Getting ready for Christmas...

My favorite part of Christmas is the ANTICIPATION! 

I knew I wanted to do a Family Advent Calendar to count down the days until Christmas,

but I didn't want it to be about candy or toys. 

I wanted it to be about time and memories. 

I found the idea for this advent calendar from my newest favorite blogspot,

Maple & Magnolia... http://www.mapleandmagnolia.com/ 

She's totally freaking FABULOUS!  Go check it out!

This calendar is from Pottery Barn (available last year.)
How cute, right?  It had a price tag of about $100.

Using that Pottery Barn calendar as inspiration, this calendar was made by Susan over at http://www.mapleandmagnolia.com.  It's so fabulous!  Mine is not NEARLY as fantabulous, but in my (very teensy-weensy) defense, I could not find that SUPER striped ticking

in my small-town fabric "department." 

I think that striped ticking makes Susan's calendar go from Advent to AdventASTIC!

I entertained the idea of doing an Advent Calendar with reds and patterns

like this one below from Kimberly Peterson's blog: http://kimberlypetersen.typepad.com/photos/things_i_made/advent.html

But I really think the cream and black just suits my decor better

and will be something I can customize throughout the years!

So here is what I came up with.  I used a little over 2 yards of canvas. 

I took Susan's advice over at Maple & Magnolia and traded in my needle and thread

for my weapon of choice--glue gun baby!

I cut my squares 6 1/2 inches square and I folded the tops down and glued to avoid fraying.  I used stamps and acrylic paint to stamp on the numbers. 
After that was done, I attached the pockets to the larger piece of canvas...and voila
errr...more like 4 or 5 hours of sitting on the hardwood floor with my aching joints later...
I was finished. 
I folded the top over to make a rod pocket and inserted a dowel rod.  
My plan was to use twine and hang on the wall, but I think I will leave it right where it is in between my tab top curtain panels in the (informal) dining area.

My FINISHED Advent Calendar stuffed with "goodies." :) 
I'm HAPPY with the end result!

My husband was awesome enough to have found these bad boys at Wallyworld today...
  
They are simply money holders and we got them in packs of 8 for 97 cents.  Not bad, huh?

I printed out 25 activities that we we would do as a family and I glued them inside of these cards like so...

And my personal favorite (can't wait til we get to put this one in action!)

While searching for Advent Calendar inspiration over at M & M, I found this totally awesome idea for a HOT BEVERAGE STATION!  Ingenious, right?  Check it out...

Yeah, so after seeing that, I knew I must do one of two things...

either move into Maple & Magnolia's fab farmhouse...

or make myself a hot beverage station...

So I showed up on the doorstep at M&M....

KIDDING! 

(Although the way my sweet children seem to have been posessed by somebody that rhymes with the Bevil tonight....that is starting to look like a viable alternative

Exhibit A

Yeah, I didn't like it either.

So I kept playing around until I decided on this one...

Ahhh....

Now THIS is the Griffith Family Way of Life :)

 

After I had a delish cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles,

it was time to make some ornaments.

So cute.  And So.Darn.Easy.

Found these little shells at the Dollar Store

and simply used my glue gun to attach jute twine to them for hanging. 

Easy.  Peasy.

These will make a LOVELY coastal addition to my tree this year :)

I have a few Thanksgiving tricks up my sleeve, so stay tuned :) 

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus...

"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" is one of my (newly) favorite Christmas songs.  I'm not sure if my kids (or my husband) even know this IS a Christmas song.  I've know this song for a very long time, but wouldn't have categorized it in the top 10 (or 20 or 30) list of my favorite Christmas carols until recently.
"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.  From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee."  Ok, so it's written in "Old English" but the message is still so very clear.
Click it on and listen to it...

It gives me chills.
I think that's the feeling we're SUPPOSED to get as Advent and Christmas approach.  I think we are supposed to feel the profound feeling of ANTICIPATION of the Christ Child!
I have had Christmases where I didn't put Christ at the center of Christmas.  I focused on gifts and hustle and bustle and cooking and baking and decorating...I forgot the real reason.  I didn't anticipate "Thou Long Expected Jesus" the way I should have.  I have let the days zoom by and I have felt downright depressed on December 25 after everything was over and done! 

Depressed?  Really?!  "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus..."  I am supposed to be CELEBRATING the anticipation of a baby who came to earth...not born in The Hilton, but born in the backwoods...in the ghetto...with the lowest of the low.  Why do you think that was?  You think God couldn't have made room at the inn if he would've wanted it that way?  One of the songs that the kids at church are singing in the Christmas Play is called "Part of the Plan."  It was all a part of the plan. 

