Not-So-Frosty The Snowman

Even though the thermometer says 70°F, the calendar still reads Decemeber. It's already the 10th...that's just 13 days until my family arrives...2 weeks until Christmas eve...15 days until Christmas...you get the picture! Usually I would be scrambling to come up with gift ideas about this time, but not this year. I'm done!

So this is what it feels like when you don't procrastinate until the very last day. It feels good-and a little unnerving. I can't help but think maybe I need to do a little more shopping or at least some window browsing... Nah, I'll just tackle some more activities on my 25 Days of Christmas list! (The check marks below are me marking them off of my list!)

Last week we put up the Christmas tree. ✓ There's nothing like the smell of a fresh pine tree 6 ft. artificial evergreen tree in your living room office.

Decorating the tree

Grace loves looking at the tree at night when we turn on the lights. She also loves stealing ornaments.

I finished addressing all of the Christmas cards and sent those out with the snail mail carrier. ✓ One may be headed your way!

Enjoy some Elton Christmas tunes here

We had a pretty rockin' dance party to Elton John's Christmas Party cd on Thursday morning. ✓

I also made the house smell like Christmas with some delicious Honey Pear Cider and Apple Press Scentsy scents ✓ and wrapped some Christmas gifts. ✓ 

All this checking makes me quite happy!!! ✓✓✓

Cole absolutely loves it when I get crafty (false, he does not), so I made some Christmas decorations ✓ and decorated 3 new ornaments for the tree! ✓ They were all super easy, but I'll share the melted snowman ornament. (As usual, it was inspired by Pinterest!) Any snowmen in our area would definitely melt...there is no snow in sight!

 

How To Make a Melted Snowman Ornament

Supplies:

Clear glass or plastic bulb
Ribbon
Salt
Funnel

Black puff balls
Orange paper

Red felt
Small sticks of twigs
Glue

1. Using a funnel, fill the bulb about 1/4 of the full with salt.
2. Toss in the black puff balls. (These represent the coals that make up the snowman's eyes and mouth.)
3. Cut out a small piece of orange paper and roll it up to look like a carrot. Toss that in the bulb.
4. Cut out a small strip of felt and cut fringe on either in to represent the snowman's scarf. 
5. Break off two pieces of twigs and toss those in the bulb. (These are the snowman's arms).
6. Put the lid of the bulb back on and tie a piece of ribbon to the top. Ta-dah! Super cute and easy!

Not-So-Frosty the Snowman hanging on the tree

I also had an amazing opportunity to collaborate with my fellow Stroller Stride mamas and adopt 3 in-need military families. Together we shopped for toys and clothes for 8 kids who may not have otherwise received any gifts for Christmas. Being able to help out and witness the generosity of others is always a humbling experience.  ✓

Finally, we read a Christmas story. ✓ Grace is actually starting to like books. Well, she may not really like them, but at least she'll let me turn the pages now!

Reading Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, a cool recordable storybook we got at the Fort Bragg 5K this weekend!

I'm loving the holiday season this year! I hope you are too! Wishing you a silent night!