I just got this hung up last week. It is my favorite project of late because the kids were part of it. The kids all made their handprints and then wrote their name and age (except Joshua). I embroidered their names over their writing (in washable ink). I told the girls that it would be ideal to get handprints at age 2 and have them write their name at age 5. Yet I like it this way because each kid is different and I still see the kids work in it.

New Year's With the Buchanans
The Wednesday after Christmas we headed down to Mesquite to visit with Monica's family. We walked the dog with Grandma, visited with everyone, played lasso golf and win it in a minute games. Of course we also made gingerbread houses and decorated them, a family tradition.
Grandma B got help with the gingerbread icing from Lucie and Joshua.

Joshua, being one of the younger grandkids, decorated two sides of a house, instead of a full house. He didn't mind. He was just there for the candy and icing.

Ethan carried his gingerbread house on his lap the whole way home. He didn't want it in a plastic bag where it might break, which most of them did. We ate them all once we got home-mmm, gingerbread and candy.

Christmas

This was my favorite part of Christmas. We don't always have the kids dress up and act out the Christmas story, but this year we did. They acted out their parts as Dad read from the scriptures. We also sang some hymns and primary songs. Cherilyn was the angel and even recited some of her "lines." Allison was a shephard with a sheep. Erica was Mary. Ethan was a wise man. Eli was Joseph. Joshua wanted to be a shephard and a wise man, so he was.

I wanted to get mantle stocking hangers this year. While looking online I remembered why I hadn't bought them in the past -- because they range from $10-200 each. I came across this idea -- tie the stockings along the railing with ribbon. I love it! It cost me nothing because we have the railing, garland and ribbon already. It looks better than the mantel because there is more room for our stockings. Practical and free, perfect for me.

Here are the kids on Christmas morning with our new tree. While moving the tree across the room two weeks before Christmas we broke the bottom piece. We went and bought this new taller, pre-lit tree that same day.

Here is the car track that the boys got for Christmas.