Lots of teens and tots in our family photo this year! The toughest part of family time these days, is matching the schedule of these kids going every which way. They are all involved in so many activities I am sososososo proud of them all.
I set up my props in the backyard by our firepit and picnic table. I used vintage sleds, firewood, checkered tablecloth, wooden guitar, and some evergreenery.
The Tots
These girls are learning how to be good friends.
Pretty girls.
The Picnic Table
Our picnic table became the center of our photos despite my efforts to include all of the props that I set out.
The Tree
The big kids leaned against the tree by the woodpile for some of our photos.
The Guitar
I love that he plays guitar and enjoys music so much.
Small Group Photos
The Storm
She is so beautiful and loved sitting in this little seat at the woodpile.
The Dog
Arwen didn’t make it into very many photos. She is a very active dog and just wanted to play!
We do all of our Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve each year. So for Christmas day I decided to put out finger foods for the kids as they were coming and going throughout the day. This way I don’t have to be in the kitchen cooking, so I can enjoy Christmas day too.
Hot Chocolate Bar
My kids are crazy about hot chocolate. We got some different flavors, but I also just made some in the crock pot to have out all day. Then we added marshmallows, mints, chocolate chips, chocolate wafers and chocolate stirring spoons. I added a scoop of peppermint bark ice cream to mine… YUM!
Cheeseball Platter
My husband loves cheeseballs so we have one almost every holiday. I placed salami, crackers, and cheeses along with the cheeseball.
Fruit Pizza
Ingredients :
Crescent Roll Dough
Cream Cheese 8 oz.
Marshmallow Cream 1 can
Fruit Diced Tiny
Directions:
I spread the Crescent Roll dough on a pizza pan.
Then I baked it according to the directions on the can.
Mix together the Cream Cheese and the Marshmallow Cream to spread on the Crescent Roll.
I cut the fruit into tiny pieces.
I placed the left over fruit and dip in a platter for the kids.
Vegi Pizza
Ingredients :
Crescent Roll Dough
Sour Cream 1 tub
Ranch packet
Vegetables Diced Tiny
Directions:
I spread the Crescent Roll dough on a pizza pan.
Then I baked it according to the directions on the can.
Mix together the Sour Cream and the Ranch packet to spread on the Crescent Roll.
I cut up the vegetables into tiny pieces.
I placed the left over vegetables and dip in a platter.
Cheesecake
My simple little pleasure, cheesecake!
Christmas Potpourri
I got the idea for Christmas Simmer Pot gifts from https://mommymadethat.com/stovetop-potpourri-gift/. We made these for teachers, baby sitters, coaches, and neighbors. Just add orange slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and pine tree sprigs to some simmering water. Smelled delightful all weekend.
Family Christmas
The kids all got X-men Storm shirts from Baby Storm this year!
The kids made ornaments for Grandparents and Aunts. I made this little paper that tells who made which ornament! My idea was to make it look like a box of chocolates when you open it… with the paper telling what is in each compartment. I love how they turned out!
MISTLETOES CANVAS
Storm made a cute Mistletoes canvas for her Grandparents! I tried to wrap the Mistletoes canvas with cute red jingle bells. The grandparents live in different states, so we wrapped them and packaged them in larger boxes.
CANDY POTS
We made painted pots filled with candy for their teachers! A snowman face filled with mints and a Santa belly filled with Santa Hershey’s Kisses. I also sent one of these to each of my nephews!
COUSIN SNACK BOXES
Each of the kids made a snack and we put them all in these cute boxes that I found at the Dollar Tree for their cousins! “J is for Jesus” candy cane, “Snowman Soup”, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”, “Gingerbread girl Oatmeal Cream Pie”! The cousins live in different states, so we taped the lids on the boxes and packaged them up.
CHRISTMAS PACKAGING
I packaged the Ornament Boxes, Mistletoes Canvas, Candy Pots, and Cousin Snack Boxes into larger boxes. I used balloons to fill the empty space, which my nephews loved playing with when they opened the boxes!
Christmas Tree Fruit Tray
I also made my fruit dip that the boys LOVE! Mix one package of cream cheese with one jar of marshmallow cream, serve with fresh fruit!
Refrigerator Snowman
She sits in her swing while I work in the kitchen, so I made the refrigerator to look like a snowman for her!
Snowman Gifts
TEENY TINY GIFT
I made this tiny box from foam to trick the kids about their gift from Grandparents! They were so confused about what could fit in this box that was for the whole family! The note said that their was a trampoline in the shed for them!
I chose Disney’s Beauty and the Beast for the December princess because I love when Belle wears her red cape in the snow scene with Beast. I think it would be fun for future Belle pictures.
This year we decided to try some fun family time for Christmas. We played a few Minute-to-Win-it challenges together. Our family has a large age difference, so we tried to choose games that would be equally challenging for each of all.
Deck the Halls
Deck the Halls
Materials:
1 minute Timer
Cardboard Tube
Ruler
6 Christmas Ornaments
Directions:
You have just 1 minute to…
place the ruler across the upright standing cardboard tube. Be sure that the ruler is smack in the middle so there is the same distance on each side of the tube.
