Easy Christmas Paintings

Looking for an activity for your children on a cold and rainy Christmas vacation day?  Buy some blank canvases and let them paint Christmas art!  You can pull the paintings back out each year and display them in your window sills.  I just love original art on canvas, don't you?  My daughters made the Christmas tree with their fingerprints.  You can find a ton of other ideas in Pinterest, of course :)  Next year we might try the snowman family, or the reindeer, or the Santa Claus... Happy painting!

We made the last two at a church event last year.

Biltmore and the Bohemian at Christmas

If you are looking for a fun getaway to get you in the Christmas spirit, visit Asheville, North Carolina.  Here's what you can do in 24 hours:

1. Stay at the Grand Bohemian Hotel! 

From the minute you check into the Tudor-style hotel in quaint Biltmore Village, you will feel warm and cozy.  Grab some complimentary apple cider or hot chocolate and sit by the stone fireplace before you even check into your room. 

Check out the gorgeous paintings throughout the hotel as well as a variety of antlers and stuffed animals (not the children's kind), which will make you feel like you just stepped into George Vanderbilt's hunting lodge.  The hotel offers an interesting juxtaposition of rustic and luxurious, and the rooms are modern and spacious.  I, for one, am a fan of the gigantic bathtub.

2. Dine at Rezaz.  There are so many excellent restaurants in Asheville to choose from, and one of them happens to be right across the street from the Bohemian.  For a more casual meal of smaller bites, eat in the wine bar.  I recommend the assorted Mediterranean dips, which comes with olives, feta and pita.  For a finer dining experience, eat in the main dining room.  We enjoyed the Butternut Squash Ravioli on the regular menu, and the striper and steak from the specials that evening.  Here's the striper special:

3. Visit the Biltmore House which is all decked-out for Christmas!

This trip coincided with my daughter's 7th birthday, so we decided to bring her along and take her to the Biltmore House for the very first time. You can purchase tickets online  or at 800-411-3812.  If you are within a few days of your visit, I recommend calling the 1-800 number.*

Tickets vary in price based on the season (other times of the year, I saw tickets for $39 and $47).  I paid $63 for my ticket, and my daughter's was free.  Youth 10-16 have a lower ticket price than adults.  We paid $10 each for an audio guide, which was well worth it.  There is a special guide just for kids "voiced" by Cedric, George Vanderbilt's St. Bernard!  I picked up the kid's audio guide as well, just so I could hear what my daughter was hearing, not because I wanted it for myself :)  But it was really interesting, and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed it.  Along the way, Cedric pointed out his picture, secret doors, and other hiding places of interest to children.  Occasionally, I suggested skipping an audio portion, but my daughter was so into it she wouldn't allow it!

The Biltmore is always beautiful, but during Christmas it is even more spectacular.  The home, which took six years to build, actually opened on Christmas Eve in 1895.  There are 250 rooms in the home (although not all of them are on the tour), and there were nearly that many Christmas trees and decorations.  From the two-story tree in the Banquet Hall to the poinsettias and greenery in the Winter Garden, the home was decorated to the nines.

Until January 3, you can also tour the Biltmore at night during the Candlelight Evenings.  These tickets cost more, but I imagine seeing the lights, candles, and fireplaces burning would be a beautiful sight. 

A few more pieces of information for your visit... It took us at least an hour and a half to walk through the entire house.  Use the restrooms before you enter.  You can't take pictures in the house or use your cell phone.  Crowds are lighter in the morning, so get in and get out in time for lunch.

We skipped the wine tasting, although they said they do have a grape juice tasting for kids which sounded cute.  I have enjoyed the winery, Bistro, and Antler Hill Village with my husband before, but it was a chilly 39 degrees so we checked out one toy shop (bought another stuffed animal we don't need) and declared it done.

I have discovered that after having my second child, it is nice to share experiences with them individually occasionally, plus my two-year old would have been climbing under the velvet ropes and touching everything in about two seconds flat.  Seven seemed like a really good age for my daughter to appreciate the beauty of this real "American castle."  It was a special trip we will always remember.

4. Enjoy breakfast or lunch at the Corner Kitchen.  In our case, it was lunch and the chicken pot pie hit the spot on the chilly day.

5. Stop by Just Ducky, an adorable children's boutique in Biltmore Village.  If you have time, there are plenty of specialty shops along the cobblestone sidewalks.

If only we didn't have to rush back, I would have spent several hours at the Antique Tobacco Barn, which is just around the corner from Biltmore Village.  There's always next time... and I'm sure we will return soon.  I hope you are enjoying some special Christmas moments with your family this month!

