Hayden and His Hip Hop-y-ness

Hayden's first hip hop video debut below!

Several sweet friends came to the park in the freezing cold weather to see Hayden perform his hip hop moves. I love Ashton's eyes in this picture. He was not happy about the crazy coldness. He gets that from one of his parents.

Every time I look at this kid I smile.

Our friend Reese was dancing tonight as well. Such a cutie!

I have to be honest...I had no idea my child could dance this well.

I dance like this in my imagination, but Hayden does in real life.

I was in awe!

In awe of our son, in awe of his dance teacher, Miss Connie, in awe of Suzanne's Dance Studio, but mostly in awe of the Lord who is the giver of all things good.

What a gift Hayden is to this home.

The Lord has definitely given this child an extra helping of music and rhythm.

We pray we are faithful stewards of these gifts as parents.

Watch, enjoy, worship and rejoice!



Did you see him totally break it down in the middle?

Where did we get this kid?

Thank you Father for the gift of children..

for the gift of gifts and talents.

Thank you for the magic of music and dance.

Thank you for slapping some extra ghetto rhythmic funk on this precious child of ours.

We know that came straight from you...cause it did not come from us!

Psalm 149:3

Let them praise his name with dancing

Snow!

It's snowing!

Kids are bundling up.

Snow in this part of Texas means a time to set spelling tests aside and CELEBRATE!

Visions of Sugarplums

Presented by: Lizzie at A Dusty Frame
Price: $7
Available at: A Dusty Frame

I was recently sent this e-cookbook to review.

Visions of Sugarplums contains 50 holiday recipes.

Some of the ones I can't wait to try are...

Gingerbread Waffles
Peanut Butter Dip
Mediterranean Meatballs
Apple Cinnamon Dough (to make ornaments with)
and several of the Christmas Punches

My favorite thing about this cookbook is that it contains traditional recipes as well as recipes from around the world.

As a homeschooling mom this cookbook is a treasure to use with my kids to learn about Christmas traditions from other countries.

It's such a great mixture of things we associate with Christmas here in America and new recipes to try from other countries.

For only $7 I think this is a great buy for anyone, but especially if you homeschool or are looking for fun holiday related activities to do with children.

I plan on trying just about everything in this cookbook.

An added bonus...most of the yummy recipes we receive as gifts from others (candy, etc.) are in this book. I'm thinking I can use many of these recipes to make and give away to friends for Christmas.

You can find Visions of Sugarplums over at A Dusty Attic for $7. You buy it and then immediately download it straight to your computer.

This was a Mama Buzz review
and was provided by A Dusty Attic.

Tales of a Touchable Nativity

Wise women I love learning from have suggested having a "touchable nativity" for kids to experience during the holidays.

Immanuel.

God WITH us.

Jesus

The touchable, approachable Savior

Holy, yes

Most definitely

And yet

Near us

Among us

Simply put, I want our children at Christmas time to see the nativity...the manger as something to draw near, pick up, examine and touch.

That's hardly true with my Willow Tree Nativity Set.

They aren't even allowed to breath heavy around that thing.

But I love having a nativity set that can be handled, played with and marveled over.

Last year we found the entire nativity set stacked in an 18 wheeler (picture above).

The culprit...Bryce Garratt.

When Hayden was a tiny infant, I caught Anson with the baby Jesus under his shirt.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Feeding baby Jesus," Anson said.

In our home Baby Jesus has been breastfed by a two year old, been found riding in an 18 wheeler, and driving a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle motorcycle.

He makes his way all over the house. I find him in the bathroom, in the pantry...in the refrigerator on the shelf next to the yogurt.

The baby Jesus has been the victor in every super hero stand off.

The shepherds have guarded block towers.

Ashton tried to set the manger on fire by using the advent flame while we were praying.

We drew the line.

He got in trouble.

Immanuel.

God with us!

I know that many of you bought touchable nativity sets last year. Any favorites?

These can be pricey, so one year we bought ours right after Christmas was over so we'd have it the following year. Our touchable nativity set borders on "creepy." The shepherds and wisemen look a lot like carnies and the baby Jesus looks like a four year old wrapped in a tortilla. Weird, I tell ya.

