Sweets For My Sweeties, Christmas Card Holders and Such

I am sloooooow to get my house decorated for Christmas.  I don't feel rushed to get it all done at once, and want my kids to have the chance to help me while they still want to - and this often means waiting until the weekends when we don't have school, sports and homework to contend with.

Tody we're on a mission to embrace the Christmas season around here.  This morning we started by making ye old Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls. 

YES - I'd like to make these from scratch like the Pioneer Woman, but alas, there's not enough time in the day for such things.  I can't tell you how excited my kids got when I pulled this tube out of the fridge.  The pooooooooor things don't get to indulge in such sweets near often enough as far as they're concerned. 

Pop these babies in the oven and bake them up, glob the warm buns with the icing that comes in the tube, give them some Christmas sprinkles and WA-LA - suddenly you're the best mamasita in town. (As opposed to last night when you were making them go to bed at an appropriate hour.)

Mmmmmmhmmmm - that's some serious unwholesome goodness.

Happy chitlins :)

Sometimes I think we moms try TOO hard to make everything - such as the entire Christmas season - so lovely and picture-perfect for everyone that we miss out on the joy of the moment.  If I waited until I had time to make cinnamon rolls from scratch, we would never get around to it.  The older I get, the lower my expectations for a perfect house descend, and the more I learn to enjoy each small moment like this one above. 

{Okay, how AWESOME is it that my 8 year old still loves to wear that fuzzy, fleecy bathrobe with dogs in Christmas attire all over the inside?  I can't even stand how much I love him in that.  His older brother would rather skip through the neighborhood Christmas caroling with his family in matching red and green outfits than wear a fuzzy bathrobe in the privacy of his own home, so I'm enjoying these sweet moments while they last.}

Now onto a little Christmas card organization - -

how do you display holiday cards?

This is my favorite way:

  I simply glue tiny clothespins to ribbons, use a thumbtack to attach the ribbons to the top of doors, and attach the cards. 

Thank you to Dudley, this cute doggie above, for modeling the Christmas card holder for me.

If you're interested in the details........I have found that a hot glue gun provides the best adhesion for use year after year, and I've also found that if you don't glue the clothespins onto the ribbon, the cards and clothespins will inevitably come flying off when the door is opened and closed.  If you take 5 minutes to glue them on, you can use them for many years and they keep all your Christmas cards nice and tidy.  I hang 3 ribbons on each door from the top to about a foot from the bottom and tape the bottom so it doesn't swing to and fro. 

One more cute way to display Christmas photos.....

.......add festive ribbon to magnetic picture sleeves (used for our Santa photos, which are not a big priority in our house, but the motley collection from over the years is humorous to display!)  I also added a little sparkly confetti.  This year I put these on the fridge, but I have also stuck them to the inside of the front or back doors (that are metal) for a lil bit o'fun.

I'm pretty sure I have issues with all the photos I need to display - but I love them and to me they make our house a home!

I hope you're enjoying this fine December day and getting in the Christmas spirit!

I love hearing from you! {Comments welcome!}