*I went to buy tickets online two nights ahead of time, which I thought was thinking ahead, only to see that there were no tickets available!  How did I let this happen?  We had been telling our daughter for 3 weeks that we were going to do this for her birthday!  This was a terrible "mommy moment."  I called the hotel in a panic to see if they could provide tickets and they said they couldn't do anything until the next morning, although the concierge pointed out to me that this was the Biltmore's busiest time of year so they probably were sold out.  Ugh.  The Biltmore office wouldn't open until 8 a.m. the next morning.  I tried to sleep.  As I sent my daughter off to school the next morning at 7 a.m. she was all excited about our Biltmore tour the next day.  One little voice in my head, said don't tell her... maybe it will work out.  We can beg someone at the gate...  The other little voice said, go ahead and tell her... maybe we shouldn't even go.  The second voice won, so I suggested maybe we should and just go see the house in all its grandeur from the exterior and then go shopping or something.  She looked at me like I was nuts.  "Why wouldn't we go INSIDE the house, Mommy?"  Oh, because Mommy is a moron and didn't buy tickets three weeks ago!  Anyway... at 8:01 a.m. I called the ticket office (800-411-3812), and they had plenty of tickets available so all was well :)

Countdown to Christmas!

Isaiah 9:6 King James Bible
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

The countdown to Christmas is ON in my house!  We usually do an Advent calendar that has the little windows you open each day, but this year I haven't gotten around to buying one so I decided to create my own Countdown to Christmas! 

My daughter loves making paper chains to countdown to various events, like birthdays or trips, but I wanted this one to have more purpose and meaning.  We cut 22 strips of paper and I had her number them.  On the back I wrote something for her to read each day after she cuts a strip.  I included a variety of Christmas Bible verses, as well as acts of kindness or other things for her to do.  You could make it as complicated or as simple as you choose.  I always choose SIMPLE.  Some of my favorites were: sing Away in a Manger right now, play with a new friend at school today, and make a card for someone who is sick. 

She stapled them all together (without peeking) and VOILA - a practically, free countdown to Christmas!

This was a fun project to do together, but don't let me fool you into thinking it was all "calm and bright."  During our merriment, my two-year old grabbed the chain and ripped it in half.  A few pieces of tape later and all was well.  Also, my puppy took off with yet another pacifier, which I had to pull out of her mouth.  But, alas, the countdown is hung and we shall enjoy it :)  22 days to go!  Merry Christmas, y'all!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving I am looking forward to some down time with my family.  There have been many days lately when I have wondered, did God intend for us to be THIS busy?  We are involved in many activities, which is a blessing in itself, but are we supposed to be run ragged?  Recently, my daughter was in a community theater production of Annie.  It was a wonderful experience that she (and we) will cherish forever. 

Professional headshots were scheduled after one of the play rehearsals, which we couldn't do because we were already late for a football game.  Thankfully, makeup pictures were scheduled on a Tuesday night.  After I got my daughter home from tennis, I rushed to get her bathed and beautiful.  My husband came home from work early to keep our other child.  We said hello in passing, and my daughter and I raced out the door and drove 30 minutes to the location to discover... there was no photo shoot.  The pictures were to be taken the Tuesday after this one.  Between my phone and my calendar at home, HOW DID I MANAGE TO MESS THIS UP? 

Well, I have a pretty good idea.  Between church, and school, and dance, and gymnastics, and tennis, and play practice, and life in general, a girl is allowed to have Mommy brain once in a while.  Perhaps the real lesson here is that we need to SLOW down. 

My daughter asked if we could go to dinner or shopping since we had driven all that way, but it was a school night and we already had dinner ready at home.  So, I turned around and we headed back.  Thankfully, we got home just in time to relax on the back deck a little while before the sun went down, which is where I wanted to be all along.

This Thanksgiving I am going to relax and enjoy special moments with my family.  We all have so much to be grateful for.  In the words of Colossians 3: 15-16 below, I will strive for peace, thankfulness, wisdom and gratitude.  Happy Thanksgiving friends!

Colossians 3:15-16
New International Version (NIV)
¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

If you want to go camping...

If you want to get away and enjoy this beautiful fall weather with your family, try camping at Oconee State Park. It might be the best $20 bucks you have ever spent.  My family has stayed there many times, and we have always left renewed, refreshed and relaxed.  You just might put down your cell phone for a few days.... and you will have to because the cell service is terrible except for at the park store. 

From the ponds and walking trails, to the playgrounds and putt-putt course you don't even have to leave the property to enjoy the outdoors. 

Go check out the old water wheel and play a game of checkers with bottle caps for playing pieces. 

Even the park store is inviting with coffee and snacks, souvenirs and rocking chairs.

