Updates and More

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Kristin

Wow I have been an absent blogger recently! I have found myself doing my best to just keep up it seems and blogging just has to take a back seat. I have been writing recently, but it hasn’t exactly been for this space. I am humbled and honored to be a part of an amazing project which I will be able to share with you very soon.

It is a God Sized Dream for sure so don’t leave just yet…I promise I will be able to share all the details, God willing, before the end of the year!

Until then I wanted to share a few things that our family has been up to!

We have been decorating!! Every morning my favorite time is waking up to the tree all lit up and spending some quiet time soaking in the beauty. I am going to miss this view when we have to take it down!

This is my favorite time of year, I so enjoy the decorations and the lights. On Saturday we are going to our hometown to do a tour of the holiday lights in a stretch hummer limo! Dominic made the arrangements and we got to invite people from both of our extended families. I am excited and it should be a fun way to start out Christmas week!

We have been to a fun Christmas program at Elijah’s school! And can I just say isn’t his shirt adorable?! His amazing teachers made them for all the kids. I am going to have to save that for sure! The kids did a great job and I was so proud of Elijah because he knew all of the words and actions!

I can’t hardly believe it but our baby and only girl is going to be 3 tomorrow! How has the time flown by so fast?!? She is our little miss independent and likes things her way. We have our work cut out for us in a few years I think! 🙂 But she is a doll and we are so lucky to have her in our family.

We are looking forward to a couple of days off over Christmas but won’t be able to take as long of a break as we had hoped. Business is crazy busy (yes a blessing even when it is stressful) and so we will likely have to get back to work sooner than expected…but we are counting our blessings and grateful we are busy and not too slow!

The Christmas Angel, an Elf-on-the-Shelf Alternative

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Kristin

This is Tinker – he was our Elf-on-the-Shelf for probably 5 years or more. I heard about this elf from another blogger and at the time Gabriel was probably 4 or 5 and just really starting to ask about Santa etc. I will admit I initially liked the idea of this “magical elf” that watched for good behavior. The first year we had Tinker, if Gabriel was being naughty, we would just say “Tinker’s watching” and immediately he would apologize and correct his behavior.

It seemed like a genius idea.

In the past 2 years I have been trying harder to keep Christmas about Christ. Teaching our kids about the true meaning and why we celebrate. Trying to take the focus off of Santa a little. Our kids do still get Santa presents, but we don’t make it this huge deal.

But the kids LOVED Tinker. They always remembered that he showed back up after Thanksgiving and couldn’t wait to see where he would hide. I talked last year about getting rid of him but wasn’t sure how….

Then this year a friend on FB had a picture of this Christmas Angel.

I asked her about it and she shared the link with me. Story Lines Inc is the company that made the doll. The angel comes on December 1st and delivers a message about the real reason for Christmas each day until Christmas Day.

I thought this might be the perfect alternative to our elf. Admittedly, I enjoy the magic the kids feel about Christmas. Their innocence and how they believe…so we decided to come up with a “plan” to have Tinker leave our family.

He showed up like he always had and for a few days he “hid” in a new spot. But on November 30th Tinker had a special letter for the kids….

Basically it said that Tinker had been called on a special assignment and that Santa wanted our kids to understand the real meaning of Christmas. That a Christmas Angel would be coming to share a special message each morning about why God loves us so much and why we celebrate Christmas.

Don’t judge please….I know it seems silly – but this is the way we felt we could best transition the angel into our family.

Our Christmas Angel has a similar “do not touch” rule. But she isn’t leaving the family each night to “report back to Santa”…rather spreading her wings and rest on a new spot with a new message each morning.

She has found several spots to “hide” so far and the kids have all loved hearing what her card reads.

Each card is short and sweet – but I love the messages they bring.

Overall we have loved the addition of the Christmas Angel to our mornings. The kids still talk about Tinker from time to time and I know they miss him…but they also have enjoyed hearing what the Angel has to say for them each day so I am glad we made the switch!!

How about you? Do you do the Elf-on-the-Shelf?? What do you think of the Christmas Angel?? What other traditions do you have in your family to keep the focus on the real meaning of Christmas??

**Update as of Nov 2014…I heard from a reader that the site link to the angel I purchased doesn’t work anymore. I am not sure if the company is producing the angel this year, if I hear more I will update this post as it has been a very popular one this year!**

Christmas with Dayspring!

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Kristin

I am a HUGE fan of Dayspring products. You will find their things scattered all throughout my home. They are timeless pieces with a beautiful message.