Last year the boys got the Playmobil Nativity. It's incredible and a big hit this year, but not one to leave out with small children around. I think we'd find the baby Jesus in Hudson's diaper, perhaps taking the "God with us" a little too far even for the Hendricks.

If you see good deals on touchable nativities, please email me and I'll let others know.

Get Your Grooveshark On!

I know this is like beating a dead donkey, but seriously...Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb CD is our first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth favorite Christmas CD.

If you don't have this treasure you are missing out. I don't say that about too many "tangible" things you buy with money...but this is one of those items that is worth every penny.

I have heard this album a billion times and still get choked up while listening to it. I find myself with my hands in the air praising God in the middle of my kitchen. This CD tells the Christmas story from the beginning (Genesis). I am overcome with worship and wonder when I allow myself to get swept away in the magic of this CD.

All other Christmas CD's are competing for ninth place in our book.

Coming in at a strong number nine is...

I know...maybe I'm bipolar or something.

Mariah's CD is NOTHING like Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb, but it's still my favorite non Behold the Lamb Christmas CD.

I have loved this CD since I was in high school.

This jewel does NOT inspire me to raise my hands in worship as often as Andrew Peterson's masterpiece.

Instead, my girl Mariah inspires me to sing into a wooden spoon, belt out songs like I'm not white and shake what my mamma made me all over the downstairs of our home.

Hudson and I can get down to this CD.

My little buddy baby can get his cute little behind shakin.

Want to listen to this CD for free?

Remember Grooveshark?

Aaron made an entire Christmas playlist for our family on Grooveshark for FREE.

Run on over there to Grooveshark.

When the site loads, type in:

Jesus What a Wonderful Child

It's by Mariah.

If you're at work or in a public place...be warned. You may stand up and start dancing.

If you'd like to know how to make a playlist, I'll tell you in the comment section. I don't mind writing the how to's up...but only if someone actually wants a free Christmas play list.

Some of our favorites on the play list are:

Mariah's Christmas Album
Destiny's Child's Christmas Album
Harry Connick Jr.
Bing Crosby
Jackson Five
Whitney Houston

If you find other great Christmas Albums on Grooveshark, or other great Christmas songs, let me know! I want to add them.

Is there anything better than a house filled with music?

Sseko Sensation

I had a great time last night with some
sweet ladies at the sandal shindig.

They braved the cold and the rain to come hang out.



Cameron taught us so many beautiful ways to tie our Ssekos.

If you want to buy Ssekos, but you're worried you won't know how to tie them, all the neat ways we learned to fashion our shoes are online.

I could not believe how many cool ways there are to tie these shoes. One of the girls last night said something along the lines of..."Its like getting 10 pairs of shoes for the price of one!"

So true.

It was a blessing to me to look around my house at the group of lovely women...but also to see so many sandals all over the room.

Ssekos are more than just shoes to me.

Think about this: Just One Fair Trade purchase from every American churchgoer this Christmas would lift one million families out of abusive poverty for one whole year. Let’s make sure that when gifts are given, they speak of the sort of world that Jesus came to show us — one where the last is first, where the poor are included, the sick are healed, and the captive is set free. - www.tradeasone.com

My heart is flooded with hope when I think that just one fair trade purchase this Christmas could change someone's life for an entire year. That's something for the church to rejoice about!

More Great Advent Ideas

The Dutys posted the study that New Life made available for family worship during Advent.

Although Advent actually started last Sunday night, I don't think this study begins until today (Dec. 1). This study is terrific and probably better than the one we're using for families with younger kids.

The one we're using is only four days per week. That works better for us. Last year we kept getting behind if we missed nights since the study was every night.

Bottom line...if you haven't started celebrating Advent but want to, you can start today using the study above or the one we're using and not be behind!

We have both studies printed and will use parts of each of them!

Some families make advent countdowns or calendars. I used to do that when our kids were little, but now they can read a calendar so I don't go to all the work. For little kids it is so fun to have something to count the days down to the celebration of Jesus' birthday.

Kirby has a great idea for counting down the days until Christmas. You wrap a Christmas book for every day of advent. Every day your child opens one. The book lover in me is absolutely in love with this idea! Go check out her post. The idea with pictures is at the bottom.

