The Perfect Christmas Card

I saw a really cute Christmas card idea on Pintrest.  The only problem I had was, how was I going to recreate this?  My fancy camera is not working, I didn't really want to pay to take the kids somewhere, but I wanted an awesome card.  I stumbled across this really cool app.  Krome Retouch (second row, second app)

 

The app is really simple.  You take a picture that you like, you send it to the professional editors at Krome, you tell them what you want changed, and they send it back to you edited with in 24 hours.

 

This was the idea I had gotten from pintrest.  Super cute, right?  And totally fits my oldest sons personality.  I sent this in to Krome and said that I wanted the color fixed and it to look like they were in an Elf toy shop, or some kind of Christmas back ground.

 

I was very impressed and happy with the final picture.  Krome charges $8.99 per edit, which is much cheaper than a professional photo and they offer a free "preview" when you install the app.  Once you get the preview, they give you credit for certain things you do.  You get so much credit for sharing on facebook, twitter, etc.  I think it was a max of $6.00 so this ended up costing me $3.00, and yes I would use it again on a picture that I wanted edited.  They can do so many cool things.  Check them out CLICK HERE.

This is our final Christmas card picture.  I added "Slient Night" and I sent it off to shutterfly.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas.

**Krome emailed and asked if they could use our picture on their web site, but as of yet has not.  This was not a paid advertisement, I just love the service and wanted to pass on the information

Foster Puppies

 

My husband has been unemployed since October 11th.  We are very giving people and its a new experience for us to be on the receiving end.  We have been overwhelmed with the kindness of others through out this time in our lives.

 

Two Sundays ago, in our church bulletin there was a challenge to do something clearly unselfish.  I was trying to think of something we could do as a family.  When I got home that day and got on facebook there was a request from Dakota rescue.  A mommy dog had quit nursing her babies (she had 10) and they needed help!  We offered to take two.

 

I packed the kids up and we went to get them.  The kids understood it would just be for two weeks, that we were caring for them because their mother could not.  The larger one we called Buster, the smaller one we called Scratchy.

 



 

They were so adorable.  We feed them, and loved them and played with them.  The boys helped as much as they could.  They helped with bottle feeding and changing the newspapers & when they got baths they helped dry them.

 

 

 

Opie was checking in on them.

 

 

 

Our baby was not too sure about the puppies.  He would clap at them, but kind of wanted them to stay at arms length away.  (this is buster & the baby)

 

Two cuties!

 

 

 

Then it was time to say good bye.  They played with the puppies all day.  Then we went up to pet-co to have them put up for adoption.  Noah cried first, then when the other puppies came, Eli cried.

 

But we were so happy to hear that Buster was adopted and it will just be a matter of time before scratchy is adopted too.  The boys were so happy to hear that!

 

Buster with his new owner!!!  I'm sure he will love him as much as we did

 

Elf on the Shelf

Last year was the first year I had heard about the Elf on the Shelf, or maybe it was the first year that I paid attention to it.  I purchased our elf about half way through the Christmas season and we had a lot of fun with him.   He has:

1 - Short sheeted the kids beds

2- hung from the ceiling fan

3 - Dyed the toilet water green

4 - Sat on top of a little Christmas tree

5 - Sat on top of a Reindeer

6 - Sat on the stair banister

7- Sat in a Christmas flower arrangement

8 - Hung out at the top of the big Christmas tree

9 - Chilled out by the cookie jar in the kitchen

10- Made a snow angle in the flour

11- Elf played cards with santa

12. Elf painted the kids nose red

So this Christmas I will have to think of more fun elf ideas - and not to mention towards the end of the holiday my sister and I started a "friendly" elf competition.  To say we are competitive at stuff like this would be an understatement.  Here are a a few of the things she did with her elf:

1 - Elf hung from paper chains in bathroom

2. Elf wrapped Christmas tree with TP

This Christmas I am going way over the top.  She wont beat me.

Why we said "No" to Santa

 

With the Holidays approaching we get asked quite often why we decided not to do Santa.  I'm starting to feel like I have a third eye, I am often explaining our decisions and why we have chosen to do things a bit differently.  The reason was two fold for us, and actually very simple.

 

  First and foremost, my husband works very hard to support us, and we appreciate it very much.  Therefore I wanted the kids to know that gifts came from us, they were worked for - not free and that nothing magically shows up in your house.  They know we have a limit, they can ask for things, but real people that they actually know, purchase their gifts.

The second part of the reason is I did not want to lie to my children.  Santa is not real, hes not.  He does not come down the chimney, and he does not bring you gifts.  The reason we celebrate Christmas is for Jesus.  To celebrate his birth and that is where we chose to put our focus.  Now, that being said, we allow them to pretend.  We gave them the facts, Santa is not real, but we allow them to see Santa if they want to (so far they have not), we do Elf on the shelf (they know its me), this does not take away from the magic of pretending & imagination.

 

FAQ's

 

What if they tell other children?

Yes this will happen & has happened.  Its going to happen anyway, someone told you.  Not to mention, Jehovah Witnesses, and some other eastern religions do not do Santa.  Point - my kids and yours if you choose not to do Santa will not be the only ones to "ruin" it for people.

 

Don't you think they are missing out on fun?

  No not at all.  We do all the "fun" they just know the truth behind the fun.  Its me and daddy.

For the love of Pintrest

I have had so much fun finding and doing crafts on pintrest.  If you are not familiar with pintrest, its an online virtual pin board.  Its similar to finding things you like in a magazine, but you are able to organize them in to categories and come back later to find them.  Here are a few things we did over Christmas:

Made Santa Hats & Beards

Decorated our doors (idea found on pintrest http://www.ironcountymcf.com/doorcontest.html)

Sorted  (pintrest idea http://toddlerapproved.blogspot.com/2010/12/m-wreath.html)

Worked on letters with play-dou http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/PreschoolPacks.html

 Played with Insta Snow (http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=3159&keyword=insta%20snow&scategoryid=0&CategorySearch=&Brand=&Price=)

We have had such a fun Christmas!  And now there are only 5 days left!!!!!  The excitement is killing me :)

CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!!

My kids love Christmas, and they LOVE their school Christmas parties.  A few years back Noah and I were waiting for his teacher to arrive to school & he was telling me all about how the day was going to go down

Noah - Mom today there are three rules (holds up finger)

Rule #1 - No nap today

Rule #2 - We party all day

Rule # 3 - We play all day

Me - Really? Why dont you run that by your teacher

Noah - (sheepishly) Do we have to nap today?

Teacher - Yes noah, but you will be exauseted by nap time

Noah - WHOS READY TO PARTY?!!

Wishing you a great party day

Other Post you may like:

30th birthday Party

Baby Shower

Science Party

        


Merry Christmas

Last December we were walking in the Mall and this man started talking to my boys
man - What do you think Santa is going to bring you for Christmas?
Eli - Nothing, we haven't been very good this year
Man - Laughter