This lantern is sitting on my fireplace hearth. It is a part of Dayspring’s Love Came Down Collection.

Etched on the front door of the lantern is this verse: “The light will dawn in your souls and Christ the Morning Star will shine in your hearts.” II Peter 1:19

I love that!

There is something about having God’s Word written and displayed all over a home that is so appealing to me. Little reminders that He is present in ALL things.

I have a feeling that this lantern will be a permenant part of my hearth year round.

God calls us to be a light in this dark world.

The only way we can do that is by having His light within us in the first place. My prayer for each of us as we have entered the Advent season is that our hearts and minds will be filled with His peace and presence.

We can be light, we are called to be a light and because of Christ we are!

Is there something in your home that reminds you to be a light for Christ? I’d love to see them! Share a picture or a link below!

Recently Dayspring contacted me to offer me the opportunity to purchase an item from their Christmas shop at a discounted price, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Liebster Award

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Kristin

My cousin Jaimie (technically she is my cousin-in-law) 🙂 nominated me for a Liebster Award. It is a fun way to introduce smaller blogs to new people. She is so sweet and has the most adorable son Gunder. Hop on over and check her blog out when you have a moment won’t you?

So I get to have a little fun with this and then share the love!!

First 11 random things about me…(this may be tough but let’s see)

1. I am a morning person. Up at 5am and ready to start the day but by 8pm I am beat!

2. I spell the word “receive” wrong every time I type it – thank God for spell check.

3. I was the first person in 7th grade to have both glasses and braces at the same time. I embodied the “nerd” look well that year!

4. I always thought I wanted to have twins after growing up with 2 sets of twins in my neighborhood.

5. I love baking and would enjoy taking a cake decorating class some day.

6. I hated my name growing up and wished I had been named Jennifer. I don’t feel that way anymore!

7. I love shopping online and finding good deals!

8. I was sure I was going to be a physical therapist when I grew up but Organic Chem in my freshman year of college changed that for me!

9. I LOVE decorating for Christmas and wish the season lasted longer.

10. I would love to learn how to play the guitar but I am not sure the tips of my fingers could handle it!

11. I love singing….singing is my favorite! 🙂

So now Jaimie had 11 questions for me to answer!

If you could redo one thing from your past, what would it be?

Oh boy there are lots of things I might change – but the truth is every mistake I made, the consequences etc., helped me shape my faith and grow into the person I am today so I guess I have to say my past is my past for a reason! 🙂

What is your favorite book?

The Bible of course – but also anything by Angie Smith.

Where is the best place you have visited?

I don’t have a long list of places that I have travelled – but I did go to Jamaica on a mission trip in college with Karlena that was amazing!

Who do you miss?

Karlena of course. 3 years she has been gone and you don’t stop missing your best friend.

If you could change one thing about the world today, what would it be?

Poverty – especially with children

Have you ever lied about your weight?

Hmm…honestly I don’t think so??

Are you a coffee drinker?

Nope not at all – much to the dismay of my husband who would just love to sit on the porch with me and dip coffee together…although we never sit on the porch so I am not sure what he is talking about! 😉

Do you wear any clothing items that you have owned for more than ten years?

I don’t think so. My style has really changed in the past several years so I don’t think I would ever wear what I had in my closet back then! 🙂

If you could trade in your current vehicle for any other, what would it be?

I drive a mini van, which is wonderful for our family, but it doesn’t have AWD…so probably something that would have that, and fit my family, and get good gas mileage (ha!)

What would you like children to learn in school?

More about God! Heck anything about God!

Now for My 11 questions for the blogs I am nominating! 🙂

1. What is your favorite time of the day?

2. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

3. What is your biggest pet peeve?

4. Salty or sweet?

5. If you could have one wish granted what would it be?

6. What is your middle name?

7. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

8. What book are you currently reading?

9. What is the last package you received in the mail?

10. How many loads of laundry do you do in a week?

11. What is the best Christmas present you have ever received?

So the 3 blogs that I am going to “nominate” are:

Laura at Hentown Mama (A fellow dreamer and sweet friend I finally met at Allume)

Delonna at Clothed in Love (is also a dreamer with a wonderful jewelry shop and this week she has some great deals happening!!)

Mel at Barefoot Mel (a new sister and fellow dreamer, roomie at Allume and Voxer friend…while I consider Mel a “bigger” blogger…I was just excited to read her answers!! 🙂 )

So there you have it! A fun reason to get back into blogging again after a long break, it seems! Go check out my blogger friends and find someone new to follow in the process! 🙂