Year!
That photo of your daughter with her new hat and scarf is adorable! Kudos to you for making something so beautiful (the hat and scarf as well as the daughter). My favorite holiday moment is a tie between seeing my family when we got off the airplane and watching my husbands face full of anticipation when I opened the gifts he'd so lovingly selected for me.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2013!
ReplyDeleteHello Jenni, thanks for visiting my in-suspension gardening blog with seasonal wishes. Happy New Year to you and your family! I hope it brings better health for you. I will enjoy sitting down later today and catching up with happenings with you. Just now we're about to go out for a bracing New Year walk.
ReplyDeleteFavourite moment of this season? When both my children arrived home from university - I've missed them so much now that they're both away - and it felt so good to have them with us again.
I intend to start blogging again in January, although I've kept my Occasional Scotland blog going. We need to get round to the plot and see what's been happening while we've been busy elsewhere.
Oh, poor you, that's a awful time to get sick, not that any time is good...but still.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you are feeling much better now.
Jen
Jenni, you always amaze me with all that you accomplish despite adversity. I'm glad you & your family have been enjoying this holiday season & wish you much happiness and smoother road ahead in the new year!
ReplyDelete