Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Merry Christmas!

Blessings to you and yours this holiday and throughout 2014.

With love, The McCully Family

 Nathan, Cassie, Brooklynn--7 1/2 & Asher-- 5 1/2

Merry Monday Mentions: bits and curiosities from the web

Happy Monday, friends!  I hope your week is off to a great start!  I'm looking forward to filling the rest of the week with Christmas festivities...

Perhaps beginning with a surprise evening for the littles.  Golden tickets and all!

Baking sugar cookies is an annual Christmas tradition in our house.  So is this and this.

This festive run has been dubbed the "ugliest 5k on the planet."  Sign me up!

Such a perfect advent craft.  I just love A Beautiful Mess!

Calling all book lovers!  This wrapping paper is for you!

I have a blogger crush.  She writes poetic and beautiful, and stirs deep each time she posts (and as I was writing this, I learned she is the newest blogger for the Huffington Post!).  This this essay is relateable, heartbreaking, and wise.

Cat Cafes, Cuddle Cafes and other Japanese cafes that are just plain odd.  I don't find anything merry about this.

Tender advice for what you should do when love arrives, stays, and when it leaves...

A Christmas Prayer.  Such beautiful words for dark times.  We're praying for you Sandy Hook.  xx

Since the staff party I attended on Friday, I'm now on the hunt for the best chocolate truffle cake recipe ever.  Obviously, the caterer didn't cooperate when asked about her recipe.  Let me know if you know where I should turn!  For now, this one looks like a good place to start.  Because you know, I'm going to be baking chocolate truffle cakes until I get it right.

Oh yeah, today marks the beginning of my Paleo eating regimen.  So baking weekly chocolate truffle cakes is out.  Dang. 

Now that the littles are done with school till after the New Year, I can't wait to take them here.  I sang there many times as a teen.  So festive!

Be merry, friends!

 

pastel cookies

It Was Merry & Pretty Calendars

I can hardly believe Christmas has already come and gone!  It went so fast and was so busy that I officially failed at taking Christmas photos.  Now I feel guilty about it all, as I have hardly a thing to show for this special time.  Besides lacking photos, our Christmas was full.  A Christmas Eve meal with family and Pioneer Woman side dishes, hot Wassail, singing, games, comedy, dessert with my brother and his family and Husband's family (it is so nice to be able to combine families during special occasions), friends, naps, sleeping in late, reading, and of course, the full meaning of the holiday are the many things we enjoyed last weekend. 

We are so thankful. 

With the New Year fast approaching, there are a few things on my mind:

1) Our plans.  I'm hearing it is going to go something like...our house, Dance Dance Revolution, Ping Pong,

music, and fondue.  Having children and having friends who have children has given us a whole new outlook on ringing in the New Year.  We like to do it family style.  The kids may be asleep, but we like to at least have them near as we ring in the New Year.

 

2) My New Year's resolution(s).  I'm working on these.  I don't want to go overboard or anything, but I like to gear myself up for a challenge or two during the New Year. 

3) My 2012 calendar and planner:  Is it just me or isn't it fun getting a new calendar for the new year?!

I've been eyeing these...

Wild Horses

by Eye Poetry on Etsy

This shop will take your breath away...

12 Month Calendar by Leah Duncan on Etsy

I'm also loving this twelve month calendar from Little Things Studio.

Pretty calendars get me even more excited about the New Year, you?

here and there

In just a couple hours our guests will arrive.  There are presents to wrap, wassail to make, food to prepare, one more pie to bake, and a table for ten to set.  I'm excited.

Wishing you a magical day!

Cassie

truck

city

cottage

boat

The Little Things {lately}

white lights.

the way the winter sun beams hit the trees in the morning.

enjoying the least stressful holiday, yet.

exchanging Merry Christmas! with strangers.
letting the unnecessary expectations of prior Christmases fall away. 
our sweet elderly neighbor bringing us streusle cake.  she's the sweetest, and boy, is it good.
a new journal and pens.
painting my nails.
menu planning for the holiday weekend.
writing lists and big goals for 2012.  i'm excited for the challenges and changes ahead.
believing God's plan is bigger and more sure than mine.
exercise and sweating off the stress.  i'm such a believer in exercise being the ultimate anti-depressant.
clear skies. we've had the clearest and most sunny winter ever recorded!  not entirely sure about the 'ever' bit, but this a drastic difference from the many rainy holiday seasons we've had here in Southwest Washington.
pink lemonade crystal light. 
baking Christmas goodies with the little ones.
opening up Christmas cards from family and friends.

what a special season it is.

what are your little things today?

x

pinterest

Most Embarrassing Moment {Christmas Church Service Edition}

Yesterday, the kids and I went to church after having missed a few weeks due to the bazaar.  Husband wasn't able to come with us as he was busy with a list of obligations, so on our way we went--the three of us.  I signed the kids into their classrooms, hardly paid any notice to the halos and wings being passed out in Brooklynn's class and headed up the back stairs to the sanctuary.  We usually sit in the top of the auditorium near the center.  I told Husband a few months ago that we should move up front, and he responded, you could move up front.  So in the back center is where we sit.