Have you ever gone to dinner someplace super fancy?  I remember my dad coming home from a dinner at the Greenbrier one time--it was either a retirement dinner or a work-related dinner...something like that.  I remember us laughing as he described the food that was served..."and then there was something that looked like green beans, but there were only four of them."  Ha!  Sometimes "royalty" has a way of making us feel inadequate...not smart enough...not skilled enough...not good enough...unworthy.  Rarely have I ever thought I was lower than cow dung though :)   
Jesus was born next to cow dung.  I bet you never thought of it that way, huh? 
"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus"...anticipation of what was to come...hope and excitement and eagerness.  I never remember seeing anything in the book of Luke about throwing elbows on Black Friday or anxiousness and stress over the the holiday season.

As Christmas fast approaches, don't forget to be in anticipation!  That's what makes this season so alive and full of wonderment!  I plan on doing plenty of decorating and baking (burning) cookies and making all kind of crafty goodness, but I will make sure it's all in anticipation of "Thou Long Expected Jesus."

'Twas the Week Before Thanksving...2006

What an incredibly fast year this has been!  I can remember as I child how my dad and my grandparents would tell me how the time went by so much faster as you got older.  Of course I thought they were full of baloney…once again, I realize how right they are.

In eleven short days, it will be Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is so very special to me.  Thanksgiving represents family and thankfulness and tradition—being an only child, I yearned for a Thanksgiving like many folks had—a table set for 20, an actual turkey instead of a just a small turkey breast for three, laughter and silliness, homemade placemats and maybe even Pilgrim and Indian hats. 

People wonder why I go nuts over all sorts of things—birthdays, holidays—you name it.  Well I guess it’s because I finally have a family which is larger than the average one.  I remember back several years…we had my husbands’ parents and his brother and sister-in-law and our nephews and we had my mom and step dad—my 1,000 sq. ft. house runneth over.  I sent out homemade invitations that included the following poem:

‘Twas the week before Thanksgiving

And all across the state

Were Kevin and Amanda saying

“Don’t be Late!”

The table will be set

Especially for you

In hopes that you will come

And join our zoo.

The children will be nestled

In front of the big screen

As Macy’s Thanksgiving Day

Parade is seen.

Perhaps to our wondering

Eyes will appear

One of the Griffiths

Dragging home an 8 point deer.

“Now Perry now Thelma

Now Barry and Mildred!”

On Roger on Angie!

Come and get fed!”

Down Route 18

Down I-64

Now dash away, dash away!

Right to our door!

So spring to your sleigh

Give your team a whistle

And put the pedal to the metal

And sore like a missle!

You will hear us exclaim

‘Ere you pull in the drive

“Happy turkey day to all

And to all a high-five!”

I went down to the church and borrowed a couple of banquet tables.  I put all of my living room furniture against the wall and we had a huge table down the center of my living room and dining room.  Hands-down it was, my favorite Thanksgiving to date.  I love having a houseful of people.  I love the stress and the chaos and all of the bad that goes with the absolute fantastic memories J

I have no idea what we will have in store this Thanksgiving.  I look forward to whatever memories we will make!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.~William Blake

I've always thought Will Smith was amazing...

I have thought Will Smith was a genius from the time I heard an interview with him when I was a kid.  Read this little excerpt about why he vowed not to use profane language in his music years ago.

http://www.wildwildwillsmith.com/bio.html

This video is amazing.  Take a look...

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Keep Hoppin'...

