Merry Christmas!

This is another holiday party where I failed to take any pictures! But I would much rather live in the moment than trying to find moments to take a picture of. :) Today we had our family Christmas party at my brother's house, and his wife (my sister-IL) cooked an amazing meal and I loved it! I had a lot of fun...and the food was amazing...and the company was even better! :)

This picture was taking a few minutes before we left to go home. My brother-IL and my sister had to take KaiBoy home since he was getting sleepy, and so they left my DollGirl here so that we could finish the Gingerbread house that we were making and decorating sugar cookies....and then we had a little bit of SUPER yummy, homemade apple pie and cranberry cider!

I love my family. I know that no matter what happens in the years to come, we will always have each other. My prayer is that I will find someone that I can spend the rest of my life with that my sister and brother can be happy that he is their "in-law." I love my brother-IL and sister-IL...and I want my sister and brother to be able to say that about the person that I will marry into the family. But for right now, my family, is my family and I love them.

Honolulu City Lights 2016.

Today was a ridiculously exhausting day, but it was SO worth it! I really was contemplating whether or not I wanted to go to the city with my family to go see the city lights. I really didn't want to, but then because I like spending time with family, I really wanted to go. I love spending time with my DollGirl and KaiBoy and I love going on adventures with them...but today was a real rough day at the preschool! It was crazy! The kids were crazy! If ever I forgot that we had a break coming up, I just needed to look at my kids and their behavior would remind me. *laughs*

I decided to go. It didn't take much convincing really, just I needed the energy to go...but anytime I think of my little ones, I somehow muster enough energy to LOOK like I have energy. *laughs*

Even though it was still light out, I'm glad that we went early. There wasn't that many people there yet, and we had really good parking! That was what I was worried about...the whole parking dealio! It can get pretty crazy...and sometimes you can spend a lot time trying to look for a place to park. But not this time, we drove up and got real good parking!

"Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say, on a bright Hawai'ian Christmas day!" I couldn't leave without taking a picture of this! (Keep in mind, a lot of these pictures were taking one handed since KaiBoy decided that he wanted to stay with me. I like to think it's because I don't ever believe rushing kids if they don't need to be rushed. So we took our time walking around. I would only carry him if there was a huge group, or you could tell he was tired...but for the most, he loved walking everywhere. But yes, I would be holding his hand...so one handed pictures here! :))

It was funny because it looked like KaiBoys head was going to fall off while we walked under the trees with the lights because he couldn't stop looking at the lights! :)

And there is the official sign of the Honolulu City Lights!:)

Every year they would have a Christmas Wreath contest...and there were some really awesome wreaths! SUPER creative! I really liked that Dream Catcher wreath!

This one was my favorite wreath this year! I love how everything was made from the beach!

These wreaths always make me laugh! I swear that we can make one, or two, or three! at the the preschool, because the kids always leave their slippers at the school and then forget which one is theirs!

Christmas trees all decorated with lights just makes me smile! I love it! I makes me so happy to see this!

This little guy could not stop looking at the tree! The lights would change colors and KaiBoy LOVED it! I love watching his face when he is super interested in something! :)

And here is Santa and Mrs. Clause just chilling...:)

See, even Santa likes to go barefoot! :)

I love my family. I super love my family. And I am so glad that I can call them mine. :)

Right when we got to the cars, DollGirl said that she needed to go to the bathroom...and so while Papa took her to the bathroom, my sisters and I stayed with KaiBoy in the car...he's so cute. I love him. :)

They are my world. I love them. My DollGirl and my KaiBoy. I'm glad that I went. Any time spent with them is so worth it. :)

DIY Christmas Bell.

Yay! Today we FINALLY completed our Christmas Bell ornaments for our parents! I think that they turned out super cute and I love them so much! They were super easy to make and I think that this might be a Christmas project that I am going to make with my DollGirl this year when we are on break.

I spray painted the clay pots red and green and then I allowed the children to "paint" the pot with metallic/glitter glue. Then I gave them various things that they could glue on as well-buttons, winter sequins, pompom balls, and glitter. I did give it a quick spray of sealing varnish and wrote their names inside the bell and also attached a bell inside. And I also added a tag with one of my favorite quotes on it. I think they turned out amazing...and I hope that the parents will love them!