Oh, it was nice to finally be at church.  I sat down, relieved to be free from the everyday noise and demands.  About the time I was settling in for some holiday reflection, our pastor got up and welcomed everyone saying, "who's here to see a child today?"  Suddenly, flashes of wings and halos and the children pastor's chic black blazer and heels all came together.  In about one minute the Christmas program was beginning and my kids hadn't a lick of what to do, dance or sing, and they're wearing near play clothes and tennis shoes.

I sprang out of my seat, ditched my purse and hurried to save my family.  There I found the children's pastor dolled up, like I'd previously noticed, guiding a line of 30+ 3-4 year olds, including Asher, wearing fabric tied around his head like a little shepherd boy.  He looked surprisingly thrilled with what was about to take place.  When I explained to another teacher that I didn't know if he should take part in today's performance, since he hadn't ever been to practice, she said, "oh, none of the little kids know what they're doing; they'll just stand there and look cute."  Easy enough, I guess that'll do, I thought.

I went to find Brooklynn and when I found her in stretch pants and wings, I asked her point blank, You want to sit this one out since you haven't practiced, or do you want to do this?  There is a fine line when telling your child he or she can't take part in a children's activity when all of the other humans under the age of 10 are doing it, so I let her decide, and she said yes.

I held my breath as I went back to my seat and for the next ten minutes while the big kids performed.  Then it was the younger kids' turn.  Brooklynn was the first kindergartner to take the stage.  The sight of her salmon colored top made me cringe a little as the rest of the kids came on stage in their black and red performance dress.  Then the little kids came on stage lining in front of the other kids and there was Asher in his bright yellow flannel and black and yellow Nike's, dead front and center, without a clue why he was up there.

I think I slumped in my seat a little.  When the music began it was sweet.  Seventy-five or more kids singing Christmas songs in their ununison harmonies.  Then our sweet, sweet Asher decided to that since he didn't know what to do, he would do his own thing, in his yellow shirt, dead front and center. 

I should have known. 

He stomped his feet, did twirls, moved back and forth from the edge of the stage, walked around (with another boy who lost his head piece and was acting like a ghost) and bent over kicking his feet in the air. 

PROOF: 

Look for the ball of yellow in the front
(sorry for the horribly scratched lens).

There was plenty of laughter, as Asher and his ghost-friend distracted in the front.  I overheard one guy in front of me refer to Asher and his break dancing moves, while I exchanged smiling glances with the lady next to me, who had no idea I was the mother of the boy in yellow.  With my hand on my brow, I sunk a little deeper into my seat.  When the final song was over, they asked all the parents take a few moments with their kids to take pictures, etc.  It felt as though the entire time I was walking to the stage to greet my bright yellow ball of moves that people wondered, who could be this kids' parents? 

Outcome: a smiling, happy Asher and Brooklynn. 

Me: embarrassed and shocked at the way service turned out, yet proud of my happy and adaptable children?

Asher said: "that was a fun sheep show!" 

Brooklynn said: "I was a little nervous, but not like last year."  I guess that's how it goes when you don't have time to get nervous!

Never a dull moment with children.

x

Our Tree

This year, I took a whole new approach with our tree.  In the past I've been a colored lights/jewel toned ornament kinda gal.  But after making many, many antique book page and music page ornaments for my show, and loving them, I felt it was time to change up the Christmas decor.

I love the change of white lights and the natural colors mixed with the classic red and green, and the rustic burlap next to the glittered poinsettias.  Seems to be an appropriate change, too, as the entire ceiling in our home is pine, making things unavoidably rustic.  I know.  Pine ceilings. 

I should have told you.

I had to check myself as we were decorating, though, as flashbacks of the year when our family tree was torn from my siblings and I, filled my mind... 

One unforeseen year, my Mom decided she had had enough with our childhood tree.  She no longer cared for our dough and paper ornaments with all five of our precious growing faces throughout the years, but had plans of her own.

