Milk Carton Gingerbread House Garland

Well, well, well...  it’s been a hot minute since I’ve visited this little corner of the internet.  Without further explanation, ahem - cough cough ... 2020, I give you a sweet little craft Eliza and I worked on today... 

I give you - 

The cutest little cardboard milk carton gingerbread house garland the world ever did see!

This was so simple and fun to make, you guys.

I ordered these paper milk carton boxes from Amazon well over a year ago with hopes of making this garland waaaaaay back then, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I never got around to it.

The pen is just a chalkboard marker you can find just about anywhere.  I happened to find mine at the dollar store up the road.  But I've linked one here just in case you want to grab one via online shopping.

Next up, Eliza took a break from her virtual learning and we made up some "gingerbread houses" together.  We only drew on the same part/side of every "box."

I found this pom pom string in one of my Christmas totes.  I've had this one for years and if I do recall, it's technically yarn from Walmart.  I found this on - surprise - Amazon and it's pretty darn similar to what I used.

Next, I assembled the boxes.  Now, this part took me a few attempts, but I promise I was making it way more difficult than it actually was.  To ensure the assembly I added a dab of hot glue to the bottom, as well as some hot glue on the inside where you see that pom pom there and then I glued it shut. 

Lastly, I added another dot of hot glue (green - because kids) to the "opening" of the milk jug so that it stayed closed and so that the string remained in its place once hung as garland.

Tada!

A fun little Mommy and Me Christmas garland.  I won't tell you who made which ones.  They're all perfectly imperfect and that's what seems to be so dang perfect about them!

These could make the cutest little additions to an Advent calendar or instead of these boxes, sandwich bags could be used.  Heck, they'd look pretty as garland on a tree, too!  So many possibilities!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I do apologize for popping up out of nowhere, but this craft turned my brain on for the day and I just had to share!

Happy December 1st!

Marie :)

I'm linking up with Create with Joy for my first blog party link up in a very long time!

Christmas Festivities Recap

We've made it to the Christmas Festivities recap!

First up was a visit to the in-laws the Saturday before Christmas.

Henry had a basketball game that day.  I had finished <just about> all my wrapping the day before.  The gift wrapping I hadn't finished - my nephews'.  So once Henry finished with basketball we beelined it to the dollar store for gift bags, a few extra gifts and some diapers...because I was almost completely out (yikes).  The kids changed their clothes in the car and we all sat silently for most of the two hour trip as Jane got in her afternoon nap.  We were a bit late for dinner, but dang it, if we didn't try our best getting out and about and on the road!

Regardless, we were excited to get in some family time!

Jane opening her first gift - EVER!  I almost missed this because she had the gift before I knew it and then realized, "Marie!!!!!  Jane is opening her first gift EVER!  Document that, woman!"

Fun was had by all and we managed to get in some game time, too.

We spent the night, woke up the next morning and headed out to meet Jon's cousin, her husband and their little boy, Brigham.  Check out these adorable cookies Jon's cousin had had made for all of the kids!

Our Elves were sitting in the kids' seats earlier that morning but hadn't left a note suggesting what the kids should do about them being in their spots.  The kids flat-out refused to move them or even touch them unless they were obtained clearance by the Elves themselves.

Wouldn't you know it - while the kids were outside playing, the Elves somehow magically left a note telling Henry and Eliza to hold them all day!  ;)

Oh the magic.

We settled in at home and prepared for the days ahead.  Jon had to work the next day so it was just me and all three kids from 8-6.  It was a good day...

The Elves had left gingerbread houses for the Henry and Eliza to work on that morning.

Our neighbor had left gift bags at our door the day we had left to visit Jon's parents and we had never opened the bags to see what was inside.  Finally, FINALLY on Monday evening, we had a second to open them up.  How fun!

Christmas Eve had arrived and I had plans to do ALL.  THE.  THINGS!!!

AND ALL THE THINGS WE DID!!!

We made chocolate chip cookies from scratch.  Cookie making and baking on Christmas Eve has somehow become a little family tradition of ours!  I love, love, love it!

Ch

While the cookies baked we had multiple dance parties!  It was everything I could have hoped for!

Once the cookies cooled and the dance parties had ended I told the kids to decorate the chocolate chip cookies with sprinkles and frosting and all the sugary-goodness - because why not!?!

I was determined to do some art with the kids.  Some reindeer hands and a sweet little baby foot as Santa's sleigh!  I also did a clay handprint for Jane.  I have one for each kiddo for their first Christmas.  They're some of my most cherished possessions.

Another dance party ensued.  The kids wanted Jon to hold all of them.

This will most likely be the first and the last time that'll ever happen.  Be still my heart!

I cooked up a HUGE Christmas dinner; Ham, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, Brussels sprouts...

I absolutely loved cooking up a huge meal and I'm already looking forward to it again next year!

Speaking of meals...

We couldn't forget about feeding the reindeer!  Eliza and Henry both have/had the same first grade teacher and she makes "reindeer food" with the kids before Christmas break.  It's so fun to watch them sprinkle it everywhere.

Our Elves had left reports and the kids had been given good marks.  Phew!  ;)

Speaking of Elves, ours came and dropped off pajamas at the front door and just like every year before, Elmer and Violet just POOF! disappeared!

How does that even happen???  ;)

We all immediately changed into our new Christmas cozies and then lots of pictures were taken.  Haha!

Henry spent time putting together traps for Santa.  My heart couldn't handle this...

We got in some family Christmas book reading, watched a little bit of tv, then the kids were off to bed.

Jon and I turned on, "It's a Wonderful Life," I poured myself some wine and as luck would have it, I managed to capture this photo before bed...I guess Santa must've been around when we weren't looking.  Hmmmm....