Then hang all 6 ornaments on the ruler (3 ornaments on each side of the tube).
Jingle Run
Jingle Run
Materials:
1 minute Timer
18 Jingle Bells
18 Cups
Empty Cup (across the room)
Directions:
Place a bell under each cup and spread them out on the table.
Place an empty cup several feet away. (We put ours in the living room behind us).
You have just 1 minute to…
uncover 1 jingle bell at a time and run it to the empty cup across the room.
Place the bells in the cup one at a time.
Jingle RunJingle RunJingle Run
Jingle Bell Race
Jingle Bell Race
Materials:
1 minute Timer
Straws
Masking Tape
Jingle Bells
Directions:
Spread out the jingle bells on 1 end of the table and place a line using masking tape across the other end of the table.
In under a minute…
use the straw to blow the bells across the table across the tape line.
Jingle Bell Race Jingle Bell Race
Snowman Slide
Snowman Slide
Materials:
1 minute Timer
Plastic Cups (with snowman faces)
Balloons
Directions:
Arrange the snowman cups at one end of the table.
In less than 1 minute…
players stand at the end of the table and slowly release air from a balloon to knock the snowman cups off the other end of the table.
Snowman Slide
Snow Fall
Snow Fall
Materials:
1 minute Timer
White Balloons
Directions:
Players keep one hand in their pocket and try to keep two white balloons up in the air for one minute.
You can adjust the difficulty of this challenge by adding or taking away a balloon.
Candy Suck
Candy Suck
Materials:
1 minute timer
M&M’s
Straws
Plates
Directions:
Player needs 2 plates with 10 M&M’s on one plate.
In less than 1 minute…
Use the straw to suck up the M&M’s, one at a time and place them on the second plate.
Try to get all of the M&M’s to the second plate in less than a minute.
You can adjust the difficulty of this challenge by adding or taking M&M’s.
North Pole Pop
North Pole Pop
Materials:
1 minute Timer
White Balloons
Mittens
Directions:
Player puts on mittens and has 1 minute to pop the balloon. (It’s much harder than is sounds.)
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa
Materials:
1 minute Timer
Hershey’s Kisses
Directions:
Each player needs 6 Hershey’s Kisses.
Players place one hand behind their back.
In less than 1 minute player opens all of the Kisses with one hand.
You can adjust the difficulty of this challenge by adding or taking Kisses.
The kids and I made some fun snacks for our teachers, coaches, and neighbors… We placed a variety of Hershey’s Kisses on the square shaped pretzels and melted them for a few minutes. After they came out of the oven, we added M&M’s to the middles of them.
I saved our Crystal Light containers for the past few years, and then I wrapped them in paper and added a bow and tag.
We made fun ornaments in my son’s class Christmas party… Snowman, Santa, and Roudolph.
I participated in a Christmas Craft & Bake sale this year at a local church. Here are some of the things that I made and sold…
Snowy Wonderland Trees
I baked a cake and some cupcakes according to the directions on the box. Then I made my own buttercream frosting; 1 cup butter, 1 cup Crisco, 4 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 tablespoon milk (if too thick). I frosted the cake and cupcakes and added coconut to look like snow. For the trees, I got thin dowel rods, candy melts, and sprinkles. I melted the candy melts and placed in piping bags; then I placed the dowel rods on wax paper and squeezed out the melted candy back and forth across the dowel rods to look like trees. I added the sprinkles before the melts hardened.
Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
I baked Devils Food Cake box recipe into cupcakes. Once they cooled I topped them with my buttercream icing. Then I added mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes. I placed a small candy cane on the side to look like a handle to a mug full of hot cocoa.
Peppermint Lollies
I placed the hard peppermint candies with a lollie stick on some wax paper on a cookie sheet. Melted them in the oven at 250 degrees, waited for them to cool and put them into bags with a cute red ribbon.
Candy Cane Forest Cake
I baked a white cake according to the box directions and placed a few drops of peppermint extract in the cake mix. I topped the cake with my buttercream icing and then added crushed peppermints, and candy canes.
Holiday Pretzels
I covered pretzels in white chocolate and milk chocolate. I used hot glue to attach buttons and a scarf to my Snowman Jar. And I attached eyes, red nose, and antlers to my Reindeer Jar.
Melted Snowman Ornament
I filled clear glass ornaments with fake white powder snow. Then I added buttons, a carrot nose, tiny twigs, and a red scarf in the ornaments. I used letter stickers to spell out, “Some People are Worth Melting For”, on the outside of the ornaments. These turned out soooo cute!
Poinsettia
I added gold stars and cute poems to these poinsettia’s and gave them as gifts to co-workers and neighbors!
Christmas Tree Cake
I made a chocolate cake with my Giant Cupcake pan. I dyed my buttercream icing green and used it to decorate the top of my Giant Cupcake. I used yellow and red candy melts to make a star and bows to decorate the Christmas Tree Cake.
Santa Hat Cupcakes
I decorated cupcakes with red buttercream icing. I added a mini marshmallow to the top and white icing around the base of the icing.
