It's the second Sunday of Advent and I couldn't resist writing a little post about one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

My side of the family always had some stick-to-it traditions. Whether it was watching Scrooge on Christmas Eve or putting our Christmas tree up immediately after Thanksgiving (sometimes the day after, usually the Saturday after). But one of my favorite traditions was the Advent Wreath. Even if we faltered and couldn't do a Sunday, we'd always make up for it somehow.


[Pictures from 2009 when my parents were in SC... some of the only "recent" advent wreath pictures I have.]

This was a time where we all got to sit around the table and my sisters and I got to "discuss" who got to read the story, the prayer, and who got to light and blow out the candles. Even if we stepped on each other's toes (literally) to blow out more than one candle, it was a time we were all spending together. It was a time where my parents were putting family love and the reason for the season before anything else.

Yes, we all went to church. Yes, we all knew that Christmas was about the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet when you're focusing on baking goodies for friends, buying gifts for one another, taking a picture with Santa... all these things cloud why we're celebrating in the first place.

Although we don't have candles for our wreath this year (I kept forgetting to order them... way to prioritize, right?), we're still sitting down every Sunday evening and singing, reading, and praying to remind us just why we're celebrating the season.

What's your favorite Christmas tradition that keeps the birth of Jesus Christ in the forefront of your celebrating?

OK, so I was trying to come up with a way to tie this to Christmas. After all, Coffee Cup Love (or Mug Love) isn't exactly a seasonal subject... but then again it is.

Every Christmas season, Starbucks and Barnes & Noble come out with Christmas mugs. Whether it's their own design, Grinch-themed ones, Charlie Brown, Scrooge... the list goes on. And every year I say no. No... I have ENOUGH mugs. I mean... I have a bit of an obsession really. After all, what fun is it to offer someone just a plain coffee mug? It's much more fun to give them one with "personality".


Yes... and that's not even ALL of them. There are still the ones I bought Clark. (Yes, I have impressed my obsession on to him. Isn't that part of marriage?) And my "standard" mugs, and my travel mugs... you get the idea.

So, this year Starbucks has a "Night Before Christmas" type line you can find at Barnes and Noble. It's probably one of the cutest things I've ever seen. There are matching napkins (that you can see in this post) and a Santa-Cookie set that comes with a plate and matching mug to set out with milk and cookies, right? Most adorable thing EVER.

But... I stayed strong. I walked away.

Luckily, my hubby loves me, and he did not. He bought me the napkins and the dove mug, because it was the one I liked the most. So, I now have one seasonal coffee cup (as you can see, I used it this morning).

Do you have any "obsessions" or "loves" that are amplified this time of year?

Lack of a camera for part of this stage made it extra difficult, so excuse all the low-quality phone pictures.

This has been such an awesome phase. Seriously. Michael is SO much fun... and SO exhausting. He wants to know what everything is, where everything is, how everything is done... you get the idea. He wants to know everything.

Michael can now say the word "out". We have to be careful how we use it, because he associates "out" with "outside".


While we still love to swing, we have a new fondness for our local playground's slide. It took him a couple times to get comfortable going down it without Mama, but we finally conquered it and can't get enough.

However, our FAVORITE thing to do outside is to play "football". Since Michael doesn't actually have a football, this is done with his plastic baseball... but he doesn't seem to mind.

Luna loves when we do this, too. She'll chase Michael around but never gets too rough with him. Michael has also discovered that if he runs up and grabs my legs, I will promptly fall over. (This is him "tackling" me.)

Along with "out" we now say:

- "Up!" This was a fun one the other morning at 5am. He started "gently patting" my face saying, "Up! Up! Up!" Don't worry, buddy. Mama got the message.

- "Bop." In Michael language, this is bath. He likes to take about two a day, and I don't mind one bit. They help relax him, entertain him, and keep him clean. He loves to splash, find his belly button, put his face in the water ever so quickly, and pour water over his head with whatever sort of cup he can find.

