Merry Christmas!

Thanks to these two . . . my Christmas shopping ended with a smile.

Now to get on to the important stuff . . . celebrating the holidays with family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

skeleton and elf . . .

from my secret santa . . .

This is what was on my desk when I got to work this morning . . . from my Secret Santa. 

I love it!  (I think my Secret Santa knows me.)  

paper crane . . . candy canes . . .

coffee, bakery, snowman. . . . skeleton & elf

Christmas Spirit . . .

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer,

 is singing loud for all to hear."

~ Buddy the Elf

 I haven't posted my skeleton and elf photos here for a few days . . . 

I also update them daily on 

Facebook, Instagram, and a separate page - Skeleton and Elf

A bit much?  Yeah - but fun for me and I have different people who follow 

the shenanigans of Skeleton & Elf on different sites.   

I've decided that they really do have their own way of showing some Christmas Spirit . . . because no matter what Skeleton dishes out . . . no matter what he does . . . that little Christmas Elf just keeps on smiling.  There is no getting rid of his Joy . . . and he remains happy and enjoys the holiday season - every day of it.  So . . . when you find yourself tired and cranky and maybe a little stressed from shopping or whatever else the holidays have you doing . . . just remember Elf.  

Remember to smile, be patient and kind to everyone you encounter, be filled with JOY . . . 

Believe in the MAGIC and be filled with Christmas Spirit!  

If you just can't figure how to do that . . . then work at it!  Put on some Christmas music, sing along,  attend a children's holiday performance, watch your favorite holiday movie, help someone less fortunate than you, drink some eggnog, smile . . . better yet laugh, bake some cookies, eat some cookies, wear a Santa hat, have your picture taken with Santa, take a small child to look at Christmas lights and watch their excitement . . . then get that excited yourself.  Most of all . . . remember why we celebrate this season! 

rainy day pizza . . .

Charlotte loves rain (what 4 year old doesn't?)

She also loves "rainy day pizza" . . . and being silly for the camera!

I love spending time with these two.  

skeleton and elf . . . 12/16/16

skeleton and elf . . . 12/16/16

some days are just like that . . . .

A new bike for every 3rd grader in our school!

I wish I could post pictures of their faces . . . and those of the adults with tears in their eyes!

Love our school!  Love our kids!

Some days are just GREAT!

skeleton & elf . . . 12/14/16

Yes . . . my little elf is actually getting wet - because it isn't my little elf.  The little Christmas Elf that belonged to my mom means a lot to me.  And I was worried with all of my skeleton and elf Shenanigans that he was getting a little worn . . . or that something might happen to him.  So I found one just like him on ETSY.  I will still be careful with this one . . . but my original little elf now sits safely on a shelf watching the "stunt double" put up with the skeleton.   

So this new little knee hugging elf traveled from Florida to our house in California.  His hair is a little more red, he is a little thinner than the elf I had . . . but he makes a perfect stand in.  

I love these little guys! 

I found a couple other vintage elves on ETSY that are making there way across country this week.  I think I may have a new collection starting.  I believe these were made in the 50's and 60's . . . and were tree ornaments.  I have to ask my mom if she remembers what she paid for this little guy 50 years ago . . . much less than I am paying now I'm sure.  

holiday fun . . .

Christmas isn't a season, it's a feeling.

~ Edna Ferber

She did a fantastic job on her gingerbread house . . . and of course there was a lot of tasting.

Tasting is the best part of making a gingerbread house - right?  

skeleton & elf . . .

button rings . . .

I thought these buttons would make cute rings for the girls . . . (the skeleton one is for me.)

  So fun and easy to make!

Charlotte's Ornaments

The light in a child's eyes is all it takes

to make Christmas a magical time of year.

Grandpa came home with some Christmas ornaments for Charlotte to paint. 

 She takes her painting very seriously . . . (that is until she starts mixing colors.)

 Then it is all about the mixing rather than the painting.  But she did get the ornaments painted and insisted that they stay on the tree at our house.  

I recently split up the ornaments that we had on the tree when my kids were growing up . . . giving each of the boys the ornaments that were theirs and that I though they would like.   so I guess it is time to start a new collection.  

She makes me smile!

skeleton & elf . . . 12/11/16

skeleton & elf . . . 12/10/16

skeleton & elf . . . 12/9/16

skeleton & elf . . . 12/8/16

It's s'more fun when we're together. 

skeleton & elf . . . 12/7/16

Baked with Love!

This makes me think that I need to do some real Christmas baking.  Charlotte and I may have to start that this weekend!  I am going in so many directions these days . . . I think it is time that I force myself to slow down, regroup, and do some things that I like to do!

skeleton & elf . . . 12/6/16

skeleton & elf . . . 12/5/16