English Emma Blooms

universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone?" G K Chesterton

This Christmas, don’t be afraid to say “no.” After all, do we really want to teach our children that Christmas is all about the “hustle and bustle” and nothing more? No matter what you choose to do with your time, remember the REAL reason for the season. I know, I know, it’s a phrase you’ve heard many times before. But truly take some time to think on the most amazing gift we’ve been given—Jesus. Ponder the wonder your child sees in Christmas. Pass this incredible gift on to them. Consider your heart and theirs: ready and waiting for the best bedtime story ever told!

One Christmas tradition we have is our Advent Calendar. It is actually a set of small books that tell the Christmas story. Our family sits by the Christmas tree and we read the book for that day. Each little book also has a small ribbon on it that allows it to be "hung" on a tree and we have a small special Christmas tree that holds the Advent book "ornaments.” Once the girls were old enough to read, they started taking turns reading each night. Although the goal is to read one a night, in reality, sometimes we have to catch up and read a few days at a time. After we read the book, we turn off all the lights except for the tree and sit there for a short while. It is one of my favorite Christmas traditions because our family is all together and we take a few minutes each day to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. Gail Collins We have several very special traditions...but from the boys' perspective, they would definitely say that our annual "kidnapping" i...

Simple Holiday Ideas The Holidays are here! Each day comes and goes; some a wonderful time with our kids, others very trying on our last nerve! So how can we be good stewards of the time and children God has given us during winter? Here are a few ideas: Make a Christmas tree using your child’s handprints—Trace their hand on green paper; layer them on a large sheet of paper in the form of a tree. Each day add an ornament. Before you know it you’ll have a tree decorated for Christmas! Make a chain out of construction paper links. Each day either add to the chain until Christmas or start with the whole chain and remove one each day. Make a birthday cake for Jesus. Throw a party on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Or expand on the idea: send out invitations; have children bring a present to donate to an organization; read the Christmas story. Make your own wrapping paper. Buy a roll of white paper. Let your kids use stamps, stickers, and their handprints to decorate it. just let them have f...

The Holidays are here! Each day comes and goes; some a wonderful time with our kids, others very trying on our last nerve! So how can we be good stewards of the time and children God has given us during winter? Here are a few ideas: Make a Christmas tree using your child’s handprints—Trace their hand on green paper; layer them on a large sheet of paper in the form of a tree. Each day add an ornament. Before you know it you’ll have a tree decorated for Christmas! Make a chain out of construction paper links. Each day either add to the chain until Christmas or start with the whole chain and remove one each day. Make a birthday cake for Jesus. Throw a party on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Or expand on the idea: send out invitations; have children bring a present to donate to an organization; read the Christmas story. Make your own wrapping paper. Buy a roll of white paper. Let your kids use stamps, stickers, and their handprints to decorate it. just let them have fun. Fam...

Use toilet paper roll to keep wrapping paper from unraveling. Cut the toilet paper roll on one side "wrap" the toilet paper roll around the wrapping paper. I keep a running spreadsheet of gifts I've purchased for b-day or Christmas. Use an empty milk carton to store plastic bags. Just cut a hole toward the top and there you go! Use a shoe organizer that hangs on the inside of your closet to store hats, gloves, shoes, etc. I use the free, printable Household planning sheets from organizedhome.com Other great organizing sites: flylady.com, organizetips.com, gomominc.com. Our laundry (adults) is split into baskets after it's worn: lights; darks; towels; lights that are hung up; darks that are hung up. Big Lots IS the best place to buy storage stuff. I checked it out and they do have a HUGE selection and really cheap prices. I wanted to document big firsts for my girls and funny things they say and do – both for scrapbooks and to be able to tell them later. Tar...

One Christmas tradition we have is our Advent Calendar. It is actually a set of small books that tell the Christmas story. Our family sits by the Christmas tree and we read the book for that day. Each little book also has a small ribbon on it that allows it to be "hung" on a tree and we have a small special Christmas tree that holds the Advent book "ornaments.” Once the girls were old enough to read, they started taking turns reading each night. Although the goal is to read one a night, in reality, sometimes we have to catch up and read a few days at a time. After we read the book, we turn off all the lights except for the tree and sit there for a short while. It is one of my favorite Christmas traditions because our family is all together and we take a few minutes each day to focus on the real meaning of Christmas Gail Is married to Jay and has daughters Kelsey (18) and Kimberly (16 in January). Gail was born in Akron, Ohio and lived there until she was in h...

$18,920.59 – That’s how much it would have cost you in 2006 to give your true love all of the gifts for the 12 days of Christmas. I, for one, do not have $18,920.59. And for what it’s worth, I don’t think my true love would have appreciated receiving, among other things, 10 Lords A-Leaping. One of my favorite childhood memories around Christmas time was my mother doing the 12 days of Christmas with me. She did not buy me pear trees or golden rings. She did something much more memorable. Each day, beginning on December 12, my mom would have a different activity planned or a small gift for me each day until Christmas Eve. The gifts were small but significant. The year I started driving, one of my gifts was my own set of keys to the family car. Another gift may have been tickets to see the Nutcracker performance. Some days, she would have an activity planned, such as decorating cookies, making a fun ornament together, or looking through my baby album. Each year, I think I ...