There are several trails located right on the property.  Children will also enjoy just a walk around the lake, where you can rent a paddle boat or go fishing.  

You can book a tent site for about $20 a night.  For those of you who have never been camping, let me enlighten you on State Park camping.  They have bathrooms and showers!  Now, I would recommend wearing your flip flops but really they aren't so bad.  Your tent site is literally 30 feet from your neighbor so it's not like you are out in the woods all alone, which is what I imagined years ago when David first took me camping.  I mean, I was a Girl Scout!  I went to church camp!  But still, I had never experienced camping like this before.

If camping is not for you, they have cabins!  They are RUSTIC, but there is a kitchen, bathroom, and HEAT!  Plus, outside you still have a picnic table and fire pit so you can at least pretend like you are roughing it.  Cabins start at $85 a night.  Take note, if Clemson has a home game they will be booked early. 

If you are lucky, you might just catch a real, live square dance and clogging showcase like we did on our recent trip!  The girls loved watching the performance, and it was a quintessential way to end the day.  We walked back to our site to start the camp fire for our hobo dinners.  What's a hobo dinner, you ask?  You just put hamburger meat, carrots, potatoes and onions in heavy duty tin foil and throw them into the fire.  What you wind up with is pure campfire deliciousness.  And no camping meal is ever complete without s'mores for dessert. 

The next morning it was drizzling, but we ventured out, just a few miles down the road to visit Stumphouse Tunnel and Issaqueena Falls.  Construction of this railway tunnel was halted during the Civil War and, despite efforts, never picked up again.  Your kids will think it is really cool, and maybe a little scary, to walk into this huge, dark tunnel.  Bring a flashlight if you like. 

Just around the corner is the entrance to Issaqueena Falls.  My children are fascinated with the legend of the Indian maiden who tricked her pursuers into thinking she jumped to her death over the waterfall, while she was hiding under a ledge.  You can easily walk over to see the view from the top of the falls.  More avid hikers may choose to work their way down to the bottom of the falls, and back up again.  We did not attempt it with two children in tow.

Then, it started to pour.  We followed the signs to a picnic area and were lucky to enjoy our lunch under a gazebo on a beautiful pond.

Another family-friendly waterfall in the area is Upper Whitewater Falls, located below Cashiers near the NC/SC line on NC Hwy 281.  It has a large parking lot with picnic tables and bathrooms.  A short walk on a paved sidewalk will take you to the viewing area.  From there you can take the steps down to a lower level for an even more incredible view of this powerful 411 foot-drop fall. 

We have also camped and rented cabins at Devil's Fork State Park, where you can relax on beautiful Lake Jocassee.  Once we rented a cabin in the summer and brought our pontoon.  The water is so clear you won't believe you are still in South Carolina.  David and his brother actually went SCUBA diving there.  The few houses on this lake are rustically charming and there are trickling waterfalls around every cove.

Now, to be perfectly honest, this year's camping trip was a total wash out!  So, if you have the flexibility, check the weather first!  Otherwise, we survived it and you can too.  Although it is an annual fall activity for our family, Oconee State Park is equally as busy in the summer months, when the ponds are bustling with activity.  Your kids will think they are on a great adventure and will LOVE every minute of it! 

  

Everything is "pinkalicious" on our American Girl store trip

Since we first purchased an American Girl doll for my daughter several years ago, I have been looking forward to taking her to the boutique in Georgia.  Although the dolls are a bit pricey, the memories, books and movies make them well worth it.   And as long as my little girl is interested in playing with dolls, I am going to support it :)  The American Girl Everything Pink Package at the Marriott in Alpharetta, GA, did not disappoint.  From the separate "pink carpet" check-in to the milk and cookies delivered to our room, it was a special experience. 

We made plans to go with another Mommy-daughter duo, which was perfect!  The girls looked forward to the trip all summer and scheduled playdates just to discuss packing!


 

The girls used their pink credit cards for some ice cream and tried out the indoor and outdoor pools and hot tub.  We retired to our "pinked out" room to order pizza and await the cookie delivery.  Just staying in a hotel room is a fun adventure!  So you know, the room is just a standard hotel room but it has been dressed up with pink bedding, bean bag, trash can, alarm clock, etc.  Also, there are pink robes for the girl and her doll and you get to take home an official American Girl Doll travel bed.  I think they should throw in some pink robes for the mamas too, but anyway....

Since we had two girls in the room, we paid a fee for the additional "Everything Pink Package," which allowed us to have another "free" doll bed.  All in all, our total was about $400 (or $200 each).  In the morning we enjoyed a full breakfast at the hotel.  We were seated at a pink table, of course.  The girls had their juice in fancy glasses and were served hot chocolate with whipped cream on top.  The breakfast bill would have been $50, so subtract that from the room cost = savings!