The kids somehow slept in until closer to 7:30, if memory serves me right.  Jane was first to be up and I just couldn't wait for our first Christmas as a family of five!!!

We opened gifts, had cinnamon buns and bagels for breakfast and leftovers for dinner.  Eliza had taken to wanting to help with the dishes - be our guest!  I caught her several times over break wanting to help.  There were even times I'd be nursing Jane in her room and I'd come upstairs and Eliza would  be hard at work - you go, girl!!!  For real....please don't stop.  Haha!

The weather was GOOOOOORGEOUS!!!  It was in the 50's - so we definitely made it a point to get outside!  I'm all for a white Christmas, but I wasn't about to complain about a warm Christmas Day!

Jane received two things for Christmas (other than clothes from me), that Activity Center and a bubble machine!  She loved both!

I found this in our fireplace.  Eliza drew this and I love everything about it!

Girlfriend sitting at her new vanity.  Her little faces - she's a crazy and lovable little six year old!  

The sky on Christmas night!  I saw some people a few doors door, renters at the vacation property, with ugly sweaters on and taking lots of pictures with this scene behind them.  It was so fun to see and the sky was the perfect backdrop for such a special day!

Most of December ;)

Hey guys and Happy New Year!!!  It's 2020.

What?!  Wasn't it JUST 2004?!

I best get to doing things eh?

One of my New Year's resolutions is to blog more...story. of. my. life.

My December recap is going to start on the day after Thanksgiving, because - well, we all know that that's the unofficial - official start of Christmas and the rest of November is just really December...........................you know what I'm trying to say.  ;)

We purchased a real tree last year and decided to purchase another real one this year.  I was relieved we got one so early, too - due to the tree shortage and all - our tree place ran out of trees to sell by mid-month.  Crazy!!!

Here we are on the tree farm - this picture of the kids with Jane cracks me up.  Correction - Jane's face cracks me up.  Zoom in.  I dare you...  Bahaha!!!

We walked and walked and walked.

At one point Eliza wanted to go back to the one she liked.

Um.  No.

We had walked in circles, zig-zagged across the field and I was completely out of sorts when she had mentioned wanting to go back to her "favorite."  She wasn't happy about it at first, but she eventually chilled out and we ended our "hunt" on a good note.  I told the kids, "This year, Daddy gets to pick the tree."  Problem solved and a tree was picked within seconds.  Boom.  Done.

I love, love, looooove this pic.  So much so that I slapped it on a mug and gifted it to Jon for Christmas.  Henry and Eliza each wrote a special note to him and each were placed inside the mug.  Jon loved it.  Those notes made it so special.

Those rosy cheeks.

I forgot mittens for this sweet thang.  Gah!  I feel like I'm still getting used to being an itty bitty baby mom all over again.  

Once home we brought in our tree.  We meant for the tree to be much smaller than last year.  Oops.

I wasn't mad about it at all.  Great work, Jon!  Haha!

Jane with the infamous bell.

All three of our kids have rang this bell at Christmas.

It's become a little tradition in our household; The ringing of the bell!

We told the kids to have at it while we watched the Michigan/Ohio State Game.

#minions

We had Christmas pictures taken of the kids the following day.  Eliza loved matching with her sister.

This girl.  She's so much fun!

Back to the tree.

Having a real tree was, well...exhausting.

Heck, having a any kind of tree with a newly crawling 8 month old with lots of dangling shiny and glittery objects made for an interesting month.  Then the needles...oh the needles...started to fall off...as needles normally do...

When Henry and Eliza were babies we had fake trees and they hadn't yet started to crawl.  This was a whole new ballgame for us, you guys.  A. whole. new. ballgame.

Major shout out to all the parents who had curious little crawling babies around the holidays.  I see you and I salute you.  As much as I absolutely loooooved our tree, I was counting down the days until it came down ... and I'm basically related to Buddy the Elf.  So yeah.  That's saying something.

We attended a friend Christmas party and I tried my hand at a Charcuterie Board!  This was a lot of fun for me!

We attended one of Henry's basketball games and one of Jon's coworkers snapped this pic of a sleeping Jane on her Mama.  I love it so much, double chin and all (and I mean mine).  Haha!  I'll take what I can get with pics of me and my babies these days.  :)

Speaking of...

Mama and Janie selfie!  We got in some Christmas shopping!!!  So fun!

This was a fun morning.  We went shopping at an Outlet Mall and it was basically our one time physically out-and-about shopping for gifts.  The rest was ordered online.  The Christmas Spirit was in full swing!

A sweet and random nap time pic.  You're welcome.

The Elves, Elmer and Violet, had been busy creating chaos and mischief in our home.  They brought shirts and necklaces for the kids to wear to their class parties!

Eliza's class party...

This cute hat that Eliza made in class.  I thought it was the cutest thing ever!  

The last day before break.  Henry's class party and pajama day for Eliza's class...

My little helper as I got ready to attend yet another class party...

Also a tired little helper...

Time to party!

I was exhausted from holding Jane for about two hours during Henry's par-tay.  Girlfriend only wanted to be held on my hip/side.  Wowza...my poor left forearm and hip - who needs those anyway?!

Henry was excited to have us in his class with him.  Jane wanted nothing more that to either be held or to crawl.  The latter was strongly denied.  Hence all the holding...

The next thing I did before Christmas break was to finally take Jane's 8 month picture...only about a month late!  Geesh!  But I got it done!

Welp, that's where I'll stop.  Next up - our Christmas Festivities Recap.

You're welcome in advance!!!

Talk to you soon!

Marie :)