Christmas Spirit

When you are moving during the holidays

it is hard to get into the spirit. 

Normally by now I have had my 

trees up for weeks, the entire house is decorated.

I have already made a bunch of cookies.

Gifts are wrapped and some are even under the tree.

Christmas cards have long since gone out. 

This year with the move not so much. 

Our rotation has always been during the holidays.

And every time it sucks. 

I am a Christmas person. 

This year I feel more like Scrooge. 

Don't get me wrong I still love the lights others

have put up

(well most of them)

and I have moved our little elves around to keep the

magic alive.

I also KNOW the real meaning of Christmas

and that lights and Santa and trees are NOT it. 

But they are part of the overall spirit of 

Christmas to me. 

This weekend last minute I decided to go check 

out the Nashoba Valley Holiday Festival of Lights.

So we loaded up the kids and head over.

 The kids had a blast and loved the lights.

There was hot chocolate and cider doughnuts.

Santa and the Grinch were there.

As well as many other holiday "figures".

Our tour guide on the lighted hayride was Scrooge himself.

 Of course becasue New England is having unseasonably

warmer weather there isn't any snow for the skiers.

So Nashoba Valley makes their own.

Which meant the kids ran through it like crazy little people.

 

 

Macy's Heart of Haiti Holiday Stars #CleverHaiti

 

 The stars of my life will always be my children.

Stars light up your life and my children 

light up my life in ways I sometimes still

do not understand. 

I know that I will spend many many days with

these children and the many different

personalities between them.

I cherish that thought. 

Everyday with them is something new, exciting and yes

even sometimes crazy.

I received recently from the #cleverhaiti campaign

 a beautifully handmade star crafted by

a Haitian artist. 

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere 

and even with the devastating earthquake, the people of

Haiti continue to be filled with hope and desire 

to improve their lives.

The Heart of Haiti artists keep that hope alive by creating

these one of a kind artistic pieces.

You can buy beautifully handcrafted Heart of Haiti items at your local Macy's

The collection features more than 40 home decor items including

 quilts, metalwork, jewelry and paintings all made 

almost entirely from recycled and sustainable items such as 

old cement bags, cardboard, oil drums and local gommier wood.

I know that everyone has that one person in your life that has everything

and is hard to shop for. 

What a better gift idea than to give the gift that keeps on giving.

Not only are you buying a beautiful handcrafted item but you

will also be supporting the rebuilding of Haiti. 

 Macy’s Heart of Haiti upholds the belief that “trade not aid” 

is a powerful way to create sustainable 

work and much needed financial opportunities.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. #CleverHaiti

Shutterfly Holiday Cards and Giveaway!

Have you thought about your Christmas cards yet?

No, well don't worry me either.

The good thing is Shutterfly has and they have
lots and lots of amazing and really cute
card designs.
I absolutely love the Photo Christmas Cards

.

I love finding the perfect picture that captures

just how sweet and innocent my children are.

Ha, sweet and innocent that's funny.
Not to mention that I can have our signature placed right on
the card.
I mean seriously there are 6 of us and I mail out a lot
of cards. 

Look how innocent they look in the last
couple of Christmas cards...

2011

Radio City Rockettes

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved

the Rockettes.

I am not sure what it is about them

since I am not a dancer.

I watch them every Christmas season on television and have tried 

for years to excite my daughters with them.

At the beginning of the month the hubby text 

me to see if I wanted to go hang out with the

'rockets' that Friday.

After some confusion I figured out he really meant 

the Radio City Rockettes.

Of course I jumped at the chance. 

A date night with the hubby and the Rockettes.

Could life get any better?

Come to find out it kind of could. 

Not only could I go with my Marine husband 

who was going to escort the Rockettes in for their first

show in Boston but I could bring my daughters as well.

Needless to say Rosie was not having it since she wanted to

stay with our babysitter instead.

I really thought about getting her head checked. 

LOL

Carter went with us though and is now a Rockette fan!

I could not take pictures during the show or in the theater at all 

since the usher by us was nuts about

policy. 

However, if you are ever in Boston the Wang Theater is a must visit place.

It is just gorgeous. 

Here are some of the pictures from our night

with the Rockettes.

Zazzle Personalized Christmas Ornament (giveaway)

By now you know my love for all things

Christmas.

When I was asked about doing a review and giveaway

of a personalized Christmas ornament I jumped with joy.

Well, maybe I didn't actually jump but I was super

excited either way.

