Christmas digital page

Luis gave me Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Christmas. This is my first digital page in the new program (click on the picture to see it larger). It was so easy for me to do. I did get a tutorial from Digitalscrapbookplace.com which helped me creating my first layout. It showed me all the buttons and tools I needed to utilize my new software!

I have had Jasc Paintshop Pro on my system and the learning curve was too hard for me. It took me hours to do the same layout.

I am looking forward to doing more digital layouts this year. I am actually taking on a 365 challenge to take a picture a day in 2007. The photos can be of anything...my most favorite subjects though are 4 years old ;0

My goal though is to still finish A and C's first year books in paper! I will get them done in 2007! I am already working on March 2003....

Gingerbread House

Adrienne and Camryn putting the finishing touches on their gingerbread house.

Shangri La...oh la la

The girls and I had fun putting this house together. It definately was a process. We started on the Tuesday before Christmas putting up the walls and roof. I thought it was pretty secure and left it alone to put some laundry in. I came back and one side of the roof had collapsed onto our table. lol

We did not get a chance to put the candy on until Friday. They totally enjoyed eating more candy than the actually put on the house.

O Christmas Tree...

Camryn and Adrienne in front of our tree. Yesterday we went to a Christmas concert so I dressed the girls up in their finery. We had a great time....the program was quite long. They wanted to give the opportunity for every person involved in the dance academy to have a chance to shine. The costumes were really amazing.

Camryn fell asleep during the first portion of the show for about an hour, and Adrienne fell asleep right after the intermission for the remainder of the show. Grammy totally had a wonderful time. We went to lunch before hand with her.

Favorite Christmas Ornaments

This little pixie was given to me by my mom last year. It has been on our family tree since I was a little girl. It brings back so many fond memories of Christmas in our home.

I just love cardinals. Luis gave me this ornament the year we got married. We had gone into this little shop and I had admired it. He later went back and got it for me as a gift.

If you have any favorite ornaments you would like to share...leave me a note in the comments section. :)

Christmas Fun

I got this emailed today from a friend and decided to put it on my blog.

Welcome to the 2006 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends! Enjoy!! Everyone has time for a few moments of fun! Don't be a scrooge!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I like them both!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? white inside, colored lining the house.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the 2nd weekend in Dec after my girls birthday.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My mom has this wonderful recipe of vegetables in a white cheese sauce that is just tasty!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: One year we had friends visit from out of state. They brought their presents with them. It was so much fun to spend time with other kids on Christmas day.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think it was a gradual process. There was no traumatic event that shocked me or anything like that.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? My kids are not old enough to ask yet. When they do it will probably be the smallest one under the tree at the time.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We have a pre-lit tree with white lights and special keepsake ornaments that have been collected over the years. I used to put garland tinsel up but my girls liked to use it like a boa and pulled the tree over several times when they were little.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I dread it.

12. Can you ice skate? have you ever fallen on the ice? No ice skating here.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? The 10 speed bike I got in 4th grade.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with family and friends, The joy of giving a specifically picked out gift to a person, and Celebrating the birth of Jesus.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Chocolate Fudge and Christmas cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Going to see the Christmas lights with the kids.

17. What tops your tree? A star

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? I love to give and see that the person's delight when they open the gift.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love Silent Night

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum although they do get really messy.

Christmas Cards

I ordered our Christmas photo cards today from Wal-Mart. I am making some cards of my own and sending out a few of these also.

I guess I am in the holiday spirit sort of. I just like getting things done ahead of time. The thing that takes the most is addressing all the envelopes ;o. lol I am going to try and do labels on our printer this year too.

Operation Christmas Child

Our stuffed to overflowing boxes

Adrienne and her picture

Camryn and her picture

This year our MOPS group decided to fill Christmas Boxes as a philanthropic outreach for each of our discussion group tables.

Our table got together last week and filled 5 boxes for little children all over the world. It is unknown where our boxes will actually end up.

I decided to do two boxes from our family one from Adrienne and one from Camryn. I had the girls draw pictures to the little girls who will be getting the gifts and I took a picture of them. I put the actual drawing and a 4x6 picture with our name and address on the back in case the child is able to contact us in the future.

The Operation Christmas Child program is run by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son. I have always felt that this was a very reputable place to give my time and money to.