Skip to main content

A Very Milkbarn Christmas

That's it!
Our annual Christmas tree trip.
We didn't make it to the mountains to cut one down.
So, the Depot it is!

Clay thinks a trip to get a tree should be about 10 minutes.
I think not. 

Note my expression.
It takes 20 minutes and a Jennifer seal of approval.

Lights are on!
Like most years, my tree changes with the mood of our family and home.
The kids voted for colored lights this year.
I layered in white lights with them to kind of pop out the colors.
It is an old fashioned kind of year.

I thought our new blue door looked perfect with a wreath on it!

Our attempt at a crafternoon. 
We brought home some pine cones from the mountains last fall and decided they must become ornaments! 
Well, I guess I did. I limit my design dictating to twice a year.




All glittered up.
 Construction messes negate any worries about glitter everywhere. 
We made some ornaments and also put some in a nice clear vase. 
I will say, the boys tried to protest they were done after maybe 4 were decorated. 
That was not an option.
You will craft with me this one time!!





a Very Georgia O'Keefe snowflake.


Then we taught Chester how to make snowflakes. 
I do prefer paper ones to the real thing.
Well, I do like snow until January and then I'm like...
isn't it spring yet?

Lucy's 7th/8th grade choir concert. 
She was so fabulous. Her solo surprised me and I think, her. 
She will go for a whole song next time! She is an alto. 
Looking into voice lessons soon for her.

Henry had a hand bell concert at school. 
He worked hard getting to practices before school for choir and handbells.
I was so proud.

This is what Chester thought of all that hard work.

We headed out to a work party.


I actually read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
I like how this story really addresses the matter of change.
Isn't that the message of the season?
I have been trying to change little things about myself.
I don't like settling for much.
But I also need the help to do it.

Our church had a night in Bethlehem gathering. 
My camera died, here is the shot I got of our girls. 
It was a simple event and so enjoyable. And I loved the fresh food!
 Ignore Dad looking at his phone. It died subsequently.


We got a couple of good snows in.
Typical Colorado, it melts off.



Went ice skating in Louisville our first night of winter break and Dad was finally home from being gone all month.

Chester was kind of losing it.
"I don't know how!!!!"

Skating!

Not skating!


Chester finally got going on the ice with a little shovel 
to balance him.
And yes, that is Audrey on the ground behind him.


The kids had a great time regardless of skill.
Life lesson right there.

Christmas cards are my favorite.
Thank you for sending them!

Our gum drop tree.

Disclaimer: I did not use pinterest!
Audrey could not wait to make these.

They were eaten within a day.


I got sick. I guess I was due, it's been a couple of years.
So Clay shaved his beard into a handlebar mustache to cheer me up.
I said old fashioned Christmas not trailer park Christmas!

Our Christmas Eve dinner. 
I cook all year so Clay gets the holidays. 
I do the salads and dishes.
Deal!



Christmas Eve
We read the story of the Saviors birth and sang songs. 
Lucy did a couple solos and Henry played along.

Christmas morning.
Henry came in at 2am.
Then 6 am.
"Mom, I can't sleep my stomach hurts.
I don't know what to do."
Clay grunts out
"go back to bed"
Then everyone is awake by 6:30.
Except Chester who snuggled up in bed with us...
because Henry woke him up.


I make them wait til they are going berserk.

Berserk entry to the presents.

Santa left a trampoline on the door step.
There was some hollering.

There was merrymaking.

There was napping.


There was pie making.


Then there was some snow making.

Merry Christmas from the Milkbarn!

Thank you to our family, neighbors and friends. 
For the love and encouragement we received from you this year. 
Thank you for reading and laughing along with us on our journey here in Colorado. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Lofty Summer Project

Summer Milkbarn projects! We had so many plans and then like anything,  summer came and kind of went (well, unless you count the 25 days left of actual summer).  We accomplished 2 things.  Here is the the boys room remodel.  We haven't completed the built in book shelves but this is a pretty amazing re-do since it was a pretty nasty room to start with. Before photos   (after I delightfully cleaned, donated and organized the boys belongings! well, not all of them) Right below this crack through their ceiling slept Henry  in the top bunk. If I was him, I would've imagined monsters or something trying to break in from another dimension... oh wait, that is Stranger Things on Netflix ( okay, so that was my 3rd summer project)  old paint swatches from 2 1/2 years ago lightening speed around here! Ripped up the carpet and remains of a rainbow loom rip rainbow looms After the carpet and linoleum un...

Slowdown and Stuff

And we're back.... it's been slow going at the Milkbarn. We moved a tree over and out of the drive way. Alert the presses. At some point, someone might be able to get out of our driveway. You know, when all the lumber has been moved. We want visitors. Just drop in. Clay or I can back your car out for you!   Floors are done in the apartment. Wait!  Spoke too soon. They are awaiting the 3rd and final coat after we(*Clay) drywall. We are here too much. Typical Saturday night.  Trampoline is up.  It is now chained closer to a clump of trees. It tried to fly away with the canyon winds. Into the power line above.  Audrey started basketball. 21 for the block! Hopefully the driveway will be paved for a hoop this summer. Audrey turned 9 and chose to be with her best friend instead of a big party. Ice skating in Louisville, dinner at the Huckleberry and shopping for mood necklaces at the mall. ...

Post #40 The Ninja Room

The room my family has been waiting for.  Seriously!  I knew when we decided to turn this into a hang out room versus another bedroom(sorry teenage Lucy) it would be the end all at the Milkbarn.  In the 70's, when I grew up, this type of room was called a den. Rightly so. They were usually planked with wood siding and padded with two toned shag carpet. Nowadays I hear the word lounge to describe this space which only conjures up images of 20 somethings in the 90's  (ahem, that was me)   congregating at hip places with lots of sectional seating and guys thinking cigars were cool while I thought it seemed all so ridiculous.  So our children, upon carpet installation, commandeered the room for fighting and wrestling and so forth.  They named it The Ninja Room . No den, no lounge...just the ninja room. We love that they named it. We wanted to put up all of our family photographs  in a more personal space. ...