Next year Hudson will be old enough to enjoy an advent calendar. Those wrapped up books will be sitting under our tree!

Kendra and several other women from New Life made an advent calendar out of toilet paper rolls. Kendra posted a tutorial on her blog. So cute!

_______________________________

If this snuck up on you, I know there is this tendency to feel behind and feel defeated.

Please don't do that!

The goal is to make the Christmas season a time of worship...a time of anticipation and focus on the Savior's birth.

You do not need cute calendars to do that.

You do not need a million different activities.

You don't need the cutest advent wreath that ever existed.

Those are all very fun and there's nothing wrong with them.

But...if you don't have those things, it does not mean you're a B-Team Mother.

You just need to stop...cuddle up with your family and tell the greatest story on Earth!

If the crafty stuff is not "your deal" then don't make it your deal! Add your own style and personality to the way you celebrate Advent.

Or maybe the crafty stuff is "your deal" but you don't have time right now, or the money to bring your ideas to life...

Take comfort in knowing...

The story of Christmas...of Jesus coming to this earth to be Immanuel...God with us...is the only thing we truly need this holiday season.

This story...minus any opening acts, man-made bells and whistles is POWERFUL. It changes our lives...and will change the lives of your children.

Happy Celebrating!

Yay! Free Straps!

If you come tomorrow night, you can enter
a drawing for a free pair of straps!

I love that when you change your straps,
it looks like you have a new pair of shoes.

Sseko Sandal Shindig Tomorrow Night

Don't forget!

We're having a sandal shindig tomorrow night (Tuesday, December 1) at my house.

The fun will begin at 6:30.

In case you missed the post about my favorite new shoes, you can read it here.

In a nutshell, buying ssekos means you're supporting fair trade, know exactly who made your shoes AND your purchase is sending a beautiful young woman to college in Uganda.

The shoe party will be a great excuse to hang out with other ladies, laugh, learn and hear more about Sseko.

I'll have the hot chocolate. If you come, please bring a small snack to share.

I will say it over and over...I have LOVED my sandals. Loved them!!

Anyone who knows me well knows this...

Heather hates winter.

I do.

I'm super cold natured so winter literally hurts me through and through.

I have a long list of reasons why I can't stand the cold.

More laundry (layers look cool but as a mother of lots of kids, I can't even tell you how much laundry layers makes for me)

socks (In the summer my kids are forbidden to wear them)

tying all those shoes (even though most of the boys can tie, they say they like my double knots better...hmmm...I think it's a trick)

my feet being cold (I got big, brown furry boots for my birthday. When Aaron gave them to me he said, "I'm sure you're going to try and sleep in these this winter." Yep.

runny noses (those don't exist in the summer)

jackets (my kids lose jackets all winter long. that makes me nuts. Or, I end up carrying five hundred jackets everywhere we go)

NOW...I've added to my list of reasons why winter is dumb another item...

"I can't wear my ssekos cause my feet are cold"

I might wear them with socks I like them so much.

All you girls who wear flip flops in the dead of winter will do just fine in your ssekos. Every time I look down and see a girl in flip flops in the winter, my whole body hurts. Those "winter flip flop wearers" assure me that they are fine. The cold doesn't bother them. I offer them socks, but they never take me up on my offer.

I don't know how you girls do it.

But since you can, you'll get to look cute in your ssekos year round.

I'm jealous.

Those of you who can't wear flip flops in the cold weather don't be upset. This is Texas. I've worn my ssekos several times a week all November because it's been so warm. December will be the same way. I may even get to wear my ssekos on Christmas day. Ya just never know around these parts.

Come out to the party! Cameron will have shoes to buy if you haven't bought yours.

She will have straps you can purchase that are not listed on the sseko website.

She'll teach us some cool ways to tie our sandals (and hopefully you have tried some new ideas and can share your strap ideas with us).

Come support this incredible business!

If you need directions to my house, please email me!

Hope to see you tomorrow evening!

Now I need to go make sure my toenails are presentable. I think they need some work before a public viewing.

Free Photo Christmas Cards

Remember how I make these for Christmas?

Well...Money Saving Mom has saved be a ton of money today.