The precious ornaments were "accidentaly" left in some attic box--and were no longer marked Christmas, but old Christmas, while our tree was replaced with gold and burgundy trimmings to make a Music Tree. 

To distract me, the youngest, she had me play store with all the ornaments while she wrapped her new gold music note garland around the branches and bulged bugles and other instruments off the tree.  Very tricky.

From then on, we referred to the tree as Mom's Music Tree, and our sweet handmade ornaments and set of stockings, each unique, were never to be seen again.

I'm sorry, Mom.  I can't stop myself from being mellow dramatic, here. 

So, I've told myself over and over that I would never have a themed tree at the expense of the hearts of my children.  So, I compromised and kept the most unique and special ornaments made by the kiddos and displayed them with the rest of the new trimmings.  And it worked out lovely.

P.S. Just to clear things up--the music tree was an award winner. 
My Mom has her way like that.

Love ya, Mom!

x

10 Ways We're Putting Festive Into Our Holiday

AROMA:  I'm sure I'm not the only one who needs to replenish their holiday Yankee candle stash, stat.  Or, if you're into filling your home with natural scents, you could DIY with these brilliant plan-ahead stove-top scents made from fruit, herbs and spices.

AMBIANCE:  Christmas tree lights + fresh tree + roaring fire + family + friends + potential snow on the way...it couldn't feel any more holiday.

EXPERIENCE:  I don't know what could put us in the Christmas spirit more than this special stop.  There are over a million lights, carolers, a petting zoo, hot cocoa/coffee stands and concerts inside the church.  I sang here through junior high and high school and the acoustics of the granite floors of the cathedral are phenomenal.  Ain't gonna lie--last night while on my late night medicine run for my girl, I sang Carol of the Bells with the most drama my lungs could handle, and then I quit, because I was embarrassing myself. 

WATCH:  I've loved this movie since college.  When we honeymooned in NYC, I was bent on going here to have a moment over frozen hot chocolate.  Sadly we found the restaurant to be closed after we had finished our cold yet romantic carriage ride around Central Park, and I was bummed.  One day Husband and I will have a romantic NYC holiday moment over Serendipity's frozen hot chocolate. Until then, here's a recipe for frozen hot chocolate.

READ: The holiday and reading go together like a wink and a smile.  I've heard wonderful things about this book.  I just saw that its become a movie and is in theaters now.  But we readers know better than to see the movie before reading the book, right?  I couldn't even bring myself to watch Water for Elephants after hearing the reviews.  I didn't want the experience to be tainted, ya know?  I was practically devastated watching Angela's Ashes many years ago, and we all know that Twilight in the theater didn't stand a chance against the book.  There's more where that came from.

DO:  Puzzles.  My Mama loves a good puzzle challenge, and I remember her doing most of them around Christmas.  Isn't this one neat?  It's made from the map of your city!  How fun would it be to put together the roads that you know.  Plus, it could make some cool wall art!

LISTEN:  I grew up partial to country and folk music, so naturally, Jewel's Holiday Collection is a favorite of mine.  Sarah Mclachlan's, Wintersong has been entrancing me as well--hence the music added to the blog.  I've had my eye on this one, and I should just make the purchase already.  She's so darn cute, isn't she?

MAKE & EAT: family holiday recipes.  When I think of Christmas, I think of more recent years when I'd come home from college on break, usually hit with a cold in no time due to the stress of finals, and my agenda of eat, sleep and Christmas parties with my friends.  Oh, how I miss the days of a leisure Christmas!  Mom baking all sorts of goodies, the can of Almond Roca that magically appeared every year, the ingredients of wassail marrying together on the stove, the delectable meals and fancy table decor--and I just basically showed up.  Now, it's me who has to plan, shop, prep, cook, present, and clean, and it'll never be like the old days, unless of course, the in-laws want to host this year and I'm game.  Not that I'd just lop out on the couch and not help, because I've been raised better than that, but hosting the full meal-deal is a lot of work, and I'm worn out just thinking about it.  I've got nine days to figure it out...or we may just be eating top ramen and drinking hot cocoa.  If all goes well, I'm hoping for a meal involving a main course like this:

Mustard and Cracked Pepper Roast Beef

 

Delish.

Stay tuned: If I'm on it, I'll be whipping up some of favorite holiday recipes in the next few days to share.
 

Bon Bons anyone?

 
DRINK:  Wassail, holiday infused liquor, a gingerbread martini, frozen hot chocolate, an Eggnog Spritzer...basically, cheer in a cup! Here's a list of 29 holiday cocktails that will make you want to sing carols.

