Jingle Bells

About a week ago, I get a call from my friend Brooke. "Hey, did you get my email?"

Me, "No, why"

B: " I signed us up to ring the bells for Salvation Army next Saturday."

Me: silence...thinking is she serious? Its cold outside. Surely she is joking.

B: "It will be fun. We'll get hot cocoa and take the girls."

Later that day I get an email from the Salvation Army thanking us for our volunteering.

Obviously this wasn't a joke, and our Saturday morning was set.

Brooke said we should ring them where all our friend can see us, so where else but Walmart.

We bundled up in layers, hats, gloves and scarves. Brooke held up to her end of the deal and as promised the 2 hours of ringing the bells was a fun way to spend our Saturday morning.

Kennedy, Lauryn, and Kate sang some great songs, and the girls even showed off their

robot dancing moves.

I think if not for these girls we wouldn't have gotten much money.

I think we have just found our new Christmas tradition.

Now...I wonder how long before I get paid???

Trim the tree....or just plug it in

What better way to spend a Family Home Evening.

Shawn took the older girls and they assembled the tree.

I took the two Reds and they helped me make Gingerbread ornaments.

I took this idea from my creative gal pal Brooke.

Heres the Recipe:

1/2 C. Applesauce 1/2 C. cinnamon: Mix well. Roll out on cookie sheet and press with a cookie cutter. Poke hole in head with straw for threading a ribbon threw to hang from tree. Place in 200* oven for aprx. 30 min. till hard. ( or just leave out over night)

The Reds had a blast making these, and they made the house smell like Santas bakery.Can you see the Magic of Christmas working?

What could have been more fun than to get Dad & Mom to kiss, and kiss under the kissing ball.

Craft'n Christmas

Had a couple of friends over to make these amazing Christmas wreaths.
Easy as can be to create, and with enough razzle dazzle to Welcome in Christmas.

We Believe

What an exciting time.

Maddie came in from shoveling the driveway, and was carrying a large Fedex package.

We checked it over and on the tag it said

From Santa

To McManus Family.

We were so excited, and perplexed that we just set the box on the couch and we all just gawked at it; waiting for Shawn to get home so we could dive into the package.

Shawn walked thru the door and Maddie grabbed a knife to open up the Santa gift.

Santa & Mrs. Clause had written a letter that informed us that they had chosen our family to

give the 12 days of Christmas to.

Yahoo!

This has been a huge lift to everyone. It is one of the most exciting things that we do each night.

Everyone is taking a turn to open a gift.

Maverick was a bit confused at the beginning wondering where the toys were that he had asked for...he now understands, and begs to open every gift. Patience little guy.

The first night we had to do some catch up and so we opened 3 days worth.

1st) Candy Canes

2nd) Nativity play board set, ( Maverick opened this and now thinks its his)

3rd) Santa mug, and hot cocoa packs to give to good kids each night.

4th) a Christmas tin with DVD and movie night stuff.

We anticipate each night and can't wait to open another present.

So to whom ever decided that our family would enjoy this, you are right.

This has been received with such joy and a wonderful Spirit of Christmas lights up our home each night.

Thanks to Santa for being so thoughtful.