We sat at the table late this morning and started cutting out paper snowflakes. As I helped Caleb with his, I was overcome with fatigue. I haven’t been sleeping well at all and I wake up numerous times in the night. Every night. The nauseousness of this pregnancy is getting better every day, but I get so sleepy at times. However, I somehow powered through the sleepy feelings and had fun making snowflakes. I even glittered Caleb’s nose.
We listened to Christmas music as we worked. We used the snowflakes to decorate our window by the kitchen table.
I had the children do their glittering over cake pans so we could save the extra.
We had pretty candles lit. One of them smells like vanilla sugar cookies.
Ethan found our window wreath and we hung that up with a red ribbon.
Every day we tear off a chain from the paper chain that the older children made. This is something that we do every year, and I remember doing it as a child, too. At first the chain seems so long, you think Christmas day will never come, but it does……….
I took out my collection of Christmas magazines and children’s books so we could read them.
Here are a few pictures that inspired me from past issues of Country Living magazine.
The first one is of a tree with dried fruit, strung cranberries, and popcorn garland, but I also love the table next to it, with the glass containers filled with silver ball ornaments and the beautiful lace tablecloth.
I want to make these with the children this year, I just need to find whole cloves.
Grace glittered a pinecone, which is something else that we do yearly. It’s fun to put our nature collection to good use.
She hung it up with a white ribbon and a blue bead.
Our handsome little baby boy turned 10 months old today. 10 months. This baby has grown faster than any of the others. He really has.
He makes me so very happy. This morning, when I went upstairs to get him out of his crib, I was filled with contentment….it just feels so right to have a little body to scoop up so easily, and snuggle. We went right down to say good morning to Papa, and Seth was all smiles.
He’s still a little baby, even though he’s doing so many active things nowadays.
Did I tell you, he crawls up the stairs now? And he tries drawing with a pencil or crayon, too. He wants to do everything we do. Today, I put him on my lap as I was playing the piano, and he copied me by playing some notes, and then touching the pages of the hymnbook in front of us (“turning the pages just like mama does”).
I had Jacob feed Seth his lunch today, as I dozed on the couch. He did a good job giving him his macaroni and beef baby food. It was really saucy so I made sure he got a bib on him. I had to laugh later on, after he was fed, when I noticed the (formerly WHITE) sleeves on both his arms were filthy with baby food. So much for keeping him clean with a bib!
Jacob takes such good care of Seth. Sometimes Seth prefers to go to Jacob when he cries, rather than me or Rich.
Seth’s little foot, in my hand;
10 months old and drinking a bottle, now. Serious business by the looks of it. I always hold him when he drinks it, it’s still our snuggling time…..but, I wanted to get his picture today and had him hold his own bottle for a minute. He was asleep in my arms by the time he emptied it.
I hope you are all having a wonderful day!
Good to be Home 
I always love seeing glimpses of your beautiful little family. 🙂 Thank you for sharing them with us!
His eyes are gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Caleb is getting so big….like a little man with his curls and baby brother under his arm. My Caleb is now 12 years old!!!!! Where did the time go???
What a cozy picture into your day! You have glitter on your table too!! We just got done making the popcorn balls. They were so sticky but I had the boys butter their hands first to ease some of the stickiness. It worked pretty well.
Great snowflakes! I want to have mine decorate pinecones too, hopefully this weekend!Wonderful pictures, of course
what fun! I love the holiday decor you are putting up; the homemade things are wonderful, and what fond memories you are making with your precious children as you do this together! I have to ask….are the dishes in the picture on your header your collection? if so (and even if not!) they look BEAUTIFUL! so festive! as always, a delight to visit your site! lovely week to you!~R
As I read your post today it brought back such happy and special memories of my childhood. My mom was so good about making simple things around the holidays so special. I enjoyed spending some moments in your home this afternoon.
We made snowflakes today too!
Awesome crafts! Keep it up! I love you Shan.
The sparkles are a wonderful addition to the snowflakes. I will keep this in mind for when the kids are older. I can almost smell the oranges and cloves…ahhhhhhhh, smells good to my somewhat naseated stomach. /wink
I love the decorating ideas!
I love the glitter and snowflakes, two of my favorite things. Your decorations are always lovely. I hope you’re doing well, much love to you. ❤
Seth is getting so big! I just love watching other’s babies grow! You are blessed Shanda ~ BLESSED!
What great ideas and fabulous pictures~ Love the one with Seth in his blankie and with his bottle~ ~Cinnamon
A wonderful festive time, even if you were so sleepy. I like all the same things…Country Living, snowflakes, pinecones,oranges and cloves, cranberry garland…kids, babies! I loved this post! I collect holiday books and magazines too. They seem so special when you pull them out!
I love all ages, but I really love 6 months to a year so much! These are precious pictures! and times together. I suppose you will get realy snow flakes soon? I don’t suppose we will! 🙂 but who knows, it’s going down to 20 this weekend…blessingsAlyssa
Wow! What great memories being made; together decorating for the holidays! Love the paper chain count down idea.Blessings
I’m so happy. I come to your sight and seeing your family makes my heart smile. I can’t believe my favorite baby (Caleb) is now a big boy! Big enough to hold baby Seth…and such luminous blue eyes little Seth has, and how tenderly Jacob holds him. Dear God, bless and protect this precious family!
You are so creative!
They do grow up way too fast…my younger siblings are proof of that…it seems like all of a sudden they are in college, out of college, one is married…I want to hang on to them as little kids, but I am confident that they can make their own way in the world…(wow, I sound like I am their mom, and not their sister, but I love them so very much)seeing Seth with those beautiful baby blue eyes reminds me of my baby brothers eyes…my baby brother Curtis has the best blue eyes, and he is still my baby brother, even though he is almost 23 (turns 23 on the 9th of January)
Thank you for posting these things even when you are tired and feeling unwell.
Sighs of contentment and whispers of yesterday reminding me that God has given me and thee a good life. GRACE! We have soooo many pine cones on our yard. I am going to do this with my grandson. I think he will love it. So, popcorn balls and glittery pine cones. I am inspired! Thank you darling. Always, m
Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures of the cloved oranges!!! I knew there was SOMETHING that I wanted to do this year- and that was it!! 🙂 I have gobs of glitter to use on pinecones too! 🙂
Looks like a wonderful time making all the snowflakes & pinecones to. Seth is getting so big! He is adorable.
When life seems sad and overwhelming, I look at your blog and I’m happy, if even for just a moment. Thank you for sharing.
Just think! You are going to be enjoying another baby when Set is ready to get down off your lap!
@weedorwildflower – That was a really sweet thing to write, thank you. You are special!
I love the idea of the cloves and oranges…I’m going to have to try that out with the kids when I go babysitting 🙂