Next it was time to head to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro in North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Georgia!

We arrived right after the store opened and headed straight to the salon to make a hair appointment... for the doll.  We had a little time to look around before our appointment time.  If your daughter enjoys looking through the American Girl catalogue as much as mine does, the store really makes everything come to life.  All of the countless items she had dog-eared in her catalogue were right there on display. 

 

 

At the salon, your child's doll can get her hair styled and her ears pierced.  Note that you will not be watching the ear piercing.  This was a little disappointing for my daughter, but they explained that a magic unicorn actually pierced her ears and he could not be seen.  She liked that idea, so all was forgiven. 

We put the items we were considering to buy on hold at the register and headed to lunch.  The Bistro is precious and the food is really good!  My daughter and I shared a starter and a main course and had plenty to eat.  And, of course, the dolls have a seat at the table with you.  Make your dining reservations ahead of time so you don't have to wait.  And let me say, there were a TON of birthday parties going on.  The place was packed. 

We made one more trip around the store and finalized our purchases.  What she didn't get, my daughter quickly added to her birthday and Christmas wish lists.  We loaded up the car with our bags, put on the newly purchased Isabelle movie for the girls, and headed home.  It was a very special mother-daughter trip that we will always remember.

We look forward to checking out the new American Girl store in Charlotte soon!  The grand opening was October 11, 2014.  Hopefully, the Marriott will offer an Everything Pink Package there too.  If not, you could always bring some things from home to make your room "pinkalicious" :)  Has anyone been to the Charlotte store yet? 



"I Just Need Some Space"

Happy Halloween and Happy Friday!  I am sure you are familiar with Meaghan Trainor's catchy song of the summer "All About That Bass."  But have you seen the parody "I Just Need Some Space" by mama blogger Deva Dalporto?  I have watched most of her videos, but this one is my favorite.  The video is clean enough for your kids to watch with you... again and again.  I love it when the backup singers say "Not the closet.  Not the closet."  My sister used to call me from her closet when her boys were toddlers.  Also, my girls constantly climb the staircase from the outside of the spindles.  Do yours?  Hilarious! 

The patio is coming along!  David built a sectional for us!  I looked all around and showed him options, and he decided he would rather build it himself.  It was a labor of love, but it turned out great.  The cool thing is that the legs are recycled from our daughter's first playhouse.  We ordered the cushions from Target online. 

He got really creative and crafted it so that one of the sections will lay out into a bed.  He might hang a mosquito net and sleep out there sometimes.  I told him I would bring him coffee in the morning.  Now that he has all of the woodworking tools and skills, I see a lot of other projects in his future :) 

Next, I need to paint and distress the sectional and coffee table.  Also, I found this really cool wreath at an antique store.  Won't it look great with a mirror mounted inside? 

Must look for bar stools...

The Magic of Stitch Witchery!  Have you ever heard of this stuff?  It has probably been around for years, but I didn't know about it until recently. Like every other little girl in America, my daughters are going to be Elsa and Anna for Halloween.  When I mentioned to a friend that I needed to hem the Anna dress, she suggested that I just use stitch witchery.  I didn't even have to go to the fabric store, because I found it at Wal-Mart.

It's so simple.  Put the iron on the wool setting.  Put the strip in between the fabric then lay a damp washcloth on top.  Hold the iron on the hem for 10 seconds then flip over and repeat the same on the other side.  I was concerned that the polyester fabric might melt under the iron, but it didn't!  Thirty minutes later I was done, and there is plenty leftover to stick in the drawer for next time :)

The patio under our deck was a damp, shady area and prone to mildew.  We never used it, except to store our daughter's old playground after we bought her a new one.  We wanted to make better use of the space and decided to transform it into an outdoor living area.  We hired Hilltop Home Repair to install an aluminum under decking and were very pleased with the results.  Here's the ceiling before:

This is the ceiling during installation:

 

Extra flashing was added on the upper deck level to prevent any leaks.  The ceiling is complete and new ceiling fans were installed.

 

We should stay nice and dry on the patio now.  Next, David is building a sectional couch for the area.  It is a work in progress...

Here's an EASY craft idea for your children: make a dream catcher!  We cut the middle out of a paper plate and my daughter colored the edges.  She chose various ribbons from my gift wrapping supplies and glued them to the back of the plate.  The feathers are from a boa we had in the playroom (if you have one, you could probably just pick some feathers up off the floor!).  Voila!  Easy dream catcher.  Would be a fun activity for a playdate :)