Christmas in Oklahoma

So, I know this is WAY late, but better now than never.  Here are our pictures from our time in Oklahoma over the week of Christmas.

Peeking out the door Christmas morning...

Brayden with Aunt Amy

Brayden with Uncle Paul

Sweet hugs with Mimi

One of Paul's many creative wrappings.

The painting I made for Mom

He was so excited!  I love his expressions!

Christmas breakfast w/ the fam

We were so excited we got to see Erin, Jared, and Emsleigh

while in Oklahoma.  Brayden loved getting to play w/ Emsleigh for awhile!

Sweet cousins

Tea with the girls!

Sara, Amy, and me

Big family picture of everyone...I love Christmas!

It was such a special treat to get together with some high school friends

while in town.  Melissa and her hubby were back from Honduras,

which was a great surprise to hang out with them while they were back in the U.S.

We got to see the entire Wilson family while in town.

It was so great to see their whole family.  

We grew up doing everything together,
and it had been too long since we all hung out!

Amy and Bekah are 10 years younger than Katie and I.

When we were little, we took a very similar picture holding Amy & Bekah

...when they were babies.  They were a *little harder to hold this time.  Ha!

Go Sooners!!!

One of Brayden's favorite things to do this trip was getting

everyone to play drums with him.  See ALL the pictures below...

...with Nanny & Grandpa

...with Papa

...with Amy

...and with everyone else who would play with him!

He's quite a cutie in those glasses, I might say!

Christmas Creativity

Christmas makes me want to make fun things and be creative in my gifts.

This year, we made homemade salsa and banana bread

for our neighbors and made a fun label for it.

 For Brayden's preschool Christmas party, I made these cute reindeer

candy bars that I saw on Pinterest.  I wrapped the Hershey's bars 

in brown cardstock, made antlers with a dark brown cardstock 

and glued them on, then I glued on googly eyes and a reindeer nose.

Another thing I saw on Pinterest was a way to make

super easy "homemade marshmallows"...made from Cool Whip.

1. Spread the Cool Whip out on a cookie sheet or in a pie pan.

2. Freeze   3. Cut out with any shape cookie cutter

 Place in your hot chocolate!  It makes it super creamy and delicious!

Santa-Time

Since Brayden was little, we've always taken him to go see Santa at the mall.  However, I've never been able to fork out the money that they charge for the pictures.  This year, I decided we needed to get an official picture with Santa while Brayden is still young, so we headed to the mall to get his picture made.  He loved seeing Santa, yet when it came time, he gave a "courtesy smile," as in, "Yes, Mom, fine...I'll take this picture for you."  It's cute, but he doesn't look himself.  Oh well...we had to get a "Santa picture"...so $23 later, we had his picture.  Ugh, I hate spending money like that on one picture.  Nonetheless, had to get the Santa pic.

Later that night, we went to our church's BIIIIG Christmas show, and it was amazing.  We had a fun family night out and on the way home went through one of the ritziest neighborhoods in Houston to see some awesome Christmas lights.  One of the houses hires a real, live Santa Clause to sit outside their house for people that drive by.  Awesome.  We had to stop.  Brayden got out, and we took his picture with Santa.  And guess what...an awesome picture.  More importantly, a FREE picture.  Oh, why did I just spend $23 on a so-so picture!?  Gotta love it.

Merry Christmas!!!

Craft Day - Santa's Magic Key

Another project that we did at Craft Day was Santa's Magic Key.  This was a great idea that I found here (free printable too!).  It's something fun to hang on your doorknob for the kids to get excited about Santa coming. 

The card says: "It's the night before Christmas, and we're excited as can be.  We're leaving this out for you...it's a very special key.  You can shimmy down the chimney or tiptoe through the door.  Just use this key we left for you to find cookies, milk, & more!" 

Gather your supplies: 

   Keys (found at Michael's and Hobby Lobby)

   Red cardstock

   White cardstock

   Ribbon

   Distress Ink Pad

   Sponge (a makeup sponge will work great)

Print the Santa's Key printable on white cardstock and cut out. Using a small makeup sponge (can be picked up for $1 for a pack of them at most drugstores), stamp ink from the Distress Ink pad around the edges of the white cardstock.  This gives it an aged look.

Place your white cardstock onto red cardstock and adhere using a gluestick or ModPodge. Cut out red cardstock a little larger than the white cardstock.  

Punch a hole in the end of your Santa's Key card.  Take your key and string the ribbon through it and the hole in the Santa's Key card.  Tie a knot to secure the key, then tie a bow at the end to sit above your doorknob.

Hang on your doorknob and get ready for Santa to come!