Today was the day we collected for our RAOK (Random Acts of Kindess) Day.  I have been promoting this to all of my 721 Facebook friends for a couple of weeks now.  I have asked for donations as simple as old newspapers or bottles of bleach or shampoo.  Natalie, her friend Eve, and I set up at the entrance of the church parking lot this evening at 6:50 and we waited...and waited...and waited...
The only donation we received was a couple of pairs of socks from our Pastor.  I was so disgusted.  I was so discouraged.  See...in my naivity, I had such high hopes for this for my daughter.  I really wanted her to leave the church knowing that a 9 year old girl really CAN make a difference in the world. 
At 7:54 pm, I told the girls it was time to go ahead and pack up.  We hadn't received any donations except for the socks and I was getting tired and still had to hit the grocery store for ice cream for the party tomorrow.  They were persistant, however.  They said they wanted to stay a little while longer.  A few minutes later, a member of our church stopped by and brought us a huge bag of newspapers to take to the shelter. 
Then...a few minutes later...a car pulled in.  It was a "beater" as my husband would call an older car with probably 200k miles on it.  The lady inside looked as if maybe she didn't have a lot.  She had a toddler strapped in a carseat in the back.  She asked the girls what they were doing.  They tried to explain to her and then I stepped in and started to explain, the whole time thinking to myself...this lady is probably thinking we're handing out stuff and wants in on it.  It was a terrible superficial judgement that I made.  We told her what all we were collecting and she sort of giggled and said, "Well I don't have any of that with me, but if I give you all a cash donation, you will get some of those things with it?"  I couldn't believe it.  There I was thinking that as soon as this young lady found out what we were doing that she would exit stage left pronto.  The kind lady then proceeded to tell us how much she loved animals and she knew the shelter helped so many animals and what a great organization SafeHome is.  She told us that she had to utilize SafeHome a while back, so it was very dear to her heart.  Then she unzipped her change purse and handed Natalie a $20 bill.  Tears welled up in my eyes and I knew this was all supposed to happen.  It never fails.  Every.single.time.  I was planning on getting bleach and laundry detergent and dog food.  That's all.  I wasn't expecting blessings. 
And we were blessed. 
After the lady left, Natalie said, "Mom, I wanted to cry when she was telling us that."  I smiled and said, "I did."  And so it begins...a spirit for giving; Seeing the circle of being in need and then getting back on your feet and giving back. 
A few minutes after that happened, JoAnn & Marty Forbes walked up with a bag of donations for SafeHomes and I remembered when Marty's mom, Pat "Punk" Kegley Tabor brought me a big food donation at the church when I was collecting food.  What a nice family reputation it is to have a reputation for giving. 
The United Methodist Men were meeting tonight at our church.  Our Pastor came outside right before we left and said to the girls, "Come in here and bring your fliers."  The girls did just that.  Our Pastor's husband, Pastor Jim had already heard about what Nat was doing so he quickly told the men that for her birthday, Natalie was giving to others and he challenged them to give to help the worthy causes.  When we left the church, Natalie had collected a bag of newspapers, 2 pairs of socks, a bag of donations for SafeHome and $96 in cash.  When we got back home, our neighbor threw in $4 to make it an even $100.  Natalie will split that and make a $50 monetary donation to the Humane Society and a $50 donation to SafeHomes.  I'm not disgusted anymore.  I'm not discouraged.  Through tears, I can say that I am ENCOURAGED.  I'm so very encouraged.  Keep hoppin Nat :) 

9 Random Acts of Kindess Birthday Party...

"If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart”

Natalie's 9th birthday is Monday, July 25 and on August 12, we are doing a “9 Random Acts of Kindness” Birthday Party (9 for 9 years old!)

I can't take credit for this idea, as I was inspired to do this particular party from the following blog post I stumbled upon:  http://theletteredcottage.net/sweet-party-ideas

I love birthdays.  I love my friends and family and I love celebrating life.  After a birthday, my very frugal father will always say, "Ya went a little overboard again didn't you?"  Maybe Definately so, but I don't want my kids' birthdays to be "just another day." 

With inspiration from this blog post, Natalie and I have come up with 9 random acts of kindness that we have planned for the birthday party:

1) Donation/Volunteer at Safehomes (will check to see what they need)
2) Walk dogs and leave treats at Animal Shelter
3) Take homemade treats for the residents and staff at the nursing home
4) Take flowers to hospital and leave for the volunteers to give to patients who don't have flowers
5) Volunteer at Food Pantry (my mom does the Snack Packs for needy kids (they pack them at South Covington UMC) so she is going to show them what they do)
6) Stand outside Walmart and hand out free lollipops to kids (and young at heart!)
7) Place fliers under windshield wipers in Walmart Parking Lot that say “It’s Natalie’s 9th Birthday and we are celebrating by doing 9 random acts of kindness! Have a great day and pass on an act of kindness today!”
8) Go through the McDonald's drive thru and pay for the person behind us
9) Put change in all of the gumball machines and drink machines at the supermarket

When we return from our adventure, we will have birthday cake and food and watch this little diddy...

And then there is this scene from The Pursuit of Happyness makes me cry like a baby...

We will take plenty of pictures and shoot plenty of video during the day and it is my hope to make the girls a DVD of our pictures throughout the day and mail to them the following week.  I’ll be sure to upload it on here for all of you to see as well!

I can’t wait to see the faces of giving…

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” ~Kahlil Gibran

P.S. Feel free to copy this idea and do your own random acts of kindess party!

UPDATE!!!  Here is how the day went!