The kids finished school last week so we have been sleeping in past 7AM, watching “Home Alone” marathons, having candy canes and popcorn for lunch, crafting and creating nonstop and going for long hikes in the winter wonderland that is surrounding us.
Slash, the biggest ice storm to ever see these parts.
Around here, we have been staying safe in doors, avoiding the icy roads and enjoying our home and the love and comfort it seems to exude this time of year.
We believe that our home does not have to be perfect to be lovely. We believe even more that creating and crafting should be fun and simple, soooooooo, we recently made this little banner to liven up our plate wall.
We get to sit at our table, multiple times in a day, to fight about eating vegetables while having a constant reminder that this season should be making us merry and bright.
Hard to do, when you are spoon feeding an 18 month old veggie soup and he is spitting out every piece that is not pureed and gagging on the parts that are pureed, while his brother simultaneously whines that “cooked carrots taste like garbage!!” while little sister picks out minuscule pieces of veggies while bursting into hysterics each time she spots another molecule size onion remnant.
Ya. Sometimes that is how our entire day goes.
Mom life.
Amongst learning to appreciate all shades of produce without gagging, we are also learning to simplify.
This season, we are trying to do so, more than ever; simplicity has been playing a big part in our mama-child-creating as well.
Like this!
This DIY banner was made with some thick woven cream material, a stencil, a black permanent marker and some left over silky cream ribbon.
We simply cut out some squares from our material, pulled pieces from the edges to give each piece a rustic appeal and stenciled on our saying “Be Merry And Bright” from one of our favourite Christmas songs.
We then spaced them accordingly on our ribbon, leaving an inch at the top overhanging the ribbon. We used our trusty-rusty-hot-glue-gun to seal them in place.
We then flipped the whole thing over and folded over the inch of extra material down for a good measure.
I am now a true believer that script can affect ones mood.
I find my eyes moving to those simple words and remembering to check my emotions while wrestling with wrapping paper and that odd shaped gift at 1AM (before the kids wake up to catch us wrapping gifts!!!) and while barking at the kids to get on their snow pants, and boots, and mittens, and hats, and scarves…and….and…AND!!!
I also find these simple words to be so encouraging when the house is quiet, the kids are playing nicely and I’m enjoying a rare cup of tea while reflecting on the true meaning of this busy holiday season.
It is not about the tree, the lights, the gifts, having the best ugly Christmas sweater or making it in time to the annual cookie exchange.
It is about remembering that we are cared for so much that we have been given the biggest gift of all. One that will bring unmeasurable joy and peace if we simply choose to unwrap it.
Merry Christmas my friends.
May all your Christmases be merry and bright, and may all your babies eat their veggies tonight.
xoxo
Happy Christmas eve EVE!!
Kelly Rinzema
December 24, 2013 at 12:50 pmLove the banner and the message. Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family 🙂