- "Hot!" This can be used to describe bath water, the Christmas tree lights, the heat (he'll stand over a vent and say it), the stove (yay for knowing not to touch it!), and whenever Mama lights a candle. He gets so excited. He practiced the "huh" sound for at least a couple of weeks before finally putting the word together. Way too adorable.

- "Nana," which means banana, of course.

- "Ap-pull"... yes, he does sound it out like that.

- A version of "doggy".

- A version of "All Done!"

We are currently working on the "m" sound for "moon" and "moo" (thanks to Goodnight Moon and Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type) and the "cuh" sound for "cow" and "kitty" (I'm assuming, that is).

He also "honks" for a duck, sniffs his nose for a dog, and hums for a cat's meow.

In sign language he still does "more", thought not as frequently as he used to. He also now does "thank you". I'm not sure if he quite understands, but the fact that he recognizes to do it when I ask him to means that *hopefully* he'll start to.

We can recognize elephants, doggies, kitties, zebras (yeah... I know), bears, moons, flowers, trees, leaves, cows, ducks... a lot of animals.

Oh! The most fun thing right now? Asking him:

"Michael, where's your nose?" (He'll make a sniffing noise and cover his nose.)

"Michael, where's your ear? Where's your other ear?"

"Michael, where's your eye? Where's your other eye?"

"Michael, where is your mouth?"

OK... you get the idea. He can also recognize hair and head (there is a distinction-- he'll pull his hair and pat his forehead), his arm, his legs, his hand. We're still working on feet, fingers, and toes. He will also find mama's teeth... he hasn't quite pointed his own out yet.

Yes, we're teething again. I believe he has at least three molars coming in... bringing our teeth-total to about nine at the moment. This has completely disrupted our sleep. Last night was the first night he went to bed after 7pm. It had been anywhere between six and seven before that.

Want to know what time we got up yesterday morning?

Before 4:30.

Yep. You read that right.

That was the earliest. Before that it was usually between five and six. Needless to say Mama has been taken naps a lot, too, these days.

I don't even want to talk about food. Michael has suddenly become a picky eater. All he wants is applesauce, cheese, fruit, yogurt... did I mention cheese? I have had to find some pretty creative ways to hide cheese in the fridge so he can't find it.

A couple nights ago I made homemade chicken nuggets (see recipe here) and green beans (which he loved at Thanksgiving).

No. Luck. The boy just wanted some cheese and grapes.

If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. I'm thinking of making some invisible-veggie-muffins soon to get them in him. Anything green? It's squished (no more peas). Corn or carrots? He'll put it in his mouth, only to make a face and spit it right back out.

Oh, boy.

We do, however, still like hummus.

Thanksgiving this year was a bit overwhelming. Last year he pretty much just slept through. This year? Well... there were A LOT of people. Poor thing would warm up to one group only to have another filter in. He's very social, so he'd entertain... but after a while all he wanted was Mama. About four days in to our seven day trip he was ready to go home, and I couldn't blame him. He was SO overwhelmed.


Yes, that is his hand down my shirt. It's his "happy place" as Clark calls it. He has yet to attach himself to any of the loveys I try to throw at him, so in times of stress he attempts to get in to my shirt. Lovely, right? I don't mind so much when it's just us... but when we're out I have to admit I get a little embarrassed, especially since family and friends always like to point it out and laugh.

Christmas time is bringing out a whole new spirit in Michael. He LOVES our Christmas tree. (And helping Dada water it.)

Every morning we'll roll out of bed and he runs into the other room and waits for the lights to be turned on.

Way. Too. Adorable.

He also has a new obsession with Santa, which is funny since he didn't exactly warm up to the guy when he met him....

Thanks to Marmee and Papa, though, we are learning about the TRUE reason for the season. We got a beautiful Advent calendar as well as a new Veggie Tales video and The Donut Man (which mama, admittedly, squealed over).