I got 100 Photo Christmas cards for free (you only pay shipping). So, I got 100 photo cards for about 4 bucks.

I also got 200 printed pictures for my calendars for free. I had to pay shipping, but that only cost me about $8.

Incredible!

The offers end tomorrow at midnight. Sounds exciting...like Cinderella!

If you want 100 free photo cards, read this post.

If you want 200 free pictures printed, read this post.

The cards are not the cutest in the whole world, but they are "Target cute."

And let's get real..."FREE" has a way of making just about anything look a lot cuter.

You can pick your own photos, backgrounds, text and font.

I LOVED that I got to write what I wanted on our cards, pick my font, pick the size, and put the text exactly where I wanted it.

Wow...my "control freak" streak comes out in the weirdest places. This time, on my Christmas cards.

If you know how to make your cards in photoshop, you can make a super duper cute card, upload it to See Here (the company above), and then you will have the cutest cards on the block for the cheapest price.

So...if you want free cards or pictures, and you have some time between now and tomorrow night, check out those posts!

Advent starts tonight!

I'm at home from church this evening with a feverish baby. Poor guy. But he sure is sweet sitting here in my lap.

I'm getting excited about Advent. It starts tonight.

We don't have our candles yet, but who cares.

This isn't about candles.

It's about preparing our hearts to celebrate the wonder that is Christmas.

In case you missed it, we're using this study.

Our church gave us a great advent study as well. We'll work in many of the scriptures they recommended, and if New Life posts a link to their advent study, I'll let you know.

The first week of advent is all about "waiting" and the prophecies from the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the New Testament when Jesus was born.

from New Life's study...

Psalm 62:5-6
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be moved.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...

From the study above...

The story of Jesus’ birth is about God showing that he keeps his promises and is trustworthy. How can we honor the story of Jesus’ birth this week by keeping our promises and our word?

Advent song this week...

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Thanksgiving Wonder

We headed to Yonder Way Farm for Thanksgiving...home of my precious Aunt and my brother's family.


Remember this craft idea I had for the kids?

Well...my attempt to be as cool as the Mahaneys failed. The kids didn't like the hats. Throughout the craft, I heard things like...

"Can my turkey just have two feathers? I want to go play."

"Are we done yet? When will this be over?"

and my favorite..

"Can you just do my craft for me?"

On the outside I was helping the kids make turkeys. On the inside, I was daydreaming about freezing all their underwear that night.

Oh well...

Little cutie looked adorable and he doesn't have a big enough vocabulary to dis my craft (yet).


We tried to show the kids how cool these turkey hats look. Maybe they would see how cool we look in them and want to wear the hats themselves.

Nope.

But seriously...Aaron didn't try too hard to be convincing. Really, Honey...that's the worst, 'These are the coolest hats ever" look I've ever seen.

Aaron made fun of us pretty severely for not knowing what the wattler is and where to put it. He was right. I had no idea. I know that red thing goes somewhere, but I think I showed the kids how to put it on the wrong way. It looked more like our turkeys had nose bleeds than wattlers.

Note to self...(crafts may be for the Mahaney family, but they are not for our family!)

In spite of the craft, Thanksgiving was wonderful.

You know it's a great holiday when you let yourself get talked into staying an extra night. How fun!

There's nothing like staying up late with family talking.

There's nothing like waking up in the mornings to cousins galore.

There is no better breakfast than Jason and Lynsey's breakfast.

And would ya look at these two crazies...

Hayden and Laney Rae are the "hot messes" of this family.
They both wake up at the crack of dawn and
crack us all up the remainder of the day.

It was a sweet time being with our family.

And guess what Aunt Lynsey did while we were there?

Took our family pictures.

She's pretty wicked talented.

This was one of my favs.


Hope your Thanksgiving was a great one.

There was one constant theme running through my head during the few days we stayed with our family.

I kept thinking....

How great is the love of God?

You can't help but taste God's goodness in a homemade breakfast

or feel it in the softness of your nieces' hair

or smell it in a fire you are sitting around while laughing your face off with your family.

It's in those moments that you can't help but declare...

God is good and His grace excessive.

Every good and perfect gift comes straight from heaven.