The Elving Has Begun!

It's almost Christmas time and that means getting to work on handmade gifts around here. 

The Elving Season has begun! 

Pints of apple butter to make.

Batches of Comfrey & Calendula 

Healing Balm grown from my very own garden.

 And sweet little sachets of stove top potpourri are all in the works around here. 

But it's not all work and no play, 

we've taken time out to enjoy all the wonderful things this time of year offers...

Like putting together puzzles from Costco 

about Costco 

while sitting on toilet paper packs from Costco.

P.S. No elves were harmed in the making of this post.

P.P.S.  No extra elves were found at Costco to help me with all of this holiday prep!

Despite Everything, 2020 Was A Good Year!

For most people, 2020 was one huge dumpster fire!  

It was riddled with anxiety, seclusion, social upheaval, and for some, sickness.  And while I'm not trying to be dismissive of those things, for me, 2020 has been a pretty good year.

The first four months of the year were a bit scary.  I'm a nurse, and seeing the pandemic work it's way here was very unsettling.  But I work for the most awesome hospital system and they held our hand and were with us every step of the way.  I never felt abandoned or on my own - even when PPE was in short supply.  My employer took care of their staff and made sure we were safe every.single.day.

By May I was able to have the corrective surgery on my foot.  It was a struggle to get to my surgery date because of COVID, but it taught me to be humble and patient.  It was truly God's hand at work that I had the surgery when I did.  My recovery was long, but not painful. By October I was back at work full force and I have not slowed down yet!

The holidays were very special to me.  It was the first time in about 30 years that I've had my little family all to myself.  We had no commitments to travel anywhere else, and I relished having all my babies at home and making the seasons magical for them.

I'm also in the best health of my life!

I've never felt better and continue to improve my diet and now my fitness (thanks to my new foot!) daily.

2020 has also definitely taught me a few things like:

Finding happiness in simple things.

Difficult times reveal the truth about people.

Freedom should never be taken for granted.

I can do hard things.

Making self care a priority, not a priviledge.

And to be thankful for EVERYTHING!

Whatever 2021 brings, I'm going to hold on to the lessons I've learned and treasure each day for what it IS, 

not for what it should be.

Merry Christmas from the Creamers!

May the spirit of Christmas, 

and the love of Christ, 

bring you and your family 

hope, love, and happiness 

throughout the new year!

The Family Christmas Book

26 years ago I was standing in a Barnes & Noble bookstore and came upon this book:

I had just had our first son, Ryan, a few months before and I knew I had to get this book to chronicle each Christmas of his life 

and of our new family.

Our very first Christmas as a family:  1994

Every year that I pull it out, I just smile as I leaf through the pages.  I remember each Christmas like it was just yesterday.  It has a place for each year's Christmas card, a small section for writing down memories of the past year, a place for pictures, and names of those you gathered with.

Doug's grandmother's last Christmas letter.

We filled up the book last year,

25 YEARS of memories, y'all!

And now we are on to Volume 2!

I just ordered a second book this week 

to continue our memory journey.  

I'm so happy the publisher still prints this book, 

because I'm sure going to have a LOT to write about 2020!

Christmas art projects by Ryan from when he was in KINDERGARDEN!

And it gives me great joy that when I'm long gone, 

my children will have this book to show their own children.  

They'll remember and laugh about the wonderful, and some times not so wonderful, 

years in this family.

I encourage you to start your own Christmas memory book.

In the blink of an eye, it will be full!

And you'll be so glad you did it.

Merriest of Days

The Christmas holidays were a joyful time for the Creamer Clan.  We indulged in food, presents, more food, and just being together. 

My only wish for the season was for all my babies to be home and join us for Christmas Mass.   And by some miracle, it happened!  I may have even gotten a little misty eyed because of it.

Mary Grace was an angel in the Mass procession (just in case you were wondering what the heck she was wearing!)

The new year rang in quietly and here we are half way through January.  I honestly don't know where the time went!

We are so thankful for God's mercy, grace, and the great blessings He has bestowed on our family.  

And we are praying for His blessings upon all of you as well!

May you have the merriest of days during this Holy Christmas season.

The Hardest Working Elf in Texas

There is one in every family.

The Keeper of the Traditions.

My second son, Kyle, is just that person.

He always makes sure that the same foods 

and treats are made each year.

He makes sure the trees and decorations are just right.

And he always makes sure that faith and family are the main focus of the season!

He's not one to delegate all these things to me, he tends to take things into his own hands this time of year!

Every year, since the time he could climb up on the roof, Kyle takes on the house lighting for Christmas.  He chooses a day, usually right before Thanksgiving, and always a day that I work.  

He single handedly strings all the lights for the house 

(even though he has four brothers to help!) so that when I come home that evening, I drive up to our modest little country home glowing for the holidays!

It NEVER fails to warm my heart and makes me smile 

from ear to ear.

Back in his teenage days, he decided to make 

a wooden nativity scene for the yard.

He spent an entire day sawing, sanding, and painting.