When all else fails, we spend time turning the lights on and off, on and off. He's working on those words, too. According to Dr. Sears, if you let babies indulge in this they're less likely to be afraid of the dark because they know they can have the power to turn the light on and off... so when it's dark, they know it will come back. I don't know if this is proven, but I like the idea, so I don't mind standing next to a light switch saying, "On, off, on, off," over and over and over and over and over and over (you get the idea) and over again.

As you can see, there's a lot going on. I feel like I could continue to gush over my adorable child, but I imagine some of you have probably already stopped reading because we all know that every mother just wants to tell you all about her children.

Now I totally get it.

I was going to stop these posts, but a really close friend told me they're actually her favorite. Ummmm... if you love reading about my kid so much, I'm going to indulge you!

Don't forget to check out the Atkinson Drive and Exquisite Crafts giveaways! Only TWO MORE DAYS to enter!

And just to make you smile....

When I saw the Candy-Cane Hershey Kisses, I just couldn't say no. When I saw this recipe on the bag, I knew I had made the right decision.

Confession: I only ate one. I am blessed this year to have a lot of people to bake for, especially since I'm trying to break my cycle/battle with food.

The one I had though? Delicious. Be careful. I had to chew on some gum to keep myself from eating all of these. If you like peppermint... they are THAT addicting.

Ingredients:

- 1 bag of Hershey brand Candy-Cane Kisses
- 1/2 butter, softened
- 1 C sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 C all-purpose, unbleached flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp milk (I used skim)
*red or green sugar crystals, powdered sugar, or festive sprinkles

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 350.
- Beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl.

- Add flour, baking soda, and salt to butter mixture. Add milk as needed, alternating with flour mixture. Use your mixer as long as possible, if not until the mix is well blended.

*I refrigerated the dough for a bit since I had to take care of Michael and rolling the cookies was a bit time consuming. You do not HAVE to refrigerate the dough, but I would say it makes it a bit easier.*

- Shape dough into 1" to 2" balls. Roll in sugar or sprinkles if you wish to make the cookies much more festive.
- Place on a nonstick cookie sheet, or lightly sprayed cookie sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

This is where I had some trouble. My first batch turned out like this...
So, the kisses looked more like melted candy canes or discolored witch's hats.

My second batch was slightly better, but sadly not as perfect as I'd like. I put the kisses in the fridge, and wonder if I had put them in the freezer if they had turned out perfect. So...

- Remove your cookies from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes before placing candy-cane Hershey kisses in the center.

These are fabulous cookies for a party or to give away. Enjoy!


There's still time! Enter the Atkinson Drive and Exquisite Crafts giveaways!

These were so easy and fun to make. I hope you get a chance! I can't wait to use them to bedazzle (like that word? bedazzzzzzle) some gifts, not to mention our Christmas tree! I imagine these would have been extra fun if Michael was old enough to help me. These days I have to wait until he's asleep to do crafts/baking.

Here's what you need:

- 1.5 C cinnamon (I bought a large container at our local Sam's, but you should check dollar stores as well!)
- 1 C unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) ground cloves (or more... and this is *optional*)

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 200.
- Mix together 1 C applesauce and 1 C of cinnamon. You really have to push and fold the mix to get it all together. Feel free to use your hands. Prepare that they will smell like a candle for a while if you do, no matter how much you wash them!

- Once the two cups are thoroughly mixed, add your next 1/2 C of Cinnamon and ground cloves.
*Note: Pictured is me adding the cloves with the initial first mix. I think it would work either way, but I have a feeling if I had waited to add the cloves their smell would have been a little more noticeable.*

- Next, sprinkle cinnamon over a surface (as you would flour, and I put wax paper down to help with the mess). Roll out your dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick or so.
*Add cinnamon or applesauce to reach the right texture. You don't want it too dry or too damp. It should be just right!*

- Use the cookie cutters that you would like to make your ornaments!