WEAR: It has been a long-held traditional in my family to open pajamas on Christmas Eve.  I haven't hardly thought about them until now, which scares me.  What scares me more, is that we've been planning to do handmade gifts, so I wonder if I can make pajama bottoms in a hurry?  Aren't these cute?  Makes me never want to buy store pajamas again.

These little girl bottoms are sweet, too.  After seeing these, a store purchase would be hard to make.

For the day of the festivities, I enjoy getting a wee spruced up. 

Ensemble = Yes, please!

Down to the pretty pale pink polish.

There.  I'm feeling more festive already.

What do YOU do to make your holiday festive?

Click on the button to read more from the party goers!

xx

pretty lights

hometown puzzle

christmas drinks

sweet jammies

pretty ensemble

Neighborly Christmas Gift Ideas

The sun is shining and the stove is roaring here at the McCully ranch,
and I have one particular question on the mind this morning...

Do you give your neighbors Christmas gifts? 

Last year, we delivered plates of cookies to almost all of the neighbors in our culdesac.  I couldn't bring myself to deliver to the home where the older couple lived, who told my other neighbor, "we were probably drug dealers," because we appeared to have money.  I have to admit I was completely offended when I heard that that woman was talking like that about us.  I wanted to knock on her door and tell her that my husband works 50+ hours a week planning and coordinating large building and remodel projects, and that she should keep her judgements to her nasty little self.  Now, that's the Christmas spirit, no?  So instead, I kept her plate of cookies for ourselves.

Growing up, we had close family friends that lived down the street from us, who made a Christmas stop at our house every year.  They were a large family of five kids, like mine, and even when the kids went off for college, they continued to gather together as a family and visit neighbors during the Christmas season.  We looked forward to their holiday visit each year, as they would begin singing Christmas carols before we had even opened the door to greet them.  All seven of them, and then ten to twelve of them (once they started marrying off) would sing a few carols in their beautiful family harmony, all while holding their trademark candy cane shaped cinnamon rolls.

Think this:

and this:

I just might have to track this old-family-friend-mama down,

and tell her where my family lives, now..
and ask her to teach me her tasty cinnamon roll pointers.

Here's a few more fantastic ideas that would be fun to give and receive!

snowflake peppermint bark

cinnamon almonds

caramels

orange and nut toffee

Do you give neighbor gifts?
And do you have traditions for what you give?

x

cinnamon roll
apple pie candy cane

hopeful Christmas blues

This year, Christmas came and went like a pit-stop for gas on a road trip.  Multiple times, I tried to fall into the spirit of things, but it felt as though my mind would retract each time I attempted to hone in on the season.  I was antsy and busy thinking of obligations and future meetings that must be had, worrying that my Etsy orders would make it in time for Christmas, and anticipating all that would resume again come Monday, while presenting Christmas to my family the best way I knew how, with cookie plates, Christmas Eve traditions, family time, and well, let's be honest, too many presents.  Too many, that it left me feeling like I had totally botched my attempt at balancing Santa and the true meaning of Christmas.  It was such a botch that I wonder if Santa will be landing his sleigh on our roof next year, or if he'll be accepting Christmas lists at all.  It sounds so dreadful, I know.

Truth be told, I've been feeling a bit blue since, and my mind is still reeling like a movie on repeat. I can't quite pin-point the offness that resides within, or how it managed to nestle itself in for more than a night's stay.  Sometimes during the day, like late yesterday afternoon on the way home from the grocery store, the glisten of lights on the houses reminded me of the season and the magic it usually brings.  When I returned home, I made it a point to turn the lights back on for these final days of the season and the year, and it helped.

Luckily, with this offness, I haven't felt hopeless, nor has it been pouring over the rest of the family.  Over the last few days, I've been struck with creative ideas that excite me plenty, and there is still promise in my work.  I've been attempting to write through it, to put words to the feelings so as to pull them back and place them in their blue box, for a different rainy day, but it hasn't yet been completely sorted.  It's as though my heart is still trying to recover the inspiration, the happiness, the struggle and the mystery of it all to be able to place it in the appropriate box--because it is all there, and is worth every ounce of feeling. 

Maybe I'm learning more than I realize, because as much as I try and divert from such times, I cling to them the same--expecting a rhyme or reason, the opportunity for growth, and ultimately a stronger moving forward.  Perfect segue into 2011, no?  Maybe it is because I am a planner, or that I'm a creative spirit struggling in a type-A body, that my heart resists the initial thought of such a transitional occurrence.  But when it must, it happens to me, and I sit there waiting for it to pass, for the transition to occur, and to find myself on the other side.  The hopeful thing about transition is that in hindsight, it usually always makes sense.