Zazzle has great ornaments that you can

personalize with a picture or words.

I chose to get the premium square ornament with a picture of my

hubby and me.

I love how simple yet attractive the ornament is.

It went right onto my tree.

One lucky Our Crazy Bunch reader will win a 

free personalized premium square or circular ornament

valued at $19.95.

To enter tell me about your favorite Christmas ornament.

Giveaway will end on December 18th.

*I was provided a code for an ornament.

T-Mobile's Home For The Holidays Surprise

I have posted before about my love of 

flash mobs!

For the holiday season T-Mobile created this

sort of singing flash mob in a mall

outside of Chicago.

Here is the amazing result. 

Why cant something like THAT happen at the

mall where I shop while I'm there preferably.

"This post is sponsored by T-Mobile."

Santa Pictures

We took the kiddos to see 

the big guy in red Sunday.

Overall they did great.

Baby Hulk had his reservations of course but didn't really 

refuse to much.

Here are some of the pictures I took.

DIY Christmas Glitter Trees

I was walking through Target a few weeks ago

and saw these great glitter cone trees.

They were just what I needed for on

top of my entertainment center.

But for $19.99 a pop I was not buying them.

Then while on pintrest (I love that site)

I saw some DIY ones that were just like Targets.

Off to Michaels I went and bought

3 paper mache cones and red and green glitter.

I already had the modge podge I needed.

I of course forgot to take pictures of the supplies

but all I did was paint the modge podge onto the cones

and sprinkle glitter on before it dried. 

I made three.

2 green ones and a red one. 

Here are my DIY version of glitter trees.

They look great sitting on my 

entertainment center too. Just the right amount of

sparkle.

Oh Christmas Tree(s)

Christmas is a big deal in our house.

It is my favorite time of the year.

There is something so magical about this time of year.

I love to decorate my house and if possible

I would keep up my decorations year round.

Hubby wont let me so they are up from Thanksgiving night

until New Years Day.

I thought I would share with my readers my

Christmas trees and decorations...

Last week I showed your Ninja's

 Here is Carter decorating her tree

 Of course Miss Rosie's would be Pink

 Here is my 'Charlie Brown' tree

Has all the kids ornaments and hand made ornaments on it.

 My main tree

My mini house divided tree

Georgia vs Georgia Tech

Some of the other work in progress decorations...

I have seen this repinned a few times on Pintrest

and think it is worth sharing here as well.

Source: lilluna.com via April on Pinterest

Our Thanksgiving

I know I am late but here are just a few pictures 

from our Thanksgiving last week.

After we all ate and Daddy started watching the game

(he's a Dolphins fan)

Ninja HAD to put up his Christmas tree.

He told us

"we ate Thanksgivings over can I do my tree now"

He is my extra excited kid this year...

He is so proud of his tree.

Next week I will post pictures of all the trees in my house.

There are 6 of them!

Have a great weekend!

I know I will.

I'm going with my hubby to see 

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes

I'm a little excited!

I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me.

Proverbs 8:17 NLT

Macy Christmas Tree Lighting (Boston) 11/25/20011 5PM

Christmas is almost here!

I am like a kid in a candy store with all my

excitement. 

I love this time of year more than any other time

of the year. 

While some people get wrapped up in the gift

giving and the shopping

(which I do too)

I still like to take a moment and celebrate some of the more

peaceful and FREE things the Christmas holidays bring.

Do any of you old followers remember my

post last year about my wish to go to NYC for Christmas?

Well, I really wish I could tell you that is where

I was headed today. 

(you know since we are only 4 hours away now)

Sadly I am not though. 

However, on Friday there is a little bit of NYC 

coming here to Boston.

Macy's is as big a part of the holidays anymore 

from the Thanksgiving Day parade to the Christmas tree lightings.

On Friday November 25th at 5:00pm 

is the Macy's Light Up The Night Event.

Here are some of the important details for all you

local Boston folks...

(information from mommyniri.com) 

Summer Street Entrance, Macy’s Boston, 450 Washington Street  Boston, MA 02111

Stroll over to Summer Street where our special guests, Joey McIntyre, Sony Music singing sensation Jasmine V, and Bostons football great Tedy Bruschi will help us kick off our Tree Lighting festivities! After performances by Joey and Jasmine, Santa will help us flip the switch that will light up our Christmas Tree and unveil our "Yes, Virginia" windows. Beginning at 6pm, join us in store where you can meet our special guests and get their autograph!

