Straight From the Harts

Sunday, January 5, 2014

SNOWDAY

Today we are getting a true "snowstorm." 7+ inches of snow, blowing winds, and tomorrow the wind chills will be -40 to -50 below! So, since church was canceled and it is too cold to be outdoors, we brought the outdoors indoors to us! :)

A tub of snow in the bathtub with colored water, bowls, scoops, etc. = over an hour of "snowday" fun!

We made snow ice cream! It was delicious! It really was! I just mixed some snow with honey, whipping cream (until it was the consistency we wanted), and vanilla extract. No real measuring. :) YUM!

And a snowman scene for lunch. :)

Thursday, December 26, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2013

Our Family Christmas

At Grandma and Grandpa Hart's house on Christmas Eve

At Grandma and Grandpa Habegger's on Christmas Day

Grandpa surprised the girls by having his old train set put up in the basement. He got it for Christmas one year when he was about Morgan's age. :) They were mesmerized by it!

In keeping with the train theme... :)

Kelsey and I were sick the weekend before Christmas. So thankful that it was short lived and we were still able to enjoy the holiday with our families!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS: 2013 VERSION :)

Monday, December 2, 2013

HO-HO-HO

Merry Christmas from all the Harts!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

I love the Christmas Season! I really enjoy the traditions we have started with our kids! Here are a couple that we do each year and just started today, the first day of December.

I wrap 25 books and put them under our upstairs tree. Right before bed each night, the girls take turns opening up a book that we then read together snuggled in Punkin's bed. I always buy a brand new one that I make sure they save to open on Christmas Eve.

I used to do a separate Advent Calendar and Countdown Activity chart, but this year I combined them! My Countdown to Christmas chart isn't as elaborate or decorative as some I've seen on Pinterest, but I didn't have time this year to go all out. :) At any rate, I printed out the advent Bible verse cards from HERE and then also wrote a fun Christmas related activity on the back of each one. Each day, the girls take turns taking the card out and we read the Bible verse together (and then later put it up on our red poster...so each day we will read all the ones we have up there, adding one each day as we go. By Christmas, we will have verses that tell the whole Christmas story.) After that, we turn it over and find out what the fun Christmas activity is for that day.

Here are a list of the things we are doing this year:

Handprint Trees / Wreaths
Make a paper chain to decorate bedroom door.
Christmas Candlelight Picnic Dinner (on the floor by the tree)
Hot Cocoa Bar
Play “I Spy” ornament Scavenger Hunt
Make Ornament cake balls
Go to Toys R Us to buy Toys for Tots gifts
Christmas Party at Aunt Rose and Uncle Bob’s house
Make “Peppermint Cocoa Floats” (peppermint ice cream and hot cocoa)
Write a Christmas Letter to Great Grandma and mail it
Festival of Lights in PJ’s with popcorn
Make Snowflakes and decorate with glitter
Make gift for SS teachers, preschool teachers, school teachers
Make a gingerbread house with a friend
Church program
School program
Make Christmas Cookies
Have a “snowball fight” with wadded paper
Deliver Christmas cookies to neighbors
Sleepover at Grandma's
Help me wrap gifts for cousins
Unwrap 1 stocking gift early
Camp out under Christmas Tree in sleeping bags
After Christmas Eve service, give a gift box to the kids full of new jammies, a Christmas video, and snacks. Watch the movie in new PJs with the snacks in mom and dad’s bed.
CHRISTMAS!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

I WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED YOU.....

If you would have told me a year ago that by Christmas of 2013 I'd be 40 pounds lighter, I would not have believed you. I honestly didn't think it was possible. But it was! And I did it! So excited! So happy to be spending the holidays this year 40 pounds lighter! I will update this post later with my Weight Lose Story. :)