Today, I welcome the blues, the agitation that is stirring in my heart and ultimately the transition with open arms.  Doing so, has never hindered me before.

So you must not be frightened if a sadness rises up before you larger than any you have ever known, if a restiveness, like light and cloud shadow passes over your hands and over all that you do. You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; it will not let you fall.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)

NOTE TO SELF: Now would be a good time to re-read "Letters to a Young Poet."

Free Downloadable Gift Tags

This morning I woke at 3:30am and could not fall back asleep 

so I got up and started wrapping presents!

It's now 5:30am and I am searching the web for some cute downloadable gift tags.

Here's a handful...

The paper bow via Creature Comfort

via Hey Susy

via Whisker Graphics

via Mushy

via Eat Drink Chic

via Going Home to Roost

via Martha

via orange you lucky

Here's a list and here's a huge list of other gift tags for you to scour.

Now, I shall go back to bed and see if I can get another hour or two

of sleep before the munchkins wake.

xx

santa, lists and reindeer food

Last year, our children were too young to care, notice or expect anything from Santa.

It was a good thing, since Husband and I still needed to get our barrings on the whole Santa thing.

Husband doesn't recall much of any Santa while a youngster, and says his family focused on the religious aspect of the holiday.  I, on the other hand, wrote lists, prayed lists, made cookies, listened for reindeer, stayed awake, snuck downstairs, and believed in Santa until somewhere near the forth or fifth grade.  We, too, focused on the religious aspect of the holiday, but Santa was very much the man of the holiday.  My heart ached a bit, realizing that Husband might not want to do any Santa with our kids, since I very much believed all those years, but as an adult, I want to pay credit where credit is due, and make sure the religious meaning is forefront amidst the rest.

Well, we didn't have to make any executive decisions on the Santa issue, because come November, Brooklynn proved she was very much aware of the holiday approaching, and talk of Santa became regular conversation.

First, she brought me a color sheet with a picture of Santa's cookie plate and milk, and explained "this is what we need to do this year."

Then there was talk of presents.  Lots and lots of presents, so I decided she had to write her official list, and Asher, too.

Brooklynn 4 1/2

Asher 2 1/2

As if we weren't already bound to Santa by the lists,

Brooklynn brought this home from school:

Did you know there was reindeer food?!  Husband and I didn't, either! 

Along with the sending of the lists and making cookies for Santa,

we will also be feeding the reindeer this year!

And we are having such a fun time.

Here's to the real meaning of Christmas and a little fun, too!

P.S. Did you hear about the sale?

loves from the weekend.

the salvation army bell ringer singing jubilant Christmas carols.

the four year old Holiday Tea Party that Brooklynn enjoyed on Saturday

(it was so cute watching them steep their tea).

Asher went with a big boy friend to watch the motorcycle races, and loved every minute of it.

the kids' Christmas lists.  I hope to share soon...

my chiropractic brother's selflessness when he arrived at my door
to adjust my out-of-place-ribs-ajar back.  How kind is that?!
I was more than grateful and sent him out the door with some fudge.

did I say fudge?  Yes, I did!  And it is the most delicious Rocky Road Fudge.  Go here for the recipe.

a Sunday message on Hope and how it transforms the heart.

this digital Christmas album, originally shared on Rockstar Diaries,

and currently, hearing my children sing Christmas carols, with four and two year old perfection.

receiving the recipe for ginger pancakes!  sounds good, eh?

finally, this tree from Pistols and Cupcakes
{and yes, this blogger is just as sassy as her blog title implies!}

Love it. 

Have a merry Monday!

a festive felt garland

In years past, I felt my tree was missing a layer.  It's needed more love, more texture, and a better garland.  I just knew when I saw this idea in Do it Yourself magazine, that I had found my Christmas tree's perfect match.  Unfortunately, the magazine vanished and has not been seen in weeks.  Very depressing.  However, I did find this sweet little blog's diy circle garland post, and found the circle template to be very helpful. 

I used two sheets of each five colors of felt.  If you make a garland, put on a movie, and/or break it into a couple of days, because it does take some time.  What is great, is that I was able to create 20 yards of felt Christmas tree garland for four dollars.  You can't beat it, and the intrinsic value of a craft complete and looking pretty, makes me smile.

Merry decorating!