If you are in the area I am sure this is a great time had by all.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Do you Elf on a Shelf?

I have been doing Elf on a Shelf 

for years. 

Way before it was the cool thing to do.

Way before the book and the now famous Elf.

courtesy of google images

When I was growing up I babysat a lot

for extra money. 

I had a particular family with three kids that I regularly babysat

that taught me all about the magical elf that 

came to watch and report back about their children. 

While I was only 15 this stuck with me and I knew that

once I had kids I would be continuing their 

tradition with my own children.

When I first began the elf coming to my house in 2003 

my daughter was 3. 

Since I couldn't find a cute felt elf I improvised and basically got 

a lawn gnome that looked suspiciously like the 

Travelocity Gnome.

Courtesy of Google Images

Right before we moved to Japan in 2006 

I went to a Christmas craft show and found

a bin full of adorable felt elves.

I bought three.

(I was pregnant with my third baby then)

My plan was to have an elf for each child.

That worked out great for the last couple of years.

The elves would show up after Thanksgiving

and move around the house to 'watch' the kids.

Since I now have four beautiful babies and only three

elves I have decided to have one elf come in this year

and do all the work. 

Luckily for me there are many cute and creative ways I 

can get our Elf to misbehave at night when the children

are sleeping. 

Most of these can be found on Pintrest

where many of us addicted to Pintrest

have all pinned and ready to recreate.

Check out some of these cute ideas...

                                                                                  Source: raeoflight-photography.com via Kristen on Pinterest

                                                                                                Source: flickr.com via Kristen on Pinterest

                                                                                                 Source: flickr.com via Kristen on Pinterest

So I ask you do you Elf on a Shelf?

Tiny Prints Christmas Card Giveaway

Day 2 of the giveaway a day

is great for the upcoming 

Christmas card season. 

Tiny Prints has amazingly beautiful

photo Christmas cards.

I mean really look at some of these gorgeous cards

On Wednesday November 9th

Tiny Prints is having a ONE day only promotion

where you can personalize a card to your child from Santa himself.

You can choose either the Checking It Twice or Santa's Scroll card.

Offer will end on Nov 9th at 1159pm PT

and you can take advantage of this great deal on the

Tiny Prints Facebook page.

Win a $15 iTunes Gift Card

For day one of my

giveaway a day 

I have a $15 iTunes gift card.

If you are like my house you have a few 

apple devices you could use this for.

I know in my house alone we have 

3 iPods of different varieties. 

It's that time of year...

There is an excitement in the air.

Can you feel it?

The holidays are drawing near.

I mean there are only 51 days until Christmas!

Have you begun your shopping yet?

Are you almost done?

For the most part I am done. 

I mean there are things I still need to pick up but my 

kids gifts are either hiding in my closet

(see they don't read the blog yet)

or are on layaway.

Thank goodness for layaway.

Beginning next week I am going to have a

giveaway a day for a week.

The giveaways will all last my normal 2 weeks.

Make sure to stop by everyday next week to see what I have in store for you all.

There will be something for everyone

kids, moms, dads and grandparents.

While you are here check out my giveaways going on now

the Win Your Gifts Hop and sign up

for my Christmas Gift Exchange.

Also, watch out for my Holiday Gift Guide posts.

Lots of great ideas coming your way.

There is a lot to be won in the blog world right now!

Good luck and remember to come back all 

next week.

Win a Spa Gift Set (ARV $75) Win Your Gifts Holiday Hop Nov 3rd-7th

Welcome to the Win Your Gifts

Holiday Hop Event.

Hosted by

Makobi Scribe and Simply Stacie

My gift is for us women or a woman in your life.
During the holiday's we spend so much time
baking, wrapping and running from store to store
that we sometimes overlook simple 
beauty things like keeping our
skin from becoming dry and cracked in the winter air.
I was sent the 
Skindulgence Spa set to test out for myself and let me tell you
with our winter already beginning
the Deep Hydrating Intensive Hand Repair Creme is  
amazing.
Not only has it helped my hands that are extra prone
to dryness but it makes them so soft.
I was also sent the 
Energizing Exfoliating Body Scrub 
which leaves my skin extra soft and refreshed.

The Skindulgence Spa set is made with 
all natural products like 
Shea nut butter, Mango seed butter, grape seed extract, 
noni oils, sea salts, jojoba oil and avocado oils.
The spa set is retailed at $50