- Use a skewer to poke a hole in the ornaments, very carefully. Make SURE it goes all the way through. If it doesn't, that will make it rather difficult to string them up!

- Bake in the oven for at least an hour. I checked on mine and they seemed to be in excellent condition, but yours may need to bake longer depending on the climate of your home. It's also suggested to just leave them in the oven overnight (so... it's easiest if you make them at night), just to be safe and make sure they completely dry out.

- String works best, but ribbon works, too! Make your ornaments a little more glamorous by adding decorative string/ribbon!



Some of mine did come out a little cracked. I think my dough may have been just a TINY bit dry. Luckily, I only made about 1/3 to 1/2 of the mix, so I have some left over to fix! I would suggest doing this... unless you're doing this as an activity with kids... in which case, make them ALL!

The original idea for these came from the fabulous mind of: Katy Elliot.

And don't forget to enter the fabulous giveaways going on from Exquisite Crafts and Atkinson Drive! Only a couple days left! Don't miss out.

That's right. We have TWO giveaways going on AT THE SAME TIME. I know... don't be overwhelmed by the awesomeness. I'm going to make things easy on you.

This wonderful giveaway comes from the creator of Exquisite Crafts, April. April started crafting when she was very young, letting her grandmother show her the way. She learned to knit four years ago and hasn't stopped yet! But April doesn't just knit. Ooooooh, no. She makes some positively adorable earrings!





Might I mention her Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games obsessions [amongst other things]?





Why show you all these adorable things? Because you can win something, of course! April is giving away one pair of earrings to a lucky winner! Here's what you have to do.

1. Be a follower of The Newfangled Housewife.
2. Like Exquisite Crafts on Facebook.

That's it! If you want to add your name to the pot a couple more times, you can also:

1. Like The Newfangled Housewife on Facebook.
2. Follow The Newfangled Housewife on Twitter.
3. Follow Exquisite Crafts on Twitter.
4. Tweet about this giveaway (make sure to tweet @Newfangled_Wife and @exquisitecrafts)

Make sure to leave a comment on this post or the Exquisite Crafts Facebook page to let us know what you've done!

WAIT! Don't leave yet.

April has another treat for you :). Use the coupon code HOLIDAY12 for 12% off your order in her Etsy Shop! This offer is good through December, so make sure you take advantage!

Happy shopping and good luck with the giveaway! The winner will be announced December 10th along with the Atkinson Drive giveaway winner!

Hello ladies [and possibly gents]!

You may remember that Sam from Atkinson Drive started off December with a Wife of the Month post. You may ALSO recall that she's doing a giveaway for Newfangled Housewife readers!

Well, since this was my first time with rafflecopter I may have made a few glitches. Not to worry! Here is a brand-spankin' new one. If you already entered, I am really sorry for the inconvenience. If you didn't, you're one lucky-duck because you now have longer to do so!

A Christmas Giveaway

Since I have the honor of being December's Wife of the Month, I am going to start the month off right with a giveaway! Don't we all love free stuff? Especially during the holiday season when our wallets seem to get smaller & smaller! Today, I am giving one lucky winner a FREE item {worth up to $10} from my Etsy shop. This is GREAT for those of you who have yet to get your Christmas cards!!! ;-)

I am also offering ALL Newfangled Housewife readers 10% off in my shop through December 17th. Just use the coupon code HOUSEWIFECHRISTMAS at checkout to redeem your discount.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner of the giveaway will be announced December 10th. You have until the night of the ninth to enter, so don't waste any time! Not to give too much away... but the winner of THIS giveaway will be announced on a post featuring... wait for it... ANOTHER GIVEAWAY! 'Tis the Season and I thought it would only make it that much more amazing if you were spoiled. Just because I'm so grateful for you!

And a special thanks to Sam for agreeing to join in the Christmas spirit! Don't forget to check out her Etsy shop as well as her blog!