Christmas Surprises...

Surprise, surprise, I'm blogging!  I'm really starting to believe that I am NOT so good at keeping a blog.  How do people find the time to do everything? HELP! If you have any tips on how to juggle...life.  Let me know.  Yes it's been a while, but here I am (when I should be sleeping) BLOGGING. :)

We have a little tradition in our family to give the kids new (well new to them anyways ;)) Christmas pajamas, books, and ornaments on the night that we decorate the Christmas Tree.  We usually try and do this on December 1st.  This year it didn't happen until the 5th because the HH has had to work A LOT, and we did not want to do it without him.  

We use to give the kids there Pajamas on Christmas Eve but I hated that they didn't get to wear them through the Christmas holiday so we switched over to this way and it has worked great.  The kids love getting a few gifts early and they love wearing their jammies as much as possible. 

 Here's the cute little bunch dressed in their new PJ's with new books in hand.  As you can tell Mr. E is beyond excited about his new book. :)

Mr. C PJ's- Hand-me-downs from his cousin- FREE

Book- One of my old Chapter books-FREE

Mr. E PJ's-Hand-me-down from cousin-FREE

Book-Yard Sale-$1

Miss J PJ's-Yard Sale-.50

Book-Yard Sale- $1

Remember how I wasn't sure what to do for their Christmas ornaments this year? After MUCH thought, I decided on these "I Spy" ornaments.  My Mom had left over clear ornaments that she let me have and I used some of my scrapbooking ribbon that I already had, then went around the house finding things that were small enough to fit in and that described my kiddos. I also printed off small pictures of each of them and small pictures of certain things that they liked plus a small picture of a Nativity and put them in as well.  The kids LOVED them and have taken them off the tree more times then I can count to look at all the fun things in their special ornament.  In fact Miss J already broke hers once.  Thank goodness my Mom had a back-up one for me.  THANKS MOM!!!!

I love these kids so much!    

They make the Holidays that much more fun and their excitement is defiantly contagious.  

Can't wait for Christmas morning!!!

A Second-Hand Birthday

This little girl turned 4 and had a fabulous Birthday.

She could have cared less that all her stuff was Second-Hand.

I love that about kids!!!

Here is the goods...

Mr. C gave her a Dora book that she had wanted for-ev-er.  Found it at a yard sale for $2. :)

Even the Princess wrapping paper was from a Yard Sale. $1.

She loved it and Mr. C received a big, fat, hug.

Mister E gave her a coloring/activity book and crayons.  This girl is a coloring fool and absolutely loved this.  Who cares if it came from DI for $2 and the crayons .50.  Not her!

The HH and I gave her a Snow hat and gloves set that I actually got last year on clearance for $2.74, and this helmet purchased at DI for $1!

We also gave her this cute little scarf that I purchased before my project started form THIS  awesome Girlie!  She makes the cutest stuff ev-er! I got it for half off though $8. We also gave her this scooter that I purchased off of KSL ($10) last year for her birthday, but 3 days before her Birthday (last year) she  decided she wanted a STAGE.  yeah, that's right a STAGE to dance and sing on. :) Since her Daddy is the best, he wipped her up one in less then 24 hours using only materials we had lying around the house.  

It came complete with carpet and storage!

The cake was NOT second-hand. ;) But the candles ($1.99 for 4 packs of candles) and the Princess toppers ($1) were purchased from Savers.

Funny story:  

We've been letting Miss J ride her scooter around the house and Mr. C wanted to bring in his scooter from outside and ride it inside too.  

I told him No, because it was dirty.  He said that Miss J's scooter had dirty wheels too. I explained to him that it just looked dirty from having wear on the tires but that I cleaned it up really good before we gave it to her. so now it's clean.  

Then miss J comes scootering into the kitchen like she owns the place and says, in her sassiest voice mind you,    " Yeah, she picked this up from a Yard Sale."  

She thought she was the coolest ever because her scooter was picked up from a YARD SALE. I LOVE it! I love that she still thinks it is cool. Probably won't last into the teenage years though will it?  I guess I won't break her heart by talling her that I bought it off of KSL and not a Yard Sale. ;)