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!

Artist in Residence

It's no secret in our household that our John Paul is a talented artist, so it's really nice when other folks recognize his talent, too!

This weekend John Paul competed in the El Campo Art Association art show and I'd say he did pretty well!

Second place ~ Best In Show for his watercolor painting, "Corgi."

First place in his division for, "Papillion."

                  Second place in his division for, "Good Boy."

And the award for Most Blessed Parents in the World 

goes to Doug and I!  

Because art is not just a hobby for John Paul...it's how he lives. 

In Memoriam

I finally did it,

 and it only took me 49 years!

I got my first tattoo.

Bobbie Jo DeGree

I have always loved tattoos but I never got one growing up because I was raised in a very conservative household.  I never got one in early adulthood because my husband frowned upon them.

Now I am on the cusp of turning 50,

and I think it's about dang time that I decide what I want!

I have talked about getting the signatures 

of my deceased parents on my arm for years.

The day of our 25th wedding anniversary, 

Doug surprised me with a road trip.

It was full of naughty things that a 50 year old conservative Catholic mother of five definitely SHOULD NOT do!  

Our first stop was the tattoo parlor.

I got the signature of my late mother on my forearm.

Underneath is a stem of four pale pink roses.

One rose for each of the babies I've lost.

I pray every day for her and them.

And I beg God to let her be their caretaker 

until I can hold them again.

Fabric Art America

I was looking for some kind of art piece to go in our computer room.  Hobby Lobby is usually my "go-to" place, but everything I liked was out of my budget (even with their 40% off coupon!) so I set out to make something of our own.  

I was inspired from Pinterest to make a fabric art project of the continental United States.

This project is super easy but a bit time consuming.

First, round up all your scrap fabric

 and print THIS MAP of the U.S.

Cut a square of Heat and Bond and a fabric patch roughly the size of the state you are working with.  

Iron the Heat and Bond to the wrong side of your fabric. 

Next, cut out a state, pin it to your fabric and cut it out.  

Peel off the backing and iron it onto your base fabric.

I actually printed out two maps!  

One to cut up and one placed under my muslin 

to make sure the states were lined up properly.

It was really fun!  

Kind of like putting a puzzle together.

A colorful, fabulous fabric puzzle!

I'm thinking of finishing it off with some hand stitching and a little embroidered heart right where we live.  

I'm also thinking I need to take Geography 101!

My knowledge of the states was pretty pitiful!

The Sugar Plum Princess

I have wanted to take Mary Grace to see the Nutcracker since she was a baby, and at the ripe old age of three, I thought now was the year to start that tradition.

She had to have a new dress for her first ballet!

This gorgeous gifted red embroidered satin fit the bill perfectly and I used the Geranium Dress pattern to sew it up.  I used vintage gold buttons (from my prized stash) to finish off the back.  It turned out so cute that I think it will double as her Christmas Mass dress, too!

Nana came with us to the ballet, it was 

'Girls Night Out' afterall. I love these pics of Mary Grace! 

In every one of them her eyes are darting to the side.  There was so much to take in that I'm not sure if she was amazed or scared to death!

Here's what you get when you try to take a selfie 

with a squirming toddler.

I was worried that a two hour production would be too much for her, but she LOVED it!  She followed the story and sat mostly still, going between my lap and her Nana's.  And during the car ride home, she talked all about the Nutcracker fighting the Mouse King and "cutting his tail off!"

I think we've found a new Christmas tradition!

Paint and Brush

John Paul is a self taught artist. 

He started with some watercolors 

and a YouTube video.

As his love of art grew so did his desire to use different mediums, and that's when we found a local artist who teaches classes a few days a week.

The studio contains a wonderfully eclectic mix of artists and 

they have embraced him whole-heartedly.  

John Paul feels free to let his creativity come out 

with his paint and brush.

They say that creative people are messy...

Then John Paul must be the most 

creative person in the universe!

It drives his "Type A" mother a little insane.

But I think for now, I'll look past the mess

to see the beauty.