It lasted many, many Christmases in our yard until this year when he just decided one day to make a new one!

Y'all didn't know that there was a black Lab 

at the first Christmas, did 'ya?

#photobomb!

 And because this young man truly knows, 

The Reason for the Season, one year he made our family it's own hand made nativity. The picture doesn't do it justice!

Each board was lovingly cut, sanded, stained and placed just so.

Underneath the moss on the roof, 

are dozens of slats glued perfectly.

He even foraged sticks from our yard for "logs", 

and searched for the perfect scale statuary for the manger.

It's so dear to me and so beautiful 

that it stays displayed all year long!

It's so easy for me to get caught up with all the "to-do's" of the Christmas season, that's why I'm so thankful for a son like Kyle!  He keeps me focused on the real meaning of why we celebrate, if not by his words, by the beautiful signs of love he has scattered throughout our home this time of year.

An ornament Kyle made as a little boy.

Keeper of the traditions.
Keeper of the Faith
Hardest working Elf in Texas.

I sure do love that boy!

Random Acts of Kindness

GOD BLESS AMAZON PRIME!

Seriously, y'all!

It's a week before Christmas, and I am refusing to put on a bra and change out of my sweat pants to go out shopping.  

But just 15 minutes on my phone,

 and I have gifts for the whole family!

My back hurts just looking at this delivery!

It's a Christmas miracle!

So as a small act of kindness to the delivery men and women 

who literally bring Christmas to my door, 

I thought I'd set out a "thank you" basket of snacks and drinks.

Delivery drivers must have a love/hate relationship with the holidays.  I mean they've got to love that people are so excited to see them but must hate the sheer volume of packages this time of year.  Besides, have you ever tried to find house numbers in the dark....when it's raining or snowing?

So THANK YOU to all the hard working delivery drivers!

And if you're lucky enough, you might get a kiss or a shake from one of these royals:

Or they just might beg you for a snack, too!

ADVENT

4,3,2,1 Count the weeks until Jesus comes.

Each week we add another light,

Our hope for Jesus growing bright.

We pray, we share, we do our part, 

To welcome Jesus into our heart! 

As we wait in joyful hope,

wishing you a Blessed Advent!

Just One Dollah Makes Me Hollah!

If you're not going to the Dollar Tree for your holiday decorating, then what are you actually doing with your life?  

This store has really stepped up their game in the decor department!

 By now, every Dollar Tree on the planet is stocked full with Christmas decor for you guessed it....a BUCK!

Last year, I made the cutest (and cheapest!) Pottery Barn knock off tablescape village using these miniature houses and ornaments, I combined them with garland and lights that we already had and it only cost me around forty dollars.  

See how I put it together HERE:  https://creamerchronicles.blogspot.com/2018/11/holiday-decor-on-cheap.html

Get all your wrapping paper, gift bags, tags, and bows here too!

Why spend tons of money when they are just going to be ripped into by excited children and later trashed?

You'd pay upwards of 4-5 dollars a bag elsewhere, and these bags are nice and thick with adorable prints.

I purchased several of these pics, some burlap bows, and every single ornament they had that contained a pinecone or pine greenery to create my kitchen tree.

The whole thing was less than fifty bucks...TREE INCLUDED!

(Tree not purchased at Dollar Tree, got it from Walmart for $25) and it makes a cute addition to our Farmhouse kitchen.

And yes, I've turned into one of THOSE PEOPLE.

You know the ones...they decorate for Christmas the day after Halloween.  I just can't help myself, I love this time of year!

So just play along, and run yourself down to the Dollar Tree, too!

Holiday Decor on the CHEAP!

If I've said it once, I've said it thirteen times, 

Dollar Tree IS WHERE IT'S AT!

  When you live in a small town where Walmart is your only big shopping option, you tend to look for variety where you can find it.  And Dollar Tree has really stepped up their game.

I have been wanting to do a Pottery Barn knock off of their white Christmas village for some time.  Just one problem, I couldn't get ANY of the Dollar Tree village houses anywhere!  

Every store I called within a 50 mile radius was sold out.  

After lamenting about my dilemma to my family (first world problems, right?), my oldest son found a line of small Christmas village houses at Walmart for under two bucks each!

**Que angels singing**

To get that Pottery Barn knock off look, spray paint the houses with chalk paint or a matte white.  It takes a good three coats to cover all the color.  When dry, you can use ModPodge and a little fine glitter to make "snow" on the houses.  
I left mine flat white.

I'm all about the instant gratification.

Now mind you, I ONLY had plans this day to paint my village.

I ended up decorating my whole dining room instead.

This entire table scape was made with Dollar Tree merch!

(Well, everything except the garland and lights,
which we already had.)

Maybe one day I'll save up a boat load of Benjamins to actually go to Pottery Barn and decorate my house for the holidays, 

but for now I have to make sure my family has food and electricity to enjoy.

So for now, I’m living life on the wild side and decorating on the cheap. It’s cool, and fun, and if you’re in the same boat with me, 

you know what I mean.

#noshameinmygame