Now I just have to get the Children to finish decorating their gift bags so that I can wrap/bag these babies up! :)

DIY Christmas Handprint tags/ornaments

This week at the preschool, we are working on our Christmas presents to our parents. It's a bit harder because not all the kids come on all the days and so I wanted to start a bit early and not leave this to the last minute. Today I was able to complete all the hand prints tags that I plan on putting on the bags that the children are going to decorate.

I think that they came out super cute! I made these last year and they were a hit with the parents! I hope that they will like them this year as well! I am a sentimental person like that...and I like making hand print arts and craft so that the parents can save them through out the year. I think that it's a nice memorabilia.

I found this poem that I placed on the back of the mittem/hand print on the internet...and it was a super cute poem so I really wanted to print that out. These tags are really quick and easy to make...and it's a nice keepsake. I think that it's also nice to hang on the tree as well. :) At least I have one step down from finishing the Christmas presents! :)

Target surprise gifts!

Today my friend (and co-worker) came into my classroom this morning before the chaos of lovely darlings came in and gave me some things that she got me from Target! I keep telling myself that I need to go there when I have the chance...I absolutely love their $1 section in the front of the store!

So "I" came into my classroom and gave me some washi tape and stickers...! I love it! I love surprises! I love how she thought of me when she saw these things!

I used these same stickers for my DollGirl and KaiBoy's Advent Calender...but I wanted to go back to get some for me...I love these stickers...they are fun and there are a variety of stickers that I can use!

And guess what!? Each 500+ sticker book was only a dollar each! You can't beat that! They are fun, festive, sparkly, and Winter-y...perfect! I am planning to use them in my planners, letters, journals, and DIY cards that I am planning on making. I can't wait!

She also got me some washi tape! Oh, how I LOVE washi tape! :) These are 2 yards a roll and they are fun and festive! (I find myself using that word festive a lot!)

And I love how each roll was only $1! How awesome was that?! :)

And there are close ups of the washi tape that "I" had given me...and LOVE them all! I'm glad that I have friends who give me random surprises! :)

Getting festive!

This makes me so happy! So my TA bought me a mini Christmas tree so that I can have a tree in my little studio! I had mentioned to her that I missed having a Christmas tree in my house, but my place is way too small to have a tree...and so she went out and got me a small..mini...Christmas tree, and I was able to hang up some of my Christmas ornaments that I had saved over the years! :) I love it...it's only 2 feet high and it is perfect! I am looking at it as I am sitting here, typing this post! :) Yay, to the Holidays! :)

Classroom Bullletin Board.

I love this time of year! I love how festive it is...and I love decorating my house to reflect how much I love all the holidays! But since I can't do much decorating in my studio, I like to go all out in my classroom. Here is the bulletin that I created for my classroom. It isn't finished yet, but it is a start! I am going to have the children help me in it as well. I love how I have that Christmas tree in the corner! That is where I have been putting the gifts that the kids have been giving Mrs. A and I already! :) I love the lights! Jade brought her Christmas decorations to school and allowed us to use it...and I had borrowed her lights and it LOVE it! I leave it on during nap time and the kids love it! And it looks so festive and calm. :) I like it...:)

Blue Christmas.

So, I am quite excited because we finally were able to put up our Christmas tree! I wanted to go with the blue theme this year...and so we did. My brother and my housemate helped me with it...and we had fun putting it up! Now, I just need to wrap my presents and put them under the tree! The lights are SO beautiful!

I'll add the presents soon!

So pretty! It makes me smile!

My Christmas nails this year was done fast. I didn't realize that I would be busy...but what do you expect! Weddings and teaching and studying takes up a lot of my time...and so here are my Christmas nails! Super fast, yet fun! Well, I hope that this Christmas will be filled with lots of fun! Even though Amanda will be going home for Christmas, she will be back for New Years, so that is good...:) Well, I need to go to sleep now...but yes, I am excited for Christmas! :) Oh yeah, here are my nails!