A Meaningful Christmas

Last year I read about this really neat devotional idea but didn't have time to get enough women to do it with me, so I made sure to start planning and organizing this early this year!!! Early, as in, September, which was perfect timing. 

A Meaningful Christmas is a devotional that you do with your children each night to teach them about the true meaning of Christmas. After reading the devotion for the night, the kids get an ornament to help them remember the lesson from that devotional. And the creators of "A Meaningful Christmas", Carrie and Brittney, came up with the idea to get 24 women to commit to doing the devotional with their children, then each of the women create 24 of the same ornament, then you have a swapping party.  Each person gets one of the devotions to create an ornament for. The Hostess Guide makes it all so simple to host "A Meaningful Christmas Swapping Party" and put everything together. Everyone worked so hard on their ornaments and got very creative! Here are some of the ornaments from the party:

All of us women had so much fun hanging out and just enjoying each other's company.

One of the best parts of the night... Getting to put all of the ornaments in our family boxes!!!

And our personalized family boxes were just too cute! (Thanks Liz for making these for us!)

I had a BLAST hosting this event!!! One of the coolest parts about hosting was that I only knew about half of the people that ended up joining the group of women.  Several women invited others to join that I had never even met before. I got to meet some really incredible women through hosting this event.  

I am so excited about doing the devotional every night in December with my children. Even though Caycen is only 2 and Gracie June is only 4 months, I think they will love it. It's never too early to start teaching your kids about Jesus and the love that HE has for us all. 

If you are wanting to find 24 women to do "A Meaningful Christmas" with NEXT year, I highly recommend it. You can find them on facebook here. 

4 Month Letter to GJ

Dear Gracie June,

You have become the sweetest little girl ever! I have so much fun with you. I love to just watch you and talk to you. You smile at just about anything. You sleep all night long still and barely ever cry anymore. We can put you in the swing now and you are starting to like it.

This months firsts:

You moved up a class at daycare and you love your new class.

You were in Aunt Sissy's wedding

You had your first Halloween. You were a ghost, and the cutest ghost I've ever seen.

You've started grabbing your toys and shoving them in your mouth.

You try to hold your own bottle, and sometimes we let you do it all by yourself.

look how cute you are in the shirt your "Granny June" got you!

Things you're loving:

Your bottle (you know exactly what it is every time you see it and you start trying to pull yourself toward the bottle when we show it to you), snuggling, your passy, when anyone talks to you (especially your daddy), watching tv (yes we let you watch tv just like your brother did when he was your age), bath time, "talking" to Mommy and Daddy, bouncing on our laps, and watching your brother play.

I can't believe how fast time is going by. You are just so precious and I love everything that you do. I pray that you can already tell how much you are loved by all of us. You are truly a little blessing from God. I can't wait to see all the new things you do this month.

I love you sweet girl! 

Love, 

Mommy

Xoxo

Halloween Trick-or-Treating

We had a lot of fun trick-or-treating this year. We decided to go with our small group and in one of their neighborhoods. Caycen was a scarecrow and Gracie June was a ghost this year. I have SO MUCH FUN making their costumes every year!!! Which, I guess the only thing I really had to make for Caycen was his straw… I bought him Carhart overalls and a plaid shirt, and a friend let me borrow the hat. SIMPLE! Then for Gracie June's ghost costume, I just made the white tutu out of tulle and then bought a white onesie and put the ghost face on their using vinyl. So neither costume took very long this year, but they were so PRECIOUS!

Brylee the puppy dog

All together before going to trick or treat. Joshua is a pilot! so cute! 

The Tanner Family 

Caycen kept saying "That not scary Mommy"

Had to get a picture with a scarecrow!

This sweet girl was up almost the entire time we were there! She was sooo good!

haha, not sure what Gracie June is thinking here, but Caycen's pretty excited to eat some candy!

and Caycen was HOT after :) but it was SO FUN!!!

Can't wait for next year! I'm sure Caycen will want to pick his own costume though.